1/30/10

As luck would have it

In order to become the largest car producer in the world, Toyota wound up on the horns of a dilemma - quality or quantity. When all was said and done they chose quantity. A company renowned for a quality product now finds itself falling short on quality. What goes around comes around, so when quality suffers you must pay the piper. The recall of a few million vehicles will cost them a pretty penny. Not only do they have the embarrassment of a massive recall, they also have been forced to stop the production and sale of eight different models. Toyota now knows what is meant by when it rains it pours.

(Ed. note - This would have been a fun post but as luck would have it, a recalled 2010 Toyota Corolla sits in my garage. To put a good face on it, the gas mileage is very good.)

1/28/10

Antiphonists

There's a blog I like to visit, albatross necktie, that does not invite comments. No, it invites antiphonists. Being anti a lot of things , I must confess that I lend a comment now and then. I guess that makes me an antiphonist which I accepted until now. I am anti- cell phone - but antiphonist? It almost sounds pornographic. I finally got off my ass and consulted a dictionary to find out exactly what an antiphonist is.

It turns out that an antphon is a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response. I surmised therefore that an antiphonist is someone who is responsive. Being the mental giant that I am , I also concluded that an antphonist can indeed be someone who comments on a blog posting. What bothers me is that to be a true antiphonist I must learn to make my comments sound like a psalm utterance. Unless I learn to phrase my comments like a chant I will remain a boring commentator instead of an antiphonist.
Hmmmm, _ _ _ _, Ahhhmennnn!

If there are any antphonists out there your chants are welcome.

1/26/10

State Of The Blog

Fellow Bloggers and Readers,

I sit here at the keyboard today trying to assess the effectiveness of this blog. I must report that that I have fallen short on a number of issues I promised to myself that I would follow through on.- (Groans)

Fortunately I never promised you that I'd follow through with anything. (Applause)

To begin with, I have not ended the Iraq War. My connections in Washington say it will be a done deal by the end of the year - (Cheers) - but I must report that these connections are very fragile - (Boo's). To make matters worse even if the Iraq War ends I'll still have the war in Afghanistan to write about - ( Groans with a smattering of cheers).

I thought that by now gun control would take center stage as an issue to deal with, but again I must report that my blog has not influenced anyone - (polite applause with a few groans). I'm thinking of going underground on this one and joining the NRA but my sources say that if I attempt this I'll be underground for sure. -(Cheers). Incidentally why does the media report on body count in the Mideast Wars but not that on our city streets? - (Silence)

My attempts at being a political pundit have met with some success. There have been at least two comments on my posts. -(standing ovation). But even here , my connections in Washington have made it known that they don't need any help from me, just money. -(polite applause).

I could go on and on, - ( Groans and abusive shouts), but I think that I've made my point. My blog has not been effective in influencing any major, minor or minuscule issues in this country. I'll be interested to hear what my Washington connections have to say about their plans for the country when they take to the airways Wednesday. These connections by the way are an occasional few bucks to the DNC. - ( shouts of fraud)

For those of you who have concluded that my blogging days are over or should be over, I have news for you. Not on your life. -(Groans). It's too much fun! -(more groans)

Good day or night whatever the case might be and God bless America and any other country he or she sees fit to bless!

-(complete silence gives way to wild applause when everyone realizes this post is over)

1/25/10

Asian Crap Trumps Asian Carp

The Plain Dealer in a 1/25/10 editorial took President Obama to task for refusing to act on the threat to Great Lakes posed by Asian Carp.

“ U.S. Supreme Court justices who refused last week to issue an injunction forcing closure of Illinois shipping locks against Asian carp need to be overruled by wiser political minds. Saving the nation's most precious freshwater assets can't be left to technicalities. Otherwise, an ecological disaster for the Great Lakes will be inevitable.
The bighead and silver carp have worked their way up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers toward Lake Michigan over the last decade. They present a real and grave danger to the Great Lakes' ecosystem and its multibillion-dollar commercial and sports fishing industry."


Obama the editorial states , “ needs to step in to stop the Asian carp's advance on the Great Lakes -- .

Although the editors make a compelling argument for White House action needed to stop the incursion of Asian carp, they fail to realize that Obama is too busy dealing with double digit unemployment nurtured by the incursion of Asian crap. Crap trumps carp!

1/22/10

The Lobbyists Are Coming!


The lobbyists are coming! The lobbyists are coming! The Supreme Court has unleashed an onslaught by lobbyists which will result in a takeover of our government by corporate and special interest groups. Money talks and that will be evident more than ever in legislative agendas and election campaigns. Who will come to our aid? Congress should but will they? Only if our representatives have the balls to tell lobbyists to fuck off. That will be a cold day in hell!

1/21/10

Off with their heads

Not being crazy about tea drinking, I have never been invited to a tea party. Even if I were invited I'd be crazy to go. As a result I'm completely out of touch with the tea parties which have been sprouting up all across these disunited states. I was surprised to learn that instead of a polite event these parties are rather rowdy. In fact they resemble the tea party that The Queen of Hearts gave. Some of the party goers have been known to shout the Queen's favorite saying, "off with their heads". I'm told that they referring to liberals and in particular Obama. The conversation at these parties centers around taxes, the national debt and the stimulus package, in fact anything to do with funds necessary to run a country. Those partying are convinced that these funds must be be drastically reduced and that government is our biggest enemy. If this comes to the attention of the Queen of Hearts , I'm sure "off with their heads" will have another target. I'm tempted to say that these parties are a tempest in a tea pot but I'm not so sure. The prospect of no taxes to pay and no government run programs is too tempting for many red- blooded Americans. What they don't realize, is that they will be pawns in the hands of a few blue-blooded Americans. The prospect of a TEA PARTY makes me glad I'm not a tea drinker. The prospect that a Tea Party will not be a tempest in a tea pot might drive me to drink. I wonder if Starbucks would be interested in sponsoring some coffee orgies where we could all chew the rag about giving our government a shot in the arm and making it stronger?

1/19/10

D-Day For Health Care Reform

Unbelievable! In one short year the success of the Democratic agenda depends on a Senatorial race in Massachusetts. In the spirit of Laurel and Hardy, Obama might well sigh "Another fine mess you got me into". The mess is created by a dysfunctional leadership in the party but Obama must take his share of the blame for not assuming the mantle of a tough leader.

I hope the Democrats do not resort to shady legislative means to pass a health care bill if they lose in Massachusetts. Let the chips fall where they may. If it passes, fine - if it doesn't, it's a lesson learned. They should not risk creating more of a backlash among voters than presently exists. The bill as cobbled together is not worth the political damage which may be caused by questionable maneuvering.

Ted Kennedy must be rolling around in his grave at the possibility that his state might very well cause the demise of health care reform.

Breaking News : The bad: Republicans take Massachusetts Senate seat. The good: Lieberman loses his clout since his vote is no longer crucial..

1/16/10

Great Sports Commentary

Bill Livingston's NFL on Television: Commercial failure (The Plain Dealers 1/16/10) is perhaps the best sports commentary I have read in a long time.

One of the best lines in Livingston's commentary concerns the popularity of pro football on TV, Its appeal is, in large part its violence. There is a voracious appetite for vicarious violence in this country. How true. Livingston does not go this far but the next thing we will witness is an intoxicated, frenzied crowd giving the thumbs up or thumbs down as a 300 lb beast crushes the quarterback - not unlike the Romans and their gladiators.. One could also muse as to whether or not our fascination with a violent sport is the reason behind wars which seem to never end, mayhem on the streets, capital punishment and our insistence on the unfettered right to bear arms.

Livingston has much to say about commercials - Programs devoted to the best commercials from here and other countries crop up year around, like dandelions in the spring. The punch line - People love material things and the commercials about them.

An appetite for vicarious violence and a love for material things. Does that describe the mainstream American?

1/12/10

A Touch Of The Creature

Whoever said that we have a two party system must have had a touch of the creature. It is commonly viewed that there are two parties that control the politics in this country, the Democrats and the Republicans. Exactly who are the Democrats and the Republicans? Trying to define the parties, it is tempting to say that one champions a liberal agenda and the other preaches conservatism. This really does not work. There actually are no Democrats or Republicans. Sounds like I've had a touch of the creature myself but examine any debate in Congress and very little is about Democrat vs Republican. A close examination reveals that we are dealing with liberals, progressives, populists, moderates , blue dogs, conservatives, right wingers, extreme right wingers, Republicans in Donkeys clothing and Democrats in elephants clothing all fighting to get their agendas into every piece of legislation. The result is a monetary deficit the size of which is incomprehensible, an interminable war in the Mideast, double digit unemployment, a health care mess, a nation of consumers rather than producers and a declining superpower. Until the parties start pruning their various branches even if it means a third or even a fourth party, there will be no timely or effective legislation coming out of Washington. Introducing a Know Nothings party should effectively accommodate a lot of tree pruning. With that I'll indulge in another touch of the creature.

1/11/10

Baseball's Steroid Problem Revisited


Mark McGwire has made it official. The 1990's indeed can be called baseball's steroid era. Like others before him he has profusely apologized for using steroids. Of course he did not use them to gain muscle mass - he used them to be able to play while injured. After all he was earning millions and it would have been unethical to go on the injured reserve list. I don't believe anyone has admitted yet that they used steroids to become better players. The apologies admit wrong doing but with qualifications. Yes they say, taking steroids was wrong but the intent was not to break a record but to heal injuries. Their apology borders on rationalization.
So far Barry Bonds has resisted the temptation to admit using steroids and throw himself upon the mercy of fans. After all he allegedly only used steroids to mask injuries.
Baseball's steroid era certainly deserves one big asterisk and perhaps a trip into anonymity for those who created the era. A New York Times article worth reading is "Why Baseball Should Be Talking About The Past" - it puts the steroid era in its proper perspective for the future of baseball.

1/8/10

A lick and a promise

A lick and a promise is often used in connection with the daily cleaning chores. More often than not a lick is sufficient with the promise to do a more thorough cleaning tomorrow. It can also be applied to attempts at health care reform. Consider the bill that Congress is wrestling with. Everyone has gotten their licks in. The resulting legislation at best will be a lick and a promise- a promise for something better in the future.

1/7/10

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder???



In my previous post I confessed that making changes to my blog borders on an obsessive compulsive disorder. Actually it's a contagious disease which was spread in our household by the high primal thinker. I submit that anyone who meticulously cleans six pair of glasses every single day for as long as I can remember suffers from an obsessive compulsive disorder and is a carrier of the disease.







To make matters worse, the glasses are not all of the same prescription. How she keeps track of which pair of glasses is which, is a testimony to her high primal thinking. Prior to cleaning, the glasses are laid out in some order only known to her.
I wish I could say that a daily cleaning of six pair of glasses makes her see things more clearly but unfortunately that is not compatible with being a high primal thinker.

1/6/10

Spelling And Fashions

You write al-Qaeda and I'll write al-Qaida. You write al- Qaeda and I'll write Al Qaeda. After almost a decade we can't even make up our minds as to what to call our enemy. Pronunciation is yet another thing. You say chi-da and I say k-da. Lets call the whole thing off but unfortunately that is not an option. What is clear is that al-Qaeda's taste in shoes and underwear will not make the fashion magazines.

A late New Years Resolution

I will never, never merge my blogs again. Fun With Cliches and According To Marge will stand on their own two feet ( left over from Fun With Cliches). My merging and un-merging has been the envy of Adrian Monk. This is about the fifth time I've changed my mind but never,never again.

I forgot to mention that the high primal thinker was not very enthusiastic about my merging her blog into this one. I know which side my bread is buttered on (how many more cliches were leftover?).

How can anyone be so obsessive compulsive about a blog? It's really not difficult but it's not acceptable.

1/3/10

Living up to my New Years resolution

Resolving to only indulge in posts that reflect quality is proving to be difficult. Three days into 2010 and I have not come up with anything qualifying as quality. I even tried my hand at dissecting the meaning of Jihad and actually published it. Don't look for it - the delete key put it in the trash can. I considered a humorous post about putting Christmas in a box but decided there was not anything funny about taking down Christmas decorations in near zero weather. If I wait for the right post, it could come dangerously close to wishing everyone a Happy New Year again. New Years resolutions I'm told are meant to be broken. It's an option that I am taking advantage of. Quality in writing is a lofty goal which I will leave to the professional writers. Now that I've resolved the quality bit I should be able to start posting. The problem is that even crap does not come easily. I'll take a Dulcolax and hope for the best.