You Go Girl...please...go

I am no fan of Texas A&M's athletics director Bill Byrne ever since he canceled Scouts day at Kyle Field a few years back so he could sell the seats originally promised to the area youth organizations including the Boy and girl Scouts.

The Eagle has a fairly in-depth article on his department and the financial problems Aggie Athletics are having under his watch. What I found interesting are two of the reasons for the deficit:

"If we had been selling out Kyle Field, you would not be asking me these questions," Byrne told The Eagle last week. "We would be operating in the black."

And if only I could win the lottery all my financial troubles would be over too!

"The department spends $20 million on women's sports for every $1 million those teams bring in. That spending has allowed the department to stay compliant with federal law while receiving national acclaim."

Those gosh-darn pesky woman and their stupid Title 9 law! He would have 19 million extra dollars if they would just go back to the way it was before we were MADE to let them play.

News Flash Mr. Byrne, Woman's Sports has succeeded at A&M because of the woman who participated, not because of you, your new buildings, your loan, or your $690,000.00 salary.

The financial problems any organization is experiencing are the result of a number of things, but failure of leadership is what allows them to manifest. From the "buck stops here" to the "buck is past here."

You've come a long way baby! Now go home

Bong hits for Justice

What is the difference between Glenn Beck, Michael Phelps, Warren Christopher Scroggins, and Whitney Ann Parrish?

Only Scroggins and Parrish got caught with it.

Which brings me to Beck's point number 5:

If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

So there Beck was, token the whacky tobacky, saying to himself "father really does know best!" And Phelps, not wanting to go to Disneyland, found himself lip-locked with a "marijuana pipe" (I love it when the press acts like they don't know what a bong is).

Both broke the law and nothing happened. Oh Phelps lost Kellogg's but he still makes more in one year then I will make in 20. They are not above the law, only lucky enough to not get caught.

But Scroggins and Parrish on the other hand, for less than 5 ounces are up for a felony. A felony that will stop them from living any assemblage of the life that me, Beck or Phelps get to live if they are found guilty.

We need to really look at the damage we cause to people, especially young kids, when we brand them with a felony. Two kids under 21 should not be punished for life for doing the same thing that a large - and I do mean large - percentage of respectable citizens have done as well. Why should they pay such a high price for a youthful indiscretion?

So lets see if Mr. Beck will change point 5 to something a little more fair.

If you break the law you pay a penalty, correct your mistake, and move on. No one found guilty should be denied an opportunity for redemption, forgiveness, or absolution. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

And on this note, today Lynette "squeaky" Fromme, was released on parole from federal prison after spending three decades behind bars. Charles Manson had recruited her off the street in the Venice section of Los Angeles when she was a troubled 18-year-old college student.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Glenn Beck - Ultimate Authority

Glenn Beck has nine principles he has put forth. According to his website:

Our Founding Fathers built this country on 28 powerful principles. These principles were culled from all over the world and from centuries of great thinkers. We have distilled the original 28 down to the 9 basic principles.

Funny, when I went to look for these original 28 all I can find is reference to God, which, if I know my founding fathers correctly, got the appropriate nod and then it was down to business, silly things like separation of power, representation, law. Anyway on to Mr. Beck......

There is a common theme for conservatives and libertarians, that is "we know best." Now that is an OK principle but when you know best prohibits or infringes on me, well now we gots us a problem! I have said it before, you cannot manage 300 million folks without a government which means idiot conservatives need to have a voice just like naive loony liberals. Which means we have to compromise and do what is best for everyone overall. Y'all need to live with my right to carry and public schools without prayer. Two way street there pardner!

So back to Mr. Beck...jeez!

Point 4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

Common conservative theme. I know what is best for me and my family and I don't need no stink'n gov'ment to tell me how to live! America! USA! USA! USA!

And now Mr. Beck will demonstrate just how this "ultimate authority" should work in the homes of America:

PAULA ZAHN NOW Hooked: When You Can't Stop Aired March 15, 2007

ZAHN: "Addiction" airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on HBO.

Some parents don't have to save a child from addiction; they need to save themselves. That was the case for my colleague Glenn Beck.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I would get up, do the show, run the radio stations, come home, by 5:00, not a second after, I would pour myself one tumbler. I would smoke a bong, and take it from there.

ZAHN: Were you doing this with kids in the house?

BECK: Mm-hmm.

ZAHN: Did your kids see you...

BECK: No.

ZAHN: ... get stoned?

OK, so unlike Dr. Laura, he actually admits it, what is missing is the acknowledgment that if he was the ultimate authority he was a poor one. So lets rewrite point 4:

The family is sacred to be worshiped with ganja. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority on how best to harm and/or endanger our children, not the government who's interest in my family's well-being does nothing but show how shitty a parent I am.

Next blog: what is the difference between Glenn Beck, Michael Phelps, Warren Christopher Scroggins, and Whitney Ann Parrish?

Please sir, can I have some more?

More of Matt Friedeman’s christian fellowship:

“The battlefield now shifts from Capitol Hill to each congressional district, and we’re calling in reinforcements – YOU!” To help you in that effort, we’ve produced a short list of key concerns and questions, which are copied below. “

Point 5 - RATIONING CARE:

Question for your Congressmen: Will you oppose any healthcare reform bill that in any way limits my access to healthcare or medicines recommended by my doctor?

News Flash! Access to health care is rationed in the US already:

1. Preexisting illnesses not covered or denial of insurance altogether
2. Denial of certain treatments and procedures recommended
3. Non-coverage for certain treatments and procedures
4. Denial of payment for treatment and procedures already performed

When someone else is paying the bill they will, do, and can limit coverage regardless of what is recommended by the doctor. To believe that this is not currently taking place is to be terribly naive and really out of touch with our current system.

This “OMG they will ration my healthcare if Obama has his way” is ignoring the fact that health care is rationed all the time by insurance companies. If you saw the movie “The Incredibles” Bob Parr’s job at the insurance company was to deny claims. That was pre-Obama mind you.

Here is the rub, under our present system when a claim is denied, it benefits the insurance company and its shareholders (and indirectly policy holders). In Britain for example, when new/experimental care is denied for coverage it is done to allow the rest of society to have access to healthcare. So you need to decide who you want to help with the rationing, because rationing will happen UNLESS you are willing to pay for it. And since the other big complaint against healthcare reform is the cost, I will hazard a guess that cheap will be the soup d’jur.

So do you ration to increase insurance company profits or do you ration to provide coverage to all? You can’t have your damn cake and eat it too. Choose one.


Note: Apparently I was not the only one to think of Bob Parr. While searching for the name of his company I came across another blog that referenced it.

Onward christian shillmen....

After seeing my last post the wife asks me ”why are you looking for Christian radio stations?”

When I rent a car for work, I like to listen to public radio which is on the low end of the dial – yea the left side – so what of it! To get to the station 89.1, I have to go thru a few “christian” radio stations that have decided to take up residence where traditional public radio access has resided.

So a few days ago, while on my way to 89.1 I get stopped on 89.9

“We need to oppose Obamacare!”

“We need to show up at these town meetings and be vocal, let’s not be violent, that’s not how Christians should act…..”

“We need to……"

So there I was listening to this guy, on a christian radio station, asking myself the question who is “we”?

This christian talk show host is a guy named Matt Friedeman and apparently the “we” he is speaking to are folks that listen to christian radio stations, which I assume are Christians wanting to listen to a "family friendly" radio station (or guys like me just passing through).

There seems to be a general theme to the “talk” on these christian stations – that is it is almost always anti-Obama and anti-democrat. I am not sure exactly why opposing health care reform requires the work of Christians, unless when you ask yourself the question “What would Jesus do?” and you receive a divine answer of ”go forth and disrupt town-hall meetings!”

Under the guise of morality, the domain of the preacher/religious zealot, arguments can be made for and against any proposed law or government action. Guys like Friedeman should be arguing, like Jesus would have, for health care coverage that is not dependent on if one has a job that provides coverage and/or one is rich enough to pay for it.

I have read Mr. Friedeman’s opposition points to the healthcare debate, they are primarily based on a misunderstanding and/or fear, which in my opinion, is put out there to illicit apprehension which will lead to opposition.

Friedman and his ilk are either terribly naive, ignorant, misguided, or shills for those whose agenda is not one in the best interest of society as a whole. There are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed, but opposition just to oppose is not going to solve this problem.

Jugstaposition (sorry, couldn't stop myself)

juxtaposition: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side; also : the state of being so placed.

What's in it for me?

At some basic level, it really comes down to am I better off now than before? All things considered, I have stagnated, so whatever economic policies under the previous President were in place, really did little to change my lot in life.

But under Obama, within his first six months I get a new car!


With the cash for clunkers program, I received $4500 for our 94 4-wheel drive Explorer. Ford pitched in $1000, and I got another $2500 because of where I work. Then to top it all, Ford gave us three years financing at zero percent interest.

Finally a government program I get to partake in, and I finally get a car with air conditioning and windows that will roll up! Wins all around! The salesman gets a commission, the dealership makes money, and Ford sells another car.

I am sad that the Explorer had to be euthanized, she was still running strong even after 15 years. I also sympathize with the auto wreckers that lose a good engine, but the program was designed to stimulate the economy and remove less fuel efficient vehicles off the road which reduces foreign oil demand and reduces pollution (unless I drive it more since it does have AC).

All in all not a bad program with the exception of the dealership is up in the air as to if the government will follow through on their end, which leaves me with the possibility of the deal falling through.

If that happens then I will not have a new car and therefore will not like Obama.