Monday, September 20, 2010

Yellers and Screamers

I guess we are entering a new low in America. As those who yell and scream are about to be become our leaders. And to me that is scary. What has happened to our politicians who were stately and had a little something about them. It seems like everybody running today is all about yelling and screaming. Come on, (and maybe I am not the norm) act like you have a little class. Do not mudsling, be truthful and stop yelling and screaming.

If our leaders carry themselves with class and have respect then the rest of nation will also

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Pondering....

Here is a question that I have been pondering lately: What is social justice? It is true justice for those who do not have a voice in this country or is it justice for those who scream the loudest.

The reason that I have been thinking about this lately is that I hear the term "social justice" a lot from people who are what I call "cause people". I work with some of them and it amazes me that it is all about them and their causes. It is this or that, they say that they are fighting for "social justice" with their cause or causes, but what are they fighting for is it justice for those in need or is for their own egos. I don't know. It is something that I have been thinking about a lot.

I consider myself a middle of the road Democrat. I am very liberal on some issues and very conservative on others. People do not understand that. They tell me that nobody can be that. You are either one way or another. I tell them that is one of the big problems in this country is that everybody is so partisan in their politics and their faith. It is almost like they can not listen to anybody else who does not agree with them.

This is coming up more and more in my life. I am wondering about myself and what I believe in. I have always said that I am fluid-my views can change. Some people call that wishy-washy or a flip-flopper, but I think that it is due to more education on a subject.

I grew up among "cause people" it was always something no grapes, no lettuce, no nukes, no this or that. As a youngster I thought it cool to be a "cause person". That ended when I saw the hypocrisy in some of these people. One was a diehard CP (Communist Party) USA member and would always say capitalism needs to go, but he had a lot of money due to the fact that he owned liquor stores in poor neighborhoods, I know "cause people who would shout "social justice" for the poor but when someone proposed building a homeless shelter in their neighborhoods they suddenly became NIMBY's. Stuff like that. It kind of soured me on "cause people".

I have seen a lot more examples of this in my life, but I will try to keep focused and not go off on that tangent.

As I have aged, I have seen a whole new younger generation become "cause people" and are out for "social justice". They tell me come to this event or do that and they always say, when I object and lay the whole bag of snakes out for them, "Oh, it is different now" we are about action. I see right through that, it is the same rhetoric that they have been using for years.

Of course, people think that I am uneducated or was born with much less intelligence that them and they spout this to other co-workers and their friends. It happens all the time, but my question again is that because I have own views and march to my own drummer (as many millions of us do) are "the cause people" feeding their own egos by bashing us or are they just try to enlighten us because they have the answers?

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

NFL Hall of Fame Should be's

Well the NFL Hall of Fame announced their preliminary nominees for the Class of 2011. I went down the list and saw a bunch of players that should get in some day. Here they are:

Gary Anderson
Otis Anderson
Jerome Bettis
Cris Carter
Roger Craig
Richard Dent
Ed Debartolo Jr
Dermontti Dawson
Kenny Easley
Marshall Faulk
Ray Guy
Charles Haley
Joe Jacoby
Clay Matthews
Ed Sabol
Steve Sabol
Paul Tagliabue
Steve Tasker
Willie Roaf
Deion Sanders
Shannon Sharpe

That is 21 players. It will take several years, but I think that they will get in sooner or later.

Also, here are seven players that have been long since forgotten that need to get in (in my view):

Kermit Alexander CB      1963-1975
Mick Tingelhoff    C         1962-1978
John Brodie         QB      1957-1973
Jim Marshall         DE      1960-1979
Tommy Nobis      LB      1966-1976
Jerry Kramer       G        1958-1968
Otis Taylor          WR     1965-1975
Cliff Branch         WR     1972-1985

I have been following football most of my life. I still remember the 1975 season being the first season that I remember. I remember O.J. running, Anderson passing, the frozen turf of Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game, Dallas' "Hail Mary" vs. Minnesota and Super Bowl X.  Wow, I can believe it has been 35 years.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Forrest Gump???

I woke this morning and was going to start writing my firm and brimstone today. I do have a lot of opinions that I want to share, but due to events of today I will wait on that. You may get a op-ed from me as that is my nature.

Today at work, we had a speaker for the students. Turned out, it was a guy named Daniel Handler who wrote the Lemony Snicket books. He is a very good speaker and a nice guy to boot.

I found out a lot of things about the series (I have never read it), the hidden meanings of things in the books and what he is starting to write now. It was really cool. to get the inside info on this very popular series.

It got me thinking that I have led a Forrest Gump type of existence. Meeting famous people, mostly by luck. I have been at the right place at the right time and have met a ton of famous people. It started in high school when I got my first job at local restaurant as a dishwasher and busboy. A lot of famous people walked in there (they got comped for their meals) and so I was able to meet them. It has been pretty cool. Things like Huey Lewis bumping into me a Longs (now CVS) Drug Store not once but twice to watching a free-for-all bar fight featuring 01 U.S Army Joe Nemechek team. I have had many more encouters in my life. The one thing that people ask for proof, a pic, an autograph or something. I do not plan these things, I mean today there was an e-mail sent out a work and they forgot to include me. As they say "Shit, just happens", I do not plan this stuff. I am very happy when they do because it adds to the quality of my life. I guess people are sometimes jealous because I do get out and about. That is what it is, because I am a doer and a lot of people are not. Sometimes I end of in strange places, but for the most part I have a great time following the wind.

As I said I am a big baseball fan. I am the rare fan that likes both Bay Area teamsn (A's and Giants). I roo for both to do well. When they play I do root for the A's as I go to more A's games than Giants games.

The one thing I like doing is going to Class(High) A games. In my view there is nothing better than watching a Stockton Ports (A's), San Jose Giants (Giants) or a Modesto Nuts (Rockies) game. It is really cool to see the future major leaguers before they make it. And "Down on the Farm" they are more likely to sign autographes and take pics. I guess you can say Forrest Gump.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Okay, the first one

Well, I guess I am going to try this. People have suggested that I do this and I will. I do not know how it will turn out or if anybody will read what I type. But I needed to get an outlet to get my feelings and thoughts out. I will admit that I am a goofy guy who thoughts are sometimes from left field. I do not live in the mainstream of American culture. Actually, I am so far out that even I wonder what is wrong with me.

I am a huge sports fan, who finds a certain peace going to the ballpark-hopefully a minor league ballpark that serves free O'Doul's. I read a lot and come up with different views on issues of the day.

I am frustrated that people will not listen to what I have to say. The people on the far left think that they have all the answers and will not listen to me and the people on the far right are the same. Usually, I feel that I am stupid and shut down. Well, this gives me a chance to voice my views and I do really care who reads it. As they say in Al-Alon take what you like and leave the rest.

I am the person that who think is weird, but if you get to know me you might find that I do not bite, take showers and is a halfway decent guy. I am not perfect and have my share of issues, but at least I know that I have them.

If you want to comment feel free as I said (if anybody reads this) take what you want. This is my blog and my world. Please if you disagree or have another view on the way I present things then be respectful in voicing your view if you choose, so we can have "rational discourse" which is something that this country is sorely missing.

Well, anyway I better end this, hopefully like the Grateful Dead once said "It will be a long strange trip"