( Left: Me with a fave book: "Two O'Clock, Eastern Wartime" by John Dunning) photo: 2006
From November, 2005:
“Thanks for checking out the new blog. It will be a continuation of the
old blog which was an expanded version of my newspaper column in the
"INDEPENDENT" papers of Phoenix/Scottsdale. I hope you continue to
check it out; updates are usually on Wednesday each week and for you regulars
you know the stuff I write about (radio, TV, movies, music, books, sports, or
whatever).”
“Thanks again for tuning in and tell your friends where I am at http://jmcallister.blogspot.com.”
“Thanks again for tuning in and tell your friends where I am at http://jmcallister.blogspot.com.”
That statement from 2005 was the beginning of the current
blog I write through Google+. Today’s
blog is a sort of celebration since it is number 700 written since that
November day.
Besides my personal blog, starting in 2006, I used to do a
blog for the Arizona Republic, along
with a few other writers, which was eventually discontinued in 2011 when the
newspaper decided that a lot of the political comments received were not
suitable for publication. An attempt by the paper to publish them through
Facebook was a failure.
A couple years after that I, along with several other
writers, was asked by the Republic to
do another blog that leaned toward politics specifically. It ran for a while but was eventually
discontinued during one of the paper’s austerity moves.
During those busy times, I still managed to do something with
my personal blog and as you can see, it survives today mainly because I am
running the show and enjoy writing enough to keep the thing going. I also enjoy
the feedback from readers which shows me the success or failure of blogging.
Here are a few statistics.
These are the kind of numbers that keep me doing this: Total published comments: 14,297. All time
number of page views: 283,757. Most page views for one blog: 242, “The Stoneman
Military Road” (published October 1, 2008.)
Thanks to everyone who reads, and I hope enjoys, my stuff. I
have a list of people I automatically send new blogs to. If you are not on my
list but would like to be, please let me know your email address and I will add
it.
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71 comments:
Thanks for reading. JM
If you have any questions, let me know in this space. Thanks, JM
Hey Jimbo!.....Many congrats on the 700th!....Since we are both from around the Mason-Dixon line.....have you considered writing a blog on the history of the Confederate Battle Flag....you know....the one that the left is branding as "racist"??...(It is about as racist as cotton in an aspirin bottle lol)...What are your thoughts?.....Your friend, Sonny
Hi Sonny,
Good to hear from you again. Good idea on the Confederate Flag. I've certainly put in more than my 2 cents worth of opinion on it so far in my last blog. It's one of the silliest things the loser libs have come up with yet. Because of one unfortunate incident by one crazy kid, the whole history of the flag and its importance to the South has to be removed. It is a stupid and nonsensical thing but something to be expected of idiots like Obama.
I have news for those fools: The flag is not going to go away that easy. Those southern boys are too tough to let that happen. As they used to say: "The South will rise again."
Congratulations, Jim. Just glad to see you're still kicking.
Hey Jimmy. I've enjoyed the blogs. Someone told me not to sweat the small stuff.
From Joy Wiseman.
Jim, 700 blogs is legendary number. Congratulations ! I hope you have no thoughts of retiring, because your thoughts are always welcome and memorable.
Joy
Thanks, Joy.
I appreciate the nice words.
I received a renewal notice on the "American Spirit" recently and will be renewing it. It's a great publication for American history. The writing is good and the subjects are interesting plus it provides nice reference material.
Take care; my best to the ladies of the DAR and, of course, Duv and Utah.
Hi CJ,
Yeah, still hanging in there. I still remember you and Gloria being the first two girls to post on the Republic blog all those years ago.
Thanks Rick,
Glad you enjoy the blogs. Take care; hope you are feeling better.
Thanks Jim. Yeah, I figure this old age thing will wear off in time.
Yes, that's a heck of a lot of people commenting on your blogs, Jimmy. I read another writer who said that Jimmy had a heck of a blog on azcentral, until Facebook conquered the world. I shared the blog on Facebook ... eh, it is what it is.
My mind is fuzzy. Maybe even furry.
Rick,
AZCentral screwed up when they went to Facebook. That was the end of the blogs that started in 2006. They should have left them alone and said the hell with PC. A lot of us missed the days of putting fools like Bozo in his place.
Those were some of the best blogs I ever wrote and I had comments from a lot of places including overseas. Strangely enough, one of my most commented on blogs was about the names used for soda pop!
Jim, I think Montini had a lot to do with the blogs going on facebook. He didn't like the idea of people not using their real names. I use Deb's facebook to leave comments because I don't want one of my own. The blogs are now about 10 to 1 liberal which is what the Republic wanted. I still give liberals hell every day.
Jim,
Enjoy your thoughts and comments. Please continue with your good work, who knows maybe one of these days a liberal or two may actually see the wisdom in your remarks and become a thoughtful contributor to society.
Mike,
Yeah, Facebook was the beginning of the end for the Republic blogs as we knew them. I was afraid from the start that they would deteriorate into name calling and shouting since it was easy for the losers who react that way to hide behind the internet. I miss those days though as we had a lot of decent action too. I miss guys like Butch who appears to have chosen to avoid posting anymore.
As far as Facebook, there was no way I was going to join that. Google+ and Twitter are enough for me. I have to get outside SOMETIME! lol
Thanks, Alan.
Good to hear from you; thanks for the nice words. We Airmen have to stick together!
During another conversation the other day about the Confederate flag, I posted a photo from 1964 of me in the barracks next to my Texas roommate's Confederate flag hanging on the wall. It seemed so innocent in 1964; not so much now in the era of political correctness where the deed of one deranged individual can cause such a firestorm. Crazy world.
Maybe you should do another one about soda pop, Jimmy. I once did four back-to-back stories about trash for a publisher because it was a popular topic thing. I get tired when I focus on memories and topics. The words do not come easily anymore.
Carry on, Jimmy. You are therapy, you know.
Not a bad idea, Rick. That soda pop blog from long ago had a lot of comments on the Republic site.
Yeah Jim, I miss the good old days on the AZ Central blog. It was a lot of fun. I was addicted to it for a while. Well at least there is Twitter now.
Steve,
It's too bad the other blogs disappeared; too much animosity on the politics. A lot of anger there and thew paper got a bit uneasy.
Jimmy, there were much worse blogs; Tucson, Denver and Connecticut. Put all blogs on Facebook and it's easier to track behavior and control them.
Rick,
Facebook isn't for me. Doing Twitter and this blog keeps me busy enough.
Thanks for the +1 Doug!
Well, good night, Jimmy. Hope to read the blog in the morning.
Good morning. The coffee is good and strong.
Just slugging down a cup of Joe myself, Rick. I'm sure you've heard the latest on Obama by now about taking guns from certain vets. You're the first one I thought of when I read that. Let me know what you think when you read about it.
Jim, I heard today on the news Obama wants to take away guns from some people on Social Security. Can't wait for this a-hole to be gone.
Mike,
Yeah, I saw that this morning. It's just another strike against him and the Dems. Combine that with the Confederate flag mess and his support of illegal immigration and and it can't be helping Hillary or whoever runs for the Dems. This is not the country we grew up in but I think there are enough of us left that we can beat whoever runs. The Republicans do worry me a bit though; they are not exactly geniuses at saying the right things to get them over.
Jim, I agree about the Republicans. I left the party about 13 years ago because of people like McCain and Graham. I still vote Republican but only the most conservative ones.
Mike,
The Repubs are really after Trump about his McCain comments. Big mistake by Trump. McCain may now be a whiny stooge for Obama but Trump should have left his war record alone. The guy did 5 years in prison in VietNam when he could have come home. Pretty brave stuff.
I like that Trump has guts to stand up to everyone but he needs to choose his words and enemies better. Obama is the bad guy here along with other Dems and he should work on them more. In the meantime it's fun to see the Dems cry about him. They must be worried. Trump definitely has balls.
And yes Jimmy, gun confiscations by the VA are true.
The VA is more concerned about the feelings of a rich and famous person than correctly diagnosing the health of a military veteran. Medical tests cost money. Confiscations are cost effective. Take yourself off their medications because they make you sick and you're branded dangerous because you won't die on command.
So then the VA gives medical records to the FBI and ATF if veterans choose to get off of dangerous prescribed medications that are making them deathly ill and switching to medical marijuana, even in states with legal weed. So you see, they don't care about the health of a veteran. But they do care about rock stars who never served in the military.
I believe BO is trying to use doctors, especially foreign ones, to disarm American military veterans and then it would be simple for a foreign government to take over if there is no longer a rifle behind every blade of grass. And then the foreigners can exterminate those same outspoken rock stars that they previously protected.
All war is deception - Sun Tzu.
Wow, I just read that and I could be talking about myself, but I'm not. I found those stories in various websites when I Googled for corresponding information.
There was even a story of a veteran having suffered a stroke and his guns were confiscated. It seems that if a military veteran can no longer fight back, they take the guns. Wow. Old people are dangerous.
Rick,
It's definitely scary. I don't put anything past Obama. He had to be forced to lower the flags at the White House to half mast over the Chatanooga killings. It seems like that would be automatic and with about any other country it would be but not him. He hates our military and he hates this country.
Hey, I read the 700th blog, blog, and none of this is your fault. In fact, you and the CIA were nice in suggesting tests. But it was not cost efficient. Bodo visited twice and he noticed nothing. Guess no stethoscope. I even had a doctor in my home. So not your fault, Jimmy.
Bodo? LOL
This guy is great. "Senior Momemts by Golf Brooks."
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xv1tMioGgXI?rel=0
Here's a nice young man apologizing for his generation's laziness and he takes the blame for the failure of Social Security, but also blames President Obama for the failure of tomorrow's nation.
Entitled, "A Warning For Middle Aged Folks" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Z29Herb3k
This young man explains that his Millineal generation doesn't want to work, only wants to get liberal arts degrees and jobs at McDonalds are a career choice. What a nice young man!
Meanwhile, he's paying into Social Security while fully realizing that he will never see a dime of that money back into his pocket.
Oh yeah, I liked that video!
Great YouTube Rick. It sounds like that kid has figured it out and he is right. A lot of people are going to be shiocked when they go to collect SS. It isn't going to be there.
He sure is right also about kids being covered until 26 on their parents medical. One Obama leaves office a lot of people are going to be in for a social shock.. They have it coming for believing in that POS loser.
For anyone who hasn't seen the video Rick mentions it is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Z29Herb3k and runs about 3:30.
The stroke thing kind of threw my herbal plan for a loop. Years ago, doctors argued economics re: medical tests for the disabled. Now because of Obamacare, medical personnel can do their jobs.
Also, when my friend Jennifer tried to get health insurance when Obamacare first came out, it was going to cost her half of her monthly paycheck a month and she's middle aged, no kids, a heavy equipment operator and in good health. Now that Missouri has been forced to embrace the national medical care, Jen just got health insurance for about a hundred bucks a month. But I guarantee that Jen will not trade freedom for insurance.
A Canadian newscaster warns Americans that BO is planning a program for firearm registration and that led to the Canadians' gun confiscation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIrBUrFV2Ac
Thanks, Jim.
Hey, Mexico wants the names of American gun owners and BO is apparently trying to create a firearm registration system and a law protects American gun owners because of a pre-World War II act, because of Hitler doing registration and then confiscation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su1S29FO_5w
Rick,
Canada is a bitch with guns. I talked to a guy a couple years ago who said they came right to his house and took his guns. I'm French-Canadian on my mother's side but would never go north just to get away from Obama. Too cold and too socialistic.
Obama would have a helluva time pulling gun confiscation here. He has the South totally pissed off now and I can only imagine how they would react to giving up their guns. Luckily the a-hole is on the downside of his reign of terror. The sooner he is gone the better.
Rick,
I just watched the clip with Sheriff Carter and Judge Jeannine. Carter is a sharp guy who makes sense; a nice relief from idiots like Obama and his crew. If the govt. ever goes after guns they better have plenty of fire power because they are going to receiving plenty.
Welcome to thew United States, 2015!
Donald Trump pledges to end outsourcing jobs, but his line of Donald Trump suits are made in Mexico. http://qz.com/443184/guess-where-mexico-bashing-donald-trump-makes-his-suits/
Hmmmmmmmm........
Donald Trump intends to make America competitive with China by reducing wages to Chinese wages. A global minimum wage was in fact predicted by the late John Nash and Princeton economists, so it's going to happen. http://nypost.com/2015/07/01/macys-dumps-trump-clothing-line-in-response-to-immigration-comments/
I can't afford to pay $15 an hour unless my income is increased too. Landlords will say the same, so will grocery store managers, CEO's everyone.
Did you know that the reason that "Country of Origin" (COOL) labeling of our food was removed was because the WTO ruled in favor of foreign countries and now the U.S. has to pay billions in damages. Canada sued us. Mexico would have been next.
Banks from Western countries are moving into Nigeria, soon Cuba, and Iran too.
If we are moving into a more stabilized global economy, it would make sense to have Donald Trump representing the interests of the United States. Wouldn't you agree? A former childhood neighbor of Trump told me that he's actually a good guy.
Rick,
I'm with you on Trump. He's loud, he's outspoken, unconventional, and I love the guy. He hasn't made millions by being a dumb ass. He is a capitalist which is what this country was built on. We need to get back to that system and away from the "free shit" economy that the libs endorse. In other words a day's pay for a day's work. It's not that I am against the poor and don't understand their plight; it is case of too many freebies for those who could be EARNING a living instead of whining and looking for government handouts.
I think it's hilarious that the $15/hr. pay has backfired in Seattle. It shows one can't rob Peter to pay Paul. Libs don't get that. Now, New York is ready to do it under that fool DiBlasio. Should be funny. The Wendy workers say they don't make enough money but I don';t hear them asking for education benefits to help them better themselves; they simply want more money for doing the same work. As someone once said: "That's not the way the world works."
Jim, I heard employees in Seattle are asking the employer to cut their hours because they're losing government benefits like food stamps. It seems today that some people look to government ( taxpayers) to take care of them.
Mike,
So true. I commented on this the other day on the blog. I love it when "what goes around, comes around" and this is a good example of that. Also "You can't rob Peter to pay Paul." They want the $15/hr. so they have to cut benefits.
I love it, a lesson in life for those who love getting something for nothing. Never do I hear any of them say "I'm going back to school so I can improve myself and deserve more money oin my job." All they want is freebies. That has become the American way under fools like Obama.
Now, New York is considering $15 an hour. The same thing will probably happen there. The workers are living in an unrealistic mindset. DiBlasio is a disaster mayor; a typical liberal nut case.
By the way, I have about 50 comments on this current blog. You can read them all at jmcallister.blogspot.com.
Things don't work like they used to, Jim. They just don't. Education can get you unemployed faster than being a high school dropout. If you're gonna get a job these days Jimmy, you gotta misspell words so you don't intimidate the text whiz doing the hiring.
Rick,
One of the things that pisses me off is the absurdity of political correctness. Jerry Seinfeld won't even play college campuses anymore because of it. Everything he says is considered racist or sexist or some other imagined nonsense.
I'm glad I was born when I was where guys had to do a hitch then dreamed of college and a good job. I was fortunate that I did those things and had nice career without the PC crap of today. There are too many people today who take themselves waaay too serious.
I'm selling the kayaks, Jimmy. Not supposed to go alone and I'm not cool enough for the In-Crowd. Heck, I've tried to go out for coffee with some of my younger friends, but they text too fast at the table and they think it's rude that I actually talk. These are the kind of folks who agree with voting by cell phone.
Donald Trump would probably like my idea to ask veterans to take a disability cut with a payout for a 60 percent rate and they'd still have all the medical and dental benefits. Then with about a hundred grand in cash and with mandatory business seminars, and mentoring from the bank and other experts, learn how to create companies to create a product to employ Americans. Probably only about 5 percent of veterans would qualify, since they'd have to be approved first.
Jim, liberals want people on the government dole. That's their voting base. That's why they want amnesty for illegals, more Democrat voters. Is it any wonder why the deficit is 18 trillion. There is a record number of revenue going to the government and yet they still run a deficit every year.
I always get a kick out of the government when they tells us what every man woman and child owes to pay off the deficit. I don't owe them shit. I didn't overspend and waste all that money.
Mike,
You're totally correct. They have to have those illegals voting to keep their dead asses in power. The more the better as far as they are concerned. I'm with you; I don't feel I owe them shit. It's the damn liberals ruining the country; let them pay for it.
Now those sanctuary cities like Seattle want to pay hamburger flippers $15 an hour. It's hilarious that that $15 would be too much to receive the freebies they already get so they want their hours cut. It's a goddam mess and it starts at the top in Washington.
I never thought this kind of stuff would happen in this country but there we are. thanks to idiots like Obama and his crew.
Local conservative talk show host Dave Weinbaum said that part of the Iran deal is that the United States must protect the nuclear sites from Israel. He said that the deal must still go through Congress and to avoid a veto, they must have two-thirds majority vote or the U.S. will be ally to Iran. I never thought I'd see the day when we'd be protecting Iran. Strategically, it's a good move to suck up to the Muslims and it will prevent Russia from getting badly needed crude oil from Iran.
I really hope this is a giant counterintelligence project and we win in the end, but that's just wishful thinking and maybe I'll miss all the bad. August 5, I go see two different doctors. I've done research on my symptoms and even the confusion points to just one conclusion. More guitar playing is necessary.
I loaned my kayaks to close friends, they lost some of my stuff and never even offered to pay for the stuff. That's how people treat the disabled. It's pathetic.
I sold the larger kayak, Jimmy. I'll sell the other one tomorrow. The strategy also will pay off. I'm reading the borrowers as if I am the bad guy for being nice. That is what is wrong with our country now. That is why the Welfare recipients will turn on the government for being nice to them.
Except for disabled veterans. We served our nation and we'll work to change it, not destroy it. We haven't had a veteran in the White House since W and his dad. Unpleasant things must be done sometimes. England made a deal with Hitler and look how that turned out. We can't make friends with Iran. They will come to resent us.
I did the SN thing this morning with government agencies and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). I believe that both support her. It's the only explanation.
I talked to other federal agencies and a couple of other major corporations and never mentioned any celebrity, but just that I had strokes. Then they too hung up on me.
Conservative friends explained that those supporting celebrities are a nonissue and liberals are idiots. I understand from people who listen to Conservative programs say that anyone south of the Mason-Dixon line, particularly white folks are now the enemy. And I'm told that my Congresswoman is a RINO, but she at least explained why COOL was repealed. The WTO.
And I do not speak like this in person. My speech is pretty slow and sometimes the words aren't there. It's a bad time for a coup.
Gee whiz, Jimmy. The brakes apparently failed on a bin Laden family plane or pilot error. They perished in a terrible plane accident ... that's just weird. Private planes seem dangerous.
Where's the 701st blog? Or was number 700 it? All blogged out? Burn out is common among writers.
I'll be playing along with some Blues backing tracks. There are FM backing tracks too and they're really seriously good! I can't play that fast yet. Still recovering.
Rick,
701 will be out shortly. I do one about every 3 to 4 weeks. No burn out yet after the thousands I have done the past 10 years. I wish I would have kept the ones we did from the Republic. Those were fun especially the ones where Bitch was sticking it to Bozo the clown.
I play a little blues myself. I use G chord backing tracks when I play my harmonica. I've always loved the blues especially Charlie Musselwhite.
Jimmy, did you mean Butch or Bitch? Freudian Slip?
There are all sorts of backing tracks from A, to C and G. Then there's dirty Blues, which is really good too.
Bodo is on a world tour. He emails me now and then to tell me of his exploits. I occasionally read them when I'm bored.
You have a sharp eye, Rick. I didn't notice "bitch" until after I typed it. Just one more reason to proofread. I don't hear much from Butch anymore; perhaps it was the proverbial Freudian slip.
That's good news about Bodo being on a world tour. It means that he is not here which is a good thing. I haven't seen or heard anything of him since the Republic blogs were discontinued.
Charlie Musselwhite ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siEfu0MIJ2A
Cool.
Hey Jim, you gotta watch this 1988 interview of Donald Trump talking about the economy, the ways to improve it and it's surprisingly about the same thing that he's saying now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=70&v=SEPs17_AkTI
It's really going to change a lot of minds about Trump and I certainly take him more seriously now.
Rick,
Thanks for the Charlie tape. Barb and I have been to three or four of his appearances in Phoenix-Scottsdale. Nice guy, easy to talk to; play a helluva harp.
Nice interview with Trump. That was 27 years ago and he sounded about the same then as now.
So far I love the guy; he is refreshing after assholes like Obama and Hillary. They will be trying to dig up dirt on him for sure; I see today they are already saying he hired illegals. At least he doesn't need donors with all the dough he has.
This will be interesting.
I caught the spelling on a good day. The other day, I couldn't spell CAT. Sometimes I get tired and the speech gets slurred. Today has been a good day though.
Donald Trump would make a good President under the present circumstances. The problems are largely negotiations with other leaders, the WTO and the disaster like COOL proves that we can't even negotiate food labeling without paying billions in penalties.
So far he has my vote. I love it that he doesn't need contributions from anyone. He can do his thing and just write the checks; not be beholden to anyone. The polls are holding steady at about 20%. That tells us something: people are tired of weenie Republicans winning Congress last year and then just sucking up to Obama.
Donald Trump is up, not invited to the debate which is pretty lame and I predict will not do well for the GOP. The public will not understand. Will Bernie win over Hillary? (He's a Democrat, right?) I have a solution!
WHO WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT! It's the new talent show on TV that runs for the entire year and finished up in November 2016. Contestants will debate one on one and eventually be eliminated by the viewers. The final contestant wins four years in the beautiful White House!
Rick,
Trump is invited to the debate. He is the number one guy. Bernie won't beat Hillary.
I saw my regular doc this morning. She didn't seem to feel that there was anything to worry about. She seemed unusually nice.
I heard on the radio that the debate is tonight. Who will come out as the master debater? I'm sitting on the edge of my seat ... I fell off ...
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