Oh Those Crazy Libs!

Hello People. Happy Friday! I like to end my week, and start my weekend, with a chuckle. Believe me, nothing makes me chuckle more than those looney lefties and their tenuous grasp on reality! Let's start with my favorite, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I know that she gets far more attention than she deserves but you really can't deny the crazy.  In a recent interview AOC was explaining 'privilege' and what we all need to understand. Here's the quote:
"It’s because, if you haven’t had a transition in your life where, you know, you were maybe born poor or born without certain privileges and then especially as you transition into having certain privileges in your life, you actually see and feel and sense and taste and smell all of the differences. If you’ve never experienced different treatment in your life, you wouldn’t know what different treatment feels like or looks like. And it’s really, really hard. I mean, it’s like — and we can all, almost every single person in this country can acknowledge some privilege of some of some type, you know. I’m a cisgendered woman. I will never know the trauma of feeling like I’m not born in the right body. And that is a privilege that I have, no matter how poor my family was when I was born. But it’s really hard for some people to admit that they — you know, it’s part of this weird American Dream mythology that we have, that for a lot of — in a lot of circumstances isn’t as true or isn’t as clearly communicated as we’d like for it, or we wish it was.”
Now, I know on the surface it appears that she just takes a pile of words and throws them out there, in no particular order, hoping they somehow form sentences. They usually don't. However, this time, she makes some interesting points. They're probably not the points she was going for but...Whatever. Let's take it from the top. If "almost every single person in this Country can acknowledge some privilege of some type" then no one is actually privileged, right? I mean, it's like saying that everyone has some type of popsicle. Yours may be blue, mine may be orange, but it's still a popsicle, right? As long as we all have a popsicle what's the problem? Now, Ms. AOC says her privilege was being born a cicgendered woman. For those of you over 40, that means she's heterosexual. She says that, because of the privilege of being born heterosexual she will never know the trauma of feeling like she's not born in the right body. I can relate to that. You see, I am an intelligent woman and I will never know the trauma of being born an idiot. As far as the "weird American Dream mythology", well, she is a self-described socialist so dream the impossible dream...
Here's a couple of other head scratchers from Ms. AOC:
 “Unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs. Unemployment is low because people are working 60, 70, 80 hours a week and can barely feed their family.”  Um, No. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics only about 5% of Americans have 2 jobs. That's hardly "everyone" and, of that 5%, only about 6% have 2 full-time jobs (That's 0.3% of Americans for those of you keeping score at home). That would make the 60, 70 80 hour work week questionable at best.
“ICE is the only criminal investigative agency, the only enforcement agency in the United States, that has a bed quota. So ICE is required to fill 34,000 beds with detainees every single night and that number has only been increasing since 2009.”  Wrong again. A 2016 appropriations bill said that ICE must maintain a level of 34,000 beds, not fill them. Beds, NOT people. That language was inserted to ensure that the money wouldn't be used elsewhere. That language was subsequently removed from future appropriations bills.
And my personal favorite...

Ocasio-Cortez called the fight to mitigate the effects of climate change her generation's "World War II." and said  "Millennials, and Gen Z, and all these folks that come after us, are looking up and we're like, 'The world will end in 12 years if we don't address climate change, and your biggest issue is how are we gonna pay for it?" I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt here and assume she knows that World War II actually happened already and pretty much covers all generations. As far as the 12 deadline, well, I say take that vacation you've always dreamed about. By the time your creditors catch up with you we'll all have gone the way of the dinosaurs....

Enjoy the Weekend!

Bella

And So It Begins...AGAIN

Hello People.  Today I begin the next generation of The Real House Cats of New York. Let me begin by saying that I get President Trump and I like what he's doing. If that offends you then go away. I am NOT a racist or a bigot. I am NOT homophobic, xenophobic or any other phobic. I am NOT a hater, uneducated or deplorable. I AM unabashedly Conservative. I believe that intelligent adults can disagree, vehemently, and still respect each other. If you don't believe that, go away. Finally, if you have ever uttered the words, "A MAGA hat is the new white hood", seriously, GO AWAY now! Why? Because you probably don't have the requisite knowledge to follow along anyway. I'm pretty comfortable drawing that conclusion since, in case you forgot, the 'Guys in the White Hoods' were Southern Democrats. I am not a guy, southern or a Democrat. Follow me? People who make these ridiculous comparisons and wildly inaccurate statements, like saying that this Country has 'never been more divided', do so because they simply don't know any better. Never been more divided? Seriously? Have you heard of the Civil War? Look it up. Times were a little tougher then than they are today. Another crazy statement that has been reported on and repeated without scrutiny is based on a "study" by the World Economic Forum. It says that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean! Are you kidding me. First of all, since 95% of the ocean has yet to be explored, I can not even image where this study came from or what it could possibly be based on. Perhaps the data comes from a 9-year old's class project like the Great Plastic Straw Debacle of 2011. That made-up story led to the banning of all plastic straws in several cities. If you use a single-use plastic straw you may as well just jam it into a dolphin's eye. That's where it's going to end up anyway. Apparently we don't actually recycle plastic. We just gather it up and toss it into the ocean. Who knew? The truth of the matter is that 60% of trash in the ocean comes from just 5 Asian Countries; China, Indonesia, The Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. The truth is that America contributes less than one percent of the trash in the ocean. That means that if the Untied States were to eliminate plastic all together, not use one piece of plastic EVER AGAIN, it would reduce plastics in the ocean by LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.  So banning plastic straws may make you feel better but it won't change one damn thing in the world.  Finally, let me wrap up with this so-called Super Bowl Halftime Controversy. Maroon 5 is the main act. They are being criticized for not turning down the gig to "show support for Colin Kaepernick". It never occurred to them that, perhaps, Maroon 5 doesn't care about who the NFL does or does not hire. Perhaps they just want to perform for some 200 million people! In response, the NFL cancelled the pre-show interview with the band. Celebs, like Jay Z and Kelly Rowland, said they would not perform. That's super interesting since neither Jay Z or Kelly Rowland was asked to perform. But good to know. Gladys Knight was also slammed for agreeing to sing the National Anthem at the game. Ms. Knight, in her usual classy way, said "I understand that Mr. Kaepernick is protesting two things, and they are police violence and injustice. It is unfortunate that our national anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses of the national anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone. I am here today and on Sunday, Feb. 3, to give the anthem back its voice, to stand for that historic choice of words, the way it unites us when we hear it and to free it from the same prejudices and struggles I have fought long and hard for all my life..." 
The over/under on Ms. Knight's National Anthem is 1:20. You can bet on that you know. I, personally, would take the under. Fun fact: The longest rendition of the National Anthem was Alicia Keys at Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. That went 1:55. The shortest was Billy Joel at Super Bowl XLI in 2007. That went just :90. I'm thinking Gladys Knight goes 1:01. Bet on it!

Until Next Time
Hella Bella

Know Before You Blow

Hello People.  Sometimes we look outside and can't believe what is going on in our world today. Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe in an American's right to protest. I do. However, I also believe that you should actually know what it is that you are protesting. For instance, many people spent the weekend protesting ICE. That's the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Many carried signs reading "Abolish ICE" and "Stop Separating Families At The Border". One read "Jesus Was An Immigrant". LOL! Well, angry people, you should probably know that ICE has nothing to do with separating families at the border. That would be the US Border Patrol. ICE is an internal enforcement agency. On June 25th ICE and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) New York broke up a US based Darknet operation, arresting 36 people who were selling illicit drugs and weapons over the internet. They also confiscated over $23 million bucks. You probably didn't hear much about that on the news because, well, it's a positive story, and we can't have that. Abolishing ICE would not change a single thing going on at the border. So, if you don't know that, you look pretty silly stomping around with your little signs. As far as Jesus being an immigrant, well, you're just goofy but, to be clear immigrants are not at issue ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS are the issue. And don't flash your "No Human Being Is Illegal" signs at me. If you look at the Canada Border Services Agency you will find that "Anyone found to be living in Canada illegally, will be issued a removal order and then deported". Sound familiar? Are you familiar with Frontex? That is the European Union's Illegal Immigration agency that operates what they call the 3D approach. That would be "Detect, Detain and Deport" those entering Europe illegally. Again, sound familiar? So, before you start vilifying US immigration policy, you should probably understand where the rest of the world stands. Next, and we've had this discussion many times in the past, before you start throwing around the labels of "Hitler, Nazi or Fascist" think about what you are saying. Anyone who compares President Trump to Hitler or refers to his administration as Nazis is not just profoundly offensive but just plain ignorant.  I get the whole TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) but to compare the President of the United States to a regime responsible for the genocide of at least 5.5 million Jews and another 19 million civilians and other prisoners of war is beyond the pale. When I hear you say this, my immediate reaction is that you are uneducated at best, or simply an asshole in desperate need of attention. If that is your goal, then you are successful. Now, for those of you cheering on the behavior of restaurant owner Stephanie Wilkenson, who asked Sarah Huckabee Sanders to leave her establishment because her "business has certain standards to uphold", should think long and hard about that support. TDS not withstanding, the next time you hear about that same scenario happening to a Muslim family or a gay couple, you'll have to agree that a business owner has that right. Right? Finally, last night in Portland, a group called the Patriots Prayer was holding a permitted rally to support their right-wing candidate who is running for the US Senate. They were met by Antifa, the so-called anti-Fascist movement. These "anti-fascists, who, of course had their faces covered, began pelting the rally goers with fireworks, bottles and pepper spray. Needless to say, a riot broke out. Now, once again, let's examine this. A group of people get a permit to hold a rally. You don't like what they stand for so you attack them to silence their message. The definition of "Fascist" is one who supports the "suppression of opposition". So, who are the actual fascists in this scenario? That's right Antifa, once again, it is you. So, in conclusion, you have every right to protest. I just ask that, in doing so, you actually know what your talking about. Thank you for your time.
Sway

Can We Talk

Well Hello Again People! Once again, you have dragged me out of retirement. Why do you always lose your way without me to guide you? It's exhausting really. Now, I fully understand that you need something to be outraged about. It is, sadly, the way of the world today. I'm all for focused outrage but, seriously, sometimes your outrage is, well, goofy. Allow me to paint you a picture:
You have fallen on hard times. You and your 6 year old are out on the street. You're cold and hungry, you have no money. In a moment of desperation you break into a grocery store. The police come and you are arrested. You are taken to jail and your child is taken by Child Protective Services. If you have a family member who is able to care for your child, your child is released to them until your case is resolved. I suspect, by now, you know where I'm going with this. What is happening on our southern border is NOT inhumane. It is NOT Un-American. It is, in fact, the American Justice System. Entering this Country illegally is against the law. Every day, in every town, city and village in America, Americans who break the law are separated from their children and incarcerated until their cases are resolved. Should those who chose to enter this Country illegally have more rights than you? If you're outraged at what is happening on our southern border, if you think it is inhumane, then you must be outraged at our entire justice system. Shall we just fling open our jails and release everyone who has children? Those who enter America at a legal point of entry, by air, land or sea, and request asylum are NOT arrested. Their families are NOT separated. It's only those who choose to sneak across the border, the ones willfully breaking the law, that are subject to arrest, just like any American citizen.  So, in my humble opinion, your outrage here is misplaced. If you don't like our immigration laws, then turn your ire toward your Congressmen and Senators. They are the ones who can change things. Thank you for your time.
Sway

You People Make Me So Mad!

Hello, again, People! I'm back. It's been over 5 months since the last time you ripped me out of retirement. Let's face it, with the vitriolic response to any dissenting opinions today, it's hard to muster the enthusiasm to even try. Beside, the hate mail was clogging up my inbox! But, you know, a Cat's got to do what a Cat's got to do. So, here goes....
You "Vote No to Con-Con" people are giving me a rash!  All of this nonsense plastered all over social media is dumbfounding. How can so many people know so little? There are, in my humble opinion, only two possible answers. Either you actually believe that We The People are incapable of intelligently participating in our own government or you really don't know what's going on and just share Farcebook memes to pretend that you do. Either way, you're wrong. So, please allow me to address the most frequently shared, yet utterly ridiculous statements being made by the "Vote No" crowd.
The Constitutional Convention proposition was cleverly placed on the back of the ballot so you wouldn't see it. Beware, they say, a blank ballot will be counted as a yes! LOL!
All propositions were put on the back of the ballot in 2010, when New York State starting using scannable paper ballots. It should really go without saying that a blank ballot is not counted either way.
Teachers, Fire Fighters, Police and all public employees could lose your pensions! Collective bargaining rights could be taken away! Seriously?
Let's start with the obvious. Collective Bargaining on the part of public service employees is not even covered under the State Constitution. It's protected by the Taylor Law, which, by the way, was enacted by the legislature and can be undone the same way. No Con-Con needed. As far as losing pensions go, highly unlikely. The NY Constitution makes public employee pensions contractual and protects them from "impairment". Any attempt to reduce benefits for retirees or take accrued benefits from current employees would violate the Contract Clause of the US Constitution. Either way, you're covered people. Your pensions are safe. Now, could a change to the State Constitution affect pensions for future employees (those who have not yet been hired)? Yes. But that's already happening. In 2012 the legislature put the new Tier (Tier VI) in place, restricting pensions for anyone hired after April 2016. Again, no Con-Con necessary.
The Con-Con will affect health care benefit protections for many people. Nope.
Health Care Benefits are not protected under the State Constitution so there are no protections to lose.
Delegates to a Con-Con will be the same politicians we have now. "Regular" people are not delegates. Well THAT'S ON YOU!
If there is a Con-Con the election of delegates will be free and open. ANYONE can run to be a delegate. If you want "Regular" people to represent you at a Con-Con then get off your butt and vote for them!
This is my favorite! Anything that could be done by a Con-Con can be done through regular legislation in Albany. LOL!!
For this to be true, you would have to believe that our current elected officials would vote to cut their own throats. Term Limits, Strengthened corruption laws, Real campaign finance reform. These are things that elected officials fear the most. These are the things a Con-Con could produce!
Here's what you really need to understand. Anything produced at a Constitutional Convention, any changes to the Constitution, would have to be put before the voters. YOU have the final say. Nothing changes unless the majority of voters in New York State say they should change. So, unless you actually believe that voters will collective say, 'Hey, you know what, I think clean water is overrated', the other scare tactic of telling you that environmental protections will be eliminated is just that; a scare tactic. You really have to ask yourself why, if a Con-Con is so bad, do the Vote No people have to lie? Could it be that the Vote No movement is actually the evil power brokers and special interest groups trying to maintain their stranglehold on New York Politics? Maaaybee.
 So, in closing, vote yes or vote no. That's up to you. But, please take the time to find out what you're actually voting for or against before you vote. Our future depends on it.
Thank you for your time
Nava Blue

My Two Cents About Success

Hello People. All this blogging is really wearing me out! Anyway, today I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm actually admitting that I read other people's blogs and, for the first time, am actually responding to one. If you're not interested, and why would you be, stop reading now and be gone with you! Okay. Now that we're alone...

Today I read an interesting piece on success and what it means to you. First, in the spirit of transparency, it was written by our boy, who is actually a full grown man. I would like to say that it was well written but….apparently grammar, syntax and punctuation are generational things. Anyway, it was well thought out and, syntax aside, thought provoking. In the piece he writes about a generation, his generation, where “everyone was convinced they would grow up to be super rich rock stars”. It made me think about one of the biggest differences between my generation and the young adults of today. Reality. I don’t mean that in a nasty way. Think about it. Think about how reality, or the perception of reality, has changed since you were young. We all wanted to be rock stars too but, for us, it was a wild dream that 99% of us knew would never happen. We didn’t have YouTube, turning plain Janes into overnight sensations, or the Kardashian’s proving that talent is necessary for celebrity. We didn’t actually believe that we would be rich and famous if we just wanted it enough. We dreamed about it, fantasized, and then settled in to our futures. Not so for this generation. They’ve had the fantasy showered upon them since birth. Justin Bieber, Dot Com Billionaires, Video Game Celebrities all make that dream seem just outside your grasp. But, the reality is that 99% of us will never live that dream. Therein lies the problem. Too many young people today confuse dreams and goals. Dreams are big and elusive; something motivating to reach for. Some dreams do come true. Many do not. That is certainly no reason to stop dreaming. Just because you’ll never make the NBA doesn’t mean you should stop shooting hoops with your friends. Goals are different. Goals are concrete and achievable. Every time you set a goal and reach it, you have succeeded. Be proud of that success. Success is a series of goals achieved. Goal #1 should be to strive to be the best at everything you do. Even if you’re not happy with the job you have today, be the best damn ‘here’s what I’m doing today’ guy there is. At the end of the day, a job well done is something to be proud of.  Pride breeds confidence and confidence breeds success. If you constantly compare your life, your reality, to your dreams you will probably never feel successful. Life rarely measures up to our dreams. We can’t make all of our dreams come true. But success; we can control that! So, set your goals and use each one that you achieve as a stepping stone to the next. Before you know it, maybe that dream won’t seem so far out of reach. Okay. I’m done. Hopping off my soapbox and heading home. It’s not my dream home, mind you, but it’s a damn fine home none the less!

Sway

P.S. If you’d like to read the boy’s article, and I highly recommend that you do, it’s right here:

https://michaelfight.wixsite.com/theclub/single-post/2017/05/03/Measuring-success

It's Finally Happened!

Hello People. I never thought I would see the day, but here it is, in all it's glory! The New York Times, via an opinion piece, has deemed SALAD....wait for it.....RACIST! That's right. Times columnist Bonnie Tsui has taken up the long awaited battle against racist Asian Salad. Why? Because it's made by "Westerners", not Asians, thus, it's cultural appropriation, vis-a-vis Racist! Tsui rants, or in this case writes, that "racist Westerners often use offensive stereotypes to name such Americanized cuisine while fetishizing Asian culture". Huh? Tsui goes on to say that "The casual racism of the Asian salad stems from the idea of the exotic" and is "rooted in the wide-ranging 'all look the same' stereotype of Asian culture". Wow. Really? You got all of that out of an Applebees salad? Wait until she finds out that French Fries aren't really French or that Buffalo Wings come from chickens! I shouldn't be surprised. In the last year or so the "OK" sign, chopsticks, The Constitution, the words 'thug', 'urban', 'inner city', and, my personal favorite, 'American' have all been deemed racist. Earlier this week, on the campus of Colgate College, a call came in to the security office from a student who said that a black man carrying what appeared to be a gun had entered a building on campus. The head of security sprang into action. He sent out an alert for students to shelter in place, contacted the police and implemented to 'active shooter' protocol in place. It turns out the man was a student and the weapon was a glue gun. When the facts came out, it was obvious that the security chief reacted to the report of a black man, not the whole gun thing, when he acted. So, he was, of course, suspended. Had the report been of a white man with what looked like a gun, I'm sure he would have just continued doing his crossword puzzle and called it a day. Thank goodness Colgate weeded out that bad seed! Oh, wait, before I forget, Friday is May 5th. Be careful what you call it. If you're even thinking about a celebration, think again. Don't be a racist! It's not your day, or your culture, to celebrate. Just say no to Cinco de Mayo!, Which, by the way, isn't even a national holiday in Mexico. Also, in case you missed it, Hawaiian Luaus are also a no-no. So, just to be safe people, stick with BBQ, Wings and Kraft cheese slices. And, if you want a day to celebrate that shouldn't offend anyone, try Tuesday the 22nd. The next one is in August. It's always been a favorite of mine.
Sway