There are a few topics that can fall under this category. The beauty queen contestant in South Carolina who horribly flubbed the question about why 20% of Americans can't locate the US on a map. The Idaho Senator's arrest of lewd behavior. The "diaper-free" movement (no pun intended). The obesity rates increasing in 31 states.
This ramblin originates from Seattle, WA. Last week, the local newspaper evidently ran a photo of 2 men on a ferry (the picture was taken by the captain.) who were acting suspiciously. The FBI was requesting assistance in identifying and locating them for questioning. The article made no reference as to the nationality, race or religious preference. The photo was clear, however, that the men were of middle-eastern descent.
To most of the security conscious and concerned citizenry, this was a most logical and efficient means of law enforcement's requesting aid. The captain of the vessel was concerned enough to take a photo, for pity's sake. By the way, no mention of the captain's nationality, race or religious preference was made.
This dastardly deed sure seemed to pucker up the Arab and Muslim-American leaders in this community. (Well boo, the damn, who!) (Nothing like a little racial profiling accusation to get the juices flowing.) They want the FBI to apologize for not consulting them before running the photo. Oh the insensitivity.
First of all, I'd be interested in knowing how those leaders knew the 2 men were Muslim? They could have been converted Catholics or even Jews. How can one tell by a photo? That's some unbelieveable anaylsis.
Secondly, when is the last time we heard of any of those leaders, either local, national or global, condemn any of the actions of the terrorists (who last time I checked were of middle east backgrounds)? Maybe when they get a bit more vocal, then I'll get more concerned by their pucker factors. Then again, if the terrorist activities continue by Arabs, I'll remain totally unmoved (and even more pissed off).
Besides, I thought we were only looking to question them not send them to Gitmo which might not be a bad idea either.
For what it's worth, the letters to the editor in the Sunday paper were overwhelmingly condemning those leaders. Finally some rational thought in that part of the country.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
timeliness
How about that?
CNBC had a brief interview, this morning,with the guy who is head of a group (cannot remember the name) that watches gov't spending. They were discussing the very topic I addressed in yesterday's ramblins.
The fellow was talking about how the congressman, from Minnesota no less, had included in the huge highway bill 2 years ago $25 billion for road repair. Evidently at that time, congress knew that there were 6,000+ problem bridges. He also added, as an earmark, a bunch of $ (millions) to pave a trail.
Now he's introducing legislation to raise ANOTHER $25 billion for bridge repair and paying with an increase in the gas tax. He also has the gall to indicate that there will be no earmarks attached to this bill. (What a stand-up guy!)
He's been invited to CNBC's Squawk Box to explain further. So far no response from our esteemed legislator.
What the hell happened to the original $25 billion?
As a repeat, who's minding the store?
CNBC had a brief interview, this morning,with the guy who is head of a group (cannot remember the name) that watches gov't spending. They were discussing the very topic I addressed in yesterday's ramblins.
The fellow was talking about how the congressman, from Minnesota no less, had included in the huge highway bill 2 years ago $25 billion for road repair. Evidently at that time, congress knew that there were 6,000+ problem bridges. He also added, as an earmark, a bunch of $ (millions) to pave a trail.
Now he's introducing legislation to raise ANOTHER $25 billion for bridge repair and paying with an increase in the gas tax. He also has the gall to indicate that there will be no earmarks attached to this bill. (What a stand-up guy!)
He's been invited to CNBC's Squawk Box to explain further. So far no response from our esteemed legislator.
What the hell happened to the original $25 billion?
As a repeat, who's minding the store?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
politicians
Wonder why it's taken so long about writing about politicians? Maybe I was trying to be optimistic that they wouldn't do anything that would cause a pissed off ramblin. Well, that ain't going to happen. There's something everyday, and one really doesn't have to do much searching to find it.
It's a really bad deal in Minnesota with the bridge collapse. There's probably a lot of blame to go around, and I'm sure there will be plenty of lawsuits as a result.
But that's not what this is about. Rather it's some politicians' call for an increase in the national gas tax for bridge repair. Let me get this straight. Didn't Congress pass a major transportation bill in the recent past? Wasn't it for a huge amount of $? Hasn't Congress passed a zillion transportation bills over the years? Any $ for bridge repair? (Who knows as reading the 14 billion pages of the bills will take maybe 15 years; and by then, no one will remember what's in em anyway.)
Ok so maybe no one knew bridges were in such disrepair. Tough call if you've been out in left field for so many years. (Probably the same crew who have been ignoring the failing infrastructure in major cities.) So I'll overlook that minor detail. But is it the same bunch of bozos who have been passing all this critical spending for "bridges to nowhere" and such other vital needs? HMMMM reckon so.
Now they are interested in raising a tax. Guess the thinking goes as nobody will notice if it's a small increase like $0.05/gallon. Maybe so, but if the state passes a tax, then the county, then the city, pretty soon you're talking a pretty nice increase. (Seems to me we're taxed out the wazoo anyway.)
But I digress, shouldn't somebody be minding the store? What about looking at some priorities? Think about the good of the country for once, for pity's sake. Stop all this foolishness and pork.
And one wonders why Congress's approval is in the ......ter
I say "throw ALL the lying, cheatin bastards out!"
Oh by the way, lazy bastard count is currently 5. You'll know what I mean.
It's a really bad deal in Minnesota with the bridge collapse. There's probably a lot of blame to go around, and I'm sure there will be plenty of lawsuits as a result.
But that's not what this is about. Rather it's some politicians' call for an increase in the national gas tax for bridge repair. Let me get this straight. Didn't Congress pass a major transportation bill in the recent past? Wasn't it for a huge amount of $? Hasn't Congress passed a zillion transportation bills over the years? Any $ for bridge repair? (Who knows as reading the 14 billion pages of the bills will take maybe 15 years; and by then, no one will remember what's in em anyway.)
Ok so maybe no one knew bridges were in such disrepair. Tough call if you've been out in left field for so many years. (Probably the same crew who have been ignoring the failing infrastructure in major cities.) So I'll overlook that minor detail. But is it the same bunch of bozos who have been passing all this critical spending for "bridges to nowhere" and such other vital needs? HMMMM reckon so.
Now they are interested in raising a tax. Guess the thinking goes as nobody will notice if it's a small increase like $0.05/gallon. Maybe so, but if the state passes a tax, then the county, then the city, pretty soon you're talking a pretty nice increase. (Seems to me we're taxed out the wazoo anyway.)
But I digress, shouldn't somebody be minding the store? What about looking at some priorities? Think about the good of the country for once, for pity's sake. Stop all this foolishness and pork.
And one wonders why Congress's approval is in the ......ter
I say "throw ALL the lying, cheatin bastards out!"
Oh by the way, lazy bastard count is currently 5. You'll know what I mean.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
sky is falling
Anyone watching CNBC the last few days? If anyone wants to get a flavor as to how the media can get things whipped into a frenzy, just tune into CNBC. Death and destruction, disease and pestilence. If the Fed doesn't act, we're into the crapper. If they do act, a bailout of the risk-takers is taking place. Where are the voices of reason? I wish Maria and Jim Cramer would shut the hell up!
(But not to worry, they are showing commercials for Mercedes on the summer love event campaign at least 4 times an hour if not more. Man that jingle can get on one's nerves)
Oh yeah, the voices of reason, they're the candidates for president or all the politicians. Not going to go there. Not worth the time to get ramblin. Will surely get to that in the future though.
What to draw the ramblins out then? The London woman who claims to be the legitimate mother of Michael Jackson's children? Zoos in a pickle over horse meat? New Orleans official guilty in bribery (as if that's news)? NO?
Then let's go for tax breaks going the wrong way.
Evidently there were large federal tax breaks after Hurrican Katrina designed to spur rebuilding. Well guess what? There are 10 condo projects in and around Tuscaloosa, Al.
Not that that's bad (writers note, I have a certain fondness for Bama), but many are going for $1million and being purchased by real-estate investors planning to rent em out. Funny how some units are close to the football stadium and have "granite countertops, king-size bathtubs and 'Bama decor, including crimson couches and Bear Bryant wall art."
I'm sure there are many other projects that are worthwhile projects, such as the $8mm shopping center in Slidell, LA. And I know those investors are subject to the market going to hell; but damn! By the way, this tax break ain't available to people who buy a home for their own use. It's been 2 years and seems that little has been done to get that region back on track. This sure doesn't seem like the way to go about it!
And another ramblin. Back to commercials. First, with the exception of the Super Bowl, they're dull, boring and a waste of time. Add into that, the fact that some stations, CNBC for one, play the beejesus out of em. Anyone who has heard that obnoxious one for ETrade with Rick Derringer over and over and over again is one with a potential to go postal. (Is going postal politically correct or I am going to offend postal workers? Does anyone care?) Finally, it seems that one cannot get through any show without being inundated with commerical after commercial after commercial. No wonder that TIVO or cable recording has become so popular.
So....have a nice day. More later
(But not to worry, they are showing commercials for Mercedes on the summer love event campaign at least 4 times an hour if not more. Man that jingle can get on one's nerves)
Oh yeah, the voices of reason, they're the candidates for president or all the politicians. Not going to go there. Not worth the time to get ramblin. Will surely get to that in the future though.
What to draw the ramblins out then? The London woman who claims to be the legitimate mother of Michael Jackson's children? Zoos in a pickle over horse meat? New Orleans official guilty in bribery (as if that's news)? NO?
Then let's go for tax breaks going the wrong way.
Evidently there were large federal tax breaks after Hurrican Katrina designed to spur rebuilding. Well guess what? There are 10 condo projects in and around Tuscaloosa, Al.
Not that that's bad (writers note, I have a certain fondness for Bama), but many are going for $1million and being purchased by real-estate investors planning to rent em out. Funny how some units are close to the football stadium and have "granite countertops, king-size bathtubs and 'Bama decor, including crimson couches and Bear Bryant wall art."
I'm sure there are many other projects that are worthwhile projects, such as the $8mm shopping center in Slidell, LA. And I know those investors are subject to the market going to hell; but damn! By the way, this tax break ain't available to people who buy a home for their own use. It's been 2 years and seems that little has been done to get that region back on track. This sure doesn't seem like the way to go about it!
And another ramblin. Back to commercials. First, with the exception of the Super Bowl, they're dull, boring and a waste of time. Add into that, the fact that some stations, CNBC for one, play the beejesus out of em. Anyone who has heard that obnoxious one for ETrade with Rick Derringer over and over and over again is one with a potential to go postal. (Is going postal politically correct or I am going to offend postal workers? Does anyone care?) Finally, it seems that one cannot get through any show without being inundated with commerical after commercial after commercial. No wonder that TIVO or cable recording has become so popular.
So....have a nice day. More later
Thursday, August 9, 2007
newspaper
Allrighty then.
All one has to do is read the newspapers to find all sorts of things to get the juices flowing.
Take for instance the story about a local zoo. They have 4 Maasai, "a nomadic ethnic group that lives in southern Kenya and Tanzania" employed as cultural intrepreters who help "zoo visitors understand the relationship between animals and people in Africa, and the need to protect the environment there."
Now it seems to me to be a excellent idea to have those who are actually from Kenya tell stories about their culture.
I guess that doesn't sit well with some people at the local university who suggest that the zoo's use of Maasai "is insensitive and harkens back to the days when zoos... used people of color as accessories to exhibits."
Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! This ain't the 60's. The lead Maasai has a bachelor's degree and said he's upset that some are using the Maasai's history as "a vehicle to race issues." Do I need to add anything else? Get a grip!
And another one. This is from USA Today and was in the little blurbs about news in the states.
In Washington State (where else?), a judge dismissed charges against 13 war protestors, ruling that the police were practing crowd control and not directing traffic. Evidently police who are directing traffic can arrest those who don't comply with their orders; but if they're not doing specifically that, the arrests are invalid.
Sweet mother-of pearl, heaven forbid that someone in that group didn't shoot someone! Wonder what would have happened if one of the military trucks had run over one of those protestors? Whom do you think the newspapers would have blamed? LAWSUIT
Where has common sense gone?
I'm kinda liking this blog stuff
Til later
All one has to do is read the newspapers to find all sorts of things to get the juices flowing.
Take for instance the story about a local zoo. They have 4 Maasai, "a nomadic ethnic group that lives in southern Kenya and Tanzania" employed as cultural intrepreters who help "zoo visitors understand the relationship between animals and people in Africa, and the need to protect the environment there."
Now it seems to me to be a excellent idea to have those who are actually from Kenya tell stories about their culture.
I guess that doesn't sit well with some people at the local university who suggest that the zoo's use of Maasai "is insensitive and harkens back to the days when zoos... used people of color as accessories to exhibits."
Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! This ain't the 60's. The lead Maasai has a bachelor's degree and said he's upset that some are using the Maasai's history as "a vehicle to race issues." Do I need to add anything else? Get a grip!
And another one. This is from USA Today and was in the little blurbs about news in the states.
In Washington State (where else?), a judge dismissed charges against 13 war protestors, ruling that the police were practing crowd control and not directing traffic. Evidently police who are directing traffic can arrest those who don't comply with their orders; but if they're not doing specifically that, the arrests are invalid.
Sweet mother-of pearl, heaven forbid that someone in that group didn't shoot someone! Wonder what would have happened if one of the military trucks had run over one of those protestors? Whom do you think the newspapers would have blamed? LAWSUIT
Where has common sense gone?
I'm kinda liking this blog stuff
Til later
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
introduction
Ah the Grassy Knoll
Welcome to the initial ramblins. Much thought has gone into how to get started.
First off: Don't let the "pissed off" in the heading fool you. Not going to be just concentrating on those topics that whip me into a puckered up frenzy (plenty though they are and may be). However, many items of joy, happiness and wonderment will be addressed and enjoyed. But it's likely that a pissed off venting may pop up as an aside.
Second: What exactly is the "grassy knoll"? It's only a location (and hell no, it ain't got anything to do with JFK in any way.) and a fine one at that. A place for much thought and contemplation, a place where solitude is welcome (rarely, if ever, are cell phones welcome but that's another blog subject). But it's also a spot where friends and family can gather and enjoy the view and each other's company.
Most of the time, if not all of the time, visits to the gassy knoll are accompanied with a beverage of choice. Mine is that fine Tennessee whiskey, Jack Daniel's. The ramblins seem to come much more freely. At any rate...... Oh, and a fine cigar certainly adds to the thought process. My cousin's husband presented a concept cigar for the intial post, and I'll be enjoying that shortly.
Now, the first topic. Should it be cell phone use in the restroom, politicians, airlines, dumbass left lane drivers, lying politicians, people who leave grocery carts in the parking lots, junk mail, the education system, (did I mention politicians?) service people who don't show up and don't have the common decency to call. The list can go on and on, hence the heading "pissed off".
But no, the opening topic is family. My sisters and their husbands were here over the weekend, and we had a blast. My children, their spouses and their children will be here in Sept, a time for which I really looking forward. I'm truly blessed with a fabulous family. My only disappointment is that my parents, neice and nephews (let's hear it for bro-han time) couldn't be here.
Ok, now for the pissed off part. For all you people who aren't taking care of your family, particularly and especially children, and I don't mean just physically, you shoud be beat. That's not to imply that there aren't circumstances where a really bad situation results in a complete separation. Sorry it got to that point but it has and now time to move along. It's a 2-way street, like all other relationships; and when it gets to the 1-way road, time to move on. The one responsible for that 1 -way direction is the one who should be beat; and if it's you that caused it, tough. You're the one who should be beat.
The one precious resource we have is children, and we should be doing all we can to protect (not coddle), educate and prepare them for the world ahead. It's tough out there and not always fair; but we, as parents and adults (and acting as parents and adults), should govern ourselves accordingly.
Enough for the first outing. So in the immortal words of an advertisor of TV wrestling show in the, well it was a long, long time ago "If you don't know diamonds, know your jeweler; and if Harold says "it's so", it's so."
So long and stay tuned
Welcome to the initial ramblins. Much thought has gone into how to get started.
First off: Don't let the "pissed off" in the heading fool you. Not going to be just concentrating on those topics that whip me into a puckered up frenzy (plenty though they are and may be). However, many items of joy, happiness and wonderment will be addressed and enjoyed. But it's likely that a pissed off venting may pop up as an aside.
Second: What exactly is the "grassy knoll"? It's only a location (and hell no, it ain't got anything to do with JFK in any way.) and a fine one at that. A place for much thought and contemplation, a place where solitude is welcome (rarely, if ever, are cell phones welcome but that's another blog subject). But it's also a spot where friends and family can gather and enjoy the view and each other's company.
Most of the time, if not all of the time, visits to the gassy knoll are accompanied with a beverage of choice. Mine is that fine Tennessee whiskey, Jack Daniel's. The ramblins seem to come much more freely. At any rate...... Oh, and a fine cigar certainly adds to the thought process. My cousin's husband presented a concept cigar for the intial post, and I'll be enjoying that shortly.
Now, the first topic. Should it be cell phone use in the restroom, politicians, airlines, dumbass left lane drivers, lying politicians, people who leave grocery carts in the parking lots, junk mail, the education system, (did I mention politicians?) service people who don't show up and don't have the common decency to call. The list can go on and on, hence the heading "pissed off".
But no, the opening topic is family. My sisters and their husbands were here over the weekend, and we had a blast. My children, their spouses and their children will be here in Sept, a time for which I really looking forward. I'm truly blessed with a fabulous family. My only disappointment is that my parents, neice and nephews (let's hear it for bro-han time) couldn't be here.
Ok, now for the pissed off part. For all you people who aren't taking care of your family, particularly and especially children, and I don't mean just physically, you shoud be beat. That's not to imply that there aren't circumstances where a really bad situation results in a complete separation. Sorry it got to that point but it has and now time to move along. It's a 2-way street, like all other relationships; and when it gets to the 1-way road, time to move on. The one responsible for that 1 -way direction is the one who should be beat; and if it's you that caused it, tough. You're the one who should be beat.
The one precious resource we have is children, and we should be doing all we can to protect (not coddle), educate and prepare them for the world ahead. It's tough out there and not always fair; but we, as parents and adults (and acting as parents and adults), should govern ourselves accordingly.
Enough for the first outing. So in the immortal words of an advertisor of TV wrestling show in the, well it was a long, long time ago "If you don't know diamonds, know your jeweler; and if Harold says "it's so", it's so."
So long and stay tuned
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