Unbelievable

This weekend was a quiet one. Both the Youth-Adult league and Sunday Night Adult league had their payoffs and awards. 1st of 10 and 7th of 16, not a bad result. The only problem with weekends is that it isn't long enough. I need at least 2 more days. But the dinner at El Agave was great as usual. I never leave there hungry .. usually I am stuffed.

Media – This is getting really sad to what levels the media has stooped too. They are in such a rush to beat the other New Services to get out a sensational story that they go half-baked with the story. I am referring to the story dealing with the Koran. CBS and Rather did it with the Bush story and the list goes on and on. Now, they say “they are sorry for not getting the facts right.” EXCUSE ME, 15 people died because of your sloppy and inaccurate reporting as you rushed to be first. What is needed is that the officials who approved this story be charged with a crime. If I incite a riot or some group to commit a crime then I am just as guilty. Perhaps negligent Homicide is a good place to start. Where is your integrity News Services to provide timely and factual news? Truth in reporting should be paramount to making a lousy dollar at the expense of innocent people. I am very disappointed and a bit pissed at your callousness and greed.

I also love how the media within an hour of last night's final episode of Survivor was stirring up crap that "did the jury select the wrong winner?" Come on, it was 6-1 for Tom and besides, the jury was required to pick the winner, they did, so there is no reason to question them. Go find a better topic to report ... like lying about something or not researching a story completely.

Recruiters - Shame on you that you resorted to these low handed tactics. What happened to your pride? I do understand that the Services put extrordinary pressure on you to meet a quota but honor and integrity demand you resist that and not lower yourself. Recruiters have always been the butt of some jokes as to their underhanded tactics .. what was a joke has become reality thanks to you.

Thoughts during a moment of weakness

The Work Scene: All is going ok. I now have the authority to find and hire a new assistant engineer. So perhaps things will return to some level of normality. Though, they did add two new studio build outs and one upgrade project. Oh well, I guess I like the work since I am still here.

Next weekend (21-25) is the State Bowling Tournament followed by a quiet retreat to a mountain cabin for a long and quiet weekend with the wife.

Delta – What makes anyone’s retirement safe now that the company can drop it for financial reasons. What is sad is that the Military retirement system has been doing this for years. Our benefits have been taken away or lessened because the budget got cut. It was bad enough when a company folded and your pension disappeared but now they can just take it, pay the big bonus’s to its executives and plod on losing money. What is going on with the pensions makes me consider the merits of the private social security accounts. Let me control my future and make the changes but don’t lock me out with no say as someone else takes the money to pay for their mismanagement while paying their ungodly bonus.

Rehabilitation: Lately the rash of ex-cons killing people after their release cries for prison reform. Why can’t we just accept the fact some people can not be rehabilitated. Leading this group are the child abusers. Get the bleeding heart liberal lawyers out of the process. Perhaps we need a law change. For example: Any lawyer directly involved in the early release or termination of a court-ordered prison sentence is just as liable as the convict is if they (the convict) commit a crime after their early release. If the Convict serves their full court ordered sentence then the lawyer is relieved of that responsibility. I bet some lawyers would take a second look at what they are doing unless they believe their fee for services exceeded the pain of being in prisoner.

Nomination for the Darwin award: The two pilots in yesterday’s incident in Washington, D.C.

For my Role Playing friends:

The Duke sat there looking at his wife. She was busily sewing something but he couldn’t make hide nor hair of what it was. Finally the silence broke as he asked her a question. “M’Lady, please reconsider the request to lay out your lineage. I could order you but I would rather not go that far.” The Duchess looked up. “Which tower should I go and stay in for the answer remains no! I promised my father and I intend to keep that promise no matter what.” The Duke sighed for now he had a dilemma. Scratching his head he grasped for a straw. “Is there any way, maybe give them enough to work with but withholding the critical items?” Her eyes said plenty. A few moments later she gathered up her sewing items and stormed from the room.

Tidbits of Nonsense

All is well in Virginia. I have even been able to role-play with my friends on a more frequent basis. Maybe the work load has changed enough to allow me to return to a more regular life.

Did the State Police read my blog from 04/10/05? Yesterday, for the first time in over a year the State Police were actively cracking down on HOV violators. Six cruisers in a 3 mile stretch on I-66 had people pulled over. Thanks State Police!

Can you believe? In his news conference last Thursday night the President stated that there would be close scrutiny for price gouging in the Oil Industry in light of the record high gas prices. Well, the search doesn’t have to go far after Exxon Mobile announced a $25.33 Billion profit in 2004. I believe companies should make a profit but not at the price of gouging the people that have no alternative or their livelihood depend on their use of the product. I would go, as far to say all the oil companies will be posting mega profits at a time they cry about no crude oil. Releasing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve only adds to that profit margin.

Why not tax the Oil companies, take about 50% of that profit and use it to fix the Social Security program or subsidize the Medicare program? But don’t give them any more tax breaks to further increase their profits. The sad part is that most of the profit will go to a handful of executives who already are having trouble spending last year’s bonus.

What is next? It seems now the defense of the soldier that participated in the Iraqi prison scandal is one of “she has extreme learning difficulties.” Talk about shifting the blame to anything but her. I am curious on how she made it through the whole military screening process without manifesting it somehow? How did she complete basic training? How did she complete any advanced training? Was she just passed through like the public schools? Is the military training so easy that anyone no matter their handicap can get through? What I suspect is say anything, do anything to get out of accepting the fact you abused prisoners. Come on soldier, stand up and accept the fact you screwed up and take the punishment.

The runaway bride should face the music. If anyone else would have made a false claim to the police or 911 they would get punished. So if you would punish a child for making a false 911 calls then punish this ADULT. I know from personal experience that just giving a wrong name to the police officer results in an Identity Theft charge. So making a false claim for kidnapping should be treated the same. Oh, on a side note. Thanks media for blowing something up so much you created a media event to highlight a runaway and her lies. It saddens me to see mainstream media stoop to the tabloid level in order to get a better rating than another news source. Come on, have some integrity and become a news source and not a tabloid.

For my Role-play friends:

The Duchess sat there reading an old ancient text. Its dusty pages crackled every time she moved one. Her eyes raised from the odd looking characters on the stained page as a barrister entered the room. "M'Lady, I must implore you to give me the information so that I can complete the heraldry register." The Duchess quickly replied, "I said no." The barrister frowned, "but you must do that so the officials can verify your lineage. The King is sick and given certain circumstances, you husband can sit on the throne. But if your lineage isn't established then you can't become Queen .. just the Duchess." The Duchess looked the man in the eyes, "NO!" Her demeanor quickly changed as the young girl rounded the corner of the doorway more in a skid than a lady-like manner of walking. With the appearance of the young girl, the barrister realized his attempts would fall on the deaf ears of the Duchess. "M'ladies" as he bowed and exited the room.