Where did this idea for a border wall ever come from? I would like to know why we need one.
Oh, I'm sure it has something to do with the dangerous people that might enter this country. But isn't it more like a five billion dollar symbol of stupidity?
The great Ronald Reagan told Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" and inspired a generation to believe that walls were a waste of money and freedom is what makes this country great.
We live in a country where we will waste taxpayer dollars to build something that might keep some people out, but doesn't it go against everything we hold sacred in this country? Don't we believe this is the land of opportunity?
The people trying to get into this country by means that aren't always legal are doing it for a good reason. They want a better life. Sure, Trump can call them criminal, but it doesn't change the fact that we aren't even giving them a chance to tell their stories. We aren't allowing them to taste the sweet taste of freedom.
Instead, we are wasting money and getting upset with people that want what our ancestors wanted when they came over here, and that is they want freedom. This is the greatest experiment and the best experiment, and it is sad that we are willing to waste billions of dollars to erect probably the biggest scar on the landscape since the Berlin Wall.
I know you don't have to be smart to get elected to Washington, but don't they realize there are two oceans where people can come ashore? Are we going to build walls around the whole country?
Maybe we could use the money to help these countries find the freedoms that we have, and maybe we won't have to build walls to keep freedom seekers out of this great country.
I feel Donald Trump should stick to his promise and have someone else pay for the wall, oh, wait, nobody is that dumb.
As our government is shut down, let us think about this symbol of hate and waste, and try to remember the words of Ronald Reagan, "If history teaches anything, it teaches that self-delusion in the face of unpleasant facts is folly."
Friday, December 28, 2018
Sears and JCPenney Holding On
As a child, there were two Christmas catalogs that came in the mail. They were the holy grail of catalogs before the internet.
As a child, there were two stores in the mall that had a toy section that grew with the Christmas season. Sears and JCPenney are long gone. JCPenney disappeared from the mall so long ago that I can't remember when it left. The Sears store was the last anchor store in the mall and when it left, so did the mall. The mall is gone.
These once mighty giants are both facing hard times. They just could never adapt to the changing market tastes and too successful to think that the internet would kill their businesses.
JCPenney is trying to find something to get them out of debt and it doesn't seem like they are having any luck. It appears they didn't get a boost from the Christmas season.
Sears is for sale and today is the last day for someone to buy them, and there doesn't seem to be any real interest in the company except their previous CEO Eddie Lampert offering to buy Sears and KMart.
It is hard not getting a little nostalgic about the thought of sitting in my grandparents' houses and looking through the Christmas catalogs and writing my Christmas list. Both of my grandmothers bought the Christmas catalogs and both used the catalog to order their Christmas presents.
I remember my grandparents talking about ordering things from the Sears catalog. All of my grandparents grew up in rural areas and lived great distances from the large cities. They had to take the train to reach the big cities.
As we get closer to same-day deliveries from Amazon and WalMart has curbside pickup, the old stores of the past might vanish and become memories this next year. The once mighty giants are replaced with companies that didn't exist forty years ago, and these now mighty giants will someday be replaced with new companies that we can't really imagine right now, but it will happen.
Sure, I like the new technology and don't miss the old Christmas catalogs with only one picture of the items I liked. Today, I can go on a website and look at something from multiple angles and feel good about the fact I'm not getting a cheap piece of plastic, like the toys of the 1980s.
As a child, there were two stores in the mall that had a toy section that grew with the Christmas season. Sears and JCPenney are long gone. JCPenney disappeared from the mall so long ago that I can't remember when it left. The Sears store was the last anchor store in the mall and when it left, so did the mall. The mall is gone.
These once mighty giants are both facing hard times. They just could never adapt to the changing market tastes and too successful to think that the internet would kill their businesses.
JCPenney is trying to find something to get them out of debt and it doesn't seem like they are having any luck. It appears they didn't get a boost from the Christmas season.
Sears is for sale and today is the last day for someone to buy them, and there doesn't seem to be any real interest in the company except their previous CEO Eddie Lampert offering to buy Sears and KMart.
It is hard not getting a little nostalgic about the thought of sitting in my grandparents' houses and looking through the Christmas catalogs and writing my Christmas list. Both of my grandmothers bought the Christmas catalogs and both used the catalog to order their Christmas presents.
I remember my grandparents talking about ordering things from the Sears catalog. All of my grandparents grew up in rural areas and lived great distances from the large cities. They had to take the train to reach the big cities.
As we get closer to same-day deliveries from Amazon and WalMart has curbside pickup, the old stores of the past might vanish and become memories this next year. The once mighty giants are replaced with companies that didn't exist forty years ago, and these now mighty giants will someday be replaced with new companies that we can't really imagine right now, but it will happen.
Sure, I like the new technology and don't miss the old Christmas catalogs with only one picture of the items I liked. Today, I can go on a website and look at something from multiple angles and feel good about the fact I'm not getting a cheap piece of plastic, like the toys of the 1980s.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
The Santa Myth
Up on the rooftop reindeer pause, oh yeah, Santa is almost here with gifts and credit-card bills nicely waiting for you to pay. Did you think Santa works for free?
As a child, I wrote very long Christmas list that usually required taking lots of breaks for hand cramps and second and third looks at the Christmas catalogs for the proper numbers to put on my list. These long lists were the result of Saturday morning cartoons. Gi-Joe, He-Man and Voltron toys were always on the list. I never got any Voltron toys because I don't know why. I never asked my parents, after I found out they were Santa, why they never bought me a Voltron toy for Christmas.
I remember one year I used my grandmother's typewriter to write my Christmas list. I thought Santa would be impressed with the professionalism of my list. How old was I when I did this? I was ten. I know, probably too old to still believe in Santa. I don't disagree.
It is strange how the excitement of Santa coming would keep me awake. I would get so excited that I would only sleep for a couple of hours. I did listen for Santa on my rooftop and even with my sleep deprived brain I never heard anything more than the wind howling. This fact never shook my faith that Santa was real.
Yes, as the years went by and I got older, I started to question the Santa story. Wrapping paper on gifts from Santa that was also on gifts that my parents gave each other. My parents staying up and making a couple trips to and from the garage. I even remember one Christmas hearing my grandfather in the house, so I got up and soon got ushered back to bed. He had large orange sacks from Fleet Farm. I didn't see what was in the bags. I just figured I was getting ushered back to bed because I was supposed to be sleeping and not because my grandfather was bringing my Christmas gifts.
So, how did I find out that Santa wasn't real? It was a teacher that let it slip or just had enough of us acting like fools buying the Santa story.
Christmas just wouldn't be the same after finding out Santa wasn't real. Once you know your parents are Santa, well, you already know that it is foolish to ask for certain toys because of how your parents already told you "no" to the request for toys during the 364 days in the year that weren't Christmas.
Yes, the Santa myth makes childhood a little sweeter, but in the end, you only feel robbed because part of being a child means believing in things you can't see and it is just one more step in the path to adulthood and being viewed as foolish for believing in the things you can't see.
As a child, I wrote very long Christmas list that usually required taking lots of breaks for hand cramps and second and third looks at the Christmas catalogs for the proper numbers to put on my list. These long lists were the result of Saturday morning cartoons. Gi-Joe, He-Man and Voltron toys were always on the list. I never got any Voltron toys because I don't know why. I never asked my parents, after I found out they were Santa, why they never bought me a Voltron toy for Christmas.
I remember one year I used my grandmother's typewriter to write my Christmas list. I thought Santa would be impressed with the professionalism of my list. How old was I when I did this? I was ten. I know, probably too old to still believe in Santa. I don't disagree.
It is strange how the excitement of Santa coming would keep me awake. I would get so excited that I would only sleep for a couple of hours. I did listen for Santa on my rooftop and even with my sleep deprived brain I never heard anything more than the wind howling. This fact never shook my faith that Santa was real.
Yes, as the years went by and I got older, I started to question the Santa story. Wrapping paper on gifts from Santa that was also on gifts that my parents gave each other. My parents staying up and making a couple trips to and from the garage. I even remember one Christmas hearing my grandfather in the house, so I got up and soon got ushered back to bed. He had large orange sacks from Fleet Farm. I didn't see what was in the bags. I just figured I was getting ushered back to bed because I was supposed to be sleeping and not because my grandfather was bringing my Christmas gifts.
So, how did I find out that Santa wasn't real? It was a teacher that let it slip or just had enough of us acting like fools buying the Santa story.
Christmas just wouldn't be the same after finding out Santa wasn't real. Once you know your parents are Santa, well, you already know that it is foolish to ask for certain toys because of how your parents already told you "no" to the request for toys during the 364 days in the year that weren't Christmas.
Yes, the Santa myth makes childhood a little sweeter, but in the end, you only feel robbed because part of being a child means believing in things you can't see and it is just one more step in the path to adulthood and being viewed as foolish for believing in the things you can't see.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The World Needs Ditch Diggers
It is just the desire to find a job where you aren't the grunt and you can make a living and a comfortable living at it seems to be waiting just out of reach.
In the last couple of months, I felt a strong urge come over me. This feeling is the feeling I had when I picked my major in college. The urge shocked my almost defeated psyche and reminded me that the desire to do more is what I forgot in all the rejection letters I received when applying for jobs.
I won't say that I came to this lot in life any differently than the next person. I studied and prepared for life outside the gilded walls of academia, okay, in all honesty, I prepared myself for life after school. Had I studied a little harder I probably would have picked a different major. But what major should the class clown pick?
I feel like a college major is like a spouse and just like in marriage if you don't commit 100% to it at all times you could end on the losing end of a promising life.
I have friends that knew what they wanted to do with their lives when they were in grade school. They worked hard and set goals. That wasn't me in grade school or even high school.
But I can relate to the Danny character in Caddyshack because I procrastinated and felt the pressure to do something with my life. I watched a lot of my friends graduate from college and find jobs in their field. It just seemed too easy not to try it.
My parents encouraged me to go to college but they didn't push me. I feel lucky to have the parents I have because of how they supported me. I can't blame them for my lot, but I can thank them for the free life lessons and great parenting they gave me.
The world does need ditch diggers, but I don't know if that is what I am cut out to do with my life.
To Sue or Not to Sue
Of all the people harmed by the Netflix documentary, it turns out it might be the weakest link that feels it is time to sue Netflix. The man that manhandled the nightstand to find the key. The man that phoned in the license plate number before the vehicle was discovered. The man that suggested a dead man was responsible for the murder of a teenager in Manitowoc County when there is no evidence the dead man was even on the road the night of the hit-and-run. The man that received a phone call from Brown County saying they had the man that raped Penny Beernsten but he just laughed it off and did nothing about it.
The Netflix documentary is supposed to be unbiased, according to Colborn, but that seems like a stretch when it really only follows the Avery family. It is hard to argue that it is an unbiased account of the murder.
The documentary role, as I see it, is to raise questions about the murder trial and the questionable tactics of a sheriffs department that weren't even supposed to be on the crime scene.
Do I think Avery is innocent? No.
Do I think police planted evidence? No. I do think someone planted evidence because some of the physical evidence didn't match the story told to investigators.
I also think that the jury was tainted by Ken Kratz going before the cameras and telling a story that couldn't be backed by physical evidence.
Of all the people that could sue the makers of 'Making a Murder,' it seems like it is the weakest link in the bunch is the one looking for some money.
Colborn could win his case but it won't change the public perception of Colborn because of how good of a job the documentary did with portraying Colborn as someone that took part in something he shouldn't have because the Manitowoc Sheriffs department discovered the key evidence and allowed for the documentary to make a case for planting evidence. The best thing he could have done was not to get involved in the investigation but Colborn didn't see it as a conflict of interest.
The sad part for Colborn is that he is receiving death threats. No one should receive death threats and I feel sorry for him and his family because he was just doing his job. He doesn't come off as someone that was capable of planting evidence but just smart enough to follow the lead of his supervisors.
We also need to remember that there aren't a lot of murders in Calumet County and Manitowoc County so they really didn't have the experience to investigate the murder and there is a lot of things that could have been done to prevent the circus that followed the case and continues to follow the case.
It will be interesting to see if Colborn's case even makes it to court. It seems hard to believe that an innocent person would sue for slander. He is just drawing more attention to himself and if he had a better record of doing the right thing, well, then he would have a good case against Netflix.
The Netflix documentary is supposed to be unbiased, according to Colborn, but that seems like a stretch when it really only follows the Avery family. It is hard to argue that it is an unbiased account of the murder.
The documentary role, as I see it, is to raise questions about the murder trial and the questionable tactics of a sheriffs department that weren't even supposed to be on the crime scene.
Do I think Avery is innocent? No.
Do I think police planted evidence? No. I do think someone planted evidence because some of the physical evidence didn't match the story told to investigators.
I also think that the jury was tainted by Ken Kratz going before the cameras and telling a story that couldn't be backed by physical evidence.
Of all the people that could sue the makers of 'Making a Murder,' it seems like it is the weakest link in the bunch is the one looking for some money.
Colborn could win his case but it won't change the public perception of Colborn because of how good of a job the documentary did with portraying Colborn as someone that took part in something he shouldn't have because the Manitowoc Sheriffs department discovered the key evidence and allowed for the documentary to make a case for planting evidence. The best thing he could have done was not to get involved in the investigation but Colborn didn't see it as a conflict of interest.
The sad part for Colborn is that he is receiving death threats. No one should receive death threats and I feel sorry for him and his family because he was just doing his job. He doesn't come off as someone that was capable of planting evidence but just smart enough to follow the lead of his supervisors.
We also need to remember that there aren't a lot of murders in Calumet County and Manitowoc County so they really didn't have the experience to investigate the murder and there is a lot of things that could have been done to prevent the circus that followed the case and continues to follow the case.
It will be interesting to see if Colborn's case even makes it to court. It seems hard to believe that an innocent person would sue for slander. He is just drawing more attention to himself and if he had a better record of doing the right thing, well, then he would have a good case against Netflix.
Monday, December 17, 2018
The Pressure of Christmas Shopping
Christmastime is once upon us - it means waiting for Amazon deliveries and hearing the same five Christmas songs on the radio. You might even sing along with the songs by now, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what song it is. I prefer to turn off the radio when I hear Andy Williams start singing "Happy Holidays" like the scatcat that he wasn't. I do love the "12 Pains of Christmas" when it comes to Christmas tunes.
I won't quote the lyrics but give it a listen, if you want a good laugh. The song is a nice take on the traditional "12 Days of Christmas" song that gets as much air time as Andy Williams when it comes to annoying and overplayed Christmas songs.
Honestly, Christmas is about finding the right gift and the stress to find the perfect gift. There is nothing worse than the look of disappointment on your significant other or anyone else you purchased a gift for and seeing their face filled with disappointment. "Gee, I always wanted an autographed picture of Brett Favre." There is a lot of pressure on us to buy the right gift. Come on, who doesn't want a picture of a Hall of Fame quarterback?
The problem is that the very first Christmas Jesus got gifts from complete strangers. These strangers brought gifts that seem fitting for a baby. Jesus got gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is always a good gift. Frankincense makes sense because little kids stink and the myrrh can be used to calm a baby that is teething. Those guys knew how to shop.
Christmas time should never come as a surprise to us, but it seems that much thought isn't put into shopping for gifts until the last minute when most stores are picked over and it will cost you a small fortune to mail your gifts. You can even pay a little extra to get the gifts wrapped because we all know the struggles that gift wrapping can cause on the sensitive psyche of the Christmas gift giver. Gift wrapping should be a required class in high school because it can make or break the gift giving experience.
It is getting late in the Christmas season and some people are playing it cool and waiting to save a dollar or two, but just remember that there are people that have all their gifts purchased and wrapped so perfectly. They can now enjoy the rest of the Christmas season because they are prepared for anything that will come their way in the next seven days of shopping. They don't have to even go to the crowded stores to shop because they can now go and taunt the shoppers looking for the gifts that are no longer on the shelf.
The bar was set high by the Wise Men when they gave money and practical gifts, but their lesson is lost because the evil marketing geniuses make us feel that practical is impractical when it comes to Christmas gifts. Modern man doesn't even know what practical gifts look like because of the constant commercials and ads telling them a woman wants expensive gifts and men want expensive cars.
Yes, right now there is a man looking for the perfect gift for his wife or girlfriend. His natural tendency is to go to Home Depot, but the little voice in his head tells him that he needs to go somewhere where they sell jewelry. He panics and goes to WalMart and gets more confused. He will end up buying something that he thinks is practical and thoughtful. This poor man forgot all the important hints given to him back in February when his wife or girlfriend specifically said what she wanted to have for Christmas, but he was too busy thinking about what he wanted on his pizza. He won't understand why his wife or girlfriend is upset at the gift.
So this Christmas when you give out your gifts and get the look of sadness. Don't forget to remind people that Jesus was happy with practical gifts. He would love a picture of Brett Favre.
Donald Trump and It's a Wonderful Life
Donald Trump seems to have a thin skin when it comes to SNL poking fun at him. This Saturday was no different because SNL used It's a Wonderful Life to make fun of the president.
I look at the characters of It's a Wonderful Life and think of Donald Trump as the Sam Wainwright character. "Hee-Haw!" is as annoying as "You're Fired" any day. They are both clowns that find success thanks to their fathers.
But let us look a little closer at the similarities of Sam Wainwright character to Donald Trump. Sam Wainwright is a New York playboy who doesn't seem able to commit to one woman, sounds a lot like Trump. He is greedy, like Trump. He doesn't have to fight during the war, just like Trump. I don't believe that Sam Wainwright had bone spurs, but for some reason, these two rich kids didn't have to fight during wartime.
The real difference is that Sam Wainwright was willing to help a poor friend and Donald Trump really doesn't seem to have any friends.
Just think about how closely Donald Trump resembles Sam Wainwright more than he resembles George Bailey. I understand SNL needed the president wishing he was still the president for their joke to work.
I look at the characters of It's a Wonderful Life and think of Donald Trump as the Sam Wainwright character. "Hee-Haw!" is as annoying as "You're Fired" any day. They are both clowns that find success thanks to their fathers.
But let us look a little closer at the similarities of Sam Wainwright character to Donald Trump. Sam Wainwright is a New York playboy who doesn't seem able to commit to one woman, sounds a lot like Trump. He is greedy, like Trump. He doesn't have to fight during the war, just like Trump. I don't believe that Sam Wainwright had bone spurs, but for some reason, these two rich kids didn't have to fight during wartime.
The real difference is that Sam Wainwright was willing to help a poor friend and Donald Trump really doesn't seem to have any friends.
Just think about how closely Donald Trump resembles Sam Wainwright more than he resembles George Bailey. I understand SNL needed the president wishing he was still the president for their joke to work.
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Making Money By Plagiarizing
Every generation has a group of religious leaders that make a lot of money off the Bible and lessons found in the Bible.
This generation of men and women making money off the message that can be found by just reading the Bible.
Maybe we just need our Bible read to us and don't trust what we read? I read a few of the books written by Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, and John Haggee because it seems strange to me that these men can make lots of money writing books based off of what they believe is important to living the good life.
Joel Osteen lives in a big mansion that was paid for by the sales of his book.
Rick Warren claims he only keeps 10% of the profits made from his book sales. There is no doubt that 10% of his book sales made him very rich.
John Maxwell is more of a guy that writes books about leadership. He makes a lot of money from his books.
John Haggee is the leader of a megachurch that has 22,000 members.
Joyce Meyer makes money off her books and her ministry. She used to take a $900,000 salary from the ministry. She claims to use the royalties from her book sales and takes a much smaller salary.
These are just some of the rich religious men and women making money off the need to find direction using some ideas from the Bible.
It seems odd that religious men can make so much money and not find problems in the wealth made from weakly veiled plagiarism of the Bible with a nice mix of secular ideas to be palatable to a large segment of the population. Yes, these are smart men and women living in a society that rewards them for their writing and preaching.
Sure, these aren't the only men to make money off the Bible and they won't be the last. It isn't like these men are selling us on new insights into the word of God. It is just that they know how to get people to hand over their money without being able to feel the tinge of guilt from profiting off something that isn't original.
Just imagine Jesus writing books and making money off it. It is hard for me to picture it. Maybe it isn't hard to imagine.
This generation of men and women making money off the message that can be found by just reading the Bible.
Maybe we just need our Bible read to us and don't trust what we read? I read a few of the books written by Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, and John Haggee because it seems strange to me that these men can make lots of money writing books based off of what they believe is important to living the good life.
Joel Osteen lives in a big mansion that was paid for by the sales of his book.
Rick Warren claims he only keeps 10% of the profits made from his book sales. There is no doubt that 10% of his book sales made him very rich.
John Maxwell is more of a guy that writes books about leadership. He makes a lot of money from his books.
John Haggee is the leader of a megachurch that has 22,000 members.
Joyce Meyer makes money off her books and her ministry. She used to take a $900,000 salary from the ministry. She claims to use the royalties from her book sales and takes a much smaller salary.
These are just some of the rich religious men and women making money off the need to find direction using some ideas from the Bible.
It seems odd that religious men can make so much money and not find problems in the wealth made from weakly veiled plagiarism of the Bible with a nice mix of secular ideas to be palatable to a large segment of the population. Yes, these are smart men and women living in a society that rewards them for their writing and preaching.
Sure, these aren't the only men to make money off the Bible and they won't be the last. It isn't like these men are selling us on new insights into the word of God. It is just that they know how to get people to hand over their money without being able to feel the tinge of guilt from profiting off something that isn't original.
Just imagine Jesus writing books and making money off it. It is hard for me to picture it. Maybe it isn't hard to imagine.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
The Intent to Bury News
"Draining the Swamp" sounded like a way to make the candidate Donald Trump sound less like a politician and more like a man concerned with the fate of the country.
We are now finding out that the candidate Trump did a lot to keep stories out of the news that might have influenced our opinions of him.
Trump paid hush money to women that he slept with because he didn't want them to influence the election. That is clear by the deal the National Enquirer made with the special counsel. The National Enquirer gets immunity for their help. Let me get this straight, we are supposed to take the word of a gossip magazine and believe them to be honest.
Don't get me wrong there is a pattern being established when it comes to how Donald Trump and his friends at the National Enquirer operated when it came to stories dealing with Trump.
But we seem to forget that there was the famous tape of Trump making some misogynistic claims and yet that didn't influence the election.
It seems it is a stretch of the imagination that Trump sleeping with two women would harm his character any more than his history of marriage and divorce, but that didn't stop the magazine from helping Trump make the stories go away. And now the magazine is getting a free pass when it comes to its crimes because they are singing like a canary.
The nation seems to have gotten past the idea that the president can't be divorced. Bill Clinton got elected after numerous claims that he had extramarital affairs. But for some reason, Donald Trump felt the country couldn't accept the fact that he can't remain faithful to one wife.
Our moral compass doesn't seem to register these missteps of leaders as indicators of moral ineptitude and we seem more worried about what they can do for us.
Donald Trump just paraphrased what Obama during his first campaign. Instead "Change" it was "Drain the Swamp" uttered to a country looking for their "Change" when it comes to the way the country is run.
There is a lot of money being spent to discover things we already know and that is that Donald Trump only looks out for himself. He doesn't seem to have a firm grasp of the law or how to surround himself with brilliant people that will protect him.
We are now finding out that the candidate Trump did a lot to keep stories out of the news that might have influenced our opinions of him.
Trump paid hush money to women that he slept with because he didn't want them to influence the election. That is clear by the deal the National Enquirer made with the special counsel. The National Enquirer gets immunity for their help. Let me get this straight, we are supposed to take the word of a gossip magazine and believe them to be honest.
Don't get me wrong there is a pattern being established when it comes to how Donald Trump and his friends at the National Enquirer operated when it came to stories dealing with Trump.
But we seem to forget that there was the famous tape of Trump making some misogynistic claims and yet that didn't influence the election.
It seems it is a stretch of the imagination that Trump sleeping with two women would harm his character any more than his history of marriage and divorce, but that didn't stop the magazine from helping Trump make the stories go away. And now the magazine is getting a free pass when it comes to its crimes because they are singing like a canary.
The nation seems to have gotten past the idea that the president can't be divorced. Bill Clinton got elected after numerous claims that he had extramarital affairs. But for some reason, Donald Trump felt the country couldn't accept the fact that he can't remain faithful to one wife.
Our moral compass doesn't seem to register these missteps of leaders as indicators of moral ineptitude and we seem more worried about what they can do for us.
Donald Trump just paraphrased what Obama during his first campaign. Instead "Change" it was "Drain the Swamp" uttered to a country looking for their "Change" when it comes to the way the country is run.
There is a lot of money being spent to discover things we already know and that is that Donald Trump only looks out for himself. He doesn't seem to have a firm grasp of the law or how to surround himself with brilliant people that will protect him.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
When Opinion Trumps Facts
I enjoy watching the morning news, and really enjoy listening to reporters insert their opinions to news stories, but mostly I enjoy listening to Gayle King try to hammer home the idea that Trump acts unpresidential. Rarely have I heard any reporter that wasn't on Fox News try to hammer home a theme like that, but to her credit, she sure tries to make the audience believe that world is coming to end with Trump as president. Her blatant bias drips of viper venom dripping from the mouth of a doped up liberal spewing campaign slogans of the Hero she worships.
Don't get me wrong, Gayle King isn't the only one giving her opinion on news stories. Her cohosts do a good job of adding their opinions and distracting from the facts. But at some point, the bias needs to be toned down or maybe it is just for ratings that we get the see the spectacle of opinion masquerading as fact on our morning news programs.
If we close our eyes and search our memories we can find great examples of presidents being presidential...Oh, wait, you can't think of too many examples from the last forty years.
The last president liked to play golf and shoot hoops, but he sure knew how to rally his base. Remember when Obama made an angry constipated face at Putin. I bet Putin probably soiled his old Soviet britches when he saw that face.
How should a president act? According to Gayle King, a president should act presidential. I really haven't heard her give any good examples, but it doesn't stop her from trying to throw around the idea we are all doomed because Trump isn't her man.
I feel Trump acts in ways to distract us from what is really going on in the world. The stock market goes up and down on a weekly basis. We rarely hear anything about the rest of the world because we are so caught up in the world of the wack president. What CRAZY thing did Trump do today?
Sure, it isn't fair for me to just pick out one example of how the news is more opinion than fact. When reporters are allowed to insert opinions we lose sight of the facts and become a little dumber for it.
I don't condone any of Trump's behaviors and find it upsetting that the Democratic leadership played along with the game and didn't seem to know that they were taking part in the greatest show on earth when they debated the border wall in front of the media.
The days where facts trump theatricals are long gone. Our news is spewed from the mouths of attractive commentators parading around as serious journalists and our nation doesn't seem awake to this fact.
Yes, there are people that aren't duped by the actors playing reporters on the television set or smartphone screen, and they probably don't get upset about the fact because they don't watch the morning news.
At some point, I might stop watching the morning news, but right now I watch because I want to see if they will top yesterday's performance with something crazier.
I guess we are just stuck on stage wishing that the future gets better actors and a bigger budget because the actors we have now are making a farce of a once great idea.
Don't get me wrong, Gayle King isn't the only one giving her opinion on news stories. Her cohosts do a good job of adding their opinions and distracting from the facts. But at some point, the bias needs to be toned down or maybe it is just for ratings that we get the see the spectacle of opinion masquerading as fact on our morning news programs.
If we close our eyes and search our memories we can find great examples of presidents being presidential...Oh, wait, you can't think of too many examples from the last forty years.
The last president liked to play golf and shoot hoops, but he sure knew how to rally his base. Remember when Obama made an angry constipated face at Putin. I bet Putin probably soiled his old Soviet britches when he saw that face.
How should a president act? According to Gayle King, a president should act presidential. I really haven't heard her give any good examples, but it doesn't stop her from trying to throw around the idea we are all doomed because Trump isn't her man.
I feel Trump acts in ways to distract us from what is really going on in the world. The stock market goes up and down on a weekly basis. We rarely hear anything about the rest of the world because we are so caught up in the world of the wack president. What CRAZY thing did Trump do today?
Sure, it isn't fair for me to just pick out one example of how the news is more opinion than fact. When reporters are allowed to insert opinions we lose sight of the facts and become a little dumber for it.
I don't condone any of Trump's behaviors and find it upsetting that the Democratic leadership played along with the game and didn't seem to know that they were taking part in the greatest show on earth when they debated the border wall in front of the media.
The days where facts trump theatricals are long gone. Our news is spewed from the mouths of attractive commentators parading around as serious journalists and our nation doesn't seem awake to this fact.
Yes, there are people that aren't duped by the actors playing reporters on the television set or smartphone screen, and they probably don't get upset about the fact because they don't watch the morning news.
At some point, I might stop watching the morning news, but right now I watch because I want to see if they will top yesterday's performance with something crazier.
I guess we are just stuck on stage wishing that the future gets better actors and a bigger budget because the actors we have now are making a farce of a once great idea.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Why We Can't Admire Donald's Behavior
“Behaviour that's admired
is the path to power among people everywhere.”
― Beowulf
The ship seems to be taking on water and the great experiment isn't doing so well, and that is the experiment of electing a president that doesn't seem to have any moral compass.
I say it is the great experiment because Donald Trump came to power on the idea that he wasn't a Washington insider and whatever else he claimed to be and voters believed when they voted for him. He hasn't done anything to improve his approval rating and seems fine doing things his way and at times acting like a five-year-old that needs a nap.
Donald Trump's behavior is always on display and it seems to relish the fact the media seems obsessed with his odd behavior. We know that he isn't always a great statesman, and he taking a big risk with all the tariffs he believes will help the United States, but that is the kind of guy we knew he was going to be.
But you have to wonder how bad it really is in the White House when people are turning down jobs in the White House. John Kelly is out, and nobody seems to want the job. Sure, there are a few people that are mentioned, but it seems like they are the usual names of people that only know how to say 'YES' to Donald Trump.
When people say 'NO' to the president, well, you have to wonder what is really going on in the White House. Do they see something we don't see, or maybe they know something we don't know. It might just be that they are waiting to see what happens with the whole Russian investigation before they commit to any job in the White House.
At the end of the day, we will have to see if Donald Trump's behavior changes or will he stay the course as more people jump off the ship.
is the path to power among people everywhere.”
― Beowulf
The ship seems to be taking on water and the great experiment isn't doing so well, and that is the experiment of electing a president that doesn't seem to have any moral compass.
I say it is the great experiment because Donald Trump came to power on the idea that he wasn't a Washington insider and whatever else he claimed to be and voters believed when they voted for him. He hasn't done anything to improve his approval rating and seems fine doing things his way and at times acting like a five-year-old that needs a nap.
Donald Trump's behavior is always on display and it seems to relish the fact the media seems obsessed with his odd behavior. We know that he isn't always a great statesman, and he taking a big risk with all the tariffs he believes will help the United States, but that is the kind of guy we knew he was going to be.
But you have to wonder how bad it really is in the White House when people are turning down jobs in the White House. John Kelly is out, and nobody seems to want the job. Sure, there are a few people that are mentioned, but it seems like they are the usual names of people that only know how to say 'YES' to Donald Trump.
When people say 'NO' to the president, well, you have to wonder what is really going on in the White House. Do they see something we don't see, or maybe they know something we don't know. It might just be that they are waiting to see what happens with the whole Russian investigation before they commit to any job in the White House.
At the end of the day, we will have to see if Donald Trump's behavior changes or will he stay the course as more people jump off the ship.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Donnie Clueless
'Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?' Job 38:2
There is a sense in Washington and in the nation that we are seeing another Whitewater or just another dumb scandal from the Whitehouse. It seems like we can't elect a president that is capable of making through their term or terms without some kind of scandal.
Donnie is no different, but he is the first president to be investigated for crimes he might have committed before he became president.
It is easy to believe the man didn't know the laws of the lands, but that takes a great leap of faith to think he didn't know his transactions with the Russian government were probably illegal.
No, I think Donnie was and probably is still using the government to prop up his business interest. It is easy to see that Donnie likes to use taxpayer money to help out his resorts. How many working vacations did he take to his resorts?
As president, Donnie seems primed to leverage his business interest make some money on the side. By working with the Russian government he seems primed to make a lot of money, or his trust is going to make a lot of money.
It was a horrible idea to use mix business with the affairs of the state, but Donnie seems good at not knowing what the laws are or how they relate to him. He seems to do what he wants. He also likes to fire the people that don't do his bidding.
The SS Donnie is taking on water and he doesn't seem to know how to get off the boat and take a dingy to shore. His arrogance and ignorance are wasting taxpayer money at levels that even our great-grandchildren will never be able to repay.
The president might survive this scandal, but it will be almost impossible for him to get reelected, and that is when the country will really have to pay for the issue of electing Donnie.
There is a sense in Washington and in the nation that we are seeing another Whitewater or just another dumb scandal from the Whitehouse. It seems like we can't elect a president that is capable of making through their term or terms without some kind of scandal.
Donnie is no different, but he is the first president to be investigated for crimes he might have committed before he became president.
It is easy to believe the man didn't know the laws of the lands, but that takes a great leap of faith to think he didn't know his transactions with the Russian government were probably illegal.
No, I think Donnie was and probably is still using the government to prop up his business interest. It is easy to see that Donnie likes to use taxpayer money to help out his resorts. How many working vacations did he take to his resorts?
As president, Donnie seems primed to leverage his business interest make some money on the side. By working with the Russian government he seems primed to make a lot of money, or his trust is going to make a lot of money.
It was a horrible idea to use mix business with the affairs of the state, but Donnie seems good at not knowing what the laws are or how they relate to him. He seems to do what he wants. He also likes to fire the people that don't do his bidding.
The SS Donnie is taking on water and he doesn't seem to know how to get off the boat and take a dingy to shore. His arrogance and ignorance are wasting taxpayer money at levels that even our great-grandchildren will never be able to repay.
The president might survive this scandal, but it will be almost impossible for him to get reelected, and that is when the country will really have to pay for the issue of electing Donnie.
Monday, December 3, 2018
Clinging to Something
The Republicans in control of Wisconsin are clinging to something that hasn't worked for years, but in their minds they believe they have done a lot of good for this state, so now they believe it is good to change the power structure in the state.
Scott Walker lost, so now the sore losers are going to change the rules so they can stay the course.
If the way they ran the state was so good why is the state losing money and in more debt than in past years? That doesn't sound like good policies or something that needs protecting.
This latest move by Republicans is just another waste of taxpayer dollars, and those precious dollars they seem so worried about saving. Any move the Republicans make now will probably be challenged and end up in the courts.
The Republicans are worried about Tony Evers destroying all the good work that hasn't been accomplished. What is the proof they have to offer that their policies did anything but put lipstick on a pig? The people of the state made a choice and now the Republicans hope they can change the rules now before they lose complete control in January.
The Republicans never shrunk the state budget under Scott Walker. They made cuts to the budget but the budget never shrunk. They pushed off debt to future generations.
The governor of Wisconsin has a lot of power, but right now the power play looks like a bunch of little children taking their ball home because they lost. They should have fixed the problem when they first took over the state and now it seems just a little suspicious that it is time to change the rules to favor their policies.
"I'm concerned. I think Gov-elect Evers is going to bring a liberal agenda to Wisconsin and the idea that there's going to be a complete shift in Wisconsin, I don't have any problem highlighting that right now. I want people to understand that." Scott Fitzgerald told reporters.
At least Fitzgerlad is kind of being honest in that he fears his agenda might not get the green light it got in the past and that is why he is trying to change the rules.
We will have to see how much these latest political moves cost the state.
Scott Walker lost, so now the sore losers are going to change the rules so they can stay the course.
If the way they ran the state was so good why is the state losing money and in more debt than in past years? That doesn't sound like good policies or something that needs protecting.
This latest move by Republicans is just another waste of taxpayer dollars, and those precious dollars they seem so worried about saving. Any move the Republicans make now will probably be challenged and end up in the courts.
The Republicans are worried about Tony Evers destroying all the good work that hasn't been accomplished. What is the proof they have to offer that their policies did anything but put lipstick on a pig? The people of the state made a choice and now the Republicans hope they can change the rules now before they lose complete control in January.
The Republicans never shrunk the state budget under Scott Walker. They made cuts to the budget but the budget never shrunk. They pushed off debt to future generations.
The governor of Wisconsin has a lot of power, but right now the power play looks like a bunch of little children taking their ball home because they lost. They should have fixed the problem when they first took over the state and now it seems just a little suspicious that it is time to change the rules to favor their policies.
"I'm concerned. I think Gov-elect Evers is going to bring a liberal agenda to Wisconsin and the idea that there's going to be a complete shift in Wisconsin, I don't have any problem highlighting that right now. I want people to understand that." Scott Fitzgerald told reporters.
At least Fitzgerlad is kind of being honest in that he fears his agenda might not get the green light it got in the past and that is why he is trying to change the rules.
We will have to see how much these latest political moves cost the state.
Goodbye, Mike McCarthy
"Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit." George Carlin
As a sports fan, I find this quote fits the situation in Green Bay today. The Packers fired their head coach because they felt the team was underperforming and Mike McCarthy wasn't doing enough to get the team ready to play this season.
I honestly feel that Mike McCarthy sealed his fate last year when he stuck with a bad defensive coordinator and a horrible backup quarterback.
The Packers didn't take the chance to sign Colin Kaepernick last year because they put their faith in a "Preseason God" that turned out to look more like Dudley Dooright then a competent quarterback. The Packers defense didn't look good for years but McCarthy stuck with Dom Capers.
I don't get to make the important decisions when it comes to the NFL roster of the Green Bay Packers, but I do get the right to gripe about the poor decision making that the Packers make from time to time.
Some of the experts said the Packers should have fired McCarthy after the debacle in Seatle where the Packers blew a 16 point lead and missed the Super Bowl. That game took place in 2014 but the hangover is still felt today.
But Mike McCarthy's Packers always seemed to make the mental mistakes that good teams don't make. This year the mental mistakes just piled up and so did the loses. Special team mistakes this year cost the Packers at least three games, but the coach stuck with his kicker and his special teams' coach.
These mistakes by the former coach might get fixed at his next stop, but they were enough of a hindrance to cause him to lose his job.
Sure, Aaron Rodgers looked horrible this season. He can't throw a simple pass to save his life this year. Rodgers looks old and looks like he doesn't have the arm strength he once had and he definitely worries too much about throwing interceptions. He is risk-averse and lacks the arm strength to make the throws he made two years ago. Mike McCarthy should have adjusted his playcalling to make up for the deficiencies of the highest paid quarterback.
We as fans want to blame someone, but there is a lot of blame to go around in Green Bay. They stuck with Ted Thompson for too long and most of his draft picks aren't even on the roster today. They stuck with Dom Capers when their defense looked horrible. They make some questionable calls when it comes to personnel. You can't pay your quarterback a ton of money and stick with a porous offensive line.
Mike McCarthy should of, could of, and well, now he is unemployed. Will he go to the Cleveland Browns and turn that franchise around? Is there a chance he ends up in Pittsburg? It will be interesting to see what team takes a chance on the guy.
At the end of the day, I felt that Mike McCarthy was done in Green Bay and he was done with Aaron Rodgers because he did nothing to protect the overpaid drama king of Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers onfield pouting set a tone for this season and Rodgers used the media to mock his coach. He just seemed to have enough and seemed to be looking towards next year in a way that seemed too obvious to old Packers fans.
As a sports fan, I find this quote fits the situation in Green Bay today. The Packers fired their head coach because they felt the team was underperforming and Mike McCarthy wasn't doing enough to get the team ready to play this season.
I honestly feel that Mike McCarthy sealed his fate last year when he stuck with a bad defensive coordinator and a horrible backup quarterback.
The Packers didn't take the chance to sign Colin Kaepernick last year because they put their faith in a "Preseason God" that turned out to look more like Dudley Dooright then a competent quarterback. The Packers defense didn't look good for years but McCarthy stuck with Dom Capers.
I don't get to make the important decisions when it comes to the NFL roster of the Green Bay Packers, but I do get the right to gripe about the poor decision making that the Packers make from time to time.
Some of the experts said the Packers should have fired McCarthy after the debacle in Seatle where the Packers blew a 16 point lead and missed the Super Bowl. That game took place in 2014 but the hangover is still felt today.
But Mike McCarthy's Packers always seemed to make the mental mistakes that good teams don't make. This year the mental mistakes just piled up and so did the loses. Special team mistakes this year cost the Packers at least three games, but the coach stuck with his kicker and his special teams' coach.
These mistakes by the former coach might get fixed at his next stop, but they were enough of a hindrance to cause him to lose his job.
Sure, Aaron Rodgers looked horrible this season. He can't throw a simple pass to save his life this year. Rodgers looks old and looks like he doesn't have the arm strength he once had and he definitely worries too much about throwing interceptions. He is risk-averse and lacks the arm strength to make the throws he made two years ago. Mike McCarthy should have adjusted his playcalling to make up for the deficiencies of the highest paid quarterback.
We as fans want to blame someone, but there is a lot of blame to go around in Green Bay. They stuck with Ted Thompson for too long and most of his draft picks aren't even on the roster today. They stuck with Dom Capers when their defense looked horrible. They make some questionable calls when it comes to personnel. You can't pay your quarterback a ton of money and stick with a porous offensive line.
Mike McCarthy should of, could of, and well, now he is unemployed. Will he go to the Cleveland Browns and turn that franchise around? Is there a chance he ends up in Pittsburg? It will be interesting to see what team takes a chance on the guy.
At the end of the day, I felt that Mike McCarthy was done in Green Bay and he was done with Aaron Rodgers because he did nothing to protect the overpaid drama king of Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers onfield pouting set a tone for this season and Rodgers used the media to mock his coach. He just seemed to have enough and seemed to be looking towards next year in a way that seemed too obvious to old Packers fans.
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