We are witnessing the piecemeal dismantling of our society as we know it, just as I predicted.
Since when does the President of the United States have any say in who is the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors?
As of today, the Messiah-President Barack Husein Obama does.
In addition to saying who can run a company, he also has a say in HOW the company should be run.
Thus, the Messiah-President feels that General Motors and Chrysler have not made enough concessions to the United Autoworkers Union to satisfy his preferences.
So he has given them sixty more days to make more concessions.
I see a subtle trend here.
Here is how is goes...
1 the "card check" method of union intimidation is passed by Congress and implemented in all levels of business.
2 those businesses that manage to stay solvent will have two options -
1 do what the union says or
2 allow the federal government will step in and take the business away from the owner.
If a company tries to reduce the excessive cost of healthcare benefits, the federal government will step in and force the company to maintain the level of coverage/costs that the union wants.
How?
By forcing it to raise its prices to cover the increased costs.
Or remove the owner/President/CEO and install a new person who will do what the union wants.
Who will pay for the increased costs of union benefits?
The customers of that business.
Multiply this pattern thousands of times and you will see the new Obamacare healthcare system.
We are about to see price inflation on a level not seen in our lifetimes.
In California, the we-know-what's-good-for-you-better-than-you-do legislature is proposing to ban black cars because their air conditioners must work harder to keep them cool in the sunlight.
All of this to SAVE THE PLANET from evil humans.
So your Obamamobile will not be black, I guess.
In other news....
THE PLOT FAILED - I RAN
The plot to kill me with lightening failed.
In spite of dire warnings from various weather persons, the evil weather did not materialize with the intensity predicted.
So as I stepped out of my car at the VBC Saturday morning for the weekly six-mile trek, I was greeted by only a light rain and a breeze.
I was dressed for the rain and wind and my considered choices of garment weight, fabric and coverage proved to be spot-on.
I started out at 6:09:12 (why/how I remember this is a mystery to me...).
Although I rested well the night before, I had helped Jef and family move on Friday and while not actually sore, I was still a bit fatigued.
In the runners parlance, my well was not as deep as I would have liked.
I felt good, but not as strong as I would have liked.
But I putted along by myself with no physical points of distress (after several complaints from right foot, left ankle, knee, hip and lower back for the first quarter mile or so - but this is more or less normal).
The weather did its off and on misty rainy thing for most of the party until deep into mile six.
As I approached downtown Huntsville, the rain stopped and the wind picked up.
With a vengeance.
Channeled by the tall buildings around me, a cold, gusty north-west wind alternately tried to stop me, blow me over, or push me faster.
At one point along Clinton Avenue, the wind was so strong that it was pushing my feet off course when I lifted them off the ground.
I managed to stay upright for the whole journey and finished at 7:09:12.
EXACTLY sixty minutes.
Amazing.
Again, I was the only person on the streets.
All the pretty/handsome, young exercisers slept in again, listening to the quiet dribblings of the gray dawn.
Me?
I was ready for a shower and to get on with the day.
Enjoy what freedoms and prosperity you have now.
You will not have them much longer.
In God we trust....
.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
A Plot?
It seems that there is a celestial (or at least, a meteorological) plot to thwart my exercise plans this weekend.
There was supposed to be thunderstorms this morning just in time for my 5:20 AM walk around the neighborhood.
But I was determined to resist the temptation to stay indoors, if at all possible.
It turned out that the thunder was too sleepy to get up, so I was left to stroll (briskly!) in a light drizzly rain with a bit of wind to make things more interesting.
The birdies seemed to mind the blowing wet not a bit.
They were all busy singing their pre-dawn cantatas as I walked.
As usual, they were all on pitch but out of sync with each other.
Tomorrow morning is also supposed to be thundery and rainy at my scheduled running time.
I will attempt to traverse the course if at all possible.
I do not like the thought of getting struck by lightening.
The good news is that the Cotton Row course is mostly surrounded by tall buildings and/or trees, so the likelihood of me getting zapped is lessened.
But I recall two occasions, a few years ago when I was running the course in the afternoon after work, when a nice, juicy thunderstorm came up and gave me a good, Methodist baptism, and scared the brave out of me with some nearby hits of pent-up mega-ampere static discharges.
On both occasions, the rain and thunder had stopped/passed by the time I got to my car. (how handy...)
But it was summer and the storms cooled things off from about 90 degrees to about 75.
I did not mind getting a free cool shower in that environment.
But you could have bought a bottle of my extra adrenaline cheap on those two days.
On one of those occasions, a nice lady offered me a ride in her truck.
I declined the offer but mused that I prolly looked like a drowned rat as I squished along the street.
BTW, the Saturday morning run last week was nice, if cool, with no physical or intestinal problems.
Starting out was a bit rough, with feet, ankles, left knee and lower back, all whining about the degree of stress and the hour of the day.
Yak, yak, yak.
They had all been stretched and warmed during my usual Saturday morning ablutions prior to driving to the course.
It took a full quarter of a mile to get everybody comfortable and quiet and warmed up.
But after that, we were good to go.
In God we trust...
There was supposed to be thunderstorms this morning just in time for my 5:20 AM walk around the neighborhood.
But I was determined to resist the temptation to stay indoors, if at all possible.
It turned out that the thunder was too sleepy to get up, so I was left to stroll (briskly!) in a light drizzly rain with a bit of wind to make things more interesting.
The birdies seemed to mind the blowing wet not a bit.
They were all busy singing their pre-dawn cantatas as I walked.
As usual, they were all on pitch but out of sync with each other.
Tomorrow morning is also supposed to be thundery and rainy at my scheduled running time.
I will attempt to traverse the course if at all possible.
I do not like the thought of getting struck by lightening.
The good news is that the Cotton Row course is mostly surrounded by tall buildings and/or trees, so the likelihood of me getting zapped is lessened.
But I recall two occasions, a few years ago when I was running the course in the afternoon after work, when a nice, juicy thunderstorm came up and gave me a good, Methodist baptism, and scared the brave out of me with some nearby hits of pent-up mega-ampere static discharges.
On both occasions, the rain and thunder had stopped/passed by the time I got to my car. (how handy...)
But it was summer and the storms cooled things off from about 90 degrees to about 75.
I did not mind getting a free cool shower in that environment.
But you could have bought a bottle of my extra adrenaline cheap on those two days.
On one of those occasions, a nice lady offered me a ride in her truck.
I declined the offer but mused that I prolly looked like a drowned rat as I squished along the street.
BTW, the Saturday morning run last week was nice, if cool, with no physical or intestinal problems.
Starting out was a bit rough, with feet, ankles, left knee and lower back, all whining about the degree of stress and the hour of the day.
Yak, yak, yak.
They had all been stretched and warmed during my usual Saturday morning ablutions prior to driving to the course.
It took a full quarter of a mile to get everybody comfortable and quiet and warmed up.
But after that, we were good to go.
In God we trust...
Friday, March 20, 2009
A Decision/Plan...
I have decided that my big Spring cleaning will be delayed this year.
Normally, I do a thorough (that's, "thuro" in my fonetik speleen method) cleaning of my humble domicile twice a year - Spring and Fall.
But I still have some work to do on my walls following my insulation project.
The final sheet rock finishing has not been done (mostly kuz I am lazy).
But after I finish the sheet rock, and while I have the dust covers in place, I want to paint all my rooms.
This is not a trivial project (but WAY easier than installing the insulation foam).
The efficiency expert in me does not like the idea of moving all the furniture to clean all the nooks and crannies of the house during my semi-annual cleaning, THEN move all the furniture back, and THEN move the furniture again, lay down the dust covers and fill the house with all that nice, fine white dust of dried sheet rock compound ("mud") when I do the final sanding of the walls, THEN clean everything AGAIN, THEN move all the furniture AGAIN, lay down the dust/drip covers AGAIN and paint, THEN clean everything AGAIN, and move all the furniture back into place. (sorry to yell)
So, I won't.
The plan now is to finish the walls, paint them, then do the clean-up/Spring cleaning in one swelled foop.
I estimate that it will take about two or three hours to apply the final layer of compound to the walls.
Then a day to dry.
Then about two hours to do a final sanding (another day).
Then it will take about two hours to paint the kitchen (pale yellow) (just the southeast end wall is all that can be painted).
It will take about three or four hours to paint the living room (one coat of two shades of gold.)
That will be another day.
It will take about two hours to paint my gym room (one coat of beige and red).
That will take another day.
It will take about four hours to paint my bedroom (one coat, all walls, two shades of blue) because I will have to move my massive desk.(that will take almost an hour).
THEN I get to go do it all again to apply a second coat of everything on everything.
But the second coat will go faster because everything will be masked and set from the previous go-round.
But all of that will take about a week or so.
But I will not have a full week free until after April 15.
That is a one month delay from my usual schedule.
That bothers me.
But once it is done, it is done "forever" (or until I decide I don't like it enough to want to change it).
July first will be my fourth anniversary in my little house.
It is time for a spruce-up.
In God we trust....
Normally, I do a thorough (that's, "thuro" in my fonetik speleen method) cleaning of my humble domicile twice a year - Spring and Fall.
But I still have some work to do on my walls following my insulation project.
The final sheet rock finishing has not been done (mostly kuz I am lazy).
But after I finish the sheet rock, and while I have the dust covers in place, I want to paint all my rooms.
This is not a trivial project (but WAY easier than installing the insulation foam).
The efficiency expert in me does not like the idea of moving all the furniture to clean all the nooks and crannies of the house during my semi-annual cleaning, THEN move all the furniture back, and THEN move the furniture again, lay down the dust covers and fill the house with all that nice, fine white dust of dried sheet rock compound ("mud") when I do the final sanding of the walls, THEN clean everything AGAIN, THEN move all the furniture AGAIN, lay down the dust/drip covers AGAIN and paint, THEN clean everything AGAIN, and move all the furniture back into place. (sorry to yell)
So, I won't.
The plan now is to finish the walls, paint them, then do the clean-up/Spring cleaning in one swelled foop.
I estimate that it will take about two or three hours to apply the final layer of compound to the walls.
Then a day to dry.
Then about two hours to do a final sanding (another day).
Then it will take about two hours to paint the kitchen (pale yellow) (just the southeast end wall is all that can be painted).
It will take about three or four hours to paint the living room (one coat of two shades of gold.)
That will be another day.
It will take about two hours to paint my gym room (one coat of beige and red).
That will take another day.
It will take about four hours to paint my bedroom (one coat, all walls, two shades of blue) because I will have to move my massive desk.(that will take almost an hour).
THEN I get to go do it all again to apply a second coat of everything on everything.
But the second coat will go faster because everything will be masked and set from the previous go-round.
But all of that will take about a week or so.
But I will not have a full week free until after April 15.
That is a one month delay from my usual schedule.
That bothers me.
But once it is done, it is done "forever" (or until I decide I don't like it enough to want to change it).
July first will be my fourth anniversary in my little house.
It is time for a spruce-up.
In God we trust....
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Another Saturday - Another Six Mile Run
As you local readers may know, this morning was a lovely 47 degrees at 6 AM with a bracing 10 - 15 mph wind coming out of the north.
The light, drizzly rain added to the joy.
I was blessed with the motivation and ability to go for my usual six-mile jaunt.
I pulled my light-weight wind/water pants over my running shorts to keep my knees warm(er), and my semi-water-resistant nylon top over a light-weight knit long-sleeved layer on top.
Over my ear band I wore my new, waterproof ball cap, to keep the tickely wet stuff off my face.
The party started at 6:10:02 and ended at 7:10:30.
That reads like sixty minutes and twenty-eight seconds to me.
Not bad for a slosh session.
All body parts functioned nominally until the last half mile when left leg/hip/knee felt like they wanted to sit down and play in the puddles.
Running Central, Runner, and Coach all said the same thing in unison, "Shut up and run!"
And they did (thankfully).
I was the only person on the roads this morning doing the course (or any course) this morning.
Where is the discipline and dedication of our population?
While not the most important thing in life, maintenance of the temple of the Holy Spirit is important.
So where are all the wussy Christians?
Let me guess; sleeping in, with the nice rain whispering sweet dribblings in their ears.
Come to think of it, that would have been nice.
But I wanted to get this over with.
Now it is, and I am happy (and still on my endorphin high.)
In God we trust...
The light, drizzly rain added to the joy.
I was blessed with the motivation and ability to go for my usual six-mile jaunt.
I pulled my light-weight wind/water pants over my running shorts to keep my knees warm(er), and my semi-water-resistant nylon top over a light-weight knit long-sleeved layer on top.
Over my ear band I wore my new, waterproof ball cap, to keep the tickely wet stuff off my face.
The party started at 6:10:02 and ended at 7:10:30.
That reads like sixty minutes and twenty-eight seconds to me.
Not bad for a slosh session.
All body parts functioned nominally until the last half mile when left leg/hip/knee felt like they wanted to sit down and play in the puddles.
Running Central, Runner, and Coach all said the same thing in unison, "Shut up and run!"
And they did (thankfully).
I was the only person on the roads this morning doing the course (or any course) this morning.
Where is the discipline and dedication of our population?
While not the most important thing in life, maintenance of the temple of the Holy Spirit is important.
So where are all the wussy Christians?
Let me guess; sleeping in, with the nice rain whispering sweet dribblings in their ears.
Come to think of it, that would have been nice.
But I wanted to get this over with.
Now it is, and I am happy (and still on my endorphin high.)
In God we trust...
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Rumors...
...are not true.
I am still alive.
I have just been busy at the tax office.
And running, walking, weight lifting.
And napping.
And going to church.
And playing on my computer.
In a fit of nostalgia and hubris, I have signed up to run in the 2009 Cotton Row Run this year.
It has been four years since I have joined the crowd.
But since I am running the course each week, I figured I might as well do it one more time, while I am still able.
The days will come when I cannot.
I managed to adjust to the new time without mishap.
I miss the brightness in my morning walks/runs that was developing.
But in another month or so, the longer daylight will catch me once again.
I was pleased to attend the birthday party of Caleb and Cathleen Nordstrom.
There was a cast of thousands in attendance including my own babies - Jef, Josh, and Tim.
In addition, there was Kristy (sp?) Jeni, Tesia, LeeAnn(sp?), Sam, Zachy, Rachael, Autumn, Brad, Mitchi, and Davis.
And there was LeeAnn's family and friends most of whom I do not know by name.
The new apartment of Tim and LeeAnn is on the top of a mountain and next to the Cotton Row course.
I find that ironic.
The birthday children were showered with food and presents to the point of overload.
I am convinced that children their ages (one to six or so) cannot process the accumulation of more than two or three small gifts.
After that, they just become dazzled and confused by all the excess.
I was amused by my own children when they were very young at Christmas, when they would find the gift and wrapping paper equally interesting.
Usually, they would prefer to play with the paper first.
Why this was so, I do not know.
But learning this, I was tempted to give them gifts of wrapping paper until they grew older and could find other objects more interesting than the packaging.
I am amused by the way many adults try to "manage" the party and the little people attending, to be sure that they do the things that are "fun" - even if the kids do not want to or care.
This makes me feel sorry for the kids and angry at the adults.
My personal preference is to let the kids play in whatever way they want (assuming they are acting respectful of each other and are not doing anything unsafe).
And when they get hungry/thirsty, just give them regular healthy food and maybe a small treat.
And present them with a gift of something useful - like clothes.
I am sure there are some who will deem me too practical to be much fun.
You are entitled to your opinion. (share it if you like)
I know this: many of the generation of lazy, self-important, selfish, agnostic, lovers-of-pleasure-more-than-lovers-of-God young people coming on the scene lately have no business having children.
They are the Obama generation.
They have been raised by part-time parents in daycare facilities and government-run schools and are emotionally aloof from the concept of family and personal responsibility.
They have had virtually every pleasure and convenience given to them and are possessed with a massive opinion of personal entitlement to more.
Welcome to the U.S.S.A. - the United Socialist States of America.
The Chaldeans have invaded.
The nation is being systematically stripped of every moral and spiritual treasure that remains.
The strategy for the transformation is emerging.
The additional taxes will be levied on businesses.
They will, in turn, pass the increased costs of doing business on to their customers - yoo and mee.
So, while the messiah/president vows to lower income taxes for the "middle class" and only raise income taxes on the "rich", he is quietly raising taxes of every sort (carbon use taxes, mileage taxes, property taxes, energy taxes, etc.) on businesses, which must pass along such increases in the cost of doing business to their customers.
This amounts to a sales tax which hits those with lower incomes the hardest - the very people the messiah/president says he is trying to help.
Get ready for massive price inflation.
You will see prices go up from 25 to 50 percent in the next five years.
Many small business persons will simply give up.
Get your medical care this year.
Soon you will have to get on a waiting list for a band-aid.
In God we trust...
I am still alive.
I have just been busy at the tax office.
And running, walking, weight lifting.
And napping.
And going to church.
And playing on my computer.
In a fit of nostalgia and hubris, I have signed up to run in the 2009 Cotton Row Run this year.
It has been four years since I have joined the crowd.
But since I am running the course each week, I figured I might as well do it one more time, while I am still able.
The days will come when I cannot.
I managed to adjust to the new time without mishap.
I miss the brightness in my morning walks/runs that was developing.
But in another month or so, the longer daylight will catch me once again.
I was pleased to attend the birthday party of Caleb and Cathleen Nordstrom.
There was a cast of thousands in attendance including my own babies - Jef, Josh, and Tim.
In addition, there was Kristy (sp?) Jeni, Tesia, LeeAnn(sp?), Sam, Zachy, Rachael, Autumn, Brad, Mitchi, and Davis.
And there was LeeAnn's family and friends most of whom I do not know by name.
The new apartment of Tim and LeeAnn is on the top of a mountain and next to the Cotton Row course.
I find that ironic.
The birthday children were showered with food and presents to the point of overload.
I am convinced that children their ages (one to six or so) cannot process the accumulation of more than two or three small gifts.
After that, they just become dazzled and confused by all the excess.
I was amused by my own children when they were very young at Christmas, when they would find the gift and wrapping paper equally interesting.
Usually, they would prefer to play with the paper first.
Why this was so, I do not know.
But learning this, I was tempted to give them gifts of wrapping paper until they grew older and could find other objects more interesting than the packaging.
I am amused by the way many adults try to "manage" the party and the little people attending, to be sure that they do the things that are "fun" - even if the kids do not want to or care.
This makes me feel sorry for the kids and angry at the adults.
My personal preference is to let the kids play in whatever way they want (assuming they are acting respectful of each other and are not doing anything unsafe).
And when they get hungry/thirsty, just give them regular healthy food and maybe a small treat.
And present them with a gift of something useful - like clothes.
I am sure there are some who will deem me too practical to be much fun.
You are entitled to your opinion. (share it if you like)
I know this: many of the generation of lazy, self-important, selfish, agnostic, lovers-of-pleasure-more-than-lovers-of-God young people coming on the scene lately have no business having children.
They are the Obama generation.
They have been raised by part-time parents in daycare facilities and government-run schools and are emotionally aloof from the concept of family and personal responsibility.
They have had virtually every pleasure and convenience given to them and are possessed with a massive opinion of personal entitlement to more.
Welcome to the U.S.S.A. - the United Socialist States of America.
The Chaldeans have invaded.
The nation is being systematically stripped of every moral and spiritual treasure that remains.
The strategy for the transformation is emerging.
The additional taxes will be levied on businesses.
They will, in turn, pass the increased costs of doing business on to their customers - yoo and mee.
So, while the messiah/president vows to lower income taxes for the "middle class" and only raise income taxes on the "rich", he is quietly raising taxes of every sort (carbon use taxes, mileage taxes, property taxes, energy taxes, etc.) on businesses, which must pass along such increases in the cost of doing business to their customers.
This amounts to a sales tax which hits those with lower incomes the hardest - the very people the messiah/president says he is trying to help.
Get ready for massive price inflation.
You will see prices go up from 25 to 50 percent in the next five years.
Many small business persons will simply give up.
Get your medical care this year.
Soon you will have to get on a waiting list for a band-aid.
In God we trust...
Monday, March 02, 2009
Chasing A Rabbit
Occasionally, we all hear or see some tidbit of information that triggers some level of curiosity about the item itself or something related to it.
This curiosity leads to the desire to learn more about the item of interest.
One of the advantages of being retired (or semi-retired until April 15th, in my case) is the time to chase down such items of interest and learn more about them.
Thus the following information is presented for your edification:
SOME RESEARCH
I have been intrigued by the growth of an automobile dealer name in our area.
It started out last year when I began to see advertisements for Landers/McLarty Toyota in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
A few months later I saw that Huntsville Dodge had become Landers/McLarty Dodge,
Then, while driving by the dealership, I saw that Huntsville Subaru had become Landers/McLarty Subaru.
On the news this week I saw that that "the parent company of Landers/McLarty" was in the process of "acquiring" the property formerly known as Bill Heard Chevrolet in Huntsville.
That would give them a total of four dealers in the area.(Toyota, Subaru, Dodge, Chevrolet)
All of which got me wondering: is every car dealer in Huntsville going to be called "Landers/McLarty (name of car)" in a few months?
And, who is the parent company of Landers/McLarty?
Well, it turns out, after a little Google research, that Landers/McLarty is run by Steve Landers and Matt McLarty out of Bentonville, Arkansas.
They own/run several car dealerships in that area.
They, in turn, are owned by United Automotive Group, in Bloomfield, Michigan.
The CEO of United Automotive Group is Roger Penske, former race driver.
Sales of United Automotive Group last year were approximately $12 billion.
They run several car/truck/transportation related companies.
They own 364 automobile dealerships all over the country (and overseas) and sell virtually every brand you can think of.
My sense is that they are buying car dealerships now, when business is bad and values are low, will hold them for two or three years until the market improves and the values increase, then sell them for a nice, tidy profit.
This is good business.
Ah capitalism, the enemy of Mr. B Husein Obama and his cohorts.
This curiosity leads to the desire to learn more about the item of interest.
One of the advantages of being retired (or semi-retired until April 15th, in my case) is the time to chase down such items of interest and learn more about them.
Thus the following information is presented for your edification:
SOME RESEARCH
I have been intrigued by the growth of an automobile dealer name in our area.
It started out last year when I began to see advertisements for Landers/McLarty Toyota in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
A few months later I saw that Huntsville Dodge had become Landers/McLarty Dodge,
Then, while driving by the dealership, I saw that Huntsville Subaru had become Landers/McLarty Subaru.
On the news this week I saw that that "the parent company of Landers/McLarty" was in the process of "acquiring" the property formerly known as Bill Heard Chevrolet in Huntsville.
That would give them a total of four dealers in the area.(Toyota, Subaru, Dodge, Chevrolet)
All of which got me wondering: is every car dealer in Huntsville going to be called "Landers/McLarty (name of car)" in a few months?
And, who is the parent company of Landers/McLarty?
Well, it turns out, after a little Google research, that Landers/McLarty is run by Steve Landers and Matt McLarty out of Bentonville, Arkansas.
They own/run several car dealerships in that area.
They, in turn, are owned by United Automotive Group, in Bloomfield, Michigan.
The CEO of United Automotive Group is Roger Penske, former race driver.
Sales of United Automotive Group last year were approximately $12 billion.
They run several car/truck/transportation related companies.
They own 364 automobile dealerships all over the country (and overseas) and sell virtually every brand you can think of.
My sense is that they are buying car dealerships now, when business is bad and values are low, will hold them for two or three years until the market improves and the values increase, then sell them for a nice, tidy profit.
This is good business.
Ah capitalism, the enemy of Mr. B Husein Obama and his cohorts.
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