Five things that were ok before but aren't now...

Times change.  That much has always been certain.  Things that are great today are horrible tomorrow.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup was once the NASCAR Winston Cup.  Winston being the cigarette brand that was the former sponsor.  Cigarettes were once a symbol of cool, now its the symbol of cancer.  There was a time that any picture published of a woman had her in an apron and heels.  Today you can't even suggest that a woman make you a sandwich without getting slapped.  When I was a kid I had a BB gun.  Very few parents today would give a kid one.  Thirty years from now we will look back on the things we do today and wonder what in the world we were thinking.  Here are a few things that used to be ok, but aren't now...

1.  Interesting Product Placement

Wait, what?  Is that Fred and Wilma lighting up?  No, thats not a photoshop.  Winston used to be a major sponsor of that show back in the 60's.  

You are seeing it right.  Winston, same brand that was sponsoring NASCAR, in every home, marketed to every child.  Used to be ok, isnt now.

2.  Before it was "So easy a caveman can do it"...

Sexist?

More sexist?

Most sexist!

3.  More genius marketing...

Soap that'll turn you white?  I don't think this needs much explaining.

4.  Kids with guns...

This was in a comic book, clearly targeting kids to spend their Christmas money on a gun.  Just send it in, comes in the mail, ready to start shooting out of the box!

5.  Got a toothache?

Yep, if you have a toothache, all you need is some cocaine!   In 1885 the U.S. manufacturer Parke-Davis sold cocaine in various forms, including cigarettes, powder, and even a cocaine mixture that could be injected directly into the user's veins with the included needle. The company promised that its cocaine products would "supply the place of food, make the coward brave, the silent eloquent and render the sufferer insensitive to pain."

What's appropriate today that won't be tomorrow?  Post your thoughts and ideas below.  Please share too!!!

The right to bear arms, for now...

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, as written.  One of the most cherished and protected rights of the people is the right to have guns.  I personally do not own a gun.  I really cannot envision a circumstance where I would own one.  I don't hunt.  I don't feel that I am in mortal peril all the time.  I don't think the government needs overthrowing anytime in the near future.  I don't think Canada is about to grow a set and invade anytime soon either.  All that said, I believe completely and unequivocally in a persons right to own a gun.  I have lots of friends who are hunters.  I have fired guns before and I wouldn't mind going to a shooting range and firing off a few rounds, just to test my skill.  Guns are part of America and should continue to be a protected right of the people.

Florida's governor announced a task force to discuss guns.  This is in response to the Trayvon Martin shooting.  I am not going to write about that shooting.  Its been driven into the ground by news media, bloggers, right and left wing nut jobs, and everyone else with a pulse.  Every time a shooting occurs, whether it be in the commission of a crime, an accidental shooting (see Dick Cheney shooting his hunting partner in the face), or a kid playing with their parents handgun and killing himself or someone else, groups of people come out of the woodwork in favor of abolishing guns.  To understand why this is a bad idea, one need only review the history books.

Early American settlers viewed the right to bear arms as an absolute necessity.  Reasons range from deterring tyrannical government, repelling invasion, suppressing insurrection, facilitating a natural right of self-defense, participating in law enforcement, and enabling the people to organize a militia system.  All of the reasons they wanted guns are the same reasons we should as well.  Not much has changed.  If anyone thinks even for a second that our government would NEVER suppress the rights of the people to the extent that we would not need to deter them via insurrection then they should only take a look at governments around the world today.  As much as we would like to think we have grown to the point of civility that we wouldn't need guns is fooling themselves.  For the record, we in America are not near this point.  One could say that the reason we aren't is the right to bear arms.  It is much easier to suppress a people who have no means to retaliate.

There are lots of people who want firearms banned.  I can understand why they might feel this way.  No one likes to hear of someone being murdered.  No one likes to hear about accidents with guns involving children.  Seems like an easy fix, just ban guns, right?  Criminals seem to have no problem getting guns, banning them will change nothing.  Criminals get access to drugs easily and those are illegal.  Banning drugs didn't make them magically disappear.  Banning drugs didn't keep them away from children either.  Banning guns will only prevent those who legally and lawfully own and use them from having them.  This solves nothing.

It's not the right to bear arms that should be removed.  Regulating guns won't work.  Harsher penalties for gun related crimes is needed.  We have a problem in our country.  People want criminals in jail but they don't want to pay for them.  People complain about overcrowding in prisons, but then demand that something be done about criminals.  So what to do?  There are no easy answers.  I would suggest that lesser crimes not contain jail time.  We have tons of things that need doing in our nation.  Its time to leverage those who commit crimes as menial labor.  Smoke weed - Go to jail.  Steal a shirt - Go to jail.  Owe the IRS - Go to jail.  Owe back child support - Go to jail.  Punch a guy in the face - Go to jail.  Why?

California’s Annual Costs to Incarcerate an  Inmate in Prison

2008-09

Type of Expenditure
Per Inmate Costs

Security
$19,663
Inmate Health Care
$12,442
Medical care
$8,768
Psychiatric services
$1,928
Pharmaceuticals
$998
Dental care
$748
Operations
$7,214
Facility operations (maintenance, utilities, etc.)
$4,503
Classification services
$1,773
Maintenance of inmate records
$660
Reception, testing, assignment
$261
Transportation
$18
Administration
$3,493
Inmate Support
$2,562
Food
$1,475
Inmate activities
$439
Inmate employment and canteen
$407
Clothing
$171
Religious activities
$70
Rehabilitation Programs
$1,612
Academic education
$944
Vocational training
$354
Substance abuse programs
$313
Miscellaneous
$116
Total
$47,102

That's right, over $47k per year to house an inmate.  We, the taxpayer, spend over $1 billion dollars every year just on incarcerating people for marijuana alone.  Instead of spending that money we should be sentencing these people to hours of labor.  You free up prison space to more harshly deal with violent criminals (like those who use guns in the commission of a crime).  You free up tax dollars to be spent on boosting our economy, creating jobs, solidifying social security.  Is this perfect.  Nope.  I am sure someone reading this will poke holes in this plan.  I am fairly sure I haven't thought of everything.  But to bring this back around to the point and the topic, making guns illegal will not fix the problem.  Dealing with illegal gun users in much more harsh ways is a better start.  

Thoughts?  Ideas?  Please share.  

We have the right to free speech, sometimes.

I was reading ESPN.com and saw where baseball manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended for 5 games by Major League Baseball for comments he made to Time Magazine.  Guillen told Time magazine he loves Castro and respects him for staying in power so long. Later when read his comments , he said he felt sick because he knew how people would react.  He promptly apologized for the comments and said it was because he was thinking in Spanish but talking in English.

In no way do I agree with his comments.  I am about as far from being a Castro supporter as one could be.  But lets assume that what Ozzie Guillen said was not a case of lost in translation, but his actual honest to goodness feelings.  Guillen is a citizen of the United States of America.  He was born in Venezuela but became naturalized citizens of the US in 2006.  He, just like me, has his speech protected by the first amendment. He wasn't speaking at a press conference for the Marlins (the team he coaches). And yes, it is not lost on me that he is a celebrity and a public figure whose words will be scrutinized regardless of any political context.   In this case, he was being interviewed for a magazine.  He was on his own time.  He made a very unpopular statement.  I am sure that Major League Baseball has policies in place that govern unpopular speech even when not in uniform.  My question isn't if what he said was right or wrong, its should he have the right to say it.

The First Amendment protects your right to free speech.  Under this amendment, criticism of the government and advocacy of unpopular ideas that people may find distasteful or against public policy, such as racism, sexism, and other hate speech are almost always permitted. (per wikipedia)  What he said was clearly unpopular.  Most would find it distasteful.  It is very much against our governments policy.  Where does this amendment actually protect people if his employer is allowed to suspend and fine him?

Put another way, taking it to the logical extreme, my employer could also put in place a policy that restricts my right to say what I like.  I could be sitting at a bar, eating wings, drinking a cold beverage, and I say to the guy next to me "Boy, Obama sure does suck!".  My employers position on speaking out against the government could be to fine me or suspend me or to even fire me.  How is this scenario different from what Ozzie Guillen is facing?  What I said was unpopular (to some) just as what he said was unpopular (to some, but likely to a few more people).  Is his celebrity the only difference?  Lets say this blog really takes off and I become a worldwide phenomenon.  Am I no longer entitled to my unpopular opinions?  Are there not segments of our society who still believe in many very unpopular things?

The danger in policing speech becomes where the line is drawn.  Pro-Castro is a very short leap to Anti-Obama.  You wont find many pro-Castro folks who are not anti-US and by extension anti-Obama.  There are people who believe that we should not be fighting in the Middle East.  This ideal is quite unpopular with those who do.  Is it reasonable that anyone should have the right to enforce silence on these topics from those who dissent even in you "represent" another organization?

I admit, its a fine line.  A company's reputation is based on the image of those who represent it.  When AFLAC fired Gilbert Gottlieb over remarks he made as a comedian, no one flinched.  AFLAC just found a new voice for the duck and life went on.  I would argue that by allowing this type of censorship, we draw ourselves one step close to the "Big Brother is watching you" scenario from the book 1984.  The challenge is that no one wants to step up and say "Hey!  Let Guillen support Castro!" because it is unpopular.

Comments?  Leave em here!  Please share.

10 Misconceptions Dispelled

I found this while looking around and thought I would share, it is republished with permission.

[Source: Misconception Junction]

Comments?  Share if you like!

Ten pictures to make you smile!

They say life is short.  That's a load of crap.  Life can be long, dull, and frustrating.  It's the little things that bring happiness into your day that make it tolerable.  So here is my effort to bring a smile to your face today.  There are 10 random pictures to make you smile!!!

#1:  If you are reading this, I know what you are doing.

#2:  Undercooked pork?

#3:  Economy bad?  Find a good sale

#4:  Still want a tattoo?

#5:  Next level political correctness?

#6:  Doing it wrong. VERY WRONG.

#7:  OMG, GET HIM!

#8:  Relationships - you are doing it wrong.

#9:  Sparkling Vampires Suck

#10:  He's smiling at you, smile back!

Share and comment!  Enjoy your day!

April Fools Day

Yep!  It's that time of year again.  Tomorrow (and Monday likely) silly jokes will be played on people all over.  I used to play tons of April Fools jokes.  One year I wrote a scathing resignation letter that detailed just how terrible our boss was, then I photo copied one of our best employees signatures onto the bottom of the letter.  Folded it up, put it in an envelope, and I sat back and watched the carnage unfold!  The look on her face was priceless.  Some people can take a joke, other can't.  Lucky for me, all parties involved in that one had a great sense of humor.

Where did April Fools come from?  The earliest recorded connection between April 1st and playing pranks was in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in 1392. (thank you again wikipedia)  April Fools day is a global phenomena.  Not just done on April 1st, traditions vary from only being done before noon on April 1st to being held on May 1st in Denmark.  Then French translate the day into April fish and the goal is to attach a paper fish to someones back without them noticing.  Thank goodness it's not a real fish.

Some well known companies have been known to pull a joke or two on April 1st.  Here are a few I thought were well done:

1.  Google Comic Sans:

Most people know of the Comic Sans font.  Most people hate it.  Last year, Google decided to play a little joke on everyone by rolling out the "new" font for Google.

2.  Richard Branson buys Pluto

You are one of the richest people on the planet.  Is it so far fetched to believe that they wouldn't buy a planet?  Unhappy that it was downgraded from planethood, Branson announced he was buying Pluto and having it reinstated as a planet.


3.  Groupon acquires April Fools and you can't use it!

Groupon goes all out by creating a whole website to announce the intellectual trademark and that it will crack down on anyone who infringes upon it.

4.  Bring on the Wolfpigeon!

Qualcomm, in an effort to bring Wifi to the masses, released its plan.  Flying wolf-pigeon hybrids that would bring Wi-Fi around the world.


5.  World record Rickroll

Youtube decided to play this massive prank in 2008, they redirected every video on the home page to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up video.  Even today, rickrolling is pretty funny, back then it was hysterical.  For those who dont know what a rickroll is, check this:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickroll.  For the funniest rickroll of all time (in my opinion) watch this (but be aware, its contains some inappropriate words): 

Good luck tomorrow!

What is the best April Fools joke you have ever played or had played on you or ever saw.  Please share and comment below!

An open letter to the presidential candidates...

Dear Presidential Candidates (whoever you end up being),

First off, congratulations on getting to this point.  It's not easy to get on the ballot for the presidency.   It's not the most fair of processes due to the vast sums of money it takes to possibly be considered, but you in all likely hood invested a tremendous amount of your own money into this attempt.  You have put in an amazing amount of time and personal sacrifice as well.  It takes a "relatively" clean past, the ability to communicate on a variety of levels with all types of people, and the backing of a lot of people in positions of prestige and power and people who will question everything there is to know about you.

I would like to ask that this election year you approach it a little bit different however.  Every 4 years since I was of legal age to vote I have heard the same things.  Presidential candidates of the past have run on the same basic platforms.  Jobs, economy, international affairs, Social Security, taxes, and healthcare are all discussed at great length and that each candidate will solve the issues facing our nation.  Everyone preaches the same word, change.  The problem is that nothing really ever changes.  This election year, don't preach change.

Stop promising the people things that you think they want to hear you promise and start actually talking about how its going to get done.  Stop telling the people all the things that you will do, even when many of those things aren't within your control to affect.  Remember the first George Bush?  "Read my lips, no new taxes!"  All that became was a bullseye for Democrats to push through any tax they could, virtually ensuring themselves a platform to run on in the next election.  Remember our current president?  "I will be held accountable.... If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition."  He vowed to fix the economy.  Problem is, one man cannot fix our economy or decide that there will be no new taxes.

The office of the President of the United States is not the same office it once was.  There was a time when there was respect for the office.  There was a time when a mere word from the President moved markets and shifted the fortunes of a nation.  Now there is no respect and people treat everything that the President says as lip service.  So as you run for President this year, tell us how you will bring the respect back to the office and back to our nation.  Don't tell us that you will bring the House and the Senate together and get things done, tell us how you are going to do it.  Tell us how you will bring accountability back to our government.

When you are elected, do not treat the first 4 years like you are trying to get the next 4.  Act as if you know you won't be re-elected and you have only 4 years to get everything done.  Forget politics.  Call out those who aren't doing their jobs so that we can hold them accountable in the next election.  Don't let our government get away with doing whatever it takes to keep their jobs.  Instead have them do whatever it takes to get our nation back on track toward being the beacon of hope and freedom we once were.  Our nation is failing and we are letting it happen.

Start off by telling us the bad news.  Don't sugar coat it.  The first step toward recovery is to admit that we have a problem.  Without our leader LEADING the way toward a solution, we will never get there.  Tell us what the goals for our nation are and how we will achieve them.  A great president once said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask only what you can do for your country".  Tell us what is necessary for us to do for our country.  It's ok to say no too.  Tell us that we cannot have national healthcare because we cannot afford it.  Tell us that our priorities need to be in line.  Tell us what it will take to make Social Security solvent.  Or tell us the bad news that its going away, but don't tell us that we will figure it out.  Actually figure it out and tell us what to do.

You want to lead the most powerful nation on the planet.  You cannot shy away from saying what is unpopular.  You need to worry more about getting our house in order before you worry about other nations.  Take a look at Greece.  We are headed that direction and quickly.  You have the right and responsibility to do whatever it takes, popular or not, to fix our country.  You cannot fix it alone.  You do not have the power or ability.  You must tell us what to do and we must do it.

Do not sling mud at your opponents.  Past elections have not been about who is best but who sucks the least.  Don't tell me why they should not lead us, but tell me why you should.

We are depending on you.  We need you, now more than ever.  Our nation is spiraling downward and you must pull us out of our tailspin.  There are positives that we can build on.  Bring in the right people and lets get building.  Good luck in November.  May the best man win.  (not the one who sucks the least)



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