How Much You Wanna Bet

...the roll-over Republicans fall yet again for the Democrat Whimpy Budget Plan?  You know how Whimpy used to try and cajole a burger out of Popeye with the old " I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today"? That is play number one in the Democrat budget negotiation playbook: promise to cut future spending in return for tax increases now. Of course future spending is never cut. We hand over the money today and Whimpy buys everyone in the diner a hamburger. Come Tuesday, we are told we should just pony up the funds for a few more burgers. The Stupid Party reaches for their our wallet...rinse and repeat.





tune in to the 2:40 mark

I'll take my ball and go home

People always go into hysterics and panic after they lose, be it an election or a big ball game. The Republican Party is no exception. The power brokers are again up to their elbows in pointing fingers. Yes, I know that is a nonsensical mixed metaphor, but it seems strangely apt to me.

Once again the Republican hierarchy is blaming the conservative wing for the failure to win an election. This action is purely in the face of reality.  Americans, and Republicans in particular, are conservative. This Guy has it completely right. I am sick of the Republican Party bringing out Democrat Lite candidates, or old guys merely because they have "paid their dues". I said it in 2008 and I mean it now.  Why would anyone vote for a slightly-less-liberal when you can vote for the real thing? Especially when the Republican candidate is less than likable? If you cannot carry the uninformed through your good looks, or charisma, and your policy position is "I will spend almost-as-much-as-the-other-guy", how do you expect to win?

Back in high school there was always that kid who showed up at the cool-kid parties even though he was not welcome.  The cheerleaders made fun of him behind his back and the football players dumped beer on his nerdy head, but the cool kids let the dork come to the party because he let them copy his math homework. That is how the Republican Party treats the conservatives. They like our votes, but hate our ideas. I'm tired of the wedgies.

You see, here is the secret of Washington politics. It is all about the power. ObamaCare was never going to be repealed. It will be tweaked and modified, but there is too much money to be made for the lobbyists, and too much power to wield for the politicians for the program to wither and die. The National Republicans are only about the power. They are content to rule the House, and a Senate majority would be OK, but then the Republican Bosses would have to be responsible for policy. This way it is convenient to just blame the Democrats when nothing gets done.

Here is where I am today. I opined late last year it may be time for a legitimate third party for 2016 if the Republicans fail to get their shit in a sock. I am sick of voting for "not as bad as the other guy". If the Republican party thinks conservatism is the problem, maybe it is time the conservatives looked for a new home. I predict it will take but two election cycles for the Republican Party to become a mere whisper of their former selves.  After all, the Whigs held on for a few Congressional seats in 1860. Good luck winning elections as the Moderate Party. I would venture that path has not been too successful so far.

How long are you willing to be a mere political booty call for the Republican establishment? They want our votes, but just screw us.   At least a hooker can expect a fifty on the dresser. Conservatives are only the butt of the joke at the old boy's club.

A Monday Movie Review

I watched Diner over the weekend. I did not like it anymore than I did in 1982. I give it three "O"s -- overblown, over hyped, and over rated.

How about some hippie music?



Forget the crap from The Wall. this is some serious music. I have actually memorized all of the lyrics to this song.

Meandering Musings

I dreamed (dreamt?) I got a tattoo. It was a Chicago Cubs one on my left shoulder. It was only a dream.

I will spend this week in the office, no travels for me. That is good, the past few months have included a bunch of airport, windshield, and hotel time. Usually the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are slow, but  I will be doing my Wilie Nelson thing (On the Road Again) a bunch this year.

I am not sure if you noticed, unemployment has surged since the election. Business orders have dropped and things are starting to look ugly out there. The reality of Obamnomics (including the ObamaCare) is about to smack the economy across the face with a nail-studded two by four.  Thanks to ignorant Obama voters and the stupid GOPhers for putting up yet again a tepid candidate.

The millionaires are back on TV begging to be taxed at a higher rate. They pay a lower rate because they have only capital gains income. You pay a lower capital gains tax rate than you do on your income. If those guys feel so strongly they are not putting in their fair share, they are free to overpay their taxes.  They can write a check to the IRS at any time. Typical Democrats, it is all about words and intentions, never action. They are always quick to spend someone else's money.

I had no intention of going down the political rant rabbit hole today. I have my Sinatra Station on Pandora playing gently in the background.  I splurged and instead of my usual pot of Maxwell House I dropped a K-cup of the good stuff into the Keurig. I did my best to set the stage for a mellow Sunday of movies and football. Then the home screen shows me the damn Democrats in action and my blood pressure spirals upward. Do some homework people.  Ask yourself if what is going on in the Libya cover-up is acceptable. This is not about a general diddling some groupie slut. Americans died and your President lied.

I have been getting slammed with spam the past few weeks. It is no problem to delete them en masse from the spam filter, but this week about 50 or 60 a day have been getting through. That is a pain, to delete them one at a time. I HATE HATE HATE the comment verification squiggly letter thing.  Not that I am much of a commenter anyway, but the scrunched up verification means I have to really want to put in my two cents before I bother. I don't want to put it in here. I guess I will act like a Democrat does on federal spending and the economy and just hope things will magically get better.

I am off to read your blog. 

F-ing Damn Unions Anyway

So long old pals.

I will miss you guys. I know we have not spent much time together the past few years. It was me, not you. Blame it on my health.

And you,

I think I'll miss you most of all.


 I will NEVER understand a mind that would rather have NO JOB than one with a pay cut. 

True Confession

I have not provided a fresh post since election day. They have all been canned for a least a few hours, in some cases days and weeks.

That statement is just as true today.

Living in the Past

Sometime during my third grade year at Samuel P. Kyger Elementary school my life was changed.. Until then I was an indifferent student. I did not think much of school one way or another. I went because I had to.  There was nothing to like nor hate about it.  School just was. But a couple of things happened there in Mrs. Walters' class. We were introduced to the SRA system. We had to read a book and take a test on it. These were real books, not the picture books of the earlier years.  We read real stories with plot and characters. I did the minimum.

Then one day the teacher wheeled in the projector. This in itself was not unusual. She threaded the 16 mm film through the pathways, the lights were shut off and the blinds were closed. The familiar click click of the projector and the countdown sequence started. It was a Disney film.  It was called Johnny Tremain and it was the most awesome thing I had ever seen. I sat enthralled.  Paul Revere and Redcoats and history just became real to my little brain.

Imagine my surprise to find out Johnny Tremain was a book! I read it as fast as I could. I took the SRA test and scored a perfect score. I read the book again. Mrs. Walters directed me to similar books of historical bent. I discovered biographies. My teacher took to listing everyone's reading scores next to the SRA box.. We all knew who read the most books. It was going to be me. It was me. Reading opened a magical world. I could go anywhere. I could learn anything!

Over the subsequent years I read every biography and history book in the elementary school.library. I also became a regular at the public library.  Mom bought me books. I read and read, especially if it had to do with history. I am sure know I bored my family silly talking about this battle and that person. Soon I repeatedly heard the the same phrase in my ears -- "Put down the book, Joe, go outside and play". I took my book outside and sat on the step, the curb,  or the picnic table on the patio and read. Eventually I would join the other kids in baseball, or "army", or neighborhood mayhem, but if no one was around it was my books and me whiling away the afternoons.

I still love reading. I still love history. How wonderful my two favorite hobbies match so perfectly. So it was with great joy a week or two ago when I spotted the Newberry Award winning Johnny Tremain as the Kindle Daily Deal. For just $1.99 I scored the book that started it all.  I know it is a kid's book.  I am certain it will not bring the same wonder it did more than forty years ago. But a couple of bucks and an hour or two is a cheap price to relive a seminal moment from my youth, one that has formed my very being today.

Friday Holiday Music

We are going to take a break from hippie music to kick off the Holiday Season in style. Why not, Walmart has had the Christmas displays out since early October and the mall has been piping in Christmas tunes since Halloween.

I dig Christmas music and who better sets the mood than Dino? Besides, it is cold outside.

Smoke gets in my eyes

Last Friday evening we went to visit some friends. We ordered in a couple of pizzas. The women headed uptown to visit some shops and such. My buddy and I went out to his deck/patio to enjoy the unusually warm November weather. Temperatures were hovering in the low 60's and upper 50's as he built a fire in the fire pit. I cracked open a couple of ice cold beers and lit up a fine stogie. Mine was a Royal Jamaican Gold, his, a CAO, I think.

This was a fine cigar

Wood smoke  from the oak logs twisted with the blue haze from the fine tobaccos, sending a fragrant scent into the night sky. We solved the world's problems, laughed and had had a complete boys night out right at home.  The faint pink sky of the evening drifted into a deep blue sky filled with stars as we sat in the dark, illuminated by the flames. The fire was just right to keep off the deepening chill. The beer flowed. My cigar burned down to a nub, leaving my fingers singed. I pulled out a spare and lit an H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon, a more mild ending to the night. Eventually the antique stores, craft shops, and art galleries closed. The ladies returned and the evening came to an end. 

My jacket stunk like Satan's tennis shoes Saturday morning.

Corporate Wars of 2012 or example 1,513 of why on line complaint forms suck

So, I had to go all Mr. Asshole  on US Air today.

Perhaps you read this post.  I filled out the f-ing on line complaint form.  I got an email response from Customer Relations advising me my complaint was important and they would respond within two business days.  Chirpity fucking chirp and a week has passed.  Unacceptable.

We did the representative/supervisor thing.  A few calls were made while I fumed on hold and presto chango, I have a full refund on the way. Initially I would have been satisfied  if the airline just waived the rebooking fees. Then they screwed with me. Nothing less than a full refund could soothe my pissed-off ego at this point.  It was a matter of principle.

Of course, I am certain I will be flagged for extra security screenings going forward and I will be permanently assigned middle seats with no recourse. But I won a small battle for the little guy.

Go me.

Second City Blues

I was awake at 4:30 this morning. Not on purpose, it just happened.  I don't know why, do you? The stars were bright in the early morning sky when I limp-shuffled out to get the paper.  I made some coffee and ate an apple danish while I read the morning news.

I motored my way to Chicago Monday morning.  I drove half the distance through hard snow flurries. I guess it is about that time of year. The Windy City lived up to its nickname as the winds whipped down LaSalle Street as I made my way to visit a customer.I followed up by driving to the far west suburbs to spend the night. I did not even scratch the surface of the Naperville night life. I grabbed a burger and went back to the hotel. I got back home yesterday evening after bringing the business equivalent of sunshine and lollipops to yet another customer's dismal existence merely by showing my shining countenance. I will be off to another exciting location later in the week. The kind of place the late Dale Evans would have called her favorite village. I will be in B-town Friday afternoon to pick up the kid from school for Thanksgiving break.

A nearby town had half a subdivision go all explody Saturday evening. We were about a mile away when it happened, watching the new James Bond flick.  It is likely the home explosion coincided with the big explosions near the end of the movie. (oh, spoiler alert -- there are explosions on the James Bond movie, who woulda thunk?).  We took the southern way out of town (pure coincidence) instead of the northern, which would have put us right in the middle of the emergency response. Weird. I do feel for the people of the Richmond Hills subdivision on Indy's south side. Everything gone in an instant. Not to lessen any tragedy, but with a hurricane you at least get a few days warning. A tornado or explosion is a right now disaster. If you are so inclined  I am sure the folks could use a prayer or two -- both in thanks and for strength. If you can afford it, the Red Cross and Salvation Army are always good places to send a ten spot, for Hurricane relief, or just local emergencies.

The average Greek is better off economically

In the course of his first term, Obama increased the federal debt by just shy of $6 trillion and in return grew the economy by $905 billion. So, as Lance Roberts at Street Talk Live pointed out, in order to generate every dollar of economic growth the United States had to borrow about five dollars and 60 cents. Mark Steyn

This, my Obama voting friends, is what you just rewarded with four more years.  You voted for the economic model of spending $100 at the casino to come home with $7, and claiming you "won".

You were fear mongered into a triple mortgage on the United States for the price of an abortion.

Thank You

I believe

A day or two has passed. I have to take a hard look at my personal philosophy. I am, I suppose, an anachronism. You see, when I see a Norman Rockwell painting I do not sneer, I think it represents a good vision of America. I know that vision is not, and has never been reality, but I think it an admirable goal.

I don't go to church, but I respect those who do. I think a foundation of morality is essential to the success of a people. Some things are just wrong. Occasionally life's rules are black and white. There is no such things as "moral relevance". Such an argument is merely a construct to excuse immoral behavior.

I believe that the key to success is hard work. I believe the government that governs least, governs best. I think society and individuals  should offer a hand up, not a hand out.

I think the key to happy, healthy children is loving parents. I believe education of children is a combination of parents and schools.  How can you send your child to kindergarten without the ability to name red, green, or blue or count to ten? When we suborn the raising of our children to the State, we are lost.

I think that what you do in your bedroom is your own business, and you need neither my sanction nor approval -- providing it is between consenting adults.

I see nothing wrong in Mitt Romney's or Bill Gate's  wealth. I would not mind a little of it myself.  Yet I do not believe it is the role of society or the government to determine "how much is enough". I believe in equal opportunity. I understand there can never be equal results. We all buy tickets in life's lottery. Sometimes we scratch off winners.  Most often it just does not work out. Some people are smarter. Some are faster. Some are stronger. Penalizing the smarter, faster, or stronger does not make life more fair.

I would never break into my kid's or my unborn grandkid's piggy bank and hand the funds to my neighbor. I believe borrowing money to pay for an ever-expanding government is just as wrong. I believe very few Americans would run up credit card debt to donate to the guy standing off the interstate exit holding a sign that reads "will work for food". Yet some people have no issue with a collective "We the Taxpayers" borrowing money we do not have to give to that very same guy.

I believe The United States of America is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.  I have no issues with our superpower status. I believe our system of government is seriously flawed, yet remains the best system in history. 

I am not interested in the pigment of a person's skin.  Genetics determines eye color, hair color and skin color. So what? Therefore preferences based on skin color are wrong. I do agree to pay reparations to any live American who was a slave in 1865. Outside of those persons, opportunity is what you make of it. Skin color is no excuse for failure. There are plenty of real life examples of individuals refusing to accept the circumstances of life.  Education is a life-long process.  Take advantage. 

I believe my natural rights and freedoms devolve from God/Nature/the Universe -- not Government. I believe I have the right to posses arms to defend myself from predators: be it man, beast or  government.

I believe government is a necessary construct. It is contract among people to join together in common purpose to bring order and safety to society. I do not see "fairness" in taking the property of one citizen and giving it to another.

I believe every position I have espoused is reasonable and right.  More than 50% of Americans disagree with many of my positions.

I believe that fact leaves me dumbfounded.

Friday Five

Sunday is Veteran's Day, so what better theme for the Friday Five post than a listing of the greatest war movies.

Given the history of Man is a history of war, the number of war movies is astounding. The cinematic treatments of WWII alone is beyond count. You could make a list of ten magnificent "POW" movies from WWII.

That said, I will list of ten of my favorite war movies, because after all it is my blog. I know I will be scorched in the comments for leaving of many classics.

In no particular order:

Zulu
Midway
Patton
Battle of the Bulge
Full Metal Jacket
Pork Chop Hill
Waterloo (the Sergei Bondarchuk version with Rod Steiger as Napoleon)
In Harm's Way
The Fighting 69th
The Desert Rats
Bridge on the River Kwai
Saving Private Ryan

I am sure you have favorites. Let me know what I missed in the comments

Friday Hippie Music -- post election version

Not really hippie music, but the sentiment holds true.

You will survive too.

Red State Blue State 2012 edition

It is increasingly clear we are not a Red State / Blue State electorate any more. It has turned primarily into an Urban vs.Suburban/Rural battle. Obviously this is not completely true, there are large swaths of rural areas that tally up blue in places like the upper Midwest and Rocky Mountain areas of Colorado and New Mexico. But the trend is obvious.

Many Government services are more important to the urban dweller.  Public transportation is a good example. In addition, the number of people employed directly or indirectly by the Government of all levels is increased in the big cities. State capitols and government offices are not located in places like Mulberry, Indiana or New Bremen, Ohio. No one votes to eliminate their own job.

The question going forward is how can the GOP limited government types convince the people in the urban areas the money is not unlimited. How do we make them understand the vast areas of red have no use for publicly funded bike paths, light rail and neighborhood art centers?

Please proceed to the nearest on line complaint form

Last Monday  I was slated to fly to Charlotte, NC returning on Tuesday night. You  might remember there was some bad weather pounding the East Coast at the time.

I watched the weather and flight status through Monday morning and finally started for the airport to make my afternoon flight. It looked like the weather was passing way north of my destination.

As I was almost to the airport, my cell phone rang.  It was US Air, calling to cancel my return flight.  Not the one I was about to get on,  the flight scheduled for Tuesday evening. The recording did not mention the outbound flight. I pulled over and called the airline. After more than 30 minutes on hold, I proceeded to the airport anyway. The phone call to US Air reservations remained on hold throughout the trip.  I gathered my stuff and headed to the ticket counter. After a 20 minute wait I made it to a representative.

I explained my situation to the representative.  I could get to Charlotte, but my return was cancelled.  She checked the system and agreed.  She said there was no other flights on Tuesday or Wednesday available to get me home. I told her I wasn't going if I could not get home.  She recommended I cancel the outbound flight and put in for a refund. She pushed a few buttons. She typed a few words. Done.. I cancelled my rental car and hotel.  I called the customer and canceled the meetings for Tuesday. No problem, a few hours of my time wasted, some gas burned. This stuff is part of the traveling life. Weather happens.

Fast forward to this Tuesday night. I get an Email from US Air telling me they have rejected my refund. I can rebook in the future with a $150 change fee.

Oh, oh, Houston we have a problem.

I spent 35 minutes on hold yesterday with US Air Reservations. The Representative checked my info, talked with a supervisor and then proceeded to really piss me off. He acknowledged all I claimed. He said the problem was the return flight went as scheduled after all, even though they called me to cancel. That was why my refund was denied. He said I had to contact Customer Relations to resolve the issue. No, he could not transfer me. US Air Customer relations does not have a phone number. You have to fill out an online complaint form. No, I can not just answer the refund rejection Email the airline sent me, it goes to a dead file. I have to fill out the customer complaint form on line. No, he can not help me, I have to fill out the customer complaint form on line.  No he cannot transfer me to a supervisor, I have to fill out a customer complaint form on line.  No they can not help me at the airport ticket counter, I have fill out a customer complaint form on line. Yes, he agrees it is silly,  I can voice my irritation by filing out a customer complaint form on line.  I can complain about the lack of a phone number to Customer Relations by filling out a customer complaint form on line. I can complain about the hour plus I have already spent trying to resolve the issue by filling out a customer complaint form on line. I could probably wrap the phone cord around his neck and choke the life out of him as long as I first fill out a customer complaint form on line.

I fly US Air almost exclusively. I have for more than a decade. At various times I have been a silver, gold, and Chairman's Preferred member of their frequent flyer program.  I flew their airline 32 times last year and 24 so far this year. There are people who fly a lot more, but I bet I have been aboard US Air planes in excess of 500 flights. The situation would be ridiculous even if it was my very first flight.

US Air informed me via Email, after filling out the customer complaint form on line, they will read and respond to my customer complaint form I filled in on line in 2 to 3 business days.

Until yesterday afternoon,  I was OK with no refund.  I just did not want to pay the $150 rebooking fee when I rescheduled the flight. Now, I want it all back. It is the principle of the matter.

Hows and whys of elections

You know, I think the election result that leaves me the most disappointed and disheartened is the vote to retain Justice Steven David in Indiana.  I cannot believe any informed citizen would agree with his Castle Doctrine ruling. Retaining David is a sign of how uninformed most voters are. Even worse, it is a possible sign of how little the modern American regards his basic Constitutional Rights.

It is no wonder we are giving away or freedoms for the illusion of security.

Votin' for The Obama

Remember the odious GW Bush, the liberals bogeyman first class? The cause of our misery and object of our scorn and hatred? He was the one who inspired the call for Hope and Change, because presumably for your average Democrat we were without hope and everything "The Shrub" did was wrong. Remember him?

So when you lefty-types cast your votes for Obama yesterday which policy of his did you like? After all, Obama must have repudiated the actions of George Bush in every way, right?  Right? Just what changes has the man with a plan wrought in four years?

Bush got us involved in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama got us involved in Libya, we are still fighting in Afghanistan and still have troops in Iraq. Drone strikes have increased dramatically and targeting of specific individuals within the borders of sovereign nations have occured.

Bush deposed Hussein. Obama deposed Qaddafi.

Bush brought us the hated Patriot act.  Obama perpetuated the Act and strengthened it. Obama has allowed drone flights over the US.

Bush had wiretaps in the US.  Obama has even more.

Bush ran up debt and deficits.  Obama has more debt and a larger deficit than all of the previous Presidents combined.

Bush spent like a drunken sailor. Obama has spent like a drunken sailor who won the lottery.

Bush bailed out the car companies and gave us TARP.  Obama continued those policies and increased the bailouts. In addition, he has squandered billions of tax dollars on bankrupt green energy companies.

Bush proposed a favorable immigration policy.  Obama advocated for exactly the same measures.

Bush lowered the standing of the US in the world, especially in the Mideast.  Obama has lowered our standing with our allies and the Mideast hates us even more. Iran is even closer to building nuke bombs. Much of North Africa has been taken over by radical Islamist factions who hate us.

Bush "outed" Valerie Plame. Obama got an Ambassador and other Americans killed in Libya.

Bush had high gas prices.  Prices have doubled under Obama. Ditto utility prices. Personal income is down. Food prices are up.

Bush gave us tax cuts to spur the economy.  Obama gave us the very same tax cuts to spur the economy.

Unemployment was high under Bush.  It is significantly higher and staying there under Obama. Foodstamp usage and welfare are at historic highs.

Under Bush the housing bubble burst. Under Obama housing starts and prices dropped further and have seen little improvement. Lending is still very tight.

Bush flubbed the Hurricane Katrina response.  After a week FEMA had not brought relief to the people of New Orleans. Hurricane Sandy finds millions still without food, water, shelter in New York and New Jersey.  FEMA says it will be weeks before housing and shelter can arrive. Bush was crucified in the press.  Obama is not to blame, however.

Bush housed WOT prisoners in Gitmo. Obama houses WOT prisoners in Gitmo.

Obama allowed guns to cross the border to Mexican criminals who then used those weapons to kill hundreds of Mexicans and even Americans.

Bush inaugurated odious security measures at the nations airports.  Obama has strengthened and increased those measures.

So, except for ObamaCare and a support for gay marriage, all of you Democrats just voted in the fourth term of George Bush.

I guess it is really far more about party loyalty than actual philosophy.