The recent arrests in western North Carolina of two fire fighters for separate offenses, chronicled here (http://www.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/father_on_bicycle_shot_at_in_asheville_helmet_saves_his_life/24099/) and here (http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090731/NEWS01/907310333), coupled with the Gates/Crowley episode in Cambridge (is a link to that story really necessary?) and the "jungle monkey" spin-off story, Boston PD's Officer Justin-I am not a racist-Barrett's offensive e-mail (http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/30/gates.police.apology/) had me thinking about the post 9/11 world of hero worship as applied to the world of public safety employees.
Then, as if on cue, Ted Rall lets loose with a terrific column -
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucru/20090730/cm_ucru/everyonehatesthecops - relating some of his adventures with those who "protect and serve" across our nation.
Sometimes it's better just to not have any heroes.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Chick Fil A cult - God wants you to have free chicken meals for a year!
Today another new Chick Fil A opens in the upstate of South Cackalackee. I find their menu overpriced, bland and boring, traits shared by their founder. KFC's Harlan Sanders created a persona to push his grub. All S. Truett Cathy has is feigned piety and a huge Baptist following. He pushes his overpriced birds six days a week, letting his faithful drop their bucks in the collection plate on Sunday instead of in his till.
Guthrie's and Zaxby's, as well as tens of thousands of non-franchised small restaurants across the country, do chicken better.
But what really gets me is the circus that springs up around each new Chick Fil A opening. Hundreds of folks, greedy for the meager free offering, (Is this communion for the Chick Fil A believers?) camp out for days, hoping to be one of the lucky ones blessed by the new store's manager or his acolytes with coupons for a year's supply of Chick Fil A's meals. Gourmets these folks are not!
Any day now we'll read of a miraculous healing at a Chick Fil A opening.
The local fish wrap reports that among the pilgrims camping out at the new store were a couple from Florida who apparently travel the country scrounging for free Chick Fil A meals. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary at a Chick Fil A opening in Albuquerque NM. They proudly state that their most recent pilgrimage was their 21st opening. I wonder what life was like for them before they found Chick Fil A.
Then there's the two gentlemen from Lexington County SC area, one of whom was on his 6th pilgrimage. Two guys traveling around to chicken restaurant openings, not that there's anything wrong with that. Except that one claims to be a high school principal, and the other a teacher. With folks like these in our public schools, no wonder South Cackalackee's schools are in trouble.
Guthrie's and Zaxby's, as well as tens of thousands of non-franchised small restaurants across the country, do chicken better.
But what really gets me is the circus that springs up around each new Chick Fil A opening. Hundreds of folks, greedy for the meager free offering, (Is this communion for the Chick Fil A believers?) camp out for days, hoping to be one of the lucky ones blessed by the new store's manager or his acolytes with coupons for a year's supply of Chick Fil A's meals. Gourmets these folks are not!
Any day now we'll read of a miraculous healing at a Chick Fil A opening.
The local fish wrap reports that among the pilgrims camping out at the new store were a couple from Florida who apparently travel the country scrounging for free Chick Fil A meals. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary at a Chick Fil A opening in Albuquerque NM. They proudly state that their most recent pilgrimage was their 21st opening. I wonder what life was like for them before they found Chick Fil A.
Then there's the two gentlemen from Lexington County SC area, one of whom was on his 6th pilgrimage. Two guys traveling around to chicken restaurant openings, not that there's anything wrong with that. Except that one claims to be a high school principal, and the other a teacher. With folks like these in our public schools, no wonder South Cackalackee's schools are in trouble.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Health care fix too expensive?
Really? More expensive than the war in Iraq? Afghanistan? The War on Drugs? More expensive than all the perks and pleasures of our Senators and Representatives?
And now, in the glow of the 40th Anniversary of man's walking on the moon, there is renewed enthusiasm for further space exploration. Talk is of a mission to Mars.
If you don't think that a Mars Mission will cost, at a minimum, 5 times what national health care is projected, well, I've got some gator infested swamp land on the Atlantic coast of Florida I'll let you have real cheap.
If we can't afford health care for all Americans, we sure as hell can't afford to send somebody to Mars.
Isn't it about time we started getting something tangible back from the thieves, adulterers and liars in Washington DC?
And now, in the glow of the 40th Anniversary of man's walking on the moon, there is renewed enthusiasm for further space exploration. Talk is of a mission to Mars.
If you don't think that a Mars Mission will cost, at a minimum, 5 times what national health care is projected, well, I've got some gator infested swamp land on the Atlantic coast of Florida I'll let you have real cheap.
If we can't afford health care for all Americans, we sure as hell can't afford to send somebody to Mars.
Isn't it about time we started getting something tangible back from the thieves, adulterers and liars in Washington DC?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Oh crap, not another friggin' blog!
Oh crap, yeah, it's another friggin' blog. In another time, I'd probably be referred to as a "curmudgeon", ie. a crusty, ill-tempered old man. Except I'm not crusty, and most of the time I'm not particularly ill-tempered, except when I see bad journalism, theocracy and oligarchy, along with other general stupidity. Living in South Cackalackee gives me plenty of that to witness.
I'll be posting comments on all of these things, and more, in the future. If I haven't pissed someone off with my posts, I won't be doing my job.
Sit back and enjoy. This may be fun.
I'll be posting comments on all of these things, and more, in the future. If I haven't pissed someone off with my posts, I won't be doing my job.
Sit back and enjoy. This may be fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)