TROUBLE IN VALHALLA!

TROUBLE IN VALHALLA!

(Traverse City Record Eagle/Frazer Chronicle)

It's idyllic, it's clean, it's safe, a great place to raise kids, get them educated and out on their own with a better than even chance at grabbing a piece of the American dream, it's where I grew up, got my education, learning the basics about myself, it's where I met and fell in love with my future wife, "I know, I know," you’re asking, "where is this utopia, and how can I get in?"

Well my friends, this little slice of heaven, complete with spectacular sunrises, friendly people, and room to grow is located 100 miles south-west of the Mackinac bridge separating the lower and upper peninsula of Michigan, it's Traverse City, Michigan, population 20 something thousand people during the winter, and 50,000 and more during the summer season.

Murders are rare, strong armed crimes aren't common and people seem to get along with whoever lives next door. To a degree, Traverse City is a kind of melting pot community, it's where people come to live, raise their kids, then retire, hopefully on enough pension and other retirement income to live 6 months in Traverse City, and 6 months in a warmer climate.

Sure there is the occasional sex crime, robbery and every couple of years.....murder, but mostly they are differently not normal occurrences. The community and area simply do not attract those kinds of people, and won't put up with those kinds of activities.

I haven't lived in the city for close to 26 years, I have returned for visits, have noticed the change, the urban sprawl, and the traffic.....the unbelievable traffic. Traverse City isn't quite as quaint as it used to be, and more and more locals seem to be walking around with a kind of vacant opened mouth stare, like to a degree, they don't have a clue at what's going on. "I have that look every morning after I wake up."

I remember times, growing up in Traverse City that I felt such class distinction, and the pressures to achieve, to raise to a higher plateau, and at least for me, an unattainable level. I however did not turn to alcohol, or drugs, "drugs growing up during my era wasn't even thought about." I kind of turned inside, found comfort within myself and the strength to move on with my life.

Today it's different, people use all sorts of "stuff" to "stay high and get by," I only had myself and to a degree my family to keep my head above water. I remember a friend, "I'll call him Jack," was next to homeless back in the late 1970's and early 1980's. His life had been shattered by a bad marriage, he took so many different types of drugs, there could have been a clinical study done on him to study the effects of drugs.

He wasn't lazy, didn't come from a broken home, had been well respected as a person, and a young business-man in the community. He had a wife, 3 or 4 kids, "I don't remember right now how many," and was doing all the right things to ensure a well rounded, rich and successful life.

But his wife's infidelity crushed everything that the man had worked for, Jack was totally devastated, yet somehow survived into the 21st. century, I know, I saw him walking around Traverse City in 2005.

TROUBLE IN TRAVERSE CITY, 2000 STYLE: HOMELESS PEOPLE

I live in Green Bay, Wisconsin, have for the past 25 years, I've seen homeless people, people strung out on all sorts of stuff, sleeping in doorways, park benches, under bridges or trees, and in their cars. Green Bay officials haven't found a cure for these people, and yes, crime is up. Green Bay hasn't addressed the problem, it's been left to homeless shelters and churches to house feed and clean these people.

It's the same way across the country, homeless, out of work and out of luck, living off of other people's hand-outs, pity and sometimes the generosity of business, local, state and even federal programs.

Unless you live in a gated community, the problem of being poor in today's world touches everybody whether you like it or not. Most of us simple look the other way when we are confronted by a hungry, shabbily dressed or homeless person.

A few have chosen this life style, "it's true," but most are unable to find work, are under-educated, have health or mental problems and need special help. The problem of the poor, under-educated, health problems, or those simply unlucky have basically been with human-kind since the beginning of recorded time.....and nobody has found a cure to this day.

It's mostly because nobody really wants to help to find some sort of cure for these people, and that is sad. Traverse City, Michigan is no different than any other community in the United States. How they deal with the problem could be a "bench-mark" for other cities troubled by the same problem.

You first and foremost need to deal with these people with respect, respect because they are human beings just like the rest of us. Giving a "hand up, not out" would seem to me to be a start. Create jobs for these people, so that 1. they can make a little money, and 2. feel good about themselves. I'm thinking that if communities use these two simple rules to handle their homeless and poor people problems, they'll find probably to their surprise that these people want to work, want to produce, and want to feel good about themselves.

Well Traverse City, Michigan you have it.....and the best part, it'll cost next to nothing.....now, get creating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU KNOW WHAT.....BITE ME!

YOU KNOW WHAT.....BITE ME!

(Edward Warriner/Frazer Chronicle)

Ya know, everybody has one, some are bigger than others, some are flashy, some are bubbled, some are flat and some don't make any sense at all. Of course you’re wondering exactly what I'm talking about, it's a perfectly legitimate question so I'll tell you, but not just yet.

 

We are in the season when the whores come to our door, call us on the phone, send emails, use conventional postings through the United States postal service to keep us posted to what is happening, and use television and radio to get their whore message out there. Who the hell am I talking about, and where are these whores located, again, legitimate question, and again.....you'll have to wait.

 

These whores seek money for services rendered, actually these services are promised, if we give them enough money, or fall for the junk that they say, or print, or that we seen on television, in the news papers, or on the radio.

 

Is this legal you might ask, the solicitation that these whores use, there seeming friendly way in which they approach us, they stroke our egos, or our patriotic sense, or, like "comfort food," they say whatever it is we seemingly want to hear. We volunteer, donate our money, and cheer for our particular whore.

 

IT'S THE SECOND OLDEST PROFESSION IN THE WORLD:

Now I realize that almost everybody knows what the oldest profession in the world is, it's been going on for centuries, boy meets girl, wants a more meaningful relationship then the girl usually wants, but presto, in some cases, a price is agreed upon, and everybody is happy.

 

The second oldest profession in the world has got to be politicians, "you can't count goat herders, to them, herding goats in a way of life." You can't blame these guys and gals, they simply do not know any better. It's in their blood, the water that they drink, and the food they eat. It has to be these things, why else would any sane person want to put up with the crap that these people do?

 

The very second you decide to enter public office, almost on any level, you have no more private time, your new address, "100 Fish Bowl Street, Any Town, America." People in public office, on the highest of levels age, on average, 5 years for every one year that they hold a public office. Take a look at what is happening to Barack Obama. I rest my case. I'd list George W. Bush in that category, but stupid doesn't count in the aging process.

 

AND NOW THE BONE OF MY CONTENTION:

I read an email this morning that just got my blood boiling, it was obviously sent by a right wing wacko neo-con who feels his opinions come from God.....but gee, fella, that just isn't true. Let me give you-all a few tidbits of this guy’s rantings.

 

DID OBAMA INHERIT A MESS?

(What Obama inherited)       (What we have now)

AAA credit rating             AA credit rating

7.8% unemployment            8.3% unemployment

$1.81 gas/gallon                $3.93 gas/gallon

$10 trillion debt                $15 + trillion debt

2 wars                                3 wars

26 weeks unemployment            99 weeks unemployment

Annual budget                  No annual budget

 

You know, without exception I agree with good old Eddy, he hit the nail right on the head with his opinions, but gee fella, ya left a bunch out. I'm not gonna get into the semantics of how you arrived at your statistics, "it would be hopeless" to try and point out where what you say may be technically right, but.....in my opinion where we are today is because both George W. Bush and President Obama were both screwing the pooch, or simply dropped the ball as it were.

 

The only thing I hold former president Bush at fault for is his stupid war in Iraq and Afghanistan, he and his administration through some stupid revenge deal got us warring in two countries, botched getting Osama bin Laden, and actually was responsible for murdering Saddam Hussein.

 

I blame President Obama for keeping the United States in Afghanistan.....and Iraq for as long as he did, and I guess Eddy is referring to the Libya thing last spring. To my way of thinking there almost is never a reason for going to war.....with anybody. War is not a pissing contest, war kills people, destroys countries, and isn't a necessary evil.

 

It's the whoring season my friends, it's been around forever, it happens every single year of our lives on some level, why don't we get used to it, be involved, and get the right guy in office, "for one term only." I'm all for term limits, it would cut down on much of the whoring.

 

And yes, everybody has one.....and it's not where we plant our butt, it's what we think say and do, experience also has a bearing, it's our opinions. Look through all the bull that patricians seem to gloat over, I am an American, I have absolutely no affiliation with any political party, I watch, read, converse, and listen before I formulate an opinion.....do you?

 

So in the final analysis, after all is said and done.....these people who opinion-ate along party lines, or have an unshakable feeling about how things are, or are supposed to be can simply BITE ME!

  

AUTHORITIES AT IT AGAIN!

AUTHORITIES AT IT AGAIN!

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/NBC News staff & news service/Frazer Chronicle)

 

From pepper spraying students at a University of California by campus police at an Occupy-style protest last November to  patrol officers seeming lack of common sense which lead to the death of an "in custody" 22 year old suspect of a robbery, the authorities in our country just keep rolling along with the hits in stupidity.

 

At least in the UC-Davis incident the kids being pepper sprayed by a "fat bellied cop" appeared to be of mixed races, so I guess you would say that they, "the cops" spray students whether they are black, white, or brown, kind of like an equal opportunity spraying. The UC Davis victims did get a measure of revenge though, the University of California school has been ordered to pay 21 students nearly 1 million dollars in restitution.

 

The same can't be said for the  death of a black man in July, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,  when cops ignored the 22 year old's plea for assistants because he was having trouble breathing. The cop cam video was rolling during the entire 8 minute time frame when Williams is seen gasping for breath and asking for help to breath.

 

The medical examiner initially reported that Derek Williams died while in Milwaukee police custody from natural causes. After viewing the "cop video" and watching the struggles Williams went through, the Medical examiner's office revised it's ruling to read that the death was a homicide.

 

At the time of the autopsy, an Assistant Medical Examiner, Christopher Poulos did not review all the police reports or the squad video. The police reports include key details about Williams' arrest that the medical examiner didn't know.

 

It really is funny when it takes a news paper, and some snoopy "cub" reporter to dig at the story until the facts finally come out into the light of day. Every community relies on local news coverage to keep those folks that are in power, "usually voted into office by the people," accountable for their actions.

 

AUTHORITY, A POWER UNTO ITSELF.

Yes you are my brother, "I've got your back, you can depend on me," the same tired refrain we hear or read about almost every day. Cops and firemen are a special breed, their jobs require risk, they face dangers almost on a daily basis, and challenges that your run of the mill shoe salesman, truck driver or company C.E.O. never face.

 

Their jobs are important to the welfare and safety of the people "THAT THEY SERVE," you see that phrase, or hear it from time to time, "TO SERVE AND PROTECT."  I wouldn't want either to be a fireman, or a policeman, I'm perfectly satisfied to let somebody else deal with they scum, or the house fires that pop up.

 

That said, I however have a huge problem with how far many in these vital services go with regards to the rules that they figure they've earned because of the job that they do. These people have no more rights then the average "Joe" on the street, and when they forget that, they need to be slapped down, really, really hard.

 

The two cops who were involved with the Williams death are on desk duty until a decision is made regarding the young black man's death. Unless the video lied, "and video's can't lie, they simply show what happened," the two officers should be fired, and face legal action.

 

The top cop in Milwaukee, Edward Flynn, well correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he have access to the video in question that showed Derek Williams gasping for breath, gasping like a death rattle," couldn't he see that something was really wrong? 

 

With regards to Chief Flynn, get your Irish butt right "outta town," you don't get a "do-over," a kid is dead, three little kids are orphaned, and more shame is levied at the Milwaukee police department. You sir are an idiot for allowing two of your patrolmen to continue to be involved with Milwaukee law enforcement.

 

You are not a "power unto yourself," you and each of your constituents are answerable to a higher power.....us. Many of these departments, the fire and police departments have lost sight of that one simple fact.....everybody is answerable to somebody.

 

THIS STUPID "BAND OF BROTHER" ATTITUDE:

Are these people freaks, are they on some sort of different diet, don't they have to pay their taxes just like everybody else? Do these guys have wives, kids, aren't they football or baseball or hockey fans just like everybody else.....the short answer is yes, and the long answer is.....yes. Well if that is the case, and these guys put on their pants one leg at a time, why is it that they figure they are different?

 

Seems to me as if we all ask for this "band of brother thing," we do so by the very desire that we have to be served. I want to be "served" by the garbage pick-up guy, or the street cleaner/snow plower guy, the gas and electric person, the fireman and the cop on the beat.

 

I don't not need to be protected by by the cop on the beat, anyways not so far in my life, and I therefore take exception to (my) police force taking "do-overs" when non exist, you screw up, like me, you take whatever penalty you get, it's the way it should be.

 

As far as Derek Williams is concerned, he was a 22 year old black man with a girl friend and three babies. He probably was doing what many in his position would do, trying to stay ahead of the game any way possible. This comment has absolutely nothing to do with Williams race, but an attitude, one shared by many young people today, the attitude of entitlement.....mores the pity.

 

Gee I guess those 21 kids out in California got by pretty easy, at least they got some money for their pain and suffering, wonder what Derek Williams family will get???????????? 

 

  

 



CONFLICTS GALORE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

CONFLICTS GALORE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

(Wikipedia/Frazer Chronicle)

 

Right off the bat, let me be perfectly clear, "I am against war in any way, shape or fashion," I've stated my feelings on war in the past.....and it hasn't changed. That said, clearly well over 50% of Americans want "us" out of that money pit that the Middle East has turned into. I say "money pit," because that is exactly what Iraq and Afghanistan are. And even though we've exited Iraq, killed Osama bin Laden, and are "winning the hearts and minds," the cost of the effort is astronomical.

 

The Middle East has been embroiled in war, skirmishes and border disputes for well over a hundred years. Sometimes it's the same people at one anothers' throats, other times it's brother against brother, or father against son, and sometimes the countries that were fighting last year against each other have banded together to fight a new  "common" foe.

We do not understand these people, their way of life and how they manage to make a living so as to take care of their families. It is obvious that these people, Afghans and Iraqis are a religious lot, they are either on their knees praying in the morning, or wailing the praises of the Lord in the evening.  Hey that is all well and good, if that's how they want to conduct their lives.....it's there own business, and we should "butt out."

A huge misconception many Americans have regarding Russia, and how they, "Russians," were brought to their knees  by poor business practices, and the people's uprising which was somehow brought about by President Ronald Reagan is fool-hardy thinking.

I'll tell you exactly who brought Russia to it's knees and beyond.....it was Afghanistan and the Taliban. Oh sure, the U.S. gave aid of all sorts to the Afghans, but Russia over-extended itself and were forced to remove their war machines, leave behind billions of rubles worth of infrastructure and buildings. Russia in the end simply couldn't afford the price tag that fighting nomadic tribes people of Afghanistan, with little or no overhead presenting an enemy that they, "Russia," simply couldn't beat.

And here's the real stickler for the United States and how we are going against our Afghanistan enemies. We are going down the same path as the Russian did during the 1980's. Russia learned a painful lesson during the decade of the 80's, Russia prayed for more money to pump into their war effort, and the Afghan's prayed for a stick, that they would use at every opportunity to beat the Russians over the head with.....and the "stick" won out. Don't believe me, look it up.....oh and by the way, while your looking up why Russia lost the war in Afghanistan, look up the price of a stick.

THE MIDDLE EAST HAS BEEN AT WAR FOR..........A LONG TIME:
How long has the Middle East been free of a conflict somewhere within their borders, well the search surprisingly didn't take very long. To be exact, since 1902, try a great big fat  ZERO. Not even one day actually since 1902.

Since 1902 almost without exception, some Arab, Islamist, or Middle Eastern citizen has died from a conflict in their "corner of the globe." Millions have died because of wars and conflicts, ideals,  or because of  religious beliefs.

To give you an idea of what the United States is up against, let me open your eyes to a few facts about our Middle Eastern "brethren," it will surprise and shock you, much the same it did to me. Before we take this ride through Middle Eastern strife, death and degradation, let me clear up one bit of silly political rhetoric. Some folks figure that Afghanistan is in South Asia along with Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan.

Go ahead, if you want, group Afghanistan in with the above mentioned countries, but keep in mind that Afghanistan also borders Iran, so I guess one might consider Wisconsin and Illinois as separate, "which they are," yet both are in the mid-west, and if either lobbed Scud  missiles into say, "Kentucky," it wouldn't be considered a southern war, rather a mid-west war. "Wow" a person could go along these lines all day and never figure out who was fighting who.

Anyways for the sake of this blog, I'll make an executive decision and say that Afghanistan "shall be included in with other Middle Eastern countries. There.....see how easy that was, I didn't have to make any phone calls, no emails, or summit meetings, just a simple decision.

All told, in the Middle East there has been, or still is a total of 82 different wars, conflicts or disputes. Some have lasted as long as 84 years, "Iraq-Kurdish conflict," with as many as 300,000 casualties. Some like the Yazdi revolt was just months long and took as many as 200 lives.

Rebellions, revolutions, insurgencies, conflicts, uprisings, coup d'etats, clan battles, family squabbles, student riots, invasions, border conflicts, massacres, protests, crackdowns, and the two U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The loss of life, although not an actual count has been tremendous, 3,355,978 dead, and uncounted millions more who have lost legs, arms, hands feet and the ability to independently move around. It's like half of Chicago suddenly ceased to exist and many of those left need assistance for the simplest things in life.

IT'S WHY WE CAN'T WIN!
These people are hardened,  battle tested, and war to many is just a part of life, sons and daughters are raised to be warriors. You think that I was making a "funny" about the stick, well read on my friends.

These people aren't used to tanks, airplanes, or sea going ships, they don't have flashy uniforms, aren't provided for with back-ups, good food, or time away from a war zone. In many cases, it's the life that has been lived by sons of fathers, fathers fathers.

The United States killed Osama, we removed ourselves from Iraq and now are fighting the longest war in America's history. Afghanistan will be our undoing, we can't continue to fight in a land where nobody knows which people are the enemy. We can't speak the language, we basically don't know the customs, and the "foot-print" that some feel we need in the Middle East comes with a price-tag many in  this country are unwilling to pay.

Fighting, wars, lovers spats, whatever it is, the United States government needs to get their collective heads out of where they sit. These generals, these military minded jerks really need to grab a weapon, take "their children," and serve a 12 month tour of duty in a war zone, and see how things really are when somebody is shooting at them.....I'm thinking their tune would change in a hurry.

There really is only a very few people that benefit from wars in far off lands, the military industrial complex, and those idiot leaders  that like to establish control  through fear, interrigation, murder and war. We need to re-think our foreign policy.....and bring are people home!





 






   

LETS ALL GLOW IN THE DARK!

LET'S ALL GLOW IN THE DARK!

(Green Bay Press Gazette/Frazer Chronicle)

Well it's back here again, the question of nuclear weapons, who has them, who "legally" has them, and "who" might have them. It seems a little funny to me, "not in a ha-ha way," rather, "you must be kidding" kind of way. I think all male world leaders should get their testosterone levels checked before they assume office, or occupy any political or military position.

 

These jerks, (yes I'm grouping them all together), weld so much power over the peoples of their countries, peace, living conditions, economies, and in some cases, the people's very existence, and yet they are allowed to act in such a childish manner, boggles the mind, or at least mine.

 

Every time this argument comes up, somebody has a case of the red ass because they don't have a nuclear device. You hear threats leveled, one against another, or several against one, or the east against the west. It's hard to know who's mad at whom, or which country feels threatened by another, or who will "blow another enemy away."

 

Now we got this joker, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, a top commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard talking about "an attack on Iran's borders” would unleash a powerful rebuttal attack, "if Israel did lob a few bombs Iran's way." What.....did you read what I just wrote; "lob a few bombs from Israel into Iran." What in the hell are these people talking about, I watch television, I see the news, I know there is not a simple act of (lobbing) a few bombs into another country.

 

I remember the damage that "a few scud missiles did when Saddam Hussein lobbed them into Israel and Saudi Arabia, people died and were injured, and the wounds haven't healed to this day, and the scuds were used in 1991. In many instances, injuries suffered in war never heal, and apparently lessons from war seldom are retained.

 

LIST OF STATES WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS:

The list of states, (countries) with nuclear weapons isn't very long; in fact you can count them on the fingers of your hand. The members of this elite group are, like the movie said, "are the usual suspects", the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and the undeclared Israel.

 

There are other countries that have destroyed their arsenal, and other countries that have signed and joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. And yet there are other countries that have hidden nuclear devises in all sorts of places, like maybe in a bathroom, or a living room, or in a barn.....nobody knows for sure.

 

There are countries who "used to have the bomb," countries who "share" the ability to use nuclear force, countries under one kind of agreement, while a few others seem to be under some sort of "other" agreement.

 

The five Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty are the United States, with more than 10,000 nuclear devises, Russia, with 11,800 weapons, the United Kingdom, 385 weapons, France, 690, and China, with at least 240 weapons.

 

There are three nations who have nuclear weapons, but have not signed the Non Proliferation Treaty, India, 80 to 100 weapons, Pakistan, around 100, and North Korea, with 10.

And then there is Israel, undeclared nuclear power, probably with between 100 and 200 ready to use nuclear devises.

 

The United States has been the world leader in nuclear science and the development of the bomb, and worldwide, in 1985 there were about 65,000 nuclear weapons. That seemed to be the pinnacle, because today, that number has been reduced to less than 19,000 today. However many of the decommissioned weapons are simply being stored and partially dismantled, and not destroyed.

 

A FOOL’S PARADISE:

When the United States dropped the bombs on Japan in August of 1945, there was a door opened that nobody on this earth will ever completely close. Somebody somewhere, at some time is going to have a nuclear devise tucked away somewhere safe.....just in case they need an extra bargaining chip to use.

 

Country and world leaders from around the globe seem to talk a good game until the chips are down, and somebody starts name calling, and then the gloves come off, and nuclear weapons are invariably one of the first threats to surface.

 

Cool heads are needed whenever world situations are being discussed; the people of Japan are perfect examples of why we never again should use nuclear weapons of any kind. Generations of yet unborn babies in that country will suffer from a weapon that was used before the middle part of the last century.

 

Bombs and wars, and pissy attitudes never solve problems between countries; guess we haven't learned that yet. But for any president, or commander, or world leader not to know that a nuclear war would only achieve one thing.....and one thing only, a whole bunch of people wondering around their respective countries glowing in the dark, then we desperately need new leadership.  

 

     

SURELY YOU JEST!

(MSNBC-MONEY/Frazer Chronicle)

 

Okay the summer's over, kids are back at school, co-eds are back in the college dorms and going to Saturday afternoon football games, baseball is winding down,  professional football is back at smashing heads, the leaves are turning, and there's a definite chill in the air in the morning.....at least in the Mid-West, and gasoline prices are, well.....ya that's another story all together.

 

Remember in the spring when gas prices jumped at the pumps.....hey, that's a pretty good little phrase, "a jump at the pump," anyways, gas prices spiked in the spring, just like every other spring for the last umpteen years because of the "summer formula." Guess the "summer formula" is a cure for all the crap that we put into the air the other 9 months of the year, or at least that is what we're told.

 

I used to drive a tractor-trailer for a living, and I can remember filling both my saddle tanks would cost right around a grand every time I stopped, a real back-breaker for any kind of profit for the truck owner. I never did figure out why diesel fuel costs more a gallon then my car or pick-up truck, oh well, I've never understood why some women have a hyphen in their name, guess it's one of life's little mysteries.

 

I read an article this morning about why gas prices are on the move again, "not in a downward movement," and this petroleum guru, Charley Blaine said that the 3 major reasons for the upward trend in gas prices at the pump were, (1) reduced gasoline supplies, (2) hurricane Isac scare, and (3) the political tension between Israel and Iran.

 

Gee Charley, ya left a whole bunch of stuff out,  for why gasoline prices suddenly shot up by, oh, say .40 cents over the past several weeks, luckily I'm here to keep things in the proper prospective.....and at the same time, "school" Charley on facts that he can add into his information "package," for his next speech on his speaking tour.     

 

AND THE REASONS ARE:

First off, everybody knows why gas prices are spiking, sure it's that time of year,  when that formula thing is reversed, and drivers can really start polluting the airways, but more then the pollution question that is always posed by the "tree huggers," the real problem is that we will be using less gas, therefore petroleum companies will be making less money unless they raise the price of gas, so, guess what, they chose to raise the prices.

 

I wonder how much B.P. makes every time they raise gasoline prices by 1 cent, the figure has to boggle the mind, or at least mine. My calculator doesn't add that high, world-wide, it's in the hundreds of thousands each and every day.....and oh ya, twice on Sundays.

 

Also a reason that pops into my mind is the fact that "they can," petroleum companies  have been training us for  years with the  up and down gasoline prices. If you want proof of the "they can" attitude I have, exactly what do we say when gas prices go from $3.99 a gallon to $3.79 a gallon, don't we say to one another, "gee, the prices are getting better." And if the prices ever again return to the $3 dollar level, won't we call that price "fantastic."

 

Another reason, "which I must add I don't know much about," is the stock market, petroleum brokers, those hedge fund guys and those speculators. Call me crazy, but aren't these people almost "one in the same," they all want to make money on the backs of our hard labor, "unless your retired like me," and they simply do not care who they hurt in the process.

 

Some of us talk about why these people, "Wall Street, speculators, petroleum brokers, or hedge fund guys," and wonder who gave them the power to act like God and influence our lives to such an extent.....well my friend, the answer is easy, we did. By not being involved, by being miss-informed, and by not watching these jokers.

 

A very few people control the  pulse of the entire world with regards to the petroleum supply, and like the saying goes, "it ain't us." We are almost at the mercy of whoever controls the crude of the world, and the pipelines that supply us. Of course we still think that we are "players" on the world scene, but how long were we in Iraq, and how long have we been in Afghanistan, two countries with so little where-with-all that they don't even have cable T.V. with the capabilities to carry Tru-T.V.

 

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS:

Everybody has an opinion about the reasons for higher petroleum prices, too cold, too hot, spring, summer, fall and winter, a flat tire on the tractor-tanker, rough water in the ocean, so ships with crude on board  can't make their deliveries. Fires, hurricanes, busted pipelines, environmentalist, shut-downs for maintenance, summit meetings, tension between countries and a partridge in a pear tree, I can go on.....I've got time, but you get my point.

 

In the final analysis, the single reason as to why gasoline prices fluctuate so much, "always towards a higher price" is simple, so simple that my little 8 year old grand daughter can figure it out, "money." Greed my friends, pure unadulterated greed.

 

These jerks aren't kidding either, they mean business, and are willing to go to great lengths to keep things the way they are. There's just one thing that I  would appreciate from these people that are playing God,  would they please stop screwing up the warm months of the year with their higher prices, I need those warm days and nights.

 

Greed in the morning, in afternoon, the evening.....all night long, it's how they operate, oil wells operate on a 24 hour basis. Who you ask are these people....."glad you ask that question," again the answer is really quite simple, anybody who is willing to undertake the capital necessary to drill for oil or natural gas, and the dangers inherent with any business venture. To a slight degree even me, you see my wife's family owns mineral rights on a section of ground, and were all hoping for a gusher!

 

Rest assured that if (my) well comes in, at least my vote will be to keep the price of crude at a reasonable rate, say at a $100 a barrel, you see we only get every 8th barrel, and then it's split 3 ways, so we need that high end price.....but that's as far as I would go with the price for (my) oil, I mean the $100. And...."I'm not kidding, and don't call me Shirley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAN'T WE JUST GET ALONG?

CAN'T WE JUST GET ALONG?

(Traverse City Record Eagle/Frazer Chronicle)

Wow talk about "déjà vu," or the proof is in the pudding, haven't we seen this kind of attitude throughout our countries history.....don't we learn anything from our fore bearers? First it was the Indians, then it was the Black man, then Japanese, the Italians, the Swedes, the Pols, then the Jews, the Japanese again, and now the Muslims, can't we live in peace and harmony with anybody?

 

I'm sure I've left some down trodden ethnicities out of my above listed races to hate, but rest assured, they will pop up in some other news story, headline or in some blog for people to read, that aligns with their beliefs or train of thought, it never fails.....people always seem to have to have some sort of justification to how they feel with regards to a hatred, or a prejudicial view.....which really is nothing more than another form of hatred.

 

Our latest "hate" object is the "Arab's" from the Middle Eastern part of the world, also referred to as sand ants, or sand monkeys, towel or turban heads. Our society seems never to run out of ways to label the people that ‘we’ don't like; the terms are mostly outlandish and always hurtful as well as degrading.

 

I wonder what these people that we waste so much time labeling, putting down, and hating think of us, the so called dominate race, the Anglo Saxon in the United States, you know.....those Germanic tribes, those peoples who found the 13 colonies, Canada or Australia, along with the Huguenots of France, God's chosen ones.

 

Exactly where did we get the right to judge people of different skin color, different faith(s) or different customs, I mean we do still call the United States "the world's melting pot”.....don't we? Isn't that one of the arguments that people speak of when the talk of immigrants is talked about? Doesn't a sector of our population talk about Mexicans moving to the states to better themselves and their families?

 

Our brand new people to hate, ridicule and attempt to keep "boxed in," the Muslims aren't really as down trodden as some of the races we've tried to keep a boot to.....they seem to have money and want to exercise the power of the green-back to get whatever it is they want.

 

WEST BLOOMFIELD HILLS:

A prime piece of real estate sits in a suburban Detroit area community on a quiet street that hasn't been used for several years. The property used to be the home to children's laughter, games, and the beginnings of the educational cycle that goes on all over America.....it was an elementary school that has, for several years been boarded up and not used for anything.

 

Along comes the Islamic Association who bought the vacant buildings and land for $1.1 million dollars. The association's aim was to turn the former school into a Mosque, or church, so that local Muslims might have a place to pray to their God.

 

Once the news of the purchase and use came out, some locals cried "foul," and wanted the purchase overturned over allegations that the purchase was somehow corrupt and hidden from the public. There is a "foul" here, that is one thing that is true, but the foul is the stink coming from the Bloomfield residence that somehow what the purchase deal voided.

 

Of course a judge dismissed the resident's case, saying that the plaintiffs had no standing to file a complaint, sooooooooooo, the plaintiffs are appealing that decision, and in June there was a call for a grand jury investigation.

 

All manner of allegation has been raised, from waging "stealth jihad" that aims to turn the United States into an Islamic nation, to a secret take-over of certain areas of cities. Of course there also are allegations of close ties to terrorism groups because they are.....Muslim.

 

The mosque deal happened in New York on property that was close to ground zero and the September bombings. Not all Islamic people are terrorists, not all Muslim people hate the United States and our way of life, 99.9 % of these people want to live in peace and worship "their" God.

 

It only takes a few "bone-heads" to disrupt what are peaceful, God fearing people from really becoming active, contributing citizens of the best country to life in, in the world. To these "bone-heads" I can only say one thing, "ppppppplllllllleeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssseeeeeeeeeeee, get your head out of where you sit," and either rethink your position on race.....or move to another country, like maybe north.....way north, to a pole. I hear there aren't many people of color there.