Friday Follies...
And what a Friday it is, if you've been awake and paying attention.
So maybe we should open up the recently de-classified files kept in my basement bunker, and have a look-see as to what exactly has been going on...fair enough?
** From the: "If You Build It...They Will Film It" Department.
Now, I've always thought that WE cannot be the MOST advanced civilization in the universe, given the sheer number of possible planets, and this story about the flying silver "muffin/mushroom" bears that out.
Most of us were somehow caught up in this developing story yesterday afternoon, about a 6 year-old Colorado boy that was "believed" to have been in a runaway balloon. It captured our attention for over 2 hours, until the balloon came to earth and no one was inside it.
The boy was found AT HOME, hiding in a box in the attic.
Here's the link to the entire story:
http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-balloon-boy-found-101509,0,6905331.story
It makes you wonder when someone can have this type of craft in their BACK YARD, just WAITING for something like this to happen.
I'm curious as to WHY this youngster wasn't IN SCHOOL?
And I'm also wondering IF the authorities will demand some "compensation" for the (close to) $14,000 spent on this misadventure.
Maybe Stormchaser Dad (obviously, a "good" parent,who names his kids FALCON...yeah, right) can do a THIRD "Wife Swap" show to pay the bill???
Tell you one thing...if it was MY dad and I was THAT boy...I'd be eating a LOT of meals STANDING UP for quite a while.
(Ahh...for the "good old days" of something we used to call DISCIPLINE)
** From the: "If At First You Know It Won't Work, Back Up And Punt" Department.
Indiana's Governor (Mitch Daniels) has decided to CANCEL the IBM outsourcing of the state's welfare system, citing a "flawed concept that did not work out in practice".
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091016/LOCAL/310169996
I'll be the first one to concede that the ENTIRE welfare system IS flawed (and needs a major overhaul), but it's not because it actually DOES HELP those who are truly in need...
It is flawed because SO MANY FRAUDS are perpetrated against the taxpayers by those who can "play da system" and get something for nothing...simple as that. And I don't believe any amount of "tweaking" will change this practice.
We've gone around this time and again, yet we STILL dump billions of taxpayer dollars into a system that DOES...NOT...WORK as it was initially designed.
The FSSA still has loads of people feigning poverty, when in fact it's "free money" to whoever can give the best "sob-story". Forget the fact that these people have no desire to better themselves or even look for a real job. The cracks in the system aren't just wide enough to allow some people to fall through...they're WIDE ENOUGH to drive a 747 through!
I know of a few that the welfare system HAS helped, and they are the success stories, but still, they are too far and few between. If this was supposed to be JUST a "stop-gap" measure until poor folks got back on their financial feet, then so be it. Keep it that way.
Either make the current system work for the right reasons for those in need, or entirely rebuild the system from the ground up.
** From the: "When You NEED A Drink...You NEED To THINK" Department.
This story amazes me, and yet fully supports my contention that a LOT of the issues our society faces are born within the very households of this nation.
Here's the link to this story:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091016/LOCAL07/310169895/0/LOCAL
Since when is it OK to leave a 3 year old in a car (asleep) while YOU go and get sh*t-faced at a local bar?
Answer: It's NOT.
This happened back on December LAST year, and finally, this "father" gets charged...WTF took SO damn long?
The child was found by a passerby and taken to a nearby store to get warm...it was 19 degrees out at the time with a wind chill temperature of SIX DEGREES (of stupidity as displayed by "dad").
I am just so amazed that justice can move SO DAMN SLOWLY.
What if this child died from exposure?
Would "dad" be charged with infanticide or man-slaughter?
Methinks this "father" needs to RETHINK his priorities in life...and QUICKLY.
** From the: "Holy Hotlines, Batman...It's The Kremlin" Department.
If any of you watch the GLENN BECK show on FOX, you will know that the cable channel has been the target of a smear campaign from the White House, and the person apparently leading this is (aide/spokesperson?) Anita Dunn, who has said that Chairman Mao is one of her two FAVORITE philosophers (Mother Theresa was the other...?)...yeah, THAT Mao...the one that killed over 70,000 of his OWN people Mao.
So, in order to ensure that no MIS-information was being produced by FOX, Beck goes and installs a RED PHONE on his set, and sent a registered letter to the White House with the number, so ONLY THEY could call and inform Beck *if* any of what was being said on the program was, in fact, in error.
And so far...no calls came in, so everything that Glenn has been speaking about has to be true, considering the fact that the people he chides and takes to task have been hung out to dry, or otherwise "convicted" BY THEIR OWN WORDS.
Amazing how that works, isn't it?
And, as I am so fond of saying:
"The silence (from the White House) is DEAFENING".
(and speaks VOLUMES)
Now you can say what you want about Beck, but I've followed him since the old days on that "other" network, and I have to admit that he DOES HIS HOMEWORK. He presents the FACTS, and although he also presents his OPINION, you just can't argue with TRUTH when it's shown to you, up close and personal (unless your head is SO far up your ass, you couldn't find either one with both hands).
I like the guy...he's not a journalist, and will tell you so, straight away.
Hell, I'm no journalist either, but I will bring you the facts (as well) right here, and I will add my opinion where required.
To me, Beck is the "Everyman"...the average shmoe just trying to do what is right.
Sure, he's made mistakes (as do we all), but he's not afraid to 'fess up to 'em, put it behind him, and get on with this little thing we like to call LIFE.
You have to admire the integrity this guy displays, and the guts to say what he means.
** Lastly, to those of you with a few years behind you...take a look around you this weekend.
See if this is close to the world you envisioned or even remember as a youngster...if it even has the trappings of what your parents said might be something you were to look forward to.
And if it isn't, think about what you are doing to NOT change it...or what you CAN do TO change it for the better.
It doesn't have to be something as "bold" as organizing a tax-protesting "tea party", or writing to every senator and/or congressperson to tell them this health care bill sucks...
It can be AS SIMPLE as hugging your child..telling them you love them. It can be as simple as holding a door for an elderly person, or helping someone with their groceries. It can be as simple as engaging someone in line or at a bus stop in conversation.
It's these things (and more) that is what a lot more of us USED to do...every day...without thought.
We could gauge the pulse of the nation by the people we met daily, and may never meet again.
We should re-learn to re-connect with like-minded Americans, and talk to those who still hold fast to a system of values...and universal principles. We also need to properly teach the minds of the young and instill in them a REAL sense of value, based on morality, accountability and personal responsibility...
We CAN do it...and we SHOULD do it.
Do have a great weekend, and...
Stay safe out there, America.