A Lesson in Caution and Humlity

          Anyone that knows me or reads my work knows that I am an Ass with an Ego the size of Jupiter (Planet not God).  It takes a lot for to admit that I am wrong and even more for me to apologize for it.  Well, mark this day on your calendar folks because here goes.  I was wrong for something and I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by it.
          To keep the background simple, I posted a "poster" on my FB wall that featured an Actress who gained some fame as a somewhat dimwitted character on a long running comedy show.  In the poster, she essentially grouped every single member of a certain demographic together and accused them all of being guilty of thousands of years of hatred and crimes against humanity.  The group was The Christian Right and the group they were accused of torturing was the LGBT community.
          No GROUP is responsible for any action.  It is the individuals within the group that perform, for good or evil, any action and it is the individuals that should be held accountable.  Blaming all for the actions of some is just as much intolerance and a crime as any violence performed by the individuals of the group. 
          So this is me, saying "I was wrong and I apologize."  Thank you.

Friday's Random Musings or Things that made me go Hmmm.

          Okay as a sort of writing exercise and a way of pandering to my growing number of readers  (1009 page hits!  Whoo hoo!) I have decided to take a moment or three each week to look back and ponder some of the stories that didn't piss me off, annoy me or in any way inspire my usual Ass-ish nature.  Don't worry, the other blogs will still do their very best to really make people think and hopefully honk as many people off as possible.  Ready?  Okay, here we go!
           http://gma.yahoo.com/mysterious-forest-boy-identified-german-police-091307335--abc-news-topstories.html  Okay so in this story, apparently a young boy wanders into the city claiming to have been living in the wild with his Dad for five years after his Mom died.  The boy was clean, well groomed and even had good teeth.  The gear he claimed to have been using was too new looking to have been used in the wild for five years.  He claimed to have came to town after his father died and he had buried him, but he couldn't remember where he buried him.
          Now, at least to me there were so many holes in this "kid's" (Turns out he's actually 20 years old) story that it isn't even funny, but the authorities in Germany seem to have mostly took the kid at his word giving him a place to live and support.  Now it turns out the Boy is a runaway with at least one living parent and now everyone is all heated up about it.  There is talk about making the boy "pay" for all the help he has received.  My advice to Berlin?  Get over it.  You got took because you accepted his story.
          http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/beef-expensive-dinner-214902964.html  Now this one hits a little close to home because I am a major Carnivore.  I like my meat grilled, fried, broiled and even boiled if done properly.  The idea that meat prices are going to keep going up and up scare the crap out of me, but on the other hand maybe it'll make people eat more veggies.  As anyone who reads any type of news knows, small scale farming is making a huge come back.  People everywhere are growing corn, potatoes, peas and other veggies on their porches, patios and fire escapes.  Whole new industries are cropping up to design new and better ways of growing your own food.
          When I was a kid (well after we moved off the actual farm) I didn't know a single person that didn't have some form of vegetable garden and at least a small chicken coop for eggs.  Even people in the "big city" (Troy at that time had a population of about 9000 I think) kept a small garden and some had bigger gardens than us country folk.  Somewhere along the line, being self sufficient became uncool.  It was better to go the grocery store to buy stuff from people hundreds of miles away that you had never even met than to grow your own or buy some maters from the neighbor down the street.  Now thanks to high prices and fears over GMOs and poisons, people are relearning the lessons my Daddy knew back in the 60s-70s.
          http://news.discovery.com/animals/iceland-river-monster-120210.html & http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/bigfoot-spotted-idaho-150527313--abc-news-topstories.html  are kind of a double whammy on the same subject.  Now as anyone who knows me knows I am a firm believer that there are strange creatures out there in the world we haven't discovered yet and yes I do believe in the Loch Ness Monster.  However, it always kills me that anytime anyone finds "footage proving the existence of ...." that the film or photos are always grainy, out of focus, shot from a distance or all three combined.  You'd think that in this era of modern tech where everyone has an HD recorder sitting in their pocket or clipped to their belt, that we could get some believable shots.  Hells, people haven't you ever heard of Fotoshop?
          New species are being discovered every day and species long since though extinct pop up from time to time (Ceolocanth anyone?  Don't know that one?  Look it up and it will blow your mind)  There are still vast areas of the world that are relatively unexplored so who knows what is out there?  However, the era of hoaxers making bad videos and fake footprints should be over with.  I want to see CGI of Bigfoot dancing with Nessie Darn it!
          Well, that's all for this Friday.  Tune in next week for the next confused and random musings.  Thanks to all of my readers.  Have a great weekend!

Cry Bullcrap and let loose Dogs of Conspiracy!

http://www.eutimes.net/2012/06/380-american-rebels-reported-killed-in-michigan-battle/

High Quality fertilizer given above!

          Okay, I will be the first one to admit that we've got a bunch of lunatics in power right now who love to tread on the most basic of rights and even a couple that I firmly believe would love to round up all the naysayers and lock them up somewhere dark and scary.  Hell I will even go so far to as to say that one or two of the nutballs in power would do exactly what is described above if given half the chance, but even my level of bullshit acceptance is overwhelmed by this so-called news article.

Whew what's that smell?

          So according to this learned report produced by the Kremlin (You know the masters of misinformation.) the "Obama Regime" ordered a massive military attack against American Rebel Forces which including dropping a 2000 pound laser guided bomb on them.  This attack supposedly killed "at least 380 men, women and children who had gathered to oppose their nations slide towards a totalitarian dictatorship."  The bomb "hit in the middle of those gathered at this meeting killing over three quarters of them instantly."  Supposedly then "Obama regime military forces “numbering in the high-hundreds” descended upon Michigan [photo 2nd right] utilizing nearly 85 combat transport helicopters and A-10 Thunderbolt air-to-ground missile equipped fighter aircraft."  To finish the job, I am assuming.

          Now lets pause for a moment and ponder these "facts."  I know a little about munitions and know a lot of people who know more.  I am pretty certain that if a ton of high explosives were laser guided to a target where a large group of people were gathered, I doubt that there would have been any survivors at all.  That's a lot of bang!  Secondly, does anyone in their right mind believe that a "covert operation" involving nearly a hundred heavily armed aircraft could be conducted in MICHIGAN of all places?  There would have been hundreds of YouTube videos posted before anyone could do a darned thing about it.  

          Now onto more silliness.  "Russian nuclear experts contributing to this FSB report state that the elevated radiation levels associated with this attack by the Obama regime upon these rebel forces state that they were caused by the bombs used because they contain depleted uranium, and that there is the “strong likelihood” various other rebel areas of the States of Michigan and Indian may have been targeted too."  Okay first let's deal with the concept of a 2000 lb bomb being fitted with depleted uranium.  To achieve the levels of radiation cited in this report, the bomb would have to have been laced with so much DU that I doubt the darned thing could have been carried let alone dropped.  Secondly, DU is used as an armor piercing agent.  Unless these rebels were hold up in a massively fortified underground bunker (Which admittedly would be cool.) there would be no point to using DU.  DU does not make a bigger bang, hence the Depleted part of DU.

Fox News/Faux News

          Now anyone who knows me knows I love to rag on Fox News or Faux News as I like to call them, but this time they are pretty much blameless for the quote used in the article.  Here is the actual article quoted out of context by the offending piece.  As you can see it has absolutely nothing to do with attacks on rebel forces.  

  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/08/pentagon-putting-brakes-on-program-that-gives-weapons-to-law-enforcement-until

          So the fact that this piece can deliberately take information and distort it by simply quoting, "The Defense Department has stopped issuing weapons to thousands of law enforcement agencies until it is satisfied that state officials can account for all the surplus guns, aircraft, Humvees and armored personnel carriers it has given police under a $2.6 billion program, The Associated Press has learned. The department’s Defense Logistics Agency ordered state-appointed coordinators in 49 states to certify the whereabouts of that equipment that has already been distributed through the long-running arrangement overseen by the agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office." completely destroys any possible credibility that the piece might have had.  In short, the Rebels article is a combination of pure bullshit mixed in with heresay and neatly wrapped up in misinformation.

          Don't get me wrong, I know that there are a lot of things messed up in this country and things could get a lot worse, but can we at least try to find out actual facts before believing any and every conspiracy that comes along.  God I am clinically paranoid and even I am not this bad.  40 years ago, a conspiracy nutjob might reach a few hundred people by standing on a corner handing out mimeographed fliers.  99% of the people ignored them because, well they were nuts.  Now these same crazies can reach millions of people with the power of the Interwebz.  Because the info is on Websites slickly done, it gives the lies some appearance of credibility and people who should know better are drawn in to it.  Those people tell their friends "Wow do you know what I saw on the net last night?" and the madness just grows.

           Just when you see this crap, don't automatically think "Oh my god, really?!"  Do some research, ask around and actually find out as much as you can.  Because if you can seriously read an article researched by the Kremlin and reported in an EU paper about the Obama Regime launching a massive covert military strike against rebel forces in MICHIGAN and not have anyone in the country find out, you need serious help.

Boom!  What was that?  Must've been a cow farting.

EBK's

          What may you ask is an "EBK" and how does it apply to the world around me?  Well, I thank you for asking that question because without it, this would be a very short and silly(er) article.  EBK stands for something my father came up with a long time ago.  It is short of Everybody Knows and is one of the wisest things he ever said to me.  He told me once, "Bobby, the minute you hear someone say 'Well everybody knows...' that's when you should stop listening to 'em."  He argued that nine times out of ten "everyone doesn't know" and what "everybody knows" is mostly pure bullshit.
          Long before the so called information age had begun, my father believed that most people just listened to what other folks were saying and believed it, especially if it was bad.  The few people that bothered to find out the truth on any given matter were few and far between and usually ignored by the EBK crowd.  I doubt he'd be surprised today by the fact that the vast amounts of data available for people has made the problem worse instead of better.
          This year's Presidential Election is an excellent example of this trend.  Both sides have had huge numbers of EBKs running rampant.  I could focus an entire book on the ones handed to the Obamas, but in a rare show of "Meh, let's look at the other side" syndrome I am actually going to talk about Romney.  Yes you heard me, I am going to say some nice things about Mitt.  Hold onto your collective hats cause this might actually blow your minds.
          Before I begin, let's get a couple of things straight.  I don't like Romney.  I think that if he gets elected, this country will tank faster than me eating a donut.  (Chocolate with sprinkles to be exact.)  Of course for that matter, I don't like Obama either even though I don't believe he is a foriegn born Muslim Sleeper Agent bent on Socialistic Takeover of the US while stopping us from eating fast food and making good Christian babies.  I really believe that if either one gets elected the only changes that will happen is the Sides will switch rhetoric and the country will tank.  However like I said, nice things about Romney.
          Romney EBK #1:  Mitt Romney is a draft dodger who "used his Mormon Faith to avoid going to Vietnam."   Romney received a school deferment because, GASP, he was in college. He then received a deferment because he spent 30 months in France as a Missionary. Neither event being exceptional or dodging anything. Upon his return he went to College again but was in the draft for 69, his high number meant he did not get picked.  I have had friends who both were deferred because of school and because of Religious works.  Draft dodgers are people who burned their draft cards and ran away to Canada.
          Romney EBK#2:  Romney disbanded/destroyed and dismantled companies during his time with Bain and cut hundreds of jobs.  Whelp, in a sense I can't argue this one, but I can add some notes.  If a company isn't making a profit or a high enough profit, should it be kept open?  If a company is spending more than it is taking in, should it be kept running just to save people's jobs.  (Now as an aside, the current Pork Barrel Government (Rep. & Dem backed) works are full of these type of business, but the government schmucks march to the beat of their own drum.) 
          In most cases when a company like Bain steps in, its because the company they acquire is performing poorly.  In these cases there are usually steps taken.  It starts with the dreaded Reorg, where attempts are made to fix things within the company without major changes.  Next, the company's "internal structure" is adjusted.  This usually involves firing a bunch of people to see if an change of personnel can fix the issues.  Lastly, when all else fails, the company is split up and sold off to recoup the money spent by the investors. 
          Now since Mitt and Bain is holding their cards very close their vests on this one, I can't say for sure if this is what happened or if anything actually happened while Romney was involved.  For all we know he did indeed go gleefully through halpless companies with a figurative carving knife laughing all the way.  However, until more evidence comes forward, this EBK is a little vague.
          Well there you have it, I played Devil's Advocate for once.  I guess all I am really trying to say is this.  EBKs don't exist.  Truth is very rarely plain and obvious.  Everyone could do with a little less EBKs and a little bit more with finding out the truth for themselves.  Now with the current election BS going on from both sides, that isn't easy but to quote my Father once again.

"If doing the right thing was easy, then everybody would do it and things would be a lot less messed up."

     Words to live by.  Peace out everybody!

Gratuitous Insults

Great food, insulting people

          Before we get into the actual rant let me share something with you.   Websters Dictionary Online defines Gratuity as follows: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service.  This is important so please keep it in mind for later in the rant.

          For those of you in the Warner Robins, GA area who have not yet tried the food at the Metropolis Grill on Highway 96, let me tell you that it has some of the best, most authentic Indian/Mediterranean Food I have ever had.  The portions are generous and the prices are not too unreasonable for the food that you get.  My wife and I have been there several times and loved the food and the desserts.  Until yesterday I would have recommended to anyone that asked that they try the place.  That was until yesterday.

          We had finished some Easter shopping for my wife's work place and decided to eat out instead of go home to leftovers.  She decided that she wanted one of the dishes served at Metropolis so we drove out to 96.  Once there, we enjoyed a fantastic meal with decent service while talking about nothing in particular.  Everything was both hunky and dorry until it came time to pay the bill.  When our server brought out our bill, we were informed that the manager had told him that "since we had never tipped in our previous trips to the grill and that the servers worked for their tips if we came back we would be assessed an AUTOMATIC 18% gratuity!"

          First of all, see beginning paragraph for the definition of a gratuity.  Second recognize that as much as all of these businesses like to slap "automatic gratuities" on bills, they can't legally enforce that.  Any customer can request that the automatic tip be taken off and the businesses cannot refuse.  Why?  Again, see first paragraph.  Third ponder the idea of an "18%" tip!  We weren't a party of 50 or a busload of kids from band camp.  We were two people at one small table in one corner of the room.  Also the idea of paying that kind of tip at a casual dining eatery is insulting.

          I have worked in the food service industry a lot in my nearly 5 decades of life and I understand that servers/delivery people don't make a lot of money.  For this reason I am inclined to tip when I receive good service.  For the record, of the three times we have been to the Grill, we have tipped once.  We tipped the first time because the food was excellent and the service was acceptable.  We did not tip the second time because all of the servers seemed much more interested in talking on their cell phones than serving us.  We would have tipped the third time, but I was too insulted by the manager's actions to give our server a tip.  (As a side note here, the Manager didn't even have the Spheres to come out and tell us him/herself, our server was forced to give us the news.)

          If Servers want tips, they need to earn them.  Give good, prompt service to all your customers.  At least act like you give a darn about the people that come in your doors.  No one is "entitled" to tips or gifts, they have to earn them.  If Managers and Owners want to keep their businesses open, they need to treat their customers better.  We love the food at Metropolis, but we will never be going back there again.  I really hope all of my local readers at least temporarily boycott them as well.  Maybe if the people in charge see how much insulting their customers can hurt business, they will learn their lesson.  I doubt they will learn, but it never hurts to hope.

To end this unpleasant rant, here is a picture of a bunny holding a teddy bear.