Late April Stuff That Interested me and Other Senseless Ramblings

Goodbye April, hello May .

If I did a "Though of the Day" segment or mention , it would be THIS.
With all the hullabaloo about gay marriage and how gays are wrecking marriage, my buddy Keith Larson asks "who's gonna save marriage from heterosexuals?"

Check out the indisputable PROOF of alien spacecraft monitoring events around our sun.

Check out this former top secret US Gubmint/NASA facility RIGHT in our back yard, up the road in the Pisgah National Forest. They are having an open house Saturday, May 5th.

The NFL Draft has taken place. If anything, the draft makes me pine for preseason and the regular season after only 2 months off. Why can't American Football be like soccer and be seemingly continuous throughout the year. Actually, the players cannot make it through the current season health wise and I'm in favor of actually shortening the season back to a 14 game season, with 2 off weeks spread out in the schedule.

The NBA's Charlotte Bobcats are the proud owners of the worst single season winning record percentage ever in the NBA.

Found THIS on the net _- SpaceX Falcon 9 engine test will be webcast live at spacex.com on Monday, April 30. The test is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT. Actual launch to space is currently targeted for May 7

F-22 Raptors Reportedly in UAE; Air Force Stresses 'Very Normal,' Non-Threatening Deployment. HAHAHA!

Now the Secret Service will have observers watching them. Wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose? This and the soon-to-be hiring increase of female secret service members.All this and now they cannot drink at least 10 hours before duty nor have certain "guests" in their room overnight. And they can't visit non-reputable establishments while on duty or travelling for the US.

and finally, Campaign '12 rolls on!! I along with many people early on fell in "like" with Herman Cain early in the Republican primary process. I liked his business sense. I didn't care about the womanizing rumors, which were found to be totally untrue, BTW. I fell "out of like" with Cain when he stated on a couple of TV shows that we need to fix and restructure the things we have in government not in the constitution or causing our deterioration instead of ending them. I disagree with this strategy. The Republicans are touting the Paul Ryan plan which follows this path. The problem I have with Ryan's plan is that it's too slow and really doesn't accomplish much different than Obama's. Read it. http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/
I then tossed peer pressure and social acceptance into the wind and jumped on the Ron Paul bandwagon. Ron Paul predicted the housing bubble burst way back in 2003 and everyone laughed at him. He was the ONLY elected person in Washington expressing the concern over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Ron Paul has always been my choice for the Republican or "3rd party" candidate for president. Ron Paul continues to draw large crowds. Larger than Romney or any other flavor by week Republican threat to Romney at times. In my opinion, Ron Paul has grown larger than the "where are they now?" tea party and is the most significant force in politics today.
Amidst the disillusionment I feel and see, among the ambivalence and "let's toe the line and vote straight 'whatever' party" mentality, Ron Paul is the only movement "moving". He's at the helm of this remarkable "thing" that will wind up as little more than a footnote. in history. Ron Paul is the only "authentic" candidate running in my humble opinion.
Do I agree with him on everything? No.

We disagree on the removal of Saddam Hussein. In my opinion, America is no more responsible for 9-11 than a loose, scantily clad, flirty person is to blame for getting raped' though I see the argument, I fail to share it.

Ron Paul's so called isolationist foreign policies have been skewed so far it's not funny.Though I disagree with some of the paths he'd point us in or take. I urge everyone to look at his website for complete understanding of what a Ron Paul presidency would entail and not depend of the popular sound bites and incomplete statements heard so far.

What say you?

Next week : The Avengers!!

"Desperation Is NOT A Pretty Color" -or- "Guns For All"



Courtesy of TheTruthAboutGuns.com                                 

Like him or love him, Newt Gingrich has now gone beyond grasping at straws. Sure, he's spouted off about establishing a colony on the moon. Heck, I'd like to see that, but realistically we've got many financial issues we must address first; much like Newt. His campaign bounced a check to the Utah elections office. He's selling his (normally free) lawn signs touting his candidacy for around $10; signed pictures of you and he for around $50 to help his campaign. During a campaign stop, a penguin bit him. He got pissed at a UNC student reporter during a seemingly innocent interview. At a recent NRA event, Newt got a standing ovation with his proposed ‘Gingrich Doctrine’—a promise for a UN treaty to give everyone on the planet the right to bear arms. That's right, he feels it's a human right for everyone on the planet to bear arms. All this and Romney will STILL be the chosen one to run against Obama in November. I heard a commentator state "if you're tired of the 'mocha' chosen one (Obama), wait til you get a load of the 'vanilla' one (Romney)." This comes on the heels of rocker Ted Nugent telling the NRA convention over the weekend that he'd be either 'dead or in jail' a year from now if Obama is reelected.

How many weak candidates and elections must come and go while the US spirals in a seemingly downward, debilitating spiral?

In regards to Newt, well, I'm a supporter of the 2nd amendment. I also believe that sometimes what's good for the goose (The USA) isn't necessarily good for the gander (everyone else). With the exception of Turkey (arguable), our form of a representative republic government will not work for many areas of the world. It just won't. I wish it would, but it hasn't historically and won't. Madeleine Albright recently advised either Egypt or Libya not to fashion their style of government after the US constitution. Right winged pundits gave her a rash of criticism for the comment, however I agree with her in regards to Libya and Egypt or pretty much any other middle east country. When the US installed government falls in Iraq and in Afghanistan, it will be embarrassing and a literal bloody spectacle. I hope I'm wrong, but I do believe that will unfortunately happen. Not that the US way is a better option  for everybody else on the planet.

For me and mine, I believe it's the best. I just feel in my heart our way of life isn't for everyone. Sure people in other countries may express a desire and want to be like we here in the US, but overall these people can only be ruled by dictators or scum. I read where people in North Korea are eating grass and tree bark to survive while their government wastes nearly a billion dollars on a rocket test. Of course there is hunger here in the US where we spend millions of dollars on various frivolity. Hunger and poverty, and i mean even 1 hungry child or person is too many, and being poor here in the US is no where near the levels as other countries.

Both sides of this year's political rivalry are accusing each other of being in bed with "the rich". While statistically the rich ARE getting richer and the number of poor are increasing, I cannot tell the poor are getting poorer with all of the computers, Xbox, PS3, and big flat screen TV's flowing out of places like Walmart or Kmart or Target and the ilk. Go and sit in the parking lot of one of these or another establishment on any given Friday afternoon/evening or during the weekend and see what I mean.

 I don't see where this labeling and name calling and finger pointing is helping to resolve anything. From my feeble perspective, the Bush bail out was wrong in size and scope. Obama could have done something about it, but chose not to. It's an example of futility the general public feels about the US government. We as a people have come to a point where we see the hypocrisy, lies, and waste- regardless of who's in the White House-  yet do little more than form Tea Parties and 'Ron Paul' like movements assuring each other on talk radio how "right" we are and how wrong those who oppose are.

Again, how many weak candidates and elections must come and go while the US spirals in a seemingly downward, debilitating spiral?

Let's Get It On

My vacation this week has really been not what I expected it to be. My plans began unravelling last Friday afternoon before the last working day before my scheduled week off of work. All and all, I've made the best, tastiest lemonade I could. Apparently, the whole world continued to spin while I was temporarily away from the interweb.

Romney vs Obama - until November all we'll hear from the left will be how "pro rich white guys" Romney is. The right will talk about how bad the economy is and how Obamacare will doom us all. Each side have declared the other side is wagin a war against women. To me, it all seems like an exercise in futility. A "well, he's better than the other guy" situation. Yet I read more poeple vote in the "American Idol" contests than vote in out elections. More people buy PS3/Xbox games than vote in elections. Amazing...

Of course, most will shrug their shoulders, get into their little groups and discuss all the bad there is in the world while doign nothing to effect change.

Trayvon madness continues- they've arrested and charged Zimmerman. 2nd degree murder, I believe. This whole case is so mired in controversy, non facts and emotions that this case will NEVER have a consensus verdict or decision. Meanwhile, vile racism continues followed by meager, insincere psuedo apologies from those on the PRO kill Zimmerman side. Interpretations form both sides flow and seem rational.
I like conversations with people about things that are controversial and disagreed upon. Regrettably most of those close to me don't care or do not like ot have conversations with me about things in dispute, for whatever reason. I'm not so closed minded as to not have my thoughts or beliefs challeneged and in ultra rare occasions, perhaps changed.. So much converation on talk radio or TV is sinlge-minded, "preaching to the choir" type of thing. Every now and then a token caller or writer with a seemingly opposing view will be allowed onto these shows; usually by the same person or handful of people. Nowadays, conversations end with someone saying "whatever" and waving their hand or finger in the air. Thye walk away mumbling something condescending. Or one side will become desperate and diversionary tactics are used usually resorting to personal attacks or questions answered with questions that has nothing to do with the subject. I see the latter used in news conferences daily. A reporter ro someone will ask someone a simple yes or no question. And instead of answering the question "yes or no" and then qualifying their answer, they resort to smoething that hardly resembles the intended answer. If that makes any sense. Am I the only one seeing this?

Show Me Da Money!!!

While everyone is complaining about the billions; and sometimes trillions of dollars 'big oil' companies are pocketing after expeditures every ninety days, no one is batting an eye at the millions of dollars being generated by our incumbent President and the Republicans during the past 3 months.

Rick Perry = $18 million -- Mit Romney = (est) between $13-$18 million, Ron Paul (my boy) raised (est) $8 million, and my President raised $55 million - ALL DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS!!!! And these numbers are around the same as the PREVIOUS 3 month period. Of course the grand total in the coffers are much, much more than this. Now this is for a job, a job in power and prestige in which you can't really put a price tag on mind you, but a position that earns a $400,000 annual salary, along with a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment. (Wikipedia)

This is another example of the OBVIOUS irregularities being overlooked and "shell games" continuing politically all around us. Before last year's elections, the Democrats had a super majority AND the Presidency - basically able to do what they wanted when they wanted to- and yet, didn't do a thing. All the while appearing on TV and radio calling the Republican Party the "party of no" when the Republicans were impotent to do anything but filibuster. Same thing with the Republicans when "W" came to power. People just dismiss these things as "it's always been, it always will be - nothing we can do" and the like. They get together on talk radio or TV preaching and agreeing with each other to decry the way things are - yet nothing ever changes.Know-it-all talk show hosts say they don't want to take the pay cut or that they can do more where they're at speaking to thousands or millions. What if a few of our founding fathers thought this way? What if Ben Franklin or James Madison decided "Aw, to heck with creating and signing the constitution, I'm going to serve my country by hekping locally or teaching at a university instead of forging a new republic."

I understand I'm beginning to sound like one of those conspiracy-at-every-corner nut jobs. Truly, I want ot believe that even though we (America),  seemingly at our lowest, are better than this. History doesn't bear me out on this. We're doing the same old things; making the same old mistakes. Am I wrong? In the future when we sit back and tell each other "See, I TOLD ya. I PREDICITED this would happen!", what then? What good is it to always be the one who predicts things to come, yet does nothing to affect the outcome or change?



BTW RIP Steve Jobs - regardless of what he became, he is an example of what can be done forming beginning a business in his parent's garage with little or no money

Barry Soetorro Emails

Just as when Bill Clinton and George Bush were President, I get emails from well intentioned people wanting to make me aware of "the secrets and lies" of President Barrack Obama.

I think there are a lot of well-intentioned people who love the USA and see how things are going, don’t like it. These people often unite and will write, say, or do ANYTHING to fight back or try to get others to see or identify with their misery or pain in an effort to “right the wrong”. In an overwhelmingly majority of these cases, they take truths, half- truths, plausible facts, and even lies and misinformation for whatever reason to suite themselves or their cause.

All this is done, passed around, etc. instead of affecting REAL change or really DOING anything about what is “wrong”. People feel so helpless and will take on these truthful sounding theories, warnings, etc. These people don’t understand that if they use HALFthe effort they use to obsess over something or get together to discuss and perpetuate these types of well-intended misinformation, then perhaps they themselves would be a little happier and their satisfaction or happiness would come from THATthan smearing whoever’s president at the time.

As to the Barry Soetorro emails, well Barry Soetorro definitely is/was/’temporarily aint’ his real name. Most anti Barrack email’s facts twists the truths differently than other Obama hate emails. Some are better written than others, actually. See (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_citizenship_conspiracy_theories). But like all good fairy tales and campfire stories, they are based on truths and facts.

My question is, so what? ‘You can’t get the horse shit back into the horse’. Where do we go from here?

If Barry held a press conference and stated, “Yep, I ain’t ‘merican. Good bye!” and left, where would we be?

It would take YEARS to legally undo everything he has so far in his short presidency signed into legislation or law. Joe Biden would take over and simply re-sign the legislation after it was re-passed (passed again? LOL!) by the same folks who passed it (the House and Senate).

Most importantly, what is the alternative to what we now have? Are the current Republicans vying for the oval office really any different than what we have now?

But never mind the reality of things. Let’s just all keep on complaining about gas, food, healthcare, our government, etc while not really doing anything about it. Waking up when the house is on fire is not a good time to decide to fire-proof the house.

--John

Sunday Musings - Impending Doom?

You know how you always see, hear, or read “these are wacky times we’re livin’ in”? Ever since I was a young child, most of the churches I attended preached about how we’re in “the end times”. Though I’ve been hearing that and pretty much seeing points of their view (before dismissing the argument in general) for the past 40 years, I’m now coming to a clearer understanding of what they meant. I’m not really writing about the recent earthquake horrors in Japan or the fixation on the horror that Charlie Sheen has apprently become. Even if you take away the religious aspects, the current “everything” climate here in the US is a little disconcerning even for the most optimistic of us. I’ve noticed my own behavior changing slightly. I’m cutting down on non essential stuff, like most of us are doing I suppose. I’m more aware of what’s being spent now in my household. I’m now paying dearly for years of financial inattentiveness and carelessness. I’m freaking REALLY hard right now on the new 4 year commitment on my new (to me) car. Of course, a readily available 24-hour news cycle doesn’t help things.


Just this morning, I found myself looking at websites that sell non-perishable food like the MREs the military has for field soldiers. An MRE, or ‘Meal, Ready to Eat’, (per Wikipedia) is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging bought by the United States military for its service members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available. Most local “Army/Navy” stores have them. Apparently, I’m not alone in my mini-paranoia as there are many websites offering MRE’s and other similar “survival” or long lasting, non perishable foods. Some you can purchase per meal/day/week/month/year quantities. One site offers you 6 meals free- you just pay the shipping & handling (http://www.efoodsdirect.com/). Another has the previous mentioned quantities available - http://www.thereadystore.com/mre?gclid=CJOG4_jfy6cCFYqW7QodHme5EA ). A search engine result lists numbers of similar companies. I’ve has these MRE’s before- they’re not bad. Even if you’re not sliding into the aspect of a coming armageddon or apocalypse, these MRE types of foods are perfect for those 2 or 3 day power outages or camping when ‘the fish just aren’t biting’.


Of course, eating isn’t the only thing we’ll have to worry about if things definitively go awry. I mean, we probably won’t be able to access any money or savings. What will we use for trade? I’ve been hearing people have been stocking up on platinum, gold, silver, and other metals like copper and such.

Stocking up on guns and ammo is popular, even without “planning ahead”. Though I consider myself an “aggressive” pacifist, I’m a fervent supporter of the second amendment to U.S. Constitution regarding the “right to bear arms”. Then again, I don’t smoke pot and yet I’m a supporter of decriminalizing it, so what does that say about me? I also believe we in the US could do a version of socialized medicine much better than we’re planning to do or have planned to do. The obvious reasons why recent/current/future methods of this fails should be addressed but won’t because of political finger pointing and jersey wearing.

I don’t pretend to know all the answers to our problems and realize they aren’t as simplistic as they’re being discussed. We can’t fix our problems financially on a city/state/regional/national in a short time. I DO know that hard decisions must be made. I do like SC governor Nikki Haley’s approach of having each agency begin their annual budget planning with a zero budget, then making it out towards a lesser amount than the previous year. Is this good to do in your opinion? Should the government have to budget themselves like we do in our own households? The mere printing of money to cover our trillions in deficit is mind boggling. So much, that it’s probably why the public outcry is relatively to a minimum; with the exception to the Tea Party and other groups. Does anyone else see this reckless spending as trouble? I know, I know, this coming from a guy who has just taken on the burden of paying for a much needed car every two weeks onto his already strained financial situation.


BTW- GO HEELS!! BEAT THE STEENKIN' BLUE DEVILS!!

Elections and the Whole Enchilada

I am politics weary. Not just from the recent round of election primaries, I mean overall. I remember Obama being touted for a presidential run back in at the democratic national convention. It's kinda like Christmas. You begin seeing ornaments in the stores in August, etc. But our current political system. I don't think this is what our founding fathers expected. I do believe they expected great debate and I do believe they expected evolution within our political system. I think they're mechanisms in place for this evolution. In example, slavery, women's right, et al.

It just seems that nowadays facts get either ignored or glossed over. It's all about which political jersey you wear. Half truths and well intended spread of falsehoods seem to rule nowadays. They're passing legislation and laws without fully reading them in Washington.

Up until this past Tuesday (6/8/10), Obama's been touting that his administration did not underestimate the severity of the Gulf spill and has been acting with the full strength of the US government. This past Tuesday on the "Today Show", he admitted his administration received bad information from BP and others and his administration made bad decisions based on that bad information by NOT react with the sense of urgency that was needed. This admission has been largely ignored. When the bush administration did the very same thing, it was "Bush Lied"; a mantra I to this day STILL hear (and use mockingly).

The political right seem to be putting all their eggs into the Sarah Palin basket. i think this is a big risk.

And another thing, the right exclaims America is headed towards socialism. With what's been happening, the merger of state and corporate powers is called fascism, NOT socialism. Like Ferris Bueller said, "I dislike 'isms'".

All in all, it feels like 1994 again. When people were sick and tired of the same old same old in our country and voted to implement "new blood" and new representation in our state capitals and in Washington. Sound familiar?

I remember talking to a wide eyed, fired up Lindsey graham who was making the transition from SC house to the US House. He has passion and was determine to fight all things left, Bill Clinton, and the Dems. So much has changed.

What about you? What say you?