Nothing But Class

Crawford confirms he gave Olympic medal to Martina

By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer Jan 30, 10:21 pm EST

NEW YORK (AP)—Shawn Crawford confirmed that he gave his Olympic silver medal to Churandy Martina, the sprinter who finished second in the 200 meters but was later disqualified for running out of his lane.

“I’m like, if a guy is 10 meters in front of me, I don’t care if he stayed in the middle of his lane,” Crawford told The Associated Press on Friday after finishing third in the 60 at the Millrose Games. “He was going to beat me anyway. He didn’t impede in anybody’s race.”

Crawford, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, originally came in fourth in Beijing. Teammate Wallace Spearmon was third but was disqualified for running out of his lane.

American officials studied video of the race and then filed a protest against Martina for the same error. Martina and his Netherland Antilles team have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that the protest was filed too late under rules set by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Martina finished in 19.82 seconds behind world record-setter Usain Bolt. Crawford’s time was 19.96.

“It wasn’t about doing the right thing. It’s just me as an athlete—I feel like we all compete and train for four years to get to the Olympic Games,” Crawford said. “We got there, he was told he finished second after all that, he took a victory lap. I can understand his humiliation and embarrassment and all that.

“Me being an athlete, I know how he feels, so I feel like it was to me to give it up to him.”

Crawford left the medal for Martina at a hotel during a meet shortly after the Olympics. The two have since spoken about it.

“He was very surprised, thankful about it,” Crawford said. “He thought it was very big of me to step up like that.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-crawford-relinquishingmedal&prov=ap&type=lgns

Reprint from Yahoo sports

Stuff Happens

I couldn't help but notice and sympathize with the people suffering through the winter storm that ran through the south in the last week. I think I read where power was out to almost 16 million homes and it may take weeks before it is restored. I also read where President Obama has signed for emergency Federal Funds to be made available for Kentucky and Arkansas to help them in their time of need.

Now, I don't want to sound petty or vindictive but I have a few issues here. I think before any money goes to the State of Kentucky we need to consider both Senators McConnell and Bunning, plus the Governor Beshear stepping aside. This isn't the first time their state has been unprepared for winter weather, and it's not the first time they've come with their hands out. It sounds to me like they don't have a sound business plan for managing the state that the voters entrusted to them. Also why are we so quick to run and just hand them money when we know, with the same management, it will only happen again. And they again will show up with their hands out.

Sounds pretty lame, huh? Heartless, maybe. Stupid, you bet! but as the song goes:

"Except for the names and a few other changes, if you're talking about me the story's the same one"

It wasn't 60-days ago that the Senators from Kentucky basically said those same words to the executives of the domestic auto makers. Who came with hat in hand to save their companies, and also save the people in Detroit whom are so dependant upon those companies for survival.

See, whether it's man made or natural, a disaster is still a disaster, and people needlessly suffer.

Sorry Kentucky, you'll find no tears here.....karma

Natalie Grace and The Stanley Cup

This is a reprint of a piece written by my son-in-law Mike.

August 14, 2008

Good Morning Sports Fans.

The gods were smiling on us yesterday. First thing in the morning Chris suggested that Natalie ought to wear her Detroit Red Wings onesie that granddad Barry had sent. It’s cute, it’s pink, it’s sports attire, and it was the first time to wear it.. I could not have been happier at the suggestion.

Then as I am getting ready for work Art calls and leaves a message that the Stanley Cuo would be visiting Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

I assume it was fate. Natalie in her Red Wings Gear. Lord Stanley’s Cup in display. And a New Haven culinary landmark. I had to get picture of her with the Cup.

But as the appointed time drew near, Chris warned Natalie had been fussing most of the day. Bets were laid. I’d never get her even close to Wooster Street before she pitched fit and had to come home.

Fortunately, however, Natalie Grace decided to bring her best behavior and we got to Pepe’s and she was mostly sleeping. But once we got inside she woke up to see the Cup.

Taking her out of the car seat she immediately drew “oohs” and “Ahhs” and “Omigod you gotta see this, she’s got a Red Wings onesie.” Instantly the star of the show.

So now they are calling for Chris Scoppetto to come see the youngest Wings fan of the day.

“That’s great that you brought her out – how old is she?”

“Six weeks, today.”

Silly me I’m assuming it’s still going to be tough to get close. “Do you think we can get her close enough to take a picture next to the Cup?”

“Next to the Cup? Hell we’ll get pictures of he in the Cup!”

Amazing - I wait 38 years to kiss the Cup. She gets to ride around in it after barely 38 days.

All this and Pepe’s apizza. A good day.

Enjoy the pictures and Buy the New Haven Register. Natalie made the Masthead (under the teaser “Italian Ice” and page one of the sports section.

Visitors

Please feel free to comment or add thoughts to any topic I write about. They are welcome even if they are critical provided they are done constructively.

Saturdays

Saturdays are my float days. Now when I say Saturday is a float day it means it can take several different directions. Today I was supposed to go up north with my partner from work this weekend to help him fix his snowmobile but as luck would have it I came down with a bug, so here I am. Or Saturdays can be my clean house day (when you're single you only have to do that once a week unless company is expected, or laundry day, or supermarket day, or haircut day, or lawn mowing day, or special project day or the best of all, do nothing day.

Well as the fates would have it "do nothing day" was not in the cards. It's one thing when I'm out of food that's why God created pizza....but run out of cat food around here and your toes become an appetizer sometime around 2:00am. So damn the 16 degree weather, damn the fact that I feel like heck, out the door I go. Now as long as I was going out I decided to make it worth it so I grabbed a couple of prescriptions I needed refilled and then called my barber Joe to see if he had an opening. Now Joe has been cutting my hair since 1972 and we've been through a lot together, so I made no bones of telling him that I wasn't feeling well and if he'd rather I pass we can make it next week. He said "heck no, come in at 1:00" so since it was 12:15 I headed towards him first.

Now I hadn't had a haircut since a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving so I looked like a roadie for a rock band. Joe's seen my hair at every length imaginable from below the shoulder blades to mu Republican cut. He kids me that my hair grows faster than anybody he knows and always asks if I'm ready to get rid of a little of this gray I've earned. So he washed my hair then started to cut and we began talking about his business and the economy in general. Barbers, in case you didn't know it, are nothing more than sober bartenders. They always listen and rarely disagree but Joe isn't shy about letting his point of view be known on a topic. I always ask him if he's doing ok and still cutting his regular customers hair if they fell on hard times. He replies I cut two or three guys a week and don't charge them because they've been long time customers.

Now the thing is I believe Joe when he tells me this because there was a time many years ago I stopped in to get a haircut and I paid him for it, then said "Joe I usually give you a tip and I'm sorry but things are tight right now, so I can't". Joe smiled, said "Barry don't worry about it" then handed me back my money. As he did he said "You and I have been down the road together so today it's on me, no arguments", I thanked him and walked out the door, dragging my pride behind me like a shadow.

Finally Joe is done, hold up the mirror and says we cut a ton of hair today. I thank him climb out of the chair and walk to the counter. He says "that'll be twenty dollars" and I hand him forty. He looks and says "do you want change"? I say "no Joe, just keep cutting hair for those guys that need it". Joe smiles and says "thanks Barry, see you in six weeks". Now Joe knows I'm no shooter nor am I rich, but he also knows that I've walked in their shoes, and if he can help them, then why shouldn't I.

From there I was off to the drive up window at Walgreen's, I dropped off my script's and head down pothole alley, Orchard Lake Road, headed for the Pet Supplies store. I walked in and saw this woman with a German Shepard and we exchanged hi's and I told her she had a beautiful dog. I petted the dog for a moment and headed for the cat food isle. Mentally I running through Fuzzy's menu for the week. Let's see; Monday-Turkey and Giblets, Tuesday-Salmon, Wednesday-Chicken, Thursday-Beef....wait she doesn't like beef....Seafood Feast....you get the point. The darn cat eats better than I do. I check out and head to Kroger's for a little human food.

Now Kroger is kind of the highlight of all this but I need to preface a portion of this by saying I' a baby boomer. A product of the 60's and 70's, free love, protests, bell-bottom jeans, tie-dyed tee shirts, Woodstock, never trust anyone over 30, ban the bra, hard rock and roll with a message generation and we've come a long way. Now, we are in our 50's and beyond, we don't trust anyone under 40, we think you look silly with eyebrow piercings and tattoo's, your music all has the same beat or rhythm, and you might want to mix in a comb on your hairstyles. We are still the last true rebels.

So I park at the back of the lot because it's good to walk when you get to my age, and besides because of all this global warming 20% of all the parking spots are filled with snow so it was the only place to park. I grab a basket that was left near by Jeep and push it towards the door. Mentally I'm running down my list through my head: hamburger for chili, onion, bread sticks, coffee, and as the sliding door opens to enter the store I get hit with the opening chord from "We Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who.

I'm thinking...damn....that's sweet! So ahead I go strutting my stuff to the Who waltzing through the produce section feeling invincible. By the time I go over to the bread isle I was listening to "Hair" by the Cowsills, and I was certain at one point I sang out loud but I think I caught myself before anyone heard me. Onward I went from isle to isle, buying stuff I really didn't need, reliving my high schools day and thinking every few minutes...we did that song.

Now all the while as I'm shopping, I'm looking around and just about anyone with a twinge of gray is pretty much bopping around the way I am. And I bet their thinking the same thing I am. Our music, our rock and roll, music we partied too, music we romanced too, music of a rebellious generation, relegated to canned music in a Kroger store. In the words of my friend Red " Who'd a thunk it"!!

So As I went through the self-serve checkout I made sure I didn't get real carried away, and think God I didn't find any Boonesfarm or Strawberry Hill in my basket. And as I pushed my basket to my car it dawned on my why I don't mind grocery shopping. For 35 minutes a week I get to jump into the way-back machine and relive some awesome memories.

Before you laugh, think about it? The Go-Go's, Boy George, Boys to Men all in your grocery store in another 10 years.

Good Things Happen Too

A report in the local newspaper this week tells the story of a struggling restaurant owner up in Muskegon, Michigan. It seems the owner is a decent guy, that treats his employees well and even goes without taking a check, every now and then, to be sure that his employees get paid.

Last week they decided that it's their turn to return the favor, so five of them including the including the cooks and waitstaff worked a full day and donated their wages to the owner. The only thing they took for their days work was the tip money which amounted to $54.

Now this effort probably won't make a significant difference in what the owner makes but it's the thought that counts. People helping people....we sometime overlook it.

If You Want Change You Need to Own It

First I need to go on record as saying I have a great disdain for George W Bush. There are those close to me that will tell you I predicted most everything he has done within days of his being elected the first time. He's a transparent man that is easy to read, so the predictions weren't hard. I believe that history, 100 years from now, will judge him as the worst President to ever hold the office. Personally I view him a "Nero" who fiddled as Rome burned.

Furthermore, I need to say I like Barack Obama. I would have preferred Bill Richardson, but I think Obama has what it take to be a good President but you'll have to excuse me if I look at him through the eyes of a skeptic.

Barack you were given a mandate by the citizen of this great country because you promised change. Thus far the majority of your appointments look like a recirculation of the Clinton Administration and that is fine if they are the most qualified but it hardly is change.

During your campaign you promised the American people that you would implement stiff guidelines to remove the influence of lobbyists in the law making process. And true to your word you did exactly that, expect you put a waiver in for a chosen few, that some of your recycled bureaucrats want as advisers in your administration. That hardly sounds like limited influence.

You also pledged, as you stood next to John McCain at a dinner honoring him, to reduce earmarks, pork and wasteful spending from any new legislation. The following is some statistics put together by a guy on Craigslist:


http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stimulus

What is an earmark?

This economic stimulus bill is filled with earmarks. 817 Billion dollars of your money that was supposed to stimulate the economy is going to do nothing more than create a greater dependence on a welfare state.

Your congress passed the following:

50 Million for National Endowment for the arts. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

2.1 Billion for Headstart. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

2.0 Billion to Childcare block grants. Government paying for babysitting is going to stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

120 Million to fund part time work for seniors working for community service agencies? How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

5 million earmarked to speed up the processing of social security disability claims. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

20 Billion for increasing welfare / food stamp spending. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

1.7 Billion to assist the homeless. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

1 billion for low income home heating assistance program How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

200 Million for meals on wheels. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

200 Million for Americorps. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

5 billion for public housing. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

87 billion for Medicaid. How does that stimulate the economy? This is an earmark.

He missed the 18 million for sod replacement in Washington D.C. and again does it belong here?

Now I am not going to start out of the gate lambasting you. I promised I would give you a chance and see if you were a man of words or a man of action but I have to say, so far, I'm a little disappointed. But not surprised. See first and foremost you are a politician, and politicians, regardless of their party affiliation tend to forget what they said on the campaign trail after the election is won. The problem is Mr. President, we the people, cannot afford more of the same.

Therefore I will not lambaste you. Instead I turn to the American people and say to them; if you really want change then YOU have to make it happen. You have to champion for it, you have to own it. Because if you don't....then all is surely lost.

The days of being the lazy American, sitting back and letting others do the dirty work are over! The baby boomers inherited a life that was paid for on the backs, the sweat and blood of our fathers and mothers.

We contributed free love and Dr. Spock! Oh and real rock and roll! That's our claim to fame. And because of Dr. Spock we have a couple of generations past us with this distorted sense of entitlement and lack of compassion for their fellow man. Its always been provided for them. They never had to create anything. Have you ever noticed they can't even come up with original thoughts for movies? They have to do remakes every year.

The CHANGE we need is not only in our politicians but in our society, and the people that live it. This so called stimulus bill reads like a democratic who's who checklist. Wasn't this bill supposed to stimulate the economy? To provide money for jobs so that the citizens of this country could keep a roof over their heads and food on the table for their family's? DO YOU HONESTLY FEEL THIS BILL DOES THAT? Really?

Now keep in mind that most of these earmarks are needed and there is justification for them, but I believe they belong in a spending bill, a budget, not a "stimulus" package. One of my pet peeves about Bush was how he treated the American people like idiots. He'd submit a budget to congress and forget to include the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Duh!!! George, unlike you the last book I read was not an upside down children's book. And folks this is the same thing! Different type of idiot but the same damn thing.

Now the question is what do we do about it? Well people get involved! Instead of sitting on your ass and watching reality shows, look up your Senator and Congressman's email address and let them know, this isn't change, and it ain't gonna fly! And while Mr. Obama may be guaranteed a job for the next 4 years, he or she may not be as lucky. Tell them to stop playing politics with the future of your children and grandchildren.

Have you ever looked at what people in government are paid? The elected officials I mean. Have you ever seen a poor Senator or Congressman? Nope, me neither! Why? Hell if I have to explain it then you shouldn't be here reading. People you elected the man for CHANGE now DEMAND IT!! Because if you don't...I fear for this country.

Over the years I've been in a lot of political debates, with a lot of people, and the Internet has provided me with a broader spectrum of people of which I can interact and get their opinions, and that's good. It allows all of us to sense change and I have seen something uttered that I haven't heard since I was a young man in the late 60's and early 70's. That word is revolution. I seen it written and spoken more times in the last few years than I can keep track of.

The other day I called my brother to tell him what I had just heard on the radio, Mejier's was having a 50% off sale that included Winchester ammunition. A radio commercial for ammunition! Other than hunting season I have never heard of such a thing. The under-current is there people, look around and listen.

The problem is millionaire politicians are fooling themselves if they think the general population is just going to let the middle class slip away. They forget they govern the most heavily armed population in the world.

So, does that make you think? Do you see why we the people need to wrap our arms around change, and embrace it? This time words are not enough. Our leader need to drop the party line and put the best interest of this nation ahead of party politics. If they don't they may not like the consequence.

Now, for the record, again, I do not condone any form of violence, but as an American it is my obligation to question my leaders, and to let them know if I think they are not doing their job. But I do it with the written word, and I hope others will join me.

We've already had "Nero", but you can be sure of one thing. When Rome, the largest empire to ever rule on this planet, fell...nobody saw it happening nor did they believe it could happen, but it did. Never fool yourself to think it can't happen here. Work for change!

Relocated Thoughts

Here are some things I have posted on Craigslist. I've decided to consolidate them over here.

On This MLK Day

Date: 2009-01-19, 11:12AM EST


When you think about it we are standing on the cusp of a very historic moment, but more so, a defining moment in time. As we celebrate Mr. King and his vision of equality, and we await the swearing in of Mr. Obama as the first bi-racial President you wonder if people realize the scope of the moment.

The obvious is that MLK's vision is being fulfilled with the election of Obama but I think there is more to it than that.

Living in Detroit I have seen racial unrest and racial harmony at their worst and best. I lived through the 67 riots and was in the city when they started. I also marched in the 70's with Focus Hope and marched against decidedly racist police policies here in Detroit. I also walked away from a well paying job in the early 90's than knowingly take part in racial discrimination against a man that worked for me. And it's these experiences that spring to mind when I look around at the activities of this week.....

This moment....while historic to many, is also life changing for the bigots of this country both black and white! The facts bear out that the majority of society has moved past the typical stereotypes about African-Americans. So while the racist fodder may continue, it only makes the authors look more ignorant than before.

On the other side of the coin, those that constantly want to play the race card, no longer have an ace in the hole for the exact same reasons. Too often the race card has been used as an excuse or justification for an action but now with the election of a bi-racial President it become all too apparent that, regardless of color, if you work for it you may achieve it!

For you and I, it is a day to look at how far we have come in such a short time....for others it's a time to look inward and reassess themselves. In any event we can only pray that today is truly the beginning of a new tomorrow!


A Plan For The Big-3

Date: 2009-01-18, 11:32PM EST


After months of humiliation and verbal abuse from this country and its leaders, perhaps it's time for the Big-3 to respond. They want you to be leaner, more competitive and to bring your business model into the 21st century. I couldn't help but notice that the Big-3 has manufacturing or assembly plants in 40 of the 50 states. Most of these are the same states that told you to kiss their collective asses when you asked for a loan. And there was nothing you could do but stand there and grin.

Now is the time to show the rest of the country just how much your actions and survival impact them. Start by contracting your plants back into the great lakes region. By bringing all of your jobs to Michigan, Ohio and Indiana you will minimize your supply network and create a regional power base in the only area left in this country with an abundant supply of water. Of course the other benefits would be that the recovery in our region would accelerate far beyond the rest of the country. Our home prices will rebound as well, based upon full employment. And we'll still welcome all those "southerners" that want to come to our area to work. I say let them come just don't pay them any more than the "import" workers make in the south.

The benefits and possibilities are endless. Not to mention when you take a regional population of about 21 million people, where the majority have some connection financially to the domestic auto manufacturers, you would think it would produce a solid customer base for the Big-3. Then you would be able to say to Washington and the rest of the country "Be careful what you pray for, you just got it!" and sit back and grin.

Besides think about how much fun it will be for Detroiters to tell Texas jokes again.....


A Sound Bite Society

Date: 2009-01-18, 11:11PM EST


We live in a society surrounded by them. They are 5 seconds of sound that are supplied for us to form our conclusions.

Watching the news tonight I heard our new President proclaim: "I can only hope that the United States, as we know it, can endure."

Mr. Obama hope should not be in your vocabulary, the United States "will" endure is what needs to be said. We've had 8 years of "maybes". Unless you too subscribe to the "New World Order", in which case there is no change......


Schools Crawling Out Of The Woodwork

Date: 2009-01-10, 10:55PM EST


Has anyone noticed all of the new commercials for "schools" specializing in nothing? Get your "certificate" as a veterinary assistant, computer technician, office manager, Microsoft certification and other thing like this.

These "Schools" charge three times what you pay to take similar courses at a local Community College or State College.

More predators, trying to bilk a tired public that have been forced to find new vocations. I would like to think that our government is looking out for us.....but then I know better.


Thinking Out Loud

Date: 2009-01-10, 12:32AM EST


Governor Jen Jen....what happened to all your talk about insurance reform prohibiting rates charged based upon your credit report? I'm thinking that might come into play pretty soon.

Channel 4...Weather Alerts: Give it a break, it's Michigan, it's winter and it snows....Your new "weather web site": I doubt it will save someones life, I'm thinking your commercial has a credibility problem.

Does anyone else remember when the news was presented to us in an unbiased form so that we were allowed to form our own conclusions?

People that drive under the speed limit in the left lane: you have the right to be there. And I have the right to tailgate you and honk my horn.

Does anyone remember when you used to "order" your new car?

People that want the Lions to draft a quarterback with their first pick....what!?!?! Did you have an extra helping of stupid for breakfast???

Racist dimwits with no life that post here....you better hope you are wrong!

GM....it's not about what happened in the 80's and 90's....it's the ones built in the 21st century that have fuel gauges and front hub bearings that wear out at 50,000 miles and you told us all to go suck the tail pipe. With that said....the imports are no better.

Do you remember going out trick or treating for 3 hours and covering a square mile? If so you're over 40, right?

What memories do people under 30 have of their childhood? High score on pac man? The latest I-pod?

Have you ever built a tree fort? Go cart? Mini-bike? Hit a home run? Had a lemonade stand? Played hide and seek? Remember fizzies? Good Humor Ice Cream?

The Government is going to "bail us out". These are the same people that couldn't make money running a brothel in Nevada in the 90's. Makes you a little less confident, huh?


Hey Mike Cox (Michigan's Attorney General)

Date: 2009-01-08, 7:31PM EST


I know you want to run for Governor and all of that, and I also know you said the oil companies don't gouge. So maybe you'd care to explain what form of shortage, disaster, or unknown force has driven gas prices up 20 cents in the last two weeks?

And please, don't even tell me it's the new middle east unrest because, in case you haven't noticed, that's been going on for better than 50 years now.....




And Lastly this is in response to a young lady that posted on craigslist that her long time boyfriend said if she didn't lose 30 lbs he couldn't guarantee he'd be faithful.

Re: My Boyfriend Wants Me To Lose 30 Pounds

Date: 2009-01-18, 2:50PM EST


Young lady your dilemma goes far beyond issues about weight and you need to face that fact sooner than later.

While you don't offer what ages you both are I will assume that you are both younger. From how you described yourself, I would think you had not only a good body but desirable one as well. For him to say that he bases his fidelity upon whether or not you lose a specific amount of weight implies that he is very immature.

While physical attraction is important, love is a combination of things besides what meets the eye. It's about liking the person you love, enjoying their kisses, phrases they use, the way they think. It's about respecting their thoughts or points of view, admiring the role they take in life, and trusting them beyond all others in any situation. Loving is an all consuming, smoldering desire to want to share your innermost thoughts, secrets, desires and fantasies with a single person because you know they will always be their and always care. The myth of the flame burning out is exactly that, a myth. The flame changes and it grows to another level. And it remains in flux throughout your relationship.

As a man of 55 who has been married twice and had countless relationships I can assure you that of all the qualities a lover can offer in the long term, the physical appearance is the only one that doesn't remain the same. Gravity works and with age comes change.....and neither you nor your boyfriend can stop that! That doesn't mean you stop taking pride in yourself, or that you don't do you best to remain desirable, but sexy is a quality that emotes from within....not on the surface. The single most influential sex organ in our body is our mind and it reacts to the stimulus our partner provides, and what we need to be stimulated.

A couple of thoughts about "Mr. Wonderful". You say he's lost 50 lbs recently but has anything else changed? Dress, cologne, mannerisms, work patterns, new hobbies? I hate to say this but when a partner starts directing the other to make specific changes, it usually means he or she has a role model for those changes. As for his declaration about having an affair if you don't lose weight....could it be that is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Perhaps you need to reply...when you do, I'm sure there are many men that find my body type sexy and desirable enough to want to comfort me. See if he likes the way that tastes! The bottom line is, this is not a guy you want to make a long term emotional investment in. He's shallow, self centered and childish. Hardly a man by any definition of the term.

Go find someone to share your dreams young lady, someone that rocks your world sexually, emotionally and spiritually. The tell me how much you fear losing this guy!

Good Luck!

Echos Of My Father

It never ceases to amaze me how, as I get older, not only did my Father get wiser but soon his words were somehow passing through my lips. I buried my Father back in 1993. I would like to say he was a great man but in the end he was just a man who was great to me.

He was a "square headed German" who was raised with, and tried to pass along, old world, traditional values. He was a hard disciplinarian that yelled and spanked, and his sons all feared him. In fact if he were alive today he'd be considered an abusive parent but in reality he was the perfect role model. Or anti-role model if you will. He taught us that along with parenthood came responsibility, with marriage came commitment, with any task worth doing came the obligation to do that task the best you can, and take pride in doing it.

So many lessons he taught us. Sometime the example he provided was the blueprint and sometime we knew that to be the best we had to do the exact opposite. My sister and brothers loved their Father but often held him in disdain. Because he was hard, he was not very loving, and he was rarely forgiving.

Being the youngest I had certain advantages my siblings did not. First I was a "blow out" baby and by the time I came along my parent had long past the point of micro managing their children. That didn't make them bad parents but it did afford me a unique perspective of my Mom and Dad that none of my siblings had. There were countless things I never got to do as a result of my brothers blazing the trail before me. And on the other hand there were several things I got to do because my folks were tired of fighting the battle. Mom was actually a push over but then I was here "baby" until the day she died in 2002, but Dad and I we evolved.

I saw my Dad for who he was and what he tried to accomplish. I can recall at various points in time having the same conversation with both of my brothers. Talking about our childhood and having them say they would never be like Dad. It was usually at that point that I'd ask them if they felt they were good parents, and they said yes, and then I'd ask are they happy with the way they turned out, and again they replied, yes, for the most part. It would be at that point that I'd respond "well, he taught you well" and they both looked at me like I had a second head. I went onto explain their Father was the role model that they fashioned their own brand of parenthood after. They copied the good things and did the exact opposite of the bad things....and when the two were combined they were both damn good parents. And whether they liked it or not, their Father played a big role in it.

I'd tell them Dad yells because he cares, caring has never been the issue, the way he communicates has. I'll never forget the time about a year before my Dad passed away he and I had a disagreement over the phone and we yelled at each other. Then there was this silence and I knew he was regretting some of the things he said. I spoke up and said " Pop, I gotta get going but I want you to know something. We just disagreed and it's doubtful that our opinions on this will change, but that's ok. You're still my Dad, I still love you, and we'll be talking again the same time next week, ok?" I could here him choke back a tear and said "Sure Son, I love you too. Have a good week". He was sure that I would hold a grudge because that's what we did in my family. Little did he know I was more like the milkman, ok that's a joke, more like my Mom. Things rolled off me and I could look at them from all sides of the issue.

Dad passed along so much. I thank he and my Mom daily for molding me the way they did, and some day, God willing, I can pass some of this wisdom along to my own son. The echo of some of his favorite sayings haunt me on a regular basis and from time to time you'll see me share them. Saying like: "if I could buy back time, I'd be a rich man", or his favorite with me was: "the day you learn to think with your head and not with your heart, you'll be a success". I never learned that lesson, but in the end I think he learned that thinking with your heart was what made me who I am.

I think today the thing that shocks me is when I hear my Dads word fly out of my mouth. A few months ago I was discussing todays music with my lady LJ and I heard these words: All of this rock today sounds the same. I'm pretty sure the old man was looking down laughing his ass off. As for me, I shook my head and remembered that these are the echos of my Father.

BIG3 / UAW Misconceptions

I have a buddy in Texas named Jim and he's a good friend of mine. He has a quick wit, sharp tongue, and he's a creative writer. He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back and throw his "wife beater" in the deal for good measure. He's also a died in the wool Republican that is slightly to the right of the "Moral Majority" and I try not to hold this against him because on many topics we often agree.

Now he and I have had some great debates over the years about how Mr. Bush never made a single mistake during his two terms in office. And of course, being that I love to take the opposing point of view, my reply to that comment is the only thing Bush got right in 8 years was ducking out of the way of the shoe.

When the economy went in the tank and the Big 3 automakers went to Washington for a loan Ole Jim jumped all over that like stink on an outhouse. He started sending me emails telling me how the UAW was to blame for the automakers demise and how they should be allowed to go out of business. And of course because he's an intelligent guy he'd always back it up with some link or footnote or article showing the basis for his point of view. When I read this garbage, while I didn't have an epiphany, it did confirm however a long standing suspicion that most people are a special kind of stupid when it comes to the auto industry.

Even though I live in a union town, I've worked most of my life outside of the union although I will admit I am a member now in my current job, but for the record it is not the UAW. In fact while my brother (30 years) and dad (43 years)both worked for GM they ended up in management so they weren't union guys either. So it's not like I have a love affair going with the union, I don't. But it bothers me when I see people trying to act intelligent by quoting facts that clearly show they haven't a clue about the issue they are addressing.

Today Jim sent me another email supposedly from Gregory Knox, the President of some company in Ohio that was related to the auto industry, and he professed to have first hand knowledge on the problems with UAW workers. He stated he had been in the plants for years witnessing abuses by union workers. All of these assertions were in response to a supposed email sent out by some President at GM. After reading the email I inserted my responses to the myths given as fact. Here is the email:

Dear Employees & Suppliers,

Congress and the current Administration will soon determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis......................As an employee or supplier, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard. Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.

Troy Clarke
President General Motors North America


Response from: Gregory Knox, Pres.
Knox Machinery Company Franklin, Ohio

Gentlemen:

In response to your request to contact legislators and ask for a bailout for the Big Three automakers please consider the following, and please pass my thoughts on to Troy Clark, President of General Motors North America.

Politicians and Management of the Big 3 are both infected with the same entitlement mentality that has spread like cancerous germs in UAW halls for the last countless decades, and whose plague is now sweeping this nation, awaiting our new "messiah", Pres-elect Obama, to wave his magic wand and make all our problems go away, while at the same time allowing our once great nation to keep "living the dream"… Believe me folks, The dream is over! As you references President Obama as a Messiah I will step out on a limb here and assume you are a Conservative. I'm betting you didn't observe MLK day either.

This dream where we can ignore the consumer for years while management myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at the same time that our factories have been filled with the worlds most overpaid, arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded "laborers" without paying the price for these atrocities…this dream where you still think the masses will line up to buy our products for ever and ever. Ignoring consumers seems to be a habit not mutually exclusive to the auto industry. For years now the oil industry has been reaping obscene profits on the backs of the working man as have the wizards of Wall Street. And don't even get me started on the companies that "rate" our credit worthiness. As for the overpaid workers, then I take that to mean that you feel the same way about the non-union workers at the "foreign" car plants in the south as well? Given the difference in weekly pay is a whopping $40 a week. That atrocity amounts to $2,080 annually.

Don't even think about telling me I'm wrong. Don't accuse me of not knowing of what I speak. I have called on Ford, GM, Chrysler, TRW, Delphi, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle and countless other automotive OEM's throughout the Midwest during the past 30 years and what I've seen over those years in these union shops can only be described as disgusting. And as President you were last on the road when? Because while a majority of your facts would be correct if we were talking about the auto plants of 1993, but we aren't. In case you haven't noticed it's a different century and it's 2009. I don't know how to break this to you but Kelsey Hayes went out of business and was absorbed by another company in 1997, so I'm guessing this might be the time frame for your "eyewitness" observations?

Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America, states: "There is widespread sentiment throughout this country, and our government, and especially via the news media, that the current crisis is completely the result of bad management which it certainly is not." And you feel this statement is invalid, why? To counter that opinion the wide spread sentiment throughout the north is that, for the most part, the rest of the country has been living large off the sweat of the Midwest manufacturing worker for decades. We set the tone for your wages, your benefits, and when you can't find work in your region we gladly accept your illiterate workers to come and work in our factories for "obscene" wages and benefits. For over 100 years our money and ingenuity has bailed out your sorry asses from all forms of natural disasters and wars. If it wasn't for the Big 3 Texas and Oklahoma would still populated by mostly farmers and cowboys, Florida would be a swamp and California with have a Governor with an accent. Oh wait, they do. My bad!

You're right Mr. Clarke, it's not JUST management…how about the electricians who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times, making people wait on them for countless hours while they drag ass…so they can come in on the weekend and make double and triple time…for a job they easily could have done within their normal 40 hour work week. How about the line workers who threaten newbies with all kinds of scare tactics…for putting out too many parts on a shift…and for being too productive

(We certainly must not expose those lazy bums who have been getting overpaid for decades for their horrific underproduction, must we?!?) Mr. Knox with your vast knowledge of the inner workings of the automobile industry I would think you would know that Electricians are not members of the UAW but a separate bargaining unit through the Electricians union. Tell me when was the last time you had one of those overpaid electricians to your home? I'm betting you paid them more than minimum wage too.

Do you folks really not know about this stuff?!? How about this great sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke's sad plea: "over the last few years …we have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our competitors." What the hell has Detroit been doing for the last 40 years?!? Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and efficiency between us and them? The K car vs. the Accord? The Pinto vs. the Civic?!? Do I need to go on? What a joke! What have we been doing? How about selling 50% of all automobiles purchased worldwide. Building Presidential Limos, high-tech satellites (Hughes corp), bring robotics to manufacturing to streamline costs, building the Mustang, Charger, Corvette, Impala, PT Cruiser. Cadillac, Lincoln, Challenger and another dozen or so cars that have resale well above $50K, not to mention the Ford F-15o pickup which happens to be the best selling truck of it's kind ever. Speaking of the Pinto and K-car do you know why they are called Nissan? Because as Datsuns their fenders rusted through in two years and the nameplate had no value so they changed it. You talking about that quality? Honda? You mean the Civics that were prone to engine fires due to the carburetor bases that leaked gasoline onto the exhaust manifolds? Or the Toyota's that went through head gaskets every 30k miles? Have you seen any Asian produced car from the 80's still fully operational in a winter climate? You won't...they don't exist. Have you ever seen a vintage VW explode from gas fumes from the heater? Oh and let's not forget Mercedes-Benz....they had to BUY CHRYSLER just to steal how American Engineers can create advanced technology and get a car to market in less than two years and once they milked the company dry sold it to Home Depot. Can you name 5 features in a foreign automobile that were not originally developed by the Big 3? Yeah they sure are better than we are, huh?

We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the United States auto industry for decades. It's time to pay for your sins, Detroit. So true and I'm sure laws in this country that allowed the imports to dump product here below their manufacturing costs had nothing to do with them gaining market share, right? How about our government turning a blind eye to foreign currency manipulation that makes the imports more affordable here and our exports to their countries more expensive. God Bless The Lobbyists! Furthermore, I agree...fair is fair and on behalf of Detroit I am presenting a bill to the states of Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina in the amount of $372,000,000,000 for reimbursement of costs absorbed in Detroit to pay for your earthquakes, wild fire, mud slides, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and illegal immigration problems. See we don't have any of those problems here in Detroit and on the rare occasion we do get hit with a natural disaster, we suck it up and take care of business. We don't sit there whining about how we need FEMA, Federal Disaster Loans, and troops to keep our cities safe. Our taxes pay for all of those hand outs and our insurance rates climb annually because you need to live by the ocean and you hate snow. Grow some balls! And while I'm at it I'm going to throw in an extra $85,000,000,000 for teaching the southern states (through provided union dental benefits) that you can reach adulthood with more than 5 teeth in your mouth.

I attended an economic summit last week where brilliant economist, Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research, surprised the crowd when he said he would not have given the banks a penny of "bailout money". "Yes, he said, this would cause short term problems," but despite what people like politicians and corporate magnates would have us believe, the sun would in fact rise the next day… and the following very important thing would happen…where there had been greedy and sloppy banks, new efficient ones would pop up…that is how a free market system works…it does work…if we would only let it work…" …" I'm assuming these "experts" are prepared to include wall street in this statement? Hell No! Wall street is where they make THEIR living....thought so...'nuff said! So much for survival of the fittest.

But for some nondescript reason we are now deciding that the rest of the world is right and that capitalism doesn't work - that we need the government to step in and "save us"…Save us my ass, Hell - we're nationalizing…and unfortunately too many of our once fine nation's citizens don't even have a clue that this is what is really happening…But, they sure can tell you the stats on their favorite sports teams…yeah - THAT'S really important, isn't it… 2/3 of the industrialized countries in the world provide their citizens with basic health insurance, yet they are still bastions of Free Enterprise. The only reason the United States doesn't follow suit has nothing to do with socialism nor capitalism....more so it has to do with Lobbying by the American Medical Association which stands to lose all of those "OBSCENE WAGES AND BENEFITS" they "earn" playing god, 'er Doctor! (See above for more about obscene wages and benefits)

Does it ever occur to ANYONE that the "competition" has been producing vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades in this country?... How can that be??? Let's see… Fuel efficient… Listening to customers… Investing in the proper tooling and automation for the long haul… It does...did you know getting into medical school has nothing to do with your grades? You can have top grades yet but not get into med school because because there are limitation quotas set. If anyone qualified could become a Doctor "competition" might drive the medical costs down in this country, resulting in lower "benefit costs, which could result in more competitive wages and benefits in the auto industry, which could result in lower pricing of our domestic cars....geee who knew! Now throw in a dash of fair trade enforcement and the imports have some serious issues.

By not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr. W. Edwards Deming four decades ago when he taught that by adopting appropriate principles of management, organizations could increase quality and simultaneously reduce costs. Ever increased productivity through quality and intelligent planning… Treating vendors like strategic partners, rather than like "the enemy"… Efficient front and back offices… Non union environment… Doc, I saw you for exactly 4 minutes and 30 seconds and my "office call"charge is $65 , tell me more about your open employment theory? Principles, that's where you close hospitals because there are too many available "beds" in the area and it lowers profits? Reducing costs? You mean like they do in Canada by buying prescriptions in bulk and sell them to their citizens at such a substantial savings that the U.S. had to pass a law so their citizens couldn't cross the border to buy these drugs because it would effect the drug makers lobby contributions? Those reduced costs?

Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn't be telling anyone anything they really don't already know down deep in their hearts. See we do have something in common! You could go on and I could make you look stupid for hours?

I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten yourself into - my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis, as I did when I was their age. I do for them what my parents did for me (one of their greatest gifts, by the way) - I make them stand on their own two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and work through it. Radical concept, huh… Am I there for them in the wings? Of course - but only until such time as they need to be fully on their own as adults. 6 kids?!?!?! Obviously part of your "cost savings plan" was no cable tv, huh? Guess that all worked out!

I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there certainly are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of parenting and government. Detroit and the United States need to pay for their sins. Bad news people - it's coming whether we like it or not. The newly elected Messiah really doesn't have a magic wand big enough to "make it all go away." I laughed as I heard Obama "reeling it back in" almost immediately after the final vote count was tallied…"we really might not do it in a year…or in four…" Where the Hell was that kind of talk when he was RUNNING for office. For a Republican you sure do like to flaunt a title reserved for the Lord Jesus Christ, don't cha? Obama never said he was the Messiah...I believe that was your Messiah Rush that hung title on him on him. Now there's a source of good information. In any event he can't do any worse than the last guy who's only claim to fame was he ducked the shoe.

Stop trying to put off the inevitable folks … That house in Florida really isn't worth $750,000… People who jump across a border really don't deserve free health care benefits… That job driving that forklift for the Big 3 really isn't worth $85,000 a year… We really shouldn't allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves with products acquired from a country that unfairly manipulates their currency and has the most atrocious human rights infractions on the face of the globe… $85k, can you document this? If so can you get me an application. $85k...who provided you with that data, the same guys that offered up WMD's?

That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really shouldn't be living in that $485,000 home… Let the market correct itself folks - it will. Yes it will be painful, but it's gonna' be painful either way, and the bright side of my proposal is that on the other side of it all, is a nation that appreciates what it has…and doesn't live beyond its means…and gets back to basics…and redevelops the patriotic work ethic that made it the greatest nation in the history of the world…and probably turns back to God. If they are buying a $485k house on $50k of earnings the problem lies with Wall Street, fannie mae, the FHA and the guy in the restaurant from free credit report dot com, not the auto industry! And after the Messiah paragraph don't even try to bring God into it.

Sorry - don't cut my head off, I'm just the messenger sharing with you the "bad news". I hope you take it to heart. I wouldn't dream of it...there are laws now preventing torture. Besides after reading your points of view, I would be charged with a hate crime for hurting the handicapped.

Gregory J. Knox, President
Knox Machinery, Inc.
Franklin, Ohio 45005

Barry Ellerholz
A much smarter man than you.
W B, MI


Ok, now while some of that got to be a little tongue and cheek towards the end I think I made my point. That point being, you don't have to like the domestic automakers, you don't have to like the UAW, but for God sakes make intelligent opinions based upon actual facts and statistics as they exist today. As I read junk like this that is floating on the net daily, or see the sound bites from our elected officials on the news, I just shake my head in disgust.

If the opinions expressed during the Senate and Congressional hearings of the Big-3's loan request were true, than it's no wonder this country is in the shape that it's in. Those people are stupid and out of touch with reality. And until the time comes that they actually get off their collective asses and do something positive to help this country, and the people in it, there are going to be guys like me here....waiting to pick them apart. In the meantime, Jim will read this at some point, tell me I'm wrong, and we'll find a new topic to disect.

Childhood Friends

Do you ever look back at the people that touched your life and wonder where they went? The ones that were there as you moved from frame to frame in this movie of life? The ones that shared the adventure? I do.

I had great friends growing up. I was born in Detroit but my family moved to Farmington Township (now Farmington Hills) when I was three. Like many families mine was fleeing the city for all the wrong reasons but Mom and Dad wanted a place in the country. For me it started out a little shaky (they left me behind but that's a story for another time) but once we got settled it was a neat place to grow up.

I'm not sure who I met first but I can rattle off a few dozen names that were there early on: Mark Chalfant, Jill Werner, Mike Pratt and his brother Steve, Fred Bertsch, Gordie Roach, Gary Maloney, Duane Brann, Gary Bourdon, Ann Bertsch, Patti Smith, Bruce Rumble, Rusty Smith, Bobby Miller, Dave Forth, Matt Spears, Randy Spears, Doug, Diane and Craig Valassis, Arnie Kahkonen, Jack Stevenson, Chuck Venticique, Bruce Huber, Denise Walsh, Brian Kramer, Steve Barry, Rick Gibson, Billy Walker, Frank and Don Prucha, Cynthia Milne, Steve Ileff, Rick Neuman, Chris Jay, John Simpson, Bob Evans, Sue Billmayer, Laurel Operthauser, Pat Coffman, Rick Page, Dave Davidson, Dennis Davenport, Tom Lademan, Kay Davidson and if I was so inclined I could name a couple hundred more.

All of these people were a part of my earliest memories and it's sad to say, today, I only communicate with a couple of them. I've helped bury a couple of them but most have just spread to the four winds. They have their lives, their families, their jobs, but I occasionally I wonder, do they think about what happened to us?

Offshore Tax Shelters

The further I read this article the more I seethed. Now being from Detroit, I'm one of the first to defend the Big 3, and I was also critical of our government when they made them jump through hoops for a mere "loan". It troubles me that they are mentioned in this article along with some others that were just handed our tax dollars with no strings attached.

Below is an article by Ron Dzwonkowski of The Free Press, I hope you enjoy it:


RON DZWONKOWSKI
Offshore tax shelters much too inviting
American companies, especially those receiving federal aid, should be expected to pay a fair share of U.S. taxes
BY RON DZWONKOWSKI • FREE PRESS COLUMNIST • January 25, 2009

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090125/COL32/901250358

Pretty well buried under all the hoopla of President Barack Obama's inaugural was a report last week that could help the U.S. Treasury tame its way-out-of-whack balance sheet. The Government Accountability Office report looked at U.S. companies that stash money in foreign countries to shelter them from U.S. taxes.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who requested the report along with fellow Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, estimates that such companies are avoiding $100 billion in U.S. taxes. And many of them -- including Bank of America and Citigroup -- have lately been on the receiving end of billions of dollars in federal bailout money or fat federal government contracts.
Now, $100 billion may seem like pocket change when you're running a trillion-dollar budget deficit and carrying a $10.4-trillion national debt. But you know, every billion counts when you are trying to spend your way out of a recession. Unfortunately, this offshoring of taxable assets is entirely legal, which Levin and Dorgan hope to do something about.
Common sense, not to mention common decency, would seem to dictate that if you take tax dollars you also pay your full share of tax bills.
According to the report by the GAO, which is the congressional watchdog agency on government programs and spending, 83 of the 100 largest publicly traded U.S. corporations and 63 of the 100 largest publicly traded companies with government contracts have subsidiaries in places that are regarded as tax havens. There is no official definition of such places, but they have common characteristics, such as no or low local taxes, political stability, laws that keep financial dealings secret, and a tendency to promote themselves in the right circles as great places to keep your money out of reach of Uncle Sam or other tax-grabbing governments.
Bermuda, for example, has no income tax on foreign earnings and allows foreign companies to incorporate there under an "exempt" status. Plus the island is not a bad place to have to go to visit your money. The British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and Luxembourg are among other places that attract extraordinary amounts of foreign corporate capital. None of the countries identified in the GAO report as tax havens appears to have much in the way of a military or other things that take a lot of tax dollars. When they have emergencies, they probably just call us.
To be fair, the GAO report says some companies have legitimate business reasons to operate in places that also happen to have favorable tax and privacy laws.
But does insurance giant AIG, for example, recipient of $85 billion in federal bailout money, really need five subsidiaries in Bermuda and three in Switzerland, as listed in the GAO report? Does Boeing need six in Bermuda and 16 in the U.S. Virgin Islands? The report shows Midland-based Dow Chemical with 35 subsidiary operations in countries identified as tax havens, Ford with two, General Motors with 11, and GMAC -- in which the U.S. Treasury now has a $5-billion stake -- with two, one in Bermuda and the other in Switzerland. How many car loans can you make in such places?
There are those who will say that if the United States had more reasonable tax laws, Uncle Sam wouldn't be driving all this money into offshore shelters. But there are those, too, who will say that no business will pass up an opportunity to cut its own taxes.
Back in 2007, when Levin first started raising this issue through the permanent subcommittee on investigations that he chairs, he had an ally in the Senate behind legislation to at least make the companies disclose their financial offshoring, which could have had an impact on their ability to secure federal help. Levin's bill was cosponsored by the junior senator from Illinois, a Democrat named Barack Obama.
So something tells me that while the GAO report didn't make much of a splash, it will not be the last word on this issue.
RON DZWONKOWSKI is associate editor of the Free Press. Contact him at dzwonk@freepress.com or 313-222-6635.



Does this bother you as much as it bothers me? I can understand a single company in a tax sheltered local but when the parent company has several, it says to me they are hiding. I truly hope that some of the "change" that the Obama Administration touted during the election is demonstrated by reacting to this issue in a manner that benefits the citizens of this country. We can only hope. JMHO

bae

Newspapers

I love newspapers. I grew up reading the newspaper daily. I think I was in about 3rd grade when my teacher, Mrs. McCloskey, made it manditory that we read the newspaper every day and do a report on an article every Monday. I would read the paper from cover to cover, even some of the ads (even the naughty ones about burlesque but that's a thought for another time).

In the Detroit area we were especially fortunate because we had three papers that eventually evolved into two in the 60's. I vaguely remember The Detroit Times but The Free Press and The Detroit News were the ones that impacted me the most. Heck I delivered both papers when I was in Junior High School. The Freep in the morning before school and The News after school. I was one of the few guys in my class that always had a little money!

It's a shame to watch what is happening to the newspaper industry today. With the advancement of technology less and less people sit down and read newsprint. Most just jump on-line and read it there. The problem with that is not the quality of the information you get as much as the information you don't get.

Yes, the internet gives you all the big stories and you can focus on those that interest you, but what about what you miss? When you had to leaf through the paper page by page many stories of local interest caught your eye. When you glanced at a by-line you felt compelled to read it more. You knew about the road conditions in the next county, the car thief in the next town, the local high schools football score. You also read about the human condition, about successes and failures, about how the headlines translated to the local community.

You got to clip coupons, read the "colored funnies" on weekends, tv guide and have something left to train the dog with. Newspapers, ya gotta love 'em!

Frequently you will see me referrence, link or copy a newspaper story here to this blog. I do it because I believe the professionals say it better than anyone else. I do it because I read it and, regardless of whether or not I agree with the author, it made me think. And isn't that what blogging is all about?

Why am I here....

That's a good question. I think this is the next step in my growing along with todays technology. I cut my cyber teeth on the message boards but, like many, I've grown beyond that medium. Now I will warn you if you are in search of literary excellence, profound thoughts or cutting edge prose you are probably in the wrong place. At best my spelling and punctuation is remedial, my sentences are too long, and I have a penchant for overusing the comma, but as the saying goes don't judge the book by its cover.

I have thoughts worth hearing. I have opinions worth sharing. I am neither conservative nor liberal. I grew up in Michigan as a Milliken Republican which today translates to being a moderate. I like to think I was blessed with common sense and those that know me well will say that I am. Politically you might see me more as a Libertarian than anything else but I really don't wear a label. I judge each issue on its own merit and follow my heart and my convictions.

I've lived on this earth for 55 years and during that time I have seen countless changes in our society and our lives. Most of the changes I see have been for the better but, honestly, some have left me feeling sad for a society that will never again realize the splendor of simpler times.

I have a diversified employment background, mostly by choice, and it has served me well in my lifetime. I lived life with a belief that if you no longer enjoy what you are doing then it's time to move on. I'd like to share some of the lessons I've learned in the various things I have done.

I'll also admit that I am here because of ego. There are things I wish to pass along, to share with my friends and my children. Thoughts and lessons that I hope they find valuable, and that will out live my role in the movie of life.