All I can say is that my life is pretty plain

 

For all of you

 Dude was so committed he changed his name to ?

Slash and burn

Almost spring-like air moved over Mudsock yesterday afternoon and I was tempted to sneak outside and enjoy a nice cigar. Alas, I had a zoom meeting and then other work to do so playing hooky wasn’t in the cards. So it goes. 

The Democrats and public employee unions (redundant) continue to completely misread the room. They complain that DOGE is rooting out waste and fraud instead of acknowledging that a bit of governmental slimming is warranted. Don’t worry. The despicable Republicans (and their lobbyists) will howl soon when their favorite programs start to get the axe. I suspect there is enough waste and fraud at the Pentagon to pay the budgets of a state or two. 

Here is the thing, I don’t care if a worthwhile program gets cut. If it needs refunding Congress can actually do their job and vote it back. 

While we are slashing employees and programs, it is clear the easy work of government service is a magnet for the sexual perverts and mentally ill. If anyone at any private business where I have worked spread their perversions and sexual proclivities on company servers they would be escorted from the premises poste-haste. I sure don’t want my tax dollars used for a hook-up chat room. 

Since many of these people worked in intelligence , doesn’t such…proclivities…make them vulnerable to blackmail and compromise? Perhaps I’ve read too many spy novels.

Things that Irritate me volume #6,437

I was surprised the wife asked for sloppy joes for supper last night. She likes my version that absolutely does not come from a can. That stuff is garbage. Me? I’m not a big fan. To be honest I don’t care for much of my cooking. I don’t hate it either. It’s just food. 

Can we all agree that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fane without Boston, Styx, REO, JethroTull and KISS is a joke? And I don’t even like KISS. We have rappers, sixties soul singers who barely cracked the top forty, the Sex Pistols and Dolly Parton for goodness sake but not actual, you know, rock bands. 

Wow, I almost tripped climbing down from my soap box. 

True confession, back in the late seventies when Boston flooded the airwaves I was not a big fan. Only years later did I really learn to appreciate their music. 

Oh, and this tale of gigging trying to make it? Not true. They fell into a record contract and great success really fast. 

It could have been worse

Let’s go back in time. We only need go back a couple of weeks. Dress warm, it is cold outside. No, I’m sure we will fit seamlessly into the culture unless you have weird Spock ears, then you might wear a stocking cap. 

Ready? Transport!

We picked up the wife’s car Saturday morning. It now has a new engine, a new turbocharger and a new battery. The whole repair was north of $8K. 

I was dead set against buying the extended warranty when we purchased that used car. I let the wife talk me into it. 

Now I’m out less than $500 instead of $8400. That includes a new battery not covered by the warranty. 

I’m willing to say the most painful words in the world.

I was wrong. 

Just listen to old grandpa Joe

I understand I am not the arbiter taste and decency but I am certain we would all agree that if I were the world would be a much better place. 

I said we should all agree on this point. 

Anyway, it has been two months. It is time to turn off your Christmas lights. You don’t have to brave the cold and take them down, just reach down and unplug them. Really it is not difficult. And that tree in your window? I hope it is artificial. A real one is a fire hazard at this point. 

This message isn’t only for my neighbor down the street. We came home from our friend’s house last night and counted more than a dozen gaily decorated homes. 

I know the long cold winter nights are tough and a bit of festive color brightens your dreary life, but it is time to give it up. 

I’ll address wearing your pajamas to Walmart in a later post.

Turn off your Christmas lights. 

How it’s done

 Way back in the last century I was sitting on the bathroom floor, a toilet bowl across my lap, scraping the nasty, failed wax ring from the bottom. The wife came in with the cordless telephone (landline) in her hand. She said it was the HR manager from redacted company. 

I took the phone and absolutely nailed that job interview sitting right there on the bathroom floor cradling a toilet. After I hung up I finished fixing the lavatory.

I got the job. 

That, my friends, is compartmentalizing and I’m still very good at it. 

Move me on to any black square

 It’s early. It’s cold. It’s Friday. 

I think that about covers it. 

Today I’m going to feature a tune in Friday music I love. I know all of the words, and yes, it has lyrics. I don’t sing along, even when I’m all by myself in the car in the middle of nowhere. I don’t have a deep sonorous voice, it is rather unpleasant in fact, but there is no way I can sing in Jon Anderson’s register.

Here is a terrific cover featuring Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles:

Just lovely

It is yet another frigid morning here in Mudsock but it is supposed to get back to normal temperatures next week. Not warm, mind you, but ant least above freezing. 

I made a pot of potato soup for dinner last night. Nice BLT sandwiches rounded out the meal. There is soup left over for today’s lunch. 

In an effort to mitigate the unimaginable boredom this post is likely engendering, let’s listen to some music.

And now my email in box is full

I was off doing my Willie Loman thing yesterday. I made a very cold quick in-and-out trip to NE Ohio (Hey Cappy, Hey Jean). I had a nice visit and lunch with very big customer then motored right back home. In all, it was a thirteen hour trip. I doubled the miles on the new company vehicle. 

I have no interesting stories to relate from the road. The whole trip was just boring. I ran into a little rush hour traffic in Columbus on the way and on the east side of Indy on my return. Like I said, boring, much like this post.

This frigid weather must be because Trump is not financing climate change hysteria

 Yeah,yeah, I know it is cold at your house too. At least it is warm in the house, upstairs anyway. 

I spent last week giving out tariff price increases. You know, the ones foreign countries were going to pay. When you go to the big box store this summer to buy a new yellow or red drill or saw, don’t blame me when the price is higher. 

That one self-interested complaint aside, I am ecstatic about Trump’s actions roughly a month in. 

Would you go take out a loan to give your neighbor so he could buy condoms or to write a play? No? Then why is it okay for the government to borrow money to pass to others who are not even Americans? You are paying the interest with your tax money. 

If rich Hollywood liberals think giving money to put on a LGBTQ play in South America is the thing to do, then they can set up a foundation and finance it themselves. 

There were times when my kids were small and they were sad I couldn’t buy them a new toy. I would explain I did not have the money. They asked why I don’t just write a check. “Because only the government thinks you can do that,” I would reply. 

Now we at least have someone who is trying to stop writing checks for stupid stuff.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y

The granddaughters spent the night and we had a great time. We went to their favorite Mexican restaurant, did some crafts, played some games, and watched a movie. Right now they are snuggled in their beds, but I expect the youngest, always an early riser, to be up soon. 

This morning I plan on making a coffee cake for breakfast. I will have to do some shoveling while it’s in the oven and before my daughter comes to pick them up. We have a couple of inches of snow on the ground covering beaucoup rain yesterday, so I suspect there is a layer of ice underneath. Bleeping groundhog. 

Now it is stuck on your head too. You are welcome.

PS. Happy Birthday. Mom.  I miss you.

Yet another song where I know every single word and can sing it flawlessly

I’m up early yet again. So what? I’ll take a nap. It’s sleeting outside. I’m not going anywhere anyway this morning so it doesn’t really matter. 

It seems to me the tone of this here blog post is a little negative. I’m in a terrific mood in reality. I’m listening to great tunes on the Amazon spy device while I hunt and peck. Tommy James, The Yardbirds, the Beach Boys, what’s not to like? Hendrix, that’s who, but that’s just me. 

The grandgirls are coming to spend the night. I’m happy about that. I don’t get to see them much anymore since they are both in school. 

I interrupt this nonsense for a musical interlude:

 A mellow tune from the band when they primary played the blues. 

We didn’t do anything special for yesterday’s Hallmark holiday. I took the wife for a steak dinner. We came home and she put away clean laundry while I read, watched tv and dozed on the couch. Yawn. That may explain why I’m up early; cause and effect or somesuch. 

You thought this was random words. See how I brought it all together at the end?

On this day

 

And a time to every purpose under Heaven

I’ve been busy as heck at work this week. Today will be no different. But since I woke up a bit after five ay em I have some time to waste here this morning.

Glancing out the window it appears the big winter storm warning was a bust. There is no snow on the ground. There may be a layer of ice, but I’m not going anywhere this morning anyway. 

Reading over this…drivel it is clear there is no point to this near-daily exercise in self-aggrandizement anymore. I’m not only talking about today’s waste of words.

The only thing to do is play some music.

A tale with no point

Before the colonization of India , the Moguls ruled the plains. One day three young Mogul princes were behaving as young men have since the beginning of time. They ate, they drank, they bragged about the women they had seduced (in their imagination). After a while they began to brag about their athletic ability and finally about their magnificent elephants. 

In time the young men decided to race their beasts to the far side of the river about two thousand paces away across the valley. They each agreed to put a thousand rupees, a great sum of money, into a winner-take-all pot. To solemnize the race the terms were written on parchment and signed by each racer. The first elephant to cross the river was the winner. 

They mounted their elephants and the older boys laughed st Rasheed for his elephant Dapeep was only two thirds the size of the other great elephants. Rasheed answered “I have raised him from a baby. He is loyal.” 

At the shout of one of the servants the racers lumbered forward. Little Dapeep had to take three steps for just two of the big full grown elephants and soon fell behind. At the halfway point he was fifty paces behind and losing ground with each step. 

The larger of the beasts came to the stream that marked the finish line. The water was in flood and raged swiftly between its banks. The oldest boy flogged his steed snd the elephant took one hesitant step into the fast moving water and balked. It would go no more. The second elephant likewise hesitated. 

Rasheed rode up to the shore and dismounted. He calmly removed his boots and waded into the river. He struck out and swam the flooded stream with a strong stroke. He emerged dripping and flung himself exhausted upon the bank. The older boys laughed and hooted reminding Rasheed the race was for the first elephant to cross. 

Rasheed stood and whistled at his faithful pet. He began to sing a familiar lullaby. His little elephant waddled into the water with a loud trumpet from his raised trunk and swam towards his master. The elephant struggled out on the other side and sunk to its knees. Rasheed went and cut the most tender leaves from a nearby tree and fed them to his little elephant by hand. 

The other two young men said Rasheed cheated and refused to pay their wager. Finally the three came before the Rajah himself to arbitrate the dispute. Rasheed showed the parchment that only specified that the first elephant to cross the river was the winner, not the rider. The Rajah declared him the winner.

And the others learned why you should always read a document before you sign it. 

A pessimist’s take

I am amazed that the Democrat response to the expose of governmental fraud and waste is not “wow, we need to clean this up” but rather “you don’t have a right to do an audit.” 

I’ve yet to see one elected Democrat decry the programs. Not one program and not one Democrat. 

Don’t worry, the lobbyists are going to get to work to protect their gravy train and soon the Republicans will side with the Democrats and all of this bright light shining on the government will disappear in a flurry of bribes and corruption. 

Trump moved so quickly he caught them unaware. I give it about six weeks to grind to a halt. 

I wouldn’t doubt another impeachment is on the horizon. The deep state won’t be denied. Billions are at stake. 

There is a house

 A big game too…

And in other sports news Cubs pitchers and catchers report for spring training today!

A new policy

 

H/T Midwest Chick

Decisions, decisions

I want to do something really special for my wife for Valentine’s Day. Should I splurge on a nice filet at a high end steak house or should I buy a dozen eggs?

I crack me up.

Of course it is Friday. Here is a blast to the eighties.

And you are paying for it

 Ponder this: there are just over a thousand companies in the US with more than 10,000 employees. Those are the biggest companies. 

One agency in the US government, USAid, employees 10,000 people. Ten Thousand. The average employee of the Federal Government makes $106,000 annually or about $51an hour. Plus benefits. And you are paying those wages. Then these well-paid employees take even more of your hard earned dollars and send that money off to support good and bad programs all over the globe. Vaccines for poor African kids. Billions for Hamas. How much is siphoned off or used to bribe politicians? You are paying for it all. 

Do you think Walmart bosses would be okay with employees helping out Amazon? Why would we let USAid help out the enemies of our country? When people take to the streets shouting “death to America” they don’t deserve our dollars. Not even the kids. Let their own parents and government take care of them. It is not the responsibility of American taxpayers to support the world. 

So yeah, I have no issue with the President going through the budget or looking at programs or evaluating employees. Do you think the CEO of any other large corporation just lets the department heads run stuff without oversight?

Do you think big companies don’t  hire outside consultants when the ship is floundering? 

Yes, I want the government to run like a business . It’s my money after all. 

Bleepedy Bleep Bleep

Back on my great unemployment saga during Covid the wife’s car broke down. It needed more than a thousand bucks in repairs that we could not afford. We traded it for a used Ford Escape. 

Last week I went out to the garage and started the car to warm it up in the frigid weather. When she went out to the car it wasn’t running. She started it again and backed out of the driveway. Before I could get upstairs she was back. The car was running rough and didn’t want to go. 

Since I’m a car expert (sarcasm),  listened to the motor and agreed - there’s something wrong. She climbed into my car and left. 

The diagnosis is in. There is coolant in two cylinders. Busted head gasket? It’s broken, that is for sure and it’s going to be very expensive. 

The good news?  I bought an extended warranty when I bought the car. Now I just need to fight with them to pay for the fix. 

Explain it all with a sigh

Tuesday. After a record warm day yesterday we are right back into the clutches of winter today. It may snow tomorrow.

Stupid rodent.

It appears Mexico and Canada caved and the tariffs on those trading partners are on hold for now. That’s a good thing. 

It is okay to disagree with the president and not automatically be a liberal somewhere to the left of Nancy Pelosi. Anyone who knows me would bust a gut in laughter to think I’m a leftist. I used to say I would like Rush Limbaugh if he could only be a little more conservative.

I do reject the notion there is some kind of conservative purity test and we all have to toe the line or else. That’s the same kind of nitwittery the far left has adopted to drag their party into political correctness and losing elections. It is okay to disagree with Trump. 

Here’s the thing, friends can politely disagree. I suspect I have far more experience dealing with anti-dumping duties and tariffs as part of my job than most of you. I have dealt with them in one way or another for more than thirty years. Duties and tariffs inflate the market, cause short-term shortages and supply chain disruption. In the end, the prices settle at a higher rate as the cheap products carry the tariff burden and the higher domestic goods use the new reset market price as an opportunity to slowly increase prices to maintain the status quo. 

We need some music. Economics gives me a headache.

It’s still about the economy , stupid

I guess Trump didn’t read the polls leading to his election. I’m not surprised, a narcissist like he could never grasp that people voted against Harris and her policies as much as for his policies. I held my nose and voted for him.

The overriding issue in the recent election was the economy, namely inflation. So what does the president do? Implement tariffs on three of our largest trading partners. 

You would think Trump, or at least his advisors, would understand that tariffs are not paid by the exporters but by the importers. That means you and I will pay higher prices. Do you think Walmart or Target* are going to eat a higher cost and not pass it on? 

For instance we are in the winter here, some of the produce you get at the local market comes from Mexico. Guess what?  Your groceries are going up. Again. 

Here’s the thing, if China is too expensive then manufacturers will move to Vietnam, Malaysia, or India. It has already happened with clothing and athletic shoes. Read a label. They are not reopening mills in the Carolinas. Americans aren’t going to pay $25 for a pair of tighty whiteys. 

We live in a global economy. 

We make a lot of stuff in America. But it takes years to build and open a factory. In the meantime you and I try to get by with thinner wallets. 

I guess Trump wants the loathsome Democrats back running Congress in two years.

*or Ford or GM, or Home Depot, etc. 

Creepy Crawlers

Raise your hand if you ever got burnt by the Creepy Crawler Thing Maker.

That toy would never be sold today. 

I imagine I have dated myself. 

On a completely unrelated note I put no credence in the forecasts of a rodent, even if he is about as accurate as the weather lady on the TV. 

Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?

I’m in a generous mood as we start out February. I’m sure you are bored and beset by the winter doldrums so I’m going to let you get my first novel at a ridiculous low price of just $0.99 cents for the e-book version. You can download a free Kindle reader if you don’t have one. I get a book sale and you get a few hours of meager entertainment to pass the gloomy February days. What a deal!*

You can Buy it here. Be sure to put up an honest review after you are finished. I’m a big boy, I can take criticism. I get it from my wife daily!😎. Just kidding.

As bonus I’m throwing some Saturday music. Does my generosity ever end?

*Act now, limited time offer. Get two for the price of two. Order for your friends. No stamps. Guaranteed to contain real words and sentences. May contain adult subjects. Keep off the grass. Obey all posted signs. Headlights on while wipers are working. No texting while driving. Loud music may damage your hearing. Clean up after your dog. Be sure and tip your waitstaff. Two drink minimum. Only you can prevent forest fires. 

**Ssle starts around noon EST