Invoking the name of Peter Pan

Peanut butter prices are going up. Just like most self-respecting individuals, I love peanut butter. I like it with jelly, with butter, or peanut butter alone. I am old enough to say I was maybe one of the first kids in America to eat peanut butter on a regular bases. From grammar school to the present. Sixty plus years of eating peanut butter sandwiches, peanut butter cookies, and just taking a big scoop out of the jar. Mmmm good.

But now, the price of the brown goo, which sticks to the roof of your mouth, is going up. It going to cost me more to maintain my peanut butter addiction. Why? Has peanut gone global? Is the price of peanut butter priced to reflect that of a worldwide commodity? Are huge multinational corporations coming to America with military force and confiscating the sub-trainman goober? Will occupying forces remove peanut butter from local markets and force it global?

Why is Washington not intervening? How will we protect our precious brown spread? If peanut butter goes away due to high prices, what will we do with all this white wonder bread? Peanut butter cookies will cease to exists. We may have to go to some tofu butter substitute. Arg! That sounds awful. Icky!

I suggest congress get involved. They should provide a subsidy to offset the high cost of peanut butter. Possibly a tax credit might help. Or, how about some old fashioned protectionism.

Nonetheless, don’t allow peanut butter to be exported to China or India. Please somebody, save our peanut butter. Sharing it with the world just aint right. Where is George Washington Carver when we need him? Peanut butter is purely American and belongs nowhere else.

I've thought it out. No GOPS for me.

Once again, I will mention: Yes, I am somewhat disappointed with President Obama’s first half performance. More could have been accomplished. But the beginner president had tried his very best to just get along with the arrogant congressional establishment. Giving congress the benefit of the doubt. Bending over backwards hoping congress would return the favor. But, as we witnessed, Congress couldn’t give a flip. “What a sucker,” congress was surely thinking.

But having said all this and now looking at the field of candidates running for GOP presidential nominee, I for sure have made up my mind. No way would I ever vote for or endorse any one of the Republican presidential hopefuls. All are misfits. Lackeys. Buffoons. Lapdogs for big money from Wall Street and the so-called energy companies. Big Oil and Big Bucks have bought them all. Beholding to Money that wants more Money.

President Obama will get my vote. I’d rather trust a fair minded man that a bunch of unregulated “Madoff” look-a-likes. Creeps all of them.

Working with what I have and not what I wished I had

It is difficult to concentrate on blogging when I’m in the land of Enchantment. Otherwise known as New Mexico. Somewhere near Santa Fe.

Distracted by food, art, and craft. Most of all by my chatty 3.9-year old granddaughter.

In addition to that I am still having bothersome problems with my web host, Earthlink. My website is not updating as it should. Earthlink can’t seem to get a handle on it and correct the malfunction. Plus I am borrowing(and without authority) a Wi Fi signal. A Wifi signal from next door. Something I usually wouldn’t do but, it was my only option. So, you do what you gotta do. Steal a signal.

And, in addition to all that I am using Word 2007 and I hate it. At my office I use Word 2000 and it works just fine for me. Plus Word 2k is easier to use. I wish I could buy a laptop with WinXP. XP is what I have on my desktop.

Other than that, blogging is coming along just fine. I wish. Hope all is well with you.

Chuck

Congress caint hellp it

There was an editorial in today’s USA Today. Which is most normal. An editorial asking the general American public not to disparage Congress. It’s not Congresses fault it has very low ratings. Like at nine percentage points. And, with such weak ratings naturally is the whipping boy for all things mucked and mired. “No sir, we didn’t do it.”

The editorial which was written by a member of congress who strongly suggested the problems in congress lay in the office of the President. After all, he has higher ratings. Forty-six percent to be most exact. An intimidation factor for sure. Yes, the president cause congress to roll off the track. Got them all distracted and flustered. “That president guy keeps asking we congress guys to do what we don’t want to do.”
It was the president who wrecked the percentage curve. If he hadn’t achieved shuck high ratings, then maybe congress would have had a better chance at looking better. Are you following me? Looking better through the eyes of the general public. Did I lose you?

But anyway, the president just by being in Washington DC caused congress to fall into a congressional quagmire. Possibly the president had looked out his Oval Office window and cast a spell on congress. Yes! That it. Looking at the capitol building sent microwaves of jinks and rendered all congressmen’s brains into Jell-O.

Please don’t make fun of congress.

Dead fish out of water and common sense

Nine, nine, and nine? Now Rick Perry’s Twenty. All these republican presidential candidates claim a flat tax will work. Neither recommendation is flat. Neither is fair. Both have their deductions and exceptions. Both are ridiculous and riddled with loop holes. And loopy being the operative word.

Poor Rick had to offer out a “Plan” in hope of raising his ratings. According to the latest Republican poll, Ricky is way down in the single digits. Herman Cain is top dog this week again. Mit Romney is second and who cares is third.

All are floundering around like an Asian Carp caught and tossed on the deck. Wiggling and squirming like, well…like a fish out of water. Pretty stupid huh?

Why do these goobers even bother to speak in public, I really don’t know. Every time each opens his or her mouths only confusions and disknowledge comes from their quivering lips. Nonsense. Puzzlement. Exposing their absolute ignorance of common sense and what the American people really want. It’s like none of these guys and gal ever read the newspapers. They just shift about in their own confined world. Trying their best to not look outside or listen to what people are saying. Really, a bunch of very stupid individuals.

Benefit Wall Street? Or, benefit all Americans?

Putting Americans back to work. So, which will it be? Having out of work workers work in the oil fields and building pipelines. Most likely short term with no benefits. A short term fix as prescribed by Rick Perry and the GOP. Only benefiting the big oil companies and it’s shareholders.

Or do we want to put unemployed Americans back to work building roads, bridges, railroads, airports and other public facilities? As prescribed by President Obama. Benefiting almost all Americans. Restoring and rehabilitating America’s aging infrastructure. An infrastructure easily used by most American and not having to pay the middle man on Wall Street.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is. Let’s build up our communities and state and save the land from destruction and horrific pollution. We can use the better roads. The better transportation. And rebuilding America rebuilds our faith in each other. God Bless America.

Killing jobs in Alabama

Talk about a job killer, just take a look at the all new Alabama immigration law. Just not too long ago Alabama farmers had plenty of workers available to harvest their potato and strawberry crops. And now all the willing farm workers have gone away. Some in hiding and some left the state. Gone. Disappeared.

Thanks to the new immigration law in Alabama, the unintended consequence of the new law has killed off the farming help. Even though the work was offered out to local Alabamians, very few Anglo workers want the work. People who are just not suited for the work nor care to have it. Thus forcing farmers to just plow up the fields and hope for the best in future crops and harvests.

And perhaps the only hope is to repeal the bad law. Is this what Alabamians want? But, anyway, the Latino workers went somewhere else to find harvest work. Hoping the state government will think through this bad law and reverse it out. How soon do Alabamians forget what the Statue of Liberty stood for. Also forgetting where their own ancestors came from. Europe, Africa, and Asia. How short sighted of the Alabama law makers. It will take a long time to get that bullet hole out of their collective feet. God save them from their stupidity.

An Independent's view from above

Campaigns easy to read with a view from above. JAY CRONLEY World Staff Columnist. People with strong party feelings, those who will vote in a particular way no matter who runs, probably spend the political season watching those strongly biased in their favor, while saying, "Yeah! Speaking for most independents, we have been sitting around wondering, "Huh? Since I made my independent position known, a number of people have asked how I have observed the campaigns so far, perhaps unsure if they actually believe what they've been seeing themselves. So here's an update on my vote. Not all jobs created equal: The economy will continue to be the deciding issue of the 2012 presidential race, jobs, in particular. Even a decent idea such as a flat tax doesn't stray far from the jobs debate, as nearly 100,000 people work for the Internal Revenue Service. Making taxes simple could further stun the economy by putting many interpreters of revenue codes out of work. One thing missing in any jobs discussion or argument is a definition of the type of work being lost or gained. Good and bad jobs are often defined by wages. If a $75,000 job is lost, and a $25,000 job is gained, that's not a break-even situation. That's the equivalent of a minus-two jobs reading. President Obama's strategy seems relatively simple at the moment. Win by default. Is this all there is? : The challenger side of the election has featured a number of debates highlighted by exchanges like the following. You're an idiot. You're a bigger idiot. I am not. Yes you are. Ask anybody at the debate. He's right. You're an idiot. Well so are you. Are the British politicians the only ones who can carry a thought to clever conversation, who can speak naturally in public? Must ours appear so humorless? Mean? Desperate? The challenger debate forum has turned the candidates into attack robots and makes a viewer wonder how some of the hopefuls got to be what they are, which is rich and highly employed. The strategy here is a little more complicated than that employed by the other side. Don't mess up too much. Let somebody else lose it. This question comes to mind: Where are the great ones?.

Letter to our local editor, the Tulsa World

Letter to the Editor: Party of the people. Dan Nerren, Sand Springs. Let's face it. President Obama is not going to get any help from the Republicans in turning this economy around. And why should he? An improving economy will only help Obama's re-election chances. This puts the Republicans in the position of working against the interests of the American people. As the Republicans see it, a failing economy means improved re-election chances for themselves. While the Democrats generally supported the President's Jobs Act, all the Republicans voted against it. The Republicans must be hoping the American people have a short memory. I know which party is for the American people. It is the Democrat Party(editor's note: So are we Independents). Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com..

Too Dirty to Fail, taken from the L A Times

Too dirty to fail'?. House Republicans' assault on our environmental laws must be stopped. By Lisa P. Jackson, Lisa P. Jackson is the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.. Americans must once again stand up for their right to clean air and clean water. Since the beginning of this year, Republicans in the House have averaged roughly a vote every day the chamber has been in session to undermine the Environmental Protection Agency and our nation's environmental laws. They have picked up the pace recently -- just last week they voted to stop the EPA's efforts to limit mercury and other hazardous pollutants from cement plants, boilers and incinerators -- and it appears their campaign will continue for the foreseeable future. Using the economy as cover, and repeating unfounded claims that "regulations kill jobs," they have pushed through an unprecedented rollback of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and our nation's waste-disposal laws, all of which have successfully protected our families for decades. We all remember "too big to fail"; this pseudo jobs plan to protect polluters might well be called "too dirty to fail. The House has voted on provisions that, if they became law, would give big polluters a pass in complying with the standards that more than half of the power plants across the country already meet. The measures would indefinitely delay sensible upgrades to reduce air pollution from industrial boilers located in highly populated areas. And they would remove vital federal water protections, exposing treasured resources such as the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Erie, the Chesapeake Bay and the Los Angeles River to pollution. How we respond to this assault on our environmental and public health protections will mean the difference between sickness and health -- in some cases, life and death -- for hundreds of thousands of citizens. This is not hyperbole. The link between health issues and pollution is irrefutable. Mercury is a neurotoxin that affects brain development in unborn children and young people. Lead has similar effects in our bodies. Soot, composed of particles smaller across than a human hair, is formed when fuels are burned and is a direct cause of premature death. Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds contribute to the ozone alert days when seniors, asthmatics and others with respiratory problems are at serious risk if they do nothing more dangerous than step outside and breathe the air. Too dirty to fail" tries to convince Americans that they must choose between their health and the economy, a choice that's been proved wrong for the four decades that the EPA has been in existence. No credible economist links our current economic crisis -- or any economic crisis -- to tough clean-air and clean-water standards. A better approach is the president's call for federal agencies to ensure that regulations don't overburden American businesses. The EPA has already put that into effect by repealing or revising several unnecessary rules, while ensuring that essential health protections remain intact. We can put Americans to work retrofitting outdated, dirty plants with updated pollution control technology. There are about 1,100 coal-fired units at about 500 power plants in this country. About half of these units are more than 40 years old, and about three-quarters of them are more than 30 years old. Of these 1,100 units, 44% do not use pollution controls such as scrubbers or catalysts to limit emissions, and they pour unlimited amounts of mercury, lead, arsenic and acid gases into our air. Despite requirements in the bipartisan 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, these facilities have largely refused to control their emissions -- creating an uneven playing field for companies who play by the rules and gaming the system at the expense of our health. If these plants continue to operate without pollution limits, as a legislative wish list from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) would allow, there will be more cases of asthma, respiratory illness and premature deaths -- with no clear path to new jobs. By contrast, the nation's first-ever standards for mercury and other air toxic pollutants which the EPA will finalize this fall -- and which the Republican leadership aims to block -- are estimated to create 31,000 short-term construction jobs and 9,000 long-term jobs in the utility sector through modernizing power plants. And the savings in health benefits are estimated to be up to $140 billion per year by 2016. Contrary to industry lobbying, this overhaul can be accomplished without affecting the reliability of our power grid. Our country has a long tradition of treating environmental and public health protections as nonpartisan matters. It was the case when President Nixon created the EPA and signed into law the historic Clean Air Act, when President Ford signed into law the Safe Drinking Water Act and when President George H.W. Bush oversaw important improvements to the Clean Air Act and enacted the trading program that dramatically reduced acid rain pollution. Our environment affects red states and blue states alike. It is time for House Republicans to stop politicizing our air and water. Let's end "too dirty to fail.

If computer were human, I would be a "Hitman."

I wonder if I am the only one who has ever thought of slamming my fist onto my computer keyboard? And, for whatever good it would do. Yes, I am a computer abuser. I think ill thoughts about my computer. I wish I could just look at the screen and it would explode. Hmm. Good thing I can’t. Who would clean up the mess and pick the shards of glass out of my bleeding face.

I read in the newspapers many stories of rising incidents of rage and depression. People exploding into meltdown conditions in an instant. Road rage, air travel rage, cell phones in movies rage, can’t get the dinner order right rage, and yes, computer rage. Situations with a short fuse.

But I wonder what percentage of these situations is brought on by unrealistic expectations. A microwave society easily detonated by teetering volatile situations. Situations like being stuck way back in a fast food drive through line. Thinking the fast food place is just waiting to get back at me. Then, fuming, boiling, and erupting into a volcanic plume.

All with the expectation of being handled or solved in an instant. If we can’t complete that Google search in 1.756 seconds, all hell will break loose. Resulting in slamming a fist onto a computer keyboard. Thus, ending up with a smashed keyboard and several bruised knuckles. How stupid.

But, back to my personal computer. I know it hates me. It’s bull headed and self-willed. I really think all computers hate people in general. Especially people who, like myself, refuse to read the computer manual. With the expectation that the computer should be more human friendly. “It should read my thoughts.” Mind recognition? Sure, just download it from readmymind.com.

Anyway, I hate computers. They have created more problems than they have solved. Sometimes taking more time to remedy a problem that it would take if we would just walked to the store and buy a book in person. Computers are just a “Make-work” piece of junk. Microprocessors and software vowing to revenge its human owners. Spiteful, recalcitrant, and silicon contrarians. Just don’t forget to pray to the computer gods. A vengeful bunch.

Fantasy sports gone political

But anyway, according to a USA Today article Fantasy Sports has hired a lobbyist. Yes! Not a fantasy lobbyist. A real honest to goodness guy to lobby congress. Lobby congress?

The Fantasy Sports Association wants to clear the way so Fantasy sports enthusiast to be free to wish their fantasy team well. Wish them well? Well, you know. Win the kitty. A fantasy honey pot. Do I have to say it? A MONEY pot. You know like a pool.

Well some call it gambling. Some call it an investment in their fantasy sports franchise. And we have to protect our fantasy franchise. Don’t we

So now we can add this Fantasy sports franchise to our already Fantasy Indian Casinos and Fantasy racetrack sports books. All need protection from anti-fantasy interests. Sometimes known as government gaming regulators. Regulators who collect taxes on sports betting. Sports betting? Yes, it is all wagering, betting, and most of all gambling.

So, the next big thing will be a Fantasy Internal Revenue Service agent. Fantasy judgment leans on fantasy vacations homes and fantasy luxury cars. But to counter that, Fantasy Sports has also created a Fantasy Political Action Committee. PACs offering goodies to Fantasy Congressmen for favors returned. For Real? Yes, for real. This is no fantasy.

If it weren't for life's persisting problems, what would I do?

Here I am trying to deal with the political and social issues of the day and I can’t even get my web hosting service to fix my web site. Why nobody at Earthlink can give me a definite answer when it will be fixed is enough to just cancel my account. However, it I did that it would be an enormous project to start from scratch and rebuild somewhere else. All I want to do is update my websites. It won’t update. Why?

If you know somebody in the executive offices of Earthlink in Atlanta have him or her send me an Email. Especially if you know Rolla P Huff.
mail@chuckayers.com

It’s been three days now and after three difficult phone calls talking to boys and girls in India, nothing has been accomplished. In the mean time I am receiving Email from Earthlink’s customer service wanting me to fill out a questionnaire on how I rate their “Customer Service Experience.” Yeah right. Plus I am receiving calls from guy named Billy who also has a very thick India accent. A guy wanting me to call their technical support number. A number, as I mentioned, I have called several times before with no result. Always receiving a “Don’t know when it will be fixed.” Don’t know when it will be fixed??

These are not professional. More like junior highers. This is anti-customer service. What ever happened to “Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back.” I suppose gone away with the real Sears and Roebucks. A relic from the past. Never more to return.

Now, do you see the point of Occupy Wall Street? In today’s world, it’s grab what you can and grab some more. And let the customer go hang. Bank of America be dammed. Wall Street bankers, kiss my butt!

Would someone please fix my web site please. Pretty please. Do it today please.

Yeah sure! Millions of jobs?

We send our children and grandchildren to college to learn and train for life long careers. Sending them with our blessings to college with the hopes they will easily discover their interests and capabilities. Careers like engineering, science, medicine, law, finance, education, nursing, fire and safety professionals and many other vocations that might interest them. Then at the end, eagerly pursue their dreams. Finally finding work and settling into life’s challenging road to discovery and fulfillment.

However, there might be detours ahead. If either Mit Romney or Rick Perry have their way and are elected as President, your children’s career plans just might be changed. Both Rick and Mit would rather your children be oil field workers. Or build pipelines across America. Work in jobs that are enormously difficult and dangerous. Working at jobs your children had not trained for. Mit and Rick want temporary workers to handle the grunt work for the oil companies. “Just to as I say and we will do the thinking.”

Extremely physical work that is short lived. Lasting six months or a year. Work that has no health or retirement benefits. No good outcome. Just hold this pipe and hope your fingers aren’t cut off. Good luck.

If that doesn’t suit your college grad, then maybe burger flipping would be better. How about Jiffy Lube attendant? Or Walmart cashier? Waiter? Short order cook? What do you think?

Nonetheless, these unskilled jobs are what both Rick Perry and Mit Romney wish your children can take on. Worthless, meaningless positions for a highly trained college grad. Is this what you want for your children or grandchildren? Certainly not. So, whom are you going to vote for in 2012?

Rick Perry has failed to mention, the jobs he said he created in Texas were in fact low wage or minimum wage jobs. Low or no skill. Poverty wage jobs. Short term jobs with no benefits or a chance to promote to a better or higher position.

The American people are smarter than to fall for such smoke and mirror. Rick and Mit are just blustering blowhards wanting the job of President in order to force wages down. Wages forced down so oil and coal mining will be less costly. Cheap labor is all they want. Don’t give them this chance. Demand the best for your children.

Mit! Rick! Go suck a rock!

EARTHLINK is giving me very bad service.

Just to let you know, if you were looking for a web hosting service, take my advice. Don’t call or signup with EARTHLINK. It’s too big for it’s own good. It’s so big it can’t handle frequently occurring problems. My account has been a mess ever since it’s recent system upgrade. More like a downgrade. Causing my blog to crash and disappear. Ever since it has been one horrific problem after the other. What makes my web hosting service really bad EARTHLINK has no customer service. Sure if you like to talk too hard to understand girls and boys in India. Girls and boys who’s only answers come from a script spoken through a very thick and hard to understand Indian accent. Giving very little assistance or none at all.

Earthlink is not a good company to work with when hosting your online web account. Web hosting service is not good. Matter of fact Earthlink really does not know what they are doing. But, yet they keep on signing up new accounts in in spite their inability to perform good a good service. It’s NO GOOD service. Don’t sign up with EARTHLINK. Go somewhere else. EARTHLINK runs a bad business.

Presently my main pages are not updatable. I can’t update new information. What you are reading here is facilitated by Google’s Blogger service. Thanks Google. Google is my backup. EARTHLINK really really stinks. If it weren’t for the fact that it would be an enormous project to switch to another hosting service, I would quickly flip off EARTHLINK and go somewhere else. EARTHLINK is a business killer for sure.

Okie Without Borders: Growing up Okie in L A.

Wilson Oklahoma continued,

Last time as you may recall we took a blueprint/utilitarian look at my grandmother’s humble home. Plus, if you recall, we became acquainted with her street neighbors living nearby. The Morgans, Banker Wilson, and the Peffers. All adding their own peculiar dynamics to the neighborhood. Just plane old hometown folks. Norman Rockwellish, homespun, and just Red earth people. As a reminder, this is important historical background for this Okie kid and his parent’s Oklahoma roots.

Now, let start our walk north to downtown Wilson. My grandma lives about a half mile from downtown. Even though there are sidewalks going downtown, it was best to walk in the street. A street that seldom saw much car traffic. However, every once in a while you might see an old farmer gentlemen with broad brimmed straw hat would ride his horse drawn wagon up the street. An old creaking wooden wagon with rubber tires and pulled by a gray sway back horse. His wagon would be filled with watermelons and an assortment of his fresh picked garden vegetables. All sitting in a bed of hay behind the farmer. Certainly a staged scene portrayed in many a Hollywood movie about the old south.

Nonetheless and as I had mentioned, it is best to walk in the street. As you approach the creek bridge near the railroad tracks, you will encounter very tall grass. Something like prairie grass. Most folk called it Johnson grass. A thick and ever present useless weed. Anyway it’s to your advantage to avoid walking the sidewalk between head tall stands of Johnson grass. You never know what critter might crawl out and give you a sudden surprise.

But anyway, after you pass the railroad tracks going north you will come upon the town’s firehouse. Just a low open garage looking structure positioned out at the sidewalk. I seldom if ever remember passing this facility without encountering three or four firemen in blue denim tilted back in cane backed chairs against the fire house wall. Leaning back while spitting tobacco and whittling. “Howdy boys,” would be their greeting. “Going to town? You could always count on some exchange when passing the Wilson firehouse. Certainly adding to the town’s unique personality.

Just north and passed the alley way at the corner of Sixth and Main was Fred Jones Ford. A retail space with large windows facing out to both Main and Sixth. I must admit, all the many years visiting Wilson, I seldom ever saw anyone in the dealership showroom looking at Fred Jones new cars. However, you would sometimes see a car in the repair garage being serviced.

Now, straight across from Fred Jones Ford on Main was the Post Office. One of the first stops for my grandmother and many other town’s inhabitants. There was no home mail delivery so Wilson citizens more than likely visited the PO several times a week. And in the process of picking up mail, town folks exchanged greetings, news, and rumors. Something like Facebook but inside a brick and mortar facility.

Never the less, my grandmother would visit the post office about three or four times a week. Gussied up in her best going to town dress and sturdy black low heel lace up shoes, she would walk about a half mile or so from her little home to the post office, to the grocery store, and back. An outing not very easy for her to walk. She didn’t own a car and as far as I can remember, never drove.

Anyway back to Main Street, going west past the Ford dealer and the post office you would shuffle down a wide swath of concrete about ten or twelve feet from curb to store front. A side walk appearing to have been laid by the WPA in the late 1930s. Moving on down the walk pass Pratt Foods a small hometown grocery store you would find Peffers Drug store. A typical Mayberry like store complete with soda fountain, magazine and paperback bookracks, a prescription desk, and numerous sundries scattered about. If you were to enter the pharmacy shop someone would immediately ask if you need help. Even if you dismiss the help, he or she will stand at attention until you either buy something or leave. Customer service beyond customer service.

Next down the way is the town’s domino and pool parlor. Smoky, smelly, and subject for a future story. On down further passed a dry goods store is the town’s movie theater. Theater complete with Marquee and waving canvas banner notifying the moviegoers it is “Cool Inside.” And to condense you of this fact the lettering on the banner was capped with frosty snow. One of the few establishments in town air conditioned by water evaporation. Pretty cool huh? A picture show charging we kids only ten-cents a pop. My cousins and myself saw the “Thing” and screamed all the way through the crazy scary flick while my girl cousin squeezed my hand blue. Ouch!

Now, this might be a good place to stop and rest so we will continue our town tour next week. Hope you are having fun. See you next time. Chuck Ayers

It's time to take the hint and leave

I don’t know that much about the Middle East and have never been there. Nor have I ever wanted to go there either. This includes Israel and all the other semi safe Middle East countries (if there is still such a thing).

America and the Middle East are worlds apart in culture, religion, and politics. Not to mention just the general attitude on morals and role of women in society. Not really sure who has the better position on any of the afore mentioned. Middle East? America? Nonetheless, they have the oil, we have the cars. What else is there?

The bigger question to ponder is if the hostile Arab countries really don’t like we Americans, why are we there? Better yet, why did we go there in the first place. Well, the answer is big oil companies. Big oil companies is what drove current American foreign policy in the Middle East. No other reason. I guess cheap oil is worth all the hostility and anguish. Oh, really?

Another question is, why did we go to the Middle East to get oil when we have oil right here in America. Sure it limited but we easily could have adapted to its flow. Conserving and limiting its use. You only use what you have. Right?

The principle is the same as our monetary policy. Spend only what we have. No borrowing or printing of money. No going half way around the world to take someone else’s oil. Use what we got. Learn to live within our means. Drive a few miles and walk the rest of the way. Right?

All the world conflict over oil in the Middle East and America could have been avoided only if we learned early on to plan ahead. Planning on conserving and creating alternative means of energy way back when. Had we done that back when, we now would be miles ahead on energy and our energy needs.

If it were left up to me, I would leave the Middle East right now. Just drop what we are doing and run home. Come home Charlie. It’s not worth the dirty grimy hassle. They don’t like us and we don’t like them. Please, let us just remain worlds apart. It’s would be best that way. The oil companies could just go suck a dry rock. Right? Right.

Pass the Milktoast please

“As long as I can get what’s mine, I don’t care what happens to the rest of the world.” This is a statement that seems to speak of what is heard and witnessed in politics, on cable news, heard from talk shows, and almost all social/cultural aspects of today’s contemporary American life. Do you agree? Is this what we want America to be? Get what you can before someone else gets it first.

If you don’t, perhaps we should do something to stop such mindless self-absorption. Whatever happened to “For the Greater Good?” What ever happened to “Love thy neighbor as thy self?” Whatever happened to “Share and share alike?” Whatever happened to “We’re in this together?” Whatever happened to “We the People?”

I guess it went away when we started building higher and higher fences around ourselves. We have moved into “Gated Communities” so we could get away from the so-called riff-raff. We moved further and further out in the subburbs to escape that uncomfortable feeling. Building homes with entry and motion detecting alarms, surveillance cameras, large ugly guard dogs, and hired security patrols all are the new normal. It’s what we do. It’s what we do to each other.

We live separately in our little Fiefdom. Too paranoid to step out in public. Sidewalks are becoming a thing of the past. Public parks are avoided like some awful disease. “Don’t want to be seen in public. Someone might take a picture and put it on Facebook. Just stay home. Hide in the closet. Don’t answer the doorbell or phone.

“I only talk to my friends on Twitter. I don’t ever talk to strangers at church or in the library. I’m afraid they all would take my money and steal my identity. Please please, back away. Don’t touch me!

Is this who we are? It this life style we wish. Cowering isolationist? “But, someone out there wants my money.” And, we money hoarders must stick together. Where’s my survival kit. Where’s my tribal identity? Am I still on the island?”

How pathetic.

Podcast: Corporate taxes, click here

How can I pay very little or no income tax? let me know how it's done. Chuck Ayers

Goodbye Rick. Hello Mit.

It appears Rick Perry has lost his Mojo. The blustering and buffoonish Texas governor has slipped off the nation’s Republican debating stage. According to Eyewitnesses that reported in these mornings USA Today, Perry is slipping far behind the front-runner Mit Romney. Even falling behind Godfather Pizza CEO, Herman Cain. So, what has happened to Gov Supercuts?

First of all whatever it was that brought Perry to the national stage obviously doesn’t play nationally as it does in Texas. A state where such juvenile clowning around is sometimes tolerated. But not on national TV and in the national news. Saying dopey and irresponsible things only will get you a mention on late night talk shows. Good entertainment. Bad politics. And tarnishes one own Mojo.

Secondly a politician shouldn’t speak into national microphones and poo poo Social Security and Medicare. A Mojo killer right there. Especially since millions are so dependent on these government programs. Once again a political loose cannon touching the third rail. Zaaaaap! Sudden toast.

Finally, Mr. Big mouth is quickly slipping in to the nation’s political amnesia. Republicans are not as Right Wingish as some political spinners believe. Never the less, another wacky candidate forgotten. Washed away into “who was that guy anyway?” Goodbye Ricky. Give our best to what’s his name, George W something or another down there in Texas territory. Go Horns.

By their fruits yee shall run from them

To watch and listen how Republican candidates have regarded and debated each other recently on TV is a classic example of “Man’s Inhumanity to Man.” Cruel reckless accusations loaded with cheap shots. Firing away indiscriminately at the closes political target trying their very best not to discharge a live load into one’s own foot.

Maybe I’m mistaken. Aren’t these gentlemen and Lady supposed to be moral Christian men and women? If you apply the “Fruit” test (by their fruits yee shall know them) that alone indicates they must be from some other lower moral order. What happened to the “Golden Rule?” What happened to “Love thy neighbor?” What happened to “Do unto others?” What happened to humility, charity, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and other virtues as Jesus once spoke of?

Judging by their fruits, I would hazard to guess these political combatants to be less than human. Possibly ape like and practicing Darwinism. The survival of the fittest. More like survival of the meanest and dirtiest fighters. Absolutely shooting from the hip at close range with falsehood and defamation.

Do we really want these kinds of amoral individuals as our country’s political leaders? God help us all if we do. God bless America anyway.

I like what you're doing but narrow your focus

I kind of see what the point is to the Occupy Wall Street movement is about. Although they need to narrow their focus and hammer on one or two things. It would give them a more defined and pointed attack.

However, I agree with the general movement. Too much concentration of money in so few hands. Hands that might be a bit corrupt and greedy. I don’t trust anybody who makes their own rules and just makes money from money and leaves little benefit to the general American population. Sort of like Wall Street “Payday” lenders. Creepy and nasty.

I would suggest the OWS movement to concentrate on getting congress to confirm the director to the Consumer Protection Agency. Lobby the House of Representatives to get that done. Consumers could surely use more protection from the maniacal banks and brokers. Either confirm a director or get rid of the local US Rep who keeps voting NO.

Next, press for taxing the rich and large corporations. Eliminating loopholes and corporate subsidies. Make them pay for their greed. However, I would change the tax laws for corporations and the extreme rich. Lowering the tax from 35 percent to 25 percent with no exceptions, deductions, tax credits, subsidies or any tax holidays. Just a flat rate. I would also tax capital gains by the same rate. This would make tax laws fairer for all.

Anyway, this is what I would concentrate on if I were part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. I wish you guys well. Good luck.

The post office could turn into a shopping mall.

Here is my simple fix for the United States Postal Service. It amounts to consolidating a couple of other federal run services. Plus one created by special congressional law. Two services which already exist as stand alone departments and one that may need to be created or borrowed from other government services.

First borrow from the general printing office a add on service of copying, printing, and computer generated graphics for mail marketing. Something that might resemble Kinko’s or a small mailing and printing business ran inside the PO.

Next consolidate either the Small business Administration or the federal housing Administration with a created national by law credit union. Handling banking, home loans and business loans. Again, all ran inside the Postal Service

So, you have a one-stop shop for mail, printing, banking, and home and business loans. All under one roof. What do you think? Cool huh?

Podcast 5:30 Steve Jobs and my Grandkids: Click on link below.

Dinner at home with personal devices on the table. Pass the catsup please.

Who are the job killers? Americans out of work. That's who.

When Republicans talk about killing jobs, they are speaking of jobs of little substance. Jobs that pay a marginal amount and short lived. Jobs without benefits. Many jobs that pay minimum wage and only attractive to undocumented workers. All in all jobs no trained or skilled worker would desire. And you can bet your life these jobs would not be alluring to the defenders of such jobs. No self-respecting congressman would ever think of taking such jobs. Oh? Why not?

Americans out of work are looking for steady career jobs. Jobs with health and retirement benefit. Jobs that would require training and skill. Jobs with longevity. Jobs that will carry them through to a reasonable retirement. Jobs that will build a strong middle class. However, those kind of jobs have been sent away. Far away to China, India, Mexico, and other so-called “Off-shore” places. And who sent them there? The same folks who are yammering about killing jobs. Our friendly Republican congressmen and women. Aided with the help of our friendly US Chamber of Commerce. Yes. Are you surprised?

So instead of long-term jobs with long-term benefits, our skilled and willing work force is served up with long-term unemployment. Nonetheless, this is the reward they receive. Pink slips. Termination due to jobs moved off shore. Go flip burgers. Good luck buddy. Have a nice day.

“Job Killer” is just an empty slogan just to distract all of us from the real point. Mostly regulation and rules. Regulations that protect Americans from unnecessary hazardous work. Regulations that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink. Regulations that protect us from bank and loan fraud. Job Killer is just a hollow GOP war cry in order to take back control of the Whitehouse and all of congress. In turn, American workers get meaningless low paying jobs. Mining coal. Building pipelines. Jobs on land and sea oil rigs. All short term contract work. Usually hard and dirty work and with no thanks. Just let go with no unemployment benefit at the end.

Americans didn’t struggle and finish colledg just to serve the interests of Big Oil and Coal owners and their shareholders. That would be the opposet of the American Dream. Quite the reverse for sure. Americans struggled and got training to build America up. Not let it down. American want long term well paying careers. Workers loyal to a company that is loyal to American workers. God bless American workers. God bless America.

Happy Columbus Day

Happy Columbus Day. Did Christopher Columbus ever come t the lower forty-eight states? You know, North America. Or, was it he only visited what was known as the West Indies around the Mid-Atlantic islands? Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, etc. Whether or not he came to what we know as America, I still have to put the trash on the street. Yes, trash will be picked up on Columbus Day. What a celebration huh?

Letter to our local newspaper

Letter to the Editor: More of the same. Larry Shepard, Broken Arrow. Recent ads on TV tell us oil for the tar sands of Canada is a safe and clean source of energy. Would you also believe that Jack the Ripper only tickled his victims? They are strip mining vast tracts of boreal forest and turning it into a lunar landscape dotted with pools of toxic and hazardous wastes. Take a look at National Geographic March 2009 issue. It is not pretty. The proposed route of the Keystone pipeline is being obtained by eminent domain, not by the purchase of the right of way. So they are taking the land they want, not paying the people who own the land. Our governor told us jobs would be created. She did not say they are only temporary, mostly diggers and welders who will be gone once the pipeline is finished. Nor did she say the product going through the pipeline needs high pressures to get it to flow, with good chances of blowouts and spills all along its track. The company owning the pipeline does not have a good clean-up record, but it may still need to hire someone to clean up its mess. None of this is leading us down the road to a sustainable energy future. It is only giving us more of the same with more problems and a higher environmental cost. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com

Op-Ed from our local paper. This could happen anywhere

Oklahoma's phosphorus limit under attack. ED BROCKSMITH. Oklahoma agreed to review its numeric phosphorus limit for scenic rivers if northwest Arkansas reduced phosphorus in sewage and if Arkansas regulated poultry manure in the Illinois River watershed. Time will tell if that was a good bargain. Phosphorus is a nutrient that degrades water quality, as Tulsans well know. This summer's outbreak of potentially toxic blue green algae at several lakes was fed by nutrients including phosphorus. If the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) bows to pressure from Arkansas and weakens the limit, it might be devastating to the Illinois River and Tenkiller Lake. The battle to protect the Illinois River goes back a long way and is still contentious. The United States Supreme Court, in a major Illinois River pollution lawsuit, ruled that upstream states must meet the water quality standards of downstream states. Oklahoma raised its water quality standards and began extensive water sampling for phosphorus. Oklahoma sued some of the nation's biggest poultry companies for polluting the watershed with manure. A federal judge in Tulsa has seemingly parked on the case and there is no resolution. The Northwest Arkansas Council and others are again lobbying Oklahoma, Congress, and the EPA against Oklahoma's nutrient limit. Their primary concern seems to be the cost of more advanced sewage treatment. The council is composed of corporations, chambers of commerce and developers. Walmart and Tyson Foods, two of America's biggest companies, push the council's pro-growth, regional agenda. Another player is the University of Arkansas. Both the Sam Walton College of Business and the Agriculture Department are heavily funded by the Walton Foundation and by Tyson. These forces are smart, have big purses and have a lot at stake if poultry companies have to clean up their mess and if sewage treatment plants are forced to remove even more phosphorus. Northwest Arkansas leaders want to show that the limit is impossible to achieve. They believe that the degradation of the Illinois River has progressed to the extent that saving the river is not economically feasible. Instead of putting pressure on the poultry industry, which is unregulated by the Clean Water Act, northwest Arkansas' leaders, including owners of regulated sewage plants, are telling us that it is impossible to save the Illinois River. At a recent OWRB hearing in Tahlequah, one after another Arkansas speaker railed against the limit. In the midst of their consternation and teeth-gnashing, one voice spoke for more river protection, reminding how much phosphorus crosses our border with Arkansas, and advising against any decision swayed by selfish critics who profess to be our good neighbors but who are more worried about their bottom lines. The speaker was Save the Illinois River (STIR) President Kurt Robinson of Muskogee. Robinson said that restoring the Illinois River and five other Oklahoma Scenic Rivers (all beginning in Arkansas) is not impossible. Robinson thanked the cities and the taxpayers in northwest Arkansas who have poured millions of dollars into sewage treatment plant improvements over the last decade. He gratefully acknowledged that some poultry manure finally is being removed from the watershed. Will Oklahoma's .037 phosphorus limit help restore the Illinois River and Tenkiller Lake? Should there be a moratorium on spreading poultry manure in the watershed and should cities pressure factory farms and Congress to clean up the poultry industry's mess? Will these things be costly? Is it worth it, and will future generations thank us? The answer to all these questions is a resounding yes. Is it too late to save the Illinois River, as our neighbors say? That answer is definitely no! Oklahoma has set its sights high for the Illinois River. Arkansas has very low expectations. It reminds me of something the late Oklahoma humorist James H. Boren said: "You can't soar with eagles if you roost with the chickens. Ed Brocksmith is a member of Save the Illinois River..

From my blog Okie Without Borders. Growing up Okie in L A.

Once you had passed over the very narrow Red River Bridge from North Texas, you will drive 20-miles north and a bit east. Arriving in the little Micropolitan village of Wilson, Oklahoma. One main street, one fire house, one post office, one Ford dealer, one drug store, one ice house, one movie theater, one set of railroad tracks, and a half dozen or so fundamentalist churches. Your typical southern Plaines Mayberryish former oil boomtown. Once the commercial hub for other smaller rural towns in the Wilson solar system. And, for the most part a slow and peaceful place to be.

As I had reported several times in the past, my parents and we siblings had traveled by car from Los Angeles to visit the red dirt homeland. Wilson, Oklahoma USA. My grandmother Ayers lived in Wilson on Sixth Street about a half mile south of Main. It’s a small rural farm and oil worker town consisting of about 1600 inhabitants and as mentioned just north of the Red River. Wilson is located just off old US 70 west of the larger Oklahoma town of Ardmore. At least in Wilson is where she had lives when I visited her in the late 1940s and up to the mid 1960s. But prior to those times she and her family lived on various tenant farms in southern rural red dirt Oklahoma.

Nonetheless, her home was a modest white wood frame house. Square, four rooms, and sizable front and back porches. The front Porch, which faced west, was big enough for cousins to sleep out on in a rollaway bed. Really the best place of the house to sleep in mid-summer. The back porch, which faced east to a broad sunrise, was more utilitarian. It had an old wringer washer, galvanized tub, and a garden hose. The hose was used to either fill the metal washtub or used to connect to the wringer washer. Plus the back porch was a great place to hand crank a bucket of ice cream. Or, just a sitting place for we grandkids to giggle and poke each other while eating watermelon.

Now if you were to draw a square on a sheet of paper and divide it into four equal quarters that would be the floor plan of my Gramma’s house as possibly drawn by an architect. Plane and simple. One living room to the south, two bedrooms to the north, and a kitchen in the back and squeezed in-between the two bedrooms was a very small bathroom. Small, compact, and very useable house by one grandmother. However, when kids and grandkids came to visit, a bit tight and compressed. But we loved it nonetheless. A modest carpet of grass and weeds surrounded her house. Certainly not to big or difficult for her to maintain. The grass was outlined by a white picket fence with front gate leading out to the sidewalk on Sixth Street.

Almost straight across the street from my grandmother’s but a bit south lived the Morgan’s. An old couple in their seventies or early eighties. Mrs. Morgan always had a smile on her bespectacled thin face and a quick tendency to talk. Mr. Morgan looked as if he was in constant pane with all facial features pointing down. Walked with a stiff leg, aided with a cane, and slanted forward. The Morgan’s would sit outside in the evenings on two old metal seat and back patio chairs while observing the activity on the street. She sat crossed legged. He sat slanted like a 2 by 4 sitting in a chair. Mr. Morgan sat that way because of a back injury and fused vertebras. Nonetheless, they were kind folk and always willing to talk.

On the same side of the street my grandma lived and south down at the corner lived banker Wilson. He own and ran the bank of Wilson on Main Street in town. He certainly lived in a larger house that faced the corner. His house was twice the size of my grams but modest. Maybe 1500-square feet or so. However, Banker Wilson was a thoughtful man sometimes even inviting we restless cousins down to his house for a snack or iced tea. He knew the benefit of establishing relationships and probably read Dale Carnegie.

Just to the north and on the same side of the street as my grandma’s lived the Peffer family. We grandkids would sometimes play with the Peffer kids. Mr. Peffer was the town’s pharmacist and was well regarded in the neighborhood. His drug store was on Main Street complete with soda fountain and shelves of paperback books. Once I had even bought the book Dr. Strangelove from their respected establishment. But, one summer years later in 1964 when I was visiting Wilson and headed back to college it was discovered Mr. Peffer lost his license to practice his trade. He lost his license because of not really having a college pharmacy degree. Disqualifying him to perform pharmacy work. However, his daughter had recently graduated from pharmacy school at Oklahoma University and took over the filling of prescriptions. So, it all worked out.

So, let us pause here. There is certainly more to this travelogue and next week we’ll pick up the travel adventure and take a walk downtown. Stay tuned. Chuck Ayers

Column from our local paper. Stop being stupid.

Stupid people need a dose of smarts. JAY CRONLEY World Staff Columnist. This is important. Everybody who is being stupid needs to stop it. You're ruining everything. They're making sitcoms for you. They're making movies for you. They're making tweets for you. They're arranging the 10 o'clock news for you. They're designing jeans for you. They're creating forensic cop shows for you. They're making exercise clothes for you. Worst yet, they're designing political campaigns for you. Being stupid is being unable to have an original thought. How do you get better? Every so often you read something great, and every once in a while you sit quietly and think about doing something wonderful. Lowest common denominator: Political campaigns seem aimed at people who think along bloodlines and party lines. Those with a political bias aren't preaching to the choir. They're preaching to the choirmasters. They're preaching to those who couldn't sing it any other way. Independents will decide the country's next direction. If you're wondering what the party-line people are doing, the answer is: It's the mean season, each side doing unto its own what you wish the other side wasn't doing to its own. Give fifty bucks to each party and you'll get materials aimed at cave dwellers with questions like these: Do you favor President Obama taking your hard-earned money and giving it to deadbeats? How do you feel about the tea party's plans to use your Social Security contributions to fund business expansion in China? It is doubtful that Hank Williams Jr. or Keith Olbermann could convince many to change their minds. (Channels, maybe.) I think, therefore I am: Independents aren't smarter than all party members. Smarter than those running the campaigns, sure. Here's what many independents are like: They can't be frightened. They can't be charmed. They can't be bullied. They know fake talk when they hear it. Here's something funny about what dominates television, not funny humorous, funny ironic: Independents dislike obvious bias more than anything. Votes are usually awarded in one of two ways. Best ideas win. Or most offensive loses..

Cutting public education funding could stifle the next Steve Jobs

USA Today says Steve Jobs was the last of the “Innovators.” Who will take his place? Will there be anyone? Where do they come from? Or was Steve Jobs the very last?

My guess is if basic education in the primary and secondary level is underfunded and largely ignored, it will be hard to nurture and incubate innovators like Steve Jobs. Usually the spark is struck in early elementary school if not before. Curious minds happen early in the very young and if encouraged, continue to grow.

But, this can only happen if caring teachers and adults are there to mentor the curious child. Certainly Steve Jobs had an enormous curiosity in his early life and someone was there to cultivate it. And my guess is it was a helpful elementary school teacher and/or parent.

But my point is schools, teachers, and public funded classroom education should not be neglected during these difficult economic times. Tomorrows Steve Jobs is in elementary school now as we speak. His or her curiosity needs close attention. Attention by sincere and helpful educators. Educators with reasonable size classes, adequate textbooks, and the entire essential tools to generate the child’s interest and desire to grow and learn.

If it requires letting the public golf course to be left uncut and minimally maintained, so be it. Put the money where our future is. Our Children. Our children are our future and our national strength. Don’t cut education spending. Don’t cut classroom teachers. Don’t cut books and materials.

I know there is another Steve Jobs out there somewhere. He or she will pop up soon. Just you watch.

Please please don’t cut education funding.

Arr. Vote the spineless blaggards off the island.

I am afraid it’s now time to look for a third party candidate. We are not getting the bang for the buck with the current tank of spineless jellyfish. We need energized candidates to run for congress. A blazing and most angry candidates to run for President. Candidates who are willing to resist the allurement of huge sums of corporate and special interest money. Candidates whose own bias can possibly be changed by the wishes of the average voter. A man or woman willing to knock on every door in his or her district.

Well then, If not just a third party candidate, how about a third party. A party without rigid ideology. A third party with wiggle room. A collective of people wanting more from their representatives than snarky bloviating answers.

It’s time to tell the Republican and Democrat parties they have lost relevance with the grass roots. Both parties have morphed into a stodgy circle of covered wagons. A bit too defensive and following the drum of easy money. And for sure blinded by the lobbyist’s warm and fuzzy headlights.

While Congress is in the muck and mire of septic tank politics, the constituency back home is becoming more and more angered and frustrated. Frustrated over the “Do Nothing” congress. A congress that has lost its wheels and lays in the ditch. Uncompromising, self-absorbed, narrow minded, self-righteous, and totally in lock step with partisan dogma. Never mind what real problems exist back home. A bunch of three ring circus beeping-chuckling-water squirting-grease painted-red nosed clowns. Blustering buffoons all of them.

But anyway, a viable third independent party could easily change politics, as we know it. I’m not talking TEA Party. I’m not talking one issue monkey wrench politics. I am talking about a third way that could have the clout and determination to pressure the old ways into non-existence by sheer grunt work. Push the partisans into a middle lane and hopefully get something done for the people. Something like compromise and for the greater good. Mr. Smith goes to Washington kind of politics and getting it done. Think independent. Think real change. Think past party boss politics. Let the people do the talking and make the representatives do the hard walking. It’s time to fix and flip congress. Go Independents!

When the going gets tough, the tough start drinking

I watched all I could stand of Ken Burn’s PBS “Prohibition.” A PBS special certainly that contained all the elements of a good Ken Burns documentary. Done quite well with all the quotes, voice-overs, music, sound effects, and photos. Patently Ken Burns.

However, the real issue before, during, and after Prohibition is still with us. Alcohol consumption and alcoholism. You can bury your head in the sand about this issue but it’s still with us and seems to be getting worse. I will have to admit the era in history known as Prohibition was obviously not needed and created more problems than it solved. Possibly making things worse.

Nonetheless, what to do about alcohol? It is everywhere and affects many of us. Teen alcohol binge drinking is real. Real as car crashes killing teens due to teen drinking. A horrible fact if you are a parent or grandparent or just a friend of the teen victim.

It needless to mention how alcohol has affected many families, marriages, employees, servicemember, truck drivers, train engineers, airline pilots, doctors, pastors, teachers, and the list is horrifically endless. Alcoholism has left social devastations and broken hearts in its long wake. Seemingly never to be stopped.

The Ken Burns PBS special may be historic and interesting but does not solve the problem of alcoholism. Mostly because we Americans are not educated enough on the subject. Laws and prohibition don’t seem to do the trick. Legislating drinking age or where and how it is sold is not enough to solve the problem.
Churches and schools are not involved, as they should. It almost seems that almost all social institutions have missed the boat on solving this huge social dilemma. And the problem is made worse by the glorification of drugs and drinking at the movies, on TV, music, and even in what we read in books and on our text readers.

So, what’s the answer? I don’t know.

Maybe we should ask ourselves, why do we need to get stoned? Why do we need to get High? Why do we need to get a good buzz? Why do we need to escape reality with alcohol? Somewhere in there lay the answer.

Letter to my congressman

Dear Congressman,

Back in 1938 my mom and dad were struggling to put food on the table for their young family. They lived in southern rural Oklahoma on a 40-acre red dirt farm. A farm suffering from drought. They had no electricity, no running water, and Living in an almost third world existence. Plus my dad had no steady employment. And as you know the effects of a serious economic depression was still lingering as well. This is not to mention both having survived the horrific rolling clouds of red dust.

Then my dad heard about Roosevelt’s Works Projects Administration. The WPA was hiring strong and willing men to build new county roads and school buildings. My dad quickly signed up and almost immediately started receiving a steady paycheck. Not a lot of money but it helped. The work was hard and dirty but it put food on the table. He and thousands of other men were glad to have such an opportunity from the WPA. It had saved many children from starvation and possibly from early childhood death.

Nonetheless, you can also help provide the same benefit for today’s tens of thousands of out of work Americans. All you need to do is support the A. J. A. The Americans Jobs Act as recommended by President Obama. President Roosevelt had his nay Sayers but they were proven wrong. President Obama also has his detractors and doubters. However, you can prove them wrong as well by supporting the AJA and put thousands of Americans back to work. Please support and vote this Act into law. Thanks for your help. God Bless America.

Just you try to fly the friendly skies

Of course the current buzz in travel is the question about American Airlines. Will it bankrupt? Will it layoff hundreds of workers? Will it cut flights? Will it…will it?

Ever since it was taken over by CPAs and attorneys, it’s been a downward spiral in customer service. Offering less and less to the flying customer. And, to pour salt on the open wound, nickel and dime the passenger into a state of ill will. Done so by offline/online fees, baggage fees, and onboard fees. All in addition to it’s advertised fairs. Sometimes creating extra fees greater than the price of the original ticket.

Now, American Airline is faining bankruptcy. Sighting increased costs. Costs of ground and air crews, high maintenance costs, landing and take off fees, the cost of maintaining FAA standards, fuel costs, retirement obligations, expensive aircraft, etc etc. All pointing to my earlier statement that airlines are a losing proposition. And for the most part, cannot exist without government subsidy. Subsidies from local, state, and federal governments.

And the alternative to subsidies is higher ticket costs. Therefore making air travel for the few and rich. Perhaps that the way it should be. The airlines have taken a Sachs Fifth Avenue service and morphed it into a Wal-Mart airline. With the end result being poor service and angry passengers. Passengers do not want to be treated poorly. Passengers do not want to be squeezed into less and less space. Especially when the passenger is becoming bigger and bigger. Making the whole situation almost impossible to resolve.

American Airlines as well as the other airlines seem to want it all. But in the process, have lost it all. Shooting themselves in the foot. Taking the goose that laid the golden egg (the passenger) and filleting into a goose salad sandwich. Not a good deal. Good luck American Airlines.

What ya say bubba? Does Congress need a hearing test?

I give up on writing letters to my congressman. What I write just falls on plugged ears. It’s like verbiage swatted back with a giant badminton racket. “I don want ya freakin s’gestions!”

I kind of like the idea of the “Arab Spring.” A bunch of folks need to show up on Capitol Hill and yell and scream. Possibly a million folks or more. Yell and scream and jump up and down. Perhaps blasting really bad music and anti-congress slogans. “Sisk-boom-bee, kick in the knee. Sisk-boom-bas, kick them in the other knee!” Really get down and dirty.

Congress just reading about their really low poll numbers doesn’t seem to get their attention. They need a good poke in the eye. A kick in the butt. And for sure a quick dismissal from office.

Fire them. Get rid of all congressmen and women. A complete turnover would be best. Let them know this is not a full time job. It is not a career. It’s a duty and responsibility like serving in the military. Congress, do your job and move on.

My Proctologist helps me with my banking

Banking is an absolute discomfort in the rear. And, I am sure you have already noticed this pin prick to the cheeks. It has gone from a helpful service to a disservice. Switching the customer service from the customers to the shareholder. Just another way to make tons of money from our money. It all use to be the other way around.

In the case of Bank of America they want the account holder to pay for BOA’s recent failings and mistakes. Bad loans. Purchase of Countrywide Mortgage. And the list goes on. Who do they think they are? Acting more like mobster Wise guy loan sharks than a friendly neighborhood bank. “Hey Bud, I’m Veto your banker.”

I was with Bank of America a few years ago but switched to a local bank. Saving considerable money on the maintenance of my checking account. Plus they are not going to charge a monthly fee for my check card. And, I have no minimum balance to maintain.

I would strongly suggest if you have an account with one of the mega-banks to switch. Switch to a local or online bank that has no such fees as mentioned above. Yes, it might take a beit of your time to do this but it will send the Big Banks and Wall Street a message. Do it as soon as possible. Tell your big bank to BANK THIS!

Red Dirt Podcast 011, take two

Red Dirt Podcast 011

http://www.chuckayers.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/rdp-011.mp3

Red Dirt Podcast 011, Killing jobs or each other 6:55