CommenTerry

Classic Rants and Raves #64

Some things we are taught in Sunday school aren't necessarily so. For example, children are often taught that God needs them because their hands are the only hands God has and their feet are the only feet God has. That's complete baloney and, theologically, it doesn't make any sense. God wants all of us to obey Him, but He doesn't need any of us. If God had any needs or disabilities, He would not be God.       

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Tip O'Neill is credited for the saying, "All politics is local." I'd like to add a corollary: The more local the politics is, the more political it is.

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Never sneeze immediately after eating something chocolate. (Hint: it can get very messy).

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Now that Martha Stewart has been out of prison for a while, I hope she will become more successful than ever. It would be quite delicious to see all of the folks who hate her so much crying in their beer. 

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Many people don't realize that the stuff sold by fast food restaurants is actually hospital food. Yeah, if you eat enough of it on a regular basis, it'll send you to the hospital! 

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In my opinion, Oprah Winfrey is not a good role model. Any woman who is apparently living with a man she is not married to does not qualify in my book, regardless of her other achievements.

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Could anything be more inane than the stuff that currently passes for entertainment on daytime television?

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My local government just figured out a way to get more personal property tax money out of me. If I did that to someone, they'd call it extortion and send me to jail. Governments can do it with impunity.

What People Really Mean

Many times, people will say one thing when they really mean something else. In some cases, it’s a matter of using euphemisms instead of getting straight to the point, often to avoid to hurting someone’s feelings or seeming too brutally honest. In other cases, it’s an attempt to deny or “clean up” the reality of a given situation.

Sometimes, it’s an attempt to equivocate, or hide one’s true motivations or feelings. Some examples are provided below. Keep in mind that these are generalities and, as is the case with anything else, they are not 100% applicable all the time.

When people say: “I don’t believe the polls.”
They really mean: “My candidate is trailing right now.”

When people say: “You shouldn’t mix religion and politics.”
They really mean: “Religion is not a very important part of my life.”

When people say: “It’s time for you to make a decision.”
They really mean: “It’s time for you to do what I’ve been recommending all along.”

When people say: “I’m not really sure I know what that is.”
They really mean: “I don’t buy it.”

When people say: “I think we should start seeing other people.”
Or they say         : “I think we should just be friends.”
They really mean: “Get out of my life forever.”

When people say: “I would never have thought of selecting that.”
Or they say         : “Okay, if that’s what you really want.”
They really mean: “You made a stupid choice.”

When people say: “The First Amendment doesn’t give people the right to say anything they want.”
They really mean: “I believe in censorship.”

When people say: “The will of the majority should always prevail.”
They really mean: “I believe in mob rule.”

When people say: “Conservatives place too much emphasis on things like abortion and same-sex marriage.”
They really mean: “Abortion and same-sex marriage are just fine with me.”

When people say: “Personally, I’m strongly opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage, but I’m willing to listen to other points of view on these matters.”
They really mean: “I’m willing to compromise my ideals for political expediency.”

When people say: “I’m a very strong advocate of the Second Amendment.”
They really mean: “The Second Amendment is my favorite of the bunch. I couldn’t care less about the rest of them.”

When people say: “I’m open-minded about sex.”
They really mean: “I have the morals of a yard animal.”

When people say: “I’m a progressive.”
They really mean: “I’m a liberal.”

When people say: “He’s a blue-collar kind of guy.”
They really mean: “He’s a redneck.”

When people say: “We don’t need a law like that – we have a similar one already on the books.”
They really mean: “I don’t even agree with the existing law.”

When people say: “I don’t ever get the flu, so I don’t need a flu shot.”
Or they say         : “I don’t need to get my cholesterol checked.”
They really mean: “I’m afraid of needles.”

When people say: “I support our troops, no matter what.”
They really mean: “I’ll mindlessly go along with any military decision the President makes.”

When people say: “If you want to leave, I won’t stand in your way.”
They really mean: “Please don’t go!”

When people say: “It’s your decision. I won’t try to influence it.”
They really mean: “I hope you’re smart enough to make the same decision that I would.”

When people say: “We’re doing this for the children.”
They really mean: “This is a chance for us to limit the rights of adults.”

When people say: “It takes all kinds.”
They really mean: “That person is just plain weird.”

When people say: “I interpret the Bible the way God intended.”
They really mean: “My interpretation of the Bible is the only one that’s correct.”

When people say: “Everybody is somebody.”
They really mean: “My pedigreed cronies and I are more important than most.”

When people say: “How am I doing?”
They really mean: “Wouldn’t you agree that I’m doing a superb job?”

When people say: “Successful people should be willing to give back.”
They really mean: “Those dirty capitalist pigs should be ashamed of themselves. Giving back is the least they could do.”

When people say: “That’s a classy outfit you’re wearing.”
They really mean: “You’re overdressed.”

When people say: “One religion is just as valid as another.”
They really mean: “All religions are equally invalid.”

When people say: “You need to understand that marriage is a serious step in one’s life.”
They really mean: “You’re too young to get married.”

When people say: “I live paycheck to paycheck.”
They really mean: “I lack the discipline to save any money.”

When people say: “Have you considered estate planning?”
They really mean: “Don’t you want to leave all of your hard-earned money to someone else?”

When people say: “Your political views are all over the place.”
They really mean: “You’re either for us or against us. Take your pick.”

Random Rants and Raves #139

Oklahoma is the only state that really has a panhandle, since it's the only state that's shaped like a pan.        

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The most likely time for things to go wrong is when there's every reason for them to go well.

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What appears to be someone's financial mistake in your favor is likely just that -- a mistake. However, what appears to be someone's financial mistake that goes against you is likely not a mistake at all.

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One consolation I see to growing old is the fact I would get to see another generation or two of carefree children get nailed with the frustrations, terror, and heartache that come with adulthood.

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One thing that parents need to emphasize to their small children is the fact that they must use soap to get their hands clean and not use their hands to get the soap dirty.

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Whenever I hear about someone who had it all and then lost it all, it makes me wonder why they risked it all.

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I have nothing but contempt for people who put others in no-win situations and then point the finger of blame at them.

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I’ve never understood why the penalty for escaping from prison is pretty much the same, no matter what the level of security. It seems to me that the tighter the security at a prison, the lesser the penalty should be for escaping. Escapees should get some credit for ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Is McCarthyism Making a Comeback?

A certain one-note politician from the state of New York is angered by the fact that her governor selected Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a fanatical gun control proponent who represents Long Island in Congress, is upset at Gov. David Paterson’s choice because Gillibrand, who was beginning her second term as an upstate New York congresswoman, is a card-carrying member of the NRA.

Such a membership is apparently anathema to Ms. McCarthy, who is also a Democrat. In fact, she finds it so completely unacceptable that she now plans to challenge Gillibrand in a primary in 2010, when Gillibrand will be up for re-election to the Senate. McCarthy, who never previously articulated a desire to run for the Senate, now says she would even be willing to give up her seat in Congress to pursue this quest.

McCarthy was first elected to Congress in 1996. She decided to run that year in response to an incident in 1995 in which a gunman killed her husband and wounded her son. She immediately became a crusader for tougher gun laws. Her zealous activism in this arena lead her to victory in her initial run for the House and has gotten her re-elected in subsequent races.

However, the downside is that her stance on guns has so overshadowed everything else she has ever done that she is now seen by many as a fanatic. I’m sure she has expressed opinions about stuff other than guns and gun control, but very few people have ever heard them. She has cast many important votes in the House that have had nothing to do with gun control, but they have gone virtually unnoticed as well.

She comes off as an all-gun-control, all-the-time politician. And her recent media uproar over the appointment of Gillibrand to the Senate doesn’t help to refute that perception. It would even appear that she is trying to create a new form of McCarthyism, so to speak. This time, however, instead of Communists, its target will be gun owners.

Ten Indicators of a Slow News Day

Whenever an evening news program leads off with one of the following types of stories, it is generally an indicator of a slow news day. This is not at an attempt to make light of any of these subjects.

Like the Good Book says, there is a time and place for everything, including all of these things. And, with the possible exception of item #4, they are all worthy items that have their proper place on the evening news. To me, though, they just seem out of place as lead news stories.

1) Sports stories.

2) Human interest stories.

3) Op/Ed pieces.

4) Celebrity lifestyle/entertainment stories.

5) Stories about pets/animals.

6) Weather reports (other than those related to major storms or natural disasters).

7) Health/fitness tips.

8) Traffic reports (other than those involving major snarls or accidents).

9) Consumer alerts.

10) Comical/offbeat news.

Prestige and Honor Must Be Earned

President Barack Obama’s two daughters, Malia and Sasha, are getting quite a bit of attention from the press these days. Along with the President and Michelle Obama, their mother, these two young ladies are basking in the glow of their family’s new-found celebrity and status. The perks that come with being children of a U.S. President are great. These girls seem to be enjoying them for all they're worth. Good for them.

However, there’s going to come a point in their lives when these girls will have to earn that kind of thing for themselves. Their parents’ coattails will only be so long. At least, that’s the way it should be. Too often, children of celebrities, politicians, great entrepreneurs, war heroes, etc. seem to “inherit” their parents’ prestige and honor, without having accomplished anything on their own. This is too bad because that’s not the way it’s supposed to work.

True honor and prestige must be earned. They should never be bestowed on someone as a reward for being lucky enough to be born to the right set of parents. Yet the media does not seem to understand this concept. Members of the media continue to play up unworthy people who just happen carry a certain family name.

A recent case in point was Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy. For no reason other than the Kennedy name, she was seriously considered for the Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But what were Ms. Kennedy’s other qualifications? None, to be specific. Had her surname been Smith or Jones, she would not have had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where of becoming a viable contender for that job.

Everyone should be born with little other than caring parents and a world of opportunity. Everything else should be earned. Let’s hope that, in the future, nothing – not even wealth – can be inherited from one’s parents, and that all people will be judged solely by content of their character and the things that they have been able to accomplish as their own men and women.

Stupid Highway Logic

A gentleman recently wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, complaining about the fact that the police usually do not ticket slower drivers who do not stay in the right-most lane on highways. He said that these drivers created hazards and caused accidents. However, he didn't seem to have a problem with speeders. He even stated that they were not particularly problematic and should not be ticketed unless they were speeding excessively (i.e., going 20 or more MPH over the speed limit).

With this attitude, he likely believes (though he did not specifically state it) that those who do the speed limit, but do no exceed it, are to be considered "slower" drivers and should remain in the right-most lane. Hmmm. So let me get this straight - those who drive in the left lane but refuse to break the law by exceeding the speed limit are breaking the law and should be ticketed? Those who break the law by speeding, but drive in the left lane, have a right to be there and are therefore not breaking the law and should not be ticketed? It sounds to me like someone's been on the road a little too long!

Classic Rants and Raves #63

Just before most labor disputes are settled, both sides will declare that they've reached an impasse in the negotiations and that they seem to have irreconcilable differences.       

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I have found that people who don't think of themselves as being "cool" are much more approachable than those who do think of themselves in that way.

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The way I see it, employers should pay waiters/waitresses and other service-oriented personnel a fair and living wage instead having them depend on tips to make a living. Too many of their clients make a habit of stiffing them. I wouldn't mind paying extra for meals, etc. to see this change take place. Tips should then be reserved for those who provide extraordinary, or at least above average service.

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Anytime one uses a big or fancy word just for the sake of using it, that fact is usually quite apparent to everyone who is listening (or reading). 

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Most of us subconsciously emulate those whom we admire. 

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I have simple tastes when it comes to cars, homes, furniture, etc. If it's low-maintenance, it suits my taste! 

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The main reason most guys don't like to go to the doctor is because it is what I call an "ego-nipper." I define an ego-nipper as any experience that makes a guy feel weak, humiliated, and/or not in control. We don't like that kind of stuff. In fact, I'd rather eat a pound of "fertilizer" than to endure an ego-nipper.

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When you vote for the lesser of two evils, you're still voting for an evil.

Must-Offend TV

You will rarely find nudity, explicit sex, or a certain four-letter word on network or basic cable TV in the U.S.  That’s because, of course, most viewers would find those things offensive. However, other things that are just as offensive to me (or, in some cases, even more so) seem to be fair game these days. Here is a partial list:

1) Advertisements for medications to treat erectile dysfunction in old men (do the rest of us really have to be exposed to this stuff?).

2) All kinds of cursing and foul language (there are more offensive words than just the f-word).

3) Sexual situations, often accompanied by overtly suggestive dialogue.

4) Kangaroo court shows presided over by attitude-wielding ‘judges’ who obviously lack proper judicial temperament.

5) Violence of all sorts (from fist-fighting to gun violence to bombings to graphic torture to bloody cadavers, and everything in between).

6) Homosexual actors and characters who demand acceptance of their lifestyle.

7) Unmarried heterosexual couples depicted as carrying on sexual relationships.

8) Outright hostility towards organized religion, especially Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

9) Veneration of rogue law enforcement officers and other vigilantes.

10) Unbridled lasciviousness, hedonism, and materialism.

11) Advertisements for hard liquor.

12) Celebrity worship (can you say idolatry?).

13) Lewd and suggestive dancing.

14) Talk shows glorifying and pandering to aberrant behavior of every kind, freakishness, fetishism, weird psychoses, uncertain paternities, and even absolute perversion.

15) Male/father bashing.

And material from the above list has become so ubiquitous that it is almost inescapable – airing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I am a strong advocate of First Amendment rights, so I don’t believe the government should be in the business of censoring television. However, it would seem like the major networks and cable-casters would have the decency to restrict certain types of content to late-night hours, or at least not air that stuff in prime time.

How About Some Alternative News Programming?

When U.S. Airways Fight 1549 recently went down in the Hudson River, it was big news, as well it should have been. However, like many other major news stories over the past 25+ years, reports of the downed jetliner and the successful rescue of its passengers dominated the news in such way that little else was covered over a period of several days.

Despite the importance of the event, did we really need to watch the same video loops and hear accounts of the story over and over again for more than 48 hours – on every cable news channel? What does that really accomplish?

With the advent of the 24-hour cable news cycle in the early 1980’s, I thought we would actually get some variety in the types of news programming that would be available. Instead, we have gotten more of the same. When a major news event like this occurs, the thinking at CNN, CNBC, Fox News, etc. seems to be that people won’t be able to get enough of it.

Therefore, they all focus mainly on that story, putting their special little spin on it and hoping to grab and report tidbits of information about it before the others do. I call this the “me-too-and-hopefully-first-some-of-the-time” mentality and it plagues all the cable news services. Anyway, the frenzy over this kind of a major news story continues until these networks either believe their viewers have grown weary of it or the next big event takes place, whichever comes first.

Just once, I would like to tune in to one of those news channels after some significant event takes place and find a message at the bottom of the screen stating that this channel will not be covering it in any kind of depth because such coverage is readily available elsewhere. Instead, according to message, they will be spending their airtime on the day’s other news. Yeah, right – who am I kidding?