Monday, February 21, 2005

LEGENDARY??

I just read this article on the "Drudge Report" which talks about the suicide death of a man named Hunter S. Thompson. Here is what the Denver Post wrote:

"Regarded as one of the most legendary writers of the 20th century, Thompson is best known for the 1972 classic "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." He is also credited with pioneering gonzo journalism - a style of writing that breaks tradition rules of news reporting and is purposefully slanted."
How can you be legendary if no one has ever heard of you. I've never heard his name, or even heard about his classic (?) "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Also, he is credited with gonzo journalism, whatever that is. Gonzo journalism inspires breaking the rules, and purposely slanting a story towards the ideas of the writer ----sounds like "poor" writing to me, and who better than me to know poor writing. Also Gonzo sounds stupid.

This man's death is a terrible thing. My issue is with the wunderkind who, like the Denver Post, think Hunter Thompson is legendary and not pathetic. Don't get me wrong, you can be pathetic and legendary at the same time, (i.e. Adolph Hitler, Michael Jackson, Howard Stern), but Hunter was just pathetic, not legendary.

Hunter never met a drug he didn't like. He was a remnant of the 60's "clique/experiment gone awry" misfits, called Hippies. Hippies ingested large amounts of "mind altering" drugs, emphasis on the keywords mind altering. The word "alter" in Latin means "to go on trip." [LOL] Now, there is only two schools of thought when it comes to these people who are overly represented in our universities, media and judicial system. I refer to them pathetically as ex-Hippies. You either, like I, think that taking mass quantities of mind altering drugs messes up your mind to the extent that reality takes its leave. Or you think that it does not, that it is just like taking aspirin, and the mind heals itself over time.

Many Hippies will deny even today that they ever indulged in drugs. (i.e.Clinton, Kerry, Dean) I guess they would just excuse themselves and leave whenever someone pulled out a "doobie." Sure, they deny that all the drugs they did not take had no affect on them. Their minds have been altered. How would they know? Hey, that's the big downside of drugs, they make you stupid. What Hippies call enlightened, I call stupid. You know what's funny? They think, the ex-Hippies that is, that they are smarter than people who didn't "trip out" and routinely got a haircut.

Why do I sense that the looney lefties see this man as legendary solely because he was a looney lefty.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Affirmative Gerrymandering

This evening the Governor of CaLEEfornia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, appeared on the "Larry Elder" radio program. He spoke of gerrymandering. He didn't directly speak of gerrymandering, but it's what the GOV was talking about. Governor Schwarzenegger told how when he took the citizenship test, it espoused the fact that the people, or voters, pick their representatives. But because it was left to the legislatures to draw district lines in CaLEEfornia, the representatives actually pick the voters. Arnold was right.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 makes it illegal to draw boundaries of an electoral district that purposely excludes minority groups. The same Law makes it legal to draw lines that favor a minority group. That's crazy!

I recalled that recently they drew new boundaries for the aldermanic districts in the city I reside. The new district I am in looks like a worm. Somebody had to of had a smile on his face when they drew, and endorsed my district. There are probably 15 or so districts in Milwaukee, my district is the only one that looks like a worm. This district was redrawn last year to guaranty a black alderman will be elected here.

Elbridge Gerry, who was Governor of Massachusetts (1810), was very interested in retaining the governorship. So his pals in the statehouse drew up the districts to favor him, one district was drawn that looked like a salamander. Thus, the world was given the word "gerrymander." I wish my district was drawn like an eagle, or maybe a monkey, almost anything would be better than a worm.

Favoring one minority or racial group over another should be illegal. The practice is racist and extremely hateful. The Democratic Party embraces all forms of racism and hate. If you think the KKK is the #1 hate group in America, then the Democratic Party is #2.

All districts should be drawn as squares, rectangles, circles or monkeys. Never worms, or salamanders for that matter.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Iraqi Vote

On January 30th of this year, 2005, the people who chose to do so, voted for the first time in fifty years in Iraq. Even though they were discouraged to vote because of death threats, as many as 60-70% of registered voters actually dared to vote. This was a huge turn out when you consider that 50% turn out in the USA is spectacular. Many Americans are so lazy that all it would take would be a rain cloud to appear in the sky for them to decide not to vote.

What caught my curiosity was the fact that it had been 50 years since the last free vote in Iraq. What appears to have happened back then was the growing threat of communism. It was the "cold war" and a free vote would almost certainly have gone to the communists. To squelch such a reality, the British installed a monarchy in Iraq---at the same time the Shah was handed power in neighboring Iran. It would take the Americans to reinstate a democratic government 50 years later.

It was reported that when the polls opened on that monumental January morning, people generally milled around outside the designated voting buildings. Murdering Muslim fanatics had threatened violence. Bombs, snipers, rockets and mortar fire were promised by the evil-doers to discourage participation in this historic vote.

Now, as the local residents assessed their predicament, something American happened........A women broke from the crowd and walked straight to the polling site. Courage, and conviction are as American as Apple Pie. This woman was probably thinking, "Nobody is going to scare me and tell me what I can and cannot do. Not anymore! Never again, Allah willing." The crowd must of been dumbfounded by this woman's daring assault of her right to vote. It is said that when the woman reappeared from the building, she held up a purple stained finger, a gesture to be repeated thousands of times this day. The stained finger signified that she had voted, it was used to deter multiple voting, because the ink was impossible to remove immediately. The purple finger signifies honor, courage, and above all, freedom.

Two more Iraqis separated from the crowd and approached the voting site, then three, then ten. If a mortar round hit the building, so be it. They were going to vote, nothing would stop them. So went the rest of the day, a massive turn out under any standards. When the Iraqis saw their friends and neighbors with purple fingers they couldn't be out done, so they went and received one too. The basic keeping up with the Mohhamed's.

Did you vote last election? If not, Why? Are you afraid?
[photo/Reuters]

A Stranger by the Gulf (1953)

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Meet Betsy

Every car I have owned has been named Betsy. Automobiles are the only objects I have owned that I have given a name too. The Lawn Mower, Weed Whacker, and Walkman Radio all remain nameless. Here is Betsy: Betsy was born in Michigan in 1997. Some call her by her proper name "Chevrolet Blazer," but to me, she's Betsy. Our relationship is solid. I encourage her to be the best she can be. "Come on, Come on Betsy, you can do it," can be heard from me as we plow through snow. When a speeding projectile hit and chipped the window Betsy was assured an appointment to the "Window Doctor" was coming post haste. She is always my fellow companion as I tour Terra Firma. I am never alone. "Betsy, did you see that jerk who almost cut us off?" "Where did he learn to drive, Wal-Mart?" "If brains were dynamite he couldn't blow his nose!" See, I am never alone.

Betsy spends a large portion of the time in the garage, which is also nameless. Being out of the elements and separated from public nuisances makes Betsy happy. From time to time I will look in the garage window at her and gesture, acknowledging her presence.

I used to smoke cigarettes until I got Betsy. Haven't smoked since. The reason is simple, Betsy abhors cigarette smoke.

Betsy is actually Betsy VII. All my cars have been named Betsy. Cars don't have souls, but they do have a spirit, and this spirit goes on and on, from my first car to the present.

We talk much of freedom and what the word means and is worth. But, because of Betsy and all other automobiles we can travel anywhere at ease and in comfort. Ultimate freedom. It would be hard to deny the automobile a place on the list of greatest inventions ever. If you would ask Betsy or me, we should say it's a no-brainer.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

ALL-RIGHTY THEN!

It appears that it works. Let me try colors, and bold colors. [check] I am now ready to blog.

Oh Oh. My mind is blank.... ... Who am I? Speaking of blank, why do blank forms have stuff printed on them.

TIP FOR NEW BLOGGERS: Prepare something to write about before you create a Blog.

Welcome!

I had a bit of trouble navigating to my new blog site. I still haven't seen it. I thought I'd post and see what happens.