Where the problem really lies.

As I look on the final days (THANK GOD!) of this election season, I ponder one thing.  As much as we love the Hoopla and Pageantry of it all, Presidents (In the end) aren't important.  Lets take Romney for an example.  Lets say that he is being completely honest about his desires to cut taxes, trim the Federal Government and help the American people.  It is a stretch but let's play pretend.  MITT ROMNEY WANTS TO DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO SAVE AMERICA!  (Okay that one hurt even me, but I'll recover.)

Or if you'd like, let's say that Obama fully intended on keeping his grand and glorious promises when he was elected.  He fully intended on balancing the budget, shutting down the wars and everything else that he promises.  Let's say, just for the sake of argument, that both candidates fully intended on being men of their word.  In the end, what they intended really doesn't amount to much because when it comes right down to it, the Presidents (Pubs or Dims) aren't the problem or at least aren't all of it.  The problem is that the Whole Damned Government is fugged up!

A wise man once said, "No one who is in a position of power will ever vote to give themselves less power."  Even the President is a strange mix of JFK/Ghandi/Albert Einstein (Man not sure what that'd look like but he have awesome hair), he still has to deal with Congress and Senate who are pretty much a bunch of crotchety old men and women many of whom have been around since the time of the Mammoths.  Matter of fact the only thing that has really changed in those branches is that the color palette has expanded somewhat and women joined the club.

This exclusive club wields ridiculous amounts of power over an insane amount of money.  They are firmly entrenched in their bunkers and have no intention of giving ground.  (Now there was a brief exception to this rule with the whole Tea Party shake up, but business has pretty much returned to normal.)  These people vote for things like airports being built near their home towns so that they don't have to commute even though the airport operates at a loss because there aren't enough people flying out of it.  They cut COLA for everyone else but vote themselves pay increases every year.  They talk about freezing or even cutting Military Pay and cut funding for Veterans Benefits but make damned sure their own bennies are firmly in place.

Now, why on Earth would these impossibly powerful men and women ever do anything to threaten their way of life?  And keep in mind I am talking about Reboobicans and Damnocrats, Cantservatives and Liarberals together in this rant.  Yes there are good people on both sides in there honestly trying their best to make things better, but they are as outnumbered as Custer was.

I truly believe that if we survive long enough, things will change.  More and more people are getting angrier and angrier each year.  The Tea Party revolution shows this, I think it just happened a little too soon.  Eventually we are going to be so damned miserable and so damned pissed that we will see through all the BS Rhetoric from both sides and finally elect people that will do the job.  Hopefully sooner than later.

End of Rant

PS to Rant:  I keep hearing people suggesting Term Limits as a possible solution.  I don't necessarily agree with that.  I lean more towards Performance Evaluations.  Someone can pretty much stay in office indefinitely as long as they can prove that they are actually performing the job that their constituents elected them for.  Kind of a "Hey, you jerks promised to balance the budge, fix Social Security and Capture Adolph Hitler's Evil Clone and none of that shift has been done.  You're outta here!"

Not funny, will never be funny

"Jonestown was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, an intentional community in northwestern Guyana formed by the Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones. It became internationally notorious when, on November 18 of 1978, 918 people died in the settlement as well as in a nearby airstrip and in Georgetown, Guyana's capital. The name of the settlement became synonymous with the incidents at those locations.
A total of 909 Temple members died in Jonestown, all but two from apparent cyanide poisoning, in an event termed "revolutionary suicide" by Jones and some members on an audio tape of the event and in prior discussions. This includes over 200 murdered children. The poisonings in Jonestown followed the murder of five others by Temple members at a nearby Port Kaituma airstrip. The victims included United States Congressman Leo Ryan. Four other Temple members died in Georgetown at Jones's command.
To the extent the actions in Jonestown were viewed as a mass murder, it was the largest such event in modern history and resulted in the largest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the events of September 11, 2001.^" 

^{From Wikipedia}

  

^{I have heard the phrase, "Drink the Kool-aid" used many times over the years, but never as many times as I have during this presidential election.  People love to use it to describe the actions of anyone who doesn't agree with "the right" view point.  I see it at least once or thrice in any comment section of the articles I read every day.  I hear it on the streets and even see it in the online gaming communities.  Well, I would like to say one thing to all these people.}

^{SHUT THE FUCK UP!}  

^{In 1978, 907 people including 200 children and infants died in a massive ritual suicide by drinking poison laced flavored drink.  Even today, almost 40 years later, this still stands as a shocking act.  There is nothing funny about it.  Anyone who reads this history should be shocked and horrified by what happened.  When it is discussed, it should be talked about in serious, thoughtful tones in respect to the lives lost.  It should never have become an Internet Meme used to belittle those who disagree with you.}

^{Now some will argue that most of these people drank the poison willingly because they were fanatics following a Mad man named Jones and they'd be correct.  Most of the dead went to their deaths willingly believing that their suicide would garner them a place in Heaven.  However, some including small children, had to be "helped" by the more devout by making them drink.  Infants and children to young to understand what was happening were given the poison by their parents.  Either way, the event became one of the largest murder/suicides in the history of...well History.}

^{In no way should this ever be funny.  In no way should it be alright to use this horrible moment in Human history just to make fun of someone else.  Certain events in our history are horrible and should always be treated with respect: The Holocaust, The Trail of Tears, The Salem Witch Craft Trials, the Japanese Internment Camps and the Bataan Death March are just a few of these.  If you want to criticize "them" that's okay.  Everyone is entitled to agree or disagree as they see fit.  Just try to respect the past while you do it.}

^{End of Rant} 

Semantics in Pollyticks

I think it is a sign of just how far this election has devolved when, instead of talking about any real issue or problem facing us today, we have devolved down into arguments of semantics.  People railed on Obama because "He didn't mention specific acts of terrorism" and Dems cried foul.  Now, People are railing on Romney because he didn't mention a specific body of water in his little Syria/Iran route to the sea Comment and the Reps are scrambling to say "No no,  he actually meant this not so dumb sounding thing."

We have so many things wrong with this country.  Unemployment is still far to high.  Social Security, after being used as Politicians' slush fund over the years, is in direct danger of becoming insolvent.  Two wars still raging with no end in sight.  (Yes I know the Iraq War is "officially" over with, but we still have troops there in harms way.)  Direct threats against our most basic liberties here at home with security agencies having the rights and wherewithal to monitor, question and arrest citizens on a whim.  Presidential sanctioned Drone strikes on foreign soil oftentimes the soil of our nominal allies.  A multi-trillion dollar deficit that is only going to get worse with some serious efforts.

Neither Reps or Dems have given us any real clue how they are going to deal with all of these problems.  A drip of data here and a drab of information there comes out occasionally just to make us think that they have some sort of real plan, but for the most part it is generalities. 

Romney with his "I will cut taxes for all Americans, increase military spending while reducing the deficit" speech sounds wonderful, but his inability to give details beyond "closing tax loopholes" that have yet to be mentioned makes one ache for details.

Obama claims "he will put Americans back to work, finally end the conflicts overseas and bring our troops home, raise taxes on the very rich and reduce taxes on the the middle/lower class.  He claims he will reduce the deficit and have a balanced budget in ten years."  Again, long on promises and short of details.

Hence we have this war of semantics being waged on both sides.  Vague promises of rosy futures filled with rainbows and sparkle ponies while doing a two man con job in the present to keep us from realizing that neither side has any sort of real plan.  It's the classic "double bag con" where the two Hucksters take turns distracting the Mark till he is so confused he doesn't realize that the "bag full of money" he is holding is filled with paper clippings and his watch, wallet and ring are missing.

We have two weeks left till the election (Thank Cthulhu!) and at this point I really don't care who wins.  At this point all the "damage" either candidate can do has already been done so I would love to see some real data.  I would love to see real plans with true facts tossed around.  Course I'd also like a new laptop and a cast iron waffle iron.  I really don't see any of those things happening. 

On Cows and Chicks

Get ready for a Moo-ving experience

           When I first herd about the uproar over Chik's uproar over Same Sex...well anything, I was truly cowed.  With all of the other Taters in an uproar over this SHOCKING revelation, I felt it behoofed me to sink as low for my fifteen min...erm seconds of fame.  So here is where I horn in and let the world know how I feel.

           This is a tail that should bring udder shame to Chik and its cult of followers who worship Bovines with poor spelling skills.  In this era of national acceptance of all forms of diversity (Well except for Muslims, Mexicans, Mormons, Left handed redheads from Idaho...)  Hmm okay national acceptance of things we already like, the idea that a group of people could steadfastly cling to their beliefs like so much cattle should shock us.  It is a clear sign that we are stampeding towards anarchy!  

Forget same sex and multi-racial, we are talking multi-species here.

           Let's take stock of the opposition here.  The Muppets have come out against Chik and have even gone so far to say that they will no longer do business with them.  Now folks, you know someone has gone too far when anthropomorphic felt covered creatures who talk by having someone's hand shoved up their butts are against them.  Wake up and smell the waffle fries, Chik!

          We cannot let this discrimination stayed cooped up too long.  We have only just begun to scratch the surface of bigotry and racism in this grand nation.  I know that distrust of Different is wired into our makeup, but we can move beyond this towards a beakon of  a new dawn.         

          Let me end this rant with the following.  I totally support each and every person's right to believe as they see fit.  The old phrase "I don't necessarily believe what you believe, but I support your right to believe it" still holds true today or it should  Are Chik and its owner's view a form of bigotry, yes.  Should those who find their attitudes insulting boycott them?  Absolutely!  But always keep in mind that as long as they make their views known in a legal and peaceful way, they are entitled to have them.  

          (As a final challenge, I hereby challenge all of my readers to identify and list all of the cow and chicken puns in this piece and post them.  The winners of this challenge will get...absolutely nothing.)

Guns don't kill people, psychos with guns kill people.

http://news.yahoo.com/gun-deaths-familiar-american-experience-143015822--abc-news-topstories.html

          Articles like this kill me (Sorry totally bad pun).  The "informed" author of this piece mentions little facts that sound so good until put into perspective.  Like he mentions "in the 44 years since Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were shot to death, bullets have ended the lives of more than one million people." just after mentioning "There are almost 300 million privately-owned firearms in this country."  

          Let's put that into perspective.  First he doesn't mention whether those deaths occurred exclusively in the US, but lets ignore that one since I don't have those statistics.  Wait cancel that, a couple of Google searches seems to support his numbers and indicate he may have underestimated the number by as much as 20%.  Course lets toss some other numbers out there.  Death by heart disease per year: 720,862 (Anyone banning bacon?).  Death by Cancer 514,657.  (Anyone banning smoking...wait they are trying that one.  NVM)  Death from strokes 143,481.  (Anyone trying to ban thinking?  Well besides Politicians?) Death from Motor Vehicle Accidents: 43,536.  (We should ban cars.  Course when pondering some of the drivers I see, that might not be a bad idea.) Finally death from violent crimes 26,513 (and for the record only 60% of those included the use of a fire arm.)  (Keep in mind that these are rough estimates based off gleaning info from several different sites including law enforcement ones.)

          So there are some impressive numbers for you.  When compared to other causes of death, gun violence doesn't even come in a close third.  Now some people might argue that most of the above statistics only affect the person dying and not anyone else and they'd have a point. (well except for the driving one)  However, lets look at it another way.  There are 300 million privately owned guns in the US and there are only (Roughly) 16000 firearm related deaths per year.  If owning guns was really the problem, that number would be a hell of a lot higher.

          It is a FACT (That naysayers so love to ignore.) States with favorable concealed carry laws have lower rates of crime than states with restrictive concealed carry laws. Overall, the
homicide rate for states with favorable carry laws is lower, and the robbery rate is lower, than for states with more restrictive laws.  The so-called experts don't like this fact, but it is true.  Look it up for yourself if you don't believe me.

          When I was in High School, we had a Shooting Club that met after classes and before Football Practice.  (Also coincided with Band Practice on Wednesdays so the middle of the week was busy for me since I was in all three.)  The members would bring their rifles to School with them and store them in lockers.  Hell some who didn't have cars even carried their guns on the bus.  We were taught to respect and properly use these deadly weapons and I can promise you not a single member of my class ever walked into school and opened fire. 

          Guns are not the issue here, people are.  People who don't give a damned how many people they hurt or how much horror they produce are what is wrong with the world today and until we start dealing with the people, this problem will just keep getting worse.          

          I have no problem with ID checks or waiting periods for gun ownership even though these actions restrict only the law abiding, not the violent criminals.  I'll gladly plunk down my license  and wait my 7 days to by a gun.  If that makes you feel more comfortable and secure, then I will gladly deal with the inconvenience of it.  Tighter gun controls, stricter laws and even an outright ban on firearms will not stop the violence.  People who are determined to do harm will always find a way to do it.  All taking away our arms will do is prevent other people from stopping them.  I promise you this much.  I will always own firearms to protect my family and friends.  I will always use them responsibly and I will blow the hell out of anyone who ever tries to hurt me and mine.  The Government doesn't like it?  Society doesn't like it?  TOUGH!

Remember the Colorado dead and injured in your prayers and thoughts.

 

Fly it High, Fly it proud!

 

http://www.mrctv.org/videos/minnesota-dot-must-remove-american-flags-bridges

          Now believe it or not, I am not actually calling to task the Minnesota DOT on it's decision to remove the flags that the VFW placed on bridges.  The above link is extremely one sided (What do you expect, its Faux News) with no chance of rebuttal or explanation from the accused.  Let me say I do find it suspicious that the DOT is just NOW deciding to take the flags down after being there for years, but policies change from administration to administration, so their explanation is possible.  Given the extremes in weather we have been having the past few years, what was considered safe 4 years ago might not be today.  So like I said, at the point till I can do more research I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.  No, boys and girls, my rant today is over the spreading trend that people/organizations/politicians have at taking away our flag.

 

          The gentleman in the video lists that the first reason he was given was because if they were allowed to fly the US Flag then other groups (Iraqi in this case) would be allowed to fly theirs so the US Flags had to come down.  That is perhaps the greatest thing about America that you won't find hardly anywhere else in the world.  Everyone (As long as they conform to the laws of the land) has the right to fly the flags of their choice.  If a group of Iraqi-descent Americans wish to fly Iraq's flag on those same bridges, they have the right to do so as long as they receive permits and permissions.  That is their right, given to them by our laws.  In doing so, would they offend people?  Yes, probably but they still have the right to do so and am okay with them doing so.

          What I am not okay with is this incredible need that so many forces have to make us ashamed of our flag and everything that America has fought for.  So many times, I see in the news, where some person or organization is being forced to take down the flag because it might be offensive to some person or nationality.  (As an aside, I am not talking about the cases where someone has been asked to remove a flag pole or such because it breaks the rules of the neighborhood covenant.  Sorry folks you knew what the rules were when you moved in.  Either move or live with the rules you agreed to.)  I am talking about businesses and homes being legally bullied into removing the US Flag because someone might be offended.  Sorry this is America, I got the right to fly my flag and you have the right to be offended if you want.  Your offense does not take away my rights.

          As most of you know, I make my living being offensive as hell.  I find things that annoy me and rant about them and truthfully I get the (Bad) logic behind this invasive attack on the rights of the American people to fly the flag.  The attitude is "Someone might get offended or make a fuss, so it's better to take the flag away than to risk it."  Well, The hell with that.  This country was founded on being offended and offending people. (Don't laugh, we got offended by the British and we in turn REALLY offended King George)  Too many people have shad blood and had their blood shed for us to give up without a fight.  Keep em flying folks!  If someone gets offended because you do, simply smile and nod but never apologize for it.

It really pisses people off.

Okay file this one away under my Weekly WTF!?

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/tennessee-man-charged-85-000-tank-gas-183952664.html

          Okay, above is a link to an article that inspired the title of this article.  A man (Two men actually) fills up the tank of his mid-sized car and thinks he is paying $30.00.  He later finds that his card has actually been charge $84,522.54.  Another person put $22.47 on her credit card for coffee and gas.  She later  found out that she was overdrawn because she had been charged over $58,000.  This link shows that two more people were overcharged by outrageous amounts.  http://www.newschannel5.com/story/19014827/more-residents-find-outrageous-charges-from-mapco

WTF!?

          Now believe it or not my disbelieve isn't with the gas stations that made the charges.  I cannot prove a deliberate attempt to defraud, incompetence or some sort of software/hardware glitch so I cannot make judgement on the exact level of stupidity involved there.  Nope, my beef is with the bank/s.  I mean WTF!?  I can't even overdraw my credit card/debit card enough to buy a latte, but these people overdrew by 50+K dollars?  Since the transactions locations are displayed alongside the debit, didn't the idea of someone spending enough money to fuel a small fleet of aircraft make someone go, "Hmm, maybe something is fishy about this.  We should look into it?"

Shh it's a secret!

          Then my next question is WTF didn't the bank/s (Okay one of them was Citibank) notify the people that they were suddenly overdrawn by enough to buy a new car?  Hell I get a notice when I overdraw by pennies.  All of these people found out the hard way by trying to use their cards again.  Boy I would think that would be a harsh surprise.  

Here's something for your troubles

           Then, when the mistakes are realized, why the hell did it take so long for the banks to fix the issue.  One victim couldn't even get his weekly paycheck because all of it went to pay his overdraft.  That is messed up.  These were blatant, obvious (redundant description?  Meh who cares) mistakes and should have been fixed within hours of discovery.  Hell they should have never been processed in the first darned place and lets face it.  The "gift" of a $100.00 gift card to tide one customer over was just adding insult to injury.

All about dah Benjamins

          Now ordinarily I file these things under corporate greed and move on with my rants, but I cannot, in good conscience file it away so easily this time.  If the overcharges had been even remotely close to a reasonable amount say $250., $500 then I might file it away as greed on either the gas station or bank's part.  However since the amounts are so damned ridiculous, all I can figure is gross incompetence on both parts and shrug.  I have always said that Americans are law suit crazy with people suing over the most ridiculous things (Bad Haircuts, Hot coffee etc), but I believe the people in this case should sue the ass off both the gas station and the banks on the simple grounds that they are idiots.  One case could be forgiven, but four?  Someone needs to give these people a strong, loud wake up call.  Someone needs to lean out an open window and yell, "WTF!?" at the top of their lungs.  (Gods I still love that movie.)

       

Just because I liked the picture, no other reason.

          As an ending note (B-flat) I am curious to see how my highly opinionated and well spoken friends will turn my well deserved rant about gas stations and banks into some sort of argument over government, politicians and such.