The Dead Horse

Updates

2011-06-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

More to come . . . . . .

America the Petty

2010-10-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

I was clicking through Face book today and stumbled on a post that was labeled "Reconsider Columbus Day". Honestly, when I think about Columbus Day, I think of a cheesy bank holiday and yes, briefly remember that Columbus discovered this continent for the Europeans. I don’t take the time to sit and think about who Columbus was and what he did other then the small blurb from history class that a discovery was made.

With that said, I was curious as to why someone would want to reconsider having that day so I clicked the link to the video. On the video there were people talking about how Columbus did horrible things to the Indians and started slavery, and that we should honor a man for doing things like that. One thing I found interesting is that the on the video all but one of the speakers were African American or Native American. Now it really doesn’t bother me if we were to lose Columbus Day or change the name, whatever, I am not that vested into it. What does bother me is how we have become as a society. The video wants to change the day to some Native American day to pay for the injustices the Native American faced. I am fine with that if they agree to pay back all the money that has been handed to them over the years for that same purpose.

I used to live right next to a reservation and Native Americans definitely take advantage and in most cases have the upper hand in dealing with the rest of us Americans. I have been in dealings with them where we were required to provide elaborate services for them and we did so knowing that there would be little to no compensation because according to them “we” didn’t deserve it. “We” had taken the land that was theirs from them and we owe them for living on their land. If I remember right there was a war and “we” won.

I will admit, through our policies after wars we are the best country to get into a war with. We will go in, kick your ass, and then give everything and more back to you. Take the Mexican, American war, in a few more years the Mexicans will get back that territory as well. I think at this point we should give everything back. Let’s stop paying the reservations, stop paying welfare to immigrants and start anew. Eliminate our broken government and bring in true equality. Do sort of a re-boot. We need to get rid of Affermitave Action and Diversity, they are a form of cloaked racism from minorities. The more we give to another group the more we take away from the other group.

I wish we could accept responsibility for our actions and live with the decisions made by our fathers and stop trying to change the past but enrich the future for EVERYONE, not just our kind. Until then we will never truly progress.

Time and Individual Impressions

2010-06-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Recently on face book a friend of mine posted a “like what I am saying and in return I will give my honest opinion about you”. While the thought of this could be bad for some people I figured what the hell. I haven’t seen this person for many years and really wanted to know their impression.

Here was their response:

Hate to admit but you are a pretty dang good guy. You are so good to your family and have always talked highly of them. You never treat others like they are less than you. You have a kind heart!!

Feedback like this is nice to hear and honestly I knew this person more than 10 years ago and haven't seen them since then. I would like to think that not much has changed, but from other feedback, it has. I still try to treat everyone as equals and overall I am a good citizen. I do love my family but I think some of the kindness has left.

Why do we change? I think it’s the experiences we have. Looking back I can see some significant moments that might have depleted the kindness or pulled it back from others.

One thing I am certain about is that my patience level has really dropped and that might make me appear less kind. I hope to be that guy my friend remembers, I am probably not but I know he’s still in me somewhere.

I do think it’s interesting to have others share their feedback and impressions of you. Another observation others had of me was on a recent business trip. I had spent the last year talking to these particular co-workers and when I saw them in person they said my voice didn’t match their mental image and thought by my looks that my voice should have been deeper. I got a kick out of that one.

I guess my point is that in time we can come across as different things to others but what I have found that really matters is what we think of ourselves. If we know who we are, know where we want to go and what we want to do we can do anything. If you don’t like something about yourself – change it.

Society

2010-01-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have had a post. I don’t have much to say as to why; I guess the two of you who read this will be happy there is a new post out there. I am not sure where this post will end up but I do know there are a few things kicking around in the old noggin.

I would like to start off with a slight observation about recent events. The recent event in particular I am referring to is the earthquake in Haiti. While we can all agree that this was a terrible tragedy for those affected, and a large natural event, I find it interesting that so many people, from the famous to even local people a find it a priority to help raise funds to assist in the recovery efforts.

Now don’t get me wrong, as a Christian nation we should help those who are less fortunate or in need of assistance. Unfortunately that last sentence is where the problem lies. If you were to listen to our elected leader, we are no longer a Christian nation and thus would be exempt from any world aid or assistance to foreign countries. Now we all know that since profit can be made by helping others we will never cease giving aid. The other issue with that sentence was the assisting less fortunate and taking care of others. Millions if not billions will probably be raised to help the Haitians. How many Americans would that benefit if we used the money here at home?

I am not saying to give money out to everyone, but why don’t we help educate those who live among us to support themselves. Use the money to strengthen our population at home. I honestly think some people give for the showy aspect and simply because it’s the trend. Once again, I don’t see the problem giving and helping others but shouldn’t we take care of our own first?

My second rant that has been kicking around is how much our country has become a fee loading, selfish society. If you disagree with me, look around and see how many people you know are on some form of assistance, be it government, church, or family assistance. The common excuse is “well the economy is bad” and I agree the economy stinks but that doesn’t mean you need the newest toy or gadget and eat out all the time.
Here is an example of what I mean:

I know a couple who lives with one of the spouses parents. The Husband makes good money and can easily afford an apartment on his salary alone, yet they choose to live with the parents because they enjoy the lifestyle they have grown accustomed to. When asked when they are moving out, they respond with as soon as we can get caught up on our bills, but they are able to eat out at some high dollar steak houses more frequently than they should. They drive a new car and have all the latest gadgets. When the issue is pressed regarding the budget and it’s clearly pointed out to them that they can manage on their own, the honest answer was, why not, the parents allow is to stay there, we don’t have to pay rent, utilities, and can afford to give the kids the nicer things they want. I was actually told “if I don’t take advantage of it someone else will”.

This example makes me ill and I wasn’t too thrilled with the conversation and it changed the way I viewed the person. They shouldn’t care if they have the newest gaming system or that they can or can’t eat out when they want. They might think that they aren’t hurting anyone but I have seen parents, grandparents and family members drained financially and emotionally in these types of scenarios. The sad thing is that family usually doesn’t say anything on the way into the brink. The people on government assistance tax all of us. I understand if they are only on it while they are doing all they can to recover from whatever situation got them there in the first place, but to blatantly take advantage of family, well it pisses me off! If you are living under somones roof and not paying rent, help with the utilities and food regularly, not from time to time.

All of us struggle from time to time but doesn’t there come a time when you look in the mirror and you tell yourself “I have to do this, I am the leader of my situation and although it will be tough at first cant we all see that after the sacrifice come the greater reward?" Feeling independent, the added respect of others and having your children learn how to be an asset to society and not a burden on society?

The saddest part of these actions for me is the damage caused to those around them that they choose not to see. That damage could have a rippling effect for many many years to come. Oh well, I guess that’s why I don’t talk to too many people. I have found my opinions are best left contained. I shudder to think about how society will be in a few more years.

Animals:

2009-12-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

Really that what we all are, just animals. Lately I have been watching the Big Cat diaries on the Animal planet. It’s surprising how personality traits can be seen in the cats that many of us humans instinctively possess. For example, the cheetah – they hunt during the hottest part of the day so the heat from the earth can help hide them to their prey. In order to do this they have to calculate every move, for if they spring too early they won’t have enough energy to catch what they are chasing.

In humans you don’t see too many cheetahs, more and more we see boars or hyenas who like to pick on others and scavenge for their food, taking the easy route. I mean really, why hunt during the hottest freaking part of the day, other than the fact that it frees your time up to hit the cheetah clubs and cruise for cheetah chicks. Another by-product is that some of the other carnivores in the African terrain tend to cool down and you don’t have to share your food. So sometimes tings that dont make sense have other advantages we dont readily think of.

I like to think that maybe I am sort of a cheetah, I have calculated most of my moves to great detail, I tend to do things in the crazy times of the day and my decisions are somewhat fast. Really I find it interesting that animals have the basics down and they seem to enjoy daily life. We humans have gizmos, gadgets and things that will do stuff for us and yet we seem to get farther and farther away from true happiness. Will we ever learn? Probably not – but I can try.

Time

2009-11-04T12:39:00.001-08:00

Lately I have had the time to ponder more and engage in some research of various subjects. Now as I wasn’t sure of what I wanted to research I thought I would grab whatever held my attention. It was soon after that decision that I found my topic on one of the automotive forums I frequent daily.

The question was posed asking what our thoughts were on aliens, (no the Mexican kind but the outer space kind).Being the ever curious person that I am I thought I would follow this thread to see the consensus of my fellow enthusiasts. While I never posted my personal opinion I started to think that this could be the source of my research and to see if there really was a possibility to this theory. Do they exist? Can they exist and if they do or can exist have they visited us and are still visiting us?

More and more the questions kept coming and surprisingly the answers we found online. (Now as a disclaimer, I know that not everything you read online isn't true but the results are very interesting.) I have listed 2 links on some interesting information regarding the alien race. Recently the question was raised if I personally believed in Aliens and did I buy into the whole conspiracy theory that our government is involved. My answer is that it’s up to you to decide for yourself, as for my view, well that will remain silent until I am satisfied with my research. Here is one of my differing thoughts: I think extra terrestrials would look like us and if they differed in appearance it was due to their space suits not any crazy characteristics.

This post is in by no means a way to sway you to believe the existence of extra terrestrials but think about how much wasted space is out there if we were the only ones in the solar system. Also as you dig you can see the possibility of some religious ties to some of the stores.

Another thought is along the similar lines of the easing of society into the idea of having a black president. If you noticed that for years leading up to the election of our current president Hollywood started producing movies and TV shows that cast a black president in the office. Following that trend, look at the types of shows we are privy to today. For example there is Fringe, the re-make of V, movies like the 4th Kind, and documentaries following the M.U.F.O.N. group have become common. Does this mean we will be told about an alien race in the future? Does this mean we will be invaded? Who knows but it is interesting.

Just something to think about. . .

www.mufon.com

www.crystalinks.com/ufohistory.html

www.tearingdownstrongholds.com/joint-bases.htm

Impromptu Social Experiment:

2009-10-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Last night something happened that has not happened to me before. (Or at least that I can remember) I ran out of gas in the middle of the road. I was on a 4 lane road, 2 lanes in each direction. Luckily I was in the outside lane and was able to pull over as close to the curb as possible. I actually put on my hazards when I saw all my dash lights come on. I would think there would have been a sputter from the engine but NOPE, it was as if my car just fell asleep at the wheel.

Once I got over to the curb, I noticed that there were many cars that would come up on me at a high rate of speed and cut over to the other lane at the last minute. So wanting to be in the safest position possible I figure I would get out of the car, open the hood so they could see there was a disabled car, (thinking they needed more notice then the flashers) and then I stood near the car on the sidewalk.

During my wait for the friend I called for rescue I noticed several things. The main and obvious thing was that there are many inattentive drivers out there. I would say there were four instances of people almost ramming my car at full speed, and countless others tried at a slower speed.

The second observation and sadly somewhat a shocker, I actually had three people stop and ask if I needed help. Granted they stopped in a dangerous manner but stopped none the less. It was a sad shocker to me because I admit I don’t have faith in humanity and didn’t expect anyone to stop at all. Now the Ironic thing is that the one person who I expected to stop didn’t. That person was our lovely law enforcement officer. I would think that as a public servant you would check out any car on the public roads that appeared to be in distress, but alas, that wasn’t the case.

Either way, the situation was handled easily, it was a nice evening and I now know that my gas warning light doesn’t work and that when the needle reaches the big E to fill err up!

Blogs

2009-10-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

So I have to admit this post is extremely hypocritical but I am going to post it anyway.

You see I “blog surf” daily and over the past year since I have started I have noticed that some people are good to update frequently and some very seldom update their blogs. The post becomes hypocritical because I am part of the latter. My reasons are solely based on the fact that I know very few read my blog and probably don’t miss it.

What I don’t like is the family blogs, the non rant blogs that very seldom get updated. If you have a blog that is about you, your family or what you do then by all means UPDATE at least weekly. Those of us who frequent your blog get tired of reading or seeing the same picture and or story on your blog for 3 months straight. We visit your blog on a regular basis because we want to know what you are doing. Obviously you want us to know because you opted to use this form of communication to let us know about your life. USE IT!

We are fine that you would rather us read about you vs. call you or visit but at least keep it updated. Even if you have nothing to report that you think is worthwhile, at a minimum you can post a picture.

So with that said . . . enjoy the wait for my next post :)

LIFE

2009-09-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

No matter how much you plan, LIFE will always win.

(Life in this post is the decisions others make on your behalf that you have no control over)

This past year has been very trying and taxing to my mental and physical strengths. Luckily I have had support from the usual and some unusual places. Normally I am a fighter so the lack of challenging and fighting has also taxed me greatly. I think I am at a point where I can honestly say I have gotten the closest to broken as I have ever been.

Now I don’t want to complain and blame others for what I have had to go through but there is a large portion that is completely out of my control. My overall feeling for this isn’t anger about the situation; it’s more of disgust or disappointment.

I am disgusted by the actions of others and disappointed in how we act as humans toward each other. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and as a kid I looked up to those older then me. I enjoyed fishing trips with my father, walking across town and joking with my grandfather. I was able to learn much from these two men and how we should treat others in the workplace and in business dealings.

Maybe that is my downfall, what I learned was that you should keep your word, you should work hard and do your best. Sometimes the small extra things can go a long way. I also learned that in general people were rewarded for their hard work and not for who they knew.

My disappointment is that today our workplaces are so far from that ideal that those concepts are foreign or antiquated. Customer service has almost become non-existent. Today managers orchestrate careers based on their personal feelings about a person and not their skill sets.

Will we go back, probably not, and I find that very unfortunate. Can one like me survive in that type of climate? So far it doesn’t look so good.

Really my only hope with this post is that for those of you who are in management and have the ability to make a difference in others lives, please do so with integrity, honesty and without your personal feelings. Business decisions should be based on what’s best for the company and not what’s best for you or your friends.

So to me that’s life and how Life happens.

Weapon of Mass Destruction

2009-08-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

So I haven’t updated my blog for a while, and for the few of you who read this, My Apologies.

I haven’t been on for various reasons and actually one of which is my topic today. The Weapon of Mass destruction I am referring to is none other then facebook.

While there is a valid point to be made as to the value of facebook and its social properties, I find that more and more there are many who just sit on there day after day to maintain certain applications. For example you have My Zoo, My farm, Farmville, Mafia Wars, Pirates and even a restaurant you can manage. Now I have fallen into some if not all of the traps listed to eat up my time. Recently, I had a thought and was slightly saddened. I see many of my friends make it a point to logon daily to ensure that their farm has been harvested, their money deposited in Mafia or Pirates at a minimum. While this is good it made me think of how many have done and do that in their real world lives.

How many of us make sure that certain things are taken care of daily? How many of us deposit our money before it’s lost to over spending? How many of us make sure that the fruits of our labors are harvested? How much time do we spend making sure our families and loved ones are taken care of and our lives free from clutter?

While some would say they do that daily, my question to them is really? Do we make it a priority to listen to others, to tend to their needs? I think if society took care of themselves, like we take care of our Farms, our Mafia and our Pirates on facebook daily the world would be a better place for all of us.

Unfortunately people don’t pay as much attention on living in this world as they do in their internet based applications. If we all focused on what we need to do like we focus on the applications we could accomplish even more in our lives.

I am not trying to get on a soapbox and I do waste a good amount of time on facebook and its apps. I hope to change that and only go on when I am alone and have absolutely NOTHING to do. Who knows?, maybe I’ll be the only one who tries this but hopefully I will be happier for it and possibly these who I am around will be happier for it as well.

(The Weapon of Mass Destruction is meant to imply that facebook is destroying our time and in person interaction with one another)

Life . . . or lack thereof:

2009-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday was interesting. We had two Celebrities die. One almost could have slipped away without notice and the other was of Iconic proportions. (Not physically)

Now I am not hit hard by death as …..Well it seems everyone. Yeah it’s sad, but it happens and we all have our time, and it WILL come, there is no way around that. I wasn’t making a big deal of it and actually grew tired of all the coverage.

So this morning I am driving to work and of course the only things you can hear on the radio are the recent deaths of both celebrities. Fine…. I understand our society feels like the world revolves around entertainers. (Look at the following of Miley Cyrus or Jonas brothers) As I am listing something a caller said just hit me slightly wrong. Now on a radio show you can’t easily tell the ethnicity of a caller unless you are given certain indicators. This caller started out by saying how sad she was and how much of a great entertainer Michael Jackson was. I completely agree with that. You couldn’t have lived through the 80’s without knowing who Michael Jackson was. I don’t think it was possible.

After the caller said that she then said that the loss was even worse because now they only have Barrack left. Why does the race card has to come up all the time? Michael even said himself that it doesn’t matter if you are black or white.

He was a great entertainer, showman and had enormous talent. Leave it at that.

The stuff you hear:

2009-06-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned in past posts that I am a cube rat. I come to work and sit in a box all day long. At times I am surprised they haven’t installed a crap hole in one corner and attached a water bottle to a wall.

The other thing about cubes is that they aren’t very sound proof, but for some reason people seem to think they are. Maybe more of society lives by the thought that if you can’t see me you can’t hear me? I don’t know.

To my point, we have a person in the office that spends more time at work on personal maters then work matters. Unfortunately they are in management so they are able to get away with more then the average worker. (Another rant in the making) ANYWAY, they are recently going through a split up and in the early stages of a divorce. On one hand it’s sad to hear the drama but on the other hand – karmas a bitch.

Another co-worker rants and raves about how stupid the sales people she is paid to support are to others within the company over the phone. Unfortunately those she complains to work with those she is complaining about. Also her volume levels could rival that of a rock concert in a stadium. What posses’ one to feel the need to talk so loud?

All of this makes me realize the wisdom people like the Unabomber had when they choose the secluded office space they worked in. I think another dying aspect of society could be discretion. What if anything is handled privately anymore? Is it done publicly because people are looking for sympathy? Are they looking for approval of their decisions? I can’t imagine they are doing it to show those around them their true colors or are so starved for attention they have chosen this route. Of course that wouldn’t surprise me; look at Perez Hilton, that joker would seem to do anything for attention.

Ironic:

2009-06-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

I work for a LARGE company, (too large if you ask me) and in my many years of working here, I have seen the employees cycle over to a VERY heavily Woman based demographic.

While I am a white male, this can prove a problem. Understandably I also know that I am and will be the new minority in the world and will have to learn to deal and live with it until someone forms the N.A.W.E.M. or the National Association for White Educated Males.

So this morning I started talking to our admin and a comment was made that at first surprised me to hear, and made it difficult for me not to respond. (And I didn’t)

I was talking to her about the changes in the departments that have and are happening as a result of our merger. She became apparently disgusted with the situation and then started sharing her view.

That is when she made the comment “I find it interesting that they are keeping all the male managers from the other company and demoting the female managers from ours. It’s just basic discrimination.”

Now I have felt for a Long time that the reverse was true, and there are some strong examples to back my argument. What I found interesting is that the admin was so quick to jump at that conclusion.

If one were to look at the bigger picture, they aren’t really doing such. I think the problem came that the team she supports has been split up, the manager she reports to has lost some thunder and perceived authority. Basically the little group they carved out for themselves based on the buddy system is getting pulled apart, and they don’t like it.

Maybe now some of the charlatans will be exposed and the company might clean itself up from within. . . (ha ha who am I kidding?)

I do think that some of the fear is because some of the protective coating is getting removed from some people and perks and privileges will be removed as well. It will definitely be for the good.

As for the discrimination aspect,….. it’s life. We need to stop complaining about it, embrace it and just admit if you are a racist, bigot or just simply don’t like someone.

I prefer honesty to politically correctness any day.

Attitude

2009-06-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

For the past year I have had to try hard to maintain a positive attitude towards work and some of the situations I have been and are in.

I can honestly say that it has been extremely difficult and at times daunting. I think situations like this try ones values and in a way more of their true character shows.

While some may say this is a good thing, I think we don’t realize is that too much of this situation could cause someone to snap.

So those of you, who are close to me, don’t take it personally or freak out when this person snaps. I can feel it coming soon and who knows what will happen.

Right not the general attitude is “who cares about what happens all I KNOW is that my value system is antiquated and could be considered endangered. Unfortunately this endangered species will not go on the save list. Once discovered it will and is being squashed like a freaking roach. (Not the weed - kind of roach either, a cockroach!)

Today is a “To Hell” with society day.

Why?

2009-05-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

So I have allot …. Allot of time at work to surf blogs, the internet and well, look busy. One thing I have noticed, and mine is no exception, is that there are several types of blogs out there. You have your rant blogs, your informative blogs, and the self promoting blogs. Some are fun to read, some are boring and others make me wish I never stumbled upon them in the first place.

As I think about them my thoughts move on to the future. What will generations down the road think if and when they find our mind vomit out there? (I know mind vomit is extreme but ….well use my blog for example) If you think about the past, we as a society communicated face to face more. I don’t think in the 1800’s there were Indians making smoke signals about a new blanket they just wove. Is it a sign of self involvement? Or do we feel a need to communicate to others and instead of talking to those around us we blab it out to blogs?

I know for me I used to blab my thoughts out to others but some have told me to try to be more PC and nice so …… now I blab on a freakin blog that very very few read just so I can fit in with society.

Somehow, sometime soon I feel I am going back to the old ways and open the flood gates. The water might get choppy but life is sure more enjoyable when you are in the rapids and not just floating down the river.

LABELS

2009-05-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Constantly we hear about how we need to be as one, the country needs to overcome racial and bias issues. While I do agree with this and hope that one day it will happen, I don’t hold my breath.

I don’t think it will happen because those same people who want or say they want to put the differences aside, cling so hard to the labels they are comfortable with. For example, how many rainbow stickers do you see attached to the back of car windows while driving around town? What is February known as? It isn’t Valentines Day or the month of love.

The stickers and the month are a “celebration of who we are” items, when in fact those items are labeling you and setting you apart from others. I think if we all said we are Americans or Anti-Americans (whichever you prefer) and left it to those two choices, maybe we would get along better, or maybe a huge war would break out and we would kill each other off. Either way, don’t you think it’s a step in the right direction to remove the labels from society?

Bumper Stickers

2009-04-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

I live in a state where you can see almost anything on a bumper sticker, and since I have increased my driving latley I have noticed one in particular.

The sticker that has sparked some thought is "God Bless America". Now this isnt a new statement and the stickers I have seen have been very very old as well as new and fresh.

The spark of thought I had on this is, - well yes he did, he does, and will continue to do so but really why should he Bless America? With all that we are given it seems like every year WE screw it up and WE have to work harder to recognize those blessings. Also in the past WE have tried so hard to remove any religion from our country when the reason this country was founded was for the freedom to worship who when and where we please.

Luckily God if more forgiving of us then we are of others. If he wasnt I dont think things would be as nice sice we are continually turning our back on him.

Of course I have heard rumors that we are no longer a christian nation, so I had better get to studying the teachings of Muhammad. . . . . maybe I will see bumper stickers of "Muhammad Bless America".

NINJA Skills

2009-04-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have noticed one of the words that impact us but go un-noticed like a NINJA.

That word is PERCEPTION. Basically, it’s how we as people perceive one another. Or view one another in our own minds.

For example, what makes a person a king? Is it Entitlement or Heritage? The ONLY one I know of who has the right to be called a King is Jesus Christ and yes, his is based on Entitlement and Heritage, and the fact that he is the son of God.
For me it boils down to how well that person has made those around him see them as better, wiser, and therefore has more authority then those around him.

Look at how we view Movie Stars, Politicians, and …well……anyone. What makes us revere those we see as role models? Why do we get so wrapped up in THEIR lives, and not handle our own?

WE perceive them and their lives as better. WE give them the authority to make choices for us. WE give them power over us.

The main point I am trying to make is, take a look at your relationships with others and how you perceive others. Does a change need to be made? Are we giving someone power over us who shouldn’t?

I just think we are looking up to or respecting others for the wrong reasons. It’s ok to do it for the right reasons, but are we?

Unfortunately - Perception has become reality in today’s society. Truth and fact has taken a back seat on this turbulent ride.

We the Sheeple of the United States. . . .

2009-03-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

A topic has run though my mind allot recently so I thought I would post about it. It has a lot to do with the change in America and where we are heading.

Now you may not believe what I have noticed to be correct, and that’s fine, for now we can all have our own opinions. My point is, if you really think about it, television impacts society more then most of us realize. I am sure we are all thinking, ok the violence, sex and the news reports do effect us. What I think we are missing are the subliminal ideas to get us used to certain things without us knowing about it.

For example, how many shows / movies in the past 10 years have had an African American President? There was a time when that idea was not the norm, now it is. You can apply that to other things as well, like homosexuality and the lack of monogamy in young lifestyles.

What scares me are the movies and shows that are starting to highlight governments run by Kings, and the glamour that comes with it. Is this a foreshadowing of Obama’s “2nd” Term? Is that when we actually use the constitution as toilet paper and start anew? I certainly hope not and that I am crazy for thinking it.

With all the spending, and the lack of respect for the general population, I am SCARED for the way we are heading.

When I started this blog I mentioned something about sheeple. . . well We the Sheeple of America . . .

It’s happened so BBaaaaaaa . . . . . where do I get my cut?

Where to start?

2009-03-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Ok – I was about to blog about another observation but at work today several things jumped out that to me should be Headlines.

Mainly it’s about the apparent lack of ownership of our actions. I have 3 examples that demonstrate this. Two that really deal with my point and the last also highlights why customer service sucks in this country.

Example 1 – My co-worker received a call this morning from his apartment complex asking for the keys to his apartment. They said the new tenant was ready to move in and they wanted to know why he didn’t turn them in. Confused he asked to leave so he could go straighten things out. It was his understanding his lease went till March 31st so he hadn’t packed or made arrangements yet.
An hour and a half later, the update was that he did give his 60 day notice at the first of January to vacate – thus breaking his lease a month early and requiring him to be out by March 2nd. As he came back to get his computer and things I overheard him say, “I can’t believe they didn’t tell me that was the case or remind me to be out”

Lesson – the phrase should be “I’m a moron, and should have read the document I signed”

Example 2 – Another co-worker made a call this morning concerning his daughter and her recent speeding ticket. Apparently she neglected to tell her parents about this issue and now has a warrant out for her arrest. The co-worker was trying to “fix” the ticket to have it go away, but quickly found out that wasn’t an option. So the next step of course was for him to pay it. Now the lesson is a gray area but for me this is the course of action I would choose.

Lesson – Tell the girl to take care of it, and if needed let her go to jail. What better example of consequences is there then a night in the joint! Obviously she wanted to handle it on her own since I wasn’t notified about it when she got it.

Example 3 – Once again, another co-worker has apparently been getting emails from a customer complaining about his services. Finally it came to a head today and he wants to escalate it to upper upper management. I hear her tell management about the situation and that this customer has complained in every email and I quote “he complains so much I don’t read half the emails.” I then hear the manager say “he must be the type of customer that can’t understand and if HE can’t understand then it’s our fault.” – INSAINE

Lesson – Listen to people, read their emails and because you don’t want to be bothered shouldn’t be a sufficient excuse. DO YOUR JOB! Apparently it has become the norm to do the opposite.

End of rant.

I don’t know how much longer I can tolerate it

2009-02-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

I know it shouldn’t matter, but one of the best examples of hypocrisy happened today. I have a co-worker who has a birthday on Sunday. Of course the office went out for lunch for her birthday; we signed the obligatory card and even had cake and ice cream. Well today she received a small bouquet of flowers from another member of our team located in another state.

This is the funny part, almost on a daily basis this co-worker complains, speaks ill of and escalates any issue to upper management about this person. Now if it were me, I would feel like an ass or heel. Of course this girl didn’t at all. She called the person who sent her the flowers, thanked her and carried on a small conversation; afterward she started in again about how nice she was to call her back but the girl was still an idiot. I wonder if the other worker would send the flowers if she knew what my co-worker really thought about them.

I should record what I hear daily in this department. You then could witness the phenomenon and hear for yourselves how people can be extremely nice and polite one minute and nasty and vicious the next.

Hopefully you can understand why I dont speak at work.

Disappointing

Why are we so . . . . . . Immigrant!

2009-02-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

I recently heard that there was a group of ILLEGAL immigrants who were suing a rancher for stopping them from entering the United States illegally. They cite it was a violation of their civil rights.

At first I thought . . naw . . that cant be then found the article and was astounded!

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/16-illegals-sue-arizona-rancher/

I can understand the need to treat everyone equally no matter what country they are from, what I cant understand is the increasing need for America to give rights and privileges to those who aren’t citizens and not bound by the same obligations the true citizens of this country are.

As this trend continues we will see our rights slip away and our hard work handed out like halloween candy, to those who just show up on our doorstep.

I guess I will have to start looking for a doorstep to show up on my own for my families future.

Grease Lightning

2009-02-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Recently certain actions have been appearing more and more in the corporate world and I find it interesting that people wonder why the country is in the mess it’s currently in.

To get more to the point, each generation has its own flair, its own common trait it’s known for. For example, my parents grew up in the Vietnam era or the 60’s and for the most part the good values remained from their parents. (Of course some were loosened with weed)

Now take my generation, looking back we were called generation X, but actually we should be called the High School’rs. For some reason it seems the majority of those in this generation (who were teens in the late 70’s and 80’s) mentally can’t graduate from high school. Movies like Grease, Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bullers Day off were a weekend staple no matter how many times we had seen them.

Fast forward into adulthood and look at their actions. Jobs are had by who you know and not what you know. While at work you had better be in the popularity contest, if not you will be quickly left behind. Almost all responsibility is avoided in ALL areas. The disappointing thing is that the generation following us is worse yet.

I guesstimate that in 10 to 20 years Jobs will be had by how nice of a present you bring to the interview. Some of the WHO you know will be there as well. Oh and forget about working ANYWHERE if you look like a goon and can afford a designer or knock off designer bag/ and or clothing.

All of this is greatly disheartening to people like me who hold close to what are now becoming ancient values like, integrity, honesty, trustworthy and the ability to be upfront with others.

I agree that networking is a great tool but I don’t think it should be the only tool in filling positions. Unfortunately skills, experience and education have fallen behind networking as requirements.

So my advice to those of you who have children in school, tell them to be social, participate in everything they can. As long as they have a passing grade they will do well if they are the most popular kids at school. Oh and start saving now for that first interview bribe (whoops present) for when they get out of college. They’ll need a good job since by then minimum wage will be $100,000 a year. (With inflation and all)

End of rant

To the LEFT

2009-01-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

OK, POP Quiz -

There are two lanes to a freeway as a minimum, what is the left lane used for?

A. Kickin it old school so my homies can see my ride?

B. Passing those who go at or under the speed limit?

C. Semi Trucks to caravan in so cars may exit easily?

D. Multitaskers, those who can eat, text, apply makeup, or change their clothes while driving?

and the correct answer is.. . . . . . . . . . . .

B. PASSING

PLEASE People - this is why the autobahn concept wouldn't work in this country! If you want to cruise or go slower, keep your cracker jack a** in the right lane. Too bad if you have to take the car off cruise control!

You're not making the roads any safer by causing the person doing 90 to hit their brakes or try to climb into your backseat. In most instances YOU are making the roads more dangerous.

THE LIST

2009-01-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have seen this list for a few months now on Blogs and I thought I would put a different spin on mine. Of course the ones in Bold are things I have done. I think once this list is completed it's time for me to Die. Now that I have an end in sight I better get to work!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis.
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in movie.
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Talked your way out of a ticket

Hmmmm after looking at some of these, it looks like I will never die. :)

DEUTCHLAND

2009-01-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

Hmm, I might be the only one but somehow I think in the next 4 years we all will get to experience what Germans felt when Hitler was on his rise to power and attempted world domination.

Let the PROPAGANDA begin!

Changes I have noticed as I get older

2009-01-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

For some reason lately I have noticed scouting a bit more and realized there have been changes since I was a boy in the program. The main one that is sort of upsetting is the way Eagle Scouts are completing their service projects.

I am an Eagle Scout and have been most of my scouting years. I will tell you about my service project and tell me if you see a difference in an example of one completed today.

For my service project, I decided to paint the trash cans for the parks and recreation department for our city parks. (It was a smaller town so maybe 50 cans or barrels total)

To complete this project I had to call the Parks and Rec. dept, arrange a place to paint the barrels, find the materials, or someone to donate the materials and coordinate the troop to complete the labor. During all of this my leaders and my father told me they were there if I had a question but basically I was on my own.

Now I had an edge since our family was in the painting business, so the tools and the painting area were easy to arrange. I remember it taking me several weeks to complete the planning and setting up the arrangements. As young as I was, it felt like a great accomplishment and I can see the lessons I learned in what I do today.

Now let’s look at the current projects. So far I have seen 2 boys complete “coat drives” for their project. Now I haven’t completed this but I don’t see how much involvement it takes to set up a box, ask the Church leadership if they can place them in the foyer, and make an announcement. Yeah maybe the boy and his father has to go around picking them up and dropping them off but where is the involvement of the troop? Where is the display of leadership over other scouts?

Maybe the focus is all about the charity now, I think for me it was more about the leading and management skills learned in the process. I don’t see our youth learning much of that and I would hope that that level of scouting would provide that.

But then again, other then when I got my Eagle Badge, my wife has been the only one who has mentioned the Eagle Scout accomplishment. Maybe that distinction has lost its mark in society.

The start of a New Year

2008-12-30T13:14:00.000-08:00

I hope all had a great Christmas season and I wish you a joyus and prosperous 2009.

With that said, I find it interesting that we (society) go through this mental game that we think everything bad, crappy or otherwise will be changed in the upcoming year. Honestly I think that over 75% of the goals and good intentions are discarded by the end of January.

I have never paid much attention to New Years resolutions, I figure that you should set goals all the time and not because the odomoter on the calendar rolled another number over. So this year I thought I might give it a try.

I hope we all can carry something over into the new year and be better for ourselves, if not for ourselves then for those around us.

I have been told that I dont seem as happy - - and in retrospect, there's some truth to that. I guess I should work on that next year. I can honestly say that there was a time I wanted to make sure those around me benefited from our interaction. Latley I can see that my attitude in that area has changed to "I don't give a damn how I impact them".

I think my best bet is to find the good in others and not accept the dissapointment I see in society.

Looks like I will have a tough 2009 but hopefully I will be better for it in the end. Whatever monkey you have to train, I wish you luck as well.

Uncertain times & the holiday season

2008-12-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you but I am tired of all this talk about how crappy our economy is getting. I will admit its bad and will probably get worse before it gets better. The worst part about the economy tanking for me so far is the cancellation of some good TV shows. GRRRRR!

It seems they cancel them for any reason! – Seriously though, there are other economic issues that hit close to home for me.

I just hope that maybe for even a short time human kind can focus on the positive and be kind to others, be generous to those who are in need, and remember those who have done something kind for us in the past. We have it in us to be better and since we can’t seem to get it down the rest of the year; I hope that for one month we can mange it.

So with that said, Merry Christmas to all and, may you find happiness and kindness this holiday season.

ZOMBIES ARE REAL!!!!!!

2008-12-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well I never thought I would admit it but it’s true ~ ZOMBIES are real.

Before you dismiss that statement hear me out. First here is the Webster’s definition of zombies:

· 1 a:usually zombi a: the supernatural power that according to voodoo belief may enter into and reanimate a dead body
· b: a will-less and speechless human in the West Indies capable only of automatic movement who is held to have died and been supernaturally reanimated
· 2 a: a person held to resemble the so-called walking dead ; especially : automaton
· b: a person markedly strange in appearance or behavior
· 3: a mixed drink made of several kinds of rum, liqueur, and fruit juice

Now for my explanation and reasoning on why I made my statement. My theory is based on definition 1b above. For some of you who have been following my blog, I am also incorporating my post about Sheeple as a basis as well.

You see, when Sheeple become so dependant on what others tell them to do they start to change and move into the ZOMBIE category. (Now I am not suggesting the start eating the brains of others- physically, it could be argued they contribute to the degradation and conversion of those with intellect into Sheeple though)

To me, Zombies are people who go about daily life as if they are dead. They contribute nothing to those around them and when you ask them a question or want an opinion all they do is grunt.

With mainstream media and the internet I can see more and more of these people walking around. My fear is that the majority will fall into this category more and more in the coming years. Individuality and personal thought is slipping away and we find it more interesting to know about what the movie stars are doing then how things will really impact us.

Unfortunately since they don’t eat others peoples brains it’s hard to clearly spot the Zombies from the Sheeple. There is no blood running down their chins or chunks of brain matter in their beards.

The best form of defense is protection, (not the gun kind), become involved, educate yourself on current issues and try to avoid non-essential information regurgitation. Because once you become a Zombie, it’s hard to go back.

Holiday gripe

2008-12-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Ok, I love the holiday season as much as Ebenezer Scrooge, but I try to let those around me enjoy their holiday spirit as much as I can tolerate. (I do like me some carol of the bells though) I have to vent about this B.S. holiday tradition brought on by nothing more then the corporate Ass Kissers.

When did it become the norm to give a Christmas gift to your boss? My impression of a Christmas gift is something given to those whom you care about in some fashion. A small token given to those who you sub-consciously classify as more important then those you don’t give gift to.

For those if us who normally wouldn’t give gifts to anyone other then blood, this practice makes work sort of feel hostile during the holidays. It’s not mandatory but you feel you are required to contribute to a group gift none the less. Granted, management may not know who contributed, but your co-workers will, and that gives them a political edge if that information were to be made known.

Also, this practice wouldn’t be so bad if it was reciprocal. For example, I contributed $20 last year for a manager’s gift, I got bubkis! This year, not only was I asked to contribute to that same manager, but also to an additional lower level manager as well.

My point is – if you like the manager and consider them a friend, fine give away, but if you are like me and really don’t give a rats ass in hell about your manager and they are nothing more then a tool in the workplace, (like a stapler), you shouldn’t have to be expected to give them anything but the 8 hours they pay you for.

End of Rant – Merry freaking Christmas!

Politics and Propaganda

2008-11-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

Whoo Hoo! The Election is over and we can finally get back to the real news: dead or missing kids, shootouts and the ever growing financial debacle our wonderful Senators bought for us. Who knew that welfare would become mainstream and the new trend. It sounds like the government doesn’t believe in failure, so I guess instead of leaving our children trust funds; we are letting them fund the US Treasury instead.

Congrats kids! At least I left you something.

Now I usually don’t get wrapped up in all of this because I would rather read the comics then read the news. I am really glad it’s over and I can go back to the daunting task of making sure my house is in order and I can provide for my family no matter what rears its ugly head.

Some say it’s time to buy some guns and get ready for the fallout, but for now I think I will stock up on what makes me happy like good food and Dr. Pepper.

The propaganda of this post is just one question.

Do you really think the issues are as bad as they say or do we conjure them up ourselves based on the voice of others? – Something to think about, chicken little.

Pride and Poser-ness

2008-10-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

This post has been in the works for a while. Well actually I only thought about posting it yesterday but the topic has eaten at me for some time.

I have a co-worker who claims he is Italian, his mother is Italian and anytime you mention anything Italy related he has something to say. Now I don’t mind having pride in your roots but only if those roots are 100% and not diluted.

It cracks me up about him because after talking with him in depth, I found out that his father is of no-part Italian descent, thus making my co worker 50% Italian – 50% something else. Talking with him further I find out that his Italian Mother also had a non-Italian father, thus making my co worker 25% Italian at best.

Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal but the way this guy’s family carries on about being Italian has gotten almost unreal. They act as authorities on all things Italian and have never been to the mother land at all.

I love Italy, and have been there several times and have found differences with what he states as fact vs. fiction about Italian things in America. I keep telling him he should go and experience Italy but doesn’t want to go just yet, for some reason or another.

The point I want to make is its ok to have pride in your heritage but as long as you are true to your entire heritage. If you are 100% something – great but if you are only 25% of something don’t assume it as 100%, or maybe you are ashamed of being mixed like the rest of us. Because when you claim to be something you are not you tend to look like a poser.

Enough Politics

2008-10-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you but I am tired of Decision 08 coverage. In the end we are going to be screwed either way, I just wish we would get some Vaseline at the voting polls or a nice steak dinner before an act of congress.

So enough about that, I though I would post about another issue that has been on my mind a lot recently.

I work in a large office building with many companies housed within that building. Now if you have been on one of these buildings you know that the bathrooms are shared on each floor. Usually each floor has one to three companies so I know this isn’t just our department.

So here goes, I have noticed that over 50% of the people using the can don’t wash their hands afterward. I mean really, you touch your dude or wipe your crack and you can’t wash the dingle bugs off your paws! I don’t want any of your junk cooties when I say hi or introduce myself to you. NO-thank you very much!

The experience has really made me leery about shaking hands in the professional environment. And for those of you wondering – I do wash after each time – thank you.

THE DRAFT

2008-10-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

I was watching the last Presidential debate of this election (hopefully in 4 years we can still vote for our president, depending on who is elected), and a thought came to mind. Since the biggest problem we have is our politicians in Washington seem to be coated with a substance far more repellant then Teflon, we as Americans should do a clean sweep of ALL Congressional and Presidential positions.

How would we do this equally and efficiently? - - easy we use the Draft!

I know it sounds crazy at first, but hear me out. Instead of forcing people to hold one of those positions, we send out a registration notice for each state. The notice will indicate a week where those who fit certain qualifications, (based on the constitution) can register for a Government job lottery of sorts.

Once the selection process is completed the selected candidates will hold their positions for no more then 2 years. The salary, benefits and perks will be the same for all positions. If someone wants to continue past the 2 years they can register in their state again for the next selection process.

By selection our public servants in this manner we introduce a level playing field in our political system. No more friends, endorsements and those who say, “I can do better” will have the opportunity to step forward and put their money where their mouth is.

There will be no emphasis for gender, race, culture, religion or status. Now this may seem dangerous, and to a level it is. But since positions are now appointed we can remove the Electoral College system and use the public voting methods of today for approvals of laws. Once the law is up for vote, the states hold a public vote; those results are then forwarded to the State Representatives in congress and based on the state votes, the representative votes accordingly.

If the Representative doesn’t vote according to their states wishes they are promptly removed and another Representative is selected from that state pool. We need to get the decisions back into the hands of the people of this country, not with a small group of greedy people who want to line their pockets.

If the countries fate is to be run into the ground then let us do it ourselves, not leave it up to overeducated people with uneducated actions!

The Solution to our National Problems!

2008-10-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Luckily we lazy Americans have a way out of all this economic and political turmoil. Now we can get a cheeseburger and a prayer!

WHAT A RELIEF! - - oh and I am sure it only cost a small fee.

INSANE !

2008-10-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, today is your lucky day stupid people of the world!

You can grow up to be senators and Representatives in our legislative branch of the government.

It's hard to believe that they didn't pass it the first time and after adding 300 more pages and junk in the bill it got passed at a higher dollar amount as well. What is it, - 850 Billion now?

I hope for the sake of our country that none of the Representatives or Senators that voted yes for this padded bill are elected again.

We need a COMPLETELY new turnover of Politicians in D.C.

Oh well, enjoy the beginning of the end. Soon we will be swimming across the river to get into Mexico. I guess turn about is fair play suckas!

The WALL STREET Lottery

2008-09-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well unless you live under a rock, I am sure you have heard about the 700 BILLION dollar bail out of Wall Street. This is a move that I feel will undermine the core values America was founded on and only serve to further erode what we as a country should stand for. I am opposed to this because if it goes through it will make it ok for people to shirk their responsibilities and have no accountability.

To make it short, my point is, if you make a mistake, no matter how big or small, YOU should be the one to pay for it, not the rest of the country. This point should be pressed for those in Wall Street and Washington. They made the mistake, take the hit. My gut tells me that all they are doing is covering their retirement and investments with taxpayer money.

Shouldn’t they be held accountable for their choices like we have been for years? If I were to go out and charge up every card I can on needless spending and fail to pay my bill, government wouldn't come in and pay it off plus give me a bonus. They would start collections and eventually force me to take out bankruptcy. Shouldn’t Wall Street be held to the same accountability?

I understand that if the bailout doesn’t go through there will be rough times for all of us. Personally I am fine with that because I can live with the situation I am put in if that happens because I can take responsibility for the choices I have made.

I am not from this state but this senator has the right idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNlXgzzdJQA

Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors -

2008-09-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

You have to love working in cubes. Today was one of those days your cube neighbors make you hope something catastrophic would happen to take you out of your living hell at work. But alas, it doesn’t.

Aside from the Monday usual moronic morning conversation this is one of the things I heard over the wall.

A cube neighbor was talking about a friend they had in Houston who is still without power as a result of Hurricane Ike. She was commenting on how her friends had gas and water, so they were able shower and make some food, but had no light. She then made the comment about how if that were her she would go out to eat as opposed to making something at home if she didn’t have any power.

The last one boggled my mind! From the way she was talking she didn’t realize that if her friend didn’t have power it’s possible the restaurants wouldn’t have power either. Also the gas stations might not have power to pump the gas she would need to get to the restaurant. Or maybe, just maybe the restaurant owner lost his house in the storm and is more concerned about this family and his staff then making sure he or she was open for business.

Unbelievable

The squeaky wheel gets the grease

2008-09-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

If you look at the difference between Hurricane Ike and Katrina hopefully you will see that there is not as much coverage on the effects of Hurricane Ike.

Now some will say the reason for that is the economic crap that is hitting the fan right now, and I would agree to some extent. I do however that the citizens of New Orleans whined much more then you see the citizens of Houston whining. From what I can tell, Houstonians are about getting it fixed and back to normal as opposed to who is to blame when Katrina hit.

I also noticed that when the buzz for Ike’s devastation was building it seemed that Katrina came up more and more. On one news report I actually heard the commentator say,

“The damage in Galveston was horrible, but New Orleans has also got flooding they are dealing with again.”

I admit the damage from Katrina was bad. The city was flooded and homes were lost, but for some reason, 3 years later, they are saying that most of the city is still in ruin. If you look at pictures it looks as if Galveston was almost wiped from the face of the earth. I bet 3 years from now Houston, Galveston and the surrounding areas will be rebuilt and you might not even see remnants of Ike.

This isn’t completely a slam on New Orleans but your 15 min of fame should be over. Quit your whining, build your damn city or learn to live under water without the use of levees. Katrina has become a broken record to most of us and hearing about it is getting old.

End of Rant

Another Issue with our society that boggles the mind

2008-09-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I took my wife to her favorite cupcake store. (Yes a store the sells nothing but cupcakes) In that store the line to purchase these ($3.50 a piece) cupcakes wrapped around like a line to an amusement park ride. Now the thought of standing in line for a cupcake sounds insane but rest assured, once you taste one of these tasty morsels it’s a small sacrifice.

We waited the wait and the clerks waiting on us were pleasant and patient to each customer and despite the packed store the environment was friendly. It was such a good experience we bought 6 cupcakes (for the 2 of us) and I am sure we will frequent the store when we can.

Now since it was incredibly hot that day, I wanted sort of a blizzard from Baskin Robbins. Luckily, there was a Baskin Robbins right across the street. As we entered the store it was extremely empty, for such a hot day. I walked up to the counter and asked if they had something like a blizzard. The man behind the counter really didn’t talk too loud and you could tell he didn’t have the patience for many questions.

So I ordered my (what turned out to be a milkshake with chips of reeces pieces, and watched him make it. I got 4 scoops of French Vanilla Ice cream, 2 teaspoons of reeces pieces, (80 cent addition) and 1 cup of milk. Needless to say I was less then impressed about the amount of reeces pieces added to the mix. I could have bought a much larger bag from the freakin gas station. Once the blend was completed, I was asked if there was anything else, where I then asked for a glass of ice. Once I mentioned the glass of Ice, you would think I was asking him to harvest it off a glacier in Alaska.

Now the total to this milkshake was just under $7.00 and when I paid I had to ask for a copy of my receipt. Once again you would think I asked him to make the papyrus and write the copy in blood. Overall it was a horrible experience and guaranteed that I would not give any business to that Baskin Robbins again. (Since the counter clerk was the owner)

I share the two opposing experiences because in the first, I am gladly paying an insane amount for something that easily costs less then 50 cents to make because it’s what I wanted and the experience was wonderful. The second I paid far more then I should for something I didn’t exactly want and the experience was horrible.

Now you could take several things from this but the one thing I wanted to point out is that if you are in business and treat the customers crappy, please expect your sales to drop at some point. It seems to me that the best businesses out there are customer friendly and aren’t put out because they have to serve their customers. In recent years the decline in customer service has become more apparent and almost blatant. Is it the fact that our society is more self absorbed then we once were? Or does each one of us think we are better then the person standing next to us?

Whatever it is, it makes we wonder if we are really living in the best time. Maybe our parents had a better world to live in? Maybe even our grandparents had it better?

Now if you think times were better before the invention of cars –---well that’s preposterous!

Another political rant

2008-09-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

So last night I decided to watch David Letterman since the Democrats nominee for President was a guest. As I was watching and listening, I came across another obvious realization that I suspected but for some reason didn’t click till the candidate spoke.

I think one of the biggest reasons we are in the current situation we are in as a country is because we have severely gotten away from the spirit in which this country was founded. From my understanding, our fore fathers started this country with the thought of freedom, and established a government that would collectively GOVERN the people by the people.

Today, government has become an entity that takes on more roles then just governs the people. Our government is expected to fill a role that we as individual Americans should fill ourselves. It seems that most Americans feel that the government should provide for us, make our decisions and hold all responsibility of our actions. That is just WRONG, we need to take care of ourselves and be responsible for the good and bad decisions we make.

We need to get back to the real roots of democracy and gain the spirit our founding fathers had. If we don’t I am afraid we will end up with a government like the Chinese government. They do what they want and if you oppose or want to say anything opposing you gets a year of “re-education through hard labor.” While this option is appealing to me for some people I know, it’s not the best choice of government for everyone.

Oh, to paraphrase, the candidate on David Letterman spoke about how the government needs to provide everything for the people basically. So they really didn’t support my point.

The real meaning of, “Dog eat Dog”?

2008-09-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

We have dogs, and in watching them I have yet to see them eat each other. In corporate America and in some circles you hear “it’s a dog eat dog world out there”. But is it really?

Wikipedia states: "Dog eat dog" is an informal expression that means ruthless competition.

What raises my question is if you look in corporate culture, yes there is some ruthless competition, but more and more there seems to be a lot more butt sniffing or brown nosing.

So really is it a Dog eat Dog world? Or is it more of a “your crap smells good, I’ll hang with you,” type of world?

Something to think about.

Americans Today

2008-09-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

So I come into work from the long weekend and overhear two other cube neighbors talking about McCain’s choice for Vice President. It was interesting to me to hear them make the same comment as the DJ on the radio made this morning.

Basically the point was made that the Vice President nominees Daughter was 17 and a senior in high school and pregnant. One cube neighbor said “well there goes McCain’s chances.”

Not that I condone pre-marital relations or children out of wedlock but COME ON people, how many of you can say that you don’t know one person who has had a child out of wedlock or at a very young age. I don’t think too many of you can say you do. And if this is the only issue with the VP nomination candidate, then good. In this situation I am sure she can relate to more everyday Americans then any democratic nominee.

Look at all the other politicians, drinking, alleged murder, and the infidelity abounding in politics and people jump on this like it’s the plague.

Maybe the bigger problem is that people think that political leaders should be perfect and that there are some perfect ones out there. The fact is WE ALL have skeletons in our closets and have family members that we don’t want to admit having.

Sorry, I just found it annoying that people bitch and nitpick about stupid stuff. Maybe I can’t understand what impact a pregnant daughter would or should have on a candidate’s capacity to serve in a public office. Maybe I can’t understand why people focus on the non-essential stuff and not the important stuff . . . . . . . end of rant

Disclaimer – I don’t support any political party and have not made a choice on the correct candidate for me.

Great Comic Strip

2008-08-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

I love this comic strip: Pearls Before Swine . . by Stephan Pastis

Here’s a recent example that I thought was funny.

What really matters?

2008-08-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately there has been a lot of change in society and the unfortunate part comes from the negative impacts of that change. If you look back to when our grandfathers were employed, promotions were achieved through hard work, determination and experience. Fast forward to our current time, most of the promotions I have seen are from who you know and how well you know them. Here is an illustration of my point.

Recently I heard a co-worker talk to another co-worker about a possible promotion in a corresponding department. What I found interesting about this conversation was the importance placed on certain information. One would assume that the perspective employee would want to know job duties and responsibilities, but alas that was not the case. The perspective employee was asking about the hiring managers interests. The employee who knew the hiring manager was coaching the perspective employee on how to correctly answer questions, and what to talk about to build on common interests.

Now all this information is good to have as a companion to the job information, but the conversation focused mainly on this and when the question was raised about experience and job function the employee giving advice brushed that request aside and encouraged the interviewee to focus on the interest questions and answers.

I was slightly shocked at the interaction and it made me think about where we (as a society) are placing the basis or foundation of our decisions. This was just one example of what I see at work and I really don’t think it’s isolated. It seems that we are choosing people for jobs or other important matters based on who we know and who make us feel good as a whole. What happened to making decisions based on merit? Based on performance and knowledge? Are we loosing that knowledge, and performance? I guess there is no separation of personal and business matters these days.

The biggest concern I have about this subject will happen this fall and basically every time we as Americans exercise our right to vote. Not that I am jumping on any band wagons at the moment and don’t want to turn into another political voice, but really when you vote this fall please remember that what makes you feel good may not be the best for you. Research the issues, look at the candidates. I think the reason our country is in this mess is because most of us voted to have something different, and bought in to what the candidates were saying and not what they stood for.

For me, this old adage goes a long way – “Actions speak louder then words.”

Unfortunately I fear this adage will go the way of the dodo soon. I fear it will be reversed if we continue down our path as a society.

So my encouragement to all reading this – research before voting, take that right seriously and in hiring for positions be open to the idea that there are others out there just as qualified if not more then your friends.

One question to ask in both is “Who will do the job the best?”

Tidbits of Truth

2008-08-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

I found this on one of the Auto blogs I frequent and thought it was a great post, and held some truth.

Enjoy -

My parents told me about him early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.

Obituary - Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a bandage to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home without the burglar being able to sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. He never really recovered after that.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few recognized his passing.

****

Mike in Kuwait

NOT ON MY HOT DOG!!

2008-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am not sure about you but one thing I really loathe is Ketchup pee. You know when you grab the bottle out of the fridge and go to pour your ketchup and get a watery substance all over your hot dog. I know it’s not pee (its sweat) but why would it be there in the first place. Does ketchup have to workout to retain that thick consistency?......I don’t think so.

I know just shake the bottle before I open it up. Well ……silly that takes away the reason I buy the squeeze bottle, IM LAZY and don’t want to move much, and shaking constitutes movement.

Now this isn’t a big deal by any means but for some reason eating a hot dog that leaks like a sloppy Joe wasn’t fun last night.

Amazed

2008-08-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

A little while ago while surfing the internet I came across a link that enables you to ask a question over the internet in real time to who knows. Being the skeptic I am at times I thought I would ask a difficult question to see what response I received.

Now before I share the question and the answer I have to tell you that once you ask the question the program asks you if you would like to install it on your computer so you may ask questions to other random users in the world. So I don't know who or where the person who answered this question was but their answer made my day.

My question was:

Who is a true minority?

The answer I received:

SMART PEOPLE

Can you hear me now?

2008-08-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

How do we know when someone is truly listening to us? How do we know they understand or are just humoring us? Lately I have been trying to answer that question.

Upon that quest I have also noticed a way to tell how much if any respect a person has for those they are communicating with. Think about it, when you attend church, listen to the president, or hear a lecture, a majority of the time people are silent and seldom talk over the person speaking. Now look at your co-workers and those in your social circle. Why do we not talk over our pastors, Bishops and other speakers but yet there are some friends we talk over as if they are not even in the conversation.

Now some will say that it’s not “respect” but just a lack of manners when talking over others. But is it really? Doesn’t respect for others fall under the manners category? Isn’t it good manners to listen to what the person you are talking to has to say? To me, by talking over people you are immediately discounting what they have to say and asserting your opinion over theirs. In most cases by talking over someone you have caused further communication issues that would have never existed if you had listened in the first place. Another result of not listening is the absence of pertinent information that is retained. Maybe they appear to be listening to you but are actively planning out in their mind how to get that last glazed doughnut.

Try it out, talk to someone and see if you truly have felt a two way conversation there. If the person talks over you constantly then there’s a good possibility you are not high on their priority list or they just think that you have no idea of what you are talking about. Another test you can try out is, see if your friend has to have the information you shared repeated many times. The cause of that is probably a lack of focus on what you are saying, planning the next lunch break, or daydreaming about the upcoming weekend.

A new word to classify HUMANS soon and going forward.

2008-07-28T15:10:00.001-07:00

SHEEPLE

More and more I am starting to realize the effect our enviornment has on us. Due to most technology we are all going to be SHEEPLE. The most recent example
I can list is GPS. What happened to figuring out your position based on landmarks or stars? Believe it or not it's good to get lost sometimes, you find hidden treasures that way. . . . . I am sure this subject will come up again so for now I am spent. My patience is taken up completley from a buisness event in progress.

GREAT READ

2008-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

OK, it is long! But read 5 paragraphs, and you'll be hooked.Agree or not, but be honest enough with yourself to read it all!

This Texas lawyer, himself recipient of an Honorary Degree, is obviously opinionated, but to say what he does, in a commencement address a couple ofweeks ago, in front of a class of Texas A & M graduates, and especially thefaculty, is amazing. I would have loved to have been there just to see thefaculty reaction.

Commencement Address (Texas A&M).

This should be considered must reading for every adult in North America. It is extremely rare that anyone speaks the truth like this at any College or HighSchool Commencement Address.

Neal Boortz is a Texan, a lawyer, a Texas AGGIE (Texas A&M), and now anationally syndicated talk show host from Atlanta. His commencement address to the graduates of one of this year's A&M class is far different from what either the students or the faculty expected. His views are thought provoking:

2008 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

"I am honored by the invitation to address you on this august occasion. It's about time. Be warned, however, that I am not here to impress you; you'll have enough smoke blown up your bloomers today. And you can bet your tassels I'm not here to impress the faculty and administration. You may like much of what I have to say, and that's fine. You will remember it though. Especially after about 10 years out there in the real world. This, it goes without saying, does not apply to those of you who will seek your careers and your fortunes as government employees.

This gowned gaggle behind me is your faculty. You've heard the old saying that those who can - do. Those who can't - teach. That sounds deliciously insensitive. But there is often raw truth in insensitivity, just as you often find feel-good falsehoods and lies in compassion. Say good-bye to your faculty because now you are getting ready to go out there and do.These folks behind me are going to stay right here and teach.

By the way, just because you are leaving this place with a diploma doesn't mean the learning is over. When an FAA flight examiner handed me my private pilot's license many years ago, he said, 'Here, this is your ticket to learn.' The same can be said for your diploma. Believe me, the learning has just begun.

Now, I realize that most of you consider yourselves Liberals. In fact, you are probably very proud of your liberal views. You care so much. You feel so much. You want to help so much. After all you're a compassionate and caring person, aren't you now? Well, isn't that just so extraordinarily special. Now, at this age, is as good a time as any to be a liberal; as good a time as any to know absolutely everything. You have plenty of time,starting tomorrow, for the truth to set in.

Over the next few years, as you begin to feel the cold breath of reality down your neck, things are going to start changing pretty fast... including your own assessment of just how much you really know.

So here are the first assignments for your initial class in reality: pay attention to the news, read newspapers, and listen to the words and phrases that proud Liberals use to promote their causes. Then, compare the words of the left to the words and phrases you hear from those evil, heartless, greedy conservatives. From the Left you will hear 'I feel.' From the Right you will hear 'I think.'From the Liberals you will hear references to groups -- The Blacks, the Poor,The Rich, The Disadvantaged, The Less Fortunate. From the Right you willhear references to individuals. On the Left you hear talk of group rights; on the Right, individual rights.

That about sums it up, really: Liberals feel. Liberals care. They are pack animals whose identity is tied up in group dynamics. Conservatives think -- and, setting aside the theocracy crowd, their identity is centered on the individual. Liberals feel that their favored groups have enforceable rights to the property and services of productive individuals. Conservatives, I among them I might add, think that individuals have the right to protect their lives and their property from the plunder of the masses.

In college you developed a group mentality, but if you look closely at your diplomas you will see that they have your individual names on them. Not the name of your school mascot, or of your fraternity or sorority, but your name. Your group identity is going away. Your recognition and appreciationof your individual identity starts now.

If, by the time you reach the age of 30, you do not consider yourself to be a conservative, rush right back here as quickly as you can and apply for a faculty position. These people will welcome you with open arms. They will welcome you, that is, so long as you haven't developed an individual identity. Once again you will have to be willing to sign on to the group mentality you embraced during the past four years.

Something is going to happen soon that is going to really open your eyes.You're going to actually get a full time job!

You're also going to get a lifelong work partner. This partner isn't going to help you do your job. This partner is just going to sit back and wait for payday. This partner doesn't want to share in your effort, but in your earnings.

Your new lifelong partner is actually an agent; an agent representing astrange and diverse group of people; an agent for every teenager with anillegitimate child; an agent for a research scientist who wanted to makesome cash answering the age-old question of why monkeys grind their teeth.An agent for some poor demented hippie who considers herself to be a meaningful and talented artist, but who just can't manage to sell any of her artwork on the open market.

Your new partner is an agent for every person with limited, if any, job skills, but who wanted a job at City Hall. An agent for tinhorn dictatorsin fancy military uniforms grasping for American foreign aid. An agent formulti-million- dollar companies who want someone else to pay for their overseas advertising. An agent for everybody who wants to use the unimaginable power of this agent's for their personal enrichment and benefit.

That agent is our wonderful, caring, compassionate, oppressive government. Believe me, you will be awed by the unimaginable power this agent has:power that you do not have; a power that no individual has, or will have.This agent has the legal power to use force, deadly force to accomplish its goals.

You have no choice here. Your new friend is just going to walk up to you,introduce itself rather gruffly, hand you a few forms to fill out, and move right on in. Say hello to your own personal one-ton gorilla. It will sleep anywhere it wants to.

Now, let me tell you, this agent is not cheap. As you become successful it will seize about 40% of everything you earn. And no, I'm sorry, there just isn't any way you can fire this agent of plunder, and you can't decrease its share of your income. That power rests with him, not you.

So, here I am saying negative things to you about government. Well, be clear on this: It is not wrong to distrust government. It is not wrong to fear government. In certain cases it is not even wrong to despise government for government is inherently evil. Yes ... a necessary evil,but dangerous nonetheless .... somewhat like a drug. Just as a drug that inthe proper dosage can save your life, an overdose of government can be fatal.

Now let's address a few things that have been crammed into your minds at this university. There are some ideas you need to expunge as soon aspossible. These ideas may work well in academic environment, but they fail miserably out there in the real world.

First is that favorite buzzword of the media and academia: Diversity! You have been taught that the real value of any group of people - be it a social group, an employee group, a management group, whatever - is based on diversity. This is a favored liberal ideal because diversity is based noton an individual's abilities or character, but on a person's identity and status as a member of a group. Yes, it's that liberal group identity thing again.

Within the great diversity movement group identification - be it racial, gender based, or some other minority status - means more than the individual's integrity, character or other qualifications.

Brace yourself. You are about to move from this academic atmosphere where diversity rules, to a workplace and a culture where individual achievementand excellence actually count. No matter what your professors have taught you over the last four years, you are about to learn that diversity is absolutely no replacement for excellence, ability, and individual hard work. From this day on every single time you hear the word 'diversity' you can rest assured that there is someone close by who is determined to rob you of every vestige of individuality you possess.

We also need to address this thing you seem to have about 'rights.' We have witnessed an obscene explosion of so-called 'rights' in the last few decades, usually emanating from college campuses.

You know the mantra: You have the right to a job. The right to a place to live. The right to a living wage. The right to health care. The right to an education. You probably even have your own pet right - the right to a Beemer for instance, or the right to have someone else provide for that child you plan on downloading in a year or so.

Forget it. Forget those rights! I'll tell you what your rights are! You have a right to live free, and to the results of 60% -75% of your labor. I'll also tell you have no right to any portion of the life or labor of another.

You may, for instance, think that you have a right to health care. After all, Hillary said so, didn't she? But you cannot receive healthcare unless some doctor or health practitioner surrenders some of his time - his life -to you. He may be willing to do this for compensation, but that's his choice. You have no 'right' to his time or property. You have no right to his or any other person's life or to any portion thereof.

You may also think you have some 'right' to a job; a job with a living wage,whatever that is. Do you mean to tell me that you have a right to force your services on another person, and then the right to demand that this person compensate you with their money? Sorry, forget it. I am sure you would scream if some urban outdoorsmen (that would be 'homeless person'for those of you who don't want to give these less fortunate people a romanticand adventurous title) came to you and demanded his job and your money.

The people who have been telling you about all the rights you have are simply exercising one of theirs - the right to be imbeciles. Their being imbeciles didn't cost anyone else either property or time. It's their right, and they exercise it brilliantly.

By the way, did you catch my use of the phrase 'less fortunate' a bit ago when I was talking about the urban outdoorsmen? That phrase is a favorite of the Left. Think about it, and you'll understand why.

To imply that one person is homeless, destitute, dirty, drunk, spaced out on drugs, unemployable, and generally miserable because he is 'less fortunate'is to imply that a successful person - one with a job, a home and a future is in that position because he or she was 'fortunate.' The dictionary says that fortunate means 'having derived good from an unexpected place.' There is nothing unexpected about deriving good from hard work. There is also nothing unexpected about deriving misery from choosing drugs, alcohol, and the street.

If the Liberal Left can create the common perception that success and failure are simple matters of 'fortune' or 'luck,' then it is easy to promote and justify their various income redistribution schemes. After all,we are just evening out the odds a little bit. This 'success equals luck' idea the liberals like to push is seen everywhere. Former Democratic presidential candidate Richard Gephardt refers to high-achievers as people who have won life's lottery.' He wants you to believe they are making the big bucks because they are lucky. It's not luck, my friends. It's choice.One of the greatest lessons I ever learned was in a book by Og Mandino,entitled 'The Greatest Secret in the World.' The lesson? Very simple: ‘Use wisely your power of choice.

'That bum sitting on a heating grate, smelling like a wharf rat? He's there by choice. He is there because of the sum total of the choices he has made in his life. This truism is absolutely the hardest thing for some people to accept, especially those who consider themselves to be victims of something or other - victims of discrimination, bad luck, the system, capitalism,whatever. After all, nobody really wants to accept the blame for his or her position in life. Not when it is so much easier to point and say, 'Look! He did this to me!' than it is to look into a mirror and say, 'You S.O.B.!You did this to me!

'The key to accepting responsibility for your life is to accept the fact that your choices, every one of them, are leading you inexorably to either success or failure, however you define those terms.

Some of the choices are obvious: Whether or not to stay in school. Whether or not to get pregnant. Whether or not to hit the bottle. Whether or not to keep this job you hate until you get another better-paying job. Whether or not to save some of your money, or saddle yourself with huge payments for that new car.

Some of the choices are seemingly insignificant: Whom to go to the movies with. Whose car to ride home in. Whether to watch the tube tonight, or read a book on investing. But, and you can be sure of this, each choice counts. Each choice is a building block - some large, some small. But each one is a part of the structure of your life. If you make the right choices,or if you make more right choices than wrong ones, something absolutely terrible may happen to you. Something unthinkable. You, my friend, could become one of the hated, the evil, the ugly, the feared, the filthy, the successful, the rich.

The rich basically serve two purposes in this country. First, they provide the investments, the investment capital, and the brains for the formation of new businesses. Businesses that hire people. Businesses that send millionsof paychecks home each week to the un-rich.

Second, the rich are a wonderful object of ridicule, distrust, and hatred. Few things are more valuable to a politician than the envy most Americans feel for the evil rich.

Envy is a powerful emotion. Even more powerful than the emotional minefield that surrounded Bill Clinton when he reviewed his last batch of White House interns. Politicians use envy to get votes and power. And they keep that power by promising the envious that the envied will be punished: 'The rich will pay their fair share of taxes if I have anything to do with it. The truth is that the top 10% of income earners in this country pays almost 50%of all income taxes collected. I shudder to think what these job producers would be paying if our tax system were any more 'fair.'

You have heard, no doubt, that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Interestingly enough, our government's own numbers show that many of the poor actually get richer, and that quite a few of the rich actually get poorer. But for the rich who do actually get richer and the poor who remain poor ... there's an explanation -- a reason. The rich, you see, keep Speaking of the poor, during your adult life you are going to hear an endless string of politicians bemoaning the plight of the poor So, you needto know that under our government's definition of 'poor' you can have a million net worth, a $300,000 home and a new $90,000 Mercedes, all completely paid for. You can also have a maid, cook, and valet, and a million in your checking account and you can still be officially defined by our government as 'living in poverty.' Now there's something you haven't seen on the evening news.

How does the government pull this one off? Very simple, really. To determine whether or not some poor soul is 'living in poverty,' the government measures one thing -- just one thing. Income. It doesn't matter one bit how much you have, how much you own, how many cars you drive or howbig they are, whether or not your pool is heated, whether you winter in Aspen and spend the summers in the Bahamas , or how much is in your savings account. It only matters how much income you claim in that particular year.This means that if you take a one-year leave of absence from your high-paying job and decide to live off the money in your savings and checking accounts while you write the next great American novel, the government says you are 'living in poverty.'

This isn't exactly what you had in mind when you heard these gloomy statistics, is it? Do you need more convincing? Try this. The governments own statistics show that people who are said to be 'living in poverty' spendmore than $1.50 for each dollar of income they claim. Something is a bit fishy here. Just remember all this the next time Charles Gibson tells you about some hideous new poverty statistics.

Why has the government concocted this phony poverty scam? Because the government needs an excuse to grow and to expand its social welfare programs, which translates into an expansion of its power. If the government can convince you, in all your compassion, that the number of'poor' is increasing, it will have all the excuse it needs to sway an electorate suffering from the advanced stages of Obsessive-Compulsive Compassion Disorder.

I'm about to be stoned by the faculty here. They've already changed their minds about that honorary degree I was going to get. That's OK, though. I still have my PhD in Insensitivity from the Neal Boortz Institute for Insensitivity Training. I learned that, in short, sensitivity sucks. It's a trap. Think about it - the truth knows no sensitivity. Life can be insensitive. Wallow too much in sensitivity and you'll be unable to deal with life, or the truth so, get over it.

Now, before the dean has me shackled and hauled off, I have a few random thoughts.

* You need to register to vote, unless you are on welfare. If you are living off the efforts of others, please do us the favor of sitting down and shutting up until you are on your own again.

* When you do vote, your votes for the House and the Senate are more important than your vote for president. The House controls the purse strings, so concentrate your awareness there.

* Liars cannot be trusted, even when the liar is the president of the country. If someone can't deal honestly with you, send them packing.

* Don't bow to the temptation to use the government as an instrument of plunder. If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it -- to take their money by force for your own needs -- then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.

* Don't look in other people's pockets. You have no business there. What they earn is theirs. What you earn is yours. Keep it that way. Nobody owes you anything, except to respect your privacy and your rights, and leave you the hell alone.

* Speaking of earning, the revered 40-hour work week is for losers. Forty hours should be considered the minimum, not the maximum. You don't see highly successful people clocking out of the office every afternoon at five.The losers are the ones caught up in that afternoon rush hour. The winners drive home in the dark.

* Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.

* Finally (and aren't you glad to hear that word), as Og Mandino wrote,

1. Proclaim your rarity. Each of you is a rare and unique human being.

2. Use wisely your power of choice.

3. Go the extra mile... drive home in the dark.

Oh, and put off buying a television set as long as you can. Now, if you have any idea at all what's good for you, you will get the hell out of here and never come back."

FIRE!!

2008-07-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today we had a fire drill in our building. I work in a 15 story building and I am on the 10th floor. It was interesting to me to see the reaction of some of the co-workers on my floor. I will get more into that in a minute; first let me give some background on the full situation.

Yesterday I received a call from the admin on our floor asking me if I would be a Fire Warden. (This was in response to an email sent to her from the building management about a fire drill going to take place on Tuesday) Now having been in a position in the past to coordinate an entire 43 floor building evacuation, I knew she wouldn’t get many volunteers to assist her so I accepted. She was surprised that I said yes and that she would bring me a vest. Later that afternoon I got the vest and minimal instruction on the duties.

Around 3:00 p.m. she sent out an email with the directions for the staff and the murmuring started. On the diagram indicating the meeting area there were two ways to locate the correct place to congregate. (A number and a dashed trail to follow) The murmuring was about how the map was hard to read and they didn’t know where to go. I didn’t find one person who could think past the number and just follow the dashed trail.

All of that was yesterday prior to me leaving the office, so this morning I figured I would print out maps and highlight the route to take if you were located on my floor. (For the common sense inept) I also made a personal list of who I was responsible for getting out. When the time came for the drill I can honestly say that most of the people left in ample time. I was disappointed when 2 of my co-workers wouldn’t leave. One wanted to complete an email and the other wanted to wait for the person that was completing the email. This has become such an issue that in our building the fire Marshalls are fining those employers whose employees are not participating.

I understand that Fire Drills seem to be mundane and un-important but look back that those who went un-prepared and remember how they fared. Another issue I have with people who wont participate is that if I am floor leader and you are dragging your feet, not only are you risking your life but you then place mine in danger if there were a real situation happening.

If you don’t like fire drills look at them as an opportunity to get away from your desk. Or treat them like you remove duct tape and do it quickly to get it over with. I will end my lengthy rant for now, just please remember that your actions in these situations effect others.

DRIVERS!!

2008-07-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

Ok ...............so now for post number 2. My lovely wife an I recently took a trip through several mid-western states and I noticed more of what I call a growing epidemic in the country. From my title I am sure you can guess the subject of my frustration. Since this is obvious or should be I will try to make this post short. . . . . so here are a few items that in my opinion should be steadfast rules.

1. The LEFT lane is for passing ONLY. (if you want to cruise use the frontage road or hang behind the pro already cruising the slowest in the right lane.

2. Ladies, please put your makeup on at home if you are the driver on your commute. I understand you want to look your best but how good can you look swerving in and out of lanes while you are applying mascara.

3. For the love of all that is holy, people, the lines are painted on the road for a reason. If you cant color within the lines don't pick up the crayon.

Now I could go on with more but I am skeptical that much good would come of it. I feel that the skill of driving will only continue to suffer with the many distractions we all have in our daily lives. Cell phones, Makeup, breakfast and other things we place priority over then the most important task at hand - DRIVING.

Intro Post

2008-07-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

So welcome to The Dead Horse. This will be a blog of rants and possibly some raves. I chose The Dead Horse as a title since I am sure we all have had the same thoughts and I am sure you have heard them somewhere but we seem to never get anywhere on the issues. So I figure whatever I say here will be just like beating a Dead Horse, it wont get up and go anywhere. If by chance my posts move you to action or maybe expand your box ….well at least something was accomplished.