Count your pennies

I've been working on some major projects and haven't blogged this week. Sorry. Come back next week...I'll blog your face off.

From the Mouths of Babes

Our country somehow expects a great deal from our beauty queens. We want them beautiful, elegant, poised, and able to solve the world's problems with a few sentences when pressed for answers.

Miss California recently was asked by Perez Hilton if she thinks that more states should follow Vermont's lead and legalize same-sex marriage.

Her answer is as follows:

Well, I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage...and you know what, in my country, in my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.

No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be - between a man and a woman. Thank you very much.

Later Hilton called Miss California a "dumb bitch" on his blog.

I guess what I'm wondering is: Why ask the question if there is only one right answer?

You don't have to like her answer but she was at least respectful to people who disagree with her and she gave her reason (albeit a weak one) why she can't agree with same-sex marriage.

Who cares what Miss California has to say on the subject anyway? Who cares about Perez Hilton? What I do care about is that we can disagree with each other without name calling.

After all, we're talking about the important position of Miss USA here. If we cannot protect the integrity of this important institution...how can we ever hope to solve the problems of marriage?

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

I love documentaries.  I even like documentaries that are trying to convince me of some stupid worldview.  No matter if it’s one I largely don’t agree with (Bowling for Columbine) or one I really agree with (From Freedom to Fascism) I take them with a grain of salt because a documentary is designed to take a subject and fill your head with reasons to agree or disagree with it.  Generally a documentary is not all that objective.

Last night I saw Anvil! The Story of Anvil. I loved it.

Here is the trailer:

When I first saw the trailer I thought it was another Spinal Tap rip-off but one thing stood out to me…I actually remembered Anvil. I saw this movie last Saturday night in Seattle’s University District and really enjoyed it.  You don’t have to be into Heavy Metal music to love this movie.  This is just an interesting way of telling the story of underdogs who refuse to give up…against all odds.

I’ll be giving a more complete review of this movie with Dave on the Dave and Steve Show this week.

A Special Message to Barack Obama

I asked my son if he could talk to the president...what would he say? Below is a message to the president from Rory.

Mr. President, I'm going to poop on the potty so I can have some chocolate and get my Thomas train back.

There you are Mr. President. The future generations have spoken.

Mad as Hell

Daniel Hannan - Member of European Parliament

I heard this speech the day after he gave it and was impressed.  Its popularity since has given me more reason to share it. 

Giving Back

I hate this expression and I hear it all the time.

I heard on the radio a guy who owned a couple of businesses talk about his sponsoring of Boys and Girls clubs and that he liked the chance to “give back to the community.”

So I wonder exactly what this guy exactly “takes” from the community that he is obligated to “give back.”  From the news report I could gather this:

• He employs 36 people in the community where they enjoy reliable employment with benefits.
• He provides a service in the community that I have used myself.
• He seems to perform the service well enough that people return as customers.

Is this productive energy that he uses that directly impacts those who are connected with him as employees or customers a clever form of stealing from the community?

How come I never hear politicians discuss tax rebates or tax rate reduction as “giving back” to the community?  That WOULD be accurate as their goal is always to take from the productive efforts of people and give it to the unproductive elements of our society.

The expression pisses me off and I beg you…if you hear someone use this expression…stop them.  Grab them by their fat heads and knock some sense into them.  If you do, you will have given society the greatest gift of all.  Trust me.

Oh, and hope you had a Happy Easter.

Pirates back in the news...they never really left.

Keep the Change

“Some may notice that the neo-conservatives who masterminded the policy of global interventions are not complaining about the level of military and foreign spending. This is because rather than drawing down our costly interventions, Obama is largely staying the course on these issues. In fact, this week a group of leading neoconservatives met to discuss how best to support the President on foreign policy! I am disappointed and concerned that, in spite of a change in leadership, we will remain the policeman of the world, placing ourselves at grave danger in many ways.” – Ron Paul

For Profit Charity?

Pepsi Natural - Naturally you've missed it.

I'm a cola nerd.  I don't drink much of it anymore because I'm old enough where I can actually feel how bad it is for me.  As long as I can remember I've collected soft drink advertising going back several decades.  The reason soft drink advertising intrigues me so much because it seems to encapsulate marketing lies...and it's comforting to know they lied to my grandparents every bit as much as they did me.

People have been up-in-arms about what serves for sweetener in these modern soft drinks and while I don't think I have anything in particular against High Fructose Corn Syrup, I can say that it seems to have ruined the taste that I remember as a kid. 

So out comes Pepsi Natural.  The label very plainly describes its main ingredients:

Sparkling water, sugar, kola nut extract

I looked for it in stores and I missed it several times.  Pepsi seems to have labeled the product as if to hide it on the shelves.  If you're not deliberately looking for it you're likely to pass it over.  And if you're me you might still anyway.

So what does it taste like?  Does it taste like the Pepsi I loved so much as a child?  In a word, no.  But I'm willing to bet it tastes like the Pepsi my grandparents enjoyed.  The kola nut extract provides a hint of a bitter, almost medicinal taste that is strangely likeable.  This flavor combination is pretty close to the drug store fountain cola of days gone by.  Sadly, you'll have to add your own cocaine to get the more authentic experience. I prefer to drink out of glass or metal.  I have never liked drinking out of plastic, so the glass bottle is a nice touch. I bought a 4-pack and it was more expensive than regular old Pepsi which I'm sure is attributed to the smaller supply they produce in manufacturing.  So here is what I'm able to add up from the Pepsi Natural experience:

• It costs more
• It contains real sugar
• It comes in a glass bottle
• It is backed by a passive marketing strategy (especially by Pepsi standards)
• It does not have an instantly desirable taste

And to summarize:

Pepsi Natural probably won't be around much longer.  Naturally.

TSA Thuggery Background

Some have asked me what the big deal is here.  Why wouldn't the guy just tell the TSA what the money was for and what he had intended to do with it even though he was perfectly within his legal right to possess money and bring it on an airplane.

What was mentioned briefly in the video was this report which identifies supporters of Ron Paul and the Campaign for Liberty as potential domestic terrorists involved in the modern-day militia movement.  Ironically, the Campaign for Liberty held their regional conference in St. Louis, Missouri (the state from where the report came) which had over 1000 in attendance with many high profile speakers including Judge Andrew Napolitano. (former federal judge)

More TSA Thuggery