Random Thought Roundup for 2021

 Driving through Atlanta recently I saw a sign for the Ralph David Abernathy Freeway. I have never seen Abernathy's middle name on anything else. So, I am left to assume that somewhere else in Atlanta is a Ralph Bocephus Abernathy Freeway.

 I can hardly wait for the Joseph Robinette Biden toll road. I think that Hunter Biden is directing the financing on that road.

The Chinese have the Year of the Rat, the Year of the Dragon, etc. In America, 2021 was the Year of the Moron. We are working for the names of the three remaining Biden years. 

Kamala Harris is the first female insurance policy. She is Vice-President to ensure that Biden will not get impeached. Someone once asked Trey Gowdy, "Why don't you impeach Barack Obama?" He responded, "Because I have met Joe Biden."

The CDC thinks that I should wear a mask to keep people who have been vaccinated from catching COVID. That's about as logical as requiring that I wear a diaper to keep Biden from shitting in his pants.

Only in America do we build a highway that cost millions of dollars and call it a "freeway".

Aaron Rodgers was interviewed on some radio show yesterday and had this to say, “If science can’t be questioned,” he told Pat McAfee, “It’s not science anymore. It’s propaganda.” Readers are left to their own reactions.

The government is releasing information on UFOs but will still not release all of the information about the assassination of President Kennedy more than 58 years ago. Inquiring minds still want to know.

If the government ever releases the unredacted government files on Martin Luther King, will any street names be changed? Any statues coming down? All of our human gods have feet of clay. Just pointing that out.

Having driven through Atlanta several times in the last few weeks, my plan is to go back in time and pay Sherman to go back to Atlanta and finish the job. 

2022 will be Richard Burr's last year in the United States Senate. Burr was my congressman for several terms before he ascended to the Senate. He is the cautionary tale for not letting people serve in government for long periods. After voting to impeach Trump when he was no longer President, I doubt that he has much of a future in North Carolina politics. Burr should be pretty comfortable with all of the investments he made from that confidential info he had access to as a Senator. 

I am not going to say that the 2020 elections were rigged, but in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper was reelected, and Mark Robinson was elected Lt. Governor. There is just no way that anyone voted for both of those guys.

Democrats support Biden because they believe that mental competence is overrated. 

Biden said it best.

Let's Go Brandon!!

Missing "The Old Man"

 I used to enjoy watching Pawn Stars on television. Now, I would rather set my crotch on fire than watch that show. Why? Because without Richard Harrison Sr. or "The Old Man", as he was known, the show just sucks. It's just a fairy tale with bad actors. Is "Chum Lee" really that stupid? Is Rick really that arrogant? Is "Big Hoss" really that dull and lifeless? Without "The Old Man" to provide balance, watching that show is like watching the Democratic Party's National Convention.

Is it just Pawn Stars that I am whining about? Of course not, I am talking about lots of shows and groups. When Barney Fife (Don Knotts) left the Andy Griffith Show, the show was over. They hung on for a few more seasons, but it was never the same again. Here in North Carolina, many stations still show Andy Griffith reruns, but they never show the episodes after Barney left. The magic was gone. The chemistry that made that show work was finished. Time to move on!

I enjoyed American Pickers on the poorly named "History Channel". In my "stuff for sale" business, I considered that show to be something like a Continuing Education Program. Not that there was any realism in their prices, but the odd items always fascinated me. Without the diminutive Frank Fritz and his atrocious grammar and destruction of the English language, the show sucks as badly as Pawn Stars. I don't think that Mike and his butt licking brother Robbie can carry the show. As far as a "reality" show, if I open my door and a woman who looks like Danielle is standing there, I am slamming that door closed. Bring back Frank Fritz or make a living actually selling that crap they buy.

Tim Allen in Last Man Standing is now officially pathetic. The doofus imitation Mandy, the little Asian girl, and the new, improved(?) Kyle have taken the show to the depths of mediocrity. Kyle now appears to have spent the last two years bicycling through Denver as some kind of missionary. Watching Last Man Standing leaves me longing for "Swamp People". 

The Democratic Party is in the throes of a similar situation. They have a handful of normal adults in the party who are being overruled by the "progressives" who are hellbent on self-destruction. They are hanging on the edge of a cliff taunting Joe Manchin to kick them over the edge. If Manchin leaves the Democratic Party, they will be the "Pawn Stars" of political parties.

I ran a restaurant in Greensboro for twenty-one years. Ten years ago, the owner sold the business to one of his sons. He went off to run another restaurant that he owned, and I left to do anything that didn't involve working for his kid. For the last ten years, I have run into old customers who want to talk about the old restaurant. They almost all say the same thing, "It's just not the same."  

So, what's the message here? It is simple, the personalities of the characters are what determines the success or failure of all kinds of enterprises. Whether you are cooking pancakes, buying old stuff, or simply trying to entertain people, it is all about chemistry and human interaction in order to achieve success. Somebody has to be different from the others.

If you don't believe me, ask MSNBC or CNN about their ratings. They have spent the last six years attacking Donald Trump. Memo to the major media groups: Trump is no longer President. Without Trump to kick around, the networks are ratings skydivers freefalling to see who will hit the ground first. The only survival hope for MSNBC and CNN is that they have to get Trump reelected. Okay, maybe they can get Joe Manchin to switch parties.

As Joe Biden says,

Let's Go Brandon!!

Merry Christmas!!

 Today is Christmas. Just like those stories about truces at Christmas during World War I, I am conducting a ceasefire on politics and other issues during the holiday. Enjoy!

As a child, I was blessed with a good memory and a rather loud voice. Gifted in these two areas, I was in demand for performances at church during the Christmas season. In the 1960's, the Revised Standard Version of the Bible was pretty popular and was the version normally used for Christmas productions. So much like Linus in the Charlie Brown Christmas, I could recite the Christmas Story from Luke 2. at request. To avoid causing you to get a Bible to read it, here it is.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;  for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Reflections from the Road VER 12.23

In the last 5 weeks, I drove to Louisiana twice. It's a two-day drive each way for me, so I had plenty of time for field trips in my mind. Thus, another edition of Reflections from the Road.

The Senate is tied at 50-50, Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats need every vote to pass anything. So naturally enough, they attack and vilify Joe Manchin and then wonder why he doesn't vote with them on everything. Meanwhile, they talk about how mean Trump's comments are. 

The Gang of Five leading the Democrats into political oblivion in the House think that they can do or say anything, and people will just listen to their swill and agree. Might be time for that band of broads to make a reality check.

AOC claims that she represents more people than Joe Manchin. With math skills like that, she is made for government work. 

Ilhan Omar married her own brother and talks shit about people from West Virginia. How's that working for your politics, Honey?

Meanwhile in the Senate, the Democrats are all former Presidential candidates who couldn't beat out Cameltoe Harris for the VP job. 

Cameltoe Harris reminds me of an old adage that went something like this: Two brothers grew up and headed out for a career. One became a sailor and went out to sea. The other became the Vice President. Neither was ever heard from again.

Why doesn't the media "fact check" anything and everything that Jen Psaki says?

Have you noticed that Biden has started laughing like Cameltoe after he gives stupid answers to questions?

Biden claimed that nobody saw the rise in COVID cases coming this winter. Then he laughed. Ray Charles, Helen Keller, Ronnie Milsap, and Stevie Wonder all saw this coming.  Of course, even the dead among that list are sharper than Joe.

Liberals are claiming that Joe Manchin will be to blame when climate change destroys the planet. If liberals would just shut up, the hot air and toxic fumes would drop quickly. 

A few years ago, the environmental extremists were all upset about the "hole in the ozone". I liked to torment them by asking "How do you know how long that hole has been there?" 

I love to listen to all of that "average temperature of the earth" crap. They are working with manipulated and false data. Are all of the temperature reporting stations using identical equipment and identical reporting station construction? I will save you the trouble of going to Google and tell you that the answer is "No". 

Before you climb on your high horse about how we need to listen to scientists, science once told us that the sun circled the earth.  How about those old maps that said, "Beyond here, there be dragons"? What about all of those soldiers who watched nuclear bomb tests in the desert without proper protection? Think about those guys the next time you wonder why no one believes Fauci about COVID or anything else. Wonder why people don't believe the government about vaccines? 

Fauci said, "I represent science." Science should sue him for lack of support.

I hate to split hairs, but is a vaccine that allows you to get a disease, transmit that disease to others, and even die of the disease, actually a vaccine?

Other than making it difficult for hearing-impaired people to read lips and hiding ugly faces, do face masks actually work? This is because the Democratic Party mantra is, "We have to do something". Even if it doesn't work or is illegal. 

Let's Go Brandon!!

RIP Bobby McLamb

 My wife's brother, Bobby McLamb, passed away on November 23. Susan and I were both there when he passed. He had been ill for several years with lung cancer and other issues. His cancer was attributed to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Bobby said that spraying Agent Orange from a helicopter was a typical government screwup. The propwash from the rotors just sucked the spray back into the chopper. He survived his time in Vietnam (and other countries where they weren't allowed to say they had been) but he could not survive Agent Orange. He joins thousands of others killed by government stupidity.

In an apparent moment of insanity, the family tasked me with writing his obituary. So, as family members gathered the next evening to start preparing Thanksgiving dinner, I asked family members to tell me something about Bobby that they thought was important. The results are Bobby's obituary. 

Someone (Not a family member) asked me why the obituary did not mention any family members. I explained that in my world, obituaries are about the deceased, not those remaining alive. If you want your name in print, buy an ad. If you want to know about how the family is doing, pick up a phone. Try a personal visit.

So here is our obituary for Bobby.

"Tuesday, we lost our beloved brother, Bobby McLamb, after an extended struggle with Agent Orange related lung cancer. Fifty years after serving our country in Vietnam, Bobby paid the ultimate price for our nation's freedom. After eighteen years in the U.S. Army, Bobby worked several years as a contractor flying helicopters in Saudi Arabia. He came back home to work as an over the road truck driver. He worked at this until he was diagnosed with lung cancer. At a family gathering for Thanksgiving, family members shared their thoughts about Bobby. Here are some of their comments. "He was always kind to dogs." "Bobby was always smiling." Many noted "He was always wearing black." "He had great stories about travel." "He was a man who lived a thousand lives", remarked one nephew. A visitation for Bobby will be held Saturday, November 27, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Hwy, Gonzales, Louisiana 70737, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM. Bobby will be laid to rest in Hope Haven Garden of Memory, 604 E. Hwy 30, Gonzales, Louisiana 70737. Instead of flowers, the family asks that you honor Bobby by making donations to animal shelters or the Salvation Army. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oursofh.com for the McLamb family".

RIP Bobby

Reflections from the road VER 12.19.21

 Yes, i know that I haven't posted anything in more than a month. My thanks to the three of you who read this and may have noticed that fact. I have been out of town for more than three weeks in the last month. I started with a car show in Moultrie, Georgia and ended my road trips with an estate cleaning in Louisiana. My wife's brother passed away a couple of days before Thanksgiving (more on that in the next post) and we spent a lot of time there.

Zig Ziglar used to say that the "Wisdom of the Ages" is "There ain't no free lunch". This should be tattooed on the palm of everyone serving in government. Write this down! Somebody somewhere is going to have to pay for someone else to get free shit. As an example, "Free" universal Pre-K has to be paid for by someone, usually someone who doesn't have a band of illegitimate children filling their home. Universal Pre-K is just another attempt to expand the indoctrination of our children by the Communists or as the news media calls them, progressives. It also serves as "free" daycare for those parents who don't want their loafing time taken by raising their children.

The witless wonder, AOC, has declared that the federal government should "cancel" payments on student loans. The mental midget from New York claims that she cannot afford to pay the $17,000 she owes on student loans. She makes $174,000 a year in Congress. Call me when you are serious, dimwit.

Why should the government cancel student loans? Will they also cancel car payments and home mortgages? Again, we return to Ziglar's message. "There ain't no free lunch!" For the government to cancel student loans, rent, car payments, or mortgages, someone else is going to have to pay them. Who? Taxpayers.

Bernie Sanders purports to be a "Progressive" or a "Socialist". He isn't, he's a Communist. He believes in a ruling class. If you don't agree with me, explain his three homes and the $180,000 Audi that he drives. 

Memo to Congress: There aren't enough millionaires to balance the budget. The middle class has historically borne the brunt of the tax burden in this country. It won't change without the nation going bankrupt.

The media is enthralled with "progressives. Why don't they tell us what it is we are progressing towards?

While on the road, I went to an Ingles grocery store in Bremen, Georgia. I purchased some sesame chicken at the Asian section in the deli. My quart of chicken came with a fortune cookie. Normally, I ignore the fortune cookie's message. I just eat the cookie and toss the message. That evening, I decided to read the message. In the few words in that message was everything that we need to remember about politics and the media. It is the "Joe Biden fortune cookie". The message was simple. It read "No job is so simple that it cannot be done wrong." Those eleven words sum up everything important that I have learned about business and government in my life.

 "LET'S GO BRANDON!!"