Memorial Day
-
“Happy Memorial Day “ seems to be all you hear in the week prior to
Memorial Day. When the very definition of memorial is to remember, it seems
odd to say ...
9 years ago
- L S. "Spencer" Olsen
- I don't really care if you agree or not. Just saying what I think.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
It's too bad that Governor Sanford isn't gay. Because then his affair would be brave and a cry for help in this intolerant world. Oh wait. That only works with Democrats like Barney "my boyfriend was a gay pimp and doing business out of my home" Frank. Lately Gay is only 'chic' if you are a liberal. Oh well. The bottom line is that ol' Markey boy here is a dirtbag. Too bad. I guess it just goes to show that politicians are dirtbags regardless of their political persuasion.
It's too bad Tampa International Airport has only 43 attendants working the Southwest counter, literally putting the line out the door of the airport. I decided to carry on my bags this time. Too bad I had to throw away a tube of Ben Gay (there's that word again). Furthermore, suddenly, the Southwest KIOSK doesn't recognize me anymore and I have to verify all kinds of information.
It's too bad that Obama ran the media last night on ABC. I flipped by only to watch hosts crapping themself and fainting to be in the presence of a cult of personality.
It's too bad that ABC wouldn't air a commercial condemning Obama's health care commercial this week. Looks like unbiased only exists at the craps table.
It's too bad that I really enjoyed Transformers 2. It was just fun and entertaining despite being cinematically the worst thing ever committed to film.
It's too bad that I am now going to list some things that were odd about Transformers 2 and spoil it for all of you.
1. Obvious collagen
2. Plot holes aplenty
3. Military still fighting with bullets despite bullets not harming evil robots
4. Robot cojones
5. Sam goes to robot heaven...
It's too bad you read this instead of getting your work done.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
If you haven't heard already, St. Peter won the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes. Good ol' Ed is on his way to deliver the check. But seriously - it's sad. Who in this world did not like Ed McMahon? What I was able to gather from the press reports, he died of pneumonia which was complicated by his cancer. Rough. He will be missed.
On a lighter note...
Matthew has named his blue blanked Steve. Not sure where that came from, but he has spent the last couple of weeks referring to his blanket by the name Steve.
Also, Caitlyn has decided that she wants to get married to Matthew. Yikes. Guess the south is rubbing off on all of us.
Anyway...
Obama, or as my current client calls him - One Bad-A%$ Mistake, America - had a press conference today where he basically said "blah blah blah blah". I am not surprised on his continued rhetoric on the economy, healthcare, etc. Today's bone has to do with the conservative community.
1. For 8 years, conservative commentators have been telling us how broken healthcare in America is. Our premiums and costs are too high. Now that Obama wants to further meddle and subsequently destroy healthcare in America, the Conservatives are shocked because "there is nothing wrong with healthcare..." Let's get consistent. First of all, Obama is getting ready to "mess up royal" on healthcare. Second, let's not pretend that things are rosy just to have opposition ammunition. Healthcare in America IS fine if you are talking about the quality of care, but as far as costs - it is waaay broken. Republicans and Democrats alike should be working on legislation to (and listen closely here) GET THE GOVERNMENT THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY. period.
2. Everyone is so upset about Obama's response to the Iran situation. I am not really sure what to think about it. Shooting from the hip here, I seem to remember a certain president in the 90's openly supporting an Iraqi uprising and the end result was American not putting its money where its mouth was and thousands of Kurds died. If Obama is not prepared to go to war with Iran then his response is dead on. Conservatives and Republicans want him to let the people of Iran know that we are behind them. What happens if thousands die due to empty promises. I wish we had a president that would actually stand up to Iran and be able to walk the walk. So the fact is that even if Obama tells Iran that it is behind its dissidents, we all know that he will not use any kind of force to support that kind of statement. So as far as I am concerned, his statement of " we will wait and see" is right.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thursday night, Roxy told me to go clean out the litter box. That was a huge mistake. I twisted and bent just right and locked up the ol' back. Friday things were OK, but getting a bag of cat food out of the trunk of my car did me in. Immobilized, I spent the entire weekend on my back. My poor Roxann had to pull a double-shift all weekend and make sure that I and the kids were taken care of. It was heat and cold all day and all night. I'm doing alright, but treating my body wiith kid gloves.
In the airport today looking to go back to Florida. Noticed that a woman has gone to the agent counter to identify herself as a 'peanut allergy'. I guess she has the inability to say no to peanuts and must make the airline aware so that they do not offer.
BTW and this is for everyone everywhere...
You do not need an invitation to approach the ticket kiosk in order to check in or check your bags. Just go to the next available. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE ASKED TO APPROACH.
In other news, I recieved what has to be the greatest gift ever for Father's day.
What you are looking at is the Fender Hot-Rod T-Bucket guitar. This is without a doubt the sweetest sounding thing ever. Roxy has awakened the sleeping guitarist in me. A beast that has been in slumber for better than 10 years. I have started practicing again and have proven the old adage that if you don't use it, you will lose it. It is all coming back to me slowly, though and I am working on my technique and theory. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will be back to a decent level. I am looking forward to jamming with Mark next weekend - though I can't promise fireworks. I can promise mediocrity, however.
Friday, June 12, 2009
"Just Waiting...For James von Brunn to be labeled a Conservative Christian. The press hasn't been stupid enough to do it yet, however it IS coming."well....here you go. Thanks, New York Times.Apparrently, James Von Braun echos the anti-semetic views of the right which are echoed by right-wing conservative talk show hosts. In fact, some hateful right wingers like Von Brunn are just waiting to be pushed over the edge with "coded messages" from the conservative media.Trash.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
"US government seeks to rein in executive pay"
0 comments Posted by L S. "Spencer" Olsen at 10:57 AM"Democrats want to push administration on US corporate pay strategies"
Link to the article from the AP here
I really don't know what to say about this one. This is the worst meddling so far. Dictating wages and salaries for executives. Obama blames excessive compensation for the current market woes.
You know, at the beginning I was ready and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I was ready to look at him and is policies objectively. But now...
I just can't take this anymore. This buffoon is so completely wrapped up in his absurd little world that he fails to see the truth and consequences of his actions. This embicile is destroying your future and the future of your children. It took us 20-odd years to recover from the idiocy of LBJ, Ford, and Carter. All that has been done, all progress that has been made economically is being dashed before our eyes. Just when it seems that we can recover, Bama pulls some other brilliant gem out of his hat and slaps the economy back down about five notches.
Anyone... and I mean ANYONE who has taken any kind of economics or economic philosophy course knows that the more a government interfres with capitalism - the worse the overall social construct becomes. All societies have a foundation that is built upon goods and services. When this system is allowed to freely exist, it works. When the command influence is introduced for regulatory purposes then you enter into a bell curve where some regulations will help, but too many and too few will hurt. We are passing the peak and moving on the downward slope of regulatory command influence. Anybody who wonders what happens when you slide down the other side of the bell - ask the Soviet Union, France, North Korea, any country in Africa, Cuba, the list could go on forever.
Point is that the scurity of our financial well-being is waning. We the people elected individuals who are too busy tending to their own interests and popularity to do anything to help save us. At this point, the government should start taking TARP repayments, let GM file bankruptcy without regulation, allow executives to be paid what an entity thinks that they are worth, lower taxes, stop giving hand-outs corporations, drop this Waxman Markly crap.
For James von Brunn to be labeled a Conservative Christian. The press hasn't been stupid enough to do it yet, however it IS coming.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
So let me see if I get this straight...
Obama admitted last night that his economic policies have failed, and now proposes new economoc policies consisting of the old policies. Did I miss anything? Claiming a Job saved/created rate of 150,000 in the face of 1.6 million lost is sycophantic and diminishes his credibility. I can do math. I can see that there is a NET LOSS OF JOBS. Not a gain. This song and dance of "spend our way out" of trouble has been tried by many nations, many times in history. I dare anyone to show me evidence of it ever working. There is a fundamental truth is that you cannot stimulate any economy by removing competition and incentive. It just doesn't work. Take the auto-bankruptcy for instance. In this scenario, the government is re-writing the bankruptcy laws to give unsecured stake-holders preferential treatment before secured-shareholders. This dangerous precedence of denying bondholders their rightful claim will change the way business is done. The reason that home loans are usually obtained at a lower rate is due to the fact that you loan is secured by bondholders. Moving these people to the bottom of the list will mean that securing a loan comes at a significantly higher risk. The riskier an investment becomes, the less likely it will be that investors will invest thus fewer debts (read: loans) can be secured. The ramifications of this manuever will bring us back to the good ol' days of the 35% home loan. Well done Obama.
But don't forget - it was Bush that started this whole bail-out thing.
And now that we have spent ourselves into oblivion - lets nationalize healthcare.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Since moving out to the sticks, there have been a couple of things that Roxy, the kids, and I are getting used to. The drive is longer, the house is quieter, and rush hour traffic consists of more than one car passing the house in a 2-hour period. As I still have a job, my commute is long. The most direct route is for me to drive about 8 miles south to the highway only to drive another 30 or so miles north on the highway to get to the office. That distance, combined with keeping up with 80-mile-per-hour traffic causes my gas tank to bleed to death. What I have discovered is that the drive through the lush, tree covered hills not only cuts 10 to 12 miles off my drive, it also allows me to save gas and arrive a little earlier to work. My drive is beautiful and at times, relaxing. Twice a day, I skillfully navigate the hills - twisting and turning through the narrow back roads at whatever speed I wish. It can be scary and exhilarating; so lately, I have pulled the throttle back to a round 55 MPH average cresting the posted speed limit by 10 MPH at best.
The hills themselves are chock full of beasts of all kinds. And as I struggle to get to work every morning, I find myself in near-miss situations will just about anything that breathes. Aside from your standard near misses with dogs, cats, turtles, and possums - I have added Turkey, Raccoon, Chipmunk, and Cow to my list. Yes, cow. And now, I have had occasion to end the lives of a few birds.
My biggest question is this: If birds can fly high in the sky, then what the heck are they doing grill-level to my car? Last week a small bird, whose life was just too much, flew under my tire. I was a little shocked. I have been driving half as long as I have lived and I have never hit a bird. Birds are like nature's little running backs. They have the reflexes of the six-million dollar man and can usually slink and juke their way out of being struck by anything. But not this little guy, I can only guess that he was just too tired of life to go on any more and threw his tiny little body against the horror of my tire.
I wish that this was the end of the story. I do. But alas, today I have learned that my car is the perfect murder machine. I turned on to Bradyville Pike and headed down the highway at my less than legal, but safe speed of 55 mph. As I cruised I saw a dove standing in the road. I paid no attention, because of course, birds usually fly out of the way when a car is coming. As I got closer, I remember thinking to myself that the bird should move. The car was really coming close and at the last minute, I saw her turn and get into position to fly away. Looking to the right out the passenger window, I waited to see the bird fly away. It did not. My attention turned to the rear-view mirror. A plume of feathers. I thought to myself how odd it was to hit 2 in one week. About 6 miles later, I clipped a large blackbird as it tried to escape what became his last meal. Then later, I dodged a dog and a turkey.
So that's it. Today, I am going to go buy a leather suit and a helmet and kick-it Mad Max style. This is my warning to all critters in middle Tennessee... Watch out. I am coming. I will spare none.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The latest "Holy crap I can't believe that this is news" moment has come from the story in the video below. A link to the original clip can be found here.
Let me give you a quick synopsis...
A girl from a high school in D.C. faxed a letter to the White House (read: Michelle Obama) asking her to speak at her school's graduation. No problem. Sounds neat. What bothers me is the content of the letter. before I comment, please review the video. I'll wait.
This girl, in her letter states that she (and people like her - read: black) just don't have a chance and people use unfair stereotypes to get her and people like her down. Having Lady Obama speak at her graduation is essential because it will not only send a positive message to the racist, hate-filled world, but it will embolden her mostly black student body to become more than they have the ability to become in this racist world.
My problem with this is that by the article's own admission, this girl attends a math and science, open enrollment charter school which has "a 99% graduation rate, with 98% of these graduates going to college." What part of her education/career path even fits the assertions in her letter? Her quote: "Where we come from, being a young minority means that we have little chance to succeed" because of incorrect stereotypes. and that "The world already has a pre-determined thought that our generation is full of criminals and concubines." is absurd. This young woman is on the cutting edge of success. I can guarantee that she has never seen real discrimination in her lifetime. The days of Dr. King and Civil Rights are long past, and while there is still some struggle, the asservation that she is somehow underpriveledged in her pursuit of knowledge and success is absurd. What's more absurd is the media lapping this up like it's a feel-good story about how Michelle Obama dropped everything to speak at this event on the whims of a poor student in hopes to magnify the plight of the every day people.
Too bad we don't remember a few short weeks ago, when an entire kindergarten class who saved, rented a tour bus and drove for hours were turned away at the great gate so the President could have lunch with the Steelers. (link)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Welcome to a new kind of nation where the celebrity President is nominating the celebrity Judge. I have struggled with how to pronounce her name in text like all the media people. You readers cannot read an accent, so I have decided to spell her name in Mexican Font. SONYA SOTOMAYOR has become the latest celebrity to come down the pike. She is an old Socialist, activist Judge who believes in the rule of hope rather than the rule of law. Her statements and record read as though she has never even looked at the Constitution, let alone read it. However, we are dealing with a president who thinks that a judge should be compassionate and diverse, rather than what a real judge should be. A Judge should compute 1's and 0's like a computer, dispensing justice based on the rule of the Constitution, not whether you are getting a bad rap or not. But hey, who cares if SONYA SOTOMAYOR has a 4 out of 5 Supreme Court overturn rate, she has a facsinating story.
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