Saturday, July 28, 2012

AN ERA WHEN PEOPLE DIDN'T TAKE THEMSELVES SO SERIOUS


"This is probably the greatest honor that I've ever had in my life."   Elvis; after making his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956.

In many ways I miss white picket fence America.  For me, that era lasted from about when I was born in 1941 in Florida through growing up in Cincinnati in the ‘40’s, ‘50s and early ‘60s.  It was an era when the norm was mom, dad, and a couple kids growing up in American suburbia in a nice little home with the ubiquitous white picket fence surrounding it.

The comfort of a white picket fence
In the late afternoon, dad would usually be getting off the bus up the street and walking home as his kids would run up to greet him.  Mom would have been home all day doing household chores and getting a nice roast in the oven for the family dinner at about 6:00.

During dinner the family would talk about their activities that day.  After dinner, the kids would help mom with the dishes before starting their homework while dad lit his pipe and read the evening paper.

It was a sedate lifestyle much the same as illustrated in the popular television series “Father Knows Best” which ran on CBS and ABC from 1954 to 1963.  Robert Young played father Jim Anderson with Jane Wyatt as his wife Margaret.  That show gave a good look at life in the ‘50s when dad would sit in his easy chair to read the paper without even taking off his suit coat or loosening his tie.

It’s pretty mundane stuff compared to family lifestyles now where every member has their own agenda and if the family does accidently eat dinner together, it is something picked up at a fast food joint.

September 9, 1956:  Elvis makes his first
appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show".
In those “Father Knows Best” days, television was a luxury.  In many neighborhoods, maybe one home on the street owned a TV and lucky were the kids who were invited to watch “Howdy Doody” at 5:30 each afternoon in beautiful 12” black and white.  TV didn’t even come on until 5:00 in the afternoon and would go off the air at about midnight after a late movie.  There were three networks:  ABC, NBC, and CBS.

Hit songs were heard on the radio and sold in music stores on either a 78rpm or 45rpm disc.  Most record stores had a listening booth where you could play the record before buying it.  Needless to say, most of us kids would go listen to the songs in the booth and never buy anything much to the chagrin of the store owner.

Friday nights usually meant walking to the theater to see a double feature.  No multi screen places in those days but there was a balcony in some of the larger shows.  No one cared if we got to the show for the beginning.  Usually we walked in half way through and when the film cycled back to that point someone would whisper down the row that “This is where we came in.”

We hitchhiked everywhere, rode streetcars, walked to and from school, went to football games on Friday nights, counted the days until we were 16 and could drive,  and spent as much time as possible at Cincy’s great amusement park of that era, Coney Island.  It was a special treat to take the paddle wheeled “Island Queen” up the Ohio River to Coney from downtown.  I will always remember the calliope playing.

The kids of today don’t know what they are missing by not liking cars.  We loved hot rods and Sunday always meant going to the Beechmont Levee drag strip.  We also didn’t have Twitter, Facebook, and iPhones which meant that we played a lot of outdoor pickup games of football, basketball, and baseball.   We didn’t know the meaning of “obese.”

 I also can’t remember anyone ever having an accident because of a distracted driver.  With stick shifts and a car full of buddies with the windows wide open, we didn’t have time to be distracted. 

There was no air conditioning in houses or cars then so making it through a hot and humid summer in Cincinnati was quite a feat.  I never lived in an air conditioned home until I was 29 and living in Kansas City.

Growing up in the 40s, 50s, and 60s was quite an experience.  America seemed a lot more relaxed then even as we feared “the bomb.” 

A lot of things look better in retrospect so I can’t say that those days were better but when comparing the two eras, it seems that life was a lot more lighthearted compared to now.  Today, I see a lot of unhappy people who don’t know the meaning of “common sense.”  It’s too bad they can’t return to that simpler era when we all liked Ike and watched “Father Knows Best”.

187 comments:

Mike slater said...

Jim, I was born in 1951. Growing up in the 50's and 60's was the best time in my life.

I was born in Phoenix but when I was a year old my parents moved to California because my dad had a job offer there.

When I was five my parents would send me back to Phoenix for the summer to stay with my grandparents.My grandma had horses so I spent the summer riding. It was great.

I miss the good old days when I rode a bike without a helmet or knee pads, drank out of the garden hose, didn't have car seats or seat belts and yet somehow we survived.

I feel sorry for my grandchildren because they don't know what it's like to play all day or ride a bike without a helmet

Of course they all have cell phones now. Do kids really need a cell phone at 5 years old?

sam said...

Ahhhh, memories...mostly good.
In those days, kids tended to actually "live", and were rarely bored. Today, there is no real "life" ... simply a lot of "things" to compare with the "things" of friends and other people. Kids today dont know how to communicate...at least as it was understood and participated in even one generation back. They spend their time on one or more various electronic devices sending pictures and sounds to others, who are often sitting or standing beside them...in code. Twit..tweet..google..utube...etc...no need for "contact", even when standing next to the person. And, it seems that everything is serious today....and seriously impersonal at the same time.

midnightsstaff said...

You can never go back...
We moved from Guymon Oklahoma to Wichita Kansas to Channing Texas between me being born in 47 to 1960 when we left for California...
my dad had two job offers one in Alaska the other in 29-Palms Cal..
Alaska would have been better I think, but fate knowing my name and where to find me thought better.

I really feel sorry for anyone born anytime past the sixties- the fifties were magical in a way, no one questioned American values, we had just won a major war and everything was wide open- my dad would tell me that anyone even myself could become president although I asked him one time why he didn't become president if it was easy and he didn't say anything...

Channing was the best.. no rules, no problems.. we were outside unless it was miserable weather from daybreak to after dark.. and the new show about "Disneyland" was on every Sunday evening.. maybe if you were lucky it would be a Daniel Boone segment with Fess Parker.

I still break out in a stanza of "Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee- greenest state in the land of the free- killed him a bar when he was only three" when I am in my cups.

simple but effective lyrics for a future patriot..
haha- we were so trusting..

..things got complicated in California though, moving in the teens is tough for anyone, new people, new social rules..
But once I got my drivers license the world opened up into a new dimension.. freedom.

The beach or the river was only a three hour drive in a 51 Mercury- ah the good life.

midnightsstaff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim McAllister said...

From: JAB

Jim
I really enjoyed your blog about the white picket fence and the simlper life. I really enjoyed the meals with my family.
I really think of these when my computer crashes or I am out of cel phone range

CJ Phoenix said...

When I go back in my family history, Jim, none of my family ever lived the life that you so fondly remember. I am talking women that always worked outside of the home all the way back thru my great-grandmas (for different reasons); divorces; boxcars ... Not a single "Father Knows Best" that I know of in my family & even a couple that made Al Bundy look family oriented.

Things did seem nicer back when I was young, though, and here are a few reasons why I believe that is:

*There are too many dang people in the world nowadays. Yeah, saying that out loud almost got me stomped to death in Indian Steele Park this past 4th of July ... Apparently, mobs of sweaty people don't like you to point out that there are too many of them while they are practically in your lap & breathing down the back of your neck. But I stand by that statement: there are too many crazies & they are just getting crazier; too many needy people & no longer enough free natural resources to go around; too many people & not enough jobs; and there were way, way, way too many people in that park ...

*Everybody is so afraid is getting hurt nowadays, both physically & emotionally ... Gone are the days of what doesn't kill you makes you stronger & we are raising such a bunch of wimpy whiny kids! For the most part, that is, because I have a new grandchild & I am seriously hoping that my son fights to keep her from growing up wimpy the way I fought on his behalf.

*Extended families do not stick together anymore. On my mom's side, we carried on that tradition up thru me & my son did a lot of growing up with family up in Mayor. But nowadays, with crazy expensive single family homes & the need to have a huge nest egg just to retire & moving all over the country to work, well ... It is becoming less & less practical.

*Last but not least, it costs so much just to get by these days & the pressure just keeps piling on from every direction.

Anonymous said...

Today, I see a lot of unhappy people who don’t know the meaning of “common sense.”

And they are EVERYWHERE now Jim.

I grew up with Leave it to Beaver and never got the jist of the city life since I grew up on a farm. I know all about hunting, fishing,trapping, gardens, tomato fights, and romping in the hay lofts with girls...Haaaaaa

M Merrill

Anonymous said...

I am intrigued by the reactions.

Sam deleted his reply, but today's technology remains the biggest hindrance to youth finding time to develop social skills.

Everyone else enjoyed the laid back lifestyle of the 40's and 50's, but ?????? Everyone also seems to have a few misgivings.

The Joker was born about the same time you were, Jim.

Am I starting to sound like Middy?

OlGriz said...

Stupid site did it again with "anonymous." Sam didn't delete. Other than that.

midnightsstaff said...

It was me that deleted, not because another one of my drunken outbursts made me cringe once I saw the words in print, the damn site double posted me and this time I only hit the send tab once...
..not user error this time.

An analytical approach would have seen an indicator as the time of the deletion the same as my post...
no junior detective badge for you- turn in your badge and squirt gun..

Kind of hard to hold the audience when you are suggesting a third of them should do the right thing and volunteer offing themselves to give you some elbow room.

that's always been a hard sell since suggested in "Earth in the Balance".

You need a thorough deprogramming Cj, when you write your thesis on overpopulation as a result of a zero sum game model it's no wonder you are led to some amazing conclusions..

no, the pie can grow and there is no shortage of necessary commodities- merely political obstacles placed there to herd you into their remuda of lowered expectations...

midnightsstaff said...

20 bucks says 2:54 anonymous is from Missouri...
..ran it through my bs sniffer and got eight out of ten hits positive...

why not Badger?

Rick Kepple said...

Anonymous signed his name? What's the point of being anonymous?

"I grew up with Leave it to Beaver and never got the jist of the city life since I grew up on a farm. I know all about hunting, fishing,trapping, gardens, tomato fights, and romping in the hay lofts with girls...Haaaaaa"

Tomato fights? We'd have gotten the belt for that. Girls in the hayloft? My dad was very strict. He must have grown up on one of those hobby farms.

"one of my drunken outbursts"

Yep, that definitely fits Middy's profile.

BTW, I was kayaking on the Big Piney River yesterday to sunset. I got home at Midnight and got to bed. I wasn't up at 2:54 a.m. But if Middy wants to argue the point, maybe he should drink a bottle of whiskey to warm his keyboard up.

midnightsstaff said...

Well if it wasn't you then you have some competition..

There are a couple of anonymous posters- I never understood that idea.
and before you ask...how does anyone know my last name is not "sstaff"?

.."It's worth noting that Channing might be the least populated city in Texas to maintain an independent K-12 school. Channing fields a basketball and track team that always fares well, it is the highlight of their town! As of 2001 Channing had at least 4-5 businesses. There are at least 3 streets in Channing that Boys Ranch own, and settle their employees there. -

James Feagin, September 15, 2005 "-
http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/Channing-Texas.htm

na.. no white picket fences in Channing when I lived there, but there were no locks on the doors either..

this is why I wouldn't want to live there - http://www.topix.com/video/detail/city/channing-tx/ytid-BnPr8vxxSdU

CJ Phoenix said...

"You need a thorough deprogramming Cj, when you write your thesis on overpopulation as a result of a zero sum game model it's no wonder you are led to some amazing conclusions.." WTF are you talking about there, Middy?

Being in a crowd has always made me uncomfortable & edgy for as long as I can remember & sometime around the my son was born I began to see even Phoenix & the surrounding areas fill up to a point that you cannot hardly do anything without waiting in a line anymore or go 'out in the desert' to recreate as a family anymore without being surrounded by masses of strangers or let the kids run & & explore & play close to home or get individual attention nearly anywhere (unless you are in someway disabled) or any of the other relative freedoms & generally relaxed conditions we used to enjoy right here in Phoenix ... But my degree of discomfort always increases as my personal space decreases & in the park that day I was only inches away from a panic attack & that is all I was talking about.

There are simply TOO DAMNED MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY! Nobody programmed me to say that. In fact, I will always resist programming to just accept these conditions & move along with the masses like I just saw you try to do ...

As far as natural commodities go, everything is either regulated or restricted or so scarce that it is practically gone or privately owned or the neighbors don't like the idea ... Or turned into a suburban neighborhood filled with yuppies with kids wearing knee-pads & helmets plus old farts like you that cannot stand any noise from the neighbors.

As always, this probably comes down to the size of your own personal financial situation & investments. Continued growth = good (for you). It isn't even necessarily a political thing either: I remember both the Clinton & Bush administrations pushing this tie your wagon to continued growth horse scheme ... But I tell you what: when the whole thing finally collapses under its own weight for good & proves itself to be the pyramid scheme that it always was, don't come crying to me. Not only did I never have the chance to buy into the scheme but I may be crushed near the bottom of the pile anyways. And I am not happy about it.

Anonymous said...

The CJ Concept ............

could there be such a thing as a female "Joker?"

CJ Phoenix said...

Is anonymous still Mike Merrill? If it is, what are you worried about? I mean, this is Jim's blog so you do not have to post anonymously. Also, I may have a little Abbey streak going on, but you do not have to worry about me dying my hair bright orange & jumping off the screen of the latest greatest fantasy flick for the masses to escape from real life into ... Not only would being packed into a theater shoulder-to-shoulder with rest of an audience like that to begin with prove to be an extreme deterrent to me but my mind is too strong. I never will be able to lose myself like that until, maybe, when I am very old & demented &, when that happens, I will be pretty much physically ineffective & begging everyone to just shoot me.
******************************
I had to look that "zero sum game" thing up & that is not what I was saying or thinking at all. This whole idea of having those people with a little extra cash "invest" with those at the top, then removing all support from those at the bottom (as you always say that you are trying to do) is just plain foolish & will soon prove itself to be the grand pyramid scheme that it always was. For a pyramid to exist, even for a while, you need a broad base to hold you up. That is both a physical principle & a more abstract principle of finance as you will quickly find out when there are not enough new investors & the collapse into the void you are creating is finally complete.

CJ Phoenix said...

Support for the economic base of this pyramid equals BOTH so-called entitlement programs that benefit the lower classes as well as the lower level jobs -- entry level & manual labor -- that you all are so quick to disregard & discard. Even a "service economy" cannot exist when there are not enough consumers to support it or order services.

midnightsstaff said...

Oh, I'm sorry I thought when you said
"There are too many dang people in the world nowadays"-
I foolishly thought you were talking about people and how there are too many of them in the world.. dang.

I didn't realize you were talking about.. what the hell are you talking about?

The cynical side of me if I had one, might jump to the conclusion you are referring to people like me and Jim.

Carpetbagging Yankee riff raff in Jim's case that have moved here bringing money to spend and posing no threat to take that job from you long ago when you had one.

Or some political refugee from behind the fruit curtain like me ruined forever by the State from ever holding down a job again who shuns the very idea of work.
Much the same as Jim I represent no threat to your longstanding job search., I didn't take your job.. honest I wouldn't do that.

I think guys like us might fall under the category of those who really are not the true indigenous and thereby purest strain of old family Phoenix minor aristocracy- you know.. those who don't sweat in your presence nor sit on your lap while breathing down your neck...

Now Rick has shown some interest in doing that and more to.. er I mean for you but somehow you resist his offer..

Play your cards right and we probably could pony up airfare or if you don't want to hassle TSA the bus to The Enchanted Farmstead for a meet and stay over and then ride back to Arizona in the back seat of that Miata, what fun and you can get to really know The Bodo in his natural element.

If I had to guess I'd say it's just a matter of an authentic indigenous and incredibly hot available babe like you causing all that sweating that is going on..

Even with the gals after all, admit it, times have changed.

I'd offer you a tissue but I think a Tucks might be more appropriate...

Damn this is a nice day!

CJ Phoenix said...

I was responding to your "zero sum game" comment with my last comment to you, Middy. Not the part about there being too many people for comfort for me in general. But if you are experiencing difficulties with comprehension these days, just tell me & I will try to avoid the more complex subjects with you just like I already do with very small children & other learning disabled adults.

Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

"I miss the good old days when I rode a bike without a helmet or knee pads, drank out of the garden hose, didn't have car seats or seat belts and yet somehow we survived."

Great quote, Mike, and that tells it all about being young in those days.

My friends and I thought nothing of drinking from those rubbery tasting garden hoses even if they were attached to someone's house that we didn't even know. Nobody worried about such things. The secret to a good garden hose drink was to let it run for for a moment unless you wanted some hot rubbery tasting water.

We also didn't know about knee pads and helmets for bike riding. Seat belts in cars? What a laugh that was; nobody I know had them or ever needed them.

A lot of people would park their cars on their driveways or detached garages overnight too and leave the keys in them. They never worried about theft and I don't remember there ever being any.

Jim McAllister said...

Sam,

1950's kid activities: go swimming or have dad squirt them running through a garden hose. Play "mumbleypeg with a jacknife. Pickup sticks, marbles, hide and seek, play "bases" and toss a baseball, go to Saturday matinee and serial at local theater, pickup football, baseball, and basketball games share popsicles. When you went to your friends house, you would call to him from the sidewalk.

Today: stay in house, use Skype to converse, email, electronic games, jabber on cell phones, text, get fat.

Kids today don't know what they missed.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Our main worry in the 50s was the bomb and we had all those civil defense places just in case. I remember the practice drills in school.

You're sure right about being outside in those days. I used to love the autumn when people burned leaves in the street with the chill in the air. Nobody thought anything about those fires in the gutter! LOL

Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen were great in their roles as Davy and George. Needless to say, every kid had a Davy Crockett coonskin hat.

Jim McAllister said...

Thanks, Doc.

It's fun to remember those days as a little relaxation from the madness we face now.

I see where Homeland Security is gearing up for trouble during the conventions.

midnightsstaff said...

Did you happen to catch Justice Scalia this morning on the Chris Wallace show?
this guy is the very type we need in charge of our Supreme Court, Wallace tried to set up some booby traps but the good Judge was having none of it..

Fox news is just about as bad as CNN was ten years ago.. I'm just about done with them entirely.

Some blame the lawyers, some blame the politicians for what has happened, but the truth is it is ourselves to blame for allowing society to become out of control.
Flip used to say.."the devil made me do it"- maybe he was right.
haha..

If nothing else my mission was complete, I got Cj to actually look up the meaning of zero sum game.

She still doesn't relate but we have to start somewhere- now if we could just get her to discuss the scam and why it offers excuses rather than solutions that would be progress.
.. but baby steps I suppose..

I doubt she had to google "Tucks"- people with a permanent case of class envy usually don't.

midnightsstaff said...

"Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen were great in their roles as Davy and George. Needless to say, every kid had a Davy Crockett coonskin hat"

..strangely enough I remember there was a mysterious shortage of cats around that time... we refer to it as the unexplained feline holocaust... hmmm?

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

The family unit was stronger in the past. Today, people split up for a lot of weak reasons. It seems like that wasn't the case in the past. Marriage was taken more serious.

You're right, there are a lot more people today and a lot of people with kids who didn't want them and shouldn't have had them.

Common sense seems a thing of the past too with credit cards becoming so popular. Too much temptation. Years ago, people saved for things and paid cash.

A lot of split up families now. In those times, people made the best of things and tried to reconcile differences rather than just call it off. I don't remember any kids whose parents were split.

People just seem a lot angrier now and are happy to try and get something for nothing. No pride.

Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

You nailed it: COMMON SENSE! The ability to know how to come in from the rain. It seems so simple.

Girls in the hayloft? All right! I can picture you doing that. LOL

Jim McAllister said...

Anonymous,

I used to like reading the Batman and Robin comic books. I never dreamed that a simple comic book would develop into the current mess in Colorado.

It's amazing how long they stayed popular. There was the 60s TV show (Caesar Romero played the Joker, remember him?) then the movies.

They should have stopped while they were ahead with the Jack Nicholson version in '89.

I agree on the lack of social skills today. I doubt if i could have made it in sales if I was peddling today. A lot of "no personalities" out there.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Google sure is an improvement over Plugged-in technology wise though.

I wish it was possible to go back and change an answer though. Once you hit "enter" that's it!

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

I had to hand it to Barbara Billingsley on "Leave it to Beaver" for wearing those high shoes while doing housework for 6 years.

She was especially great in "Airplane" (1980)

The big Piney in summer on a kayak. Sounds nice and peaceful.

Rick Kepple said...

Jim, the Batman mess in Colorado was allowed to progress. Oh gee whiz, a shrink neglected to open her mail and golly gee, her patient went off the deep end. There was an entire story written about what actually happened, including the fact that students studying the brain have to see a shrink on a regular basis unless they go FRICKING NUTS! The story was done after I notified the FBI that they would find exactly THAT. How did I know?

Middy in a drunken stupor could have figured it out. If anyone even bothered to review the mass murderers in American history, they would see that they are all connected to the science of psychology.

I suspect that Nazi scientists after WWII had breakthroughs in psychology and our government incorporated them into the mainstream psychological university studies. Hence the beginning of mass murder in 1949.

"When all of the other possibilities are elimininated, whatever remains, must be the truth" - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the Sherlock Holmes novels. BTW, Doyle was a doctor and excelled in diagnosing unknown illnesses.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I liked the Texas panhandle for its openness with towns like Dumas, Perryton, Pampa, and my USAF days in Amarillo.

Dalhart was even a nice looking little town but those smelly feedlots were a bit too close for me. I'd rather spend the night in Guymon like Barb and I did once.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

Mike posted under "anonymous" but signed his name for ID.

He doesn't post often so he is probably not familiar with the system.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Obama is mentioning gun control now and I read where Scalia says there are parts of the Constitution that may allow it.

Of course, disregarding the Constitution and weakening America is no problem for this president. I want to see the day where he goes into Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, etc. and tries to take those guns.

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

Amazing stuff and bad timing. If she would have opened that mail and seen his plan early she might have been able to stop the guy.

CJ Phoenix said...

I was talking about the two anonymous posts that do not have an electronic signature at the end -- the two referencing "the joker" -- but, yeah, I did also see the one that M Merrill signed & that's why I asked whether it was him.

Sure enough, I goggled "Tucks" but that was just to refresh my memory because I have never needed to use the product & just vaguely remember it from old commercials, I think. Actually, though, I believe that "class envy" thing may be wrong. Tucks is for sore assholes, isn't it, Middy? So I do believe that YOU are the greatest example I know demonstrating that the condition of being a sore asshole has nothing to do with your imaginary boundaries between classes or class envy. You just need the physical condition & you have it in abundance.

Rick Kepple said...

Taking the guns. I don't see it happening. I have a feeling that both Democrats and Republicans are using fear to push Americans to arm themselves as a deterrant to being invaded or attacked again.

I believe Obama would take on Iran as well as Syria. The Great Peacemaker. Romney is The Great Destroyer and he will take on Iran, Russia and China, plunge us into superdebt, but eventually America will be situated to lead global governance in 2025, but at what cost?

And I do believe that there are more mass murderers out there and they are all connected to psychology in some way. I guarantee they are easy to predict if the investigators just looked.

It's interesting that you speak of the Cold War, Jim. If we are plunged into war with Iran, a lot of people might be digging bunkers in the backyard.

Living in the past is simpler. I do it all the time.

midnightsstaff said...

Despite this I have finished repairing my screen door...
seriously Jim, you need to watch that interview with Anthony Scalia... that what you read is not what he said.. like I said about Fox news.. it's about where CNN was in the Clinton travesty.

If you watch it with an open mind it's amazing what he did say... I recorded it and am going to watch it one more time at least..

The zero sum game is what socialists sell, they want people to actually believe there is a finite amount of goodies to go around and when some rich guy has a tv, that means some honest hard working individual without a silver spoon in their mouth can't access it..
hogwash.

Cj has bit down hard on that false assumption, that explains how she justifies failure.. on the other hand conservatives believe a rising tide raises all boats, innovation creates industry and capitalism - something we haven't seen for a while - is self regulating and that's something you can take to the bank.

The breakdown of the family unit is directly attributed to the war on poverty where the government check has replaced the father figure.

Today it's simply too easy to allow the gubmint to take care of things that were once the responsibility of those who knew best how to raise a family...
now we have "it's takes a village" approach from Washington, problem is now that village is a polemic nightmare at best and criminal at it's core.

Who will be known as "the food stamp president" when history is written?

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

I think the other anonymous was FD; my number one reporter from northern AZ.

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

I remember some people who had backyard shelters built with food and water stored. We had those drills at school where we got under our desks and on the wall they had those civil defense signs.

"Twilight Zone" also did a show on the same subject starring Jack Albertson as the guy who built a shelter for his family while everyone laughed but when there was an alarm, they all rushed his house.

I have the feeling we will have to work on you a little harder to get your Romney vote. How about the three M's (Middy, Mitt, and Me) taking you to dinner some night in Jeff City.

CJ Phoenix said...

So now I am a failure & I suppose that it is all my fault for not being innovative enough...? Which doesn't explain my 4.0 GPA or the fact that I am still swimming in this sea of crap that you keep voting for. I haven't drowned yet.

Here are the facts: Yes, times are tough for me right now -- tougher than you ever lived through before now, Middy -- but I will prevail &, when I do, it will be absolutely no thanks to you or people like you. Yes, material resources are finite here on earth but there would still be enough to go around as the creator intended if this world & our economic system was anywhere close to being on the right track. All we need to do is start moving in a renewable direction very quickly & quit polluting everything we touch (usually in the name of finite financial resources) & some things -- things that are basic to life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness -- should not be "owned" (but everything else can be yours to have, make money from, play with ...) NOT that you have ever once produced a spark of innovation yourself that I have ever seen. All I see from you right now is an opportunistic asshole that cannot even think outside of his own rapidly deteriorating body. Good luck in the next life, buddy. Ashes to ashes & dust to dust is really all that you have to look forward to after all.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I'll see if I can find Scalia's interview online.

I remember Hillary writing a book titled, "It Takes a Village."

Excuse me, but what a crock. I never needed a village in my life. If I couldn't go out on my own and earn a living, I would have been pretty bad.

The trouble today is with guys like Obama thinking it is the duty of the successful to support the least successful.

I was no genius but I worked hard along with Barb to get what we have. The problem with a lot of the scofflaws is that terrible "W" word: WORK! They would rather sit on their asses with 6 kids in their public housing and receive those checks from the doers.

Want to get pissed off? Watch this from a couple years ago as Stossel interviews Star Parker and Marc LaMont Hill about welfare. (6:46)

In fairness, Parker straightened out and ran for office as a Republican.

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=19126167&postID=4210928914042033095&page=1&token=1343606443651

Jim McAllister said...

The breakdown of the family unit is directly attributed to the war on poverty where the government check has replaced the father figure.

AMEN!

Mike slater said...

Middy, I've been to Guymon Oklahoma. Nice little town. Also been to Liberal Kansas and Dodge City. My sister-in-law lived in all those towns and we would visit them from time to time. I like those small towns.

CJ, your statement that you're swimming in a sea of crap that you ( I suppose you mean Middy) keep voting for would that be Republicans by any chance?

midnightsstaff said...

I think that Anthony Scalia is one of the greatest minds of my generation, he is a rock of Constitutional awareness in a sea of feckless political turmoil.

I put a lock on that program, he gave a lesson in Constitutional relativity today, he broke it down on the second amendment issue and like it or not he said it wasn't the job of the court to nit pick legislation.

In my mind he actually said much the same as John Roberts did about the citizen's responsibility to choose their legislators more carefully and quit depending on the court to save the voters from themselves..

I read into it we as a nation have to choose either responsibility or suffer the consequences.
.. but to expect to have it both ways cannot work.

All of us Second Amendment advocates better sober up and realize that the rights to bear arms guaranteed under the Constitution can only exist in a strict Federalist environment with states rights protected as the Constitution intended.

Because if a city can ban firearms now you have to realize the matter is a local issue but will cease to be under a centralized oppressive statist government

..yeah that is the real danger in our future- and the court just told us it's not their responsibility to save us from ourselves..
and I agree.

CJ Phoenix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

I used to call on a group of chain stores in Liberal, Kansas called Ideal Stores. It was a nice town typical of western Kansas where you could see the telephone poles down the highway for miles.

Their main street is called "Pancake Boulevard" because of a simultaneous race they would have each year with some town in England while flipping pancakes.

I called on some stores in Dodge City once too. It is VERY much the prairie out there. I loved Kansas though; there was a certain romance to that wide open land.

Rick Kepple said...

I saw Dora. She was glaring at me with her furious look. She was standing there dressed in denim shorts and a t-shirt just as plain as day. People all around us and no one remembers the red headed woman with dark glasses, and hiking boots. She never said a word, walked away and I was absolutely just stunned. She walked into the woods and was gone.

Dora ain't happy about something.

CJ Phoenix said...

No, actually, Republicans are only half of the problem, Mike. Democrats are the other half of the problem. What we really need is to remove the power from both parties & elect some people with the best interests of all of US in mind & who are not in it just for the power & the money ... But, yeah, I believe that Middy (& you) have expressed that you all vote Republican often enough to lump you in with that side. I never feel completely good about my votes because there is never a decent viable choice but, if you remember correctly, last election I voted Republican too. So if you were trying to trip me up into saying that something with which you could stamp "FSA" army on my forehead, you were way off base.

Btw, I think that anarchists are misguided & scary too. Here's my guiding principle: "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

CJ Phoenix said...

Dora doesn't like the games you are playing with Bodo, Rick.

midnightsstaff said...

I'm just waiting for the second chapter...

Anonymous said...

Jim,
You hit it right on the nose. Hopefully you remember my editorial of 2008:
The Way it really Used to Be ..Wasn't it?
http://www.conserveind.com/articles_html/20080401.shtml

I loved those times, even though, unlike you, I didn't live in suburbia. I lived from birth to the age of 16 (1939-1956) in New York City's Harlem: a predominately Black community - in what was considered to be one of “the safest neighborhoods" back then.

But we enjoyed a rich community life with Radio, then TV (with only 6 stations: CBS, NBC, ABC, WOR, WPIX and the Dumont Television Network (Now Fox).

Family, friends, school and movie theaters were our life and we loved it.

No, our world wasn't perfect, but we had rich, savory dreams for our futures: along with electric trains, chemistry sets, erector sets, spinning tops, baseball cards, pea shooters, soap box scooters, model planes, comic books and Saturday Morning at the Movies (3 movies, one always a western, great coming attractions, serials and at least 7 cartoons, fresh popcorn with real butter all for 7 cents).

For both adults and especially kids, our days weren’t long enough, and we were never bored. We were most of the time - happy!

Oh how I miss those days, Jim. Oh how I miss those days!

Allen

Rick Kepple said...

Well, Bodo will be at my home in a few hours, so we shall see what CJ means. I mean, if CJ actually cared, she'd email and elaborate.

midnightsstaff said...

nice try but she is not stupid... you will have to start thinking outside the box- that whiny approach of yours is getting stale.

Jim McAllister said...

Great stuff, Allen,

Harlem must have been really exciting in those days. I remember seeing pictures of Sugar Ray Robinson standing by his Cadillac in Harlem with a crowd around him and I love the old films of guys like Duke Ellington and Fats Waller playing at the Apollo along with Lena Horne.

I always felt sorry for Lena as she was born a bit too soon to really be recognized for her great talent.

She was great in "black films" like "Cabin in the Sky" and "Stormy Weather" but because of color she was forced to do those inserts in white films even though she had the most talent of anyone in the film. Those inserts ere an insult to her ability.

Yeah, the movies were fun, especially the Saturday matinees. I can still taste that popcorn, Milk Duds, and JuJubees while watching the latest cliff hanger serial.

If we told kids of today about those times they would look at us quizzically wondering how we could survive without Facebook and Twitter. It was easy; we had something better. It was called radio.

I heard from our liberal buddy Honeyman the other day. He'll never change; he keeps drinking the Obama Kool Aid.

CJ Phoenix said...

GETTING stale? That loaf was completely molded through & through before I ever saw it.

Actually, Rick, I was hoping the reason that your e-mails stopped was because you lost my address & I never really want to open that can o'crazy again. And I am not sure what it is you think I should care about either.

Care about you? I have never even met you & you have never met me. Let's just keep it that way.

Or, maybe, care about Bodo showing up at your farm? Well, maybe just a bit about that because, if there is even a shred a truth there, it means that being in AZ is safer for the time being. But I actually believe you are either delusional or lying about all that. So that is why, "Dora ain't happy about something ..." Because, either way, remember this: You have to invite the devil in.

Mike slater said...

CJ,I'm a conservative and that's why I always vote Republican even though
I've been an Independent for 10 years. The reason I do that is because there is no such thing as a conservative Democrat. I think the last one was John Kennedy but I was not old enough to vote at the time.

You're free to vote any way you want but I do agree with your idea that neither party really cares about the American people that much.

I always liked the idea that Thomas Jefferson had. It was to have a revolution about every 20 years just to let the politicians know who is really in charge of the country.

The problem we have in the country today is almost half of the people in the country are on the government dole and slightly more than half are working to support them. That can't last very long.

Jim McAllister said...

The following is the reason the Democrats are able to stay in business:

Original Proverb:
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish… and you feed him for a lifetime.”

BUT...

Revised Proverb:
“Give a man a welfare check, a cell phone, food stamps, section 8 housing, Medicaid, 100 weeks of unemployment checks, a 40-ounce malt liquor, needles, drugs, contraceptives, and designer Air Jordan shoes, ignore the national debt… and he will vote Democrat for a lifetime.”

CJ Phoenix said...

Mike, I do not necessarily believe in a full blown revolution every few decades, although, it is true that might be necessary at this point because we have become too divided to fight the corruption in government & our government has lost all its attention to principle. What I believe we really need -- or needed to do before now -- is to change those political parties on a regular basis.

Here are another couple quotes from Thomas Jefferson which I find very interesting:

"I hope we shall... crush in its birth the aristocracy of our
moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our
government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of
our country." --Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 1816.

"The selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no
passion or principle but that of gain." --Thomas Jefferson to
Larkin Smith, 1809.

http://whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/DOCUMENTS/JEFFERSON/jeff5.html

midnightsstaff said...

There is such a mountain of worldwide debt now it could be too late for any solution but complete capitulation.

Decades of credit fueled bubbles has left us with a bar bill no one can ever be able to pay off..
worse part is... no one in Washington is even seriously addressing the leverage that now has to be unwound..

They lie to the muppets and tell them there is hope every day but every day gets worse than the last.

As it stands right now I don't give a flying **** about the Republican party, it is little better than the Democrats, they have taken turns spending us into ruin.

Mitt Romney represents a flickering flame of hope to buy some time but Obama getting re elected means the death of a nation and the rebirth of a third world globalist vassal state with no middle class whatsoever.

You can't spend your way out of debt- but that is exactly what some are telling us we must do.

I'm getting to the point I would actually welcome that rogue asteroid that will eventually take out civilization because right now as far as I can see the inmates and thieves are running the asylum..

Rick Kepple said...

The guests were wonderful and very polite. It was a pleasure to make barbeque steaks and take them to the famous Cave Restaurant for dessert. The conversation itself was wonderful!

"Actually, Rick, I was hoping the reason that your e-mails stopped was because you lost my address & I never really want to open that can o'crazy again."

And how would CJ know that I lost her address? Maybe I just stopped writing, because I found the information that I wanted? When a person doesn't tell me the truth, I tell them all sorts of crazy shit. I guarantee the real person they are will emerge.

Rick Kepple said...

"Mitt Romney represents a flickering flame of hope..."

That's just the pilot light on the cremation furnace in the FEMA camps, Middy.

So you actually believe that things will improve with Romney? The only thing you guys see is that he's rich and you have this insane notion that he's going to share the wealth. Have you even read his background? Mitt Romney is the guy that you call when all hope is lost and you need someone without a conscience to make the hard decisions and cut up the United States and sell it off to the highest bidders for a profit, then screw the investors. He will not only unemploy Americans, but he'll cut Welfare, Food Stamps, Wall Street bailouts, subsidies to oil companies, subsidies to airlines, subsidies to farmers, subsidies to Amtrak and cut defense spending, while going to war with Iran, Russia and China on a budget.

Okay, maybe things will not be as bad as that, but Romney is a hatchet man. He will continue as Bush and Obama did for another eight years. Y'all ain't gonna make a dime unless Mitt wishes it.

But please continue with your delusions that life will return to the happy Reagan era.

Rick Kepple said...

BTW CJ, I deleted your email address. You have no compassion and no conscience. I just wanted to know if you would care and you didn't.

I went looking for SN as a test. If she cared, I'd care. She doesn't. Y'all act just like her.

The good news is that Walmart has more Sig AR-15's and Mini-14's in.

midnightsstaff said...

I suppose the most depressing thing today is the realization that for every thoughtful, patriotic vote we get there are a multiple of ignorant and self serving individuals willing to sell out their own along with every one else's inherited birthright of liberty and freedom for nothing more than a few pieces of silver plated tokens and a pack of lies.

Some cannot be reached by reason ever Jim, I guess getting all wrapped up in mindless arguments with a fence post is a waste of time.

On another subject I wonder how long it will take for the media to admit the failed, repressive travesty this Olympics has been in just the first week..
.. China was bad but the bloated, dysfunctional socialist failure we are watching today is even worse- no one seems to even want to go to the damn carnival of excess.

The only consolation to me is finally in my lifetime the Olympics has worn off it's undeserved veneer of purism and amateur excellence to reveal the underbelly of sheer elitist irrelevancy.

If things don't change and I don't see how they could, I suspect at some point they will hold the games with no audience except a tv camera held in San Francisco or Newark- sort of a new reality show.

..that way we can focus on how many condoms were ordered for the games and a little more depth investigations into what tweet's have gotten athletes banned.
...maybe instead of a medal count we could have a used condom count- with some creative marketing strategy I imagine they could be auctioned off to this foolish crowd to offset some production losses.

Properly done with a tastefully mounted, signed letter of authenticity by both or all participants the pricing could start at twenty five dollars for non qualifying athletes to thousands for high profile finalists..

Junk sports meet Jersey Shore, every four years like clockwork.

At least that way the host city might survive the crushing costs involved that cripple them for decades and I can ignore them just as well.

Like a bout with Mexican drinking water in a couple of weeks it will be another forgettable memory and we can concentrate on lying to ourselves again about the future.

Rick Kepple said...

During discussions, B's curiosity of who Middy, CJ and DarkerShadeofBlue identities came into question.

I said that Middy is a drunken, retired prison guard who just happens to act like CN. CJ is a divorced woman who took her husband for everything he had and pretends to live in perpetual unemployment and Blue inherited a fortune and works at a grocery store for a paid hobby. It was just some shit that I made up on the moment. The rock star has proven that she's not my friend through her lack of action when I was in trouble. If she thinks that I'm faking it, she can kiss my ass.

CJ Phoenix said...

Never anywhere close to the truth or truly insightful & always even further than that from reality ... but always entertaining.

You know, it was kinda sounding like BD was going travel all the way to Missouri just to hang out on a farm for a few days or more -- at least that is how it was being told to us -- and that is why it appeared to be all one grand delusion. However, given that it now appears that Rick's place could have been just a stop over on a longer trip, and that FREE FOOD was being offered ... Know what? I wouldn't put that past the old German lurker. And that would also explain why his name has come up so frequently here in the past few weeks too. Lurking would be no fun for a lurking narcissistic freeloader if the conversation did not revolve around him as he lurked.

midnightsstaff said...

"Lurking would be no fun for a lurking narcissistic freeloader if the conversation did not revolve around him as he lurked"- are you talking about Rick or Bodo or both?

That approach sounds reasonable to me... so join with me and quit feeding the beast.. done with this fool, just going to let him yammer by himself.

shouldn't affect the comments count.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

Your quote: "What I believe we really need -- or needed to do before now -- is to change those political parties on a regular basis."

Isn't that what we do? Look at the last 52 years:

Dem 1960-68
Rep 1969-77
Dem 1977-1981
Rep 1981-1992
Dem 1992-2000
Rep 2000-2008
Dem 2008-

Or, are you talking about a 3rd party?

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

"You can't spend your way out of debt- but that is exactly what some are telling us we must do."

It's amazing how many believe in that Dem nonsense. All they think of is tax and spend. Of course, the taxing is on those mean old rich people who did all the work. How dare them be successful! Let's stick it to them! And, Obama leads the way in that thinking.

By the way, I see today where he is financing his own campaign now. Apparently some people are learning!

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

"The only thing you guys see is that he's (Romney) rich and you have this insane notion that he's going to share the wealth."

You have it backwards, Rick. Sharing the wealth is what we DON'T want. We want everyone to be self sustaining and not have to depend on a government that takes from the makers to gives to the takers.

We want a free enterprise system that controls the economy, not the opposite as Obama wants.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I quit watching the Olympics years ago. Too political and boring. I think it's funny as hell that the stadia are empty. People are catching on.

Where are Bob Mathias, Frank Shorter, Emil Zatopak, Alam Mimoon, and Kerri Strug when we need them?

The luckiest one to cash in on the Olympics was Mary Lou Retton. She kicked ass in '84 in gymnastics and made a fortune.

Unfortunately, she should have an asterisk by her name since Russia boycotted the Olypics in L. A. that year and they always had a great gymnastics team.

Jim McAllister said...

Another NFL player commits suicide yesterday via gunshot.

So, who will scream first: the anti gun people or the ones trying to soften the NFL? I'm sure we will hear from both.

Meanwhile liar Obama is taking credit for Chrysler making a profit this quarter when in reality Fiat has been running the show and is responsible for any of Chrysler's success.

From the Washington Beacon:

President Barack Obama is championing the profits of a European-owned carmaker as proof the auto bailout worked.

“Chrysler continued its comeback last quarter by posting $436 million in profits,” Team Obama tweeted out with the hashtag, ‪#MadeInAmerica, on Monday.

The campaign did not mention that Fiat, an Italian car company, bought a controlling stake in Chrysler from the U.S. Treasury in 2011.

American taxpayers provided Chrysler a $12.5 billion bailout in 2009 to save the company, $3 billion of which will never be paid back, according to the latest Inspector General Report.

Those losses have doubled since March, when Team Obama released a campaign video championing the bailout as a “success” despite the $1.3 billion Chrysler failed to pay back at that time.

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

An evening with Bozo? Jesus Christ! Now I'm going to have nightmares just thinking about that!

Jim McAllister said...

Great films of the 40s, 50s, 60s:

40s: Casablanca, High Sierra, It's a Wonderful Life, The Sands of Iwo Jima, Citizen Kane

50s: On the Waterfront, North By Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window, Some Like it Hot

60s: The Hustler, Psycho, Dr. Strangelove, The Apartment, In the Heat of the Night.

There are many more from those eras. Any additions?

CJ Phoenix said...

Jim: Kind of but not exactly. I know, I have had this argument before: a viable 3rd party can split the outcome an election & prevent either of the two main parties from winning. That is based on the assumption, however, the Republicans & Democrats are the two only parties that should win & the only two parties that have good enough ideas (or ideals ... whatever) to address the issues that this country is facing at any given time ... AND how is that working out for you? Generally speaking, from what I see being expressed even here from you all, people who vote Republican are rarely ever happy with the direction this country goes when the Republicans win &, from what I see elsewhere, it works the same for the Democrats.

What I was actually saying is that we need to scrap both main parties right now & build or find a couple new main parties that have fresh ideas, hopefully ideas that really work. BTW, we never have been a two-party system in reality: there is always at least one other party on the ticket during any given election ... HOWEVER, people are so afraid that one of "them" will win an election, as voters have been conditioned to do by the two main parties, that they do not contribute enough money or give thought to or let another party gain any power thru votes. And that's where the problem lies: the Democrat & Republican Parties are both all about achieving enough money & enough power these days to win & then scratching the backs of their biggest contributors after victory & absolutely nothing else more noble than that. That's why they both need to be scrapped.

We need to find at least two parties that care about keeping this country functional & together -- DIVIDED WE FALL -- not about making money, not about paying back campaign contributors ... With the main difference between the new parties being the problem solving methods & ideas.

midnightsstaff said...

A third party like you are talking means a Democrat/tyrannical stranglehold forever.
a third party presence this election means Obama wins- unless it's Ralph Nadar.

Only those of principle will splinter off and those from only one party, the Freeshitarmy will never abandon collectivism and it's guaranteed legalized theft no matter what.

they really don't give a tinkers damn about the country.

India has been down for a couple of days now.. so much for tech. support- but the question is what caused that complete failure over much of the nation?
Was it a solar flare or the predictable result of rejecting coal fired electrical generation in the name of Gaia to save the planet.

I notice that the same solar flare hasn't done the same damage to anyone else..

Can you imagine this happening to the US?- LA and Shitcago without power for two days in late July... call out the guard and at that time it will be too late to arm yourself or buy survival necessities.
probably game over for a large group of elderly and those caught in the inner city kill zones all across the nation.

CJ Phoenix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CJ Phoenix said...

No, Middy, I specifically said that BOTH parties need to be scrapped & that includes the Democrats. If you actually read what I said, you would know that. But I am guessing that you are too busy reading your own thoughts & screwed up attitude in between each line to comprehend much of anything even when you do see the lines of type.

I am going to ask this anyway even though I know that chances are better than average that you will just screw it up too: WHAT IS THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COLLECTIVE WHETHER IT IS THE "FREESHITARMY" (as you like to call the working class that, btw, I believe you were a part of not too long ago yourself) -or- IT IS THE ELITE LAYERS OF THE PYRAMID? You know who those are, don't you? The ones with huge trusts that have never worked a day in their life but spend like there is no tomorrow -or- that have maybe invested some of that money they never earned somewhere &, therefore, hold an important title ... but have still never really worked for it? Or, even worse, went to an elite school on family money & then graduated into politics where, even though they don't make the big bucks relative to the private sector, they get free medical for life, really nice retirement plans, PLUS, all they have to do is back some acts that favor their own interests & trick voters ... AND does anybody actually call THAT work?

Yeah, I know that some of those at the top did make their money the good old-fashioned hard way. But then they bred. And a lot of those 'hard workers' are already dead ... Now, while I know there are people at the bottom of the pyramid that live on the dole for generations too, I would not hesitate to say that the 'classes' have about an equal percentage of freeloaders & loafers & what the upper-tiers lack in mass they actually make up for in the quality of life they demand & quantity of money it takes to satisfy their demands.

BOTH PARTIES ONLY CARE ABOUT THEIR OWN INTERESTS (& those interests do not include you, Middy, or me either) & nothing will ever change that except taking all of the power away from both & voting united for TWO (not 3) different parties that at least have some fresh but sound ideas. Then, in the aftermath, we the people need take steps to make sure that we never get into this situation again.

midnightsstaff said...

Yeah.. but I was talking about reality not some fantasy of getting rid of Democrats and Republicans and coming up with some fresh gang of terrorists to do the same.

How are you going to get rid of the mess and keep society running at the same time? are you thinking french revolution in the next few years?- if not where do you think the bad actors are going to go?

The problem with making any comments on your thoughts is you take everything personally even tho if you read what I said I didn't get all personal with you.

Four more years of Eric Holder, Janet Napalitano and the army of various czars who write and pass legislation without even notifying congress will ensure we never have another election..

What do you think all this talk has been by Obama telling his zombies that he will be termed out? that's a dog whistle to overturning the twentieth amendment with or without normal process, with four more years he will be a true dictator with unlimited powers, just look at how he has congress cowed like a bunch of pre pubescent girls..

..no the answer is to clean up the Republican party, replace RINO's with real statesmen and once again have a nation of law rather than one like this one of tyrannical rule designed to destroy the middle class and replace it with serfs.

So do yourself a favor and quit looking for something to vent on me about and start thinking about what people are saying instead of embracing some rumor of a unicorn sighting.

In 98 days the fate of this nation will be tested in a way it's never been tested before and if you look around you might notice there are only two people running for president, with no chance whatsoever of a third choice.

Really Cj your obvious hatred of what I say is not personal with me.
But I am bothered by what Antony Scalia told anyone listening last Sunday when he said it's not the job of the courts to protect a constituency too stupid to elect earnest men of good faith.. basically he said there is little the courts can or should do about it.
..and I know he is serious as death itself when he tells us the bad news that our constitution is in intensive care.

and I might add in the hands of God.

Mike slater said...

Jim' you're spot on with the revised proverb. People on the dole will always vote for the candidate, mostly Democrat, that offers the most free stuff. That's why I think people on the dole shouldn't be allowed to vote.

CJ, good luck trying to change the political parties. It's never going to happen. A third party will never get enough votes to make a difference.

midnightsstaff said...

Watch it mike, that would be considered as a personal attack if it were me stating the obvious...

jus sayin'

Jim McAllister said...

What I was actually saying is that we need to scrap both main parties right now & build or find a couple new main parties that have fresh ideas, hopefully ideas that really work. BTW, we never have been a two-party system in reality: there is always at least one other party on the ticket during any given election

A noble idea but probably isn't going to happen. There just isn't support for a third party enough to win. Perot did pretty well in '92, enough to knock HW out but most have been weak. There just isn't support; maybe someday.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Definitely incredible about India. 670 million without power? That's more than twice the population of the US! Can you imagine the looting?

I hope emergency services like hospitals have backup.

Jim McAllister said...

Buzz,

No question, class warfare is right up his alley. Now he has an ad out saying Romney is a felon.

I love it that he has nothing to do but argumentum ad hominem crap. Every knock is a boost and any intelligent voter knows that.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

If I may.....I don't think Middy is referring to the working class as the "freeshit army". He is referring to the sponges who could be working but are too damn lazy to get a job. They are the welfare people who don't even want to work if they were handed a job. Why should they when the government will send them 100 weeks of checks at our expense.

The ones with huge trusts that have never worked a day in their life but spend like there is no tomorrow -or- that have maybe invested some of that money they never earned somewhere &, therefore, hold an important title ... but have still never really worked for it? Or, even worse, went to an elite school on family money & then graduated into politics where, even though they don't make the big bucks relative to the private sector, they get free medical for life, really nice retirement plans, PLUS, all they have to do is back some acts that favor their own interests & trick voters ... AND does anybody actually call THAT work?

A good example of those people would be the Kennedys. The old man was a bootlegger and his sons like Teddy and Jack were just a couple of screw ups who were perhaps Dems in an attempt to defray a guilty conscience.

Teddy tried to save his own ass after being responsible for killing Mary Jo Kopecne and good Catholic Jack was a total screw off with women behind Jackie's back.

However, I don't begrudge their riches. That's the way life is: it isn't always fair but we have to accept it.

Remember the old song "Ain't We Got Fun"?

Here is the final verse: "There's nothing surer, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, in the meantime, in between time, ain't we got fun."

That's life!

Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

Yeah, that proverb pretty much covers it. That's why we see people hanging around street corners not working but playing with expensive iPhones. Obama wouldn't want them to miss a call.

CJ Phoenix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rick Kepple said...

Went to the VA hospital today for tests and to see the new doc. I successfully argued to get me off the hydrocodone and they're gonna put me on different medications for various medical problems. She wanted to do cancer screenings and I refused, being without children, disabled and widowed. Cancer screenings and treatment are for people who have value. I'm saving the elite some money. They should be happy. Cancer treatment can cost millions of dollars and what is the return? I tested SN and maybe if she had cared, but now is too late. It's my decision.

CJ Phoenix said...

Nope. I do not take anything you say really personally, Middy. Seriously either. I never have. That's just another one of your tricks: when you do not have a single good idea yourself, you ridicule & demean & demonize anybody that does have an idea about the anything that doesn't agree exactly with your well-rehearsed & thoroughly a product of conditioning point of view.

And, btw, I am giving you a little credit with that because, the way that it looks to me, Obama has proven to be little more than a weak, ineffective president &, if I was into conspiracy theories at all, I would be thinking right about now that the Republicans put him into office themselves just so they could seal the deal on a single party elections from here on out.

FOR EXAMPLE: Obamacare. WTF is that? Because it sure ain't the socialist single-payer medical system that you all keep whining about. I mean, forcing people to pay outrageous premiums each month & when they cannot -- when the premiums leave them too little to survive each month -- sicking the IRS on them? At which point, many will not even be able to afford iodine & bandages ... AND where is the end benefit of that? You know, Obama may have taken the office with some kind of plan to provide universal health care but then the Republicans really mucked it up & now you all are using it as strategy intended to insure that the Democrats never get elected again.

You know what really got me started on this rant? It wasn't you, Middy. It was a so-called voter survey that I got in the mail the other day from the Mitt Romney campaign & it read almost word-for-word like what you have been writing. Obama this & Obama that & this most important issue is getting Obama out of office before he takes over the world ... blahblahblah.

Mike slater said...

Jim, Obama uses the class warfare theme because he can't run on his dismal record. That's all he has.

Looks like 1980 all over again.

Jim McAllister said...

We can only hope he winds up like Carter.

Mike slater said...

Cj, can you please point out to me where in the U.S. Constitution the government should provide health care, welfare, food stamps, WIC coupons, subsidized housing or any other government program.

I know about the promote the general welfare in the Constitution but it doesn't say provide for the general welfare.

Rick Kepple said...

Obama will be known as a statesman. Nonsense? What if I were to tell you that he would get the Nobel Peace Prize? That happened, didn't it?

They'll groom Romney the same way, but different temptations.

Jim, your argument makes no sense. You're suggesting that all money comes from the wealthy as if they have printing presses, or it just magically appears. So how did Mitt Romney actually get his money? I'm just asking where the wealth came from. Where does anyone's wealth come from?

They speak of the 'self-made' businessperson, but they aren't. No sir, they are not.

When a consumer gets a check, they buy things. That money goes to the store, it goes to the warehouse, it goes to the manufacturer, it goes to the raw material companies and it goes many different places.

Money trickles UP then it is paid down to illegal immigrants or overseas workers and the CEO's, executive staff, etc. That's where the chain is broken and that's why the United States economy will fail.

Except for the investors. They react to the European trading market and that's where they are making money. America has been thrown under the bus and that's why firearms and ammo are so popular now. Americans instinctively know that we've been betrayed.

midnightsstaff said...

Like I said, it's in God's hands now.

At sometime in our national history we made a decision to let government decide for us instead of doing it ourselves.

So I'm not really blaming anyone that has not been able to continue what they have been doing all their life but now the jobs market is way out of whack.
Yeah.. we get it that jobs are at a premium and there are a lot of people looking, but my observations and complaints is that now instead of having to actively seek help from the government the government is seeking them...
I give you Detroit and the coal chute of LA as examples of multi-generational dysfunction that is directly attributable to the Federal Government.

Look at all the advertising for more people to take part of the dole on am radio, between that and some damn kid chanting " it's easy to go green"- sorry if you can't agree but I see what I see.

The Socialists in Washington have been trying to grow the dependency class to the point they never have to fear losing an election again, and they do it with our own tax money!!
so pardon me if I protest.

But the real answer is not anything Mitt Romney can do by himself even if he wanted to, and I doubt he sees the issues the same as me.

..when you admit that Mitt Romney's largest contributor is Goldman Sachs it gives me pause, but then Goldman Sachs was Obama's biggest contributor as well- and that unholy relationship of high finance and governmental legislation will be around unless you can come up with some great idea how to rid ourselves of them.

We all sense there is no hope whatsoever for anyone who really wants to participate in society in a meaningful way if the architect for the last four years gets another mulligan..

I am just saying that we have far deeper problems in this country than any mere election will cure, we may have crossed the Rubicon with no return possible.
We'll know a little bit more in 98 days..

Jim McAllister said...

Jim, your argument makes no sense. You're suggesting that all money comes from the wealthy as if they have printing presses, or it just magically appears.

Where did I say say or intimate that statement?

They speak of the 'self-made' businessperson, but they aren't. No sir, they are not.

What about Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Willis Carrier, George Eastman, and many more. Wouldn't you call those guys "self made"?

They came up with ideas, got backers in many cases, worked their asses off and made fortunes. I don't see where government had anything to do with their success.

Those guys bought a lot of product, made it into their inventions, hired people to work for them for a decent wage who in turn took that wage and bought goods and services.

The products made (cars, light bulbs, etc. were sold to consumers through a retailer who took a markup for his services.

Sounds like trickle down to me.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

One of my favorite films is "Dinner at Eight" (1932)

Jean Harlow plays a little slut who is the girlfriend of older Wallace Beery.

As she walks into dinner with the aged and wise Marie Dressler, Harlow says "Gosh, I read in a book the other day that with all this automation, nobody is going to have a job anymore. (paraphrase)

Dressler stops, looks the sexy Harlow over, and says: "Don't worry honey, you'll always have a job." (paraphrase)

Yeah, that's one profession that can't be replaced by a machine!

midnightsstaff said...

I think the clothes washer is a good start.

I watched a stinker last night with John Wayne as a downed pilot in the Hudson Bay district and they were waiting to get rescued... Lots of stars including Andy Devine and James Arness I think but the plot was thin as prison soup.
Great news about Cruz winning the primary race for the RINO Hutchinson seat in the Senate he is the real deal- the Tea Party is alive and kicking ass.

Corn prices are going to start trickling up through the food chain pretty soon followed by poultry, meat and everything else you put in your mouth...
better start like I have and have a couple of meatless days every week..

Yeah the food stamp president has a bit of a mountain to climb I would say- he'll be lucky to escape the treatment they gave that guy in Libya if people ever get wind of the truth about him.

CJ Phoenix said...

"Cj, can you please point out to me where in the U.S. Constitution the government should provide health care, welfare, food stamps, WIC coupons, subsidized housing or any other government program."

First why don't you show me where I was even talking about all that, Mike.

Yeah, I remember that we had a little discussion of that line about promoting the general welfare somewhere on AzCentral but I do not even remember the context right now so why don't we both prove ourselves to be better than the average petty bitch who holds a grudge long past the point of relevance ...

I do admit that I did mention healthcare right here. I did not defend or promote either plan here though: neither the Obamacare model of forced individual accountability -- forcing people to purchase insurance plans -- nor a universal system. And, for the record, I would be perfectly content to roll back the prices to, oh, around 1974 ... When my parents could still afford to take all of us kids to the doctor every now & then & only needed a major medical policy which they earned enough to pay for. Plus, there were more than enough decent paying jobs to go around. Then live & let die if it comes to that.

Are you ready for that too, Mike? Are you ready to tell any family or friends that depend on any government program whatsoever -- disability, medicare, VA benefits, government pensions ... -- that they are in the creator's hands now?

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I agree on the John Wayne film "Island in the Sky" (1953).

Pretty much the typical plane crash, go through dire circumstances, get saved routine.

We all knew Duke would survive since they killed him off 4 years earlier in "Sands of Iwo Jima" and enough is enough when the Duke gets his.

It was worth watching for the fine character actor co-stars which were many. It's always a treat to see Andy Devine, Walter Abel, Lloyd Nolan, Sean McClory, Paul Fix, Louis Jean-Heyt, and others in a film.

The little guy Arness threw out the window was George Chandler, a veteran of hundreds of films from the 1930s on always playing small parts as a Western Union boy, elevator operator, drug store clerk, etc.

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer from the Our Gang comedies played the black haired co-pilot of one of the planes.

I agree on food prices. Blue is going to be busy catching those crooks in the stores.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

When Barbara and I were married in 1967, we called Blue Cross to see about health insurance. They told me that for the two of us it would be $15 per month. They sent some forms, we made out a check, mailed it and presto! We had health insurance.

Barb had some surgery in 1969 and I don't remember paying anything. We also had a doctor who charged $5 for office calls but only charged me $3 because I was a college student and a veteran.

Obviously times have changed. We now have Medicare with a supplemental policy to cover the 20% that Medicare doesn't cover and we pay $530 a month total for the two.

Health insurance is one of the most important things a person can have and they should be sure that whether through a job or otherwise that they are never without it. It is an absolute priority.

A lot of people say, "Oh,I feel OK, I don't need it." Big mistake! Better to do without something else.

Rick Kepple said...

"What about Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Willis Carrier, George Eastman, and many more. Wouldn't you call those guys "self made"?"

Absolutely not, Jim. Read your history. Absolutely NO ONE makes it on their own. Did you know that the inventor of electricity wanted to GIVE it away? But no one wanted electricity, so he had to find a way to convince wealthy people to invest in his nutty idea of putting essentially lightning in a bottle.

A 'self-made' person was actually the pre-European Native American with stone tools.

And Jim, look at this disasterous "Trickle Down" economy. Look at the result. You will blame Democrats, but in the experiment of trickle down, it should have worked anyway and it is a tremendous failure. Giving all the money to the rich with deregulation resulted in disasterous consequences. Bernie Madoff, et al.

You are suggesting to give all the money to investors and they will make people rich and that's true, if you live in India or China.

The correct method is the age old 'supply and demand,' where the consumer drives the economy, not the investor. Therefore, money trickles UP then back DOWN in a continual cycle. That cycle is broken thanks to Trickle Down economic theories.

midnightsstaff said...

Going to see if I can find a copy of that great cinema biography on my way to Chick Fil A.. "take the money and run" starring Virgil Starkwell.. world's most inept criminal mind.

now that's my kind of Hollywood.

Rick Kepple said...

Jim, I'm getting off the narcotic pain medication, going on some former seizure medication that was found to block nerve pain, cause I'm supposed to be more active. That means, no writing for a living. Yes, I'm supposed to go hunting, camping, fishing and be a boy again. Be irresponsible. Or die a slow and agonizing death.

Maybe I might go to a SN concert someday. Party like I'm 99!

Rick Kepple said...

Oh yeah, more kayaking, more buying guns and guitars too. And lots of irresponsible living, in moderation. And I have to again change my diet. I'm supposed to go to a SN concert, go hunting, fishing, and lots of neat stuff!

So I guess I'll be getting rid of the consulting business. Limit my time on the computer. I have new medications, but mostly more activities and Bingo is OUT!

I'd sure like to talk to SN again. They say a boy marries his mother, and Dora was a bit like Mom and SN.

It's an era for me to not be so serious about life.

Oh and my new doctor is FRICKING SIZZLING HOT!

midnightsstaff said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV_A

compare that with this fool..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng

That interview with John "weepy" Boehner's little brother totally destroys and delivers a complete slapdown to the mindless philosophy this illegitimate son of a bitch of a president holds when he wandered off teleprompter and once again exposes his marxist roots..

..better not watch this one Rick.

"you didn't build that- someone else did" -
haha.. Obama might not even survive the convention.

I am going to see if they have any "Hate Chicken" t- shirts at CFA in XXL-
which is a kids size in Tennessee.

Rick Kepple said...

Vincent printed out Jim's blog! VINNIE!!!!!

He's the barn kitten who decided he wanted to live in the house. That new laser printer spit those pages out in seconds!

The VA just called. They want me to take a urine drug screen and I told them that the day they get a Hollywood celebrity to do a mandatory drug screen, is the day that I do one. If they want to cut my medications, that's their right. But I'm not on Welfare and if I gotta be drug tested, so do rock stars.

Rick Kepple said...

BTW, I asked them to take me off that narcotic and they put me on nonnarcotics and other drugs for various problems. So they must think I'm doing heroin or something.

So the U.S. government is cutting expenses by catching Welfare recipients and military veterans and cutting their benefits and medications. They are engaging in genocide, which is defined as targeting a specific group of people. I wrote about that about ten years ago, that they were targeting the disabled, elderly and the poor. It will lead to open warfare. Why?

Because they will force taxpayers to take care of their poor cousins, grandparents and disabled relatives. Jimmy will pee in a bottle if asked, because he's a robot and does what he's told by the government.

midnightsstaff said...

na... it's meth...

midnightsstaff said...

"The good news is that some sheriff's department in Missouri will hire him. I live in Missouri. I can make Missouri jokes. Tazing a frog is nothing here. A while back they shot a fawn behind a bank because the cops feared it might be rabid and get violent. A deer fawn. Sadly, Missouri gets the cops that no other state wants. It's why they accepted the MIAC report from Police Officer bin Laden saying that Christian military veterans are terrorists. It was well written so they assumed it was correct information. I mean, 50 percent of a police department's budget is for enforcing marijuana and the Justice Department says weed is only 2 percent of the problem in crime! "You're under arrest you bad plant you! It dropped a leaf! Taze it!" See where I'm going with this? You don't really have to be that smart to be a cop. You just have to figure out how to slap the cuffs on and pull a trigger. Heck, I've proven again and again in public meetings that cops enforce laws that don't exist. This frog thing just proves it. If you can't do anything else, be a cop. It's not like you have to think"

so who do you think could write this kind of crap... yep.. same nutjob that pollutes this blog.

Actually this is a serious issue, the criminal with a badge in this article actually has a long history of SS tactics not only against frogs, but children- still think it's funny Rick?

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2010/10/28/20101028pinal-deputy-fires-taser-at-frog-brk.html#ixzz22JXvIxJe

Jim McAllister said...

The correct method is the age old 'supply and demand,' where the consumer drives the economy, not the investor. Therefore, money trickles UP then back DOWN in a continual cycle. That cycle is broken thanks to Trickle Down economic theories.

You're splitting hairs. The guys I mentioned saw an opportunity to improve the lifestyles of the consumers so they took a chance on those inventions.

Ford thought a car would work better than the difficulty of a horse and buggy so he took a chance. When people saw how it worked there became a demand. Hence, Ford mass produced the Model T. That was the supply to satisfy the demand.

The same with Edison who figured some sort of electric bulb would be better than candles. Once again the supply was created to satisfy the demand.

midnightsstaff said...

Well I just called my redneck buddy that is medically retired from the prison and we are going to Chick fil A to get us some of that delicious Hate Chicken...
too bad we couldn't get anything organized,
.. guess I'll have to do it myself.

seriously Jim watch that famous Donahue video I included earlier... Milton Friedman was the most brilliant economic mind of my generation.. he was probably the most influential of anyone that formed my thinking along with the rest of the reasonable people in the world.

Education is the single most dangerous threat to socialist expansion,
Socialism simply cannot thrive in an educated population- and that is the core problem in this country today, we have ignorant jackasses like Rick that vote if they realize it's the right Tuesday and the right month.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Plenty of flaws in "Island in the Sky". It was basically a showcase for Wayne to do something a little different.

The year before (1952) he was in "Big Jim McLain" which was a commie chaser flick in Hawaii with Jim Arness getting 3rd billing. Wayne liked Arness and was responsible for getting him on "Gunsmoke." The Matt Dillon part was originally offered to Wayne.

That one woman in Island was Ann Doran who was in a lot of films including playing James Dean's mom in "Rebel Without a Cause." There is a film that is comical with Dean's overacting. A true member of the method system.

That is a great cast in Island. I was surprised Andy could swim across that pool. He was always a good actor; played the stage driver in "Stagecoach" (1939) the film that made John Wayne after years of kicking around Hollywood in B rated stuff.

I drive Barb nuts with all this trivia about films but I love that stuff._

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I went by Chick-Fil-A in Scottsdale and didn't see any idiot's protesting. Barb let out a sigh of relief because she knew I would run them over. LOL

What a bunch of crap with clowns like Emanual and that mayor of Boston not wanting them in their city because the guy believes in traditional family values.

I guess no one is supposed to have a difference of opinion over liberal values without being chastised. Class warfare at its finest.

Jim McAllister said...

Rick,

Yes, I'm supposed to go hunting, camping, fishing and be a boy again. Be irresponsible. Or die a slow and agonizing death.

I think I would go hunting, camping, and fishing all I could.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

"you didn't build that- someone else did" -
haha.. Obama might not even survive the convention


We can only hope although Hillary scares me. A lot of people like her.

I love that tape with Friedman. What a fool that Donohue was. Friedman ate his lunch.

Obama sounds like he is at a southern revival meeting. Are they sure he went to Harvard? I mean, the real Harvard, the one in New England because he can't speak worth crap. I've seen high school kids speak better.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Yeah, we have to have another blogger lunch; this time at a Chick-Fil-A.

It's great to see that company getting a lot of public support.

The lavender hill mob is taking themselves WAAAAAAY too serious with their idiotic protests against that company. What makes them think we really care about their opinion of Chick-Fil-A?

They should shut the hell up and realize that there are opinions out there different from theirs. I don't see Chick Fil-A customers picketing gay clubs.

midnightsstaff said...

Wendy's has given public notice of support for CfA and has come out in support... take a moment and email those who do the right thing like I did to the boycott Rush idiots...
..they got the message real quick.. once fascists are revealed to me they go on my list of enemies forever.

CJ Phoenix said...

Ford also used to provide jobs to the surrounding communities. That is a big part of how Ford & other industries created demand for their products: by giving back a reasonably decent living to their customer/consumer base. What ever happened to that largely American innovative idea? You know, giving back to the community that is the reason for your very existence to begin with ...?

I am not sure what we are supposed to innovate anymore when the vast majority of ideas are being stomped out at inception by mostly retired consumers who have hooked their wagons to long established big business (it is barely even plural anymore). Straw into gold? That's been done. Too bad we have forgotten how it was done though.

CJ Phoenix said...

BTW, I asked someone what insurance coverage costs these days: A little more than $300 per month to add one child to a family plan & that is for a plan with hefty deductibles per procedure, plus a large group discount (the group being employees of the State of AZ).

proud said...

CJ (stupidly, or uninformed) says: "Obama may have taken the office with some kind of plan to provide universal health care BUT THEN THE REPUBLICANS REALLY MUCKED IT UP"

Were she to have a clue what she was talking about, she would have known the entire federal government was completely controlled by DEMOCRATS...Were she to be able to think beyond her them/us...rich / poor incredible bias, she would have known that the republicans were incapable of stopping (or mucking-up)anything, and were in fact blocked and even locked out of meetings and hearings on the bill.

The actual vote was:

Dem Senate passed The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) 60-39. Every Republican Senator entered a vote of NO.

Dem House passed it 219-212. All 178 Republicans voted against the bill AND WERE JOINED BY 34 DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBERS...

Now, who mucked up Obama Care?

midnightsstaff said...

About a twenty min wait to order and then another half hour to get the delicious chicken today... you couldn't move, I'm surprised the fire dept. didn't cite them for too many in the building...
more importantly everyone in the line was cheerful and upbeat-

It was so busy there is no way anyone can miss the obvious meaning of this day's receipts and it was nation wide..

I went by on the way home an hour or two later and the parking lot was still filled with the drive through wrapped tight..

It was a glorious day for a lot of people.

I did a man on the street to some of the customers and they all knew exactly what this demonstration was about... looked like a tea party luncheon..
I was talking to a couple of ladies next table and it was one's first time and they said not only was the chicken great but they appreciate decent business's practice.
amen.

haha. let's see Satan spin this one.

Mike slater said...

Cj, yes I am. I have a niece who is her middle 30's that's been on SS disability for years because she's "bi-polar" and can't get along with people so she claims she can't work. What a crock. She doesn't want to work and the government pays her to stay home.

Jim, Chick-fil-a sounds good. I heard on the news today that Chich-fil-s stores across the country are doing a booming business, Friday I guess the gays are going to protest in front of Chick-fil-a stores so I'll be sure and go there for lunch.

midnightsstaff said...

Hey.. want to meet up on Friday mike?..actually I really like the chicken- if so get my email address from Jimbo.

gotta warn ya tho, I got nothing against gays in general, just the ones that behave poorly... I look at them just like the hetros..

I have given up on eating out because everyone even KFC puts too much salt on it.. tastes like movie theater popcorn, but what I had today wasn't bad at all and with that crush in the kitchen it wouldn't have surprised me if the product suffered, great attitude by the employees.

In fact they reminded me of the In and Out employees who don't seem to hire anyone with a bone through the nose or look like they need rehab..

Like McDonalds, Burger King or Junk in the Box- they all look like they are running a prison half way jobs program.

tattoos are never going to be mainline conservative, even tho my redneck buddy today has em.. Harley Davidson, the second amendment on his bicep and now his kids names- go figure.

..of course I give him hell about them all the time, lol..

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

Unions may have had something to do with that. I did a blog in November of 2008 about Ford and GM moving to Mexico because of cheap wages.

http://jmcallister.blogspot.com/2008/11/is-mexico-new-detroit.html

It hurts the job market here but like all companies, they have to meet a bottom line.

I don't know what you mean by slamming retired people. I guess it's easy just to pin everything on them, huh?

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Hooray for Wendy's!

I see where some lesbian woman who is on the new York City council is trying to get the city to force Check-Fil-A out of the food court at NYU. What an idiot; I'm sure she has her Obama pin shined up. Bloomberg told her that's ridiculous because they can't run businesses off because of her opinion.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

Care to answer proud's comment? He's right I watched the vote right on TV live.

The Republicans did all they could to stop Obamacare but were outnumbered.

Don't you remember the Dems with the Corhusker kickback and forcing that guy's hand in Michigan?

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Thanks for the report on Chick-Fil-A. It restores some of my faith in America to see that Mr. Class warfare is being rebuked.

Jim McAllister said...

That's great Mike. More power to them. I see Rahm Emanual is getting heat over his ignorant statements about not wanting them in Chicago.

Nothing make me happier than to see guys like him and Obama get nailed. They bring a whole new definition to "LOSER".

Jim McAllister said...

That's true about In-and-Out. No bums working there. They are polite and efficient.

midnightsstaff said...

Actually I am glad to find a place to grab a bag on the go..

I never eat in a fast food joint except subway, I get the willies just passing a McDonalds even tho that was the first place I wanted to go when I got back from Vietnam... ate a whole sack full of those god awful hamburgers and greasy fries the first chance I got.. but I had some weight to gain then...
Win a Big Mac?- last great promotion from that worthless, bloated canker sore on America's butt.

now all I see is gangs of beating down employees over chicken mccrappetts or assaulting someone nearly every week.

they will never get my business ever again, but then neither will GM or Chrysler over that outright act of fellatio they gave Obama on the bail out, the screw job the bond holders and dealers got and the union thugs that stole from the rightful owners...
just that.

yeah time to rub it in... down to 223 today.. not bad as I was over 260 a year ago..

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

Congrats on the weight loss. I'm envious!

midnightsstaff said...

thanks.. getting cracked a couple of weeks ago gave it another push...

it's all in how you view food and like I said, a couple of meatless days a week.
I can eat all the zucchini bread I want tho... (hint)

..off to the pool, best time for skinnydipping is about midnight tonight... near full moon and no wind, hopefully no drones...

.. maybe watch the rest of that last game the yotes played the Blues... seems like a long time ago eh?
I hope they stay and I hope they have a season... still up in the air.
what is it- 97 and a wake up? I won't be able to sleep that whole week.

Rick Kepple said...

I think I would go hunting, camping, and fishing all I could.

I told the VA that I own a small company. That will wind up in my medical records and I'll get a copy of it, but they will use it against me. They do this to ALL veterans. Nevertheless, it occurs to me that if I could find an inexpensive waterproof camera that I could turn float trips into a profitable business of selling stories, photos and whatnot. Then go to Phoenix in the winter and photograph the bands and SN. I'd photograph her for free, with permission of course. I specialize in story telling photos. News shots. And if I fail, then so what? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And I'll keep my name out there so I'm not completely forgotten.

Rick Kepple said...

"Ford also used to provide jobs to the surrounding communities."

CJ is right. An American company should serve an American community. If they want, they can create an overseas company to serve a population that is overseas. Produce in the factory, sell in the country, consumer money returns to that company and it is self-supporting, in theory. A continual perpetual cycle. Allow the free market system to work and if it is a monopoly depends on consumer demand only. If another company improves upon the product, it would simply be like the law of nature. No bailouts. Live and die in business in a natural progression. CJ is right.

midnightsstaff said...

Karl Marx meet Groucho Marx..

Rick Kepple said...

I bought a new rifle today. A Ruger 10-22. Went through the background check and told everyone there that I blog on this intellectual hangout blog where people discuss politics and worldly matters apart from the news product disguised as news.

I once told SN about a dream that I had of me sitting by a campfire with a rifle and I took it to mean that I was poor. I think now that I was outdoors for health reasons and that's not too bad. Maybe wealthy and folks from wealth and fame drop by to visit now and then. Bodo did. Is Jim, CJ, etc. saying that they're not as good as Bodo? SN would visit ... in my dreams.

Mike slater said...

Middy, I live in Sun City now and go to the Chick-fil-a on 83third avenue south of bell. It's on the east side of 83third.

I'll be there about noon.

Jim, I'm curious, is Rick, how shall I put this, a little strange or is it just me?

CJinPhoenix said...

Yeah, Jim, give me a chance to get back before taunting me, would ya? Some of us do have things to do ... Even if it is only spending hours of unpaid time answering questions on a pre-interview screening questionnaire that was supposedly a test of "aptitude" but contained a number of questions related to age. I mean, like: You sometimes forget where you put something down. CHECK ONE: Strongly agree; Agree; Disagree; Strongly disagree ... Geez, how was I supposed to answer that? Honestly? I bet they prefer liars ... AND THAT was for a final QC & shipping position at a printing company. You really don't even need to graduate high school to do something like that. It is a national corporation, though. I actually miss the days of going in the door & talking to the boss & getting hired based on the quality of your character as opposed to how well you lie.

So back to John: I was actually just going to tell him to calm down before he blows a hose or pulls a stitch or something. But since YOU asked me, Jim, here's what I was trying to say: THE BILL HAD TO PASS BOTH the House & the Senate, such as it was, therefore, keeping that in mind, the bill was written in a way that would be acceptable to both parties. At least that would have been the intention. Because the Democrats really wanted a UNIVERSAL healthcare system, right? And the Republicans want everybody to pay their own way ... But, instead, what they created was a nightmare. A HUGE FREAKIN' MESS. I mean, it is beyond awful.

So, if Republicans are so smart & know what is best for everyone, WHY DID they let that nightmare thru, Jim? WHY? I may not be a a master of political science but I seem to remember the the Republicans had a majority on the last vote. Of course, now the Republicans that actually allowed the bill to pass are back peddling ... THAT I can understand. And the rest of the Republicans are using Obamacare as a campaign strategy.

CJinPhoenix said...

Mike, Good grief, I was talking about people with really obvious disabilities who, yeah, can hold down productive jobs but special accommodations must be provided -- blind people, deaf, people in wheelchairs ... -- and you had to go and bring up people with bipolar disorder that can and sometimes do have a psychotic break with reality when they go off their meds in order to work (or for any other reason). At least, if you take away support from people in wheelchairs, I will be able to see them coming & have enough time to reload before they get here. When they have nothing left to lose & just decide to go for it, that is. The crazy ones, though, tend to pop up in dark theaters & parking lots when you least expect it. Hey, I guess if I see one that isn't shooting yet, I should point them up Grand Ave.

midnightsstaff said...

Why I never noticed- now that you mention it he does have his fits... but mostly I chalk it up to the waxing full moon we are now in the second day of..
the new moon seems to affect him as well, pretty much he gets about five days a month of lucidity- the rest are a fisherman's nightmare.

Other than that he seems as normal as any of my relatives in Oklahoma,Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Indiana- states all brimming with intellectual powerhouses with a hillbilly twist..
My uncle Rex for instance operated a class one still in Apple Valley California for years in his retirement, hell that white lightning he made didn't last long enough to get the bottle wet.

I've since lost my appetite for hard liquor but in my day his shine was as smooth as a baby's cheek..
typical of the family, that's why I live where I do.
no relatives.
and the memories are untrustworthy as well..
I'll see if my homie's back will be up to the friday love in, I like to take him along because he is a crack shot and always carries- saves me the trouble... besides he is about 300 pounds and looks like a Russian czar..
funny the people you meet in life.

CJinPhoenix said...

BTW, Jim, John has completely lost his sense of humor as far as I can tell.

midnightsstaff said...

people are going nutz.. just reading where some chat/gaming room argument led to an attempted shooting and a successful shanking.

Of course it was the moon gazers in the land of the lost, guess the prospects of going into .. is it the fifth punkass Christmas in a row?.. after all those promises of green bubbleup and rainbow stew it seems like the whole shooting match is gone down hill for good.
Keep plugging Cj, sometimes you have to wear them out by showing up a few times.
besides there is nothing else to do.

Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

The latter.

Rick Kepple said...

Mike Slater, you shouldn't oughta tell people that your niece is fricking nuts. Folks might start to think that you're ignorant.

Rick Kepple said...

So someone named John is bugging CJ? He must have never been married and likes the abuse.

midnightsstaff said...

There was some sort of a flash crash in the market today- this thing is getting more spooky every week, besides the entire European brain trust have been sounding like they are kissin' cousins to Rick in BFE..

..or as they call Missouri in Oklahoma.. God's petri dish.

Does the greater part of India having a total collapse of the electrical grid give anyone cause to wonder what is going to happen once this idiotic wind and solar program finally bears fruit and leaves us with random brown outs..

..and that's discounting the disaster awaiting us next year in food prices with the corn crop near complete failure yet the fools still refuse to stop burning the world's food source in the time of emergency.
prices at the grocery are heading up.

I've been giving thought to an emergency generator for my place, stands to reason that eventually there will be some type of mess to deal with.
big enough to keep an ac running, refer and freezer and pool pump- don't want my catfish to die..
..who knows, we might get an earthquake..

midnightsstaff said...

Well call me cynical but I just read that my pension cartel Calpers is down heavy on facebook stock...
Jezzus I should have warned them...

well that should do it a little sooner than I expected...
but... but they promised!!- it starts with Santa Claus and ends like this- is there a shred of truth left anywhere?
Opus syndrome has hit me hard.

I can see how someone could wrap up in soap operas all day to avoid watching what amounts to dogs going at it over breakfast in the political and economic news of the day.
I seriously doubt Jesus Christ could clean up the mess in California, the politicians would oppose him and the gangs would rob him..

CJinPhoenix said...

Here's one for Mike to cut off the dole: http://www.kpho.com/story/19174213/woman-sues-valley-hospital-after-she-says-employee-violated-her

Rick Kepple said...

or as they call Missouri in Oklahoma.. God's petri dish.

ROFL Oklahoman's should talk. I got neighbors from Oklahoma. Why do you think I come here for the conversation?

Rick Kepple said...

"World stock markets were mostly lower Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve took no new action to boost the U.S. economy and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the bank could intervene in bond markets to lower interest rates for troubled countries. He said little else."

So the stock market dropped, huh? That's cause those idiots don't hunt or fish. They couldn't survive on their own without their mama making them their morning oatmeal and fried egg whites to wash down last night's cocaine and hooker juice.

Rick Kepple said...

Bodo said those American business people with enterprises overseas don't pay taxes to the U.S. government of money made in other nations. They pay taxes to them instead. Hey, if they betray us, they'll betray them. China and India should shoot those CEOs and executives and do the world a favor.

A bank vice president told me that the real problem is in Washington D.C. and if people would just vote out ALL politicians and replace them with independents, the nation would be better off. The VP didn't want their damned bailout!

midnightsstaff said...

First it was Stevie Nicks now it's Stevie Nicks and "The Bodo" Deihn..

..evidently neither of you know anything about off shore corporate taxation so that must have been an interesting conversation- actually Stevie Nicks probably knows first hand more about tax loopholes and scams than either one of you..

What other deep wells of wisdom will you tap into next?

Actually that load of horseshit you dragged in here is too ridiculous to answer- as most of them turn out to be.

You don't seem to know who Draghi is much less who he actually works for- hint- it's the big squid, no one ever escapes their history with the Squid.

Besides he is shooting his mouth on camera because Merkel is still on vacation and she is the one controlling the issue- his nuts are in Merkel's hand.

They evidently still have a few first class tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic available.
eat mor chikin.

midnightsstaff said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGf-sS4js5Y&feature=player_embedded

this is what
Draghi's kick the can style rant amounted to...

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I haven't even had my first cup of Ethiopian Saldana and you are depressing me. I think I'll add an extra scoop tomorrow.

Jim McAllister said...

Missouri is God's petri dish? LOL Good one!

Rick Kepple said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rick Kepple said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
midnightsstaff said...

no you can't- you don't have the horsepower.. plus your skin is obviously too thin for anything but a daily dose of auto erotic fantasy about people you have never met nor ever will meet.

Jim, if you want to be depressed take a look at the market this morning- I don't invent this stuff, I just point it out.

The ten year bond yield is headed south again, the economy is on life support- problem is very few people even know what that indicates.

think green tip.

CJinPhoenix said...

"Keep plugging Cj, sometimes you have to wear them out by showing up a few times."

WEAR OUT WHO, Middy? This place was one of the very few places within my area of experience & expertise that I have found in years that is even offering opportunities to make a decent living &, here, let me explain the process I had to go thru just to see a real live person:

1) First, I had to know they were hiring. This place is buried in a purely industrial area about 15mis. from my home & even my ex-boss -- owner of an established printing company in Phoenix for over 50yrs until the place finally sold out in 2007 -- said he thought that he knew the name but doesn't know exactly what they do or where they are located. So, I found the ad in the Sunday paper about 3 weeks ago & even that is a testament to my persistent efforts to not give up ...
2) I had to apply online thru their website. Keep in mind that I have heard that these places are flooded with resumes over & over again, so I had to write & attach a cover letter that would magically provide 'hits' in an electronic program that I have absolutely no experience with what works in as I rarely ever even get a response from electronic applications. This time I did though.
3) A real person finally called me about a week later & scheduled a time for an 'interview' over the phone the next day.
4) I answered all the interview questions to her satisfaction, apparently, including those related to my experience, my problem solving skills, my behaviors ... THEN the interviewer scheduled the assessment test within the 'plant' itself.
5) I needed to show up dressed to impress & check in at a front desk & give the receptionist my driver license & reason for being there in exchange for a badge. Then the receptionist called the HR person out to escort me into a room -- barely larger than a closet, really -- where they had the assessment application already open. Did I mention that there were cameras all over the place? There were.
6) More later, I guess. I have no idea how I did because I very rarely ever get any immediate feedback from these things or, often, any feedback at all. But the next step will be another interview ... probably one of those panel interviews. I won't know until when & if they call me.

So again, the question is: WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO WEAR DOWN? But thanks for not turning this into another personal attack. I really do appreciate that.

proud said...

CJ....better to lose one's sense of humor, than to lose one's sense!

You Said: " THE BILL HAD TO PASS BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE...if Republicans are so smart & know what is best for everyone, WHY DID they let that nightmare thru, Jim? WHY?"

I'm not Jim, but I can answer your WHY??? with some real FACTS,(which were already listed above):

1. At the time of the health care bill, the house and senate were completely controlled by DEMOCRATS.

2. Republicans were powerless to stop the bill,(or any bill) they were blocked from changing or adding amendments, even locked out of some meetings.

3. Every single republican in both chambers voted NO (that means against)Dem's didn't need any republican votes, and wrote the bill to please themselves.

4.The reason Dem's to so long to get the bill through was because of Democrats who were against the bill, one by one, the slime from shigtcago we laughingly, yet regrettably, call our President and Democrat corrupt leaders Pelosi/ Ried, bribed their own Democrats with millions upon millions of dollars worth of perks to their states if they would vote yes,(which they did) naturally, 40% of the millions spent on Dem bribes had to be borrowed and the cost plus interest, passed on to THE TAXPAYERS....Even with the bribes dozens of democrats voted with every republican,AGAINST health care reform...

The health care bill was never written with input or consideration for/ from opposing views.

That you could watch the Obama-Care fiasco play out, write blogs about it and still be so clueless as to what went down seems unbelievable.

That you could make such ridiculous, incorrect statements blaming Republicans for muckin-up health care, or allowing it to pass, must come from some built in, poor-me,partisan, bias.

proud said...

Obama Care Vote Recap:

http://dukealienpost.com/Articles/apr16p.html

midnightsstaff said...

Ok. so don't keep plugging, sit on your ass and whine louder- you win this argument and frankly I really don't care anymore.

We get it, there are no jobs available, all is lost..

.. so if all is lost, quit trying, it really doesn't affect me nor anyone else that feigns concern for your plight.. there is no one out here responsible for your miserable lifetime of failure, no one can help you when you spend all your energy discounting the advice of those who unlike you have led successful lives.

Frankly you sound just like some freeshitarmy volunteer- so what am I supposed to think?
keep wasting your time harboring a grudge against us stupid old fogies-
..go occupy something.

someone along the line did a real head job on you.

I'm done suffering fools just not to hurt their feelings, so don't expect me to have some epiphany that supports your irrational feelings.

Jim McAllister said...

Sorry, Rick.

I had to delete your comments from 8:58 and 8:59. I can tolerate some anger and profanity but you went over the edge with your language and insults.

If you continue to do that, you will again be deleted.

Jim McAllister said...

Mike,

My error on my last response to you. I meant "the former."

Jim McAllister said...

11:02, market down 166.

Gulp!

Mike slaterck said...

Rick, the niece is from the wife's side of the family.

steve buzzardo said...

pretty funny, Obama is back on the prompter today, to keep from saying something more stupid than "you didnt build that"

steve buzzardo said...

so, basically Obama will give you money to build nothing, but wants to take money from those that actually do build something
yeah, that genius Obozo really knows how to create jobs

Solyndra’s CEO labeled President Barack Obama’s administration “The Bank of Washington.”

Chris Gronet offered the description in an internal email one year before the company collapsed in 2010, costing taxpayers roughly $500 million.

“The Bank of Washington continues to help us!” he wrote in the October 2009 e-mail, which sketched plans for Solyndra to exploit several additional federal programs and tax-incentives.

midnightsstaff said...

Steve... BOW..good one.
..actually I contend that Enron would not only be able to stay in business but thrive and probably be able to pay dividends in the Obama market.

Dead man walking.
I can't wait to vote how about you?

We are lucky in a sense to be watching one of the watershed moments of history unfolding right before our eyes, it's the fall of Ameritopia which has now been laid bare for everyone to see the destruction that liberalism leads to.

If the Constitution actually survives this assault it will be something to remember like watching the Hindenburg make that last great landing and living to tell about it.

if not.. I don't want to think about it.

all the leading indicators have turned south, except the refiners- actually Tesoro had a pretty good day.. but they have been beaten down so bad they are already below value.

I can't wait to invest again in Chick fil A.. maybe another order of strips and waffle fries... mmmmm..

CJ Phoenix said...

"Ok. so don't keep plugging, sit on your ass and whine louder ... Frankly you sound just like some freeshitarmy volunteer- so what am I supposed to think? keep wasting your time harboring a grudge against us stupid old fogies- ..go occupy something."

Holy crap, Middy, I cannot even keep up with all of these moods swings you are having. All I did was explain the process I had to go thru to get to that questionnaire & I believe I did it fairly dryly at that. So what is your major malfunction with what I said this time? I even said thanks to you at the end. And where did I say or even imply that I was going to quit trying?

Hey, Mike has a niece that might be able to hook you up with some doctors for those mod swings.

midnightsstaff said...

my mood hasn't changed, there is just no sense discussing anything with you because it's like arguing with a barking dog.

When someone completely runs out of argument they usually do like you just did... get all stupid with some personal remark..

I have just run out of patience.. bark at someone else for a while.

midnightsstaff said...

Don't know if you have heard but the new President elect of Mexico Pena is preparing for the disbanding of their version of the DEA so it appears Mexico is getting ready to legalize all drugs..

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/08/01/MEXICO-DISSOLVES-THEIR-FBI-AND-MOVES-TO-LEGALIZE-DRUGS

Looks like the US is going to have to get serious one way or the other on this matter, Guess the Mexicans are more logical than Washington DC.
at least now the cartels won't be hassled by the federales every damn day..

see.. there is good news if you know where to look.

CJ Phoenix said...

No, you're right, your mood doesn't change ... You flip in & out so fast that the transformation is not even perceptible &, because it hasn't changed since your previous personal attack on me, I must have missed the good Middy face.

It wasn't even an argument. I was simply defending myself by making light of your inconsistent moods as they were apparent thru your comments directed at me regarding my attempts to get a specific job.

As to "barking" thing, I will accept that. You're like a scared cat when it has been cornered by a barking dog: it will claw & bite its way all the way over anybody that tries to reach in to help at that point. So now that I have recognized that Good Middy cannot even be sustained past one comment, let's do each other a favor & leave each other be. Here's how it works: unless you are talking about me personally or picking something I said apart, I won't attack you personally or pick your comments apart either. I PROMISE. DEAL?

Hell, I will even try not to even read your comments. But you are not going to eliminate me from this blog, Middy; you are not going to pull a bodo on me & cut me off if I have any say in the matter. As much as we have disagreed on issues over the years, Jim has always had my back as a good friend would.

Jim McAllister said...

Steve,

Quite a revelation about Solyndra. We need all we can get to bury him and his loud mouth wife.

CJ Phoenix said...

BTW, I have a job right now. Its not a great jobs in terms of income or benefits -- no health insurance & it doesn't pay enough for me to buy my own ... But at least I can say that I am working again & I am going to continue to look for a better job. No, I am not going to say what the job is because I do not want it to be used against me by anyone. I don't know how it could be used against me -- it is a decent honorable job that just doesn't pay well -- but I am sure that I would quickly find out if I offered up any details.

Rick Kepple said...

That's okay Jimmy. It's just more evidence of why the Elite are the enemy of the People of the United States of America.

I write on Facebook that Stevie Nicks is my friend, but she never writes, calls or visits.

Bodo has more standing now than she does. At least he had the courage to visit. No one trusted him, but at least he came to my door.

Stevie Nicks is a woman though. Women don't have that kind of courage.

Rick Kepple said...

Still, Stevie Nicks and God are the only friends that I trust.

Jim McAllister said...

CJ,

Congratulations, at least it is a start.

As Mr. Micawber said "Something will turn up."

Jim McAllister said...

I love that tape. What a jerk. I'm glad his company realized he is a loser and canned him. Kudos to the young lady at the drive through window for handling him the way she did.

"Kiss-in's" are too much of an in your face tactic and are only going to hurt their cause. Some gays have admitted that; others better take heed. Watching two guys lock lips id not going to help the cause.

I think most gay couples was rather avoid the publicity.

Jim McAllister said...

Steve,

You're right, unfortunately that's the mentality we have these days, especially from the left.

They can't just leave well enough alone; they have to have their overt feelings worn on their sleeves.

The thing I don't understand is why is Chick considered as haters of of gays? All they have said is that they believe in the traditional family. Aren't they allowed to have an opinion? The gays certainly have theirs and it's like if you don't agree with them, you hate them.

With the way they are acting I am getting closer to making that a reality.

Jim McAllister said...

Middy,

I love the pun.

Glad to here that the "kiss in" is a flop around here. The intelligent gays will stay away from such nonsense.

Mike slater said...

CJ, glad to hear you found a job.

steve buzzardo said...

"Hey Obama: do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" --
Clint Eastwood endorsing Romney's presidential bid

Jim, if you will allow me make an announcement on your blog:

I, like Clint Eastwood, am officially endorsing Mitt Romney as my choice for president of the United States of America

Jim McAllister said...

Steve,

Your statement is accepted and recorded.

Thank you.

CJ Phoenix said...

Thanks Mike & Jim.

CJ Phoenix said...

Hey, I think I just found the next generation of politicians, guys:
http://www.economist.com/node/18483687
The idea is not really that new. The only big differences between the two types of political machines are: a) the material they are made from and b) robots won't soak the American taxpayers for medical & retirement benefits...Of course, one of these days there will be few people left that even pay taxes so there is another difference: c) when the average consumer cannot afford to go shopping, nobody can eat a robot.

midnightsstaff said...

Well I am not expecting much more from Mitt than the beatings to our Liberty and Freedom will quit for a while.
He is a good guy, honest and probably the right choice for a CEO of a nation but the level of byzantine tyrannical bureaucracy has never been greater in my lifetime and frankly we need a true visionary and someone willing to drive a stake through criminals like Harry Reid's heart.

I doubt he will have much energy for a systemic reform to the attacks on our Constitution, he will have a full plate just unwinding the destruction committed in the past 12 years.
and make no mistake- the sins of GWB gave us the same type of damage as the antichrist forces in there today- just at a reduced level.

..anyone that can't recognize the level of pure evil in the Obama administration after three years are pretty much a lost cause themselves, you have to have a darkened heart to accept and support this level of inhumanity.