Rook's Rant

Alan Simpson Should Be Fired

2010-08-27T19:36:35Z

But not for being a sexist.

Alan Simpson's comment is not in the least bit sexist. But it is derogatory, insulting the majority of American's that have worked hard to support a family.

My father, who is probably one of the hardest working persons I have ever had the privilege know, worked a full-time job at an oil refinery (now Flint Hills Resources, but then simply known as Koch Refinery) while also working an 80 acre farm, mostly by himself. If you have ever known anyone that worked an oil refinery, they often are working 12 to 16 hour days during turn-a-rounds, which could last for weeks. He did this for 4 or 5 years back in the 1970s. All the money he earned was taxed, some of which was paid into Social Security. Meanwhile, my mother, who was taking care of me and my three siblings while dad was either in the fields or at the refinery, was also working part-time as a waitress. Some of her earnings likewise was paid into Social Security. At the end of the 70s, and through the 80s, my parents then ran a restaurant, which in and of itself is almost four full-time jobs. They once again paid into Social Security.

Today, they are enjoying the twilight of their years on the measly benefits that they more than earned. Over the last 30 years, working as a waitress nearly broke my mother's back. My father has had several heart attacks because of the physical demands his work put on his body. And what does Alan Simpson do? He implies they are ne'er-do-wells living off the government's teats.

While many on the right seem content to call Social Security recipients lazy, unproductive members of society, I have the belief that most of them are hard working fathers and mothers who struggled to put food on the table for their family and, having reached the twilight of their years, are simply reaping the benefit of having worked hard and paid Social Security taxes.

You see, not only did I witness my parents work hard, I also witnessed the parents of my friends, the neighbors in my town, and my co-workers struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, all the while paying Social Security taxes. So, it is unconscionable for Alan Simpson to claim that over 300 million American's are lazy, unproductive members of society. For that he deserves to be fired.

Flashback Wednesday

2010-08-25T21:23:01Z

Man, here is an old flash video that popped into my head today.

Good On Ya! President Obama

2010-08-14T22:30:41Z

It is about time he stepped up and defended the Constitution! Religious freedom means just that. And if the construction permits are all admissible under New York law, then the freedom hating right can just shut the hell up.

Seriously, they do not care about the Constitution, they just care about getting their way, regardless of that pesky concept "the rule of law." But, that has been the way of the freedom hating right since its first taste of power under Reagan; they blather on about being freedom loving, but when it comes time to stand up for those very freedoms, they cower in fear and weakness.

Sadly, the current actions of the freedom hating right are not about any principled stance - they are about being frightened of other ideas, other beliefs. They must suspect their beliefs and ideas are flawed and unable to stand up to scrutiny in the light of day. Otherwise, why tear at their hair and clutch their pearls, screaming inanely about the threats to their way of life. Such weakness. If their way of life was so wonderful, so capable of dealing with the misery and hardships of existence, then they would have no concern about Islam, for it is hardly more powerful then existence.

Their faith is weak, that is why they need to attack other faiths. And it is not that Christianity or Islam, or any other religion is the right way, or wrong way. No. It is simply a matter of how strong your faith is in your beliefs and values, and your ability to live by those beliefs. If they work, then good. If they do not, blaming other belief systems does not change the failure of your own beliefs. Indeed, blaming does nothing more than clearly show failure.

Mythbusting Via Blogs

2010-08-12T22:23:56Z

Because the geeks on the Discovery Channel can't have all the fun:

Bill in Portland Maine compiled a very useful list of myths --- and links that bust them. Suitable for bookmarking:
> Tea Party'ers are not more likely to have racist tendencies than other conservatives.
(Except they are.)
> Democrats are scheming to hit 94 percent of small business owners with tax increases.
(Except they aren't.)
> Bloody violence is out of control along the Mexican border, and illegal immigrants are streaming into America at record levels.
(Except it's not and they're not.)
> Obamacare will send Medicare spiraling out of control.
(Except it won't.)
> Marriage is a religious union that's all about procreation.
(Except it isn't.)
> Voters say cutting the deficit is more important than creating jobs.
(Except they don't.)
> Social Security is going broke, it adds to the deficit, and we have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.
(Except it's not, it doesn't and we don't.)
> The earth is getting cooler.
(Except it's really really not.)

Now, at this point I am suppose to hat tip a blog for giving me this information, but I have seen it at so many of them today it is just not worth it. I will, though, give credit to "They gave us a republic......" because that is the blog I copied and pasted the above from.

What Jeff Said

2010-08-12T22:15:52Z

This is what should have been one post in a long line of posts that say "What Jeff Said"

(moderateleft) Dayton, for good or ill, is standing for a mainstream DFL agenda. I can respect that. And I understand why he won. Quite frankly, he deserved to. And if the best the GOP can do is to rehash Dayton's admittedly uneven senate career -- a career that Dayton has admitted coincided with a relapse into alcoholism -- well, I think he'll deserve to win in November, too.

Chances are there will not be another post of "What Jeff Said" for quite some time to come because I have been, and no doubt will continue to be, a lazy ass blogger.

It's The End Of Heterosexual Marriage As We Know It!

2010-08-12T22:00:54Z

(truthout) A federal judge lifted a temporary stay preventing same-sex couples in California from getting legally married........

No doubt many of my heterosexual married friends will be rushing to the courthouse to file divorce papers now that there is no hope for their marriages. Let us all keep these poor, hapless folks in our minds as we go about living in what is now a deteriorating paradise that George W. Bush worked so hard at creating.

Hold on, wait..... I think I might have a tear.

Nope. Sorry. My mistake.

You know, I should call my parents. After 49 years of marriage, this could be a devastating blow. Honestly, it is nothing like they have ever had to face before. Well, except for having me as their son. But, besides that.

Someone Turn Down The Thermostat

2010-08-12T21:54:46Z

It is just way too damn hot today. Even when indoors the weather is making me feel slightly nauseous. Supposedly there is a storm blowing in tonight which is to start cooling things down. Until then, it sucks!

2010 Tour De Rook - Legs 21 & 22

2010-08-11T21:00:12Z

Leg 21, August 9th, 2010:

Average Speed: 12.5 mph
Total Distance: 11.89 miles
Top Speed: 25.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.56.27
iPod: REM - Out Of Time and Sheryl Crow - The Essentials (iTunes Store Mix)
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 22, August 11th, 2010:

Average Speed: 12.6 mph
Total Distance: 12.03 miles
Top Speed: 24.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.57.00
iPod: Eric Clapton - Unplugged and The Tragically Hip - Up To Here
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Hey MB!

2010-08-11T18:44:24Z

Gooooooooooooooooo Twins!

Yeah, that's right. I am rubbing it into Mustang Bobby's face, as he is a Tigers fan.

Sunday Service In The Church Of Nature

2010-08-08T20:09:30Z

This morning, as I did my warm-up stretch at Freedom Park in Prescott, overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers, I heard the song of a Cardinal. He was in the upper most branch of the tree next to me. I looked at him, he looked at me, and then we went about our perspective actions. After I was done stretching, and riding away on my bike, I saw him fly off to another tree.

Later, after about 40 minutes of bike riding, I stopped at the side of a gravel road, in front of "The Rustic Garden" and along side a hay field. I was rewarded with a sea of yellow butterflies all lazily flapping themselves from bloom to bloom in the hay field.

At the end of my bike ride, I felt refreshed and invigorated, despite my having pushed myself to my best performance to date on Le Tour de Rook.

More Le Tour De Rook 2010: Legs 16 through 20

2010-08-08T19:51:14Z

Because there really is no need to belabor the point - The stats:

Leg 16, July 27th, 2010:

Average Speed: 11.7 mph
Total Distance: 9.74 miles
Top Speed: 24.0 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.49.23
iPod: U2 - Joshua Tree
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 17, August 2nd, 2010:

Average Speed: 11.5 mph
Total Distance: 12.63 miles
Top Speed: 25.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 01.05.45
iPod: Nazareth - Hair Of The Dog & Live - Throwing Copper
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 18, August 3rd, 2010

Average Speed: 11.2 mph
Total Distance: 12.20 miles
Top Speed: 27.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 01.04.56
iPod: Don Henley - Building The Perfect Beast & Don Henley - The End Of the Innocence
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 19, August 5th, 2010

Average Speed: 11.4 mph
Total Distance: 6.76 miles
Top Speed: 22.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.35.14
iPod: Toad The Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 20, August 8th, 2010

Average Speed: 12.0 mph
Total Distance: 12.59 miles
Top Speed: 28.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 01.02.13
iPod: U2 - Achtung Baby & The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

2010 Tour De Rook - Legs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15

2010-08-01T01:11:33Z

Yeah, that is right - 6 legs that I have failed to post; until now.

Without further to-do the stats:

Leg 10 - 07/02/2010;

Average Speed: 11.0 mph
Total Distance: 10.36 miles
Top Speed: 29.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.56.03
iPod: Smashing Pumpkins - Gish & The Tragically Hip - Up To Here
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 11 - 07/07/2010;

Average Speed: 11.4 mph
Total Distance: 8.90 miles
Top Speed: 26.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 000.46.40
iPod: The Beatles - 1967 to 1970
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 12 - 07/09/2010;

Average Speed: 11.0 mph
Total Distance: 9.72 miles
Top Speed: 25.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.52.43
iPod: Various Artists - Cities Sampler Vol. 18
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 13 - 07/11/2010;

Average Speed: 10.8 mph
Total Distance: 10.55 miles
Top Speed: 31.0 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.58.28
iPod: Matchbox 20 - Exile On Mainstream
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 14 - Unknown date;

Average Speed: 8.8 mph
Total Distance: 5.38 miles
Top Speed: 18.5 mph
Elapsed riding time: 00.35.57
iPod: Can not recall
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

Leg 15 - 07/26/2010;

Average Speed: 10.9 mph
Total Distance: 11.60 miles
Top Speed: 31.0 mph
Elapsed riding time: 01.03.22
iPod: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon & Cold Play - Parachutes
Wind: Unknown
Temp: Unknown
Humidity: Unknown

There is a 16th leg, but I left my odometer at home.

Okay, Once Again About La Tour De Rook

2010-07-30T16:37:17Z

I know, I know. Many moons ago, or so it seems, I posted about one day soon posting more stats of the Tour De Rook. Unfortunately, my old illness, blogpression, set in and I have been loathed until recently to put fingers to keys. But, rest assured that I have the stats tucked safely away in by back pocket and later today my plan is to produce a long, boring, and totally non-enjoyable post for all of my faithful readers.

Ah, that is......, err,..... if I have any left.

Would Not Want To Work For Them

2010-07-28T17:44:56Z

(Kevin Drum) Should we ban businesses from pulling your credit score as part of their hiring process?

If there is a company that wants to know my credit score as part of their hiring decision, then I do not want to work for them. It is obvious that the company is ethically challenged to start with.

Also, it suggests a rather arrogant view of themselves that they would not want to hire people who have been, you know, unemployed due to the decrepit economy for which we can thank 3 decades of conservative rule.

And, in the end, if they need to look at your credit score, then just how pathetic are they at judging people at face value? Also, asking for a credit score means they do not have the ability to appraise the situation as it occurs.

Of course, it could mean that they only want heartless bastards who lack compassion.

There Really Is Something Wrong Here

2010-07-27T22:31:13Z

UnitedHealth Group Buying company for 1.5 Billion - In Cash

UnitedHealth Group dropping coverage for children

1.5 billion dollars in cash just lying around for the purchase of a company, but they can't find it in their hearts to offer plans for children.

It really is time for all insurance companies to be none-profit. These bastards are living off the misery, suffering, and death of human beings.