ROADHOUSE DON'T FLY

WARNING!!! Before you read this, if you are a frequent flyer, I urge you to just skip this post all together.

Much like Mr. T's character "B.A. Barakas" from the iconic 80's TV show "The A-Team", I would have to be unwillingly and unknowingly knocked out if I were ever expected to set foot on an air plane...or any other aircraft for that matter.

Aside from my "Achilles Heal" of severe acrophobia, I have also been cursed with a tendency to notice things that others don't. Though that's great for understanding the world of politics, it tends to be a big fat anchor around my neck when it comes to all things risky or fun. Case in point; air travel.

I will not fly for many reasons. First, they won't let me take my .45 on the plane. Trust me, when matched against a nut-job with a box cutter, my .45 and I will be victorious. Unarmed, it's a crap shoot. Second, I hate lines and crowds.

The biggest reason I will not fly is my complete lack of trust in humanity today. Me getting on a plane would go something like this. I walk toward the plane and the little mouse wheel in my brain starts to spin off it's axle. I imagine the hung-over airplane mechanic who recently had a fight with his wife about using the wrong bath towel. I picture him angrily pounding on some random engine part that isn't fitting properly. He then forgets to install the right washers that are supposed to hold the fuel injection ports in place.

My mind then drifts to the pilots. Are they in that particular cockpit because they have decades of experience and are considered "indispensable" by the airline? Or are they there because some liberal, affirmative action/quota policy that requires the hiring of pilots of a certain ethnicity, as opposed to a certain competency?

I think of the factory worker who forged the engine mounts of my airplane. Is he a worker who actually takes some pride in his job? Or is he a union worker who does nothing more than what his contract calls for, regardless of how it effects the bottom line of his boss's company? Worse yet, is that worker an illegal alien who holds a fraudulent Social Security card that hides a record of arrests for drug smuggling and child porn?

I know, I know...you are more likely to get hit by lightning than be in a plane crash. But I don't stand outside in lightning storms either. And I know that more people get into car crashes than ever do plane crashes. Yeah, but how many people ever survive a plane crash? I've been in several car and motorcycle crashes in my lifetime and walked away from every one...so far (knock on wood). How many people do you know that have ever survived a plane crash?

If you still don't understand why I won't get on a plane, I suggest you ask the following people their opinion on the subject: Buddy Holley, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, The better half of Lynnyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Patsy Cline, Randy Rhodes, John Denver, Davey Allison, or Amelia Earhart.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Traditionally, newly elected Presidents wait until after their inauguration to get entangled in scandals or demonstrate total incompetence. But today we are living in the age of "change", and that's exactly what we're getting.
President-Elect Obama has already demonstrated a complete lack of ability in delegating his authority by virtue of his appointments to various positions in his administration. From his first pick of Rahm Emmanuel of Fannie May and Freddy Mac fame, to the pro-war in Iraq one day and anti the next - Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. Not one to rest on his laurels, Obama decided to then fix the intelligence community that he has spent so much time criticizing by appointing a man who has absolutely no experience or back ground in anything resembling the intelligence community. Leon Pannetta - who better to put in charge of gathering intelligence in a time of war with a ruthless enemy than a guy who equates getting a terrorist wet (water boarding) with torturing one?
His appointment of Bill Richardson lasted about the same amount of time that it takes for me to warm a Hot Pocket. And the list keep on growing.
But my personal favorite is his recent appointment of Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary. Who better to head the IRS than someone who can't pay his own taxes? When his name was first mentioned as Obama's pick, I had never heard of him, but people on both sides of the isle had nothing by great things to say about him. My "Spidey sense" went into overdrive when I realized that he was liked by both ends of the spectrum.
This brings me to my next question. Where are all those bloggers and pundits who saw fit to criticize "Joe the plumber" for being behind on his taxes? Joe's only claim to fame at that point had been to ask "His Hopeness" a simple question (how dare he). His profession involved pipe fittings and ball valves, not the nation's financial future. Geithner is supposed to be the guy who's going to set the standard and lead this country out of financial Armageddon, yet he can't even manage his own taxes?
The worst part is watching the media and "Sir Hopesalot" himself try to downplay the relevance of Geithner's shenanigans. Yet Joe the plumber was unfit to mearly ask a question because of his tax situation.
No double standard there, huh? Keep in mind that I haven't even mentioned "Blago-gate" or Obama's economic speach last week where he basically told the world that he has no clue how the nation's economy works. It's going to be a fun four years.

GUEST AUTHOR

The other day, I was making my usual rounds across the blogosphere when I was introduced to the concept of a "guest author" courtesy of one of my regular haunts - GO ZACK blog http://gozack.blogspot.com/. Being a rookie in the blog world, I had not heard of this before, but was impressed with the idea. In a world where our egos tend to do the driving, it seems to me that some humility, magnanimity, and basic generosity are traits we should all explore now and then. Having someone else take the wheel of something you put personal effort into seems to be a great way to that.
Though technically the following is not a an article by a guest author, it is actually a short essay I lifted from the comment box of my last blog. Written by "JMK" at Working Class Conservative blog http://workingclassconservative.blogspot.com/, it seemed to be too well written and too relevant to the subject to be relegated to the comment box of my blog. I offer JMK's comments as the perfect followup to my previous article.

JMK Wrote the following in response to my article "Break Over":
This is part of an incrementally increasing problem in my view.It's generational and it's generational because we are seeing the generational impact of the loss of our national "rugged individualism" and our respect for self reliance and Liberty with each passing decade. I can see the trajectory very clearly in my own family, my grandparents were incredibly self reliant. They not only "never asked for anything, " they never expected much" from their fellow citizens, whom they knew were as busy as they were, nor their government.
My Dad's generation was reared in the Great Depression, he fought in WW II and Korea and then came out and worked 38 years in the FDNY during the "riot years" in some of the busiest firehouses in NYC.That guy never had an easy day in his life and never expected less. While he wasn't quite as self-sufficient as my grandfather, who built his own house with a single friend, he was self reliant enough. It was that generation that made the first mis-step and they made it out of the best of intentions.
After WW II America's was the only economy left standing and times were good....real good. The GI Bill allowed millions of men who'd never been able to get into to College in the past, get in and go. In turn, they sought to make their kid's lives as easy as possible. Yes, there was discipline and chores and expectations, but they were the first generation to give more and expect less from their kids. After that, the flood gates opened. The generation that grew up in the sick 1960s saw "discipline as punishment" and saw "tolerance" and "not judging" as the highest moral dictates....and THEY raised a generation of, while not entirely, overwhelmingly spoiled, self-centered brats...and now some of those lost souls are breeding yet another generation that seems the least connected, the least self-motivated and most dependent and entitled YET!
The question is, where do we go from here? Will the coming economic tsunami intensify beyond our wildest imaginings - there are some DOPES who think the current economy is "the worst since the Great Depression", when it actually pales in comparison to the Carter years - taking into account how limited those imaginings are? And if it does, will it refocus us on the things that made America great - that self reliance, private property rights, individualism....OR will it result in a weakened generation simply surrendering and giving in to total dependency?
If it's the former, we may reclaim our greatness.
If it's the latter, we may well wind up serfs to a growing and avaricious Chinese empire...and deservedly so.

BREAK OVER!

OK, the holidays are officially over. After my brief hiatus from the blogosphere, I think it's about time I get back into the mix. The problem is, I just don't know where to start. Sure, I could join the Frey and post something about "Blago/Burres/Obama-gate", but really...who cares? And who's really surprised anyway. I could post something about Israel going into Gaza. But once you've said "It's about friggn' time", what more is there to say? Instead of writing yet another op-ed about the world of politics, today I'm opting to touch on something a little more...cultural.

The week prior to Christmas I was in the middle of my traditional last minute approach to ruining the true meaning of the season by giving-in to the shameless commercialism that the Savior's birthday has now become, when I had an epiphany. There are too many idiots in this world. I'm not talking about the "common" brand of idiot; people who drive a Prius, fat people that drink 72 oz. diet sodas, or Obama voters. No, I'm talking about the new level of idiot known as the "self mutilator".

As I was searching the shelves of a well-known book store chain trying to find a children's version of "A Christmas Carol" I was approached by one of the employees who asked if he could help me find something. One look at this individual nearly caused me to reply "Yes, you can help me find my faith in humanity's ability to survive your generation's presence". But tis' the season, so I politely said "No" and went my merry way.

I would best describe this "person" as a parent's nightmare, adorned with all manner of tattoo, piercing and surgical modification. Beyond his "Flock of Seagulls" hair and his "flock of demented retards" clothes, his face was the most distracting...and depressing. His speech was afflicted by a tongue piercing, and his ears were weighted down with giant bolt-like hardware that protruded through holes the size of silver dollars in his earlobes. This was accented by a nose and eyebrow piercing. Despite his polite and helpfull manner, I couldn't help but wonder if it would be safe to give this individual access to my credit card. After all, according to his self inflicted "look at me" kit, judgement did not seem to be one of his priorities.

Before some of you label me "narrow minded" or "out of touch", consider this. Other than deep seated emotional issues or questionable psychological status, what drives a person to go to such lengths to draw attention to themselves? As a blogger and author, I want attention as much as the next guy, that is unless that "next guy" happens to have a bone in his nose and some sort of demon tattooed on his neck.

Judgement is a lost art. Fewer people practice it now more than ever, and our society is suffering the effects. When people act out like this, there is a message that they are sending to us. They are telling us that their parents dropped the ball somewhere along the line. That forces you to ask what else about this person did those parents drop the ball on? What other judgement issues are beyond this person's ability to comprehend? Can these people really be trusted to serve me and my family in a professional manner? If they are willing to disfigure themselves for the sake expression or attention, what else are they capable of when no one is looking?
This also says something about the people who are willing to hire these weirdos. Do they have no pride in their own business? If not, what else do they not give a crap about? Are they more concerned with looking "tolerant" than keeping a valuable customer base? Are they trying to make some sort of statement by hiring people with mental issues?

Is there anything "wrong" with this type of behavior. Probably not. But it does speak volumes about you when you are so uncomfortable in your own skin that you think it's a good idea to puncture it for no good reason.

I never did find the book I was looking for. But I did find my way to a bookstore where I didn't have to worry about losing my appetite...or my credit rating.

THE CASE FOR PARTISANSHIP


If we (at least some of us) have learned nothing in the past few years, it should be that reaching across the isle is an exercise in futility. Call it "bi-partisanship", the "new tone", or just plain old civility, when you set out to make a compromise for the sake of "getting something done" you will always come up on the short end of the stick.

First, let's look at the word compromise. From our first years on this planet, we are taught that compromising is a good way to settle a dispute and work out differences. I disagree.

I have found that in most instances life presents us, whenever their is a dispute, only one party is correct in their assertions or assessments. Occasionally, both parties might be wrong, but after careful examination of the facts and evidence available, rarely are both parties right.
That means in order to make a fair compromise, one party is required to be a little more right, but another party is required to be a little more wrong.

Imagine two firemen arguing about how best to put out a fire. One fireman suggests that they throw water on the fire. The other fireman disagrees and suggests that they throw gasoline on the fire. They "compromise" and decide to throw both water and gasoline on the fire, all in an effort to get "something" done. Though the guy who compromised toward water is now a little more correct, he still throws his share of gasoline on the fire along with his compromise share of water.

The guy who was actually right in the beginning has acquiesced, and is now obligated to throw his compromise share of gasoline on the now raging inferno. The end result is the death of both firemen and an out of control fire that is now left to others to put out.

Had the party who knew he was right stood his ground, both firefighters would still be alive today. Unfortunately, he decided to engage in a "new tone", and by default he compromised his principals and everything he ever leaned about fighting fires. And for what?

He lived in a world where being wrong was no longer something to be embarrassed about. Media outlets commonly gave as much air time to those who were clueless as they did with with those who used common sense. There was no longer shame attached to being wrong. In fact, people were taught at an early age that every one is an equal and criticism is actually "hate speech". So now, even though he was right, it was acceptable in some circles to throw gas on a fire. So the other guy was considered to be equally qualified to make decisions and never questioned, nuch less ridiculed for being an idiot. When he spoke out, he was pressured to give in for the sake of getting something done.

Too bad for us that this mentality has infected our allegedly representative democracy. Our elected officials are more worried about being called a "zealot" or a "partisan" than they are about what actually happens to our country. Standing up for the principals that have a time tested track record of success and prosperity is no longer an option. If it doesn't bring high numbers in a focus group or opinion pole, it doesn't see the light of day.

Why do we do this? Do we ever get anything for our attempts to "reach across the isle"? No. Unless you count a bloody stump. Democrats learned this lesson decades ago, but we continue to insist on taking a punch and asking for another. In an age where it is getting harder and harder to tell a Republican from a Democrat, I can't help but wonder why we even have a party anymore.

Until we are willing to stand up for what we know is right and start dropping some ideological nukes on the liberal establishment, we are going to continue to lose elections and probably the nation as a whole. I'm looking at you John McCain!

WHAT TO DO WITH MY OLD CHEVY?

Earlier this year I purchased a 72' Chevy pickup that I was hoping to restore. Some of you may recall a previous article I had written about it (GEARHEAD ZEN May 30th). Since then, many things have changed in this country. Not the least of which is the role of our government.

If you take the time to look at our founding documents, you will find many things. You will find a guarantee of your right to live, defend yourself, speak, etc, etc. You will find the limitations of government spelled out in pretty plain terms. You will also find the role that government is supposed to have in our lives written in the plainest of English. What you won't find is document, amendment, or enumerated power that designates our government any right to own, or control a car company. In fact, you will find no shortage of documentation that specifically prevents such things from happening. Despite these facts, the United States government is getting ready to jump head first into the automobile manufacturing business...at our expense of course.

As I made my deliveries last week, I listened to the auto manufacturers make the convoluted cases to Congress for a massive bailout via tax payer dollars. As I listened, I couldn't get past the fact that neither side had one word to say about the actual responsibility of our government. A real Congressman would have stood up and reminded everyone that the government has no legitimate right to get involved in private business matters such as this. He should have suggested that the only thing the government can do to help the car industry is lower taxes and stop trying to tell them what kind of cars they should be making, especially for such a bogus reason as global warming. Any self respecting Congressman would have given the third degree to union reps that were present to give their two cents. After all, it is unions that have caused most of this mess in the first place by making it so expensive to produce an automobile. In fact, this hearing should have never happened in the first place. But it did.

So now I am left with the question of what to do with my old Chevy. My family has owned Chevy's for years and never had a reason to complain. Today, I am embarrassed to have a GM product on my property. The nerve of that company expecting me and my fellow citizens to bail them out because they don't have the cajones to stand up to the unions is just more than I am willing to swallow right now. Will they recognize my contribution to their plight via taxation and send me a crate full of parts for my truck in thanks? No. Will they even send me a Goodwrench gift certificate? No. I/we get to pay for the handiwork of a bunch of UAW babies without so much as a new hood ornament in return.

The long and short of it is, I now get to feel guilty for purchasing more of their parts and eventually driving around in one of their products, or I get to take a bath on what I paid for the truck in the first place in addition to the time I've already invested in it.

All I know is, my other daily drivers (a Hyundai and Toyota) give me successful trips, not guilt trips.

ROADHOUSE SOLVES THE PIRATE PROBLEM

Ok, really. Do I have to do everything around here? Is the new wave of modern piracy at sea such a brain teaser of an issue that we actually can't figure out how to stop it? How embarrassing.

This is not rocket science people! Equip ships with one of these, and train the crew to use it. After the first two or three shredded pirates are reported in the media, the concept will look much less appealing to up-and-coming "Jack Sparrows" out there. Problem solved. NEXT!!!

One note of caution. Make sure no one on your ship's crew is named Plaxico.