Firearms Friday: Exposure

When my wife and I took our son to the doctor for his annual checkup we expected that he would be getting shots and additional testing done. Whenever we know these are coming up we also know that there will be questionnaires associated with each of those tests. This time around one of the optional tests that was discussed involved out son’s exposure to lead. To determine whether the test would actually be done my wife and I had to fill out a questionnaire… largely innocuous in nature we had no issues eliminating the need for pulling out another needle.

However, one of the questions got under my skin a bit. I could see that if we were in an older house (built prior to 1985) or one of our jobs involved being around lead all of the time that the test would be necessary. However, in the form it also asked if one of our hobbies involved firearms. Well, that would be none of your business people and unless I am sucking on bullets throughout the day (unjacketed of course) or made a nipple out of a 9mm cartridge, it has no bearing on this test. While annoyed at the question and skeptical of the actual reason behind the query, I wasn’t surprised at all to find it included on the form.

Unfortunately, prodding questions such as this are a part of daily life now due to the lack of backbone displayed time and again by politicians and the rabid naiveté of a public more concerned with the radical media agenda and what is says about their urban social standing. It is a darn shame because these misguided views are causing thousands to succumb to lead poisoning in the United States this year not by exposure but by direct injection. Although, come to think of it, their mass psychosis could be the result of exposure to lead over a long period of time.

While I doubt these ‘advocates’ would ever admit to their addiction, the fact of the matter is that the question on this form was not about exposure to lead, it was a means to expose law abiding gun owners so that the delusional mass could get their self-righteous fix. These people, addicted to the utopian ideal, fail to live in the real world where bad things happen and inequality exists. At the same time they also fail to acknowledge the fact that we have individual rights to firearms, religion, opinions, and a self-reliant ability to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We don’t try to trick you to take away your ability to speak your mind or any other right you embrace (yet scold others for embracing who don’t share your opinion). We don’t initiate these underhanded methods. We believe in the rights of the individual. And while I know that these questions won’t come to an end any time soon, I can pretty much guarantee that they will continue to annoy me just as much as they do right now and I will continue answering or not answering in the same way. However, for all those who continue to deceive and outright lie about their motives I do have a final question for you… when exactly are you going to feel the burn? I’m pretty sure that it won’t be during this election cycle.

Where Did All Of Our Money Go?

Every couple of weeks I look at my pay stub and go through the growing list of deductions from my pay… taxes, 401K, and healthcare. Taxes have always been relatively consistent (too high and annoying but consistent), the 401K contribution is something that I set (this I hope to increase in the future), and the healthcare costs have gone up over time according to how many people are covered under my plan which now covers my whole family. However, it is this last significant deduction from my pay that is really annoying. Not because of the direct costs outlined in the deduction but because of the high costs that my wife and I have encountered recently.

For years, every month we have encountered a co-pay in one form or another, office or pharmacy, that is in addition to the insurance premium that we have already paid for that month. Over the past year, those required payments have become more frequently as we have had more doctor visits and prescriptions that needed to be filled. However, these last few months have been atrocious and it really makes you wonder where the money is going. Since our son was born, we have sent out checks for approximately $2500 just to cover the astronomical co-pays. I have seen enough doctors during my life that I have gotten used to the various expenses associated with healthcare but this is simply ridiculous.

I can hear some of you now saying this is why we need Obamacare. Well, in my experience, that is a load of crap! While the delusional utopian concept is intriguing to many it is not something that fits into the confines of reality. This is why we have seen those premiums increase faster since the bill was signed than at any other point in history. Additionally, due to the ridiculous requirements therein, not only have the premiums gone up but the co-pays have seen a sharp increase as well.

Of course, there is also the basic employment fallout. I know for a fact that many employers have set limits on hours simply to avoid having to offer healthcare benefits. Frankly, I have no problem with employers not offering benefits to full time employees so long as said employees understand that they will not be offered. So, instead of someone getting paid for 35-40 hours per week, they are limited to 29.5 hours per week. In the end, they still aren’t getting benefits and now have less money in their pockets.

Furthermore, there are some benefits that were being offered to those who worked 30 or more hours per week. A perfect example that I have seen is that of extended leave. However, because hours are now eliminated that benefit disappears as well. So not only are you getting paid less at the end of the week but you are also losing some of the benefits that you once had. An when you go back to the original gripe in this post, you are also going to pay more for insurance and more in co-pays. You couldn’t afford to get sick before and you still can’t afford it now. Thanks Obamacare!

Maybe we should focus on making sure people can have jobs where they can work full time hours. Maybe we should stop regulating and forcing coverage on people and stop strong arming companies to cover employees. Maybe we should address the high premiums and co-pays that have become the accepted norm in this country. Maybe we should provide a true freedom to choose to have coverage and what coverage to have, whether someone is willing to take a job without healthcare benefits, and whether an employer offers healthcare benefits. Maybe this is the change that we really need!

It’s Not Really Free

Every year I see the countless signs and receive numerous emails about all the discounts and “free” things for veterans. Unfortunately, I have seen the inevitable complaints of entitlement from people across numerous social media streams making delusional statements that they should be getting the “handouts”. What these people fail to realize, year after year, is that despite what the ads might say veterans are not getting anything for free. These people served and sacrificed for us and, if anything, they are still not getting enough from us.

Over the years I have gotten to know veterans of all ages, branches, and length of service. I come from a long line of men who have served in the armed forces and made an attempt to do so myself (no, I am not a veteran). In fact, many of those men whom I consider friends and family were part of the recognition ceremony at my lodge last week… there was a total of over 160 years of service that stood before us that night. All of these men, and all veterans that I have had the privilege to meet during my lifetime, have never asked for any recognition.

In recent years, there seems to be a “veterans day is good enough” mentality with regard to the recognition that is bestowed upon these men and women. Every year, I see fewer and fewer instances of people walking up to a veteran and thanking them for their service. This downward trend is particularly noticeable on this day although it is pervasive throughout the year. People seem to think that they have played the same role in keeping this country safe when that is far from the reality.

Yes, there are discounts today for veterans but one day is never going to be enough. These men and women deserve much more than a coupon on this day, they deserve our gratitude and our respect for doing what we were unwilling and/or unable to do. They are the ones who have ensured that this country continues to exist, they are the ones that have made it possible for us to live our lives without fear. No discount our coupon will ever make up for the sacrifices that they have made ad while our feeble words will not accomplish much more, it at least shows that we have not forgotten what they have done for us.

Thank you for your service!

This Week In WTF: Healthcare and Immigration

Not saying he was a great President but he was pretty good compared to what we have now.

Yeah, I know, this is a completely random post but this past week there have been a couple of things that have forced me to record my thoughts. Not that anything bad happened there are just certain things that reminded me of the tremendous CF that we find ourselves in as a country with regard to policies in these two areas. Oh, how far we have come during the tenure of this President, the one who can do no wrong.

This week I had a few moments when I wished that the healthcare system was much simpler… the way it used to be when it was just a small PITA. While health insurance paperwork has always been a headache… the kind that is brought on by tediousness and nitpicking… it had only gotten worse in recent years. This was never more evident then when I went to enroll my wife on my health plan at work. Turns out the form is no longer enough and now they require special letters (no emails), answers to even more questions, and the blood of a virgin chicken that was discovered in Belize, carbon dated, and proven to be used in a Mayan ritual which then had to be verified by three archeologists (because four would be asking too much) with last names that have a “q” in them from three different countries that only import produce on even number days with temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and transported on a ship or plane where the entire crew has seen Back to the Future at least twice but has never watched the sequels.

I think this is how they will eventually made Obamacare solvent… people will turn over the extra money (it would cost us about twice as much for my wife to go on Obamacare) just so they wouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. It doesn’t even matter anymore whether you are in this country illegally, you can still get health insurance through the United States government. What kind of crap is that? Maybe, just maybe, if we let the immigration “reform” proposals collapse under their own BS we might have a chance at changing that. Maybe.

For now, people are streaming into the country where those who file applications for amnesty ‘shall not be detained, determined inadmissible, deported, or removed until their applications are finally adjudicated, unless they commit a future act that renders them ineligible with amnesty.’ Essentially, illegal aliens cannot be immediately deported unless they commit an illegal act. So, if they don’t do anything illegal (except of course for entering the country illegally) they are put into an application system that is more backed up and mismanaged than the VA hospitals in Arizona. Except instead of causing the deaths of those who fought for our freedom, it ensures a free pass to those who don’t even respect one of our most basic laws (and some of them don’t respect the law whatsoever as criminals are also eligible for amnesty and citizenship so long as they only committed one felony or three misdemeanors).

As Marty Huggins said, “It’s a mess.” I guess what this all comes down to is the fact that the system is broken, this administration had failed, and while I didn’t vote for any of this crap I, along with everyone else, have to deal with the fecal fallout. And if you agree with me then, according to the bluer than Violet Beauregard turning into a blueberry liberals, you’re a racist too. Never mind the fact that this is an equal opportunity cluster.

Throwing Around The F Word!

There is a certain four letter word that keeps getting thrown around and few people are taking note of the vulgarity that is behind its usage. To be completely honest, I use that word on a daily basis and while it has never caused any problems I am always cognizant of the company around me because there are certain people that will throw a tantrum when those four letters fly from my mouth. Ironically, those same people use the term, most of them more frequently than I do, but I guess it is all about perception.

The word ‘fact’ frequently makes me cringe upon it initially reaching my ears. All too often the usage doesn’t fit the definition or is stretched so thin that the meaning becomes frayed and almost unintelligible. Opinion is being crammed into the public perception of the word and the culprits of this bastardization are all around us. The most glaring misuse of the word stems from the processes that are employed to tailor statistics to fit the needs of a group, political party, or publication.

Recently, CNN conducted a poll asking the following question: “Does the United States need stricter gun control laws?” At first glance this seems to be a valid survey question to be asking the American people. After all, it would provide insight into the breakdown in the US population of those who support the second amendment and those choose not to honor the constitution (you know me, I had to phrase it that way). However, the question is not being asked of the US population. The poll can only be found on the CNN International site. No mention is made on the US edition. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself:

• CNN: International Edition (scroll down to the bottom right of the webpage).
• CNN: US Edition (that’s right, nowhere to be found).

Seems like it would be more appropriate to have those in the United States casting their votes rather than those in other parts of the world weighing in on our rights. While most things I really don’t mind if the entire world voices their yes or no opinion but the poll itself is exclusionary in where they have decided to post it. This is particularly problematic when you consider the fact that the ‘results’ are not going to be used internationally, they are to be leveraged domestically for the purpose of promoting a certain point of view which I clearly do not share.

Of course, this may be a moot point as the poll I currently in my favor even with the “news” agency not counting all the votes. So, and I am speaking to everyone, stop throwing around the F word when most of the things reported as such need at least two words to describe them. And, in this instance, focus on the real threat and make fists, knives, and hammers illegal (or at least make people pass a background check before using them). After all, if it’s good enough for the UK its good enough for us. Right?

Hippies, Earth Day, PETA... This Isn't Good!

 

So, today is Earth Day. Yeah, can’t say that the day is really one to take notice of. While I do enjoy nature and I appreciate many of the beautiful things that it has to offer, I have other priorities in my life at the moment that take precedence over the natural world. While some people will certainly be appalled by that statement, the truth of the matter is that Earth Day is a celebration for those that have the time, money, or skewed priorities. Some even embody the whole trifecta.

When you go on the Earth Day website you can see that this day was created to take advantage of the people already protesting and the work of a bestselling author. By combining the two and telling those people what to think, what they consider ‘what is really going on’, you have a brand new day and the rapid growth of a movement that now judges the world and condemns people and companies if they offer the slightest doubt as to their conclusions.

To be exact, here is what is posted on earthday.org:

Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

The height of hippie and flower-child culture in the United States, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Protest was the order of the day, but saving the planet was not the cause. War raged in Vietnam, and students nationwide increasingly opposed it.

At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. “Environment” was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.  Although mainstream America remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson's New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962.  The book represented a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries and, up until that moment, more than any other person, Ms. Carson raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health.

Earth Day 1970 capitalized on the emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center. 

While the people who originally started this whole movement may have fully embraced the utopian ideals and honestly encouraged those to be conscious of their actions and the repercussions on the environment, that sense of purpose is all but lost. Environmentalism is now nothing more than a business venture with dictatorship ideals. And now, if you don’t fully subscribe to the theory of climate change and support all of the policies, regulations, and legislation that furthers the cause of environmentalism that translates to the simple fact that you are a racist. That is the extreme that now exists and is largely thriving.

While I believe that there is much that we don’t know when it comes to the environment and the exact impact that we are having on the planet, I firmly believe that we should be cognizant of our actions and use that mythical thing called common sense. We cannot completely reverse our way of producing and living in this world overnight but we can make incremental progress. However, overregulation and EPA power grabs are stunting the progress that could be made by forcing people and companies into rushed compliance which not only has the long term negative environmental impact but also the immediate economic impact of overleveraged entities and reductions in the labor force. Additionally, prices for things like gas, electric, and basic industrial commodities spike and cheaper alternatives are shipped in from overseas where production isn’t as highly regulated.

But, I guess these environmental evangelicals could be worse… they could work/volunteer for PETA. Then again, environmentalists probably support PETA because, if anything, they prove that the Dodo isn’t extinct after all. Okay, rant over, time to go hug a tree.

Mail Call!

Wouldn't it be ironic if you could order these on Amazon?

 

As the emails from Amazon flood my inbox, I am beginning to realize just how bad of an idea the whole drone delivery idea is and how much of an annoyance the whole program could be. Having placed a single order on Amazon, I am now going to receive a half dozen boxes over the next week or so with a few arriving on the same day. Just imagine a flock (or would it be a gaggle) of drones flying toward your house, each carrying a single five dollar DVD. Doesn’t seem like it would be a pleasant sight to see although it might be cause for some twelve gauge fun. Even the Vice President thinks so... 

 

 

The other side of the equation is the fact that I enjoy getting mail. I like getting letters. I look forward to seeing what is waiting for me (especially when I am not expecting anything. There is also the fact that when you live in an apartment building as I do, getting the mail can be cause for a social occasion. You never know who else is going to be in the lobby when you go to your mailbox. Additionally, on the rare occasion when the mailman is sorting through everything, it is nice to chat with him.

Thinking back, I can recall our old dog, Laddie, who also looked forward to seeing the mailman on a daily basis. Of course, he wasn’t in it for the mail, he was merely obsessed with chasing the Jeep as it pulled away from the mailbox and headed up the street. Even in the latter part of the dog’s life, unable to move his tail (car + dog = limp tail) he would still chase the truck as his tail spun in circles like a pinwheel. Kind of a sad sight the first few times you see it but funny as heck looking back.

 

I don’t know, things naturally change over time but there are some things that, through their familiarity, bring us some semblance of comfort to our daily lives. The USPS is one of those services. While physical mail seems to be less and less common (especially with postage around the cost of a Kennedy), it is still a necessity and going to something along the lines of drones is a change that will drastically change the perception of mail and the comfort that this, what some consider antiquated, service provides.

Changes such as this recent proposal will have and an overarching effect on the postal service and soon the notion of the mailbox along the street will be a rusty memory. Sadly, this is already becoming a reality as I recall the dilemma a former coworker faced when they had to ask me how to address an envelope. If things have already changed this much how long is it really going to take before everything is turned upside-down?

Would People Wait In Tents For A Tent Sale?

While we didn’t make it out of the apartment on Friday, my wife and I spent nearly the entire day going from store to store trying to get as many gifts purchased while the sales were in full swing. In the end, we could have done better but we could have done much worse. Our list isn’t completely crossed off at this point but there is a rather large hole in it with the rest of the items being relatively cheap and easily found on Amazon.com.

What did get in our way today was the desire to buy more than we really needed to get. Even though we purchase some extra items they were all cheap and we still kept ourselves within reason. However, Staples did provide us with a different challenge in trying to find more stuff to buy when we essentially had free money to play with… you know, when you have three things on your list that you need to get and a coupon that allows you to pick out several other things for free. I guess that was the best problem of the day.

One thing that I have noticed this year, more so than in previous seasons, is that all the sales remain the same throughout the holiday weekend. What used to be a heavily tiered system is now one that is nothing more than a sales plateau. Granted, there are a handful of items that are limited time (usually hours) offers but nothing that I would want to cap out for.

Granted, some of the selection is lost in the days following Black Friday Thanksgiving Thursday but there is still plenty of deals to be had in the aftermath. And by going on Saturday or Sunday you can avoid the risk of being tased trying to get in the door a half second before a disgruntled hoochie. I think that is pretty much a win-win situation.

It makes you wonder what is wrong with people that they have to miss work and/or time with family so they can camp out at Wal-Mart for a big screen television when you know they spent more money on the preparations for the extended stay in on the cold sidewalk than what they could conceivably save on electronics. Of course, as had been proven time and again, these people are whack jobs who will do whatever they can to get their hands on that discounted item (which will most likely be outdated within 12 months anyway driving the price down). This is just nuts.

Now, I have gone out on Black Friday, I have even gone out on Thanksgiving in the past, but I have never waited in line to enter a store, I have never fought someone for a product, and I have always walked out with everything on my list. If you have the patience and put in just a little bit of thought beforehand, it can be a very easy and smooth process. And that rule of thumb still applies to this day.

So, the next time the new Cabbage Patch Kid, Ferbie, big screen television, of laptop goes on sale put some thought into it… maybe there is a better place to buy, maybe you can get there 30 minutes later, avoid the line, and still get one, maybe it is, in the end, a POS not worth your time. Maybe there is greater discount at another, less popular, store. You don’t know until you stop, put away your tent and taser, and start thinking.

Perspective From The Rightleft Side Of My Brain

I came to the realization tonight that I time has passed much too quickly for my liking. It used to be when I watched television shows that the characters were portraying the life that was ahead of me (in some parallel universe) but now I watch the same kinds of shows and they are my age. Or, more accurately, I am their age. Now it truly has become a means of looking into parallel lives.

However, unlike the past. I watch not in want of anything that they have but with an appreciation for the path I have taken and where I am now. There are certainly directions that could have proven more advantageous in various ways, particularly financially, not I don’t know if I would necessarily be better off. It is possible that could be the case but I am happy with where I am wand what I have right here, right now.

There are little things that I need to work on to improve myself but everyone has things that they either want to change or improve. There are times that I wish I had gotten more done or produced more work but I don’t know if that still would have led me to this moment, writing these words. There are a lot of moments where things could have been different but a lot of subsequent moments that could have been lost if things didn’t happen exactly as they have happened in my life.

And while I watch the television shows and the live depicted on the screen it is entertaining to see how my generation has developed and how much it has changed over the years. I think I may finally be comfortable with my generation. Well maybe not all of them but at least some of them. There is still a certain disconnection I feel with my peers but the chasm is not nearly as vast as it was five or ten years ago.

Of course, that may not really be a generational thing. Maybe it is just a matter of being different, about not fitting in with any particular group or population. While I have always been more of a critical, some would say mathematical, thinker I have always embraced the arts and thrived in a creative environment. I have always had the two sides of my brain functioning, and sometimes fighting, at the same time forcing me to embrace and reject certain generational characteristics.

The creative mind remains young while the critical mind has always been in a premature advanced age. Maybe that is why I have written things that are vibrant and optimistic at times while at other moments I have gone on long rants about various topics and opinions. But that is what you get with me. A struggle between the two sides of my mind and the views that they provide to form a perspective that is uniquely mine. Whether you like or not that is what you get.  

Familiarize Yourself With A Nonalcoholic Screwdriver

It has always amazed me when I have come across people that don’t know how to use basic tools like a screwdriver or a hammer. Throughout my working life in particular, every once in a while I have had to fix various things especially at the office which remained in disrepair because no one knew how to fix them. I am not talking about major projects. I am talking about basic maintenance items such as wobbly desks and chairs to office doors sticking. Anyone who took basic wood shop would know how to fix these things.

Oh wait, that’s right, kids don’t take wood shop anymore.

People, in general, don’t know how to work with their hands anymore. It is too easy to call someone or replace something than invest some time and thought into how something can be fixed.  This is an issue that is only going to get worse over time as each succeeding generations learns less and less about how to complete small hands on projects around the home or, in this instance, office.

I find it relaxing to sit down with a project, tools in hand, and make something functional again. Sometimes it’s as simple as tightening a hinge or removing the wiggle from a chair while other times it could consist of assembling furniture or building a complete lower. Other times I have done some basic mechanical and refinishing work. By no means do I consider myself good at this but I can get the job done with adequate results.

However, I do know my limits. I do not mess with plumbing or electrical. Most of that kind of work is still beyond my basic knowledge at this point. For those projects I do call in a professional but I try to be there and observe what is being done in case there are minor things that I can pick up and deploy in a pinch.

This is something that everyone can do and should do as it provides you with a small amount of self reliance and know how that can’t be taken away from you. Too few people know the satisfaction that this can bring when you fix something with more than just duct tape. When you fix something in a way that lasts it is always a reminder of what you can do when you take the time and put your mind to something.

In the end, I think this all comes down to two things: a desire to learn and a willingness to work. We would all be better off if we could get more people to fix the things that break instead of just complaining on Facebook and asking for recommendations for a replacement. It really is that simple.

Take the time to educate yourself and start from the beginning if you need to. Basically, if you can’t differentiate between a flat head and Phillips head screwdriver just ask someone and start from there. There is no reason for your only exposure to a screwdriver having been at a bar.