Swearing In Public Is So Vulgar

Swearing in public, on TV, and just about everywhere has finally reached a boiling point as far as I'm concerned. I don't think of myself as a "prude" even though I do my best to keep my tongue under control. I DO actually like swearing in movies, some movies just wouldn't be the same if the stars didn't cuss a bit (but I am trying really hard to not watch those movies anymore!).

Heck, I've even let an expletive fly in a moment of weakness, like when I hit my thumb with a hammer or some similar circumstance, but even those incidences are few and far between.

What bothers me is the pervasive use of vulgarities that has become so commonplace it seems most people not only don't seem to notice, some even condone it! Most reality TV shows have more "bleeping" than actual dialogue it seems. I have included a link to "Hell's Kitchen", one my wife's favorite shows. I don't enjoy it for many reasons, not the least of which is the language used by both the star, Gordon Ramsey, and the contestants. Please be aware that even though MOST of the bad language is edited, there are still a few words that made it through. The Best of Gordon Ramsay from Hell's Kitchen Series 3

My final straw came today in the grocery store. There was a woman pushing her shopping cart with a little girl in it that I estimate was no more than two years old. The little girl was holding something the woman had place in the cart, and the woman was obviously not happy about it. She literally yelled at the the little girl, "If you open that I'll pull you out that cart and whip your a$$ right here!". I gave her a dirty look, and that's really all I could do since she didn't actually hit the child in front of me.

Then, to add one more straw to the camel's back (as in the straw that broke the camel's back), as I was sitting in the back yard this evening grilling some burgers for dinner, I could hear from the front of the condo where we are living a father yelling at someone, I think it may have been his nine year old son and seven year old daughter. While I couldn't make out everything that was said, I know I heard "mother f-er" several times. It was loud and in the common area of the homes here, it echoed and made it sound even louder. This person obviously didn't care about anyone else, the kids or adults that might object to this language. I think he is just so desensitized to this vulgar way of communicating that he doesn't even notice it... but I did and I know my kids and wife did too.

I think George Washington may have said it best: "The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it."

I don't think of myself as a person of sense or character, but I really do detest the use of vulgar language in public. I hope that we as a society will elevate ourselves, in mind and speech, and stop using these coarse words.

But that's just my humble yet correct opinion.

In My Humble Yet Correct Opinion: The Car Is In The Ditch

In My Humble Yet Correct Opinion: The Car Is In The Ditch: "During the last election cycle, President Obama was fond of comparing the economy to a car being in a ditch: “After they drove the car into ..."

The Car Is In The Ditch

During the last election cycle, President Obama was fond of comparing the economy to a car being in a ditch: “After they drove the car into the ditch, made it as difficult as possible for us to pull it back, now they want to keys back. No!  You can’t drive. We don’t want to have to go back into the ditch. We just got the car out.”(From President Obama's remarks before the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s fundraising dinner May 13, 2010.)

I'm not sure how Mr. Obama came to the conclusion the economy is getting better. In fact, from my viewpoint things are much worse. The unemployment rate is up. Prices of gas and food are up. And among the people I know, optimism for things getting better anytime soon is down (I don't have verifiable statistics on that one, you'll just have to take my word on it!)

I have used this metaphor to explain how I see the economy: When President Bush left office there was a fire. Barack Obama was elected to put that fire out. Instead of putting water on the fire, he has thrown gas on the fire.

Earlier this month the American public voted overwhelmingly for Republicans over Democrats in hope that we can let the fire burn down a bit... It should be easier if the Congress can keep spending down, or in other words, keep the President and the Senate from throwing more gas on the fire!

That's just my humble yet correct opinion.
  

Campaign Finance Reform?

In the past several years I have become more involved in politics, on the local and national levels. I have even given thought to running for local office. One of the things that stopped me was the lack of cash to fund the campaign.

I read that in this election that just ended (finally), more money was spent than in any prior election excluding presidential elections. 

Jerry Brown* became the governor of California [again!] by spending an estimated $24.8 million for a job that pays $212,000 annually. Harry Reid* spent an estimated $22 million to represent Nevadans so he can earn $193,400 as Senate Majority Leader ("regular" members of the senate make $174,00 annually).


*I only mentioned these two candidates because they were involved in high profile campaigns and they were the winners of their respective races. If pressed I could have mentioned that Meg Whitman (who ran against Jerry Brown) spent an estimated $140 million or Barbara Boxer spent approximately $15 million on ADVERTISING to make $1,044,000 over the next six years.

That brought the question to my mind: why would someone spend so much money to be elected to a job that pays so little (as compared to what is spent on the campaigns), but that is for another discussion.

So it also put me to thinking about campaign finance reform. I don't have all the details worked out yet, but here is what I have so far: Candidates can only spend the equivalent of what they will make during their term in office. For example, if a senator is going to earn $174,000 a year for a term of six years, they can only spend $1,044,000 on their campaign. 

As to what others can spend on behalf of a candidate, I think there needs to be limits, but I haven't figured out how to monitor that... Yet! Any suggestions?


That's my humble yet correct opinion!          

Politicians: Leaders or Representatives?

Maybe this is how it's been since the beginning of our great nation, but I really don't like to call elected officials "leaders". When I hear a politician refer to themselves as a "leader" I almost always get the idea they think of themselves as superior. I prefer to call politicians "representatives" even though I doubt they understand that's what they are!

When I "Googled" the question "what type of government does the US have?" there were MANY answers, but this is the one I liked the best: Although many people might say it's a democracy, the United States of America is actually a federal constitutional republic, which is a political system where the supreme power is held by the citizens who are entitled to vote for officials (such as the president) and representatives (such as senators and members of the House of Representatives) responsible to them (the people).

The supreme power is held by the people... that is a concept I think most politicians need to learn.

I graduated high school (barely) and I've taken a few college courses, so I know I'm not the smartest person in the world. But I do read about, listen to, and observe what is going on in this country. I don't like the direction we're collectively heading as a nation. Those people we have elected to REPRESENT us now seem to have the attitude that they know better than the populace, and so they pass bills, and laws that we don't want, because it's what THEY want (ie: Healthcare, stimulus, etc...).

I hope that after this election cycle, those people elected will begin to represent us and vote they way the people want.

But that's just my humble yet correct opinion.        

Weird Things You See When Travelling

Our Travels

It's interesting the things you see when traveling. If you live in a certain area, you tend to get used to things in that area, even things that are unusual or even down right weird! Or maybe it's just that these things are unusual to ME, that's why I find then so interesting.

For example, while driving through Arkansas today I saw a few things I had never seen before. Mind you these were not things that are by nature only going to be in Arkansas, maybe they are other places too that I have never been.

I saw a sign for a "Baskin Robbins (31 Flavors) that had a deli... I have been to 31 Flavors in lots of places, but I have never seen them sell anything other than ice cream or ice cream related products.

The next thing I saw was a little more odd, at least to me. I saw advertised on a billboard in Arkansas a buffet at... KFC!! I didn't stop, so I have no way of knowing if it was good or not. A second billboard for the buffet said they had "over 30 items" to choose from. I know KFC doesn't usually have that many choices, so I must admit there is a small part of me that wishes I would have stopped just to see what KFC had to offer on the buffet line.

Then there was my favorite place in Arkansas, Toad Suck Park. Really! Here's the link to the website: http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/toadsuck/index.htm
It's a real place. I Didn't bother to read and find out why it's called Toad Suck, I just find it funny!

Now for those that think I'm picking on Arkansas, I don't mean to. I'm sure I'll find more things tomorrow in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico to laugh at.

Words Mean Things

I remember hearing the phrase "words mean things" years ago on the radio. I had to look up who said it and it was Rush Limbaugh! I used to listen to Rush all the time as I drove around Las Vegas in a delivery van and later as a salesman. I liked most of what Rush said, and apparently some of it has stuck with me.

Getting back to "words mean things", I recently had this phrase come back to mind as I was contemplating the new law in Arizona. As most people in the United States know, Arizona recently passed SB1070 ( http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf ) which states basically that it is illegal to break the law. More specifically, if you entered the United States from another country without the proper documentation, you are subject to jail, deportation, etc...

There are those in this country that think this law will somehow infringe on the "civil liberties" of illegal immigrants. By definition "Civil Liberties" are rights and freedoms that protect an individual from the state. Civil liberties set limits on the government so that its agents cannot abuse their power and interfere unduly with the lives of private citizens. So the problem I have is that if a person is in this country illegally, they are not a citizen and therefore do not possess the same rights as me or any other citizen.

And that brings me to my point that words mean things. I have read on the internet many places and heard on the main-stream news that people that defend this law are "anti-immigrant". The one word that is missing is "illegal"... I am anti-ILLEGAL-immigrant. My ancestors came here from other countries but they came legally. That one little word really changes the meaning of the sentence, doesn't it?

Another recent topic in the news that is causing an uproar is the proposed mosque to be built near "Ground Zero" in New York. From my understanding it is proposed to be built about two blocks from where the World Trade Center towers once stood. Once again the media reports that those opposed to building the mosque in that location are infringing on the rights of Muslims to practice religious freedom. In reality I have yet to hear ANYONE say they do not have the right to build a mosque and they do not have the right to build a mosque at that location.

What I have heard many times and from from many people is that they should not build a mosque THERE. It's a simple word... there, but in this case it holds great meaning. Just build the mosque a few miles away from the site where approximately 2,700 people were killed by muslim extremists.

It's that simple: Words Mean Things. I am not anti-immirant, I am anti-ILLEGAL-immigrant. It's not that I don't think Muslims should build a mosque in New York City, I just don't think the mosque should be built THERE (the propose site - two blocks from Ground Zero).

Yes, words mean things, even words that aren't spoken.

Pet Peeves

We all have them, and now it's my turn to share some of mine! Dictionary.com defines pet peeve as: "a particular and often continual annoyance". Man, I could fill volumes with things that cause me "continual annoyance"! Here are a couple that have been on my mind recently.

This one showed itself again the other morning while I was watching one of those "home fix it" shows. The hosts were fixing up an animal rescue facility. One of the hosts looked right at the camera and said: "This place is literally bursting at the seams." I have news for him, it may be overcrowded, but it is not LITERALLY bursting at the seams. It seems that people sometimes don't understand what literally means. Again from Dictionary.com: "actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy". So, since the building wasn't actually bursting, was the host describing the situation "without exaggeration or inaccuracy"? I'd say he did not.

Amazing: “causing great surprise or sudden wonder”. I hear the word amazing used almost daily to describe such things as a car, someone’s new haircut or what they had for lunch that day. I have a difficult time thinking that a corned beef sandwich on rye bread caused someone great surprise or sudden wonder. It’s not that I mind the word itself, but it’s the overuse of amazing that bothers me.


I listen to a certain podcast on a regular basis. The podcast originates from Southern California and apparently just about EVERYTHING in So Cal is “amazing”. On a recent episode of the podcast I counted the use of the word amazing nine times in the first ten minutes. I stopped counting after that. The female host had gone to a restaurant over the weekend that was “amazing”. The food at that restaurant was “amazing”. The male host went on a date and his sandwich was “amazing” then played lazer tag and it was... amazing!

I have one word for those that think everything is AMAZING: Thesaurus. Here a few words I got from the thesaurus you might want to try in place of amazing: astounding, bewildering, breathtaking, extraordinary, impressive, marvelous, miraculous, spectacular, staggering, startling, striking, stunning, stupefying, stupendous, wonderful, wondrous.

It's literally amazing how much better I feel now that I got that off my chest!

New Blog

Obviously. That's the response I expect from anyone reading this, my first attempt at "blogging". If this goes as most new things I try, this will also be my last blog. I'm not the best at following up.

I want to thank a good friend, Rob (last name withheld) for the name of this blog. This was a saying I heard him say many times while I was young, and it stuck with me. In reality I don't expect that EVERY blog I post will be correct, that is to say I'm sure there will some opinions that I post that will change over time, but since they are MY opinions, they will be "correct".

So, with that, I will end this first post and begin to think of what I want to post next... I bet you can't wait!