The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Let me preface this adventure in prose by stating, if I boycotted every celebrity, or every "common man",
who I had differences with of a political, philosophical or lifestyle nature, then I would become the most reclusive human on the planet. Hells bells. At times, I disagree with my own conceptual existence.

Last night at the Republican convention, Clint Eastwood was tapped to be one of the ultra pro Romney cheerleaders.

The Good: It's always good to see Clint Eastwood. After all, he is a movie star of the highest magnitude. He is a great director & he is responsible for some of my favorite films.

The Bad: Whoever wrote that speech that Clint gave while supposedly praising Mitt Romney.

The Ugly: The crowd reactions to the mock "conversation" between Clint & President Obama.
They responded like giddy little school girls experiencing their first prepubescent orgasm while watching "The Beatles" perform on Ed Sullivan.
All that was missing was for someone to show up in blackface, resemblant of Ted Danson's infamous appearance at the "Friars Roast" for Whoopi Goldberg a few decades past.

There is a not so thinly veiled aspect of racism running through the Republican party. Explain the peanut throwing incident involving two delegates & a black CNN camerawoman at the convention.
Explain the pictures of Obama with a bone through his nose, or a picture of watermelons strewn on the White House lawn that was featured predominately at "Tea Party" rallies. Explain the disenfranchisement  of minorities through changing voting registration, early voting restrictions, voter I.D. requirements.

Watching the shenanigans at the convention have pushed me over the precipice that is racism.
Watching this election campaign, I must admit that I have become a racist as well.
With all sincerity, I proudly proclaim, I hate the human race. What the fuck happened to us?

The state of the Fair

Went back to The Minnesota State Fair yesterday for the first time in six years. It's not that I don't enjoy going, it's that I've been there before.
I attended the Fair, or as the locals like to boast, " The Great Minnesota Get Together", with my daughter & son- in- law. In mid walkabout, I mentioned to them that I attended more Fairs then their combined ages. (61) A slight exaggeration, but not to far from the truth.
We went on sixth day. It is still relatively clean, although, I noticed that there was a continual presence of clean up crews this time around. Not like years past when it seemed the organizers of the fair were overwhelmed by the number of attendees & the trash they could produce. Of course, everything looks bigger when your a kid.
There were lots of renovations that had taken place in just the last 6 year that were quite noticeable.
The most surprising change was the modernization of the public restrooms. Holy moley, doors on every crapper stall, better lighting, motion activated faucets, individual urinals & the best part, cleaner.
I did eventually find up near "Machinery Hill" (farming equipment), an unrenovated restroom with the giant trough for pissing.  Ah, the good old days.
I shared fried pickles, shared fried gator,  whole hogged devoured a foot long hotdog, slathered in caramelized onions, pork chop on a stick, sno-cone (cherry), several sodas & mucho agua. It was getting warmer & more humid by this time.
A very fine time was had by all, with one minor exception. 5 hours of traversing the acres upon acres of fair grounds with gimpy knees. Short term memory loss made me forget to wear my knee braces, although it is doubtful they would have helped all that much with the excessive walking.
At the end of the time trip, when finally ensconced back home, with 3 ibuprofen surging toward the aches & pains, I settled in my favorite lazy boy chair & immediately dozed off for an hour or so.
It was a delight to reexperience what was one of the highlights of days gone by with my grownup daughter & her hubby. Sadly, this may well be the last Fair that I attend. The cravings for the unhealthy, but so damn good to the taste, high chloesterolic food, does not compensate for the agony of what are, at this point, extremely gimpy knees.  As the time moves on, the aches fade, & the cravings return, I'm sure that some time in the future, I may do it all over again, because it is after all, it is the, " Great Minnesota Get Together."

Piss And Moan

I was in a great mood today until...

If there is a Heaven or a Hell, whichever place we will spend eternity, I hope the Third Worlders will have to spend 24/7 in a driving school.  In the mean time, while you are here on Earth... at least try to learn the fucking rules of the road.
Big mistake - Senior & welfare day at the grocery store. By seniors, I mean those way older then I.
I'm in my mid sixties, & these elders should all be in a home. I realize that grocery shopping is probably
one of the last big thrills for them, they get to go out  & meet the friends etc. For the Christ sake... stop blocking the aisles while you compare aches & pains & your latest bout of constipation. Stop cutting people off to get your prune juice.  Just because you're old, does not excuse your rudeness. You haven't earned that right just because you are old. Above all else... pay attention to other customers & move. Get out of my fucking way. I didn't plan to spend 1 hour in the store, when normally, I'm in & out in 1/2 hour. Where are the "death panels" now that we need them.
Why do I lately get in the check out line behind Welfarers. Time stands still while they sort their groceries according to what gets paid for by which voucher. Check their ID. Check it again. Issue a new voucher. Explain they need cash to pay for certain items not covered by the vouchers. Get a job & find a different store.

And The Winner Is...

AOA Trophy

The Anal Orifice Award was conceived over 40 years ago. The past recipients were known only to a few close friends due to lack of any form of media willing to publish the winner's name
of this coveted trophy. This award is given randomly, with no set timeline.

My thanks to the media giant, Google for their access that allowed me to create my Blog.
Also my thanks to The Arizona Republic for the quotes, & Wikipedia for some of the background of the winner.

The qualifications needed to become a recipient of the AOA, are complex.
The candidates must say or do something so venal, so irresponsible, so vile & ludicrous that those statements or actions are deemed completely abhorrent to the mores of a rational society.

History:
This recipient sponsored "Arizona SB1070" an anti illegal immigration measure, since ruled mostly unconstitutional by a Federal Court. Proposed to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in this country to illegal immigrants. Deemed in violation of the 14th Amendment. Hence, unconstitutional.

In 2006, this recipient called for the renewal of the 1950's immigration enforcement program called "Operation Wetback." Also in 2006, this AOA winner had included in an email to supporters, the text from an article by a white separatist group. The crux of the article was anti-Semitic. Citing "multiculturalism" as a Jewish anti-white conspiracy, as well as the usual Holocaust denial.

The AOA winner was a known associate of J.T. Ready, who allegedly killed his girlfriend, her daughter, 15 month old granddaughter, daughter's fiancé, and himself.  Ready a former Neo-Nazi, was at the time of his death, under investigation by the FBI for domestic terrorist involvement in the shooting to death of immigrants found in the desert.

The recipient became the 1st Arizona State Senator to be removed from office via a recall election.

The past of this xenophobic, although interesting, is not the reason for winning the AOA.

Regarding the Aurora, Colorado theater massacre, this AOA winner wrote on his Facebook page the following: "Someone should have stopped this man. Someone could have stopped this man. Lives were lost because of a bad man, not because he had a weapon, but because no one was prepared to to stop it. Had they been prepared to save their lives or the lives of others, lives would have been saved. All that was needed was on Courages/brave man prepared mentally or otherwise to stop this"

Because of the complete insensitivity to the victims, their families & the survivors. Because of the belief that theater goers should have been armed themselves and recreated "The Gunfight At The O.K Corral". Allow me, with complete distain for the recipient, present the Anal Orifice Award to former Arizona State Senator, Russell Pearce. You, Mr. Pearce, are officially recognized as an Asshole.

As old as my tongue

Sadly, I've reached that age, if someone mentions a three way , the first thing I think of is light bulbs.

If I get much older, the only dating that will interest me, will be Carbon Dating  to determine my age.

I do remember the who, but not the how.  Or the when. 

Stolen joke: 

I recently went to the doctor & had a complete physical. The doctor told me that I had the body of a 40 year old.  I should give it back because I'm getting it all wrinkled.

But, seriously, folks.  Dr. Shewin B. Nuland has authored a best selling book entitled, " The Art of Aging."

What is portrayed in commercials, as a Norman Rockwell-esque experience, in reality, is more of a Salvador Dali or Jackson Pollock type of existence. Much more surrealistic & abstract. Aside from the usual amount of regrets & more gaffes then Mitt Romney's campaign, I have had & am having a  pretty 

good life. My health is good. There are the usual aches & pains, which I've had most of my life, mostly due to the false belief of immortality you have as a youth. I do the same things I did when I was younger, except not as often. The recovery time is a bitch.

With more introspection, (if I wanted), I'm sure there are a few things that I would have done differently. However, if I could do it over again, I would. Exactly as I did before. 

The mantra of Sinatra doing it "My Way",  or Popeye's " I am what I am", for me, has transcended

beyond the cliche.

In my case, the adage that "life is short", is the furthest thing from the truth. I am having a Capra type of life. It is a long, sweet ride. The whole time, I've been holding an "E ticket." 

Peace & Rock On.

And the horse you rode in on...

Michele Bachmann, for her McCarthy-esque attack on the Obama administration & the Federal Government regarding infiltration by members of the "Muslim Brotherhood", at the highest level.  In particular, a member of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's staff.  Once again, a publicity seeking right winger, attacks the integrity of individuals without anything resembling proof. Using the weapons of paranoia, innuendo, and outright lies, this disgraceful act by a disgraceful  member of the United States House of Representatives is becoming the norm for certain factions in this country, who just can't get over the fact that a black person holds the highest office in the country. Sadly, but not totally unexpected, Bachmann is joined in this attack by four other members of the House of representatives.  Reps. Trent Franks R-Ariz, Louie Gohmert R-Tex, Thomas Rooney R-Fla & Lynn Westmoreland R-Ga.

This "plantation mentality", the South shall rise again, cracker, racist bullshit demands repudiation.
Even Sen. John McCain (America's sorest loser, AKA. Grandpa Grumpy) slammed Bachmann's action on the Senate floor. McCain referred to  Bachmann's charges as "sinister".
Taking a lesson from the Fox News Network by framing their "fair & balanced  opinions  as a question, allow me to follow suit.
Isn't it about time we took a page out of the John Wilkes Booth playbook? Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Shame on you Michele Bachmann & your gang of four. Your behavior is frightening. History continues to repeat itself.

This,That, & The Other... Ad Infinitum

This: A man walks into a bar, orders a drink & says to the bartender,"All Republicans are assholes."
A man at the end of the bar says, " Hey, I heard that, & I'm offended." The first man asks,
" Why, are you a Republican?"  The other man replied. "No. I'm an asshole."

That: Willard Mitt Romney is a double threat. A politician & a corporate big whig. Just the kind off person to sell out the country to the highest bidder. No problem with having a moral compass. As we know, those types of slime have sold their souls for a few dollars without any regrets.

The Other: Another severe storm hit tonight. Winds in excess of 60 MPH's. Rain falling, as "The Yardbirds" once sang, " Over, Under, Sideways, Down." Broken tree limbs, leaves all over the ground. Looks like the neighborhood was put through a shredder. Lost power for 1 1/2 hrs. Second severe storm in week and a half. Last time lost power for 11 hrs. We rarely lose power. Maybe 5 times in the 29 yrs in this neighborhood. If this isn't a sign of infrastructure decay, I cannot give a better example.

Ad Infinitum: Got a new computer: A Mac Mini. The old one, after 4+ years was so infected with computer type issues, that it was time to send it to the vet & have it put down.
The best thing about the Mac Mini is the ease of use. No need for the bullshit (which causes most computer problems) Windows. I refuse to download any Windows programs. The hard part of learning to navigate the Mac Mini, is to unlearn all of the unnecessary crap you have to know to deal with Windows.  Shame on you Bill Gates for a variety of reasons.
P.S. Will you & your wife stop donating millions to third world countries. This country, the place you live in & have reaped the multiple benefits from, could use the money. Adopt a fucking highway, build
a bridge. Donate to food shelves, high schools. Buy some state of the art medical equipment for the VA hospitals.Whatever. Keep the money at home. What ever you are currently giving to the USA, it's not enough.

But, Then Again: Politicians seem to think the American people are like mushrooms... they like to be kept in the dark, and fed a lot of shit.



Peace & Rock On.