Friday, October 7, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
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!
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, October 3, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Red Dirt Podcast 011, take two
Red Dirt Podcast 011
http://www.chuckayers.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/rdp-011.mp3
http://www.chuckayers.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/rdp-011.mp3
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