economy and gasoline

I have yet to figure out the relationship between the economy and gas.  As the bottom fell out of the stock market recently, the gas prices dropped.  When the stock market was up up up, so was the price of gas.  Shouldn't it be the other way around?  As the economy struggles, wouldn't the price of gas go up?  Does that not make sense?  Or is it because no one has money, the gas prices go down.  This is probably why I would never pass an economics class (be it high school or college).  

The only reason I was thinking about this today is that gas is below two dollars a gallon today.  It went down to one dollar and ninety nine cents.  I filled up yesterday at two o' five thinking that as the stock market rallied earlier this week, gas prices would go back up again.  Guess not.  It went down again.  What the hell?  

I just don't want to think about it too much.  It hurts my head.  

childish politics

Not listening to anything right now, just watching the (possibly) final game of the world series.  Philly is winning four to three right now, bottom of the seventh inning.  As nice and fuzzy as the Tampa Bay Rays are this year, they haven't been around long enough to win the world series.  Sorry guys.  

One of A's co-workers asked her if I liked politics, what with my love of history (and you know, the whole college degree thing).  I don't.  I really don't.  Sure, all the ways they pass laws and bills is interesting, but politicians are so childish when it comes to elections.  It always starts out nice and focused on what each person wants to change or their thoughts on hot topic issues.  And that is fine, that is what it should be about.  But then it just gets nasty and mean.  Mudslinging, top notch mudslinging.  And some may think that that is what politics is about, defaming your opponent to make yourself look better, but shouldn't it be about how they will help or protect the voters' interest?

Politicians remind me of kids on the school playground getting in trouble by the teachers.  They just start naming everyone else for doing something wrong.  

As I listen to clips of McCain rallies and hear the crowd boo anytime they talk about 'that guy', or start hearing the words terrorist or traitor come out of the crowd, I think has this gone too far?  What if some 'patriotic' person tries to harm Obama?  Are they not the terrorist attacking Americans?  That is some scary stuff to think about.  

Desert Island

Listening to My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder.  I had no idea he sang this song.  

I was watching The Office (American version) at work last week.  I have no idea what season it was or even the name of the episode.  They were all standing around outside because the fire alarm went off in the building.  Anyway, they played a game to pass the time, desert island.  Basically name five *fill in the blank* you would want if you were alone on an island.  They listed books and movies, and of course I thought that would be fun......

Five movies I would want on a desert island:

• Casablanca
• Gettysburg
• Good Night and Good Luck
• Stand By Me
• The Big Lebowski

Five books I would want on a desert island:

• The Catcher in the Rye
• Prison Writings:  My Life is My Sundance
• No Country For Old Men
• The Dharma Bums
• Survivor

That's it.  That is all I would need.  Other than food and water, but that isn't part of the game.  

politics and athletes

Listening to At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash.  It is a fantastic live album, probably the best one I own.  

I watched a segment of First Take on epsn this morning.  They were debating whether or not athletes (they also mentioned musicians and actors) should openly support politicians.  A few football players from the Cleveland Browns organization have been to McCain rallies and a few have been to Obama rallies.  These players have also come out and are quoted in news papers as to supporting those candidates.  Of course they have the right to do so, but I'm on the fence on this.  

Historically speaking, Ohio is huge when it comes to the election, everyone knows that.  A big swing state, plenty of electoral votes.  The fact that the Browns are in Ohio, I think, is one reason why this can be important.  If these athletes are popular amongst the fans, some may vote for who the athlete supports.  Of course basing your vote on someone else's opinion is ridiculous.  So there is that, but still, that could be a lot of votes for one candidate or the other.  Imagine the presidential election being decided in Ohio, the election being close, and this kind of story being out there.  

This could be nothing, just a slow sports news day.  I highly doubt anything will come of this, and if it were taking place in a state like Minnesota or Colorado, it wouldn't be worth talking about.  It all has to do with location, and this time it is Ohio.  

Milk Duds

I just opened a small box of Milk Duds for a quick snack.  The little ones you get in the huge bag of halloween candy.  I enjoyed them as a kid, and still enjoy them.  Anyway, the box I just opened had one milk dud.  one.  What the hell?  

If I were a little kid who busted their ass walking around and trick or treating and opened a box of milk duds that only had one milk dud in it, dude.....  Heads would roll.  I don't know how, but I would make it happen.  

It's offical

I am old.  It is ten to nine at night and I am ready for bed.  And not the 'ready for bed' meaning going and reading for an hour.  I could go lie in bed and fall asleep.   

Work definitely took it's toll on me this week.  It was one of those weeks when everything seemed to go wrong.  I fixed what I could and was asked why I didn't fix what I didn't have time to fix.  Assholes.  

I think I'm gonna finish watching this inning of baseball and I am calling it a night.  

Mourning Jake

Listening to Give Up The Funk by George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars.  I want the funk.  Gotta have that funk.    

My parents had to put Jake to sleep last week.  It got to the point where he was having trouble moving and standing up.  It was time.  He was really really old.  Especially for a shih tzu.  I can't even remember how old I was.  Had to be fifth or sixth grade.  At any rate, a long time.  

I remember when he was just a puppy and we kept all his toys in this wicker basket.  He couldn't get to the one at the very bottom.  He got half of his body into the basket before he got stuck and then just started running as best he could to try to get that elusive toy.  So here he is running all around the family room trying to get to that toy and is pushing the basket all over the place.  Something you see on america's funniest home video.  The entire family was just rolling with laughter.  

I'm not an emotional person, but this was hard.  Jake was my first real pet.  When I was really young, my sister had a dog, Lady.  A dog they picked up from the pound.  I didn't have much connection with her.  But Jake.  He was the first pet I had that I really loved.  I always loved it when he slept in my bed.  I don't know why.  It felt like a connection when he slept at the foot of my bed, or on my legs, or by my side.  Wherever he was on the bed.  

I'm gonna miss going home and having Jake there.  

old navy ad

One of the most unfortunate 'holidays' is coming up.  Columbus Day.  How does some raping, pillaging, murdering douche bag get a day named after him?  I always ignored the columbus day sales.  Whatever companies can use to boost sales, they'll do it.  

I was taken aback by Old Navy a couple of weeks ago.  I was watching tv, and an old navy ad came on with the tag line of 'party like it's 1492'.  Yeah, I'm gonna party like there are people getting raped and murdered.  I'm gonna party like there are some new guys taking full advantage of my people.  What a party.  It'll be a block party.  Fuckers.  How do they not research this?  News flash people:  Christopher Columbus was an arrogant asshole.  Dude deserves no respect.  He didn't even 'discover' anything.  People make arguments for the Vikings hanging out in north eastern canada for a while.  And then there is us...the native americans!  Yeah, let's talk about us.  we've been here for quite a while, despite the fact that the united states government tried to push us into the pacific ocean.  

This is why I could never be a history teacher for little kids.  We would get to him in the history books and I would have kids running home and asking their parents what a murdering douche bag was.  I can't stand the fact that people know what he did and still have a day with his name.  

Wear a black arm band, print and hand out some flyers, do something proactive against the guy who murdered at will.  Go back in time and kick him in the junk if you can.  Put a hole in his ships so he never gets to the western hemisphere.  

He is on my list of historical figures I would go back and kill.  Him and Hitler.  Yeah, I just put him on a list with another mass-murdering fuck head.  

And he deserves it.  

dirty.

I'm watching Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel.  

Mike Rowe is a MAN.  Chuck Norris wears Mike Rowe footie pajamas.  Yeah, I said it.  

I think the only people on TV that are more manly than Mike Rowe are the guys from the Deadliest Catch show.  

Mike Rowe wears Deadliest Catch footie pajamas.  

right to protest

listening to Bombs Over Baghdad by Outkast.  

Living in Kansas I now just expect to see dumb shit going on.  This is a very red state.  Red to the point of disturbing.  If there isn't an 'adoption is the only choice' or 'repent or die a horrible death' on every other fence post along the highway someone isn't doing their job.  The further west you get the more overbearing it gets.  

So after work yesterday, I was in need of some hops and barley because it was the end of a very long weekend.  It wasn't too long ago that I couldn't go buy beer because there was no alcohol sales on Sunday (weird, I know).  anyway, I went to a local establishment and as I'm sitting at an intersection waiting for the light to change there is a line of about two dozen people with signs.  Faaaaaantastic, abortion protesters.  I'm not gonna sit here and complain about the fact that they were protesting it, I'm gonna sit here and talk about the fact that there were families with signs.  

Listen, believe what you want.  Stand up for what you want.  That is the wonder of the Bill of Rights.  Amendment number one:  freedom of assembly.  Rock out, get your assembly on.  It was peaceful.  They weren't yelling or screaming they were standing around holding their abortion kills children signs.  It was the fact that they brought their kids with them.  Jesus, leave the kids at home to watch cartoons while you go out and make asses of yourselves.  Throw on the christian channel and let them get their t.v. church on.  It was one of those moments when you wish you were in a movie so you could run someone over and they would be fine.  

Fucking morons.  Don't drag your kids to something they don't understand.  The only thing they know is what you tell them, which is going to be twisted because you are some religious nut job who wants to save everyone and everything.  

Faith is fine, and so is religion.  But the minute you start using it for an agenda you have lost the point.  Every time you try to tell someone they are going to hell for not believing what you believe, you are missing the point of being religious.  I was out last summer with a few friends and we were just drinking and having a good time.  I said something and then followed it up with 'well, I'm going to hell for that, but at least it'll be a party.' or something along those lines.  My friend then looks at me and goes off on how I need to try my best to get into heaven and save myself and blah blah blah.  I'll believe what I want and you can't change that in me.  It was ridiculous.   

I just can't stand those kinds of people and I only met people like that down here in Kansas.  Says a lot about this state.  Just sayin'.

Kansas living

Just a quick little note to make a point that I have been living in Kansas for three years.  Time has just flown by.  

I still miss the winters in Michigan and the huge lakes.  I have adapted to the state I live in now.  However, I would love to move back home or closer to home.  

Mike and Mike

I was very excited about Mike and Mike in the Morning this morning because they had Barack Obama on the show today.  Yes, I will be paying more attention to Obama on a sports talk show than going toe to toe with McCain in a debate.  

So I TIVOed (I think that is a word now in the English language) the show because he wasn't going to be on until eight in the morning.  I'm watching and listening right now, and I cannot vote for Barck Obama.  It isn't some policy I don't agree with, it isn't his stance on any hot button issue....

...I can't vote for him because he is a White Sox fan.  Yes, it is true.  He is not getting my vote because he rocks a Sox cap while watching baseball.  Sorry kids, it's true.  

(okay, not really.)

heartbeat to a new president

listening to Golden Years by Bowie.  A great song ruined by A Knight's Tale.  Movies can do that.  

I have been listening and reading up a little bit on the two presidential candidates.  This whole election thing kind of makes it important, I suppose.  *disgusted sigh*

One comment that keeps coming up is that Sarah Palin is one heart attack away from being president.  The point is that she doesn't have much experience and what will she do if she is thrust into that situation.  What about Joe Biden?  He is a heart attack away as well.  But isn't brought up or discussed because his running mate is so much younger.  

That should be a question for the VP debate:  'If your running mate dies of a heart attack, how would you run this country?'  

Sounds cold doesn't it?  But that is basically what the press is pointing to with their comments about Palin being in that situation.