a GAME

So I can't stop myself.  I tune into the RNC because I am curious.  I caught most of Mrs. Romney's speech.  I was impressed.  It almost seemed as though those were her actual thoughts and beliefs.  She did a wonderful job of presenting her speech and whoever helped with the writing was very good.  If only I could beleive it wasn't constructed purely for campaign purposes.

I had to stay tuned for Chris Christy and his speech.  He definately was campaining for the most part.  It seemed as though he had trouble tying Mr. Romney into his self promoting.  I think he has done a wonderful job fixing numerous problems in New Jersey,  but I think it became clear that he isn't ready for the "big stage".  It would be wonderful if what he professed to have done in Jersey could actually be acomplished in the next 4 years.  I really would not care who held office if we could change the direction our country is headed.

I can't remember all the people and who they are,  but at times I felt like I was at a pep rally.  I guess thats all the convention really is.  That and crappy reality TV.  I am amazed by all the talk of groups (women,  hispanics, blacks, etc...) that politicians think/try to target.  It is a confusing task to try to keep up with all the political jargon.  It would seem that if you are proposing to try to do the right things, then regardless of your grouping,  you would be interested in voting for that candidate. 

I am fascinated by this GAME  that we refer to as politics.  I am appalled that it is just that....a Game.

RNC

Oh happy day!  The Republican National Convention is on TV!  My dreams have finally come true.



(Sarcasim)

It's a gas

Yet again,  Gas prices fluctuated 35 cents per gallon today.  Thats an amazing 10% in less than 12 hours.  I haven't got that figured out yet.  Most of the gas that went up in price today is the same gas that was in the underground tanks at the station ...yesterday.  Just what exactly caused a 10% price increase? 

Some reasoning that sticks in my mind.....A Californian refinery was shut down today.....A pipeline developed a leak today.....the price of crude oil went up today...etc..  Events  that happen today should have an effect on fuel made tomorrow.  So why the immediate change at the end of the chain?

I would like to know more.  I would also like to know why we, the consumer, continue to willingly participate in this absurdity.  Yea yea yea,  we all need to get to work, the beauty parlor,  tavern,  so on and so forth.  And what the heck,  we get to continuously gripe about it also.  Constitution allows us to do that. 

Well guess what buckaroos,  we also are allowed to protest by simply choosing to NOT purchase products from companies that are so poorly run that they need to constantly change prices.  Hey, if you or I raised our prices 10% in a month or year, let alone a day,  our customers would leave us.  So why don't we send a message to the oil companies that we will not use their products.  I don't begrudge any one making a profit.  We need for oil companies to be profitable, because we still need their products.  What we don't need is to be held hostage.  So, lets all get together and pick a point to start a boycott of oil products until there is an accounting of some sorts.  Pick a price and find a way to controll costs, then we will be customers again!!

WOW!  What fun we could have.

lower cholestrol

One of the "benefits" of ageing is that we become medicine takers.  Most of my friends my age are prescribed medicine for various ailments.  Mine are to prevent or postpone additional heart problems.  I find it interesting that prescriptions have benefits AND potential side affects.

In reading about potential side affects one has to wonder if the benefits are worth the risk.  I see ads on TV for medications that have a singular benefit but have a laundry list of potential side affects.  Some side affects sound like they create a problem larger than the simptom you are trying to eliminate.

Had I not taken the time to read the fine print, I would forever wonder why I was plagued with bleeding toenails,  ingrown fingers,  multiple new growth appendages,  upper gastrointestinal hoogits,  Flavingnation of the respiratory inhaler,  seemingly endless hallucinations,  loss of toe hair, ephizuties of the blow hole,  redness and swelling of the inner gallinastious, that annoying little third boob in the middle of my back and a little hitch in my git-along.

All this in an attempt to keep my cholestrol low!

Just the facts

So,  I'm reding the newest issue of Sports Illustrated and the cover story is about some new wunderkid baseball player.  He's 20 or 21,  I don't remember, and has played a whopping 88 games as a professional.  Thats roughly half of a season.  True to form,  SI is annointing him as a probable MVP for this season.  Whats more,  they are touting this kid as potentially the greatest of all time!  Holy SH--,  Willie, Joe (DiMaggio and Jackson), Babe, Lou and Micky,  to name a few, are probably fuming over that crap. 

When did our society become so impatient?  What is it about us that we simply cannot wait for someone (or something) to actually happen before we get all crazy and proclaim someone anything of all time?  Some guys past and present have had very good very long careers.  Others have burst onto the scene with tremendous potential to simply fizzle after short bursts.

How many greatest of all time can there be?  How is that measured?  How do we handicap differences in time?  I, for one, would appreciate a little more factual information and prefer you keep your fortune telling to a minimum.  I enjoy your Magazine to a point. 

Lets play

I have been watching the Little League World Series on TV.  Although the game at that age has certainly evolved in the last 50 years,  it brings back memories of playing baseball as a kid.  It was so much fun!  In the town there were barely enough kids to make two teams.  No matter,  we played almost all summer.  Little League nights were family affairs.  We all went to the local diamond and played ball,  watched and ate hot dogs.  Of course we all knew everyone so it was a night of socializing.

Watching the kids on TV these nights,  it appears that alot has stayed the same.  Kids play ball and those not in the game watch and eat hot dogs.  I am reminded of why sports are so much fun.  Participating by playing or watching can be very rewarding.

 I am also reminded of what sports have become at higher levels.  Self promotion,  greed, drug use,  cheating,  scandals,  lack of self control and a myriad of other problems that take away from something called a game. Even the Olympics, which I love watching,  has its issues.  Losing on purpose to gain a more favorable path to the medal round.  Purely Professional participants so we can bring home medals.  Allegations of drug use .

Wouldn't it be great if the old addage "It's not wheather you win or lose, but how you play the game" described sports.  Watching kids play for the fun of it.  Now thats entertainment.  That's how you play the game.

Grown-up

Back in Grade School,  Us kids used to verbally fight with one another about stupid nonsense.  Eventually we would end up just making up stuff in an attempt to hurt our opponent.  Truth had little to do with the content of our outbursts.  It was about winning at all costs. 

It sounded a little like the "campaigning" that we are subjected to these days.  School yard fighting just like all of us remember from Grade School.  Why don't these people step back and just take a look at how STUPID they look.  I cannot get past the thought that these people are eventually going to continue to run the government of one of the most powerful Nations on the planet.  As Achmed would say....HOLY CRAP!!!

If these guys were my kids,  I would send them to their room without supper.  Definately would ground them until they acted more grown-up.

Still Driving Blind

Something new to releive us from the mundane duty of driving our vehicle.  Cadillac,  Not BMW,  has a new gizmo.  A drivers seat that will vibrate when something that you may not see enters your "space".  I gotta get me one, I always put quarters in those boxes that make the bed vibrate.  It is sooo relaxing that it puts me to sleep quickly.  If I stay close enough to some other driver that my car thinks I don't see,  The vibration would be soooo soothing that I might sleep.......... woops,  not the best idea.

I think some of these designers need an office chair that electrically shocks the stuffing out of them when they get these hair-brained ideas.  Cars are 4000 pound missles just waiting to wreak havoc when we think we have them mastered.  Not to mention,  the cost to purchase a vehicle has grown to the point of absurdity.  I don't need to know how many miles until I run out of gas at the present speed I am traveling.  I just stop when the good ole gas gauge says I need gas.  I can tell the relative temperature outside by rolling down the friggin window.  I don't need a touch screen to operate the radio,  I never change the channel.  I like my classic rock station.

Spare me the expense of all the gadgets.  Just give me reliable, comfortable and  reasonably priced transportation.  Put all the rest of that crap on the young guys phone!!

Mulligan!

So, apparently we are supposed to give a hoot about Mr. Obama's birth certificate.  I read an Editorial tonight that claimed that it is factual that Mr. Obama is using a fake birth certificate.  It went on to say that certain states will refuse to allow his name on the ballots this fall.  Even further that in response,  Mr. Obama is secretly backing riots to be held in convention cities so that he can invoke Martial Law and effectivly cancel all elections.  I am sure that is so he can remain in office without facing the possibility of not being re-elected.  HOLY CRAP!!  Are we really supposed to believe this nonsense?

Oh yeah!  The article went on to say that both candidates have stashed tons of money away in Swiss bank accounts.  I did not catch the point to that train of thought ( or lack of thought).  The Editor seemed to me to be delusional and somewhat offbase.  He did not seem to be partial to any candidate (something I do understand), rather just rambled about some things that he imagined.  Hey,  he's a little like me!

Any hooooo..  If the birth certificate is fake, I guess we nullify the last 4 years and everyone can just go back and have a mulligan.

Chicken

I get "The Paper" delivered to the house weekly.  I'm not special,  everybody gets one.  Nevertheless, I have to turn to the "Speak Out" section first.  I get a kick from reading alot of the stuff called in.  Tonight there were , as usual,  several people quoting the Bible and offering their views on religion as proof that they were right about some subject. 

I beleive everyone is entitled to their opinion reguardless of their religious affiliation.  One person in particular was very upset that some politician made remarks about the seperation of church and state.  I for one beleive this to be a good thing.  Our founding fathers were, I think, smart to understand that freedom of religion would be contradictory to a government that favored a particular religion.

Another person was railing against Chick-Fil-A.  If I understand correctly,  the founder/owner of this Company made reference to his beliefs reguarding Gay Marriage.  He also has made it Company policy to remain closed on Sundays.  These are decisions made to stay within the Religious beliefs he practices.  So who cares?  I do not beleive he was demanding anyone else agree with him,  he was simply stating opinions of his.  So now the fighting has commenced.  People pro-gay want boycotts,  and anti-gays still want gays crucified.  Nothing changes.  I for one still think their chicken is the best!

I.....have......a....plan!

Our two leading candidates for President are both touting that they have a plan for our "recovery".  I have yet to hear these plans,  but I am sure we can trust and believe them.  After all,  neither of them had anything to do with our present economic predicament.  They have both fought hard to prevent deficit spending.  Certainly neither one has ever proposed a side deal to keep Government money from directly benefitting their constituants.  Nor did either one have anything to do with massive failed "bailouts" .

Here is my Plan.  Lets create more jobs.  Lets cut Government spending.  Lets lower Taxes.  Lets give foreign countries billions.  Lets stick our nose and military into every little pissing match created in far away lands.  Lets create the most confusing least agreeable health care plan that we can dream up.  Lets let the leader of the free world just flit around campaigning for the last year of his term.

See,  I got what it takes to be a good politician.  I can spend a lot of time saying NOTHING also.
Come on guys,  grow up,  tell us something that is practical to do and get off your ass and work on it.

Grizzley Bears

Like so many other people, I am sleep depraved.  I stay up way to late in the AM watching the Olympics.  Good thing it only happens every other year (summer / winter).  I enjoy most of the sports.  I, however, do not like the purely professional sports (basketball, tennis, soccer and such).  I think it taints the actual amateur events.  I know, you can say that most sports border on the professional these days.  The tremendous facilities and the seeming endless availabilitty of coaches and time.  It would seem that most atheletes at these levels are not employed and have tremendous amounts of time to practice.  I know some are payed well for endorsements which may or may not make them professional.
I know to a great many it would be unimaginable that the USA not win basketball,  or that the Williams girls not get medals for their tennis ability.  I for one would like to see the Olympics revert to amateur games as best we can guarantee that.  After all,  I get no more joy from watching a group of NBA or WNBA stars whip up on some way less skilled team that I would watching a grizzley bear rassle a toy poodle.
I do, however, enjoy watching some of the smaller countries produce medals.  I cannot be sure that they aren't somehow given the same advantages as Olympians from the much larger countries.  But,  what the heck, it makes for feel good stories.
To sum up,  put amateurs back in the Olympics and leave the Grizzley Bears at home in their mansions.