What Is This World Coming To???

I will not argue the fact that everyone at one time or another, has been the recipient of bad food or bad service at a fast-food restaurant.  Lets face it, it happens.  Especially when you are talking about teenagers who are making minimum wage, have no work ethic or pride in a job well done, or simply just don't care. But there are just as many out there who do care, and so when I hear restaurant horror stories, I always wonder if they are true.  Like the lady who reported finding a finger in her chili at Wendy's a few years back. Yes, accidents happen.  But it is beyond belief that a fast-food worker could lose a finger, and management not know about it...or care...or investigate and attempt to find the finger...  Lo and behold, it was a hoax. Someone just out to make a fast buck at the expense of others.  So, I shook my head in disbelief when it was reported that a 3 year old with a scarred face was kicked out of KFC last week for "upsetting the other patrons."  Sadly, I can see a few misguided humans who were afraid to look at this girl's face.

And I could see them saying something about it, because people can be cruel sometimes, especially if someone is different than they are.  But for a manager to ask a paying customer to leave? Beyond belief. I was in fast-food management for a very long time, and believe me, I would have been in fast-food management a very SHORT time if I had an attitude like that! Now I admire KFC very much for stepping up and doing the right thing - even to the point of an apology and offer to pay all of this young girl's medical bills. And to take appropriate action by investigating and giving walking papers to whoever committed this unpardonable and deplorable act. No surprise to me then, that upon further review, the traumatized 3 year old had never even been to KFC. It was a lie!  It never happened! Seriously people, what is this world coming to???  I read so many comments from people who will NEVER set foot in KFC again because of one employee's actions.  That is how bad the offense was.  And think of the millions in sales lost, and the possible job losses as a result.  All because of one person's greed and deceit? What ever happened to honesty?

Farrah Fawcett & The Shawshank Redemption

5 years ago today, this is what everyone was talking about.  At least until Michael Jackson stole the show...

"And so when Andy Dufresne came to me in 1949 and asked if I could smuggle Rita Hayworth into the prison for him, I said it would be no problem at all. And it wasn't." - Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption - Stephen King

If that book was written about a prisoner in 1976, you can be sure Farrah would have been his poster of choice.

Andy had his Rita Hayworth, and I had Farrah. First published in Life magazine in 1976, it is the best-selling pin-up poster of all time, with more than 12 million copies sold.

I feel like I lost a part of my childhood on Thursday, and I'm sure I'm not alone.


February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009 RIP Farrah :-(

The Blame Game

In December 2008 I took a picture of the current gas prices - the lowest I'd seen in a very long time.  Keep in mind, this was a month after Barack Obama was elected President, but a month before he took office.  A certain George W. Bush was in office then, and to say he got the blame for a failing economy would be an understatement.

Shouldn't he get some credit for the $1.34 price I paid back then?  It has risen ever since he left the White House. Twice in the last 6 years, I've actually been able to purchase gas for under $3.00, and that was with the help of an 11 cent grocery store discount card.  But the economy is recovering, right?  4 more years of Obama will turn things around, right?  So the other day, gas prices rose another 20 cents, literally overnight. I took to Facebook to vent my frustration, wondering exactly where the blame would fall. I joked that maybe Hillary had decided to run for President, because it is about as ridiculous a reason as any for the price of gas to rise.  Of course I was then promptly blasted by a few closed-minded liberal democrats, who think that Hillary for President is exactly what we need. Ummm, no. Hillary thinks that a net worth of 12 million is "dead broke." Seriously? When was the last time she had to worry about having enough money to fill the tank?  And before y'all go off on me about Mitt Romney being out of touch, hey, at least he didn't deny being rich!  What we need is answers, not another 4 or, heaven forbid, 8 years of someone who refuses to take the blame. The media says Iraq is to blame.  Sorry, unrest in the Middle East can't cause the price of gas already in the pumps in the United States to rise.  And don't get me started on bacon.  I'm sure Iraq has everything to do with the price of bacon doubling in the last month.

Tony Gwynn 1960-2014

Just one glance into my den, and you will realize the important place following sports has played in my life. All of my heroes are displayed there, kind of like my own personal Hall of Fame for these guys. Sadly, another of these heroes has passed on, and way too soon...

From 1976 - 1992, I was what you might say, anywhere from an interested to a serious baseball card collector.  Being an avid Phillies fan, Mike Schmidt was who I collected most, but when he retired in May 1989, I was left without a favorite player. Tony Gwynn filled that void, and he will be remembered fondly.
15 time all-star, 8 time National League batting champ, 5 gold gloves, 2 World Series appearances, .338 lifetime batting average, 3141 hits, and of course, a plaque in Cooperstown.

Men Should Be Happier People!

Just in time for Father's Day, a re-posting from my old blog:
Men Should Be Happier People!

Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. Car mechanics tell you the truth. You never have to drive to another gas station because this one is "just too icky". You don't have to stop and think about which way to turn a bolt. Wrinkles add character.  Wedding dress = $5,000 Tux rental = $100.

People never stare at your chest when you are talking to them. The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. A 5-day vacation requires 1 suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a 3-pack. Three pair of shoes are more than enough. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays it's original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe even decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice regarding growing a mustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

Guns In School

I intended to sit down and write about the senseless murder of 2 police officers and an innocent bystander in Las Vegas, but was shocked to silence by yet another school shooting.  One might very well ask, "What is this world coming to???" Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut on December 12, 2012, there have been 74 school shootings.  74 in 18 months!  Something needs to be done, of that there is no question.

But let's not blame guns. Yes, guns were used, but guns do not kill people. They just happen to be the tool of choice. Sort of like how my computer keyboard isn't writing this blog, or my pen isn't writing the rent check. Do we blame the car when someone is killed by a drunk driver?  I repeat, guns do not kill people.  People kill people!  I just don't see how making guns illegal will solve anything.  Just because something is illegal, does that make teenagers less likely to do it?  Underage smoking is illegal.  Underage drinking is illegal. Recreational drug use is illegal. But is that stopping kids?  I'm even willing to go so far as to say that if these things were legal, less young people would be using them. Why? There is no thrill in doing something legal. No peer pressure. No risk of getting caught. Just because obtaining a gun and carrying it to school is illegal, doesn't mean it won't happen. All these teenagers have to do is turn on the TV or movies with people getting killed, and we call it "entertainment." And all they have to do is watch the news to see real-life adults using guns to kill. Once a person has it in their mind to commit murder, being unable to get a gun probably isn't going to stop them. If it wasn't a gun, it would be a knife, or any other weapon.  So let's forget the guns and focus on why.  Why are these kids being so violent?  Why are they so angry?  What can we do to help them know that murder is not the answer?

Dear Officer...

I'd really appreciate an explanation for why you decided it was necessary to follow me when I was driving home from grocery shopping the other night. The last I knew, it wasn't a crime to leave your home in the evening and purchase a few things.  I parked legally, entered the store, bought sponge cakes to go with my dessert, got in my car, started it up, exited the parking lot (after coming to a complete stop, using my turn signal, and waiting for oncoming traffic) and for this I was rewarded by you making a right turn and following me for 8 blocks. Did I know you were following me?  Not at first, but the fact that you turned in to my apartment complex behind me, and stopped just short of where I parked my car was a pretty good clue! That and the fact that you sat there and waited until my wife and I exited my vehicle and were heading up the stairs until you moved.  Was it the fact that I was actually driving the speed limit that made me look so suspicious?  That I used my turn signal? That my car is green? That I have a beautiful wife and you wanted a closer look?  Seriously dude, back off! I'm sure if there aren't any other law abiding citizens you can harass, at least there might be a few stale doughnuts left over at Shipley's...

The Cowboy Rides Away

The year was 1981, and a fellow by the name of George Strait was on my radio singing about how the woman he had wrapped around his finger just come unwound.... With disc jockey friends, and disc jockey aspirations, I just had to have this song in my collection. Unable to find the single, I opted to buy the album, and the rest, as they say, is history...  Remember, this was still a few years before "The Nashville Network" would become popular, and country music videos, well, they didn't exist.  So the only way you'd know what a singer looked like was to maybe see them on "The Tonight Show", live in person, or, of course, the photo on their album.

And that is where my Mom became unwound!  She fell in love with the man, stole my album, and has been his #1 fan ever since!  With a smile, I can say I blame George for the fact that I now live in Texas. (No regrets there, if not, I wouldn't have met my lovely wife!) After so many years of coming to Kingsville for George's team roping & concert, my parents fell in love with the area and retired here.  33 years, millions of albums sold, and more than 60 #1 country singles later, he is retiring from touring; indeed, this is where the cowboy rides away.  So my Mom, like many others, is very sad as King George's farewell tour comes to a close. Thanks for the memories George, it's been one heck of a ride!

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore...

I, like most of America who grew up watching The Brady Bunch, feel like I lost a good friend on Sunday. Ann B. Davis, who played Alice on the late 60's - early 70's sitcom, passed away after a fall at her home in San Antonio, Texas.  Alice was always there for the Brady kids, and in a way, she was always there for me as well, and millions of other faithful viewers. Every day, I could count on coming home from school, and Alice would be there, in syndication, in the kitchen, getting dinner ready, offering milk and cookies, and ready to solve our problems.

Laura Turner, of Religion News Service, writes that "Ann B. Davis had a long and varied career before audiences ever knew her as Alice on The Brady Bunch.  But it was as a housemaid to America's favorite blended family that she became one of the most beloved television characters of her day, and for good reason.  Davis played Alice with a deft mix of physical comedy, compassion, and practical problem-solving acumen.  She was Dear Abby, Julia Child, and a Lucille Ball-esque character all in one."

Seriously, who didn't wish they could have Alice working in their home?  While she never married, she made a full life out of her career, her community, and her devotion to the Christian faith.  Rest In Peace, Alice; we know you will be happy in your Heavenly home :-)

Bullying

The more I have read on the subject, the more I feel for the young girls in Utah who had their yearbook photos altered.  Really, it's just a case of bullying.  How can I jump to that conclusion? One of the students is quoted as saying "It's like they targeted certain social groups. They're picking and choosing certain people - whoever they want."  The girl whose tattoo was digitally removed says "Every time I look in the mirror or look at a picture of me that shows a little bit of my tattoo, it reminds me that I am enough the way I am."

And what is bullying?  Targeting someone, anyone, who is different from yourself.  Different in any way. Older, younger, shorter, taller, fat, skinny, wears glasses, has pimples, stutters, has different religious beliefs, has tattoos ...  And because they are different, they are singled out, and by using fear and control, they are brought to tears.  It is abuse, pure and simple.  Check out this poor grandmother being bullied on a school bus:


And before you put away the Kleenex, this music video should put all bullies to shame:

The abuse can be verbal, mental, or physical, it is still the same - for the person being bullied, it hurts!  And it needs to stop!  The tattoo discussed earlier is a perfect statement we can use for anyone who has been bullied.  Just because you may be different than those around you, still, you are enough the way you are!