Say It Ain't So, Joe.....

Yes, I stole this from the internet. Not sure who to attribute it to but at least I'm honest about it. Short and sweet.


REALLY JOE???

WILL ANYONE HOLD OLD BLOWHARD JOE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY IN 2008?

Flashback 2008: Biden Says “I Guarantee You Barack Obama Ain’t Taking My Shotgun – If He Tries To Fool With My Beretta, He’s Got A Problem”…

Fast forward to today and we have Obama appointing Biden to lead his crackdown on guns.

The New Gun Czar... 

Pray For Them, Pray For Us All

Your pain was like nothing you ever felt before. Worse than any physical pain you ever experienced. This pain was deep inside you, deep in your soul. You keep seeing the faces and hearing the sounds. You keep seeing that building.

You keep reliving being told to wait in a room with other parents and are told that children are being held in another room. You try to comfort each other but you only want your name called. You pray. You want to leave that room. One by one other parents are called and they leave to be reunited. You pray the next name will be yours. The numbers get smaller, the room quieter. There is a delay. You pray harder.

A few people enter the room. Their faces aren't the same as before. "Say my name", you think to yourself, "please say my name". Your heart is beating so hard as the room goes silent. Someone walks closer, their eyes scanning the room but never making eye contact. Their voice crackles as they finally say out out
loud, "We're sorry, there will be no more reunions. There are no more children coming out of the school". The wails are gut-wrenching, so drawn out, a sound you never heard before. Some collapse to the floor while others hold the person next to them. It is a blur from that point.

Somehow you managed to fall asleep last night. You saw your child playing. You heard your child laugh. You were together again. And then you woke and for a fraction of a second you thought it was just a nightmare. The worse one you ever had. But then you knew it had really happened and the pain returned. This is a pain that will continue to grow and deepen in you as the days continue.

People try to comfort you, they try to help you. But nothing really helps at this point. They say you'll get through this, that the pain will ease. That's impossible you think. You don't see how that will ever happen. You'll find out later that millions of people are hurting from this and are praying for your family. People from around the world can only imagine your pain and they grieve with you. Other parents are frightened just thinking it could have been their child and they ache. But your pain is far worse. Your nightmare is real.

For other parents reading this, hug your children tighter. Tell them they are loved.
Tell them there are bad people in the world but they are safe, you will protect them.
Don't scold them today. Spend time with them today. Love them today. Love them
forever.

Losing Our World...

What kind of crazy are you when you know that you are going to get up this morning and go kill a lot of people? And then you carry it out, knowing you are killing innocent children. For those of us that know there is a hell, we can be glad to know that you will at least be burning there for eternity. And for those of you that aren't sure if there is a hell, at least you'll be hoping there is. And for the parents and relatives of all those killed, they are going their own hell on earth. Pray for them all.....

I won't even print or ever utter the name of this heinous murderer. He deserves nothing but contempt and damnation from all of us. 

We are so very aware that we share this planet with a lot of crazy people. Fortunately, most of them go about their lives without harming anyone else. But, as we read every day, there are still plenty that could care less about human lives and go about their plan to destroy people's lives. 

 The method of their madness and the tools used to carry out their objective is not the cause of the outcomes. Their lack of concern for fellow humans and their brains  are solely responsible. Their hope of gaining worldwide recognition and some sort of warped hero status is just another example of their insanity.

May they all rot in hell.

Costas Cost Us!

I must first admit that I may not be the greatest writer when it comes to expressing my views. But when something gets me mad I will write about it. And when I come across someone that writes something about a topic I'm interested in, I'll give them all the credit. 

I have been quiet on the Bob Costas story where he went on live TV during a football game to lecture America on a tragedy, according to him, caused by a handgun. Sometimes people can be so stupid that I don't even want to comment on what they said. 

But I came across an article written by a man that explains my feelings perfectly. So I decided to copy his comments here and let him do the talking. 

The following was posted on CainTV.com. Thanks Dan!

*********************************************************************************

Politics: Excuse me, Bob Costas, but you're an idiot, so shut up

Published by: Dan Calabrese on Monday December 3rd, 2012

By DAN CALABRESE - "Our current gun culture"? What does that even mean?
If you tuned in to watch the Eagles-Cowboys game last night on NBC, and ended up being irritated instead by Bob Costas's sanctimonious halftime rant about gun control, well . . . at least the second half of the game was exciting.
But welcome to the latest example of a sportscaster who just can't help himself from becoming a self-important scold on matters beyond his paygrade. Just about everything Costas said concerning the murder-suicide perpetrated by Kansas City Chiefs player Javon Belcher was cliche-ridden and ridiculous.


For starters, what Belcher did was horrible, but hardly "unfathomable" as Costas suggests. Does Costas pay attention to statistics concerning domestic violence in this country? The twisted, deranged male who offs his girlfriend and then himself is all too fathomable in a world as fallen as this one. The use of that word suggests a certain naivete that pretty well invalidates everything Costas says after that - not that it would have any validity otherwise.

And what's this crap about "perspective" and how we have to keep regaining it? Who says the rest of us fail to keep sports in perspective? Maybe Bob Costas and those in his profession think about sports 24/7. That doesn't mean they're justified in projecting that kind of obsession on the rest of us just because we tune in to watch the game. I really get sick of sportswriters and sportscasters berating their readers and viewers for lacking the proper perspective on the importance of sports in society. What the hell do you think you idiots talk about morning, noon and night?

The rest of us are dealing with matters of a bit more weight, it may shock you to know.
As for the gun control policy debate, there's little to say that hasn't been said a million times before. Make handguns illegal and the only people who have them will be those willing to go through illegal channels and possessing the means to do so. You don't think Jevon Belcher would have fallen into that category?
But I did think the user of the term "our current gun culture" deserved to be called out for special scorn. What does that even mean? Those who believe in the importance of Second Amendment rights are not, as Costas suggests here, advocating that people use guns to settle "convenience store confrontations about loud music coming from a car." Whatever culture produces that kind of behavior deserves attention, but guns do not cause it, and if Costas or Jason Whitlock want to address the problems associated with this culture, maybe they should look at all the root causes of it rather than using it as an excuse for sanctimonious gun-control screeds.

This about as idiotic a span of a minute and 32 seconds as you're ever going to hear. Bob Costas has a real gift when it comes to talking about sports, especially baseball. When it comes to talking about culture and public policy, he reveals himself to be an utter buffoon who just needs to shut his mouth and spare the rest of us the torment of listening to his ill-informed, intellectually vacuous dreck.
Shut up, Bob.

UPDATE: We're now hearing reports that Belcher was an alcoholic. When will Costas, NBC and the NFL renounce all their alcohol advertisers so as to end the culture of alcohol and prevent "unfathomable" tragedies such as this?

Thanks again Dan! Here is the link to the Costas video in case you haven't seen it:  Costas Is An Idiot!
 

No Ho-Ho's For Santa....

 Another American business icon is getting ready to bite the bullet and go out of business. Hostess Brands, which makes baked goods such  as Twinkies, Devil Dogs and Wonder Bread, announced this past Friday that it is asking a federal bankruptcy court for permission to close its operations. Hostess is blaming a strike by bakers protesting a new contract.

Nearly 18,500 workers will be losing their jobs as the company shuts 33 bakeries and 565 distribution centers nationwide, as well as 570 outlet stores. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union represents around 5,000 Hostess employees. 

"We deeply regret the necessity of today's decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike," said CEO Gregory Rayburn.

 The company was trying to reorganize through a bankruptcy and was asking for an 8% cut to employees' wages, a reduction in health benefits, and a freeze in pension plan payments for more than two years. The company would also not pay $2 billion it owes to many of its creditors, including vendors.To help offset some of the reductions, the plan would also give its unionized employees a 25% equity stake in the company, and two seats on its board of directors, and an interest-bearing note worth $100 million.

Hey Ladies, are you smiling today?

So it may have been trying to reduce its costs and overhead in the current economy but those 18,500 workers would have still had jobs. I can understand both sides to a degree and I also admit that if it weren't for unions, this country's workers would have remained close to slave laborers making unlivable wages under horrible working conditions. Just look back at working conditions in the early part of the 1900's. But I also believe that unions can demand too much from companies that aren't in a position to agree to the requested contracts. At times, I think that unions don't care what happens to workers that go on strike, just as long as they can get the employees to stop work and use that as a bargaining tool. 
 It appears that this time an American company could not withstand a strike and couldn't increase its contract offer. 

It should be noted that the 7,500 members of the Teamsters union that work at Hostess narrowly approved the contract. They have been sharply critical of the smaller Bakers' union decision to strike, saying it was forcing the company to the cusp of liquidation.

If you're happy and you know it raise your hands....

 So the 18,000-plus workers will now be out of a job. They went from a proposed 8% decrease in pay to a 100% decrease! Yes, they'll be on the government dole for the allotted unemployment period. Yes, they can say they stood up for what they thought was right. They'll also find that they won't be bringing home as much money and that money will stop at some point. They will suddenly be without health insurance. And they'll be competing against each other to find other work. The suppliers and vendors for Hostess will also suffer and perhaps some of those will have to close their doors. The towns that the workers lived in will suffer from a lack of business. It just keeps trickling down until it affects thousands more people.

Hostess is the No. 2 bread baker in the country and had annual sales of about $2.5 billion. The company said it had been making 500 million Twinkies and 127 million loaves of Wonder Bread annually before Friday's shutdown. It was founded in 1930 in Kansas City by
Ralph Leroy Nafziger as a wholesaler selling bread loaves wrapped in gingham to grocery stores.

So say goodbye to Beefsteak, Butternut, Home Pride, Merita, and Nature's Pride breads. Say goodbye to Millbrook, Standish Farms and Sweetheart brands. And wave goodbye to little ole Dolly Madison. Say goodbye to another American business institution. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you turkeys.

Crafty Craftsman.....

I read an interesting article in this past Sunday's paper, the Tampa Bay Times. It was a story written by Shalia Dewan from the NY Times about an American inventor from Chicago named Dan Brown that invented the Bionic Wrench. That won't mean much to most you you ladies but trust me, it's a great little tool that most guy's would love. You can Google it for details.

Last Christmas, Sears was selling the wrench at a fast pace. This year, though, Sears has a special display for its own wrench, made in the red and black colors of its house brand, Craftsman.

One customer who recently saw the new Craftsman tool, called the Max Axess wrench, thought it was an obvious knockoff, right down to the try-me packaging. "I saw it and I said, 'This is a Bionic Wrench'," recalled Dana Craig.

The tools have one significant difference, Craig noted. The Bionic Wrench is made in the United States and the Max Axcess is made in China.

Sears' switch from a tool invented and manufactured in the United States to a very similar one made offshore has already led to a loss of American jobs and a brewing patent battle. 

Craftsman tools are billed as, "America's most trusted tool brand". Are you trusting them as much now? This battle also raises questions about how much entrepreneurs and innovators, who rely on the country's intellectual property laws, can protect themselves. For the little guy, court battles are inevitably time-consuming and costly, no matter the outcome. Still, Dan Brown is determined to fight. 

Since Sears has halted new orders for the Bionic Wrench, the Pennsylvania company that makes the tool has had to lay off 31 workers, said Keith Hammer, the project manager at the company, Penn United Technologies.

"Our situation is an example of why we're not getting jobs out of innovation," Brown said. "When people get the innovation, they go right offshore. What happened to me is what happened to many people so many times, and we just don't talk about it."

Inventors typically spend $10,000 to $50,000 to obtain the type of patent Brown has on the wrench. The fact that Sears made some small changes to the wrench's design will make the case more challenging.

So there you have another example of not only patent infringement but a major US company that is having its products made offshore. I do have some Craftsman tools from years ago. But I haven't bought any in recent years so I'm hoping that they were made in the US years ago. But they may not have been. I can tell you that I have bought my last tool from Sears. If possible, my last item from Sears, period. Of course you can hardly buy any clothes, shoes, or household item that is made in the U.S. but I can control who I buy from. And with Sears pulling this trick on an American manufacturer and an American inventor, I will try not to ever buy from them again. 

I was disappointed with Sears a few years ago when they sold out to, of all companies, KMart. This is the turning point for me. I'll be writing to them saying no more Sears or KMart purchases from me. I bet Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck are turning over in their graves!

Say What??!??

 I copied a report from FreeRepublic.com showing another example of a person that has a job reporting for a news media organization. Our old friend Chris Matthews.



Chris Matthews Glad U.S. Had Hurricane Sandy
Nov. 07, 2012 | Renee Nal

Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2012 11:24:57 AM by Schatze

MSNBC's Chris Matthews has been unhinged for awhile. He is continually proving to be off the deep end, and does not disappoint with his most recent comment, "I'm so glad we had that storm last week."
Last week, Matthews referred to people who question man-made global warming (or is it "climate change?") as "pigs." This week, he is thrilled about a storm that has caused people their lives and property, all because of his perception that the storm boosted President Obama's re-election chances.
Even Rachel Maddow let out a little gasp at his comment, and Lawrence O'Donnell (who recently reported on a satire story as if it was real) shook his head.
Matthews should be ashamed of himself for putting his partisan agenda above the very real suffering caused by Hurricane Sandy. It is reminiscent of a similar comment recently made by yet another media figure, Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, who spoke of Hurricane Sandy as an opportunity "seemingly from above" for President Obama "where he could look like that strong, independent, steady in a storm, very appealing to the middle of the road voters".
The disconnect from "real people" by the mainstream media grows more and more apparent by the day.
Watch the inane comment here:
Chris Matthews quickly added that he only meant the comment in the "political" sense, not "in terms of hurting people." His clarification is most likely not so comforting to those who were impacted by Sandy. The storm caused mass devastation, and left tens of thousands without shelter.
Don't expect the steady drumbeat of partisan rhetoric spouted by the mainstream media to go away anytime soon. Unless people start demanding more objectivity by tuning out the crazies; the partisan divide will deepen and the nasty polarization will only continue.

 Do you think that if Maddow hadn't let out that gasp that Matthews would have corrected himself by saying he meant it in only the "political sense"? I don't. He knows that Obama's response to the storm allowed him to gain more votes. And really, what did Obama do that any other sitting president wouldn't have done? He just declares an emergency, signs some papers and flys to the scene for a photo-op. There are government agencies that handle all the work.
This is just another example of how crazy Matthews is and how he is still allowed to remain on the air.
Watch the video here: Foot In Mouth

Them Thar' Are Fightin' Words....

My post, on October 9, 2012, about how liberals say vile, hateful, personal things about conservatives drew some comments from a few people. Gee, they sounded mad. Angry. Like they took it personal. Oh well, then they won't like the following article that I am copying from the webpage of the Independent Journal Review.

It is another example of the lunacy of certain people that have their own TV program. Wouldn't you think that MSNBC would have to ask themselves why they still allow people like Lawrence O'Donnell to speak to the public. I know the ratings are in the sewer for this show and for many of MSNBC's other programs and I suppose not even the executives from the company watch the show.

Have you ever seen a conservative host of any media program offer to fight a politicians family member? Really? Ever? Is this anger by O'Donnell? Personal anger? Hatred?  Psychotic behavior? You be the judge...

O'Donnell Over The Edge & Off The Cliff

'rithmatic

This was circulating around the internet some time ago so the figures are actually higher now but the percentages would still be the same. How can you argue about something so simple?

More Maher Maulings......

I am not trying to sway anyone's vote in the upcoming presidential election. I've learned over the years that most people know who they are going to vote for long before the election is near. I even think that most people who describe themselves as "undecided" are really leaning toward a certain candidate. So, it is what it is..... vote for who you want. But.....

I have to take the time to vent about something that really infuriates me about the liberal left. The open contempt and hatred by a large number of them to anyone that disagrees with their personal political belief. If you are not "on their side" then you are not even worthy of a civil debate with them. They will instantly stop hearing anything you say and will simply start raising their voice to get their point out. And if a conservative should happen to write an article, be quoted from a speech, post a comment on their blog or send a Tweet about their opinions then woe be unto them the wrath that will follow. 

I'm sure some of you reading this are already proving my point by shaking your head or even talking out loud to your computer monitor that I'm just another right-wing nut trying to sneak my agenda into your head. 

But let me give you just a couple of examples of what I'm talking about before you implode.

This past Sunday, Bill Maher said to his followers on Twitter that "John Sununu says Obama is lazy and not that bright - cant believe he'd perpetuate the stereotype that John Sununu is a racist fat fuck". 

According to Noel Sheppard of Newsbusters.org, this was in response to Sununu's comments to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell last week that Obama's poor debate showing indicated laziness on his part. Sheppard goes on to say that the Left can't have that said about a black president because to them it's racist.

Never mind that insiders have commented for years Obama doesn't seem all that interested in the day to day machinations of governing.
Up to this point, no one has been accused of racism for saying so. 

Complicating matters, Maher himself commented after the debate that maybe Obama does need a teleprompter. On his HBO program Friday, Maher said, "It looks like [Obama] took my million and spent it all on weed." (Yes, Maher gave one million dollars to Obama's campaign).

Why is it okay for Maher and his ilk to point out the president's shortcomings - regardless of how rare THAT is! - but racist for Sununu to? 

For more links to this story about Maher,  go to: Maher Goes Name-Calling Again

Where did Maher get his information about Sununu? Here is the story according to TheBlaze.com posted on October 4,2012.

Former New Hampshire Gov. and Mitt Romney surrogate John Sununu left MSNBC‘s Andrea Mitchell shocked on Thursday after he told the host that President Barack Obama’s debate performance on Wednesday revealed how “lazy and detached” he is as president.
“What people saw last night, I think, was a president who revealed his incompetence — how lazy and detached he is and how he has absolutely no idea how serious the economy problems of the country are and how he has failed to even begin address them,” Sununu said.
He went on: “And I think even the liberal press reacted with shock at this revelation and I find it fascinating now this morning after they’ve slept, watching them all scrambling around to clean up the mess the president left on the floor last night. Sununu said Romney on the other hand brought “specifics” to the debate not “bumper sticker numbers” like Obama.
Mitchell was visibly taken aback by his comments and quickly offered Sununu the chance to take his remarks “back.”
“Governor, I want to give you a chance to maybe take it back. Did you really mean to call Barack Obama, the President of the United States, lazy?” she asked.
“Yes,” Sununu replied bluntly, adding “He said ‘they are making me do this work.’ He didn’t want to prepare for this debate. He is lazy and disengaged.”
Mitchell admitted that “a lot of people are questioning” whether Obama did well in the debate, but said “I think to call the president lazy and disengaged is another whole question.”
“Alright, Andrea. Whatever,” Sununu said, chuckling to himself.

To see the entire interview follow this link:  Mitchell/Sununu Interview

By now you are either understanding what I'm talking about or you've already thrown your computer across the room. But let me just give you one more tidbit  about Obama being called lazy.

In a story by RealClearPolitics.com dated December 23, 2011, they have a preview of an interview the following Friday between Obama and ABC's Barbara Walters for the program "20/20". Barbara asks Obama,  "What's the trait you most deplore in yourself, and the trait you most deplore in others?"

President Obama: "Laziness."
Walters: "You're lazy?"
Obama: "You know, it's interesting. There is a deep down, underneath all the work that I do, I think there's a laziness in me. It's probably from, you know, growing up in Hawaii and it's sunny outside, and sitting on the beach.

"The thing actually that I most dislike is cruelty. I can't stand cruel people."

Yes, I enlarged Obama's own words calling himself lazy. Easier for some of you to see. His words. From his mouth. On ABC. With Walters even asking, "You're lazy?" 

So, Mr. Bill Maher, shouldn't you call Obama a "racist skinny fuck" for saying the same thing that Sununu did??

And what about Obama's last sentence, "I can't stand cruel people". Mr. President, wouldn't that include Bill Maher with his cruel comment about Sununu??

To see the story go to Laziness In Me.

One more quick example. This past Sunday, actress Stacey Dash used Twitter to show her support for Mitt Romney. Soon afterwards she was inundated with ugly, racist tweets from Obama supporters. By the way, Ms. Dash is a bi-racial young lady, so since she is part white does that make her a racist against blacks. What if she had shown support for Obama? Do you think you would have even heard about it? Would the Republican base or conservatives tweet racist comments to her? I seriously doubt it and if you are honest with yourself you would also agree. For more on the Dash story go to Hate for Stacey Dash.  You won't believe what people wrote to her. Well, the conservatives will believe it, the liberals will make excuses or change the subject.

 You rarely hear any right-winger calling people racist, using ugly, vile personal  comments  about someone supporting liberals. If you do its almost always because the person was deranged or a serial killer! Not to say there isn't conservative idiots out there. I just think that no one group, as a whole, has more actual hatred for people who don't agree with them as liberals.

Look at the conservative celebrities that appear on talk shows or write their opinions. Name one that has used words even close to what Bill Maher has used. Name one that has made hateful direct personal  attacks on any person not agreeing with them. I can't think of one.

I feel better. I got that off my chest. It won't change anything. Half the country won't agree with me. I'll actually be called names. People will actually try and tell me I'm wrong even though my examples are filled with video showing the actual FACTS. 

I remember when we were the United States of America. 
How did we become the Divided States of America?
Quit name calling. Quit yelling. Quit fighting. Start working together. Start fixing our country.

Eat It Up.......

I'm attaching an interesting article I came across about the misuse of food stamps in America. Now don't start slamming me with your comments about how we need to have a food stamp program in our country. I agree that we do and it is a worthwhile program that helps many, many people. I am for the program. It helps people get the food they need until they can get back on their feet. But I don't think there is anyone that will not agree that there is plenty of corruption and misuse in the program by people abusing the system and the intended purpose of the way the stamps should be used. So read on and if this doesn't make you mad then you are probably one of the people that is doing the same thing as explained in the story....

 3 unbelievable food stamp statistics in America

Goodbye American Worker

I'm sure you are aware of all the latest news about China's involvement in American businesses. I could write for a week and still not give a complete list of products that China is making for the U.S. or the U.S. companies that they are buying a controlling interest in or taking complete control. I thought I'd highlight a few of the latest ones along with links to more information so you can read at your leisure.

 
One of the largest partnerships, with China becoming more involved in the business, is with General Motors. I've always bought mostly GM vehicles all my life but I guess I'll switch to Ford until they sell out to China. But I can at least honestly say that I've never bought a new car made by a foreign automaker.

Here are the links you really need to read and pass along to your friends: 

Is that our country going up in a puff of smoke??

General Motors and China

Another purchase of an American company by China is the announcement that it will buy AMC Entertainment Holdings, a major U.S. cinema chain, for $2.6 billion in China's biggest corporate takeover in the United States. The deal will create the world's biggest movie theater operator.
China Grabs Cinema

One of the latest news items involving China and the U.S. is the story that all of the 2012 Olympic team's clothes are being made in China! Yep, good old Ralph Lauren is somehow involved in the decision to allow that to happen. Of course he justified it as any businessman would do by double-talk, and going on the offensive, acting as though the people who questioned him about it are trying to make a story out of nothing.
Olympic Clothes

All of the above examples are, to me, simply a huge embarrassment to our country and it shows the sad state our country is in by giving more and more jobs away, and having a communist country owning more of our country every day. This latest story bout the Olympic uniforms is still being debated on TV and talk shows and a large number of Americans are actually upset over it. Although, like all similar stories, it will die out in a week and no one will care any longer.Not that anything will change because of people's protests about it. Even though I hate the fact that our athletes will be wearing clothes made by Communists and the fact that they are actually not even an attractive uniform, I was intrigued by a letter to the editor in my local Tampa Bay Times, in the July 18, 2012 edition. It was written by Mike Tardif from St. Petersburg and he writes:

"Why are we acting like such hypocrites about Chinese-made U.S. Olympic uniforms? Where were you when you first heard about the uniforms? Driving in your Japanese-made car? Listening to the news on your Chinese-made radio as you were cooking in the kitchen with your Chinese-made appliances? Or maybe you saw it on the evening news, viewed on your Chinese or Japanese-made TV. I could go on, but why, due to the worst corporate tax structure in the free world, have we let this happen? Maybe it is about time we not only demand the U.S. Olympic Committee buy American but we start with ourselves." 

Now let me admit right away that I also buy Chinese goods as well as items from other countries. But it is almost impossible not to. I have a TV, computer, printer, telephones, radios, appliances, clothes, and my vehicles likely have parts made out of the U.S. But, I am forced to buy those things if I want to function. I do make a conscious effort to check labels whenever I shop for anything and I do buy American if I can find the product I need made by an American company. 

I'm sure we'll never get back to the days when everything we bought was made in the USA, but I can at least try the best I can to buy American and I will always continue to bring it to people's attention that we all should try and buy American whenever possible. But I'm sure it's too late to change much of it because most people just look at the price and buy at the lowest price possible. And when your socks are made by a kid making 50 cents a day you'll buy a dozen pair.....

Drill or Bill?

I just finished reading an article in the latest edition of "AMAC Advantage", the magazine of the Association of Mature American Citizens. It was titled, "Mr. President, Let Us Drill". It explained that America has huge quantities of fossil fuels and they have fueled our factories, homes, highways and hospitals since their first use. It further stated that we have vast amounts of untapped forms of fuel that hold promise for generations to come. 

Here are some stated facts:

- The amount of oil that is technically recoverable in the U.S. is more than 1.4 trillion barrels, with the largest deposits located offshore, in portions of Alaska, and in shale in the Rocky Mountain West. When combined with resources from Canada and Mexico, total recoverable oil in North America exceeds 1.7 trillion barrels.

- That is more than the world has used since the first oil well was drilled over 150 years ago in Titusville, Pennsylvania. To put this in context, Saudi Arabia has about 260 billion barrels of oil in proved reserves. The technically recoverable oil in North America could fuel the present needs in the U.S. of seven billion barrels per year for around 250 years.

- Only about 2.2 percent of America's offshore acreage and less than 6 percent of federal onshore lands are currently leased for production because of restrictions in the form of federal bans and much of our future potential supplies of fossil fuels exist under lands owned by the federal government. Here are some areas that the federal government could open to oil and gas development: 
            - 10.4 billion barrels of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and 8.6 trillion            
               cubic feet of  natural gas.
            - 86 billion barrels of oil in the outer continental shelf of the lower 48 states and 420
                trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
            - 500 million barrels of oil in the Naval Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
            - 25 billion barrels of oil in the outer continental shelf of Alaska. 
            - 90 billion barrels of oil and 1.669 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the geologic   
                provinces north of the Arctic circle.


   - There is enough natural gas in North America to last the U.S. for over 175 years at current rates of consumption.

- North America recoverable coal could provide enough electricity for the U.S. for about 500 years at current levels of consumption.  

- The U.S.has 486 billion short tons of recoverable coal out of a total resource base of more than 10,320 billion short tons of in-place resources.  The Powder River Basin, which also covers parts of Montana, is one of the world's richest deposits of low-sulfur coal.

- To put it in a nutshell: 
            > OIL - We have enough oil to fuel every passenger car in the U.S. for over 430 
                            years.
                         - We have almost twice as much as the combined proved reserves of ALL
                            OPEC nations. 
                         - We have more than six times the proved reserves of Saudi Arabia.

             > NATURAL GAS - Enough to fuel homes heated by natural gas in the U.S. for
                                                 857 years.
                                              - Enough to provide the U.S. with electricity for 575 years at
                                                 current levels.
                                              - More natural gas than all of the next five largest national proved
                                                 reserves; Russia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkmenistan.

            > COAL - Provide enough electricity for about 500 years at coal's current level of
                              consumption for electricity generation.
                           - More coal than ANY other country in the world.
                           - More than the combined total of the top five non-North American             
                              countries' reserves: Russia, China, Australia, India, and Ukraine.


Folks, we have more combined oil, coal and natural gas resources than any other country on the planet! We have enough energy resources to provide reliable and affordable energy for decades, even centuries to come. But a scarcity of sensible government policy has led to soaring fuel prices and high unemployment rates. 


The solution is simple: Drilling equals jobs and affordable energy rates. By allowing hard-working people in the Gulf of Mexico to ply their trade, we can save 25,000 jobs. By allowing production in a small portion of ANWR, we can create over 250,00 jobs. 
By lifting the ban on new offshore drilling, we can create 1.2 million jobs.
We must increase domestic energy exploration, expedite the permitting process, and remove the bureaucratic red tape and barriers on job creators. 
Producing domestic energy will create jobs across the country, increase revenue to the federal government, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. 

Can we start the process now or do we have to wait until gas at the pump is $10 a gallon?

Check out: DrillBabyDrill.com

*Data, and research provided by the Institute for Energy Research.

I Can Be Social, But Without A Computer....

This may not actually fall under the topic of losing our America but I use this blog to vent about things that bug me. Lately I have been experiencing frustration about "social networking". A computer-age term used mostly by the media in referring to web-sites such as Twitter, Facebook and the like. 

I'll tell you up front that I fell into the hype at the start-up of Facebook. My friends were signing up and more importantly, my family was also. Since my children and grand-children live in Kentucky and we live in Florida it was a great way to see pictures and keep in touch with the things going on in their lives. But as I soon found out, the price of that pleasure was that I had to wade through the musings of everyone else that were in my friends and family circle. And that even went farther by getting to see comments of their friends and family if they replied to something. You know how it works. And yes, I know you can 'filter' what or who you see but that is not always so easy to do. 

There was a period of time where it seemed like every time I signed on to Facebook something had been changed and I had to figure out how to locate what I was looking for or how to change a setting that Facebook decided  on their own to change. That still happens to some extent today. The rammed-down-your-throat use of "Timeline" is just one example. 

Of course I could go on and on but I only wanted to make a quick point about an article I read in the Tampa Bay Times by Ross Douthat a few days ago titled "The Facebook Illusion". He said that there were two grand illusions about the American economy in the first decade of the 21st century. One was that housing prices would keep going up and up. The second was the idea that in the age of Web 2.0, we were well on our way to figuring out how to make tons of money on the Internet. 

Douthat explained that the first idea collapsed along with the housing prices and the stock market in 2007 and 2008. But the Web 2.0 illusion survived long enough to cost credulous investors a small fortune in Facebook's disaster of an initial public offering. 

Bloomberg Businessweek declared the IPO "the biggest flop of the decade" after five days of trading. Why did I get pleasure by reading that? I totally agree with Douthat when he says that Facebook has always struck us both as one of the most noxious social networking sites, dependent for its success on the darker aspects of online life: the zeal for constant self-fashioning and self-promotion, the pursuit of virtual forms of "community" and "friendship" that bear only a passing resemblance to the genuine article, and the relentless diminution of the private sphere in the quest for advertising dollars. 

He goes on about the commercial limits of the Internet and how it has created a cultural revolution rather than an economic one. Twitter is not Ford Motor Co. and Google is not General Electric. And except when he sells our eyeballs to advertisers for a pittance, we won't all be working for Mark Zuckerberg someday.

I know that a lot of people that might read this love Facebook, or at least cannot imagine life without it. I'm not trying to change that. I'm not even telling you that I am closing out my account and having nothing to do with social networking. But I can tell you I am very close. I now try to quickly sign on and scan most of the comments and search only for new pictures of the kids and what is going on in their lives. I can block out most of the harping and complaining and the high game scores people have reached. I can skip over the two-sided conversations that people have that used to conducted over a telephone (remember those?) or rarer yet, in person. 

Yes, I can hear you saying I am a little hypocritical by using the Internet to vent my frustrations about an Internet related topic. But by not posting my Blog and expressing my opinions I'd have to be calling everyone on their phones. And my call would likely go to their voice-mails because they were away tending their virtual crops. All the while keeping their fingernails clean.

  

I'm Not Chicken To Say It......

I know I mostly mention things on this blog relating to how I think we are losing a lot of our America to foreign companies and lack of concern by our American businesses and even from our politicians. But once in a while I like to talk about something nice and uplifting. I usually do this by writing about a business that still makes things in our country and has no foreign connections. 

This post is one of those 'nice' ones and, I must admit, selfish on my part. I am raving about my favorite restaurant, Chick-fil-A. (Heretofore referred to as 'CFA'.)  I almost said my favorite "fast food" restaurant but I think it deserves a better title like 'quick service'. And that's what it is, even at a lunch rush. Every CFA I've ever seen at lunch time is packed with cars around the building and numerous people inside in line. But, unlike other fast-food restaurants, they move the people through and get the orders out! I can tell you from personal experience that if the same amount of cars and people were at other food places (and you know which ones I mean) I would NOT get in line or go there. I've had my nightmare stories about those places.

I won't make you read a lot of details about the company but I'll just highlight a few things.  
The company actually started in 1946, when Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant, The Dwarf Grill, in Hapeville, Georgia. He is credited with inventing Chick-fil-A's boneless breast of chicken sandwich. In the early 1960's he pioneered the establishment of restaurants in shopping malls with the opening of the first Chick-fil-A at a mall in suburban Atlanta in 1967. Since then, Chick-fil-A has steadily grown to become the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States, with over 1,500 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C. (The 'first largest' chicken place is NOT for me. After getting a chicken breast that still had a heart beat 20 years ago, I've NEVER ate there again! He should have been busted down to Private!)

Now I'll tell you why I love the place so much: The food is great! It's that simple. I've never had a bad meal at any CFA across America! The other following reasons are icing on the cake: 

-The employees are the best I've ever seen at ANY restaurant. They always welcome you, they always take your order quickly and accurately, they are always neatly dressed and clean looking and the best of all,  they always thank you!

-The building is always clean on the outside and especially on the inside. There is always an employee, usually a manager, walking around with a towel and cleaning liquid, wiping tables, cleaning windows and doors and just picking up any customer left-over garbage. And I mean EVERY store. In every city and state that I've visited. The overall look of the building is pleasing and modern and blends in to the local architectural theme. No bright glowing arches here.

-I believe in the company ethics and love that they try and hire local students. They are very active in their local community with fund-raising, charities, providing college scholarships and their WinShape Foundation. (Read more about that online). 

- They are closed on Sunday. Every store. Period. 

I cannot say any of the above about any other fast-food place, including the Clown, the King or the Pretty Little Pig-tailed Girl....
Yes, I must admit that a lot of times when I get a craving for CFA, it seems to be a Sunday. So for a moment I'm disappointed that I won't be eating a piping hot CFA Spicy Chicken sandwich, but then I feel good knowing they are closed on Sunday allowing their employees to attend church or just be with their family. 

So there you have it. My rant about an American company that I love and that I love to eat! Yes, I can admit unabashedly that if someone from CFA happens to read this and wants to promote good will and reward kissing-up by sending me a few freebie coupons, who am I to complain? And if they don't? Not a problem, I'll always be a loyal customer and promoter of their company. 




On an unrelated note: I ran across an online business that has an interesting product. Not everyone will like their products or views but there is a market out there for them. I've added them to my 'Great Links'. Check it out at: Republican Posters. 

Troubled Bridges Over Our Waters.....

I don't need to write much about the subject of this post. The attached link to a video from ABC News says it all. A perfect example of what this blog is all about, exposing idiotic crap like this....

Chinese Bridges In America

Is This Kosher??

I had a cold. Not the first time for that. I hate it. Takes forever for me to feel better. I'm a big baby. There, I've laid it all out for you. However, this time I didn't want to wait to get better and I sure didn't want to get worse. 


I heard from my sister-in-law that she too had a cold and felt bad. She said she went to her family doctor and got a "Z-Pack". She took a couple of pills and felt much better within a day. Then I heard a couple of other people mention a Z-Pack and even someone on TV. So, knowing that it work for Sissy and if it was mentioned on TV then it had to be true, I thought that I deserved one also. 

I just happen to have a beautiful young niece that got tired of not having a job and went to school and became a doctor. I am not a dummy and my brain said, " I want a Z-Pack. I have a free doctor in the family. Why am I still sitting here talking to myself?"

So after I couldn't get pity from my niece I knew I would have to use guilt. I mentioned I was sick. Getting sicker. Would probably die soon. I never used her medical services before. I'm her uncle for Pete's sake! It worked. She must have figured the best way to get rid of me was to call in a prescription for a Z-Pack. I was happy. I was going to live.

I made it to the pharmacy without having to stop at any red light. Yes, some were red but I said I didn't stop. The prescription was filled pretty fast and I took the first dose while driving out of the lot. The next morning... better. The next day... more better. Today... bestest. And I still have two doses left. I love this stuff. But all of this is not what I want to blog about. This is called the "setup".

So I get home and looked closely at the box. My new friend, Azithromycin 250mg tablets.

Then as I always do, I looked to see where this great stuff came from. And I saw that it was "Manufactured for: TEVA Pharmaceuticals USA, Sellersville, PA." Ahhh, the good ole USA. But then I noticed above the "manufactured for" was a "Manufactured In"......


And there it was. "Manufactured in ISRAEL by TEVA Pharmaceutical Ind. LTD., Jerusalem, 91010, Israel".


!!!! My new wonder drug that probably saved my life was not even made in the USA!! Oy vey!! As much as I hate not buying American made products when I can I now can't even get my cold taken care of by a drug made in our own country. And we all know Americans can make some great drugs. Not to mention the great pharmaceutical drugs we make.


So now what do I do? I took the first dose not knowing they were made in a foreign country. I already paid my money for the pills. So I guess I'll have to finish the rest of the dosage. Then in the future I'll have to see if I can get this again by a company making it here in our country. Either by an established pharmaceutical company or some guy named Ray Ray on the south side of town. 

Hey, I have nothing against the Israelis. I love their UZIs and their salt. But I'd rather buy my drugs from an American.  At a pharmacy or down the street from a school yard.