Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Don't beg for money, Use your head!

There are some places where you may come across people who will beg you for money. I tend to avoid those places but yesterday I was caught off guard while at the post office. I was tired and frustrated and moving slower than usual. You might say that I was an easy target for what happened.

I was walking back to my car at the post office I was approached by a young man that I can best describe as being "strange" looking. He was dressed in an "urban" style except that his jeans were pulled all the way up. I assume he was in his late 20's or so and he was well spoken as he was talking to me.

But what struck me was his face. He had so many pieces of jewelry IN his head! I couldn't possibly count how many so lets just say he had every part from the neck up represented with something silver. Ear rings, studs, satellite dishes, etc. I wondered how many channels could he get!

Anyway this young man starts telling me his life story and I knew where he was going with this story. I just knew he was going to ask me for money. Also while telling his story he answered several questions I had before I could possibly get a word in to ask.

He told me that he was "not a thug" although he did appear to be one. He told me that he was new in town and it was his first time out of Chicago. And I thought that with all of this metal in his head he probably distracted flights into both O'hare and Midway and they ran him out of town. But how could he end up in a town next to an Air force Base?

Then he told me that he applied for jobs at every convenience store and restaurant along two of our major streets. He said he was very sure that he would be working at any one of them by next week. Then he said all he needed was "anything I could possibly afford" and that he was headed directly to the supermarket down the street to get something for his two babies and wife living around the corner.

It took him a fast minute to go through his life story to get to the point, he was asking for money. And I actually stood there to listen to his sales pitch. And I did not have to lie to him or be rude in telling him no. I simply said "I wish I had money myself" and he said "Thank you sir for your time and god bless you" then I got into my car and drove away while this young man approached the next person leaving the post office, an older woman who ignored him, got into her brand new Explorer and drove off right behind me.

As I drove away I was thinking about what had just happened. First, I knew I only had three dollars in my pocket. Last night I spent $37 filling my gas tank and $11 on groceries. I was broke, but I would not be hungry and I had plenty of gas. And so did my car. But this guy asking me for money had me analyzing a couple of points in his sales pitch.

He said he applied for jobs at all of the convenience stores and restaurants in the area. I already knew that was BS. Because each of those businesses are owned by someone "foreign" and they NEVER hire anyone. The same people work in those stores all day and night, Husband, wife, baby behind the counter and a relative taking shifts. Same for any Chinese restaurant. As for the other restaurants, do you really think he has a chance at getting an instant job at one of the fast food joints?

And then I found myself thinking about one of the biggest issues I have had about work etiquette. The way you present yourself when you are looking for a job is very important. No matter what the type of work, you damn sure don't arrive at a potential employer with a head looking like a metal scrap yard. Remember all of the jewelry in his head? Then I remembered that we have several pawn shops within walking distance of the location were we met. If this guy was in need of some cash to feed his family, why does he not take some of those rings out of his head, pawn the jewelry and buy some food? There is his own greatest "resource"..... He could USE HIS HEAD!

And maybe if he had used his head BEFORE getting all of the piercing and filling them with pieces of metal, he would not have to beg people for money.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

My parking lot pet peeve!

I really hope that somehow some way the person who owns a certain vehicle with Lee County Georgia license plates hears about the comments you are about to read. They may not care about my comments. After all, they obviously did not care about the situation that prompted me to make this blog article. As you read this, you’ll find pictures of the very situation that I found so annoying that I felt steam running out of my ears. I really had no reason to get upset about anything. I would not have suffered one damn bit over this one individual’s action because I was simply making a delivery for the event. I just get annoyed at the type of rudeness this individual displayed on this particular day.

So what got me steamed in the parking lot of HOUSTON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL in Warner Robins, Georgia?


The inconsiderate owner of this vehicle who thought they were so important that it necessary to take THREE parking spaces exclusively for their ONE vehicle. Not just that, they did this as close to the building as possible during an event where people came from all over the state. Parking spaces were limited with all of the school buses and personal cars from out of town visiting this school for an all day event… And this one asshole eliminated the opportunity for two other people to have a parking space.



Most people who don’t want anyone to park so close to their car would park at the FAR end of the parking lot. NOT right at the building near the main entrance as the driver of this TEN YEAR OLD SUV did. You see people do this at many parking lots especially shopping centers. The owner of a car does not want to risk getting a “ding” or a scratch on their precious vehicle. I usually cannot blame them. I don’t want my car to get damaged either. But there is not a single vehicle that is so special that it is entitled to more than one parking space in a public lot. Not one!

If anyone thinks that their car is worthy of taking more space than they really need then I have this advice…

DON’T TAKE YOUR VEHICLE OUT IN PUBLIC! Keep your precious ride at home locked safely in your own garage. Only drive on roads on your own private land where you can control access and prevent others from getting within ten feet of your vehicle. That way, you’ll avoid getting the car scratched, dinged or breathed on.

I have a habit of parking far away from most buildings. One reason is to minimize the risk of getting dinged, the other reason is for the exercise by walking the extra distance. But in no way do I think that any vehicle that I own is more special than anyone elses. Hell, even my "good" car has 118,000 miles on it. It still looks and drives nice, but even when it was new it was no more special than any other car on the road. Just ask the two people on the road who HIT my car in the first two years I have had it. Ask their insurance companies who paid a combined total of $3,100 in damages in those two incidents.

Well, maybe paying to get my car repaired made it special to Allstate and State Farm. They each got to raise someone's insurance premiums and I got to drive nice rental cars for free!

Anyway, people like the asshole that owns this 1990something Mercury Mountaineer with hideous wheel rims really annoy me. People like that deserve getting their tires slashed and doors keyed. Now I am not suggesting that anyone vandalize any vehicle. I am only saying that they deserve it in principle for being an inconsiderate asshole.

There, I said it! I expressed my opinion about the asshole who owned the vehicle that was parked close to a building and utilizing more parking spaces then they were entitled to. Now, let me say a few words about the vehicle itself!


What a waste of money and what an ugly piece of crap! I’ll be nice and say “crap” instead of that other word, but the other word feels more appropriate. The wheel rims are hideous! They make an already ugly SUV even more painful to my eyes. And this is the piece of “crap” that someone felt was so special that they just could not allow anyone to park “close” to it?

That piece of shit (there I said it!) truck should be crushed into a cube! And the person who spent real money on those hideous ghetto wheels should get a real education in how to spend money on something more important. But this SUV probably belongs to a student or someone who was educated in someplace like LEE COUNTY Georgia where the truck was registered. Knowing that, maybe I should cut them some slack.

But not for the parking space incident! I don’t care where you are from or what you drive. No one is ever entitled to more than ONE parking space!

Yeah! I said it!

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

So you think you have problems

So you think you have problems. Money problems, can't make ends meet, you're in debt. Not getting along in work or business, family or relationship issues, you feel lonely, traffic is bad, car problems, the house is a mess, you have to call a plumber and you dread that bill, on and on and on.

Your problems can be solved easily because they are NOT problems. Yeah I said it. Your problems are NOT really problems.

How would you like to be the one who has had heart problems since childhood and are in need of a transplant at age 22? Or the 40 year old who has cancer and may not live to see her oldest child graduate from high school this spring. Or the unemployed man who was preparing for a job interview when it was discovered that he needed a triple heart bypass while not having any health insurance and he misses a chance at getting a job with a six-figure income. Or the young woman who was in the early stages of a very successful career only to discover she has breast cancer and dies within months.

The examples I mentioned above were presented to me in just the past couple of weeks. I personally know three of the people in the examples that I shared. The other is a fictional TV character in a very real life situation.

The "problems" shown at the beginning of this are nothing in comparison. Money problems could be solved by saving more and spending less and taking every opportunity available that could lead to earning more money. Not getting along with family, work and feeling lonely can be solved by checking the attitude of the person in the mirror. If traffic is bad, find another route. If the house is a mess, clean it!

And if something needs to be repaired? Accept the fact that repairs are a part of life. You have to maintain your car(s) and home, it is part of "ownership". Nothing stays brand new forever, especially when you drive an average 50,000 miles a year! And if you live in a 50 year old house, a pipe is eventually going to break!

So excuse me while I give myself this advice and feel free to apply this advice if you think you have problems in your life.

GET OFF OF YOUR FAT ASS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

GET OVER IT! There are other people that have it much worse than you can imagine.

Oh, and stop bitching about what you think are problems. Nobody gives a damn! And you don't hear the people who REALLY have problems complaining about their lives. They actually appreciate EVERY day of life they have! They aren't backing down from the pressures within their lives. They are living and trying hard to kick life's problems in the ass.

So go kick some ass.

Religious Hyprocracy

I have to call a family friend a hyprocrate!

Isaac Hayes, who until recently was the voice of "Chef" on "South Park". He quit the show because of an episode where the show mocks the religion that Isaac Hayes is affiliated with...The Church of Scientology.

Now I never get into any detailed discussion of religion. However I am a fan of "South Park" and I am a fan of Isaac Hayes for his music. I grew up listening to and have most of his original Albums. Also he and my father, soul singer Eddie Floyd worked closely together at Memphis based STAX Records in the 1960's and 1970's. They were and are friends today.

My late mother always had stories to share about Isaac Hayes. With his success as a song writer, performer and Oscar winner for the movie soundtrack "Shaft" (1971), he lived very nicely and enjoyed his wealth. So much so that he was broke by the 1980's. He continued to work and make music through the years but it was "South Park" that put Isaac Hayes' finances back into a "comfortable" level.

When South Park came along, Isaac Hayes was doing a radio show at a New York radio station. I've heard the show. He was good at it. But he had to get up at 4am to go to work every morning. Not many "entertainers" like to get up that early. But Isaac Hayes did just that for a few years to do his radio show.

"South Park" changed all of that as Isaac Hayes found a new generation of fans as the voice of "Chef". He played the role well and he is just as guilty as anyone related with "South Park" of mocking anyone and anything including religion. But when you mock HIS religious affiliation, he gets upset?

Well Isaac Hayes, you are a hyprocrate! A bald headed nappy bearded hyprocrate!


And it is a shame that a great show is losing a major character over your being an ass.

I agreed with the creators of "South Park" when I read some of their comments saying that "it's a bit disingenuous (for Hayes) to cite religious intolerance as a reason for him pulling out of the show" because the series has lampooned religion since its start, taking shots at Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Mormons, among others."

And Isaac Hayes has cashed many checks being a part of it.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Bad Language on Talk Radio?

I drive so much. And I often listen to talk radio. I have been a talk radio fan for years. From Neil Rogers back home locally in South Florida to former late night TV host Tom Snyder when he had a late night talk radio show in the early 1990's to Neal Boortz and Clark Howard today.

No I am not a fan of Rush Limbaugh, but I even listen to his show occasionally. However I am very proud to say that I am a huge Neal Boortz fan. I listen to his show live daily whenever and wherever I can and again when it repeats at night from a distant AM radio signal, 1110 WBT out of Charlotte, NC. I like to think that I could be the associate pastor of Neal Boortz' "church of the painful truth". Because I like to call it as I see it and I am an equal opportunity critic of many things and people. This blog is a planned example of that.

Today for the first time I tuned into the "Air America" Radio station based in Atlanta. AM 1690 while I was working from Griffin GA across to Monticello and Eatonton. Air America is intended to be the more liberal (or progressive as they call it) voice in talk radio. Air America is available on satalite radio and on a few broadcast radio stations around the US. Those broadcast stations usually don't have the signal strength as the stations that broadcast the more "conservative" talk shows. However I do appreciate freedom of speech and a diverse choice in programing, so I tuned in to Air America and I have two observations.

ONE, I was bored to death with the host who was filling in for Randi Rhodes! The guy was Mike Malloy and he has mostly been a failure in having his own talk show in many cities over decades. I remember him having shows in Atlanta and in Florida and never being able to stand listening to an entire show. I think he is a terrible substitute for Randi Rhodes who I listened to for years on local radio back home in South Florida. She was entertaining to listen to regardless of your political opinion. I hope to catch her show when she is actually hosting it.

Observation TWO, Are they allowed to "cuss" (curse) on Air America? Cause the callers let some words slip and there was no reaction to it. One caller actually said something that sounded like "putting up with that Republican shit" and the host agreed with him. Any other show would have had a delay and the host of the show would have hung up and moved on.

So I ask, is foul language the norm on Air America? If it is and they can get away with it THEN I WANT TO HEAR NEAL BOORTZ SAY SOME CURSE WORDS Dammit!!! It would be priceless to hear Boortz tell a caller to "Go F@#$ Youself". He would be great at it! And finally his ratings would be much greater than any other talk radio host!

Neal Boortz and Bill O'reilly hate each other. If they could speak uncensored, we could know how they really feel about each other. I almost watched Neal Boortz cuss out Phil Donahue when he walked off Donahue's show a couple years ago. I would love to watch him cuss out O'reilly in the "no spin zone".

And if the callers can call into a radio show and say what they really feel, then I can finally call Sean Hannity and tell him exactly what I think he is.....an annoying arrogant ASS!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Still haven't blogged in a while :(

I haven't forgotten about my little blog thing here. I admit that I have been otherwise "occupied" with things like work, work, work and this website called myspace.com!

Also I am in the planning stages for an event coming up in Atlanta. So I really have been busy.

What I have decided to do with this blog is to focus on political and social issues and a new blog that I have on myspace will deal with more light hearted and personal items.

Thats all I have time to say now. I have work to do. I am not one of those lazy fat asses waiting for someone else to pay my bills.

Have a great day everyone!