Going Green? Really? Get off the bandwagon.

"Green" has been a pretty big buzz word the past year or two and I have some issues with it.

First of all, the corporate world has been less than honest. General Motors, The Wall Street Journal, Apple Computer, Hilton Hotels, Wegmans Supermarkets, and Major League Baseball don't care about the future of our planet. They care about money. It's cheaper to recycle, reprocess, and re-purpose materials. Saving soap and water at the hotel for the Earth? Nope. They do it for the bottom line. Using biodegradable packaging for our grandkids? Nope. They do it because it sells. Offering reusable grocery bags for the environment? I don't think so. Here's the scam, they can give you their bags, or sell you your own so they don't have to give their money away. Make sense (read cents)?

Hybrid cars? Scam. Hybrids aren't the answer. They use batteries and gasoline. Neither of those are good for Mother Earth. What does everyone else in the world use? Diesel fuel. Why don't we? Special interest groups and taxes. See, diesel burns slower, and more efficiently than gasoline. With recent technology, it's almost as clean. If you're selling oil, do you want it to sell fast or slow? If you're taxing it, same thing. I rest my case. Here's an example. The VW Jetta is available with both gasoline and diesel powerplants. The gas-powered engine burns 14.3 barrels of oil per year, while the diesel burns only 11.9. Diesel must be efficient. Otherwise, trucks, buses, and trains wouldn't run on it. Here's another bonus to diesel. It can be made from used cooking oil. There's two birds with one stone, huh?

How about my new water heater? The exhaust from it is so cool, it needs to be removed from the house with a blower. Why? Because all of the heat is consumed by heating water. Now, I'm not spending money to heat the outside of my chimney. Green? I guess so. A wise economical design? Absolutely. Why did it take so long to figure that out?

Oh, and don't ask me what it costs to fill my truck. It's not about what it costs to fill the tank, it's about how often you fill it, simpletons. Also, If I wanted good gas mileage that badly, I'd be driving a Honda or a Volkswagen. I bought a truck because I wanted one. If I buy an SUV, it's because it fits my needs. If the Jeep I want were available with a diesel engine (like it is in Europe), I'd buy one. The Republicans need to relax with the oil greed, and the Dems need to calm down about the environment. This is America. People like big things here and diesel works.

Recycling and reusing aren't new. Just ask the used auto parts industry. They've been selling used parts and recycling scrap for decades. Before the environment became a political platform or sales pitch, these folks were doing what made sense. Newspapers are another prime example. I can remember my parents putting them in brown bags to be picked up long before we were recycling cans or bottles. Public transportation isn't new, either. They've used it in New York and Boston for over a hundred years. It wasn't green back then. It was smart and convenient. Try driving in New York, anyway.

Now, don't get me wrong, here. I'm "green" to some extent, but I still like muscle cars, trucks, and boats. The question needs to be asked; is "Green" about money or vegetation? Is it about convenience? I bought reusable grocery bags because the plastic ones make bringing home my food complicated and the reusable ones hold more. I use my towel twice because water and soap cost money. I'd like to burn less fuel. I'm grateful that my new furnace and water heater burn less gas, and that my new house is better insulated.

I'm just saying, call a spade a spade. Save the environment because it makes sense, not because it buys you face time, voters, or customers. A little honesty goes a long way. I'm typing on a plastic computer, sitting on a polyethylene couch, in a room with polyester carpet.

Crafted With Pride

While everyone is thinking about Michael Jackson, government health care, and Kim Jong Il, I'd like to bring up an article a friend sent to me. It's a few months old but certainly not stale.

It seems, Pennsylvania-based Cannondale Bicycle is moving production to Asia. Here's the link. This sparked some thought for me as I can proudly say I'm a hard-working, middle-class American. I'm not a huge fan of Pennsylvania (being an independent Confederate state and all), but I need to make a point, here. A few years back, I purchased my second Cannondale bicycle. The selling point for me was that the product was handcrafted in the USA. It wasn't built by a series of robotic arms in some factory overseas. It was made right here, in the good old USA by people like me and you.

Now, parent company Dorel (a Canadian outfit) has announced it will be sending its work to Asia. Dorel just happens to be the parent to such brands as Schwinn, GT, Dyno, and Mongoose. I grew up with these names and remember them standing for American quality. In fact, my first real bike was a Mongoose 20" BMX. I never had a Huffy or a Murray or any other throw-away toy bike after that. On September 11, 2001 (ironically), Schwinn and GT were sold to Pacific, a Dorel brand. Since then, I've seen bikes bearing the names of Mongoose, Schwinn, GT and Dyno in places like Target, Dick's, and Sears. I understand Wal-Mart carries these as well. Is Cannondale the next one to go?

The loss of Cannondale to overseas production signifies the "last of the Americans". Sure, people still build bikes here. Most of them are hand-made in small shops by people who understand craftsmanship and hard work. However, as far as big names go, I'm pretty sure it was the last one.

Now, I'm not opposed to foreign-made goods, altogether. I doubt you could live life in our Nation without owning something made in another country. I'm typing this on a computer built with Japanese and Chinese parts. Do Apple, Dell, or IBM actually mass produce anything here?

Many Ford and GM cars are built in Canada and Mexico. Toyota? They're built in places like Huntsville, Alabama; Georgetown, Kentucky; and San Antonio, Texas. Does it get more American than that? I'm more inclined to buy a product built by American men and women from a Japanese company than I am to buy a product built by Canadian men and women from a U.S. owned company.

It wasn't the middle-class Americans that created this financial mess. It was the selfish, arrogant, white-collared upper class. They're the ones that designed products with a high failure rate (guaranteed supply/demand) and lent money to folks that couldn't afford it.

Sorry to be such a curmudgeon. I'll work on a lighter hearted topic next time.

Be Afraid, Very Afraid.

I want to talk about the swine flu, but not in the traditional sense. Obviously, I have my views on the media. This is just another example.

To this date, there have been fifty three (that's 53) swine flu deaths, worldwide. To put that into perspective, the world population is estimated at 6,706,993,152 (July 2008, CIA). Here are some other things that kill people:

Each year, 70,000-80,000 people die as a result of fires. That's scary, because those happen every day in every city. Oh boy, we're doomed. International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF), 2005

Traffic accidents kill 1.2 million people every year.* That's 1,200,000. That figure seems much larger than 53. Maybe we should all stay home or walk more.

Diarrhoeal (the European spelling) diseases are responsible for taking the lives of 2.16 million annually.* Oh boy. Now I'm worried. I think I've had that before. I didn't realize how close I was to becoming a statistic. Watch what you eat, and where you eat it.


Lower respiratory infections kill 4.18 million people annually.* This includes pneumonia and bronchitis. Uh-oh. There must be billions on their death beds as we speak.

Why am I saying all this? I guess I'm just confused. I mean, 4,180,000 people die from pneumonia & bronchitis and not a word. Then, 53 people die from an Influenza virus and the media goes to General Quarters! Is it because the CDC and WHO used the word pandemic? People really freak out when they hear that word. All it means is "widespread illness". Everyone calm down. Just because a lot of people get sick, doesn't mean they're all going to die.

This whole thing reminds me of the avian flu. I would have been worried about that if I were a bird. But, I'm human, and as far as I understand, I'm fairly safe. What's going to happen when we really have a major pandemic or epidemic on our hands? Will the world blow it off because the news cried wolf so many times? I think that's a valid concern.

Special thanks to graphjam for the charts.
*World Health Organization statistics

FWD: Fw:Fw: Fwd: Check This Out

Sorry everyone, I think its time I come clean. I seldom, if ever, forward emails. If something is really funny (and I mean I actually laughed), I'll send it along to a few friends. To be honest, I don't even open most of the forwarded e-mails I receive.

You can rest assured that politically fueled propaganda emails are promptly deleted. Barack Obama is not a Muslim extremist but he DOES say the Pledge of Allegiance. There is also nothing to support the rumor that George W has the lowest IQ of any President in U.S. History. Fundamentalist religious messages follow the same fate. Your sending me an email on gay marriage, abortion, communion, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, prayer in school and a myriad of other things will not change my beliefs. I have by beliefs. They're mine, and they're beliefs. They aren't up to you to change.

If I break the chain, nothing bad is going to happen. The soldiers will not come home any sooner because I jammed up someone else's inbox. The children with leukemia will not get better because I clicked send. Nothing to do with God or religion will change because I forwarded some pictures and gigantic purple text. Occasionally I will sign an online petition but I have yet to see any results.

One more thought regarding e-mail. Pornography is available pretty much anywhere on the internet. I don't need it slowing down my bandwith when I get my mail.

As for cell phone texting. Have we had enough yet? I mean really, does anybody truly need to take time out of what they're doing to open some microscopic cartoon of Lisa and Bart Simpson having sex or yet another set of huge breasts? It's not that I don't like breasts, but I don't need a tiny picture of them on my phone. Its just silly. Also, when I receive a text message or e-mail that has "turn your volume up" in the subject line, I make sure my sound is off. I don't need my phone blaring "I'M LOOKING AT PORN!" while I'm waiting in line at the DMV. FYI, I don't send these on, either.

Oh, one more thought. NOBODY IS WINNING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SENDING EMAILS TO ALL OF THEIR FRIENDS! Microsoft isn't cutting any payroll checks for you using their products. These claims are not true. Don't waste your time.

I think it's worth mentioning that I enjoy some of the junk mail I get, just not all of it. Keep it coming. Just know that it might stop right here on this computer. I hope I didn't offend anyone. However, if you are that easily offended, you might not want to stick around here.

The Government Cares...

Apparently the Government (Federal, State & Local) is so concerned about our health, they've again raised tobacco tax. Here in New York State, the Governor recently tried pushing legislation to prevent drug stores from selling tobacco products.

I guess I can see the paradox with buying tobacco in the same place you buy prescriptions, band aids, and vitamins. Unfortunately, I think we're missing the big picture. You can buy beer at Rite Aid. You can also buy junk food, and plastic bags. Everyone knows plastic bags are not toys, and they sufficate millions of children in this country every day. Are they going to stop selling these items, as well?

Here's my question, have they raised taxes on fast food, potato chips, ice cream , or candy? What about butter, Crisco, bacon, whole milk, white bread, and prepared fried foods? I'm fairly certain that obesity is a larger cause of Cardiovascular Disease than smoking. In fact, read this if you're in doubt. On another point, medical costs for obese patients are surpassing those for smokers. Here are links to the CDC's sites for smoking and obesity. By the way, nice job, Colorado. You're not as fat as the rest of us. Alabama needs a diet. In fact, it appears that obesity is a bigger problem in the "Confederate" states. Insert stereotype here.

Back to my point. I'm fairly certain that the Government would rather keep their income from tobacco tax. That's probably why state and federally funded smoking cessation programs have such low success rates.

If there's such a high public cost associated with obesity, shouldn't the obese be taxed? I mean, I shouldn't have to pay for your ambulance ride and angiogram if I've been healthy all along. I didn't tell you to keep eating and stop exercising. I know, I know. Thats not nice, right? Okay. I can buy the fact that genetics can predispose people to obesity. I'll go on to agree that hypothyroidism is another cause. However, you can't tell me that 31% of Americans are predisposed to morbid obesity. That's nearly one in three people.

Every time tobacco taxes increase, so should the fat tax. Share the wealth, right? So too should the motorcycle tax, the automobile tax, and the people too stupid for their own good tax. The Government is worried about our health, right?

Now, I'm not saying tobacco habits are healthy. I'm just saying, why target one group of people if another group is equally, if not more, unhealthy? Oh wait, I get it. Votes. Fewer people are using tobacco products today than thirty years ago. More people are fat. Politicians cater to their constituents. The long and short of it is, there are fewer smoking constituents, and more fat ones.

I personally don't care what you put in your mouth. It's really none of my business. I'd just like to see some equality in who's footing the bill here. That's all.

The "News"

I'd like to share a few thoughts about the mainstream media. Don't worry, this isn't political. There is more than enough punditry available elsewhere. Admittedly, some of what's gone wrong with our media has been politically fueled. Maybe it's the need to fill 24-hour news channels with "news", but as I've said before, it has become reality TV.

First, about the "Octomom". In an apparent need for attention, Nadya Suleman has conceived and delivered fourteen (14) children through in-vetro fertilization (IVF). Eight of those children are from her most recent pregnancy. IVF is a procedure that allows many families to have children who would have otherwise been unable to. It is not, however, a procedure designed to impregnate a single woman who is already receiving welfare and food stamps. I'm no marriage counselor or psychologist, but I can see why this woman is single. Nadya filed paperwork recently to trademark the word Octomom and has allegedly signed with a U.K. company for a reality show. Where am I going with this? The Media has taken her story and gotten far too many miles out of it. It seems as though we can't hear enough about this story. There's the reality that some people actually care, and the perception that even more want to.

Interesting sidenote: Ironically, Suleman holds a B.S. in child & adolescent development, and was pursuing a Master's degree in counseling until 2008.

FOX, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and various print outlets are acting as the enablers in some conveluted co-dependency surrounding Ms. Suleman and her attention addiction. Want to help her? Stop feeding her addiction. It's no different than alcoholism, drug abuse, or gambling. As long as people play into it, the addict continues to be supported. As long as the addict feels support, she uses. This woman needs an intervention. CUT HER OFF. Don't air her footage, don't return her calls. If the children are in danger, send in the proper authorities. Let me know after the problem has been fixed, no sooner. I don't want to hear it. I'd much rather see footage of Captain Richard Phillips returning home alive, and the interviews that will inevitably ensue.

Next up? Politics. I know I said this wasn't political, and it's not. It's about the Media. We just got through the longest Presidential race in U.S. History. Why? Because the media promoted it. They were talking about "who's next" as far back as 2005. That was the year Bush took the Oath the second time. I don't need to speak about the candidates except to say this. Hillary selfishly hung on way too long because of the abundance of "spotlights". Sarah Palin was a media event, in and of herself.

In other political arenas, I have a few examples of media over-influence.
-Kindergarten Cop is the Governor of California
-Al Franken (Stuart Smalley for the SNL fans) won a Senate seat after 7 months of counting and re-counting votes.
-Jon Stuart, a political satirist for Comedy Central, tends to ask harder questions than the real reporters do.

While I don't blame the "newsmakers" for the financial crisis, I can say with some confidence that they aren't helping. I'm no economist. In fact, I'm not great with math to begin with. However, if you tell people to be afraid, they will be very afraid. As long as our nightly newscast and the front pages of every rag in the country are screaming financial trouble, people will not spend their money. Is there a major recession? Absolutely. Will it go away overnight? Absolutely not. Would it go away faster if without the media frenzy? I'd bet a dollar it would.

Finally, fear. On just about any topic, our Media has become the source of fear. I remember when a Fox News Alerts were reserved for things like actual terrorist attacks. That same tag-line is now followed by such things as "Blogojavich won't step down", and "Gay Marriage passes in Iowa". These aren't news alerts, they're news stories. The word alert instills fear and discomfort. It isn't just Fox, they're just an easy example. Even on the local news we hear teasers like, "Are you safe in your own house? We'll tell you about it at eleven." Really? How about now? If there's really something to fear, shouldn't they tell us immediately?

"Coming up at six, your kids could be in danger."

"Is cancer hiding in your workplace? We'll tell you what we found at ten."

You know what? I've had it. Unfortunately, I can't escape it. Tomorrow morning, I'll wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and settle in for my morning dose of "news". I use the term lightly, by the way.

Really? You're that important?

Okay. We've become a society of self-righteous, pretentious, pompous braggarts. A prime example of this is the Bluetooth headset. While I agree with the concept, I seldom agree with the application. For instance, it's been deemed unsafe (allegedly) to drive with a phone in your hand. The Bluetooth is a great device for this. It's wireless and hands-free.

Here's the part I don't understand. If you're not driving or doing something equally important with your hands, why do you need a headset? I remember when the use of headsets was limited to 911 operators and stage managers. Eventually, Madonna had one, and now everyone does. Is it some poor attempt at a status symbol? I've got news for you; A $40 earpiece does not make you a millionaire. It doesn't make you look important. It makes you look like a fool. Just about anyone can afford a cell phone these days, and most of those are Bluetooth compatible.

I get a kick out of people who leave these things in when they aren't even on the phone. Is it really that difficult an item to deploy? My rule? I won't speak with you until you take it out. How do I know someone isn't on the other end, listening to our conversation?

Take the earpiece out. You aren't that important. Want the kicker on earpieces? The Secret Service uses earpieces. They're a pretty important group of people, right? I mean, they protect the President. The funny thing about their earpieces is that they're hidden. Covert vs. overt. Less is more.

If you want to be important, apply yourself. Maybe you'll earn that status. For now, you look like a fool. When you become important enough to need constant connection to a phone, people will be answering the phone for you.

Informative or Entertaining, Which is It?

Are we talking about politics or entertainment? I think the two have become entirely too similar. Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, was planning on marrying her high school sweetheart after finding out she was pregnant. I applaud her courage and commitment to being a teen mother, and I hope she believes what she says she believes. I also applaud her fortitude and frankness when she told teenegers accross America that having a baby was not "stylish" and that telling her parents she was pregnant was "harder than labor".

Bristol Palin, 18, gave birth to baby boy, Tripp (don't get me started on Palin names) on December 28, of last year. Tripp's father, Levi Johnston, broke up with Palin after promising the GOP that they'd get married. I say he promised the GOP because it appears to have been a political choice for the McCain/Palin campaign.

Johnston will appear on the Tyra Banks show in about a half-hour. According to news reports, he told Banks that Sarah Palin knew about her daughter's sex life. Whoop-di-fucking-do! Why am I supposed to care? Shouldn't this be between the Palins and the Johnstons? Governor Palin (R-Alaska) is pissed and I can't blame her. I don't like her, but I can't blame her. Even when you're a celebrity/politician, your family issues are your family issues. Guess who else I can't blame. Thats right! High school dropout Levi Johnston. I imagine he's getting some good loot for going on the Tyra Banks Show. He's being fiscally responsible, right? I mean, he needs to support his child, and his baby's momma.

Is there nothing to report on other than politics? Fourteen people were killed in a massacre in Binghamton, NY last Friday. In the past 24 hours, there was a massive earthquake in Italy. I have heard more about the Palin issue from Headline News and MSNBC than I have about either tragedy. (Sorry FauxNews, I'm not imaginative enough for you)

Gone are the days that "breaking news" meant a train derailment or hotel fire. Now, the ticker reads, "Breaking News: Palin Knew Daughter Was Sexually Active." Breaking news? Really? Maybe I'll just get my news from The Onion from now on.

I'm Torn

Today marks the first time in eighteen years that the Media has been allowed to attend the ceremony of the return of a Serviceman's remains. I can honestly say, I'm torn.

The War in Vietnam exemplified the impact of the Media on peoples' opinions. While it has been argued that the Vietnam War was not in America's best interest, this argument has been skewed by media influence since 1955. That war marked the first time in history that Americans at home received nightly updates of the casualties, and the color photos and video that accompanied them. It has been called a "Living Room War". In the Second World War, our Nation showed unrivaled support of our troops. How could it be, that in Vietnam, men were said to die in vain? Was it the motives of our government that killed our Nation's support? Was it the media's choice to report what they saw fit? Was it the Government's influence over the media? Maybe it was an amalgam of everything.

The biggest tragedy of Southeast Asia was the loss of 58,148 American

Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Airmen. Many of these men and women were drafted. The average age of those killed in Vietnam was 23 years.

Another tragedy that is all but forgotten by our Veterans is the utter lack of support and respect they received upon their return home. They were spit upon and assaulted. Many of them could not find jobs. I imagine President Bush (Part I) was concerned this could happen again. He was, after all, leading a Military operation in the Middle East.

Enter President Obama's decision to repeal that law. Now, it is up to the family of the Fallen to decide whether their loved one's return shall be broadcast. There are still questions left unanswered, such as, "What if there are several flag-draped coffins on the same flight, and different families believe different things?"

The remains of Ssgt. Phillip Myers, USAF, returned yesterday to Delaware's Dover AFB. Sunday marked the first time, in eighteen years, that those gates were opened to the media. I googled his name and found a photo of him receiving the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in Iraq. It's worth mentioning that Staff Sergeant Myers was killed in Afghanistan, not Iraq. Furthermore, thanks to our media, these two Nations have been lumped together, causing more confusion with regard to public support. Will this be the beginning of the end for the support of our Nation's war efforts? I sure hope not.

I am honestly impressed with how many people say they support the troops, not the war. I have heard the argument that by not supporting the war, you are not supporting the troops. I disagree. We aren't talking about business, here. If you say that you support American Labor, but not American industry, you contradict yourself. If you don't buy American-made products, Americans lose their jobs. Such is not the case with war. I can't imagine many soldiers losing their jobs due to lack of support. I support the troops and their effort. It would be unethical for me not to.

Industry is not war, but war is an industry. This fact has killed more men because of greed than it should have. America is different than it was in 1970. America is different than it was in 2001. Time will tell just how many families allow the media to be present when their loved ones' caskets are unloaded. Time will also tell how America handles this. Will we be affected?