I can't stand stupid mistakes, especially when I make them. What makes it even worse is when I see the mistake after the project is all finished. I have a bad temper as it is, but when I do something totally, unmistakably stupid, I feel like punching the wall.(I don't though since then it would just be another project I would have to take care of, and more then likely I would make a mistake while doing it. It is such an evil spiral)
Oh I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I just can't let it go.
It is usually the simple things that set me off the quickest. I should know better. All it requires is a little common sense, and some thinking. At times I seem to lose both.
There are times when I can go back and fix what I messed up, and then I feel a little better, but it still doesn't cover the fact that something had to be worked on twice.
And if there is anything worse than working on something once it is working on it twice.
Like I said it's an evil spiral.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Sometimes I wonder..
My son has suddenly become a baseball fanatic. He has watched baseball (especially the Detroit Tigers) since he was smaller, most of the games while sitting next to his great-grandfather. Now, however, something has changed.
He is eight years old and wants to play travel baseball. Now it must be understood that he has only recently started to learn how to catch the ball (once with his eye). As far as I know he hasn't had any practice at hitting a ball, (unless they tried during the school year) yet he wants badly to play.
It is the end of summer so getting him on a league of any sort at this time of the year is not going to happen. Which may not be a bad thing since he is going to need a lot of practice. This however might be a pretty good bargaining tool. If he wants to play then it should be easy to keep his room clean.
I should be happy that he has an interest in something other then game boy (and I am). I just hope his excitement for the game can be sustained until next spring when baseball starts up again.
He is eight years old and wants to play travel baseball. Now it must be understood that he has only recently started to learn how to catch the ball (once with his eye). As far as I know he hasn't had any practice at hitting a ball, (unless they tried during the school year) yet he wants badly to play.
It is the end of summer so getting him on a league of any sort at this time of the year is not going to happen. Which may not be a bad thing since he is going to need a lot of practice. This however might be a pretty good bargaining tool. If he wants to play then it should be easy to keep his room clean.
I should be happy that he has an interest in something other then game boy (and I am). I just hope his excitement for the game can be sustained until next spring when baseball starts up again.
Friday, August 24, 2007
"WHERE IS THE MUSIC...."
One thing about me is that I love music, and when I say that I mean, I REALLY LOVE MUSIC. So one thing that I hate is that when I want to hear music and all there is is Talk shows.
Now I'm not talking about stations like National Public Radio, or the occasional political or sports station on the AM dial. I will listen to some of their programing when the mood hits me.
No, the programing I am talking about it the regular FM stations that are supposed to play music. I have a 45 min trip one way to work, and music makes it a bare able ride. Now there is nothing worse then moving along at a good pace and all of a sudden the music ends and the DJs start talking about what is going on in the world.
It's not just the news that they talk about. They also talk about things such as what kind of interests the crew have, or, help me, the current reality shows from the night before.
If I wanted to know about the shows I would watch them myself, and even then I wouldn't need to hear the morning radio staff talk about it on the radio.
It is so frustrating to turn the station only to find another group talking about the same things. It's like when everyone goes to a commercial at the same time so that no other station seems to have an advantage of any sort.
I keep hoping to find a station that plays music and nothing else. That one day I will be able to listen to my music without endless chatter.
Then again, if that was to happen, I am sure all they would play would be rap.
Now I'm not talking about stations like National Public Radio, or the occasional political or sports station on the AM dial. I will listen to some of their programing when the mood hits me.
No, the programing I am talking about it the regular FM stations that are supposed to play music. I have a 45 min trip one way to work, and music makes it a bare able ride. Now there is nothing worse then moving along at a good pace and all of a sudden the music ends and the DJs start talking about what is going on in the world.
It's not just the news that they talk about. They also talk about things such as what kind of interests the crew have, or, help me, the current reality shows from the night before.
If I wanted to know about the shows I would watch them myself, and even then I wouldn't need to hear the morning radio staff talk about it on the radio.
It is so frustrating to turn the station only to find another group talking about the same things. It's like when everyone goes to a commercial at the same time so that no other station seems to have an advantage of any sort.
I keep hoping to find a station that plays music and nothing else. That one day I will be able to listen to my music without endless chatter.
Then again, if that was to happen, I am sure all they would play would be rap.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Maybe Kanye West was right.....
Remember back after hurricane Katrina when we watched all the celebrities on TV asking for support for the victims in New Orleans. One such celebrity was Kanye West. He stood there before the whole word and announced "President Bush hates black people." At the time everyone responded with shock and disbelief about how someone could have actually made that statement. However maybe, just maybe, Mr. West may have been right.
At the writing of this blog, Hurricane Dean is leaving the Yucatan Peninsula and will soon be hitting (if its path stays as predicted)the Vera Cruz area of Mexico. The devastation has been great so far and if it again intensifies the damage will be even greater.
Now this is where Kanye's statement comes in to play. Today while attending the North American Summit in Quebec he made the statement that "The American people care a lot about the human condition in our neighborhood and when we see human suffering we want to do what we can." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070822/ap_on_re_ca/bush_canada_mexico_48
As a person who has relatives living in Mexico I am glad to hear that the American Government will do all in its power to help the people in Mexico that might be harmed by this Hurricane.
However, as an American I am a little put out that President Bush made his announcement even before the Hurricane came ashore. Even after Katrina had laid waste to the gulf coast Bush made no real effort to help out. (Unless you consider the little fly by that he did)
If I was an African-American I might be a little, no wait, a whole lot PISSED OFF. How dare our President claim to be a caring individual when he could give a rats A-- about the people in New Orleans that were in a worse position. They had already gone through the hell.
So I don't know for sure how true Mr. West words might be. Maybe President Bush was just responding to the situation because the Mexican President was standing there with him, Or maybe just maybe "W" really does hate black people.
At the writing of this blog, Hurricane Dean is leaving the Yucatan Peninsula and will soon be hitting (if its path stays as predicted)the Vera Cruz area of Mexico. The devastation has been great so far and if it again intensifies the damage will be even greater.
Now this is where Kanye's statement comes in to play. Today while attending the North American Summit in Quebec he made the statement that "The American people care a lot about the human condition in our neighborhood and when we see human suffering we want to do what we can." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070822/ap_on_re_ca/bush_canada_mexico_48
As a person who has relatives living in Mexico I am glad to hear that the American Government will do all in its power to help the people in Mexico that might be harmed by this Hurricane.
However, as an American I am a little put out that President Bush made his announcement even before the Hurricane came ashore. Even after Katrina had laid waste to the gulf coast Bush made no real effort to help out. (Unless you consider the little fly by that he did)
If I was an African-American I might be a little, no wait, a whole lot PISSED OFF. How dare our President claim to be a caring individual when he could give a rats A-- about the people in New Orleans that were in a worse position. They had already gone through the hell.
So I don't know for sure how true Mr. West words might be. Maybe President Bush was just responding to the situation because the Mexican President was standing there with him, Or maybe just maybe "W" really does hate black people.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Oh this pisses me off..
We keep hearing about how our education is as low as 29th in the Industrial world in Education.
I have to say that this is appalling. As an American I am disgusted with the politicians in this country for letting this happen to our nation. We still want to throw more and more programs into the mix, with the worst one being "No Child Left Behind." We want to blame the public education system, the teachers, and the unions.
There is one group however that I don't hear any of the politicians crying about, and who might that be? THE PARENTS
It doesn't matter how much or how little you pay a teacher. It doesn't matter how many extra classes a teacher takes to be prolific in his or her subject. It doesn't matter how strong or weak the Unions are. It doesn't matter how advanced the program might be.
What matters the most is how involved the PARENTS are in their child's lives.
You can have a child that goes to a "challenged" school, with little funding, and every thing working against them yet they are successful because they have the total support from their parental figures.
Then on the other hand you can have a child going to a "superior" school with all the advantages that every child should have, and because they are ignored by their parental figures they find ways of screwing up just to get attention.
Americans are so pre-occupied with their own lives that they forget about their children's futures. Children do no ask to be born. They are forced into this world, cold and naked, and all they long for is to be loved and accepted.
The problem is that Americans feel they deserve to have fun all the time. We place so much importance on going to bars, getting drunk, watching the big game, or (God help us) NASCAR. We need to hang out with friends, and waste time fiddling around. All things we place before our children's education.
We have too many divorced parents. Part time moms and dads who are usually fighting with each other, or trying to hard to keep up with the new living situation that cause the children to become second place.
Sometimes its even worse because the parents work so much to have the "good" life, that the start to neglect the children.
Now I am not saying that these other things aren't important. You need teachers who are good at their jobs. You need programs to help guide the children. You need funds to help keep everything running, but where I think the politicians need to spend more time is trying to figure out a way to get parents more involved in the lives of the children.
It is only then that we will see the improvements that are needed for a successful education system.
I have to say that this is appalling. As an American I am disgusted with the politicians in this country for letting this happen to our nation. We still want to throw more and more programs into the mix, with the worst one being "No Child Left Behind." We want to blame the public education system, the teachers, and the unions.
There is one group however that I don't hear any of the politicians crying about, and who might that be? THE PARENTS
It doesn't matter how much or how little you pay a teacher. It doesn't matter how many extra classes a teacher takes to be prolific in his or her subject. It doesn't matter how strong or weak the Unions are. It doesn't matter how advanced the program might be.
What matters the most is how involved the PARENTS are in their child's lives.
You can have a child that goes to a "challenged" school, with little funding, and every thing working against them yet they are successful because they have the total support from their parental figures.
Then on the other hand you can have a child going to a "superior" school with all the advantages that every child should have, and because they are ignored by their parental figures they find ways of screwing up just to get attention.
Americans are so pre-occupied with their own lives that they forget about their children's futures. Children do no ask to be born. They are forced into this world, cold and naked, and all they long for is to be loved and accepted.
The problem is that Americans feel they deserve to have fun all the time. We place so much importance on going to bars, getting drunk, watching the big game, or (God help us) NASCAR. We need to hang out with friends, and waste time fiddling around. All things we place before our children's education.
We have too many divorced parents. Part time moms and dads who are usually fighting with each other, or trying to hard to keep up with the new living situation that cause the children to become second place.
Sometimes its even worse because the parents work so much to have the "good" life, that the start to neglect the children.
Now I am not saying that these other things aren't important. You need teachers who are good at their jobs. You need programs to help guide the children. You need funds to help keep everything running, but where I think the politicians need to spend more time is trying to figure out a way to get parents more involved in the lives of the children.
It is only then that we will see the improvements that are needed for a successful education system.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
That went better then I hoped for...
I went to the store with my eleven year old daughter today and she was telling me about the two dollars she had gotten from the tooth fairy.
Now I must say that my wife and I have been contemplating about how to tell our little girl that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy. She will be going into the middle school this coming up year and we don’t want her to be the only one to not know the truth.
We also understood that telling her this would probably lead us to the question of Santa Claus.
This is why when she brought up the subject I had to take the opportunity of it being only the two of us to tell her.
“Sweetie,” I said, “I have something to tell you about the tooth fairy.” Without missing a beat she says to me “She isn’t real is she?”
Well that caught me off guard. So I told her “how long have you known?”
“For a while.” She said
“How did you guess?” I asked
“I could never understand how a little fairy could get the money into the film container”
(we have always used a film canister for the kids teeth because it was easier to switch the
Now I must say that my wife and I have been contemplating about how to tell our little girl that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy. She will be going into the middle school this coming up year and we don’t want her to be the only one to not know the truth.
We also understood that telling her this would probably lead us to the question of Santa Claus.
This is why when she brought up the subject I had to take the opportunity of it being only the two of us to tell her.
“Sweetie,” I said, “I have something to tell you about the tooth fairy.” Without missing a beat she says to me “She isn’t real is she?”
Well that caught me off guard. So I told her “how long have you known?”
“For a while.” She said
“How did you guess?” I asked
“I could never understand how a little fairy could get the money into the film container”
(we have always used a film canister for the kids teeth because it was easier to switch the
containers)
“Besides I don’t know where the tooth fairy would get money for teeth anyway.”
To me these were both very logical questions. Not to mention that it was making it much easier for me to break the news to her.
“Are you sad?” I asked her.
“Not really,” she said, “does this mean that Santa Claus is not real too?”
I really wasn’t ready for that question
“Will you cry if I said he‘s made up?” I asked her.
“No.” she said, “I was wondering how he made the game boys.”
“Besides I don’t know where the tooth fairy would get money for teeth anyway.”
To me these were both very logical questions. Not to mention that it was making it much easier for me to break the news to her.
“Are you sad?” I asked her.
“Not really,” she said, “does this mean that Santa Claus is not real too?”
I really wasn’t ready for that question
“Will you cry if I said he‘s made up?” I asked her.
“No.” she said, “I was wondering how he made the game boys.”
“Well that’s a good question.” I said
“And the Easter Bunny,” she said,
“Yeah him too.” I said.
“I guess I don’t have to worry about a large bunny whose feet were hurting from jumping around and hiding eggs.”
I have to admit that this was going much better than I thought it would. She had already had her doubts, and she wasn’t upset about any of it.
“I just have to ask one thing though.” I told her
“What?” she asked
“That you don’t tell your brother,” I said, “I think he is old enough to know but..”
“He’ll blab it to everyone right?” she finished my thought.
I have always thought my little girl to be a genius, but this little moment confirmed it for me.
I have often wondered just how she would react. I had the feeling she would be alright with it, but never did it occur to me how well she would take it.
Now the only thing I have to wait for is the time to come when I have to explain it to my son.
“And the Easter Bunny,” she said,
“Yeah him too.” I said.
“I guess I don’t have to worry about a large bunny whose feet were hurting from jumping around and hiding eggs.”
I have to admit that this was going much better than I thought it would. She had already had her doubts, and she wasn’t upset about any of it.
“I just have to ask one thing though.” I told her
“What?” she asked
“That you don’t tell your brother,” I said, “I think he is old enough to know but..”
“He’ll blab it to everyone right?” she finished my thought.
I have always thought my little girl to be a genius, but this little moment confirmed it for me.
I have often wondered just how she would react. I had the feeling she would be alright with it, but never did it occur to me how well she would take it.
Now the only thing I have to wait for is the time to come when I have to explain it to my son.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Let us remember the truth..
I have a wish for today. I wish that all these right-wing, conservative, pro war nuts would remember what happened to us on 9/11.
Yes we were attacked. A terrorist group sent some of their insane members on a suicide mission and it succeeded beyond any ones wildest thoughts. We responded correctly by going after the leader of this group. We even brought down the Government that was protecting Bin Laden, but that is where it starts to go downhill.
We had the Al-Qadia leadership in our sights, we had the world standing with us. We could have done anything we wanted in order to bring them to justice, but instead of taking advantage of the situation, presented to us, we chose to slow those efforts and change our course of action. We decided to invade Iraq.
Now lets get this straight once and for all. There were NO IRAQIS on any of the planes that were used in the attack on 9/11. In fact the majority of the terrorist were from Saudi Arabia yet I haven't heard any of the "Patriotic" folks call out for an attack on the Arabian Peninsula.
We were forced into Iraq by the lies of our President and his administration. We were told they had weapons of mass destruction, which they didn't. We were told that Saddam was trying to get a hold of nuclear technology, which the weapon inspectors weren't allowing.
We were told that Iraq supported and had training areas for Al-Qadia, even though Bin Laden called for the death of Saddam himself.
Every reason that the President gave was wrong, and this whole time the real criminal of 9/11 is still on the run.
The "rebuilding" of the Iraqi nation is not going the way we were told it was supposed to. There was supposed to be people in the streets waving at us, pretty young women handing out flowers, young children with smiles, their only need being the chocolate candy our soldiers were giving away. But that was not the case.
As soon as Saddam was dead the Iraqis wanted us to leave. They didn't want us to rebuild their nation, they wanted to rebuild their nation, they wanted to put their people to work REBUILDING their nation.
I know that people have been screaming that no one is reporting the good things that are happening in Iraq. Yea we built a school, oh wait someone blew it up. Hey we turned on the electricity, oh wait it's only for a couple of hours a day. We have running water, however it's not clean. We are placing people in jobs, too bad they are contractors from everywhere except Iraq. We are building up the Iraqi army, I guess it would have been nice had we not disbanded them in the first place. We are going to use the oil revenues to help offset our costs... no wait that is just wishful thinking on any reasonable person mind.
What good news are the righties hoping to hear? That the Shia (supported by Iran, and Syria) and the Sunni's (supported by the rest of the middle east) have finally come to terms. What gives anyone they thought that this is going to happen? These two groups are going to go head to head as soon as we are out of there regardless of if we leave now or in ten years. They have problems that are beyond Military, and possibly political fixing. Their problems are philosophical, little differences in their branches of Islam that have torn them apart for centuries. We cannot solve those problems, especially when our leader refers to our mission as a crusade. We have no idea of the history of these people, we clearly have no respect for their religion (and before anyone can say "read the Koran, it's filled with hate" maybe we should read the Christian Bible and see all the hatred and death in there.)
Another thing we missed with the whole episode (when I say we I mean the righties and the President) is the fact that the Kurds in the north are on the verge of a whole new problem. Did any one think that the Kurds in Turkey would want their own homeland? Did anyone think that the Turks might want to keep the Kurds in check by threatening to invade northern Iraq? Has anyone even thought about the possible Greek involvement if Turkey invades? (remember that the Turks and the Greeks are still having small exchanges over Cyprus)
We have asked a lot of our Military. They have spent so much time overseas, away from their families, being lied to by their Government.
We asked them to dispose of Saddam, and they did. We asked them to secure the areas they were in and they did. We asked to sacrifice everything and they have. It is now time to thank them by bringing them home.
The righties blame the left for this mess, but please remember it was the righties who got us in this mess, and the righties who refuse to help get us out of this mess.
I know I have been rambling on this subject, but there is so much to say on it. We ,as Americans, are at our best when we fight from the point of view of coming from behind and taking it to the enemy. We are at our worst when we start the fight, and regardless of what any one says, we started this fight.
I am sure I can go on and on, but that would redundant as those who agree with me agree regardless, and those who disagree are just idiots anyway.
We were attacked on 9/11 but we are fighting the wrong people in the wrong place.
Yes we were attacked. A terrorist group sent some of their insane members on a suicide mission and it succeeded beyond any ones wildest thoughts. We responded correctly by going after the leader of this group. We even brought down the Government that was protecting Bin Laden, but that is where it starts to go downhill.
We had the Al-Qadia leadership in our sights, we had the world standing with us. We could have done anything we wanted in order to bring them to justice, but instead of taking advantage of the situation, presented to us, we chose to slow those efforts and change our course of action. We decided to invade Iraq.
Now lets get this straight once and for all. There were NO IRAQIS on any of the planes that were used in the attack on 9/11. In fact the majority of the terrorist were from Saudi Arabia yet I haven't heard any of the "Patriotic" folks call out for an attack on the Arabian Peninsula.
We were forced into Iraq by the lies of our President and his administration. We were told they had weapons of mass destruction, which they didn't. We were told that Saddam was trying to get a hold of nuclear technology, which the weapon inspectors weren't allowing.
We were told that Iraq supported and had training areas for Al-Qadia, even though Bin Laden called for the death of Saddam himself.
Every reason that the President gave was wrong, and this whole time the real criminal of 9/11 is still on the run.
The "rebuilding" of the Iraqi nation is not going the way we were told it was supposed to. There was supposed to be people in the streets waving at us, pretty young women handing out flowers, young children with smiles, their only need being the chocolate candy our soldiers were giving away. But that was not the case.
As soon as Saddam was dead the Iraqis wanted us to leave. They didn't want us to rebuild their nation, they wanted to rebuild their nation, they wanted to put their people to work REBUILDING their nation.
I know that people have been screaming that no one is reporting the good things that are happening in Iraq. Yea we built a school, oh wait someone blew it up. Hey we turned on the electricity, oh wait it's only for a couple of hours a day. We have running water, however it's not clean. We are placing people in jobs, too bad they are contractors from everywhere except Iraq. We are building up the Iraqi army, I guess it would have been nice had we not disbanded them in the first place. We are going to use the oil revenues to help offset our costs... no wait that is just wishful thinking on any reasonable person mind.
What good news are the righties hoping to hear? That the Shia (supported by Iran, and Syria) and the Sunni's (supported by the rest of the middle east) have finally come to terms. What gives anyone they thought that this is going to happen? These two groups are going to go head to head as soon as we are out of there regardless of if we leave now or in ten years. They have problems that are beyond Military, and possibly political fixing. Their problems are philosophical, little differences in their branches of Islam that have torn them apart for centuries. We cannot solve those problems, especially when our leader refers to our mission as a crusade. We have no idea of the history of these people, we clearly have no respect for their religion (and before anyone can say "read the Koran, it's filled with hate" maybe we should read the Christian Bible and see all the hatred and death in there.)
Another thing we missed with the whole episode (when I say we I mean the righties and the President) is the fact that the Kurds in the north are on the verge of a whole new problem. Did any one think that the Kurds in Turkey would want their own homeland? Did anyone think that the Turks might want to keep the Kurds in check by threatening to invade northern Iraq? Has anyone even thought about the possible Greek involvement if Turkey invades? (remember that the Turks and the Greeks are still having small exchanges over Cyprus)
We have asked a lot of our Military. They have spent so much time overseas, away from their families, being lied to by their Government.
We asked them to dispose of Saddam, and they did. We asked them to secure the areas they were in and they did. We asked to sacrifice everything and they have. It is now time to thank them by bringing them home.
The righties blame the left for this mess, but please remember it was the righties who got us in this mess, and the righties who refuse to help get us out of this mess.
I know I have been rambling on this subject, but there is so much to say on it. We ,as Americans, are at our best when we fight from the point of view of coming from behind and taking it to the enemy. We are at our worst when we start the fight, and regardless of what any one says, we started this fight.
I am sure I can go on and on, but that would redundant as those who agree with me agree regardless, and those who disagree are just idiots anyway.
We were attacked on 9/11 but we are fighting the wrong people in the wrong place.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
FORE!!!!!
I always wondered about this happening. I was driving home from work today, taking the same road as I always do, and I came to this Golf course. Now I always pass this course with the same thought in mind, “Has any car ever gotten hit by a Golf ball while driving pass the course?” The reason I think about it is because there is no net or fence to block the balls from slicing into the road. There seems to be support beams that a net could hook onto, yet the net is non-existent.
Well today my question almost got answered (the hard way.) As I was going passed, paying attention to my driving (as I always do) one of the golf balls bounced on the road not four feet in front of my car. I had yet to turn up the radio, so it was still pretty quiet, so I actually heard the plunk of the ball as it bounced off of the road (Is plunk the correct descriptive sound for a Golf ball bouncing of the road.) The whole event happened quickly, so quick in fact that I almost missed it. Had I not been in this area I might have thought I had just imagined the whole thing, but it was what it was. A GOLF BALL.
I have half a mind to stop into the Golf course tomorrow and inquire about the netting (I mean I have heard about playing through but this is ridiculous.) I had my window open which means that had I been driving any faster I might have been hit by the ball. It seems to be real irresponsible of the Golf course to not protect the drivers from the drivers (Ok bad Golf pun.) Let this be a little warning to all of those who believe that Golf is not a dangerous contact sport. It is more deadly then anyone might think.
Monday, August 13, 2007
I really like this one...
No one says it like E.E. Cummings
"she being Brand"
she being Brand
-new;and you
know consequently a
little stiff i was
careful of her and(having
thoroughly oiled the universal
joint tested my gas felt of
her radiator made sure her springs were O.
K.)i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her
up,slipped the
clutch(and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell)next
minute i was back in neutral tried and
again slo-wly;bare,ly nudg. ing(my
lev-er Right-
oh and her gears being in
A 1 shape passed
from low through
second-in-to-high like
greasedlightning)just as we turned the corner of Divinity
avenue i touched the accelerator and give
her the juice,good
(it
was the first ride and believe i we was
happy to see how nice she acted right up to
the last minute coming back down by the Public
Gardens i slammed on
the
internalexpanding
&
externalcontracting
brakes Bothatonce and
brought allofher tremB
-ling
to a:dead.
stand-
;Still)
Of course this has to be spoken the right way to get the real feel for it, but it is a great poem.
"she being Brand"
she being Brand
-new;and you
know consequently a
little stiff i was
careful of her and(having
thoroughly oiled the universal
joint tested my gas felt of
her radiator made sure her springs were O.
K.)i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her
up,slipped the
clutch(and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell)next
minute i was back in neutral tried and
again slo-wly;bare,ly nudg. ing(my
lev-er Right-
oh and her gears being in
A 1 shape passed
from low through
second-in-to-high like
greasedlightning)just as we turned the corner of Divinity
avenue i touched the accelerator and give
her the juice,good
(it
was the first ride and believe i we was
happy to see how nice she acted right up to
the last minute coming back down by the Public
Gardens i slammed on
the
internalexpanding
&
externalcontracting
brakes Bothatonce and
brought allofher tremB
-ling
to a:dead.
stand-
;Still)
Of course this has to be spoken the right way to get the real feel for it, but it is a great poem.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
What to do about Illegal Immigration?
This is one of the most debated questions today. Do we set a path for the Illegal Immigration to become citizens? Do we arrest all these immigrants and place them in prison? Do we go after the employers who hire these workers? No one seems to know what exactly to do. I however have an idea that may work and what may that be.... CREATE JOBS IN AMERICA. Americans are upset about immigrants taking jobs because so many of our jobs are leaving this country. China, India, Central and South America are performing jobs that Americans use to do. Soon this trend will extend to the African Continent as countries such as Kenya and Nairobi are setting there people up to be cheap labor.
We need to bring jobs to the good old USA. We need to give American workers the opportunities to grow the middle class not get rid of it. If Americans are working then they don't worry about immigrants coming to this country. A policy that rewards companies who send jobs to other countries not only hurt the American worker, but also anyone who wants to come to this country to better their lives and those of their families.
It will only be after jobs come home that we will honestly be able to deal with those who are here against the law.
We need to bring jobs to the good old USA. We need to give American workers the opportunities to grow the middle class not get rid of it. If Americans are working then they don't worry about immigrants coming to this country. A policy that rewards companies who send jobs to other countries not only hurt the American worker, but also anyone who wants to come to this country to better their lives and those of their families.
It will only be after jobs come home that we will honestly be able to deal with those who are here against the law.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Maybe it is time to change my "about me" Philosophy
Just living the best I can without hurting anyone else in the process.
Yes that sounds like quite a nice, and decent philosophy. It is something that I have tried my best to teach my children to live by. However, lately I have been having second thoughts about this way of thinking.
I love the thought of living in a world where you can get up in the morning, go to work, come home to your family, and getting a good night sleep without having to wonder and worry about having to deal with the daily stupidity that exist.
But I am finding that the rest of the world doesn't want me to live that way. The rest of the world, I believe, wants me to slap them in the face.
Everything from Politics (all the republican and democratic idiots), the American Health system, Education system, Welfare system....
Conservatives piss me off, as do the Liberals. I mean one side wants to keep the American public afraid of everything, so that they can continue to force their way of thinking down every ones throats, and the other side couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag if it meant saving the world from all that was wrong in it.
Racists really piss me off, that means not only Whites, but also Black racist, Latino racist, Asian racist, and yes all these groups can be racists. A racist to me is someone who wants to blame everything on groups not the same as theirs, and/or try to hold them back because of that race difference.
The media really pisses me off. I can't stand that our First amendment has been reduced to twenty-four hours of Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole Smith, and which celebrities are happily married. We have serious problems in this world, and the medias job is supposed to be bringing these problems to the forefront, not to be hidden on page 9 of the Saturday paper, or to be played at the midnight hour.
Religions piss me off, almost more then any other group in the world. How can you tell me that you have the only right way. That God can be placed in such a box that only one group of people have the right to call Him their own. Christians get over yourselves. Jesus was Jewish. He, as far as we logically know, never converted away from the Jewish religion. Nor did he actually try to create a new religion after himself. (Oh yeah, all of you who will want to say "but the Jews killed Jesus", remember that it was the Romans who carried out the conviction, sentencing, the torture, the forcing of Jesus to move that cross, and the Crucifixion itself.)Catholics and Protestants believe in the same basic teachings of the Christian faith, but can they get along, oh hell no. That would be to much like right. Hell the Protestants can't even get along with themselves. Those of the Islamic faith. You guys are in your own world of hurt. You can't even get your act together enough to make a decent argument for your existence. We are a peaceful religion, except for the fact that we will kill anyone who doesn't believe in our way. Hey wait you guy have a lot in common with the Christians you so hate.
Finally, but by no means the last, Americans in general are beginning to really piss me off. How can we consider ourselves the leaders of the free world when we can't even muster more then 45% of the voting population to actually vote. When ever something happens we have to become extremist. School violence has happened in our nations cities for decades, but let it happen in a nice suburban school, such as columbine, and all of a sudden we have to change all the rules.
Instead of staying strong after 911 and demanding justice, we allowed ourselves to become like frightened children who were willing to let the Bush dictatorship begin to tear apart the very Constitution we should be fighting for.
Wow what a way to end the fourth of July. I have now come up with a new Philosophy "Just living the best I can without hurting anyone else in the process, unless you really piss me off and then I am ready and willing to slap the living shit out of you."
Yes that sounds like quite a nice, and decent philosophy. It is something that I have tried my best to teach my children to live by. However, lately I have been having second thoughts about this way of thinking.
I love the thought of living in a world where you can get up in the morning, go to work, come home to your family, and getting a good night sleep without having to wonder and worry about having to deal with the daily stupidity that exist.
But I am finding that the rest of the world doesn't want me to live that way. The rest of the world, I believe, wants me to slap them in the face.
Everything from Politics (all the republican and democratic idiots), the American Health system, Education system, Welfare system....
Conservatives piss me off, as do the Liberals. I mean one side wants to keep the American public afraid of everything, so that they can continue to force their way of thinking down every ones throats, and the other side couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag if it meant saving the world from all that was wrong in it.
Racists really piss me off, that means not only Whites, but also Black racist, Latino racist, Asian racist, and yes all these groups can be racists. A racist to me is someone who wants to blame everything on groups not the same as theirs, and/or try to hold them back because of that race difference.
The media really pisses me off. I can't stand that our First amendment has been reduced to twenty-four hours of Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole Smith, and which celebrities are happily married. We have serious problems in this world, and the medias job is supposed to be bringing these problems to the forefront, not to be hidden on page 9 of the Saturday paper, or to be played at the midnight hour.
Religions piss me off, almost more then any other group in the world. How can you tell me that you have the only right way. That God can be placed in such a box that only one group of people have the right to call Him their own. Christians get over yourselves. Jesus was Jewish. He, as far as we logically know, never converted away from the Jewish religion. Nor did he actually try to create a new religion after himself. (Oh yeah, all of you who will want to say "but the Jews killed Jesus", remember that it was the Romans who carried out the conviction, sentencing, the torture, the forcing of Jesus to move that cross, and the Crucifixion itself.)Catholics and Protestants believe in the same basic teachings of the Christian faith, but can they get along, oh hell no. That would be to much like right. Hell the Protestants can't even get along with themselves. Those of the Islamic faith. You guys are in your own world of hurt. You can't even get your act together enough to make a decent argument for your existence. We are a peaceful religion, except for the fact that we will kill anyone who doesn't believe in our way. Hey wait you guy have a lot in common with the Christians you so hate.
Finally, but by no means the last, Americans in general are beginning to really piss me off. How can we consider ourselves the leaders of the free world when we can't even muster more then 45% of the voting population to actually vote. When ever something happens we have to become extremist. School violence has happened in our nations cities for decades, but let it happen in a nice suburban school, such as columbine, and all of a sudden we have to change all the rules.
Instead of staying strong after 911 and demanding justice, we allowed ourselves to become like frightened children who were willing to let the Bush dictatorship begin to tear apart the very Constitution we should be fighting for.
Wow what a way to end the fourth of July. I have now come up with a new Philosophy "Just living the best I can without hurting anyone else in the process, unless you really piss me off and then I am ready and willing to slap the living shit out of you."
My letter to the Speaker of the House.
I don't know if this will do any good. I have written to many politicians, as should all Americans, but of course I don't know if any of the letters got past the staffers. All I can do is keep hoping that enough attention can be raised by such letters and maybe things will change.
Madam Speaker,
My name is Sam Reams, I am a 38 year old husband and father of two. I am an Independent voter who has a tendency to vote mostly Democratic. I live in the state of Michigan, a state that I believe our Government has forgotten about. However, this is not why I write to you today. On this day, as we celebrate our independence, we are faced with a situation that can no longer be ignored.
This administration has once again shoved all that is moral and decent in the faces of the American people.
By commuting Lewis Libby's sentence President Bush has once again shown us that he has no regard for the Law, or for the Constitution. He has proven once again that he does not have to follow the rules if he feels like not following them.
Libby is just the last in a series of foul ups that this President has committed. Iraq, Katrina, the Wars on Terrorism, and Drugs. Immigration, Education... and the list goes on and on.
These things, as well as all the no bid contracts that have gone to Halliburton, have led this Country down the road to ruin.
I know when you took over as speaker you said that Impeachment of Bush and Cheney was off the table, but I must implore you to please put it back on the table. This great nation of ours cannot take this anymore.
These two men have been allowed to take advantage of everything they place their hands on. We need leadership in Washington, and what we have right now is not leadership, it is more like an attempt at a dictatorship.
Two hundred and thirty-one years ago the people of this nation threw off the clutches of a dictator named George, now it seems that we must do it once again.
Thank you for time,
Sam Reams
Madam Speaker,
My name is Sam Reams, I am a 38 year old husband and father of two. I am an Independent voter who has a tendency to vote mostly Democratic. I live in the state of Michigan, a state that I believe our Government has forgotten about. However, this is not why I write to you today. On this day, as we celebrate our independence, we are faced with a situation that can no longer be ignored.
This administration has once again shoved all that is moral and decent in the faces of the American people.
By commuting Lewis Libby's sentence President Bush has once again shown us that he has no regard for the Law, or for the Constitution. He has proven once again that he does not have to follow the rules if he feels like not following them.
Libby is just the last in a series of foul ups that this President has committed. Iraq, Katrina, the Wars on Terrorism, and Drugs. Immigration, Education... and the list goes on and on.
These things, as well as all the no bid contracts that have gone to Halliburton, have led this Country down the road to ruin.
I know when you took over as speaker you said that Impeachment of Bush and Cheney was off the table, but I must implore you to please put it back on the table. This great nation of ours cannot take this anymore.
These two men have been allowed to take advantage of everything they place their hands on. We need leadership in Washington, and what we have right now is not leadership, it is more like an attempt at a dictatorship.
Two hundred and thirty-one years ago the people of this nation threw off the clutches of a dictator named George, now it seems that we must do it once again.
Thank you for time,
Sam Reams
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
All I wanted was some Ice Cream...
All I wanted was to get my family some Ice Cream, that's not much to ask is it?
Well I didn't think so either, but apparently the Ice Cream Gods thought that was too much of a request.
I had been thinking of Baskin Robbins 31 wonderful flavors, that's my favorite ice cream place, but there was this new place that we have driven past many times, always telling ourselves that we should go in. So instead of going to BR 31 we went to Captain Georges.
Now let me tell you that from a distance Georges looks like a nice place. It has a cute patio, surrounded by plants, where you can sit outside and eat your ice cream. They even mist water throughout the area on hot days to cool people off.
So we thought why not, what harm can it do?
Well I have to tell you there was a lot of harm done. The wife and kids all had their ice cream in a cone, and it looked good.
Me on the other hand, I usually get my ice cream in a bowl. I don't really care for cones, I don't like the taste of them.
So looking at the amount of ice cream that the family received I was expecting the same amount. Oh how wrong I was.
I ordered the medium bowl and waited for my bowl of ice cream loveliness to arrive. What I received instead was a tiny bowl, smaller then the size of a McDonalds sundae, with three of the smallest scoops of ice cream I have ever seen. I have to admit that my bubble of ice cream dreams quickly popped. Especially after seeing how much the ice cream cost.
I couldn't believe it. I paid more then normal, and got a lot less. Oh I was not happy. Ok I admit I acted worse then I probably should have, but I really wanted some ice cream and what I got was ice cr.
Next time, which might be tomorrow since I still want ICE CREAM, I will just go to Baskin Robbins and have the real bowl of ice cream loveliness.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
A confession long overdue.
It was ninth grade, and like most ninth graders I was not very interested in being in school. I was even less interested in being in Mr. Morseys earth science class.
Not that I have anything against this teacher, or the class for that matter, at least I don't have anything against them now. But like I said, "It was ninth grade."
In this class I had a friend named Willie. Willie was a great guy but he wasn't the greatest of students. It wasn't a matter of him being dumb, he was just less interested in school then I was.
One day, in earth science class, Mr. Morsey returned the graded test we had taken a few days before. The grades were pretty much the same as usual. Gary and Joe got A's, Brett and I got B's, Doug got a C and Willie of course didn't do very well. Of course Willie blamed the teacher for not liking him for the bad grade. Never would it cross our minds that maybe the grade was due to the fact that Willie never studied for the test.
Anyhow, Willie was mad and wanted to get some sort of revenge on Mr. Morsey.
This is where the confession part of this blog comes in.
Mr. Morsey had a fish tank, nothing real exciting, just a ten gallon with some goldfish.
Anyway, in this classroom there were all kinds of chemicals, especially acids. I made the suggestion that maybe Willie could put some of the acid in the fish tank, and though I was pretty much joking, Willie thought it was a decent idea.
He gets up out of his seat and walks over to the chemicals, and slowly pours a little acid into the fish tank. Not to be out done Brett and Doug decide to follow Willies lead.
After about fifteen minutes, the whole time the three boys taking turns at adding chemicals to the water, something strange began to happen.
The three fish began to swim slowly, and their scale started to turn white. After a few more minutes all three were doing the backstroke at the top of the tank.
Of course, to a group of ninth grade juvenile delinquent boys, this episode was all the bit funny. Not so much though to Mr. Morsey, who didn't bring anymore goldfish to the room.
But what can I say, it was Ninth grade.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
older then what?
Well here I am, nine days to my 38th b-day. Now I am handleing it pretty well, not being one of those people who worry about getting older. I do however, have to admit that there was something said that did make me think for a moment "I am old." What was this little phrase that made me stop for that one moment? "Oh my God, you are older then Sesame Street." These words were spoken to me by my wife, oh the pity she has on me.
Yes it's true, I am older than Sesame Street by about six and a half months. I mean it has been quite a while since I have watched the show, at least ten years since my daughter was little, and even then she didn't care for it.
I don't see what is so darn funny about it, I mean there are millions of people who are older then this show, I don't see them getting harrassed about it.
So I have grown with Kermit, Grover, and of course the Cookie Monster. It could be worse..., ok ok so it can't be.
I shouldn't think much about it, and after the 23rd I won't think about it again. At least not until my wife reminds me again next year.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Another religious rant.... go figure
As I sat on my lunch break today I got a good look at the Bible thumper group that graces the area I work in. They were deep in prayer/scripture reading, or what ever it is they do as a group. I thought to myself that maybe, just maybe, I should cut them some slack. I mean they don't talk to me about what they discuss, so I should just let them be. But as I continued to watch them, I couldn't help but think, what a bunch of hypocritical asses they really are.
One of them looks at as much porn as he reads the bible. Two others base their politics solely on what their church tells them (not the do onto others part, but the I don't care what they stand for as long as they are anti-abortion.) One guy won't talk to anyone that isn't in his group. Most of them try to hurry through a door so they won't have to hold it open for any one, and try to get them to say thanks for anything and you might fall over dead first.
They wear their "Jesus" shirts for all to see. Always putting it in peoples faces. Now I know I shouldn't care, but let me try to wear a Anti-Christian shirt and lets see how fast I am in the bosses office.
I really really want to let things be. Let them to their existence, and just try to live mine apart from their insanity. Yet I can't.
All I ever hear nowadays is how the poor Christian church is being persecuted. How their beliefs are being challenged at every turn, and how they have to keep to themselves in their churches because people don't want their load of crap shoved down their throats. Well in my opinion that's too damn bad that they feel that way.
I'm sick and tired of their crap being shoved down my throat.
I don't know if it is my problem, or theirs. Of course it's theirs, what am I thinking.
At least that is what God told me.
One of them looks at as much porn as he reads the bible. Two others base their politics solely on what their church tells them (not the do onto others part, but the I don't care what they stand for as long as they are anti-abortion.) One guy won't talk to anyone that isn't in his group. Most of them try to hurry through a door so they won't have to hold it open for any one, and try to get them to say thanks for anything and you might fall over dead first.
They wear their "Jesus" shirts for all to see. Always putting it in peoples faces. Now I know I shouldn't care, but let me try to wear a Anti-Christian shirt and lets see how fast I am in the bosses office.
I really really want to let things be. Let them to their existence, and just try to live mine apart from their insanity. Yet I can't.
All I ever hear nowadays is how the poor Christian church is being persecuted. How their beliefs are being challenged at every turn, and how they have to keep to themselves in their churches because people don't want their load of crap shoved down their throats. Well in my opinion that's too damn bad that they feel that way.
I'm sick and tired of their crap being shoved down my throat.
I don't know if it is my problem, or theirs. Of course it's theirs, what am I thinking.
At least that is what God told me.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
What I have learned today..
What I have learned today is that there is so much I need to learn.
I use to know quite a bit. I was one of those kids who would take the encyclopedia into the bathroom. I couldn't tell anyone about any sports stats, but I could tell you the history of world, and recite Shakespeare.
When I was twelve I was given a test and was told I had an IQ of at least 146.
That is considered to be very superior in comparison to most of the population.
However, today I feel as though a little more of what I have left, is slowly seeping from my skull.
I look at my children and I see some of the wonderment that I use to have for learning.
It is not that I don't want to learn, it is just that after working all day, I just don't have the energy to do so.
In talking to co-workers, I realize that I have forgotten more knowledge than most of them have ever learned, and yet here we are in the same place in life.
There are times, many times, when my hands and head are hurting, that I wish I had taken a different career path. I laugh because I don't have a career, I have a job. A career is something you wake up to every morning and are happy to greet it.
I get up every morning and head off to my job, because I didn't think when it was needed.
I do my best to at least place my children on the right course.
To get it into their heads that a higher education gives you at least a better chance at doing something you want to do in life.
I'm not bitter, really I'm not. I have made my choices, and I have learned to live with them.
However, sometimes I wish I could talk to that little boy, the one with that over sized IQ, and help him give himself better opportunities.
I use to know quite a bit. I was one of those kids who would take the encyclopedia into the bathroom. I couldn't tell anyone about any sports stats, but I could tell you the history of world, and recite Shakespeare.
When I was twelve I was given a test and was told I had an IQ of at least 146.
That is considered to be very superior in comparison to most of the population.
However, today I feel as though a little more of what I have left, is slowly seeping from my skull.
I look at my children and I see some of the wonderment that I use to have for learning.
It is not that I don't want to learn, it is just that after working all day, I just don't have the energy to do so.
In talking to co-workers, I realize that I have forgotten more knowledge than most of them have ever learned, and yet here we are in the same place in life.
There are times, many times, when my hands and head are hurting, that I wish I had taken a different career path. I laugh because I don't have a career, I have a job. A career is something you wake up to every morning and are happy to greet it.
I get up every morning and head off to my job, because I didn't think when it was needed.
I do my best to at least place my children on the right course.
To get it into their heads that a higher education gives you at least a better chance at doing something you want to do in life.
I'm not bitter, really I'm not. I have made my choices, and I have learned to live with them.
However, sometimes I wish I could talk to that little boy, the one with that over sized IQ, and help him give himself better opportunities.
Monday, March 05, 2007
I believe....
I believe in America. I believe in the Constitution, and in the Freedoms it provides.
I believe in holding my country up to a higher standard, showing the world what it is like to be truly free.
I believe in speaking softly and carrying a big stick.
I believe in tolerance for others, even if they believe something other than I do.
I believe that just because you don't agree with someones lifestyle, as long as no one is getting hurt or being forced against their will to participate, you should mind your own business.
I believe that America is great, but if she is wrong that we should make her right.
I believe that God made us all different not only because he likes variety, but also to see if we could get along with one another.
I believe that just because you're the biggest kid on the playground it doesn't give you the right to push others around.
I believe that you don't start the fight, but you make sure you finish it.
I believe that we must help our own people, before we can tell others how to live.
And I believe that if anyone, for whatever reason, tries to take our freedoms away, they should be held accountable for their actions. This is true even if they are our very own leaders.
I believe in holding my country up to a higher standard, showing the world what it is like to be truly free.
I believe in speaking softly and carrying a big stick.
I believe in tolerance for others, even if they believe something other than I do.
I believe that just because you don't agree with someones lifestyle, as long as no one is getting hurt or being forced against their will to participate, you should mind your own business.
I believe that America is great, but if she is wrong that we should make her right.
I believe that God made us all different not only because he likes variety, but also to see if we could get along with one another.
I believe that just because you're the biggest kid on the playground it doesn't give you the right to push others around.
I believe that you don't start the fight, but you make sure you finish it.
I believe that we must help our own people, before we can tell others how to live.
And I believe that if anyone, for whatever reason, tries to take our freedoms away, they should be held accountable for their actions. This is true even if they are our very own leaders.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Fields of green.
This is for Shawn, Jason, Mark, Nicole, Joey, Hannah, and to all of those for whom it stopped long before it ever truly started. May you all rest in peace.
What lies beyond?
The fields of green,
A winding path
To a world unknown.
On higher ground I stand
But can only see,
A thinly veiled wall
Of mist and fog.
A group walks past
Their faces known,
I speak, but
They do not hear.
How is it I see them
And they not me,
As I stand beside
The steps they take.
I stand with them
But cannot move,
I try
But cannot go forward.
I want to see the other side
To know what is beyond,
Yet I know it is not my time
So I can only watch from where I am.
One by one
They step and move ahead,
Transforming from what once was real
To that of lucid memory.
One by one they turn and wave
One last smile then vanish into the mist,
Like beacons of a distant star
They shine then fade away.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Not trying to make anyone mad, but
Empress Bee (of the High Sea) said...
what do you suppose the terrorists are thinking when they commit their acts of death and violence in the name of their god? i often wonder this....
This question was asked to me because a previous post of mine. My religious view.
So what do I suppose the terrorist are thinking? It doesn’t matter what they think. They are just the brained washed right wing of their religion. They are born and raised in a religious system that tells them they are right, that they have the one and only Gods blessings. That they are defending their way of life. They know nothing of other cultures. Their leaders forbid the teaching of other religions as blasphemy, and are willing to burn books in order to protect their way of thinking.
Does this sound like any religious groups we might know? Catholics, Presbyterians, SOUTHERN BAPTIST... We could keep going.
I will admit that the majority of terrorist groups belong to the Islamic faith, but please remember that there are groups within the Christian community that also can be placed in the group. We just have to look at such groups as the Army of God, which has targeted abortion clinics in bombings, and the Ku Klux Klan, which has been performing terrorist acts for decades.
It seems strange to me that people are willing to say how others have performed “acts of violence in the name of God” when the majority of “Terrorist” acts in this country have been committed by what could be described as white Anglo-Saxon protestant males.
I will admit I do have a small fear of an Islamic attack. I live within ten miles of the largest Arab community outside the Middle-East, and I would be a fool to think that there is no one in that community working in support of the Islamic terrorist. Just as it is foolish to think there are no Irish-Americans in Boston, who support the Irish Republican Army, or no one in the Jewish community in New York, who would like the Jewish Defense League to return to its strong arm tactics.
I also however have a strong fear of the beer swigging, gun totting, confederate flag waving “red necks”. These are the “good Christians” that I am sure will start attacking the Hispanic communities, as they have done to the African-Americans, that are springing up all over the country. That is when and if their hangovers kick in.
Some may call these guys patriots, but I call them the reason the rest of the world hates us. It takes more then a gun, and a willingness to go kill people in other countries, to be called a patriot.
Sometimes you have to really look at a situation, to fully understand it.
If you are being a “Patriot“, willing to act blindly on the words of your leader, willing to kill others (whether or not they are responsible for your problems), and help create a situation that is ultimately worse now then when you first showed up, are you any better then the idiot who straps on a bomb and walks into a café.
I wonder about that…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)