Tailgunner Trump

A lot has been said lately about the "birther" controversy, to the point (or some would say New Low) where the POTUS unveiled his birth certificate long form to the public yesterday. As expected, and to no one's surprise, The Donald quickly jumped on the opportunity to proclaim victory of his accomplishment, complete with no shortage of pride or chest-pumping. Many see this as a major step towards his credibility as a viable candidate for POTUS in 2012, whereas most political pundits realize this is nothing more than "more of the same" from a celebrity who loves to rattle the cage yet, because he has not officially declared himself a candidate (something the current POTUS had no hesitation in doing), he remains exempt from counter-accusations, which seems all too convenient. One can easily return the challenge to The Donald by way of demanding the release of his personal financial statements (as all candidates are required to do), or insist that full disclosure be made in regards to his roles in the three bankruptcy petitions he filed on behalf of his companies, but since he's not officially a candidate, he has no incentive to do any of this. And of course there's the recent gaffe he made about being "a friend to the blacks"...did you notice how no one really took that seriously? It wasn't because it was irrelevant -- it was because it was wonderful fodder that was stashed away to be used in another time if and when The Donald becomes an official candidate. I, for one, have a huge problem with this condescending comment, but I will give him credit for not being a fake about it. I find The Donald amusing at best, and given his shallow position on real issues, I don't expect him to be an official candidate any time soon -- even he knows he cannot afford the scrutiny that will follow that action, as I'm sure he painfully remembers the last time he had to go under the microscope when he filed his last BK. I don't know if anyone caught Boone Pickens on CNBC yesterday, but when asked what Boone thought about The Donald's point about challenging OPEC, Boone quickly scoffed it off as being ridiculous because of the real facts -- something that The Donald seems to shy away from, and maybe that's because he's never been one to let facts get in the way of a good story. More on the Pickens conversation later...

President's Day

The day started like any other weekday: via the mellow annoyance ring tone of the cell phone's alarm clock. Alex came out of his slumber and reached gently over to the nightstand on his left, finding his phone exactly where he laid it the night before, and tapped the "dismiss" button on the touch screen. It was 5:30am, and he knew another alarm was programmed to come on in 30 minutes, per his set-up preference. Usually he took advantage of this "customized snooze function", but not today, too much was on the plan for the day. He rolled to his right and noticed that she was gone, which was no surprise per her schedule, and his mental complaint was quickly followed by a mental thankfulness for the solitude. Not that he didn't appreciate Layla's company -- she was becoming more of a comforting fixture around the house -- but she was also a very important and equally busy woman with a focused agenda when it came to her job, and he was all too willing to stay out of her way when it came to the workday week. Tonight was the start of a 3-day bank holiday, but until 6pm rolls around, he knew (as it always was from Sunday night to Friday evening) that Layla's free time was few and far between.
As he lay there, he took a quick mental survey of his physical situation -- all seemed ok, maybe some slight soreness in his hamstrings, but otherwise all was well enough to earn a small smile of content. Another fringe benefit of Layla's work style was that she suppressed a lot of tension and she was all too eager to let it out when they were under the sheets, which was almost always followed by mutual appreciation in various forms. But that was just about enough lingering for Alex; he had his own agenda today and was eager to get it started. As his feet hit the ground, he heard the whirr of the coffee grider/brewstation begin, also, per programmed schedule. "Ah, nothing like a great cup of coffee brewed from freshly grounded beans to start the day", he thought to himself. Coffee was one of his guilty pleasures and he always tried to find new ways to enjoy his favorite daytime beverage. However, before he could partake of that first sip, he would be faced with a 10-minute brew cycle, so he used the time to take an assessment of the interior of the house. He grabbed his phone as he took off down the hall and down the stairs, and he noticed that he had a new text message. It was from Layla, with an attachment. "Hey, you! Thx for the great evening. Smooch." Attached was a picture of her blowing a kiss to him, and by the looks of it, she took it before she left -- he recognized the interior decoration of his master bathroom in the background. She didn't have her blouse on yet, but her arms were strategically placed so that nothing scandalous would appear. Layla was nothing if not through, and it was one of the many attributes he enjoyed about her. Alex quickly closed it and moved it to a private folder within his phone, where it would join the others. As he took a quick survey of the inside of the house doors and windows, the coffee aroma was equally quick to envelope the kitchen area.
Having turned on the kitchen TV and changing the channel to CNBC, Alex's thoughts moved to the agenda of the day: his pipeline. Alex was a portfolio manager for a very exclusive commodities fund that held several millions of dollars under his control. His clients were not your everyday investors -- these were people in mid-to-high levels of executive leadership, referred to him by a small circle of private asset managers he had helped over the years. The A-Fund, as it was known, was their idea because they saw how Alex had a unique vision of the market that always resulted in a return well above the Dow average. His fund was seen as the perfect hedge to the market volatility, but it was only open to a select few. Alex had many offers on the table to take on more clients with larger investment dollars to be used at his sole discretion, but he was not interested in getting over his head too quickly. He had seen too many of his peers get greedy too fast and subsequently lose their focus because of the pressure they either did not expect or could not tolerate psychologically, and he wasn't about to make that same mistake. A-Fund made him a very comfortable living while still allowing him enough freedom to not be fully constrained to a time clock. And today was predicted to be somewhat volatile in several international financial markets, which could present some welcome opportunities if played right. So far, per the CNBC ticker and side-bar numbers, all was going according to plan.
After pouring himself a cup before heading to the shower, Alex heard some noise that sounded as it was coming from his backyard. He moved to the bay windows of the breakfast nook and peered through his plantation shutters. He saw his neighbor, David, running after his dog Lolly, a cute but independent labra-doodle. Lolly was a recent addition to the house next door, and Alex had seen David and his partner Tim taking the puppy for her daily walk as Alex would drive home in the afternoons. Lolly had apparently taken off after a squirrel or something, against his owner's wishes. Alex had to suppress a laugh as he watched David plead to Lolly to come back, and Lolly seemed to be enjoying his owner running in all directions after her. It was barely daylight, yet Alex noticed that David was impeccably dressed in pyjama-and-slippers set straight out of a Brooks Brothers catalog. "He certainly looks better than my grungy look of shorts and t-shirt", Alex thought, and was just about to move upstairs when he noticed David getting more frustrated as Lolly ran between the thick hedges. Alex opened the door to the sun porch and walked out to his patio. David seemed equally grateful and embarrassed. "Need some help?", asked Alex as he quickly scanned the hedges for any sign of the dog. He noticed David doing a quick once-over at him as he smiled back. "I'm so very sorry, I hope Lolly hasn't woken you up", David replied. "No worries, I was up anyway", said Alex as he moved to the hedges. He then made a few vocal clicks and Lolly immediately came out just long enough for Alex to gently but firmly grab her collar. "You bad dog!", David exclaimed to the dog as Alex walked him to his owner. "Again, I am so sorry for this! She's usually a very good dog, but something this morning set her off". Alex noticed a slight British accent, very subtle, like Madonna or other American natives who think they sound classy but not obnoxious with it. "Don't worry about it, I don't mind", said Alex, "she probably caught on a scent and wanted to check it out". David's eyes seemed to light up at Alex's calm demeanor, as if to be thankful for not running into a cranky morning-mood neighbor. "She came right to you!" said David, "you must have a knack for pets or something." Alex was quick to smile back. "I don't think so, but good to know I might have something to help for next time". David returned the smile, said several Thank You's, and started to walk back but then abruptly stopped half-way. "Oh -- now that you are here, we wanted to let you know that we plan to have a small get-together tonight. Mostly just friends and co-workers from the bank. It's a holiday weekend plus I hear the weather will be great, so we wanted to enjoy it with friends". Alex was gracious in his reply. "Sounds like fun! I heard it was going to be a nice weekend, too. If you need extra parking space, you are welcome to use part of my driveway." "Oh, thank you! We appreciate that! Say...Tim and I would love to have you over! You are more than welcome -- and please bring your girl friend!" Ugh. Alex knew they must have noticed his "girl friend" coming and going from his house. He wondered if they also noticed it wasn't always the same person. "Um..sure! What time?" said Alex. David seemed even more pleased. "We told everyone to come around 7:30ish, but you are welcome to come over any time! It's a nice mix of people -- I promise you won't feel uncomfortable! Hope you see you tonight!" And with that, David turned back to his house. To David, it was a coup. Tim would be so shocked and happy to hear that they finally caught up with the neighbor-slash-enigma! Alex noticed that David was still smiling as he walked back to his house, Lolly in tow close behind. Alex turned back to the sunroom, walked back into the house and mentally assessed his wine inventory for a suitable gift to bring to the party. "Oh, well", he thought, "they finally got me. It's only been over a year since we all last spoke, so I guess it was due." Alex wasn't upset with the exchange -- he knew that David and Tim were the perfect neighbors that anyone would love to have: well-manicured lawns, front and back, plus great landscaping and a warm, inviting porch. Their home's curb appeal was a positive addition to the cul-de-sac and Alex was very grateful for it. Who knows? It could be a fun evening and a welcome start to the weekend. As Alex walked back into his house, he noticed the kitchen door to the garage was slightly open. Even worse: his phone was missing.

Has "Californication" jumped the shark?

I'm a big fan of the show since it started, mostly because of the writer angle. Having lived in SoCal and having been a semi-pro lothario myself (complete with self-loathing), I also enjoy the banter and challenges that Moody faces almost every episode (and there's a few Moody Moments that I can relate to from my own past -- my fav was last year when he had all three girls in the same room, at the same time, and none knew the wiser. Yes, that happens, and Yes, his reaction was spot on). I do agree that Epi 1 of Season 4 left much to be desired, but I blame it on the writing and I suspect that Showtime is going more for the sizzle and less of the steak. I was disappointed and I believe they can do better -- if they want to. It almost makes me wonder if the writers on the show can actually relate to the situation, or are they just guessing because they've never walked in those shoes? Sure seems that way to me. Viewers are subject to lots of questionable dialog that would almost never be said, in any state of inebriation or sexual excess. I do enjoy the sporadic Moody opinions about contemporary literature and what sells today (loved his take on The Twilight Saga -- and very bold of Showtime, the "exclusive" Twilight channel, to let it fly), but we don't get enough and I'd love to know Moody's take on Larsson, Patterson, et.al. Was there too much T&A last night? Yes. Did I mind it? No. Just as I did when I sifted thru the girly babble and banter within SATC to find (and savor) the gems of modern human dating behavior found beneath, I am content (for now) to accept the gratuitous T&A as the price to pay to enjoy watching (and vicariously reliving) Moody's exploits and quick wit -- I just hope the writers get the message and we will see equal amounts of steak AND sizzle as the season progresses.

decision breakdown

Lots of great discussions on Morning Joe this morning, all generated from analysis of President Bush's interview by Matt Layer. Good to see he recognized a few "mistakes". Very good point made by Joe re Waterboarding vs. Massive drone attacks that show no discrimination. More to follow...

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Rand Paul and the New Bohemians

random thoughts about last night's election results...
Who would you rather be -- Christine O'Donnell's opponent (who won), or Rand Paul's opponent (who lost)? I only mention Chris Coons in this example because, prior to the primaries, he was labeled as a very weak choice to run for the Dems, everybody knew it, and yet here he is, Mr. Senator-elect, thanks to being the more-sane option in the statewide election. He should be thanking his lucky stars today. Then again, if you are a student of political science, you would know that the U.S. political history is full of stories about how certain winners came to be because of the weakness or blunders of their otherwise heavily-favored opponents. We do know one thing: he can't blame witchcraft! And how about Jack Conway in Kentucky -- dude, not only did you lose your election, but you just lost to Rand friggin' Paul! Now, I'm not either for or against Paul, and I really wish him (and all the other winners) well -- they have a huge weight of expectations on their shoulders today going forward -- but Conway should have (and could have) run a more effective campaign that what he did, especially given his opponent. Paul and his fellow tea-partiers are fringe at best, and they still have not come up with alternative and specific solutions to the problems they rail against. If you have read my previous posts, you would know that this is a pet peeve of mine, especially in the past two elections when the Dems were all too caustic against President Bush, but had no specific solutions of their own. Now we see why -- it's not as easy to solve issues as it is to point them out and complain about them.
In my opinion, I believe the American voters have seen and felt this, too, and have finally expressed their displeasure via their votes. The Dems knew we were in crisis mode when they came into power two years ago, and yes, they have accomplished a few things, but in this day and age of "instant gratification" and "what have you done for me lately", immediate actions speak much louder than words. Gone are the days when Washington can sit on an agenda and take their time to iron things out. We are used to having things NOW: The tv is instant-on; just about every kitchen has had a microwave in it for years; refrigerators and/or freezer are stocked with microwavable foods; we support one-stop shopping for clothes-groceries-banking-dry cleaning-etc; our creditors expect immediate payment (and have no tolerance for slack); the world of information is not only at our fingertips via our computer, but our computer has the ability to operate with the latest, fastest broadband width conceivable (and then some); we all have mobile phones that do much more than just make phone calls, making us instantly available...and I can go on. The point is that we have this mind-set in our sub-conscious and therefore we no longer tolerate slack from anything, whether it's our vendors, our neighbors, or our politicians. So Good Luck, you new Tea Party peeps -- just be sure to understand that you are not beholden to all of your agenda, you would be wise to pick your battles. Good Luck, John Boehner -- personally, I believe that you will be a huge improvement over Nancy Pelosi (the bar is very low to begin with), just don't make the mistake that Newt Gingrich did and let it all go to your head. The nation awaits -- but remember, don't take too long to act!

The New Version of the Old Scene

So I heard on Morning Joe this morning (of course) that if Sarah Palin runs for President in 2012, then the Democratic Party will resurrect from the pit of despair by way of this single event. The Dems, you see, have been in a bit of a slump lately, and with the mid-term election only hours away, the gloom is starting to take over the doom that surrounds the conjecture of the massive losses they will incur at the voting booth. Most of this malaise comes from the consistent inconsistency that we see daily from the White House, in addition to the low approval ratings tied to the public's dissatisfaction with politician's ineffectiveness during an economic crisis within our country. Having someone as polarizing as Palin run for POTUS would rally the troops a la 2008 and would be a much-welcome pain reliever. That got me to thinking: Palin is so polarizing...wait, I've seen that word used before, for another political target...oh, that's right, it was when every political wonk in 2007 was talking about Hillary Clinton's run for POTUS! Yes, I remember it well. The 'publicans were all up in arms about how dare this woman even think she's qualified for the top job, grab your pitchforks and torches, this just cannot happen!! And yet, as we moved into the 2008 campaign, we saw just how humanizing Hillary became, to the point of being driven to tears (gasp! the horror!). The longer we saw Hillary on our every-day televised events and commercials, the more subdued we became and the more we began to like her as a person. Many of us were starting to accept and legitimize her candidacy as a viable option to some of the ultra right- and left-wing zealots. It all ended during the primaries when Obama just out-ran her, but for one shining moment, she reached the top of the credibility mountain, after what seemed a lifetime of fighting to clear her reputation and show her viability. Flash forward only two years later and we are here again, only this time with a GOP version in the form of Sarah Palin. Watch out, 'publicans -- karma is a bitch (no pun intended)!

The Dem's Beautiful Nightmare

As we enter the final weeks before mid-term elections, the rhetoric increases daily about how the Democrats will lose a lot of ground to the GOP because of voter sentiment and dissatisfaction. It's no secret that Americans vote their pocketbooks, but don't think this election is in the bag for the majority party. There's still a slight hangover from the previous administration and the Dems are doing all they can now to remind voters of it. Is it too little, too late? You may think so at first, but I believe it's a well-planned effort by the DNC to not be so quick to point fingers so as to give the RNC more ammunition to fire back. Both parties want to be on the defensive because voters like to see the responses, and he who laughs last usually wins the fight. The RNC knows this and that's why you see continuous "baiting" from them on any/all fronts, whether it's the Don't Ask, Don't Tell issue (funny how that just came up this month) or the economic downturn (but not too fast -- we don't want voters to remember how it all started...or do we?). DNC, on the other hand, has their own baiting with the recent Foreclosure Moratorium (again, funny that it just came up this month) and the economic downturn (but not too fast -- we don't want voters to remember how's it been going in the past two years). It's a bob-and-weave scenario that will play out for another couple of weeks. We see that former President Clinton is now starting to stump, and the current POTUS is positioning himself for his own last-minute stumping, too. Frankly speaking, it's the "quiet" consensus among the pundits that the best thing for Obama is to have the GOP regain the majority in the House, reason being that (1) history has shown more success when the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch are controlled separately, and (2) this will give each of them a "legitimate" target to blame if things take too long to resolve or initiate. Fact is that voters want to see results that both parties worked on, and no more bitching about the other side. Sure, there's always room for complaints, but remember that those complaints are usually designed to get the other side to compromise and move stuff forward. Of course the DNC will never admit that this is what they want, and it's so funny to see Obama come out now with weak admissions of failure to get out the true message and trumpet the successes of the administration in the past two years (and yes, there have been a few). If the Dems keep control of Congress, hurray, the voters have spoken and we get more of the same. If the GOP regains control of Congress, hurray, let's see you put your money (well, actually, our money) where your mouth is and get off the pot! Just know one thing, as we head into the 2012 general election: be careful what you wish for.

Guest Writer Time!!

Today's contribution comes from Ms. Andrea Aldrete. Hope you like it as much as her proud Dad did...

"Do you remember when you were in elementary school and your teachers would have you write an “essay” and you would think it was the hardest thing to do? But in reality it was really only two paragraphs long. Then when you got older and went in to high school and an “essay” suddenly became three pages. I was the kid who had no idea what to write and would just sit and look around not even thinking about what I should write. Here and there a thought about what I should write would come to mind, but I never put that much thought into it because I'd much rather think about what mom would be making for dinner, or when the teacher would tell us it's time to go to recess. Then there would be the kids who would always start right away and then five minutes later when you would look back at their paper they were already done. I always hated that...always. Not much has changed since elementary school to be honest. Actually now, even though I'm in high school, if we're given time to write the essay in class, I'm still that same kid who just looks around and can't think of anything to write... I'll be honest with you I just stopped typing and started looking around for about ten minutes before I started typing again. The point in what I'm writing isn't about elementary school and how hard we thought it was to write an “essay”. The point in what I'm writing is the fact that people are given simple tasks to do each day, for example “the essay”, and we always make such a big deal about how our teachers suck because the gave us “really hard work”. Then when you think about it the “paper really wasn't that hard or that long...I think that people take themselves way to seriously most of the time, when we should be grateful for the things that we do have, because if you compared “your hard work” to somebody else and their actual hard work, you wouldn't have even thought about saying your work was hard at all. Think about the people who's everyday life is being in the war, seeing things that you wish you could have never seen, or the people who's life is just trying to find scraps of food to survive... But we bitched and moaned about how hard it was writing an “essay”. Seriously, was it really that hard? Life is meant to be difficult, if it wasn't there wouldn't be a point in going through all that we do. Everybody has their own problems and everybody thinks that their life is the worst it could ever be at one point. I know because I've been there. I've been to the point where I wished I could just stop time around me, pack up my things and leave without anybody knowing. That way I could go somewhere else and just start over. Start a new life with new friends and meet new people, but then I realized, that new people are only new for a day. Then when tomorrow comes, they aren't new anymore. I've been to the point where I just wanted to end my life completely because I didn't want to go on anymore in misery. Then one day my dad told me what I still look back on today and will never forget. He said “Andrea, each day will get a little easier. Tomorrow will be just a little bit better than today was.” I thought he was an idiot for saying that and that he had no idea what he was talking about. But then again what child thinks that there parents are right I mean really? In the end, he was right, and personally, I think that it was the best advice that anyone had ever given me, only because, it's so true. The point in you knowing what I just said was that if a fifteen year old girl is saying this now because she got through it just like her daddy said, and I was fourteen when I was going through it, that anybody should be able to pick themselves back up and eventually get back on the right track, eventually."

Dodger Blues

It's not looking good for LA's favorite baseball team to make the playoffs this year. And no, I'm not talking about the Angels -- as far as I'm concerned, they'll always be from Anaheim. The Good Guys in Blue seem to be hitting a wall just at the wrong time. Wrong time because the front-running Friars of San Diego are hitting their own improbable skid, creating the best opportunity all season to take over the division (or at least get the wild card). But no, not this Dodger team. They seem to want no part of it. There's speculation that the team is suffering under the psychological weight of the just-started divorce proceedings between the owners of the club. Frank and Jamie McCourt bought the team several years ago, mostly by credit and IOU's (a questionable financial arrangement, even by then-credit standards, approved by Major League Baseball in an equally questionable fashion). The once-happy couple is now at odds with each other, accusing each other of infidelity and irreconcilable differences as they wash their public laundry on the front pages and 11 o'clock news. The team itself is currently managed by a former skipper of the recent New York Yankee dynasty, but even he seems to have had enough and may retire at season's end. The general manager is in his first stint at this position, hired by the club from the arch-rivals to the north and therefore will always has his allegiance questioned with every losing streak, and there's been plenty of those to go around. Nothing heals wounds as fast as a winning streak, and if the Boys In Blue pull a 180 and show some actual fight as the month ends, the city will re-embrace these guys as bold heroes that faced adversity like no other -- well except for the Padres to the south, who are (and have been) leading the division by way of smoke and mirrors, having to work with a fraction of the payroll the Dodgers have; or except for the Giants to the north, who are in a close second place with the same payroll challenges, aided by players that were also-rans and cast-offs from several other clubs and therefore are vulnerable to rising (or should I say lowering) to their own Peter Principle. If the Dodgers don't make the playoffs, several huge changes will be in store for them, and we fans (at least the less-emotional and more rational ones) will not be shocked to see surprise moves and/or trades of some of the regular players here that have not lived up to expectations. Not to mention the result of the divorce and the answer to the question of just who will be the owner of the team, and, more importantly, how deep are the pockets the club will be left to work with as they try to field a winning team next year and beyond. And who will be the manager of that new team? The club has a great candidate available and ready in their minor league system, but there's also talk that the current skipper will anoint his protege (and current hitting coach -- did I mention that the hitting has slumped badly lately? but let's not go there) to take over the team, as a return favor to the skipper for agreeing to take over the team in the first place. Only time will tell how this year will affect the club long-term, but in the short-term, there's lots of 'splaining to do...

Happy Hour (fiction), Part 1

The bar was hopping as it usually does at Friday Night Happy Hour. Terry's Tavern was located in a great spot downtown, at the corner of Mega-Banker & Uber-Attorney streets. All the up-and-comers came to Terry's after work, from both the legal and financial professions. It was like the neutral site for the white collar worker bees to commingle after a long week of endless negotiations, dispositions and meetings. Alex was parked at a great seat at the end of the long granite bar counter, showing a small smile as he mentally congratulated himself for being so quick to get here just before the crowds started to rush in and create the usual Standing Room Only predicament. Sitting beside him was Carlos, the Tavern's barback, busboy, waiter and all-around guy that always seemed to be there whenever Alex stopped in. It was a smart move to sit next to Carlos -- he wouldn't be moving until the place started to get busy, and this was a way for Alex to "hold" a seat for his buddies without being obnoxious or arrogant. Alex knew Carlos would not get up from his chair until he absolutely had to, and it always was just about the time the rest of the gang came in and were standing around Alex. Carlos was on his cell phone, conversing in Spanish with what Alex guessed was Carlos' wife or girlfriend, and the conversation didn't sound friendly. Alex turned his back to Carlos and faced the rest of the tavern, as if to give Carlos some privacy, and to hopefully signal that either Carlos take it somewhere else or Alex gets a drink quickly so as to dullen his senses enough to tolerate it. Just then, he heard a glass being set on the bar in front of him, and he turned back around. "Hey, Guy", came the words so sweet to Alex' ears. Her name was Marta, and she was Terry's regular bartender, especially when it came to important (translate: money-making) shifts. Marta looked like she stepped out of a Greek travel ad -- she was average height and weight, had a smooth olive-colored complexion with thick anc curly raven black hair, and she was well-endowed but she never dressed to accentuate it. She was a wiz when it came to remembering "the usual" drink orders of her regular customers, and she was easy on the eyes, but it was her smooth, velvety voice that Alex noticed the most. She met him with his Dewars and Tonic, with a lime wedge, just the way he liked it. "Thanks, Doll", he responded, "I've been thinking of this baby all day". Marta smiled while her eyes were darting all around -- she was assessing the incoming crowd and saw that it was going to get busy, but she wanted to be sure give some attention to one of her better customers while she had a few seconds. She was not a fool, she knew where her bread was buttered, and Alex was one of her better-tipping customers. Plus, she knew he would be coming in with friends and they, too, would be taking care of her as long as she was there to take care of them -- besides, Alex wouldn't let his friends stiff her of her tips. Alex enjoyed talking to Marta when it wasn't busy -- she had a great head on her shoulders that went very well with her quasi-flirtatious personality, and he considered her equal to a good friend, even though they never spent a minute outside of work. He would wonder at times how she would be outside of this environment, and he loved the mystery she presented. He knew she was married but had no children, and rarely spoke of her husband, good, bad or indifferent. "Tough day at the office?", she asked, focusing her maple brown eyes just on him. "Same as it ever was", he responded, and she laughed as she quickly walked to the other end of the bar to fill more orders. Alex took a long, slow sip -- he always enjoyed the first sip of the night, as if it was the perfect remedy to wipe away the sins of the world...or of the work-week.
Next to show from the office was Jake, followed by Kristina. Jake was Alex' best friend, but he wasn't well-liked by many guys in the office. What made Jake unique was that he was the type of guy that was ready to push the envelope and always on the make; he had a great way of talking to women that held their interest, which didn't always go over well with boyfriends or husbands of Jake's targets, but it was a trait that Alex always envied. Jake thought Alex made a great wingman, and there were a few times that Alex was needed to pick up the pieces (when things didn't go so well with Jake's flavor-of-the-night) or be the reliable ride home (when things did go very well and Jake was too busy or drunk to drive). What Alex didn't know was that Jake used Alex as bait because the girls always seemed to flock to Alex and his good looks, which was something that Jake did not possess. Once the girls showed up, Alex was in over his head 9 times out of 10, and Jake, with his womanizing personality and silver-tongued charm, was there to clean up. It was a friendship that worked for both of them...for now.
Alex waved to them from the end of the bar, and Jake, after turning around to show Kristine where Alex was, let Kristina go in front of him as they moved through the crowd. "Typical", though Alex -- it was a move he'd seen many times. Jake used the opportunity to check out Kristina from behind while also checking out the rest of the crowd in the bar. Alex slightly smiled and thought, "that's my boy", then showed a bigger smile to Kristine as she shoved her way through the sea of pinstripes and worsted wool. Kristina was a paralegal for a top law firm, and she clearly dressed the part in her Brooks Brothers blue business suit separates and a button-down white silk blouse. The petit-sized suit went well with her long, straight strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. She was your typical Girl Next Door and was a workout princess, but she worked equally hard to be taken seriously in her job. "TGIF!", Kristina shouted to Alex as she gave him a quick hug. He noticed she smelled great as always; it was not your usual perfume, and he thought he recognized it but it never came to him. It was part sweet and part exotic, as if it was a portal to a naughty side of her that you would not immediately expect. Alex turned back to the bar to get Marta's attention, but Marta had beaten him to it -- Jake's bottled Budweiser was already on the bar, along with Kristina's Bourbon and Coke with stemmed cherry. Alex wondered how many drinks will it take before Kristina does her obligatory tie-it-into-a-knot trick with the cherry stem, which was something all the guys (and a few girls) enjoyed watching. Jake winked at Marta as he hoisted his beer -- Alex noticed that she caught it and gave him a wink and a smooch right back at him before hustling off. Alex shook his head slightly and laughed before turning back and lifting his glass to his friends for the first toast of the night. The fun was just about to begin.

The Car of a Thousand Days

Today, I said good-bye to my car. It was a 2006 Honda Accord, with all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, last Friday, as I was driving my normal route that I've driven on a daily basis for the past 2.5 years, I was involved in a traffic incident. Wasn't really an accident in that no one or no vehicle besides mine was affected or damaged. A lady in a commercial van in front of me had suddenly stepped on her brakes, and, to avoid rear ending her, I swerved off the road to the right. The good thing is that I didn't hit her, because she had three little boys in the back seat. The bad thing is that I hit a concrete driveway culvert cap, head on, and the collision was hard enough to deploy my driver's side air bag. As I skidded to a stop 65 feet later, I knew it was bad but I also knew no one was hurt. I assessed the situation, confirmed that I was ok, then proceeded to get pissed off because this was the third incident I've had in the past 18 months. The first two involved hitting deer in the road. I've driven in Northern Maine for years and never saw a deer, let alone hit one. I've driven in Arizona for years after that -- no coyotes, no cows, no deer. Been in North Carolina for over 12 years and never hit anything...until this past year. What's interesting to me is that, shortly after I hit the first deer, my life changed in a bad way. Lots of changes in my personal life. Lots of family hurt psychologically. Lots of emotional pain and suffering. Lots of different emotions coming from heretofore unexpected sources -- some very good, some not so much. Then my life changed back to the way it was before. And guess what? I hit another deer. It's like it was meant to be metaphorical book-ends to mark this year in hell that I just went through. And now, as if to say it has served its purpose, I had one more accident -- this time to finish the deal and kill the car for good. At first, I wondered if this is a "sign" that I'm about to start another volatile chapter in my life. Hard to imagine what else is on the horizon for me. The good news is that I wasn't hurt in this accident -- if that happened, it would have spelled disaster for me and the family. Ok, I get it, I'm very lucky and I should be thankful, and I am. What you may not know is that I really loved my car. It was fun, fast (for me), sporty, had lots of gadgets, and it fit me perfectly. And I had plenty of fun memories with that car, so many times, so many ways. Certain passengers in that car made for very memorable moments that I will never forget. I'll have to incorporate them somehow in my next book, I guess. Let's just say it wasn't all "G" rated. No, nothing like High School Days, but pretty close. On the flip side, I have many great memories of driving down the road, radio blaring, sun roof open, loving life while taking sharp turns or singing along with my kids in the back. It introduced me to Satellite Radio, and I'll never go back if I can help it. Maybe that's why the Universe found a reason to end it -- as if to confirm to me that I need to move on from the past and evolve to the next stage of my life. And I'm good with it. In a way, it reminds me of my youth: I had a great time, and I always knew, when I was having a great time, that these times were not forever and all good things come to an end. And so the book closes on the Mighty Honda. I don't know what is in store for me for the next car, but I look forward to whatever it is, and I hope it's more good than bad -- as I drive just a few miles per hour slower...

Bring in Chuck Norris

Today's commentary centers on the mystery surrounding the President's handling of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Not that this is a new issue -- the talking heads have been yammering on this topic for weeks now. What's making news is the perception that, because we are now in Day 54 of the oil leak, there is still no viable solution to the problem, nor is there anything being done to do something...anything...to fix it. Americans, whether they admit it or now, love the "Chuck Norris" mentality: we want to see someone kick butt, take names, and solve the problem. Unfortunately for us, this paticular problem has many caveats, known and unknown, and the solutions are not so easy to fix. Not making excuses here, but what we do know is that the leak is over 5000 feet below sea level, creating many logistics issues with pressure and distance that requires precise engineering and movements. One can make a point that we should NOT be allowing deep sea drilling if we don't have the capability to fix problems like this that the surrounding environment creates, but remember that BP had several redundancies in place and they all failed. To that, I say the President should immediately demand that all existing deep sea wells submit to thorough independent inspections so that this does not happen again. The President should also be doing several face to face meetings with the CEO of BP, so that we all see he's being a part of the resolution to this issue plus be our "spokesperson" to BP so that they see just how serious we are and that we want action. By taking a quiet, unassuming position in the background, the President is losing our confidence in his ability to carry a big stick (we know he can speak softly, but that's only half the solution). And who knows? He may not be able to handle a crisis like this, but he still needs to make appearances and give us the perception that he's engaged, even if he has one or more people actually running the day-to-day operations. It's the same SOP that is used for Military Operations -- we know he's not calling the day-to-day shots, but he's still briefed every day on them. Why not institute this policy here? But the main key is that he needs to SHOW us that he's doing something. I don't know if he's concerned about accountability down the road, or if he's just flat out getting bad advice, but he's very late to the party and it has started to erode confidence on both sides of the political spectrum. The President needs to shake his impotent team of advisors and bring in Chuck Norris to fix this issue and show BP just how serious we are about getting this done -- oh, and we're not paying for it, either.

What Does It All Mean?

OK, fans, I'm going to try something new, hope it works: taking The Gang world-wide via blogspot and/or FB, which means we're opening it up to scrutiny, more discussion, and hopefully not a lot of derision...

1) USC Trojan-busters. The mighty NCAA has handed down a 2-yr bowl ban and yanked 20 scholarships because of conduct unbecoming by a couple of superstar college athletes on campus 3-5 yrs ago. As an ASU fan, and being very cognizant of the fact that the NCAA allows other schools to "poach" student-athletes of schools that are currently on bowl ban, I have mixed feelings on this, but I do agree with most of the "better" sports minds that believe the punishment should be directed at the money and not at the current/future student/athletes. You want to send a message to the university? Dock them of some of the MILLIONS they received from their bowl games and other successes. Don't penalize today's players and coaches for the indiscretions of former players and coaches. I've never understood the logic of that penalty. Don't be myopic, either: these schools are doing it for the money, nothing more. To quote the great Billy Ray Valentine: "You know, it occurs to me that the best way you hurt rich people is by turning them into poor people."
2) Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup! Oh, baby! It's only been 49 years, but who is counting? As a young Blackhawk fan that idolized Tony Esposito and died a slow painful emotional death at the end of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals (against the hated Montreal Canadiens), I can finally smile and be at peace. Granted, I was silently hoping for the Canadiens to beat the Flyers so that I could have full payback, but still, it's great to see the current ownership make the right moves to bring this proud franchise back to national prominence where they belong. The current owner of the team, Rocky Wirtz, is the son of the late Bill Wirtz, and it was the latter that had broken my heart many times because he would persistently refuse to make any moves to advance the team via free agent acquisition or signing young talent to long-term contracts. When Wirtz senior died last year, the son took over and made it a powerful team, and, for that, I say THANK YOU!
3) NBA Finals. Was it just me, or did the Lakers seem bored last night? Looked to me like the Lakers knew they could turn a switch any minute and blow out these pesky 'Tics, but I believe they prefer to win it all at home this year and threw the home crowd a bone. I still stand by my prediction of Lakers in 6 games. The 'Tics looked old and tired, and they needed all the effort of their inconsistent bench to pull out a meager win last night. If you don't know by now, I love L.A...This series is over.
4) Cavs' Coaching search. Tom Izzo was in Cleveland yesterday, but it was also reported that Byron Scott (FROM...Arizona State!) was interviewed via phone. I love Coach Izzo for his passion and hoops knowledge, but I was scratching my head about the idea of bringing in a new guy that has no NBA experience to replace the former guy that was fired after winning NBA Coach Of The Year two years ago. Maybe Izzo could be a great NBA coach, but why take a chance when you know your super-duper star is in dire need of better NBA coaching guidance, and Scott has proven he can get troubled teams turned around to play the NBA way successfully.
5) AND FINALLY...The World Cup starts today! Who ya got? Good Luck to Mexico today, they get the tough draw of playing the host country to start the games. Here's the real question: our brave lads will be playing those BP-slimed Brits tomorrow at 1:30 EST -- will you stop what you are doing to watch this match? Lots of different opinions on this. I think that, given the level of competition here, and given that Brits' fans remind me of those delusional die-hard NYJets fans at the NFL Draft -- you know the type: always vocal, always loyal, always heart-broken in the end -- I'm going to watch it. Memo to World Cuppers: We Americans like high-scoring games. If you're looking for more support for your sport, I gotta tell ya, these 1-Nil matches are not gonna do it. And God help you if we have another tournament come to the end via shoot-out. Are you serious? You're going to run, kick, grab, sweat, clutch, suffer pain, all for a shoot-out? Not a good idea.
OK, your turn to respond. Bring It, but be sure to Come Correct! OUT

Splitting Hairs

There seems to be some confusion, on this Memorial Day, about just what we as a nation should be recognizing. In the past several days, I have seen many shameless promotions of public "shout-outs" to "our service men and women, past, present, and future"...wait, what? In my opinion, Memorial Day is to honor those that served our country and gave the greatest sacrifice; not to be confused with Veteran's Day, which honors all that serve in the military. If I'm misunderstanding this concept, then feel welcome to correct me. I have never served in the military, but I would like to think that, if I had, I would not associate myself with Memorial Day -- it should be reserved for those brave soldiers that didn't make it back home. I hope you have a safe and restful holiday, and remember those that have fallen in honor of defending our country. I leave you with the following D-Day prayer from FDR (thanks to MND Commentary):
"June 6, 1944

My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen."

The Trouble With Tiger

Well, it seems that the news about Tiger's marriage is dark, indeed. Looks more and more like his wife is about to file for divorce (if she hasn't already). Granted, from this POV, it looked inevitable, given the level of infidelity and questionable characters he was tied to during his many dalliances. As this celebrity soap opera unfolds, I am reminded of those days when it was announced he was going to marry -- many prognosticators, both professional and amateur, were surprised by the news and were wondering if he was going too fast, too soon. Now, if he was happy with it all at the time, then I was in full support of the decision, but I still had to question why he felt it was so important to do it so soon. I remember reading about Jack Nicklaus' family and how they were "challenged" by his career while he was rising to the top, and that was in the 50's and 60's, not nearly the small fishbowl that the world is now. I always wondered if Tiger took the time to look at how other champions fared in their early years, so as to maybe learn from their mistakes. Doesn't seem like he did -- or maybe he felt he was above it all and could ride through it better than they did. As Tiger rose to prominence, his world was getting larger and he was exposed to many, many distractions, both on and off the course. The off-course distractions are nothing new, really -- every professional sports era has had their own Jezebels or other vices that would take down many potential stars. Case in Point (albeit fictional) is one of my favorite movies, "The Natural": rising star, kid out of nowhere, huge upside, brought down by a mystery woman because the straight-arrow kid took an uncharacteristic step outside the lines and suffered the consequences. If I was lucky enough to have a beer with Tiger, off camera, off the record, I would ask him: "why get married so soon? Everyone knew you had all the potential to break -- no, shatter -- the existing records and forever be remembered as the Greatest Of All Time, and you could have easily done that in the prime of your life, giving you plenty of quality years (and quality money) to live out the rest of your life...what's the rush"? Tiger fell victim to one of the classic blunders of all time -- besides "never get in a land war in Asia" -- he thought he was invincible and could do it all. We see how he just loved to get his freak on, and there are many women in the world who have many talents and are "programmed" to excel at it; it's just too bad his inner circle was not strong enough to help him and guide him through it. I don't know if Tiger will ever survive this meltdown. Sports History is littered with many stars that hit their peak and then fell just as fast because they made a huge mistake in their personal lives, and it took a huge sacrifice to make it all the way back, but they lost their youth, they lost their energy, they lost their innocence, and worst of all, they lost their fan's allegiance. Good Luck, Tiger, in your comeback, but I'll be honest: As a Phil Mickelson fan from Day One (and that means the ASU days), I don't wish you too much luck. More importantly, as a fellow Dad, I hope you make it right for your kids from now till the end. You will find the true meaning of "blood is thicker than water", and your focus should be all on your kids. You can't do much with your wife anymore, you've already burned that bridge and you'll find that if you spend so much time and energy repairing that bridge, you'll be taking energy away from the time with your kids and your career. But what do I know...

You've got questions...

Larry in Liberalville: I have a problem with Arizona's new law about immigrants. I think it's racist and demeaning, and there's no place for it. I don't like the idea of LEOs having the right to pull anyone over just because they match a certain profile. I support the sports teams that are doing their part to protest this, too.
PA: First, let me start by saying I have never been in support of any discrimination, for any reason, and I believe that people should not be held back just because of Race, Color, Creed, National Origin or Sexual Orientation (to name a few), but hold the phone, Larry. Did you take the time to fully look in to the issue that brought AZ to this conclusion? Did you actually read the legislation? Did you see the explanation of Reasonable Suspicion that AZ LEOs must abide by in order to move on this legislation? If not, here it is, and after you read it, let me know if you think it's fair:

"Reasonable suspicion is someone who is approached by an officer of the law because they have committed a traffic violation or are involved in or in the vicinity of a crime. If an officer questions someone (and they always ask for ID when they question a witness, suspect, etc.) and they lack proper ID (drivers license, state ID card, Social Security card, SOMETHING) then they are suspect of being in this country illegally. This isn't just aimed towards latinos. It would involve ANY citizen. In this day and age you have to have ID. Who can function in this world of debit cards without an ID? Who can operate a car without an ID? Who can get a job without an ID? If you are legal....you would have ID.

There will be no gestapo raids, no roadblocks, no ratially-motivated shake downs. The officers of this state will go about their regular patrols and now they will have the ability to detain persons suspected of being in this country illegally. They will be suspected of this because they cannot produce ID. If I get pulled over without a license I fully expect to get in some trouble. If I give them my name they will be able to pull up a computer-version of my ID which would verify who I am.

This law will not become active until (at least) this summer. All officers in the State of Arizona will undergo proper training regarding how to carry out this new law. I have every confidence that they will be able to carry out their duties without stepping on too many toes. Did you know a lot of police offiers in this state are BROWN? Did you know that a lot of them SUPPORT this law because they see the crime that occurs within the latino communities...illegal on legal. It isn't just the "whitey" that wants this law supported. A lot of latinos are tired of the violence, crime and "line jumping" that the illegals are participating in." Credit is given to an AZ local group for posting this information.

There you have it, Larry. And I see that AZ has since tweaked the bill to the point that LEOs cannot move forward unless a crime or violation has been committed. Sounds fair to me -- does it to you? What strikes me as funny is the number of people that are quick to support the other side, without having any vested interest in it. Before jumping to conclusions, why don't you talk to the BP agents that patrol the border on a regular basis -- I guarantee you would find out things that would blow your mind and question why something hasn't been done before now, either on the state or (especially) the Federal level. Also, how about talking to people that have lost loved ones because of home invasions (many in broad daylight, and in AZ, the daylight is very bright) -- did you know that Phoenix leads the nation in kidnappings? Why do you think that is? Having lived in Phoenix metro for 22 years, I believe that I can emphasize with the locals that are being inundated with illegal immigration of criminals and other people of suspect backgrounds, and there's not enouogh help to support the good guys. You can't really be taken seriously until you see both sides of the issue, up close and first-hand. I respect all sides, and I am thankful that people are so serious about this issue; all I ask is that you take an equal look at the cause before you spout off about the effect.

The Financial Crisis Misunderstanding

Stormy weather has returned to Wall Street this week, thanks to the latest testimonies from several key players in last year's mortgage meltdown. If I didn't know better, I could swear that this was a well-intended ploy to distract John Q Public from the current tea-party ramblings as we approach Tax Day tomorrow, but I'll leave that for another post. Partisanship has once again reared its ugly head as both sides restart their finger-pointing at endless and pointless arguements about who's to blame, instead of focusing on effect as well as cause. This conincides with a lot of useless rhetoric about how evil the TARP idea was for America and how it benefited nobody but the big banks. Oh, Really? If you believe that, you seriously need to buy a clue. America stands to make HUGE profits from the TARP repayments, as nearly all of the major players have already repaid their loans, and at a high premium. But do you see any of that on the headlines? Oh, hell no -- all we hear is how it wasn't fair to bail out the Wall Street bloodsuckers and banks and yadda yadda yadda. Well, Guess What, America? The bailouts are working! The Treasury Department is expected to make a PROFIT from the repayments on the TARP funds. This goes clearly against the bitter thought process of the so-called economic experts who were quick to jump on the "it will kill us all" bandwagon. Now, they're slowly backpedalling, and because why? They're now armed with the FACTS. As for the rest of the anti-TARP crowd -- well, they know better than to get the truth get in the way of a good story.

The Big Tease

There was a slight edge of excitement creeping within the sub-conscious of the bank operations center; "Cube World", as the natives jokingly referred to it, was experiencing the normal increase in chatter that usually accompanies a late Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend. Alex noticed a higher-than-average of loitering by the mostly all-female staff, but it didn't bother him. He was focusing on completing a last-minute transfer request from his contemporary in Las Vegas. "Cindy must have hit a big account again", he grumbled under his breath. That would make 3 in four weeks to his 1 -- and his was a lucky one to get at that. He knew what was coming next: a phone call from Cindy, to, you know, follow up and confirm he got the email request. She didn't need to make the call -- he and she both knew their emails had return receipt acknowledgement turn on -- but he knew she couldn't go without talking to him about it. Plus, he enjoyed her call anyway, even if it was to tease him about the current standings in their contest. She would be sure to remind him of the stakes: Loser travels to Winner's city for a night on the town, courtesy of the Loser. Little did she realize that he was secretly hoping to lose the contest anyway, because he was very curious to finally meet Cindy in person after carrying on a friendly working relationship via phone for over a year. Cindy gave great phone, as they say in the biz, and she knew it. Alex would look forward to her calls, especially on Friday afternoons, it put him in the mood for when he hit the happy hour circuit with his friends after work. If the bank only knew how nasty the conversations were on the phone; he sometimes wondered if the phone lines would melt from the subtle heat. Cindy left no doubt about her intentions -- or maybe she was playing it strong because she had the physical distance between them act as her buffer zone. Alex didn't mind, since he always had Stacey at home to take care of any wandering urges brought on by the "hot topic" of the day. Stacey didn't mind when Alex came home in an armorous mood, especially if the result was physical satisfaction for her, and Alex would hardly ever disappoint. If Stacey only knew that it was Cindy who was responsible for getting Alex going...
"ring-ring"...Right on cue. From the Caller Id, he could see it was Cindy. "Trading Desk", he answered, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. He heard a girlish yet seductive chuckle on the other line, the same one he's heard for several months now, the same one he's enjoyed for just as long. "Hey, You...I think you're going to lose the bet!", she said, laughingly. He loved how she just knew his voice and avoided the formalities. She made him very comfortable with her loving-like teases, and she was only too happy to oblige. "What are you talking about, girl?", he replied, smiling. He was sure to turn away from eye-shot of the other co-workers. Alex's desk on the 14th floor was positioned so that his back was to the floor-to-ceiling glass, but he faced another desk -- Jillian, who, per rumor, had a thing for Alex but would never admit it to his face. Alex knew it was prudent to not rock the boat with his co-workers, especially the ones who were so nice and willing to make his life easier, and in return, he was careful not to burn any bridges by acting like an ass or showing off his interstate friendships for all to see or hear. He turned to the window. "There's still one more week to go, my dear -- and I'm a late charger. You'd better be saving your pennies -- Phoenix can be very expensive." Then came that laugh again -- she wasn't having any of it. "Oh, really?", she immediately replied. "Hey, I'm not worried...and last I looked, you were two trades behind me! Hope your bags are packed...and your wallet, too!" Her voice was light and breezy, like a sea breeze, and he could see his smile in the window reflection. He just loved her voice. "Phoenix is boring anyway -- you would love it here in Vegas", she continued. "I'll show you all the sights that tourists don't see -- and I promise it'll only be a little expensive!" It was his turn to laugh. (to be continued)

The Big "Kick Ass" difference

Happy One, my peoples! It's the first day of a new month, the first day of a new business quarter, the first day of a new commission cycle...everything starts all over, like Groundhog Day. And, in keeping with that mindset comes an ad campaign for a new movie, "Kick-Ass". Think "Fight Club" meets "Watchmen". The premise (from what I can gather from the previews and ads -- and you know they just about give everything away in those things) is that a small group of Ordinary Joes take it upon themselves to become vigilant Ordinary Joe superheroes, thereby taking the time to disguise themselves in full costume to go out and fight the bad guys, albeit with absolutely no superpowers, all (it seems) just for the thrill of it, as well as for justice. Don't know if there's an intention sublimial message involved, but it got me to thinking about one anyway: just what are we trying to say here? Are we all fed up with too much petty crime and not enough justice (i.e. car thefts, burglaries, etc.) because the Po-Po is more interested in the bigger fish? And if law enforcement denies it, does this mean we are disappointed in the results we see in bringing these petty criminals to justice in a timely and effective manner? If you saw "Watchmen", you would have seen how this street-level crime-fighting ended up in a corruptive state, because it's only human nature that we eventually lose sight of the forest from the trees. I liked what they did there -- it exposed our fallibility, our weaknesses, our All-Too-Human nature. And in the end, is that a bad thing? We know that we are not perfect, but we also know we are driven (most of the time) to fight for justice and to see good win over evil. It doesn't always go our way in the end, but it takes a lot for most of us to get overwhelmed by continual disappointment. We love to see the good guys win -- but please hold the sappiness, after all, we're watching calories!
My other question is, what is Hollywood trying to convey via this topic? I realize it's all for entertainment purposes only (no wagering), but it still begs for some discussion of the prevailing social mores within our society. I wonder if there are other trends or movements that the general public would like to see "cleansed" by do-gooders fighting for the common man -- maybe Washington political stalemate unclogged by Captain Drano? Or global religious zealots crushed by Major Reason? I'd like to see that -- along with child abusers physically eliminated from the face of the earth by General Consensus. What would you like to see?

Strange perspective

I was more than a little surprised the other day when I heard and read about Sen. Bunning's one-man embargo of a much-needed funding legislation. The appropriation from that legislation was earmarked to cover, among other things, unemployment benefits and COBRA benefits to those in need. Bunning's issue with the legislation was not because he was being a heartless curmudgeon, but rather because he was unhappy with the way the legislation would be funded -- per Standard Operation Procedure, the funding was to be added to the deficit. Bunning and supporters wanted the bill to be funded by unused stimulus dollars. The POTUS would have no part of that option because that's his own special fund that is to be applied to, in my opinon, "hero"-like matching appropriations, natch. Previous discussions between political party teams were met with very little net progress, and in the end, they were at an impasse. The consensus was that the POTUS administration and/or Senate majority was expecting the Senator from Kentucky to blink, yet he stared them down until they did. In the interim, certain mechanisms ground to a halt, and many Federal employees were furloughed because of the loss of appropriated funds expected to be there from the legislation.
The perception from the average citizen was that of another crusty old Republican Senator that has no clue how average America lives -- another elitest reigning high from his ivory tower. Dems pounced at the opportunity to show Bunning as a modern-day Potter, insensitive to the needs of thousands of Americans who cannot make ends meet because they will not be receiving their unemployment checks. As one that has personally experienced the anxiousness and stress involved with living paycheck to paycheck (and even unemployment check to unemployment check), this is not a pleasant feeling to experience. One wonders if Bunning has ever been in those shoes -- if he had, he would not have forgotten the feeling and would have a different perspective on how his actions affect the welfare of thousands. I appreciate his strong convictions to stand his ground to make his case, but I object to him doing it at the expense of those much less fortunate than he. Surely there must be a better way to make his point. Surely there must be a better way to conduct the business of America's fiscal management. Surely there must be a way to present the issues to the people for all to understand and accept -- most of us who are living on a budget while trying to provide as parents of teenage children can relate (albeit on a much smaller scale) -- we understand how easy it can lead to trouble if we "rob Peter to pay Paul", and how it would be so much easier to swallow if we decided we would pay the bill by using the "rainy day" money we've already set aside instead of ringing up more debt. Tell us ahead of time, let us know what's going on, tell us your frustrations, and most likely we'll change our perspective on the issue.