Thursday, January 27, 2011

This Is Depressing


Growing up in Los Angeles, trying to kill yourself sledding took a lot of forethought. You couldn't just grab your sled after school and wander to the closest slope. We had to load up our sled, toboggans and inner-tubes and drive up to the snow in Angeles National Forest(about a 30-40 minute drive from my home).

Those rare occasions that we could convince a Dad to haul us up into the mountains were rare, but we couldn't wait to get up there and careen down hills and dodge trees. I remember crashing into trees and not being able to stop and falling into the stream at the bottom of the run. Bruises, limps and gashes were a badge of honor for the next school day when you could brag about hitting that bump in the run at 100 mph and flying at least 1/4 mile before getting the wind knocked out of you on landing...right before you hit the tree.

Now it seems to be a thing of the past (via Outside the Beltway)



I understand why cities would ban this. Today people just can't recognize that when they do something that entails some risk, there is a chance of getting hurt. Well, maybe they do, but being they got hurt, someone should have stopped them from doing it, so they sue. Now, even if you are willing to take the risk, you can't.

It's sad that kids growing up now will not get to enjoy that rush of joy from being on the edge of disaster and living through it.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Bill Just Needs To Be Tweaked

Obamacare is basically good for the people, it only needs a few corrections...they tell us.

A 2,000 page bill that no one, including the idiot congresscritters, had a chance to read and is filled with directives like "the Secretary shall decided", which means we don't know what the hell was voted on. Now they tell us it needs a few corrections. We are going to end up with a 5,000 page bill filled with "replacing Article 5, paragraph 3" and "super-ceding Article 2, unless conforming to Article 5, paragraph 9, line 15".

It's going to give the Tax Code a run for it's money before it's corrected... and it will never be completely corrected because the brilliant congresscritters know nothing about health care or insurance.

This abomination just needs to be thrown away and rewritten from the beginning with clear rules and delineations of powers.

We're in a hole with this, digging won't get us out.

Repeal the bill!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

How To Run Things

Whoa! A Governor that isn't there digging out cars and running around delivering diapers to snowbound people because the damn people who were hired to do the job aren’t doing it?

The next Election is still a ways off (we just finished the last one), and I probably do not agree with Christie on some things, but this a politician who seems to know how to set up a system that works and that is a rare thing nowadays. No bs. No excuses. You want a reason for his decision, he tells you straight.

I’m not impressed with most of the “front runners” so far, they all look like McCain Lite to me. If he decides to run, I’m willing to take a close look. If he doesn’t commit to run…maybe…maybe we can draft him.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

I Try To Help The Economy, And What Happens?

I have been living the life of a monk for a number of months. I've (kinda) kept up with my bills...damn, when you get to my age, months roll by in what seems like days. I go to work and go home. Grocery shopping every couple of weeks. That's about it.

Over the months, I was able to save up a pretty good chunk of cash sitting in my checking account...so I decided to splurge on myself.

I bought a big screen TV (before Kalifornia could make them illegal), a blue ray player, plus some blue ray discs to play on them.

I decided that I needed new clothes, so I bought 3 pairs of pants, 6 new shirts, lotsa socks and underwear, pajamas, a belt, and new hat.

And a couple of other fun things.

Tonight I stopped on the way home from work to put gas in my truck...no problem. Walked into the mart to get a carton of cigs, and my card was declined...BIG PROBLEM!!! Didn't have enough cash (remember cash?) to buy a carton, so I blew it off. Went across the street to my liquor store to pick up some beers, declined again. I did have enough cash for the beer, but now I was a bit miffed. I knew I had more than enough in the bank, so the paranoids start to set in...the IRS is after me for something...someone has gotten my card number and...wait a minute...I've gone from normal spending of about $1K per month (mortgage not included) to spending close to 2.5K in about a week and a half...wonder if that could be the problem.

Went online when I got home, and confirmed that there was ample cash in my account, so I called the "Help line" and I have to admit, they were helpful! Inside of 10 minutes, my card was unblocked, so life can return to normal tomorrow...even though I'll have to get up 15 minutes earlier to buy cigs on the way into work in the morning.

I tried to help pull us out of this Depression, well, no good deed goes unpunished.