The United States of America that we know, love, and in which we grew up was gone forever; we’re now beginning the journey to take back our country.
Several months ago, I was watching as the American people let their thoughts be known regarding healthcare reform, a major project for the current president. Healthcare reform, while popular shortly after the current president took office, has seen its popularity decline as the American people learned more and more about what was being put in the legislation.
Despite its obvious unpopularity with the American people, our country’s leaders did everything they possibly could to ram healthcare reform down our throats, including the implementation of the Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase.
In addition to healthcare reform, the House had passed the Cap & Trade act, severely limiting carbon emissions, in the name of “saving the plant” from global warming. As some point I listened to a speech that the current president was delivering where he indicated that we could no longer set our thermostats where we wanted to set them and therefore be comfortable in our own homes. Instead, we would have to make sacrifices for the greater good. He also told us that we would not be able to drive the large, comfortable vehicles that we once did; nor would we be able to drive those cool little sports cars that we enjoy so much. Instead, we would be driving hybrids, electric cars, and other fuel-efficient vehicles that not only are uncomfortable, but also lack the power that many of us have enjoyed in our motor vehicles. The current president further assured us that the government would be taking more of our hard-earned dollars to pay for things like cap and trade, and healthcare reform. Speaking of healthcare, we would be giving up our good healthcare plans that we have worked so hard to provide for ourselves and our families; trading these plans in for some third rate government sponsored programs. This would mean additional physical suffering and perhaps premature death as a result of not being able to get treatment in a timely manner. Again, this is a sacrifice the American people should be willing to make in order to provide healthcare for those that are uninsured. In other words, the current president was advocating that we would all have to make sacrifices for the greater good. WHOA! This is communism, isn’t it? “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” Well, maybe that goes a bit too far, but what the current president is advocating certainly reeks of European socialism.
It amazed me how our country’s leaders, particularly Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, have persisted in cramming their unpopular socialist agendas down our throats. But you know, we’re still a republic and still able to vote these folks out of office. That’s true; but will we be able to un-do all of the damage they did while in office? The answer is probably not. Once we socialize healthcare and implement the Cap and Trade policies, reversal will be next to impossible. As a result, it appeared to me that the democrats were going to ride roughshod over the will of the American people in order to implement their agendas.
Not much to look forward to, is there? Sitting in your home either sweating or shivering. Maybe you’re sick and can’t get an appointment with a doctor for six weeks. A thick juicy steak with a bottle of good red wine sounds good. However, you don’t have the extra funds for such things because your taxes are so high. Forget a trip to the beach. What used to be a half-day drive now takes much longer because your hybrid can only go up to 45mph. You couldn’t afford the gas anyway, even though the hybrid doesn’t use much. Besides, driving is not fun anymore.
Well, when Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was running for president, the other Massachusetts senator, Edward Kennedy, was concerned that should Kerry win, Republican Governor Mitt Romney could appoint a republican senator to take Kerry’s place. So, old Ted got the ball rolling that resulted in Massachusetts passing legislation preventing a governor from making such appointments. Instead, a special election would be held to elect a replacement. As we all know, Senator Kennedy became gravely ill and passed away just months ago. Before his death, the senator suggested that the rules be changed again so that the current Massachusetts governor, a democrat, could be allowed to appoint his replacement. Even the democrats, who loathe the American people and think we’re too stupid to get out of the rain, knew that this wouldn’t fly. They would just have to live with the current laws. Besides, this is Massachusetts, “ain’t no republican gonna get elected”.
Excuse me! What did you say about Massachusetts electing a republican? Enter Senator Scott Brown and not a minute too soon. While republicans are still in the minority, the super majority the democrats hold in the Senate is gone. With Senator Brown, the democrats don’t have the votes to stop a filibuster. Cap and Trade is now dead in the water. With a little luck, healthcare reform will be joining it. Now the republicans should be able to stop any and all noxious pieces of legislature that our country’s leaders are trying to cram down our throats.
Of course, I have to comment on the irony of it all. Ted Kennedy spent a major portion of his political career advocating healthcare reform and passed away before he could cast a vote. With the senator’s memory, the democrats were set to elect a democrat to fill the seat vacated by the late Senator Kennedy. The new senator would ultimately cast a vote to pass Ted’s dream of healthcare reform.
But wait, republican Scott Brown was elected by the people of Massachusetts to fill the senate seat that was left vacant when Senator Kennedy died. The new senator from Massachusetts has indicated that he will vote against the current healthcare proposals. Also, he will give the republicans the one vote they need to kill healthcare reform and any other proposed legislation by filibuster in the Senate.
Again the only thing that republicans can do in tandem is filibuster a bill to death in the Senate. They are still a minority party. Will they be able to take over the House and Senate with the November 2010 elections? We’ll have to wait and see. Never-the-less, the power is now there to stop anything this country’s leaders, including the current president, may try to force on us in their quest to restructure this country in the image of a European socialist nation.
I recently made a comment on Facebook that you reap what you sow. Because he was scared that the republican governor of Massachusetts would have a chance to appoint someone to fill a possibly vacated senate seat, he took steps to change the Massachusetts laws so that a special election would be required to fill a vacated senate seat as opposed to the governor appointing someone. Had old Ted not done this, the current Massachusetts governor, who is a democrat, would have had the responsibility of making an appointment to fill the open seat created by his death. The appointment would surely have been a democrat and Ted’s dream of healthcare reform would have been realized. That didn’t happen, though. Ted’s actions led to a special election in Massachusetts where Republican Scott Brown was elected. Senator Brown has the power to stop the proposed current healthcare legislation that was old Ted’s dream. How ironic.
When you resort to trickery and chicanery, making deals in smoky back rooms, doing things that are generally dishonest and designed to get you what you want in the short run without taking into consideration the long term effects, it usually comes back to haunt. Thank God in this instance it did.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
AND ALABAMA’S NUMBER ONE
The nerves have all calmed down, but I suspect some heads may be throbbing. There is a nation of college football fans celebrating and another nation of college football fans shaking their heads and saying, “what if”. Was the BCS Championship game for the 2009 college football season a game in which two best college football teams in the nation battled it out to see who reins supreme until mid-summer when the pre-season rankings come out? I would say yes. There’s no doubt in my mind that the University of Alabama and the University of Texas were the two best teams in college football in 2009. Did these two teams play to the best of their abilities, running on all cylinders, battling it out to the last minutes of the game, to determine who takes home the crystal football? Uh, No! Alabama was flirting with disaster. That fake punt was very un-Saban like. No one has mentioned this yet, but it could have been worse. If the Texas player that intercepted P.J.’s pass had let it fall to the ground, Texas would have started much closer to our end zone and pay dirt. Instead, Texas got the ball a bit up field, our defense held, forcing them to kick a field goal. Then we failed to cover a kickoff. Now how bone-headed is that? The fact that we escaped this series of events only yielding six points, though, has to tell you about the heart and intensity of the Bama players. Was the stamina of Gilbert, the second string quarterback for Texas, amazing as he improved during the game and brought his team to within a field goal of being able to tie the game and sent it to overtime? You have to say yes. I could go into the details of the game, but you have access to those details.
Would this have been a different game had Colt McCoy not been injured? Oh, definitely. Would Texas have won if Colt had not gone down? We don’t know, and we’ll never know. I refuse to get into a “you know what-ting” contest with anyone who may throw out that Alabama would not have won if Colt McCoy had played. This game sure wasn’t Alabama’s best of the season, and it wasn’t Texas’ either. But the winner of this game is the national champion and that’s that.
As some of you know, the Bama Nation’s world was rocked in the early 2000s when the news of the possible payment by boosters in the Memphis area to high school coaches in order for them to steer highly touted players to Alabama. The details of which could fill a book. The sanctions that were handed down to Alabama by the NCAA were brutal, resulting in a major loss of scholarships and a ban on post-season play for two seasons. As one can imagine, this made the recruiting of top quality players difficult, if not downright impossible. In addition, the sanctions were given as the reason that Head Coach Dennis Franchione bolted for Texas A&M. The coach hired to replace Franchione, Mike Price, had some serious character flaws to surface shortly after coming to the Capstone. When the UA Board of Trustees voted to let Mike Price go, May 2003, we were left without a head coach, with “slim pickins”. In Mike Shula, Alabama hired an unproven head coach, with everyone hoping that his “good genes” would allow him to grow into the job. Well, Shula never grew into the job and was let go after the Auburn game in 2006. In his farewell speech, Shula indicated that he left the program in better shape than it was when he got there. I’m not so sure about that.
Alabama took a pretty big PR hit for the firing of Shula after his fourth year. In his third year, he had a successful season, taking the tide to a major bowl and a top ten finish. The after a mediocre fourth year, we fired him. Furthermore, the fact that he was Don Shula’s son didn’t help our image either. After firing Shula, everyone said to us, “Alabama will never be able to hire a decent coach. No one in their right mind would want to coach at Alabama.” When the news that we might be talking to Nick Saban broke, everyone started laughing. “There’s no way that Nick Saban is going to come to Alabama.”
With regard to the Memphis area recruiting incidents, there is speculation that there may have been collusion between the NCAA, the University of Tennessee, and the Southeastern Conference to set Alabama up. There was also speculation that then Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer would report indiscretions by Alabama to the NCAA in exchange for the NCAA turning its back to the activities by the Tennessee Athletic Department. In other words, there were folks out there that wanted Alabama taken down, one way or the other. I wonder what those folks are thinking today.
Alabama football has been on top or near the top for most of its existence. But there have been some times when it was bloodied and near death, the most recent being from about 2003 to 2007. Last night when the players and coaches were passing around and kissing the crystal football, I couldn’t help but think about the difficult times that we’ve been through and the players who stayed with Alabama when they could have transferred somewhere else. These players did not get to play for championships and received little or no accolades. I’m thinking about Shaud Williams, the little guy with the big heart. I’m thinking about Wesley Britt, the guy with big everything. I’m thinking about all of the players on the teams in the early to mid-2000s. I’m thinking about Dennis Franchione. He asked those players to “hold the rope” then bolted to Texas A&M, only to be fired. As skuzzy as Franchione’s actions were, he did influence players to remain at Alabama during the hard times and therefore provide the foundation for what is today.
Alabama has played and won fourteen games; that, in and of itself is a magnificent feat. Then on top of that, one of our players, Mark Ingram, was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Alabama was to play the University of Texas for the national championship, a team that it has never beaten in about eight tries. Very few times in college football history has the team with a Heisman Trophy winner also been number one. Many times that Heisman Trophy winner has not played well it his bowl game whether it be for the national championship or not. Well, Alabama won its twelve regular season games, won its conference championship game, had a Heisman Trophy winner, and won the BCS Championship game against the University of Texas.
Once again, Alabama is number one.
Would this have been a different game had Colt McCoy not been injured? Oh, definitely. Would Texas have won if Colt had not gone down? We don’t know, and we’ll never know. I refuse to get into a “you know what-ting” contest with anyone who may throw out that Alabama would not have won if Colt McCoy had played. This game sure wasn’t Alabama’s best of the season, and it wasn’t Texas’ either. But the winner of this game is the national champion and that’s that.
As some of you know, the Bama Nation’s world was rocked in the early 2000s when the news of the possible payment by boosters in the Memphis area to high school coaches in order for them to steer highly touted players to Alabama. The details of which could fill a book. The sanctions that were handed down to Alabama by the NCAA were brutal, resulting in a major loss of scholarships and a ban on post-season play for two seasons. As one can imagine, this made the recruiting of top quality players difficult, if not downright impossible. In addition, the sanctions were given as the reason that Head Coach Dennis Franchione bolted for Texas A&M. The coach hired to replace Franchione, Mike Price, had some serious character flaws to surface shortly after coming to the Capstone. When the UA Board of Trustees voted to let Mike Price go, May 2003, we were left without a head coach, with “slim pickins”. In Mike Shula, Alabama hired an unproven head coach, with everyone hoping that his “good genes” would allow him to grow into the job. Well, Shula never grew into the job and was let go after the Auburn game in 2006. In his farewell speech, Shula indicated that he left the program in better shape than it was when he got there. I’m not so sure about that.
Alabama took a pretty big PR hit for the firing of Shula after his fourth year. In his third year, he had a successful season, taking the tide to a major bowl and a top ten finish. The after a mediocre fourth year, we fired him. Furthermore, the fact that he was Don Shula’s son didn’t help our image either. After firing Shula, everyone said to us, “Alabama will never be able to hire a decent coach. No one in their right mind would want to coach at Alabama.” When the news that we might be talking to Nick Saban broke, everyone started laughing. “There’s no way that Nick Saban is going to come to Alabama.”
With regard to the Memphis area recruiting incidents, there is speculation that there may have been collusion between the NCAA, the University of Tennessee, and the Southeastern Conference to set Alabama up. There was also speculation that then Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer would report indiscretions by Alabama to the NCAA in exchange for the NCAA turning its back to the activities by the Tennessee Athletic Department. In other words, there were folks out there that wanted Alabama taken down, one way or the other. I wonder what those folks are thinking today.
Alabama football has been on top or near the top for most of its existence. But there have been some times when it was bloodied and near death, the most recent being from about 2003 to 2007. Last night when the players and coaches were passing around and kissing the crystal football, I couldn’t help but think about the difficult times that we’ve been through and the players who stayed with Alabama when they could have transferred somewhere else. These players did not get to play for championships and received little or no accolades. I’m thinking about Shaud Williams, the little guy with the big heart. I’m thinking about Wesley Britt, the guy with big everything. I’m thinking about all of the players on the teams in the early to mid-2000s. I’m thinking about Dennis Franchione. He asked those players to “hold the rope” then bolted to Texas A&M, only to be fired. As skuzzy as Franchione’s actions were, he did influence players to remain at Alabama during the hard times and therefore provide the foundation for what is today.
Alabama has played and won fourteen games; that, in and of itself is a magnificent feat. Then on top of that, one of our players, Mark Ingram, was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Alabama was to play the University of Texas for the national championship, a team that it has never beaten in about eight tries. Very few times in college football history has the team with a Heisman Trophy winner also been number one. Many times that Heisman Trophy winner has not played well it his bowl game whether it be for the national championship or not. Well, Alabama won its twelve regular season games, won its conference championship game, had a Heisman Trophy winner, and won the BCS Championship game against the University of Texas.
Once again, Alabama is number one.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
ON PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
For those of you not familiar with Alabama culture, college football is huge in this state. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide is one of this nation’s elite football programs, if not the most elite. There’s another school called Auburn that a lot of people in the state also support. While Auburn has had its “flash in the pan” moments, it doesn’t hold a candle to the accomplishments of the University of Alabama. I’ll definitely catch some grief for my last sentence.
Alabama is currently ranked number one in the national and is playing the University of Texas for the national championship on January 7, 2010 in Pasadena, California. The last time that Alabama was national champions was for the 1992 season. I was an adult and remember it well. That was seventeen years ago and that seventeen-year gap is the longest gap since the 1960s that Alabama has gone without a national championship. As you can imagine, we’re mighty hungry.
This past decade has not been a good one for Alabama. In the early part of the decade, Alabama was slapped with probation and sanctions that would have killed your average football program. Did we do what was alleged? The details could fill a novel and I won’t go into it here.
Never the less, we hired as head coach in 2007, Nick Saban, arguably the best coach in the nation. Three seasons later, we captured the SEC Championship and are playing for the national championship. The sanctions that went along with the probation pretty much left us bloodied and dying on the side of the road. But we didn’t die; instead we arose, much to the chagrin of the Auburns and Tennessees of the world.
In addition to being unbeaten in regular season play, playing in and winning the SEC Championship game, and going to the BCS Championship game, one of our players was awarded the Heisman Trophy, an honor awarded to the best college football player in the nation. The player, of course, was running back Mark Ingram. This is the first time a player from the University of Alabama has ever been awarded the Heisman trophy and I do have to admit that I’ve never been much of a “Heisman Trophy” person. At the University of Alabama, teamwork is stressed and there are virtually no prima donnas. But I have to admit that I couldn’t be prouder of Mark Ingram. He’s a wonderful young man. In fact, it’s not so much that Alabama has a Heisman, I’m just so proud of Mark Ingram.
I grew up rooting for the University of Alabama, attended the University of Alabama, and am currently a season ticket holder. It’s a part of who I am. As big a fan as I am, I’m not one to brag or talk “smack” before a game. I’m well aware that anything can happen. Some of us remember the U.S. Hockey team against the Soviet Union in 1980. After winning a big game, I’m pretty much quiet and don’t strut around. What’s the point, we’re Alabama, we’re supposed to win. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy winning and celebrate with my Alabama friends. However, I don’t tend to rub it in to fans of the other team, except when provoked. Besides, saying nothing gets their goat even worse.
On Christmas Eve this year, I had ordered a pizza from a local Italian restaurant to take home and eat for dinner. When I went to pick up the pizza, who should be in there, but a group of folks that belong to one of the clubs that I also belong to. Among the group were some Aubs, a Florida fan, a Texas fan, a plain ole Alabama hater, and maybe a couple of Bama fans that “hang” with that group. One of the folks said something to me and I kind of nonchalantly waved at the group. While I was paying for my pizza, one of the Auburn fans, who is a nice guy, walked up to me and wished me a Merry Christmas and asked if I was going to Pasadena. Other than that guy, no one really spoke to me. I started to do the “gator chomp” for the Florida fan since he was so nasty to me when Florida beat Alabama in 2006, but I didn’t. I think the little nonchalant wave said it all.
Back to the national championship, I don’t think I could be more nervous. Now that most of the bowl games are over, it’s being talked about a lot. While I’ve been here many times before, there is something special about this time around. After the probation earlier in the decade, many thought that Alabama would never rise to prominence again. The aubs thought that they would dominate us for years to come and so did Tennessee. Well, it didn’t happen. Alabama has risen to prominence in the last three years and will now be playing for the national championship. If we win it, it will be the most satisfying one in my life to date. If we don’t, then there’s next year and the next.
Am I going to make a prediction on this blog? No. I just want to let everyone who reads this know how important Alabama football is to me and to so many others as well. We’ve been on top and descended to the bottom, then rose back to the top. I dare say that very few college football programs could have gone through what Alabama has gone through and rise to the top again. I don’t know what my life would have been like if it wasn’t for Alabama football. No matter what happens on January 7, 2010, we’re Alabama and the rest is the rest.
ROLLTIDE! ROLLTIDE!
Alabama is currently ranked number one in the national and is playing the University of Texas for the national championship on January 7, 2010 in Pasadena, California. The last time that Alabama was national champions was for the 1992 season. I was an adult and remember it well. That was seventeen years ago and that seventeen-year gap is the longest gap since the 1960s that Alabama has gone without a national championship. As you can imagine, we’re mighty hungry.
This past decade has not been a good one for Alabama. In the early part of the decade, Alabama was slapped with probation and sanctions that would have killed your average football program. Did we do what was alleged? The details could fill a novel and I won’t go into it here.
Never the less, we hired as head coach in 2007, Nick Saban, arguably the best coach in the nation. Three seasons later, we captured the SEC Championship and are playing for the national championship. The sanctions that went along with the probation pretty much left us bloodied and dying on the side of the road. But we didn’t die; instead we arose, much to the chagrin of the Auburns and Tennessees of the world.
In addition to being unbeaten in regular season play, playing in and winning the SEC Championship game, and going to the BCS Championship game, one of our players was awarded the Heisman Trophy, an honor awarded to the best college football player in the nation. The player, of course, was running back Mark Ingram. This is the first time a player from the University of Alabama has ever been awarded the Heisman trophy and I do have to admit that I’ve never been much of a “Heisman Trophy” person. At the University of Alabama, teamwork is stressed and there are virtually no prima donnas. But I have to admit that I couldn’t be prouder of Mark Ingram. He’s a wonderful young man. In fact, it’s not so much that Alabama has a Heisman, I’m just so proud of Mark Ingram.
I grew up rooting for the University of Alabama, attended the University of Alabama, and am currently a season ticket holder. It’s a part of who I am. As big a fan as I am, I’m not one to brag or talk “smack” before a game. I’m well aware that anything can happen. Some of us remember the U.S. Hockey team against the Soviet Union in 1980. After winning a big game, I’m pretty much quiet and don’t strut around. What’s the point, we’re Alabama, we’re supposed to win. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy winning and celebrate with my Alabama friends. However, I don’t tend to rub it in to fans of the other team, except when provoked. Besides, saying nothing gets their goat even worse.
On Christmas Eve this year, I had ordered a pizza from a local Italian restaurant to take home and eat for dinner. When I went to pick up the pizza, who should be in there, but a group of folks that belong to one of the clubs that I also belong to. Among the group were some Aubs, a Florida fan, a Texas fan, a plain ole Alabama hater, and maybe a couple of Bama fans that “hang” with that group. One of the folks said something to me and I kind of nonchalantly waved at the group. While I was paying for my pizza, one of the Auburn fans, who is a nice guy, walked up to me and wished me a Merry Christmas and asked if I was going to Pasadena. Other than that guy, no one really spoke to me. I started to do the “gator chomp” for the Florida fan since he was so nasty to me when Florida beat Alabama in 2006, but I didn’t. I think the little nonchalant wave said it all.
Back to the national championship, I don’t think I could be more nervous. Now that most of the bowl games are over, it’s being talked about a lot. While I’ve been here many times before, there is something special about this time around. After the probation earlier in the decade, many thought that Alabama would never rise to prominence again. The aubs thought that they would dominate us for years to come and so did Tennessee. Well, it didn’t happen. Alabama has risen to prominence in the last three years and will now be playing for the national championship. If we win it, it will be the most satisfying one in my life to date. If we don’t, then there’s next year and the next.
Am I going to make a prediction on this blog? No. I just want to let everyone who reads this know how important Alabama football is to me and to so many others as well. We’ve been on top and descended to the bottom, then rose back to the top. I dare say that very few college football programs could have gone through what Alabama has gone through and rise to the top again. I don’t know what my life would have been like if it wasn’t for Alabama football. No matter what happens on January 7, 2010, we’re Alabama and the rest is the rest.
ROLLTIDE! ROLLTIDE!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
IRON BOWL MEMORY
The year was 1980 and I was going to the game with my Dad. The game was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Even though we had lost two games already, one to Mississippi State and the other to Notre Dame; we were good. I don't remember what Auburn's record was that year, but fourth year coach Doug Barfield was walking on thin ice. Alabama won. I don't remember the score and I don't think it was a real nail-biter.
We had parked at what was the old Big B Warehouse at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Highway 11/the Bessemer Super Highway. Walking to the car after the game, Daddy and I got to the intersection of Hwy 11 and Eight Avenue where a policeman was in the middle of the intersection directing traffic. We were standing right at the curb and there were some folks right behind us. The light changed for us to walk, but the policeman had not stopped traffic on Hwy 11 for us to cross. So, we were a little hesitant to begin crossing.
Well a couple of Auburn fans behind us started yelling for us to go on ahead and cross and said, "it looks like we're going to have to teach these Alabama fans how to cross the street." The policeman did stop traffic and we crossed. When we got to the other side I turned around to the Auburn fans and said, "You can teach us how to cross the street and we'll teach ya'll how to play football". The guys, who were cute, started laughing and said, "you got yourself a deal". They were very anxious to get rid of Barfield and talked to us for a minute or two before we went our separate ways.
In the car, Daddy laughed and said he thought for a second that I was going to get us in fight. Well, Daddy had to call everyone he knew and tell them about that.
Daddy's been dead for a while now, but that is a memory I will always cherish.
We had parked at what was the old Big B Warehouse at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Highway 11/the Bessemer Super Highway. Walking to the car after the game, Daddy and I got to the intersection of Hwy 11 and Eight Avenue where a policeman was in the middle of the intersection directing traffic. We were standing right at the curb and there were some folks right behind us. The light changed for us to walk, but the policeman had not stopped traffic on Hwy 11 for us to cross. So, we were a little hesitant to begin crossing.
Well a couple of Auburn fans behind us started yelling for us to go on ahead and cross and said, "it looks like we're going to have to teach these Alabama fans how to cross the street." The policeman did stop traffic and we crossed. When we got to the other side I turned around to the Auburn fans and said, "You can teach us how to cross the street and we'll teach ya'll how to play football". The guys, who were cute, started laughing and said, "you got yourself a deal". They were very anxious to get rid of Barfield and talked to us for a minute or two before we went our separate ways.
In the car, Daddy laughed and said he thought for a second that I was going to get us in fight. Well, Daddy had to call everyone he knew and tell them about that.
Daddy's been dead for a while now, but that is a memory I will always cherish.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK
I’m sitting here in front of the TV watching a re-run of a Sean Hannity show that first aired this past week. Frank Luntz, the pollster was his guest along with fifteen to twenty voters from New Jersey. They were primarily discussing the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial election between democrat incumbent John Corzine, republican Chris Christie, and an independent whose name escapes me.
The fifteen to twenty voters appeared to be middle class voters just like me. With the exception of one or two, it appeared that the group felt that the government owed them cradle to grave benefits and distribution of wealth is a good thing. Again, this is New Jersey a known liberal/democrat state. I was born and raised and currently live in Alabama, a conservative/republican state. I was taught to work hard and “take care of my own back yard.”
One woman admitted to Sean that she was in favor of, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” When Sean told her this concept originated from Karl Marx, she seemed unaffected. I’m not so sure that she knew who Karl Marx was. I was taught about “from each according to his ability and to each according to his need” in ninth grade civics. I was also taught that it doesn’t work. And I believe that.
A lot of the folks in the group were concerned about the millions of dollars that are going to pay bonuses to high-level executives these days. One guy opined that this was capitalism; in other words, some get it, and some don’t. I do admit it’s frustrating to hear about these bonuses when I’ve gotten anywhere from nothing to one week’s salary as bonuses throughout my career. You don’t have to do business with those companies; nor do you have to work for them. You might say, that company or that business is the only game in town and you have no choice but to accept their employment and to purchase their goods/services. You do have a choice, but you’re not willing to make that choice. You could quit that job and do something else, but you don’t want to. It pays the bills and may allow you to have a somewhat comfortable life and that week’s salary sure helps with some of those expenses. You have a choice, but you choose to stay with your company. This makes me not so sure that you have a right to gripe about large bonuses.
A few years back, the University of Alabama found itself in need of a good football coach to bring back its once proud football program. As many of you may know, Athletic Director Mal Moore went out there and hired Nick Saban, the best; and agreed to pay him what was then the highest salary for a head football coach in NCAA Division 1 football. Well, the media and the Auburn fans had a field day with this. How could we pay that kind of money for a football coach? Well, if anyone objects to it, quit supporting the University and quit going to ballgames. To date, I don’t know of anyone who has done that. In fact, most of us have just reached further into our pockets and are thoroughly enjoying watching our top five football team win Saturday after Saturday. We’ve got a tough one this weekend, though. If Coach Saban’s salary was so objectionable to the folks, just quite purchasing football tickets or even go to school somewhere else.
The point I’m trying to make is that if you find something objectionable, you don’t have to participate. Don’t purchase the products, don’t work for the company, don’t pump in money.
You and I certainly have the ability to make a difference; but do we want to, especially if substantial risk is involved?
The fifteen to twenty voters appeared to be middle class voters just like me. With the exception of one or two, it appeared that the group felt that the government owed them cradle to grave benefits and distribution of wealth is a good thing. Again, this is New Jersey a known liberal/democrat state. I was born and raised and currently live in Alabama, a conservative/republican state. I was taught to work hard and “take care of my own back yard.”
One woman admitted to Sean that she was in favor of, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” When Sean told her this concept originated from Karl Marx, she seemed unaffected. I’m not so sure that she knew who Karl Marx was. I was taught about “from each according to his ability and to each according to his need” in ninth grade civics. I was also taught that it doesn’t work. And I believe that.
A lot of the folks in the group were concerned about the millions of dollars that are going to pay bonuses to high-level executives these days. One guy opined that this was capitalism; in other words, some get it, and some don’t. I do admit it’s frustrating to hear about these bonuses when I’ve gotten anywhere from nothing to one week’s salary as bonuses throughout my career. You don’t have to do business with those companies; nor do you have to work for them. You might say, that company or that business is the only game in town and you have no choice but to accept their employment and to purchase their goods/services. You do have a choice, but you’re not willing to make that choice. You could quit that job and do something else, but you don’t want to. It pays the bills and may allow you to have a somewhat comfortable life and that week’s salary sure helps with some of those expenses. You have a choice, but you choose to stay with your company. This makes me not so sure that you have a right to gripe about large bonuses.
A few years back, the University of Alabama found itself in need of a good football coach to bring back its once proud football program. As many of you may know, Athletic Director Mal Moore went out there and hired Nick Saban, the best; and agreed to pay him what was then the highest salary for a head football coach in NCAA Division 1 football. Well, the media and the Auburn fans had a field day with this. How could we pay that kind of money for a football coach? Well, if anyone objects to it, quit supporting the University and quit going to ballgames. To date, I don’t know of anyone who has done that. In fact, most of us have just reached further into our pockets and are thoroughly enjoying watching our top five football team win Saturday after Saturday. We’ve got a tough one this weekend, though. If Coach Saban’s salary was so objectionable to the folks, just quite purchasing football tickets or even go to school somewhere else.
The point I’m trying to make is that if you find something objectionable, you don’t have to participate. Don’t purchase the products, don’t work for the company, don’t pump in money.
You and I certainly have the ability to make a difference; but do we want to, especially if substantial risk is involved?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
SO TWENTIETH CENTURY
I hope I don’t make anybody mad with this post, but I probably will.
As I started getting older, I made three pledges to myself. I would never quit listening to rock music, I would wear the latest fashion trends to the extent that I could, and I would keep up with technology and new products.
As far as music goes, I have flipped to modern country and become an official Jimmy Buffett fan (a parrot head). I don’t identify with Top 40 any longer. Modern country has become more like 80s rock. Have you listened to Rascal Flatts lately? So, I’m modern country and classic rock. That’s a little bit of a switch, but at least I haven’t gone to Streisand and Manilow.
For fashion, if I can wear it, I do. If I can’t I don’t. I am glad that most clothing items contain at least 1% spandex.
Next comes technology/new products, something near and dear to my heart. I don’t have a flat screen TV, but that may change soon and I mean real soon. My TV in the living room is not working this morning. Not being a big TV watcher, I’m putting off TV purchases until I absolutely have to and that may be this afternoon. However, if I don’t have flat screen TVs, it affects no one but me.
Just as soon as cell phones became affordable, I bought one. It was a portable and a little heavy, but I thought I was hot stuff. Most of my friends did not have them or had one of those bag phones. Eventually everybody got one and I know of very few folks that don’t have them. With my cell phones, I have had text messaging for several years. I didn’t use it much initially, but now I couldn’t live without it. However, only a handful of friends have it and most turn their nose up at text messaging. There are times when a simple text is sufficient to communicate. Why waste time calling and talking when you can text? With cell phones, you can store numbers through your contact list, set up speed dials, and take advantage of voice recognition to make calls. Not long ago, I observed a friend calling her next-door neighbor by punching in the number. I asked her didn’t she have Dot’s number in her contact list and on speed dial. The friend retorted that she didn’t know how to do all that. So every time my friend makes a call, she punches in the numbers. The only time I punch in a number is when I’m calling someone that I don’t know for the first time.
Another friend of mine only has a work email and refuses to purchase a home computer system so he can have a personal email or check his work email on the weekends. He has a cell phone, but won’t get text messaging. If he needs to tell someone something, he just calls them. He doesn’t care if he’s connected or not.
I recently upgraded to a blackberry where I can check my email and get on the Internet. I’ll probably upgrade out of that blackberry in due time. Now I can’t imagine not having instant access to my email and being able to get on the Internet when I’m away from my computers. The same friend who punches in numbers on her cell phone recently made comment that all she wants out of her cell phone is to make calls. That’s so twentieth century!
I quit taking the newspaper years ago and haven’t watched that evening news or the 10:00 news in years. Why do you need to? Reading the newspaper and scheduling around broadcast news is so twentieth century.
Something else, I’m being “green”. Trees are being saved since I don’t take the newspaper. Uh-oh! I’m not into being “green”. I want my carbon footprint to be as large as possible. Should I subscribe to the newspaper or perhaps several newspapers? Nay.
So as I get older along with everyone else on the planet, I listen to music I like, wear clothes that make me feel good without making too many fashion errors, and stay up to date with technology to the extent my wallet will allow it. Would someone 19 years old call me an “old fogey”? Probably. Do I care? No. Do I wish some of my friends would get out of the twentieth century? That would be nice.
As I started getting older, I made three pledges to myself. I would never quit listening to rock music, I would wear the latest fashion trends to the extent that I could, and I would keep up with technology and new products.
As far as music goes, I have flipped to modern country and become an official Jimmy Buffett fan (a parrot head). I don’t identify with Top 40 any longer. Modern country has become more like 80s rock. Have you listened to Rascal Flatts lately? So, I’m modern country and classic rock. That’s a little bit of a switch, but at least I haven’t gone to Streisand and Manilow.
For fashion, if I can wear it, I do. If I can’t I don’t. I am glad that most clothing items contain at least 1% spandex.
Next comes technology/new products, something near and dear to my heart. I don’t have a flat screen TV, but that may change soon and I mean real soon. My TV in the living room is not working this morning. Not being a big TV watcher, I’m putting off TV purchases until I absolutely have to and that may be this afternoon. However, if I don’t have flat screen TVs, it affects no one but me.
Just as soon as cell phones became affordable, I bought one. It was a portable and a little heavy, but I thought I was hot stuff. Most of my friends did not have them or had one of those bag phones. Eventually everybody got one and I know of very few folks that don’t have them. With my cell phones, I have had text messaging for several years. I didn’t use it much initially, but now I couldn’t live without it. However, only a handful of friends have it and most turn their nose up at text messaging. There are times when a simple text is sufficient to communicate. Why waste time calling and talking when you can text? With cell phones, you can store numbers through your contact list, set up speed dials, and take advantage of voice recognition to make calls. Not long ago, I observed a friend calling her next-door neighbor by punching in the number. I asked her didn’t she have Dot’s number in her contact list and on speed dial. The friend retorted that she didn’t know how to do all that. So every time my friend makes a call, she punches in the numbers. The only time I punch in a number is when I’m calling someone that I don’t know for the first time.
Another friend of mine only has a work email and refuses to purchase a home computer system so he can have a personal email or check his work email on the weekends. He has a cell phone, but won’t get text messaging. If he needs to tell someone something, he just calls them. He doesn’t care if he’s connected or not.
I recently upgraded to a blackberry where I can check my email and get on the Internet. I’ll probably upgrade out of that blackberry in due time. Now I can’t imagine not having instant access to my email and being able to get on the Internet when I’m away from my computers. The same friend who punches in numbers on her cell phone recently made comment that all she wants out of her cell phone is to make calls. That’s so twentieth century!
I quit taking the newspaper years ago and haven’t watched that evening news or the 10:00 news in years. Why do you need to? Reading the newspaper and scheduling around broadcast news is so twentieth century.
Something else, I’m being “green”. Trees are being saved since I don’t take the newspaper. Uh-oh! I’m not into being “green”. I want my carbon footprint to be as large as possible. Should I subscribe to the newspaper or perhaps several newspapers? Nay.
So as I get older along with everyone else on the planet, I listen to music I like, wear clothes that make me feel good without making too many fashion errors, and stay up to date with technology to the extent my wallet will allow it. Would someone 19 years old call me an “old fogey”? Probably. Do I care? No. Do I wish some of my friends would get out of the twentieth century? That would be nice.
Friday, October 23, 2009
A COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE USA
After the alarm went off this morning, I turned on the light and the TV with Fox and Friends on. My kitty, Twister, was right beside me. They ran a story about findings that dogs and cats have rather large carbon footprints. In fact their carbon footprints, in some cases, rival that of evil SUVs. As a result, environmentalists are recommending that if you own dogs and/or cats, get rid of them and get a pet that you can eventually eat. Suggestions for pets included chickens or rabbits.
Well, rabbits are cute and cuddly; they are generally kept in cages outside. They’re probably affectionate, but can they be potty trained and kept in the house? Chickens generally go to the bathroom anywhere. Can chickens be potty trained? I kind of doubt it. Also, I don’t think I could eat a rabbit or even a chicken after having them as pets for a while. I never met the chicken that I bought at the grocery store earlier and that’s just fine with me.
Now this is just silly and I laughed my head off. Of course, what’s not ridiculous these days? What do the environmentalists suggest that you do with your CO2 emitting canine or feline? PETA may not be too cool with this. Maybe the environmentalists and PETA can battle it out and beat each other down.
In Washington, one of the current president’s top economic advisors has indicated that the stimulus package implemented by the house, senate, and the current president has probably done most of what it’s going to do and will do very little in 2010. Talk about a major boondoggle? What a flop!
Healthcare reform gives me such a headache that I don’t want to write about it. Besides, there are plenty of other folks out there giving their opinions. Speaking of headaches, I wonder if I’ll still be allowed to get my migraine medicine if healthcare reform passes. The current president will probably suggest that I just take a couple of aspirins. Yea, right!
Well, rabbits are cute and cuddly; they are generally kept in cages outside. They’re probably affectionate, but can they be potty trained and kept in the house? Chickens generally go to the bathroom anywhere. Can chickens be potty trained? I kind of doubt it. Also, I don’t think I could eat a rabbit or even a chicken after having them as pets for a while. I never met the chicken that I bought at the grocery store earlier and that’s just fine with me.
Now this is just silly and I laughed my head off. Of course, what’s not ridiculous these days? What do the environmentalists suggest that you do with your CO2 emitting canine or feline? PETA may not be too cool with this. Maybe the environmentalists and PETA can battle it out and beat each other down.
In Washington, one of the current president’s top economic advisors has indicated that the stimulus package implemented by the house, senate, and the current president has probably done most of what it’s going to do and will do very little in 2010. Talk about a major boondoggle? What a flop!
Healthcare reform gives me such a headache that I don’t want to write about it. Besides, there are plenty of other folks out there giving their opinions. Speaking of headaches, I wonder if I’ll still be allowed to get my migraine medicine if healthcare reform passes. The current president will probably suggest that I just take a couple of aspirins. Yea, right!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
