Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The morality of Zim's Rants????

I make no claims or promises about my own sexual behavior. This is just in the very unlikely event that Zim's Rants should make me a famous person. As I said, this is VERY unlikely. But I probably won't be caught in an airport restroom, as I'm afraid of all those airport security people now a days. I read that DIA restrooms were cruisy, though.

I really try not to preach about others. I could care less what Senator Craig, or anybody else does. I only care that they do their job and get things done that I want to see done. Their sex lives are none of my business! This is a matter between them and their spouse and their God. Rome is burning, for god's sake - and all we care about are all these scandals!

Big year for hypocrytes!

Normally, I'd have sympathy for someone charged with "fooling around" in a public restroom. Of course the charge was "disorderly conduct". Senator Craig apparently accepted the charge, but now claims he was not fooling around. Well, what the heck were you doing in there, Senator???

Look, I'm a fair-minded person... Perhaps the Senator got a bit too tipsy in an airport bar and then got overly friendly with one of the other men? Who knows?

But the gossip gets juicy as we learn the Senator's affiliations. He's a card-carrying member of Family Research Council (conservative), supported changing the Federal Constitution to ban same-sex marriage and voted against a federal hate crimes bill including gays. Sorry, but after the Ted Haggard affair, we are not sure of anyone's sexual tendencies anymore.

I wish these nagging social issues could just settle where they may on their own accord, without these stupid sex scandals. All this does is interfere with an intellegent debate on the real issues. The way I figure it, all virile men are prone to sexual wanderings. If it were me, I would have just paid the fine and be done with it... But when you are a public figure, you've got a reputation to uphold.

No person, from either party, whether conservative or liberal, should try to make political hay out of someone's scandal. If they do, they may wake up to read about a scandal in their own party.

Editor's note: O.k., the guy is really screwed in the court of public opinion... Apparently he peered into the closed door of a stall and somehow signalled a desire for "lewd conduct", according to the arresting police officer.

Not the way I wanted to see it end up.... but...

Zim finally got pegged to serve on a jury. Fine. It wasn't a big murder trial or anything. A produce manager at King Soopers in Denver was accused of ramming one of his employees with a produce cart (assault) and disturbing the peace (yelling).

Upon seeing the man and not knowing the charges, I immediately felt sympathy for him. Later, when I was picked for the jury, I got to hear from the kid who got slammed by the cart and his co-worker who was also knocked down. Their testimony was also quite compelling. Following this was the defendant's testimony. Sounded good, but didn't quite add up.

So, I decided that the guy was guilty. This was NOT without any doubts - reasonable or not. But we were not allowed any hard physical evidence, or pictures of injuries to go on. Just people's word. Mohamed (Mo), the kid that got hit, gave a pretty good account of his injuries and going to the hospital. Mo spoke English fairly well, but was from Africa, so it definitely was not his first language. Yet the answers were direct and with conviction. I have to believe that the defense attorney would have questioned the actual injuries had she known they were not well documented. Sooo.... without direct physical evidence.... IF there were injuries, there WAS some kind of assault.

Does this mean that I believe Mr. Carney deliberately rammed the two produce workers? Heck no! But it does not matter how bad you think the workers are: Americans don't physically abuse their workers... He probably just lost his temper. So, yes, I have sympathy for the man loosing his job and then getting convicted. What really sucks is we did not get to hear what the punishment was. This was not a felony conviction, so I really hope he does not get jail time. The poor man has paid the price for his temper, for sure. He probably could use some anger management classes (with him paying for them) and a fine. This all depends upon the man's prior record, of course. Again, we did not hear that information.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

White House, China fought lead-paint rules...hmm!

Interesting. It seems that the "free traders" of the Bush Administration fought tougher inspection rules. Now there is this scandal...

Yes, the B.A. likes corporations, fer sure! They'll all sell their souls for a buck... Send the country right down the tubes!

I hope this prompts some specialty toy makers in the U.S. to capitalize on the dislike of China crap. Crap, it most certainly is! Just go to the toy section at Walmart or Toys 'R Us. Plastic cheap crap!!!! Poor kids, even if they don't get lead paint!

This brings me back to my childhood in the 50's and 60's: The American Flyer train set, the steam engine (model), the Leggo set, the Erector Set and the Tonka toys - all were made here, and everything else we got. If you did get something foreign, it was from Europe and was probably more expensive than U.S. stuff.

I'm not sure it always produces quality stuff, but I'll take a Taiwan tool over it's mainland counterpart. But best of all I like my Craftsman (U.S.A.) tool set the best. These are my adult toys. For other nice U.S.A. stuff it is better to buy used things at the flea market or thrift store.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The other 70%???

Well, it's not all Democratic, for sure! I'd say add in another 30% Democrat and then 40% Liberatarian. I realize that in some areas, we need government to provide certain essential services and pay for them. This is where the Democrat comes in. The Liberatarian comes from my desire to keep personal privacy AND most personal decisions... Republican is in there to maintain national security (which they have done a poor job of) and keep business afloat. Let's hope the Repubs start acting like Republicans!

Just how Republican am I?

Gee whiz, thought I was more! Guess I'm pretty typical of folks now a days!

I am:
30%
Republican.
"You're probably one of those chicken-littles who thinks maybe we should worry a little bit, occasionally, about the fate of the planet that our lives all depend on."

Are You A Republican?

Monday, August 13, 2007

Adios, Turd Blossum...

Bye, Carl! O.k., to be fair, that is Bush's affectionate name for Mr. Rove. I have immense respect for his political talents, but unfortunately he delivered a dimwit to a bunch of Neo-Con thugs waiting to mold our President into their future product.

Hey, I have plenty of criticism to go around. The Bush family and the Clintons are a lot alike: they are big political families, a bit short on leadership capabilities. The only ones I like out of the whole Bush clan are George One and the two First Ladies. I admire Hillary, but am afraid she will only further the cause of division in this country. Bill? He makes a good fund raiser and celebrity.

I want someone to restore civility to the White House and work with Congress the way Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill worked together. I'm afraid it won't happen! Hillary had better deliver an optimistic message and ease off on the criticism. Bill did a great job of delivering a positive message, but to be honest it was Ross Perot who put him in the White House. Now, perhaps, the Democrats and Republicans will deliver a third-party candidate to the office. And I don't care if it's a woman or person of color (did I use the right P.C. terminology?), as long as they could get the job done.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Rome is burning!

Just in reading the ridiculous squabbles in a comments section of a Denver Post article, I can see where things are headed in this country! I believe this divisiveness really flared up during the Clinton impeachment ordeal. Then it did not become any better when Bush "won" (well, sort of) the 2000 election. For a brief moment the country rallied together after 9/11... But, as the wars got bogged down, that support rapidly evaporated.

The country is left with several chronic and potentially fatal problems - let us not forget about the devastated Gulf Coast... I don't believe it will be one problem, such as terrorism, which brings us down. Rather, I think it will be a number of maladies that combined, will weaken the great Empire to the point of collapse.

It'll take a lot to get me to vote for one of those presidential candidates currently running!