Love and Let Love

Hello My Dear Friends! Today the Supreme Court of the United States cleaned up the mess that Bill Clinton made in 1996. They ruled, and rightfully so, that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional. As expected, by me anyway, the flood of hate came fast and furious. Now, I'm not a biblical scholar, but I can assure you that equal rights under the law is not one of the signs of the apocalypse. I can also tell you that there are a whole lot of people out there that need to put down their bible and pick up a dictionary! One woman, on the ABC News site when off on SATIN! "Satin has won in America", she wrote. "Those of you who are celebrating have turned your life over to Satin"! What on earth does fabric have to do anything? I'll admit, I've seen many a drag queen in satin but I doubt they've turned their lives over to it. You would be amazed, or maybe not, by how many people don't know how to use their, there or they're! People, if you're going to spew hate, could you please activate your grammar check! It's really hard to extract the ignorance of your opinion when I'm forced to wade through your ignorance in general. Let me add, as so many of you choose to take Leviticus out of context, you don't get to call PEOPLE abominations. The bible doesn't do it and neither should you. Yes, "sleeping with a man as with a woman" is listed as an abomination, as is divorce, wearing pearls, wearing cloths of different materials and cutting your hair. So save your (notice the difference between 'your' and you're) self righteous testifying. Before you prepare your next lecture on how those who love differently than you are destined for hell, grab your good book and read...
Proverbs 11:12-13 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; As for tongues, they will cease; As for knowledge, it will pass away.
Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged".
I think we're done here!
Po

Great Moments in Hypocrisy

Hello My Dear Friends. Hypocrisy seems to be the new normal these days. Recently though, in the past week alone, it seems to be reaching epic levels. Take Dumb and Dumber star Jim Carrey. He is refusing to promote, or support in any way, his new movie "Kick-Ass 2". He says the movie is just too violent and, since the Newtown Shootings, he has had a change of heart about depicting violence. Really? It's not just because your movie, like most of your movies in the past, is destine to bomb? Well, Mr. Carrey, if you're so opposed to this movie, why not give all the money you earned making it to charity? I didn't think so. Don't even get me started (again) on Paula Deen. She admitted using the "n-word" 30 years ago. I emphasize "admitted" because she could have denied it but chose not to. I'm not defending the use of the word. It's wrong. It's also a word that is used routinely today in movies and music. Jesse Jackson's group, The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition has jumped into the fray. They say they're going to investigate this incident to ensure proper punishment! That would be the same Jesse Jackson who referred to New York City as "Hymietown". What? I guess it's not what you say but who says what.  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he will put an end to corruption in Albany. I know, LOL, right! He then passes the new "casino legislation" after quietly removing the provision that would stop those seeking to build a casino in New York from making campaign contributions. So Governor, your plan to end corruption starts with a bill that encourages potential casino owners to give money to those making the decision. Genius! I have to admit, I would have never thought of that. What could possibly go wrong? IRS Chief Danny Werfel has completed his investigation into his own organization and determined that no one did anything wrong. I'm shocked! I guess they really did deserve the $70 million in bonuses he just handed out! Finally (for now) after endless months and millions of tax dollars used to warn you and me about how the "Government Sequester" was going to bring this country to it's knees, the President has decided that a $100 million dollar trip to Africa would be a good use of tax dollars. Seriously? Good thing they shut down the White House tours, otherwise we could never have afford that!
Po

My Civics Lesson for the Week

Hello My Dear Friends! Once again, it falls upon me to straighten out the mess your elected officials are making of this country! Today, apparently, the most pressing issue in Government is passing "Comprehensive Immigration Legislation". For some unknown reason, it must be done by July 4th! OK. Some the Repubs say they won't approve anything that doesn't "guarantee securing the border"". The Dems say any legislation must include a "clear path to citizenship". Well, let's start with the Repubs. Building a fence on the Mexican border is not "securing" the border. The US-Mexican border is 1,954 miles long. That's one heck of a fence! Also, and call me crazy, Mexico is not the biggest threat to this Nation. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't recall any Mexicans flying airplanes into buildings and, to my knowledge, there aren't a whole lot of Mexican suicide bombers. So, if security is your number one concern, you might want to look a little closer at securing the Visa Process! Now for the Dems. I have a shocking revelation for you. There's been a "clear path to citizenship" in this Country since 1868. It's called the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. I realize that we aren't really following the Constitution anymore but, hey, it's there if you want it. Also, if you're interested, your comrades passed a little thing they called the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952. That's a pretty clear path to citizenship if you ask me. So, in my humble opinion, your time may be better spent enforcing the millions of laws we already have on the books instead of wasting your time and our money making new laws (and headlines) that you're not going to enforce anyway! Also, while your coming up with "new" ways to ensure that all workers are here legally, you might also want to come up with a way to ensure that all Government workers aren't spies! How many other Edward Snowden's have you given top security clearance to? Perhaps, while your secretly "monitoring" the world, you should try "monitoring" yourselves!
Thank you for your time.
Po

Oh, Paula! The "N-word" isn't Nutella.

Hello my Dear Friends! I see that Paula Deen has gotten herself into hot butter (or budda, as she would say) again! Apparently, when she was asked during a deposition if she ever used the "N-word" she said "Yes, of course". Frankly, coming from a woman who grew up in the 1950's South, I'm shocked! This story is so odd to me. First of all, and I think this is the oddest part, the woman who filed the lawsuit that led to all of this, is white. Next, the bulk of her claim revolves around sexual harassment. It seems Paula's big brother, Bubba, who runs her restaurants, is a bit of a dog. The "hostile work environment" part of the claim, which led to all of this, came as an after thought to include Paula's "deep pockets" in the lawsuit. So, if Paula would have just kept her mouth shut, this would have simply gone away. But no. She just kept digging and digging until she got herself in so deep there was no way out. The media reports, big surprise, took everything out of context making her statements appear more inflammatory than they were. Was she wrong? Absolutely. Do I think Paula Deen is a racist? No, I do not. Do I think this will end her career? Yes, I do. Her video "mea culpa" was, well, ridiculous. The Food Network immediately put out a statement saying they would not renew her contract, which expires next month. Seriously? If the Food Network had ever intended to renew her contract, don't you think they would have already done it? Her show was on the chopping block before any of this ever happened. The Food Network just took advantage of a bad situation and turned it into magnanimous theater. Now they don't have to explain why the Belle of Southern Cooking got the ax. So, if you're looking for a new casserole (cass-a-ROE, as Paula would say), you'll have to look elsewhere. We can now add Paula Deen to the infamous list of celebrities who speak before they think. Off to sensitivity school you go! In the meantime, two other interesting things caught my attention this week. first, and this is somewhat related, The George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin trial begins on Monday. Jury selection was completed this week and the big story was that "people are up in arms that there are no African Americans on the jury".  Apparently that question is not racist. Last time I checked, and believe me it does change daily,  the Constitution of this great nation states that the accused is entitled to be judged by a jury of their peers, not a jury of selected race. Finally, while we were so distracted by important issues like Paula Deen and Kim & Kanye's baby name (don't even get me started on that one) a little, less important issue slipped by. In the midst of the IRS scandal, new IRS chief, Daniel Werfel made his presence known by handing out $70 MILLION DOLLARS in BONUSES to the staff!! I guess the media missed that one. You just can't make this stuff up! Enjoy the weekend!
Po

Hello My dear Friends. Sometimes it is just exhausting being me! I'm sure you've heard the story about the man, from Clyde, NY, who found four little animals vandalizing his Father-in-law's home and locked them in the closet until police arrived. The victim, 53-year old Jesse Daniels, is being charged with 4 counts of "endangering the welfare of a child". The vandals, aged 8-10, will be sent to family court where they will learn that there are really no repercussions for bad behavior. They caused an estimated $40,000 in damages.
The "Father" of two of the little miscreants, Paul Bowler, says the boys were traumatized by Daniels and he believes Daniels should face additional charges. LOL! I'm also quite certain that the Father of the Year will also be suing at some point. One really has to wonder what you would have to do to traumatize a crazed 10 year old with a sledgehammer! I mean, breaking into a home and smashing walls and windows is fun, but being locked in a closet for 5 minutes with your buddies is traumatic? You would think little thugs would be tougher than that. Also, while Mr. Bowler whined to the media about the mistreatment of his two little reprobates, he did admit that they "had done wrong" but he never offered to pay for the damage. I guess we should take solace in the fact that he acknowledged that trashing someone's home is bad. We all know that nothing of substance is going to happen to these thugs in training. And, since it's clear their dad is more concerned about their treatment after the fact than their behavior, it's safe to assume that we haven't heard the last of this tweener gang. May I suggest a fitting punishment? Those four hooligans and their families should be forced to repair all of those damages, at their expense, and they should be sentenced to summer school, every summer, until they graduate from high school. As for the victim, Mr. Daniels, he should get a public apology and be left alone. I guessing that this is not how it's going to play out but we can hope.
Po

If A Cellphone Rings in the Woods...

Hello My Dear Friends! The calendar says it's time to pull out my summer furniture but the weather seems to be saying 'not so fast'. Well, you know what they say, June showers bring fall weddings, or something like that. Anyway, I've spent the better part of the morning watching the rain and contemplating life and this world you people are so epically screwing up!  For instance, if a cellphone rings in the woods and the NSA isn't listening, is the Government still lying? I'll save you the trouble. Yes, they are.  Have you heard about the newest food craze sweeping America? It's Lion meat. That's right. The King of the Jungle has become human fare. It's perfectly legal. Am I the only one who also finds it perfectly disgusting? Cats are for worshiping, not for snacking! If you're twisted enough to want to give it a try, you can order it from Czimer's Game and Sea Food, Inc. in Homer Glen, Illinois. Gold Bond has just come out with a spray powder. Why? doesn't it take just as much energy to spray with a can as it does to dab with a puff? Why would someone pay $3.99 for 6 ounces of seasoned butter when you can buy a pound of butter, a pound of salt and 8 ounces of oregano for the same price? Are you really to lazy to sprinkle? Whose idea was it to make a hot sauce that's so hot you can't eat it? Why does the U.S. Mint continue to produce nickels when they cost 7.7 cents to make? Have you ever seen a worn out nickel? How many freaking nickels do we really need? Finally, since the catnip is wearing off, why do teams keep signing Tim Tebow? He has a career QB Rating of 75.3. Even Ryan Fitzpatrick, arguable the worst QB ever, has a career rating of 83.3. Last year in the NFL, Tim Tebow threw exactly as many TD passes as I did; zero. Why not just sign me? I'm off to more important tasks. Does anyone want to help me build an ark?
Po

Watch What You Say to That Cop

Hello My Dear Friends. Boy oh Boy, it seems like you can't turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper (where available) without seeing another story about the government intruding on our lives! It's really getting crazy and, one can't help but wonder, what are they not telling us about? Here's one amazing tidbit that doesn't seem to be getting the attention I believe it deserves. There's a law making it's way through the New York State Legislature that would make it a Felony to "Harass, Annoy, Threaten or Alarm" an on-duty police officer. Um, to do what, now? Yes. This law, if passed, would make it a felony to "annoy" an on-duty police officer, punishable by up to 4 years in prison! It's already passed the State Senate and is being debated in the State Assembly. Now, call me crazy but "annoy" is a pretty gray. I mean, there are many degrees of annoyance. What if you run into Officer Grumpy? It wouldn't take much to "annoy" him, would it? I have several concerns about the wording, and subsequent interpretation, of this law. I'm not a lawyer, but two legal terms come to mind that would make this new law very difficult to enforce. First is "mens rea". This refers to a person's state of mind at the time of the alleged crime. Did they intend to annoy Officer Grumpy? If there is no intent, there is no crime. The 2nd issue is "concurrence". To prove concurrence you must prove that the person had the intention to break the law and cause harm. No concurrence, no conviction. Therefore, it seems to me, this proposed law is, well, goofy. Considering that more than half of our State Legislature is made up of lawyers, it tells me that they're as incompetent as lawyers as they are as politicians. Big surprise! Also, if you're going to create such a law, why have it only apply to on-duty police officers? Why is it not a felony to annoy me? It should be! At least a misdemeanor. If annoying me was a crime, they'd have to handle all government business from the state pen! So, just to be clear, if this law passes, in New York State, politicians can steal from the taxpayers, lie under oath, bribe each other and sell their votes. But, if little Johnny ticks off Officer Grumpy he's going to prison. Yup! You just can't make this stuff up. Clearly these people drank deeply from the well of stupidity.
Po

Good Times Indeed

Hello My Dear Friends. It was brought to my attention recently that my blog, or as I like to call it, America's last life line to reality, has been rather negative lately. That makes me sad. Not that my blog has been negative mind you, that's not my fault. It makes me sad that someone actually thought I was approachable enough to criticize me! LOL! Not really. I guess it all depends on what you perceive as negative. For instance, during a conversation today someone said "did you hear about the storm chasers that were killed in that tornado? That's so ironic". I replied "No it isn't. A storm chaser killed in a storm is actually the opposite of ironic. A 200 pound dog named Tiny is ironic".  Now, some may see that as negative. They would, of course, be wrong. That's not negative. It's informative. A negative comment would have been "Don't use words that you don't know the meaning of". You see, it's all about perception. What some people see as negative, I see as informative. So, in the spirit of compromise, I've decided to share a positive thought today! Indiana Pacers' center Roy Hibbert was fined $75,000 yesterday for using a gay slur and hurling an F-bomb during a nationally televised press conference. Hibbert, when asked about the defensive plan they were using to guard LeBron James, said, and I quote, "no homo". That's a phrase that implies the fear of appearing gay. Hibbert, of course, apologized profusely. He said he didn't mean anything by it and that it certainly didn't reflect his personal views. He then Tweeted Jason Collins (the first professional athlete to come out as gay) and said "how about a follow, I'd like to discuss something's with you". LOL. He also referred to reporters as "mother f-ers" during the same press conference. I guess when it rains, it pours! So here's my positive spin. Mr. Hibbert, I wouldn't worry about people thinking you're homophobic. I'd be more concerned with being viewed as an idiot. You see, homophobia came be overcome but stupid lasts a lifetime. Also, reaching out to Jason Collins, although really funny because, I'm guessing, he's the only gay person you think you know, adds more to the stupid theory than the contrite. Finally, let me just say, I've been a basketball fan my whole life and I have never once heard anyone say "look how close he's guarding him, dude must be gay". So Mr. Hibbert, just wipe that fear right out of your mind and play your game. I've always found it unfortunate that closed minds don't come with closed mouths. Don't you?
Po