Taxpayers Were Clunked!!!

It appears that "Cash for Clunkers" program was successful only to those who have no idea what the value of a dollar is these days. We heard from the Democratic Party "How successful a program Cash for Clunkers" was and how the environment benefited. That may or may not be the case. But, according to an article on CNN Money [article link] the program cost the American taxpayer $24,000 a "clunker." Edmunds, the most respected automotive authority on the web, stated relatively few cars were actually sold that weren't going to be sold anyway. 690K vehicles were sold under the program. But, in actual terms, 125K cars were sold that could have been considered "additional" under the Cash for Clunkers program.

People I have talked to who are in the automotive field say they agree with Edumunds. The government likes to use that 690K number as a shining example of a government program that actually works. But, in actual numbers, there were only 125K additional vehicles that were really sold. This is what Edumunds is talking about. And add to the fact it cost taxpayers $24K for each of that 125K that were sold in addition (outside the norm), how successful was it? A spokesman for the Department of Transportation stated, "It is unfortunate that Edmunds.com has had nothing but negative things to say about a wildly successful program that sold nearly 250,000 cars in its first four days alone," said Bill Adams, spokesman for the Department of Transportation. What he didn't say is what Edmunds did say...in a normal month, most of those 250K cars, this bureaucrat is crying about, would have been sold anyway. I'll say again, Democrats have never seen a tax dollar they didn't like...or want to spend.

The "Duh" Moment

I've mentioned my '06 Honda Civic on this blog before. I've talked about how much satisfaction it gives me as I drive by gas stations. I've had minor problems with it since I bought it back in 'March of 2006 when gas prices started rising over $2.00/gallon. I traded in my '04 Jeep Liberty (reluctantly...very nice riding vehicle) that was getting about 16 MPG on the hwy. That wasn't going to cut it with me. So, I traded it in for the Civic.

As I was driving to the drugstore, this past Sunday, I noticed I was closing in on 40K miles. So, I thought I had better made an appointment for scheduled service. No big deal. But, I started thinking I have had this car for almost 4 years and am just now getting to the 40K mark. That is just slightly over 10K a year. I do most of my driving in and around the city in which I reside. I do make some trips up to Birmingham, which is about 250 miles from where I live. But, most people probably put 40K on their new car in less than 3 years. In fact, my last checkup at 35K, the service people ask me if I ever drive this thing over 50 miles in a week! I didn't know what to say. I drive normally in my opinion. I couldn't figure out why I didn't have more miles than I do. I'm still thinking about this, wondering if there was something wrong with my odometer, when I drive home and I see the answer to my question. Ever had one of those "duhhhh moments?" I had one...just as soon as I saw my trusty '95 Nissan truck. THAT is where those missing 2-5K miles a year were going. Of course, most people would have figured that out right away. And, normally, I would have also. But, for some reason, the logic escaped me. And, yes, maybe I should not have posted this. I just wanted it known that everyone is capable of having a "duh moment" at any time.

Nature Wednesday

For Nature Wednesday this week we have a really nice palm tree beach scene, a beautiful mountain view and a really nice lakeside view. Enjoy!

Another Restaurant Story

I've posted on this in the past concerning my restaurant horror stories. You'd think I never ate at home if you follow this blog any length of time. But, what happened yesterday is something I'm sure everyone has experienced at a restaurant at one time or another. You know the scene...parents paying no attention to their children as they completely make your restaurant experience miserable. I don't blame the kids. They don't know any better. But, the parents, well, that is another story. Why they can't make their kids sit at the table and be just mildly quiet is beyond me. Enough preaching, on to the story.

I went to a local family restaurant yesterday afternoon with an old friend I had not seen in a few months. We had just been seated when I realized we were going to be in for a long hour or so. A family of six was seated just two tables to our right. Between the Adams Family and our table was an elderly couple who were obviously miserable. One child had thrown a biscuit which landed on the table of this couple. I encouraged the gentleman to ask for the manager to do something about this situation. But, he said all he wanted to do now was get his bill and leave. The family continued to make such a ruckus that everyone in our section was now looking at the family. The parents seemed oblivious as to the commotion their children were creating. When one of the children threw a eating knife up in the air, I'd had enough. I asked my waitress if the manager could come out and do something with this family. She came closer so as not to be overheard and told me the manager had already told them to leave. But, they refused to leave until they had finished eating. About this time, the manager and two policemen came to the table. The police asked both parents to get up and leave immediately since the manager had requested them to do so. The parents and screaming kids all left with the police out the door. Everyone in the restaurant started clapping.

I've experienced this sort of thing before in restaurants. But, I don't recall someone refusing to leave after being told to leave by the manager. Again, I don't blame the kids. They simply don't know any better. But, those parents...they need someone to reinforce the idea of simple manners upon them. Hopefully, the police did just that.

Swine Flu: A National Emergency

It appears that I blogged too soon in regard to the Swine Flu. Last week, I blogged about an article that stated the Swine Flu had been overestimated insofar as having a deadly effect on the U.S. But, with Friday's surprise announcement from President Obama that he was declaring a national emergency [article link], it appears I now must backtrack off that article. The article linked above states over 1000 people have died from the Swine Flu. That is a terrible number even if it were just 1. The national emergency is intended to be a proactive move to give hospitals the ability to better combat this pandemic. This national emergency announcement also states the hospital will require less information from patients before treating them. I know that sounds just great on the surface. I'll just leave it at that for now.

The federal government had hoped to have as many as 120 million doses of the Swine Flu vaccine available by mid-October. That goal apparently is not going to be met. The hope now is that 50 million doses by mid-November and 150 million by mid-December. I simply don't see any way they have triple the number of doses in one month. We'll see soon enough if the government can meet this really unrealistic goal of 150 million doses by Christmas.

Obama vs Fox News

I'm not sure I have ever witnessed anything like it since Nixon and the Washington Post during the Watergate Scandal. A sitting U.S. President actively engaged in a war of words with a major network news organization. At least, in the case of Nixon, it was a single newspaper. But, with President Obama, he and his henchmen have decided to take on a 24 hour a day network news organization that is a constant and ferocious critic of him and his administration. Just yesterday, President Obama suggested [article link] that Fox News was little more than "talk radio." This basically was in line with White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod stating "...Fox News is not really a news organization." Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and White House Communications Director Anita "Chairman Mao" Dunn all made similar statements.

Now, before any leftists nod in agreement with the above administration officials, what would have been your reaction if former President Bush had made similar statements about MSNBC? Be honest. What would have been your gut reaction to President Bush? Please remember, this is the President who stated time and time again about bipartisan cooperation. But, cooperation to this president means..."get in line with the rest of the lemmings." President Obama does not like dissent, he does not take criticism well at all. This has all filtered down to his subordinates as well. Even if you completely disagree with me, doesn't it seem the President of the United States would have better things to do than engage in a war of words with Fox News? If you are honest, you will say, "Yes." Obama does have better things to do. Yet, he takes time out of the day to take a swipe at a news organization exercising its constitutionally guaranteed rights...well, for right now anyway. I'll take it a step further; it is embarrassing to see the President of the United States engaging in petty gamesmanship. It is ridiculous and immature.

Swine Flu Scare

Ever since WHO declared the Swine flu as pandemic, I've had my doubts about the severity of this whole thing. It seemed to have started in Mexico City. And, we heard all the dire predictions. Later it was determined that not all the 150+ deaths, that were originally counted as Swine Flu deaths, may have been Swine Flu at all. That doesn't surprise me. What surprised me is that the President of the United States kept talking about plans in place of what the federal government would do, forecast of 900,000 deaths. It all seemed a bit like the hysteria surrounding "Global Warming."

Yesterday the announcement was made that the cases of Swine Flu were "overestimated" [article link]. In fact, what people may have is just seasonal flu. Even more puzzling, according to this report, you may not have the flu at all. It finally dawned on someone that you can't really tell if someone has the Swine Flu WITHOUT comprehensive lab testing at the CDC. There is no way the CDC is going to test every case doctors all over America would send in order to determine this. No one is really sure now just how many cases of Swine Flu have occurred in the USA. Sure, we have had a number. But, strangely, they are not spreading nationwide as once feared. Why? No one seems to know. I was already leaning against taking the Swine Flu shot. Now, I know I'm not taking it.

Nature Wednesday

Three new photos for Nature Wednesday. One is a waterfall, which by now, most of you know is one of my favorite nature scenes, an autumn look on trees and a humming bird.

Democrats Appoint Dead Man

Having lived in Alabama most of my life, nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to Alabama politics. From fights (literally) on the Senate Floor to accusations of racism is the norm in politics in this state. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, it makes no difference when it comes to outrageous political acts. In fact, in order to maintain a filibuster in the State Senate, a former Lt. Governor kept a "pee bucket" under the podium until a female representative noticed him relieving himself. That is but one reason he is the "former" Lt. Governor.

But, the news yesterday of the Alabama Democratic Party appointing [article link] Reynolds Smith Jr to a Democratic Executive Committee in Mobile, AL brought more news that it should have. The problem is that Reynolds died almost a year ago. Party officials were a bit shocked and, a bit embarrassed, when it became public knowledge the Alabama Democratic Party was attempting to practice "Lazarus politics." The party quickly corrected the mistake when a local Mobile Democratic activist let them know this isn't Chicago where dead people still vote. The mistake was apparently due to an outdated voting record.

Repost of a Favorite

Once again, I'm really busy this week. So, rather than not post anything, I thought I would repost another favorite. As I type this, it is Sunday night. Sunday nights always brought "The Sopranos." This entry is from June of 2008. Hope you enjoy it.

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I Miss “The Sopranos”

Sunday nights just aren’t the same without “The Sopranos.” In my opinion, this was one of the finest series, if not the absolute best series in television history. Excellent writing, acting and some of the best lines ever. Who can ever forget Junior saying to Tony, in the doctor’s office, “I got feds so far up my ass, I can smell the brell cream.” It seems like Junior always got the good lines.

I miss Christopher, Paulie and especially Tony. Paulie presented some of the best lines (not fit for a family blog like this one) I have ever heard except for those by Junior. These were people who you hated the way they lived by murder, extortion and threats. Yet, you couldn’t stop watching them in the same respect like a wreck on the highway. You just had to look. I enjoyed it very much. The Sopranos were the only reason I kept HBO. I have now cancelled my subscription to their service. There is just nothing on HBO worth watching any longer. Come to think of it, there isn’t much of anything worth watching on Sunday nights these days.

One thing I could never understand…why were all these beautiful women always after Tony (ok, I admit I was just a tad jealous)? In the real world, I just couldn’t see that happening. Tony wasn’t exactly Brad Pitt. Most everything else on this show was believable to me. The Sopranos broke ground in the same way “All in the Family” did in the early 70’s. There were taboo words, issues, subjects that both delved into on a weekly basis. I think that definitely was a reason for the success of The Sopranos. Tony made that show. His character was well played by James Gandolfini. I had seen Gandolfini in small roles prior to The Sopranos and didn’t remember being impressed by him. He was just made for this role. He made The Sopranos, in my opinion.

I guess one reason I’m making an entry on The Sopranos is I heard on the radio yesterday there is talk in HBO circles of David Chase doing a series called “Sopranos: The Early Years.” I hope this is true (although I have found nothing about it on the internet). But, I seriously doubt it could equal the critical acclaim of “The Sopranos.” I’m not sure any show ever could.

Rush Limbaugh: No Go on S.L. Rams Deal

I've listened to Rush Limbaugh, off and on, for the past 10 years or longer. I agree with him most of the time, disagree some of the time. But, I respect his right to his opinion, his contitutional right, I might add. The times I have disagreed is when he got himself into hot water. He made a comment about Philadelphia Eagles QB, Donovan McNabb that cost him his job as commentator on Monday Night Football. Limbaugh said, "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well." Ok, Limbaugh should have known that as a conservative, the media would immediately attack him for making a racially insensitive statement. Whether you agree with that statement or not is irrelevant in my opinion. There are some things better left unsaid, especially on a nation-wide broadcast. I think McNabb is an average QB at best in the NFL. But, the way Limbaugh said it, made it appear racially charged. He was asking for that one.

But, one could also say it was purely political that liberal groups across the nation got into a frenzy when it was known Rush Limbaugh was part of a group to purchase the NFL franchise in St. Louis. This was purely because of his politics and nothing else. Yesterday Limbaugh was dropped [article link] from the group bidding on the St. Louis Rams. Now, one could make a case that Limbaugh has no one but himself to blame for being dropped due to some statements he has made over the years that got him into hot water. He fully realized the double standard that a conservative commentator must endure in the news media. He did know the firestorm that would erupt once it was known he was part of the group bidding on the Rams. My question about this entire episode; should a person's political beliefs be part of the criteria in judging whether or not they are suitable for purchasing a sport franchise? Rush Limbaugh is not a member of any neo-nazi group of which I am familiar. He is not part of any terrorist group. So, let's leave the extremism out of the argument. This was not justified in my opinion. It was all about the power of the double standard that exist in the news media today.

Flu Shots

I'm scheduled to have my seasonal flu shots next Tuesday. My primary care physician's office called me yesterday to see if I would like to come in next week. They have never called me about getting my seasonal flu shots before. I was startled about that. What startled me even more was when the receptionist asked if I would also like to get my "H1N1 flu shot (commonly referred to as the Swine flu). I had not given it much thought, to be honest. I told her I wasn't sure about whether I wanted it or not.

The receptionist encouraged me to get the Swine flu shot. I told her I would make up my mind when I walked into the doctor's office next Tuesday. I just wanted to think about it. Now, I've heard the stories how some people got the swine flu shot, got deathly sick and died. But, I have seen not one story in print that someone actually died from the Swine flu shot. I think it is just hyperbole because of the fear Swine flu is becoming pandemic. The only noticeable side effects are injection site pain. I've experienced that from just seasonal flu shots before. So, I think the fear is really misplaced. I still don't know if I'm going to get the shot. But, if I don't, it is not because I think it will kill me.

Nature Wednesday

A tropical scene, and a couple of forest scenes for this edition of Nature Wednesday.

New Treadmill

It was with a tinge of sadness that my old treadmill, after providing faithful service for the past 10 years or so, finally gave out on me as I was doing my morning routine last week. Many people were amazed that treadmill (I believe it was a Weslo) had worked so well for me over the years. I ran that thing for 35 minutes every morning and then again late afternoon for another 25 minutes, six days a week, 12 months a year. The motor just finally gave up the ghost. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

I am presently putting together the new treadmill as I type this. It is made by Golds Gym. I read a lot of good reviews on it. Strangely, I read a lot of bad reviews on most, if not all, Weslo treadmills. So, I guess the craftsmanship has suffered over the years. That was my deciding factor when I looked for a new treadmill last week. I hope this new one by Golds Gym can live up to the benchmark set by its predecessor. It was a good one.

Obama: Nobel Peace Prize?

I have not had a chance to comment on President Obama unexpectedly "winning" one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Nobel Peace prize [article link]. Most times, I would be proud that any U.S. President would win an award such as the NPP. And, the Nobel committee said it was due to the President's work to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons. That is a laudable act for any person on earth. However, the submission date was the end of February. President Obama had been in office all of 6 weeks (at most). What did he do during those 6 weeks to merit such an award? He was busy attacking the American taxpayer with the government stimulus bill that would halt unemployment across the nation. Right. So, what did President Obama do to justify his winning this award? According to the official message from the Nobel Committee, "...for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples", which is puzzling. I'm not the only one who expressed surprise. Our European allies are shocked as well. But, they do seem pleasantly surprised.

Even if the submission date was in August, what has President Obama accomplished to justify this award? Peace in the Middle East? Don't think so. Stopping nuclear ambitions of Iran? Not at all. Peace in Iraq, Afghanistan? A big NO to both. So, what the hell was it? What did he do, in 6 weeks, to "strengthen international diplomacy" and reduce the threat of nuclear weapons around the world? It is ridiculous. This not only cheapens the NPP, it calls into question as to if they have a political agenda. Based on the evidence, this award was purely political.

The Getaway!!!

Just when you think you have heard it all, something like the convenience store [article link] robbery in Jefferson County, AL takes place. The robber, who came into the store wearing a skeleton mask which, I am quite sure, tipped off the store clerk this wasn't going to be a good night. Wearing his black hood and black gloves, the erstwhile Halloween trick or treater demanded all the cash in the register.

But, here's the good part; the getaway car the robber used...well, it wasn't a getaway car. The robber used a "skateboard" to make his getaway from the store! Apparently, it worked. Police in Jefferson County are still looking for the suspect. Police are looking for a black hooded, black gloved robber driving or, rather, skating on a skateboard. This should be an easy case to solve. Right?

Viruses, Malware, Trojan Onslaught

Ever since the start of this year, I have noticed an increase in the amount of viruses, trojans and malware that has infected my computer. It seems to have increased at least 50%. Now, I keep my antivirus software (Avira) up to date, SpySweeper (which I have found to be basically useless now), Malwarebytes (likewise after initially showing promise) and Super AntiSpyware are all kept up to date. But, it seems almost a never ending battle. Virtumonde is the most prevalent virus I have noticed. You will be surfing along with your browser of choice (Firefox in my case) and suddenly you start getting a page that is sweeping your computer for spyware. The only thing, it is a fake. They will say your computer is infected with a certain virus or spyware and you need to pay for their antispyware program for only $59.95. If you do that, they have your name and credit card number. Then you face a nightmare. It took me three days to get rid of Vitumonde the first time. Now, all I do is go into safe mode and run a-squared antispyware. It always gets rid of it.

But, the worst virus/trojan I have experienced to date was the "Google Redirect" virus. It would redirect you each time you went to Google, to a different web site. The sites were usually something that are porn or an invitation to buy some worthless junk (they really want the credit card number). It took me a month to get rid of it. I was about to format my HD and reinstall Windows when I found the one program that would get rid of the Google Redirect. The name of it is, "ESET Antivirus Online Scan." It is a free scan and removal tool to get rid of the Google Redirect. It was the only thing I tried that actually worked. I tried with many security experts (online) who basically just gave up. I ran it one time and it took care of this particular virus.

But, back to my point...it appears that all the antispyware, antivirus programs are falling behind the hackers who develop all these computer infections that wreak havoc. It is something I have noticed for this entire year. If your computer is performing slowly, refusing to reboot, or your browser starts taking you to a different site than what you wanted, you might want to update all your antivirus and antispyware programs. The malware onslaught appears to be gaining strength throughout the internet.

Nature Wednesday

Some more beautiful pics for Nature Wednesday. My favorite is the sunset.

Death of a Barber

It was with sad news I learned that the man who had cut my hair for the past 22 years passed away last Saturday. Tom was so much like "Floyd the Barber" in the Andy Griffith Show until he had many customers call him "Floyd." I was not one of them because I could tell he didn't like that. But, it was hard not to think of Tom as Floyd of Andy Griffith fame. Tom was about the same size, dark hair and mustache and was absent minded at times as Floyd was on the show. Tom was a good barber. He preferred to be called barber and not hair stylist. Tom was definitely old school. His price varied little over the years. He always apologized whenever he had to increase the price. He told me once that it was something he didn't like to do, especially with old, loyal customers like myself. But, as I told Tom before, you have to survive and the economy dictates what you have to do.

Tom always arrived home about 1:15 to 1:20PM on Saturdays since he only worked half a day. When he had not arrived by 1:30PM, his wife called and did not get an answer. Tom was sitting in his barber chair (ironically enough) and slumped over to one side. He had suffered a massive heart attack and apparently fell back into his beloved barber chair. I'll miss him. Tom was a great guy, just as Floyd was on the Andy Griffith Show.

Hate To Say I Told You So....

But, I told you so in regard to the Anointed One going to Copenhagen to try and persuade the International Olympic Committee to award the city of Chicago the 2016 Summer Olympics. President Obama even enlisted big names such as Oprah and the First Lady to help in this endeavor. Meanwhile, gang murders were making headlines in Chicago. I'm not saying that had any impact on the IOC final decision since I'm sure Rio has its share of gang murders also. But, you have to admit, it didn't help Chicago's case.

The impetus for awarding Rio de Janeiro the 2016 Olympics was due to South America never having an Olympics held on that continent. I think that was most likely the deciding factor. Another factor, was the even split among the public who wanted and did not want the Olympics in their city. But, all this aside, there was a lot of egg on the face of the President of the United States. He put his personal stamp on securing this bid for his home town of Chicago. He must have had reason to believe his efforts would prove fruitful. Why else would he risk such embarrassment if he did not believe that Chicago would get the Olympic bid? As it stands now, he let his infamous ego get in the way of his better judgement. The President got just what he deserved; a valuable lesson in humility.

A Great-Niece Comes Into the World

Wednesday, September 30, 2009, my second Great-Niece came into the world weighing in at just over 8lbs. She was about a pound heavier than her 3-year old big sister was as a newborn. It's amazing to me that a new life, full of innocence and completely void of the effects of the world, can come forth so suddenly. Well, maybe not suddenly in the sense it was not expected. But, one moment there is a family of 3 and in the next, a family of 4. I guess that is what I mean by "suddenly." This photo is not her, BTW. It is from Google images.

Mother and daughter are doing quite well. Of course, my great-niece is the second most beautiful baby in the world. Her older sister would argue for #1. I guess it also demonstrates that one is getting old when you start talking about great-niece, great-nephew, etc. It's a joy to be around to see this new life and watch it develop over the years. The fears, joys and heartaches that this new baby will experience are distant right now. For now, just for now, it is a joy to see a life as innocent as my great-niece.

Mr. Obama Goes to Copenhagen

As opposed to "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, the man with problems such as near double digit unemployment at home, decides to go help his fellow Chicagoans win the 2016 Summer Olympics [article link]. I suppose President Obama still thinks of himself as a community organizer since this would help Chicago out so much. But, he has a bigger gig now. He doesn't seem to realize that despite being 9 months on the job.

The strange thing about this (well, besides the President going off on quite possibly a fruitless junket) is that the people of Chicago seem evenly divided [article link] over whether they want the 2016 Olympics in their city. Now, there is probably a good reason for this even split among the people. Half seem to think the Olympics would be good for the overall economy of Chicago and would provide many jobs (temporarily of course) that are desperately needed. The other half are concerned about the cost that the city would incur. Chicago Mayor Richard Daily supposely "... told the IOC he'd sign a contract promising the city would take full financial responsibility for the games after long maintaining he wouldn't."

There has to be a place in the Obama Administration for a man like Mayor Daily who makes financial promises when he has no idea how he can raise the money...without increasing taxes, of course. He will raise taxes, he has no choice. And there is the rub; even in Chicago, people are tired of their taxes constantly being increased. It comes down to just how cost effective the Olympics would be. Do the increase in taxes justify whatever economic boon the Olympics would bring? Quite possibly it would not. Just ask the good people of Atlanta about that.