Get out the Lube!!

It's Insurance Time!!! Yes indeed, it is time once again, to pay that mandatory extortion money to the wonderful auto insurance company! Can you tell I'm so freakin' thrilled!!? The lobbyists have made it so that not only do you HAVE to have insurance on your vehicle in order to drive on public roads and to register your vehicle. Failure to have coverage will result in fines, license revocation or suspension, and possibly even jail! You know that when I say "the Lobbyists" I mean that they have lobbied the state legislature successfully to enact these laws.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not against the "security" that insurance gives us, to not have to pay out thousands of dollars more if we were to get into an accident or be involved in such by no fault of our own. However, what I am against is the constant increases in premiums even though I have not had a claim, let alone a violation, that should affect my rate in nearly 20 years. The only ticket that I have had since 1990 is a seat-belt violation 5 years ago. ( In the passenger seat of a van that was so beat up that I couldn't FIND the seat-belt!) The closest that I have come to a claim was denied in 1996 when my dad dropped a 5th wheel on the bedrails of my truck, and they denied me the $750 repairs. I drove the truck with those dents for 9 years! ( I did get a new set of tires out of it though since dad felt so guilty! LOL )

SO here is my proposal, Let's all get together and petition the Federal Government for a redress of this Grievance thus: make it so that after 5 years without a claim or a moving violation the insurance premium goes down by 20%. Each year for the next 5 that you remain free of violations and claims your premium will be cut by this same amount ( The amount of the original 20%, not 20% of the new premium), resulting in a $0 premium after an accident free 10 year period. Any violation or claim will reset the clock and you will once again be back to paying your full premium.

The current system sucks and barely benefits the public that it is meant to protect. Trying to get payed for a claim takes a team of lawyers, and sadly they end up with a part of your payout so your screwed at the start! You just can't win it seems that the system is set up so that the rich get richer and we little peons continue getting screwed in the ass by the corporations.

We need to Organize against the Tyranny!

who's a grown-up?

When are you a "grown-up"? It doesn't happen over night, and it seems that some people achieve this milestone at a later time than others. Am I a grown-up yet? I really can't say for sure. I'm responsible, in that I have a job and I pay my bills. But I am not responsible for anyone but me. Does being a grown-up mean that you have to be responsible for someone other than yourself?

Sometimes I feel like I'm finally to the point in my life where I feel like I'm an "elder", a Grown-Up, someone who people should listen too. But then I sit in a room with my own elders and man I feel like a kid all over again. I have never introduced myself to anyone as "Mr." anything and when kids call me "sir" I have to look around to see if there is someone behind me who might be old enough to be called "sir". Or perhaps a knight?

I am so much aware of what I don't know and what I haven't experienced, that I wonder if I will ever consider myself a grown-up. Probably not, but someday maybe I will have the chance to teach a new generation how to be a grouchy bastard just like me. Someday I will be the oldest generation. Someday I will be in a nursing home where the speakers pump out Metallica and AC/DC just like they pump out Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington today. In a few years they will be swaying with the sounds of Motown to get the Baby Boomers in the mood to get their walkers in motion and down to the shuffleboard room. In a couple generations the nursing homes will have kicker bass so that the Millennials will be able to feel the music that wasted their hearing! That makes me laugh! Can you imagine the senior citizen buses in the future? Coming down the road thumping away. ;-0) I hope to be dead by then, because I would take the chance and really start shooting then!! End up with a life sentence...

I guess if that stuff still pisses me off I will still not be a grown-up!

Verbal ticks and other piss-me-offs!!

I have noticed lately that people are more and more writing their verbal ticks into their correspondence and blogs. While I understand a "character" writer using this technique to show the personality of the character, when you are writing as yourself and everyone already knows your character and you're trying to at least seem intelligent, why? Words like "gah" and "meh" and even "like" and "ya know" are becoming more prominent in the written language, and they are a pain in the eyes. They drive me nuts as much as other grammatical bad habits. I can understand certain regional things, but a verbal tick is just insane to accentuate in your writing.

Verbal ticks were recently brought into the mainstream consciousness by no less than the Daughter of Camelot, Caroline Kennedy. In her failed bid to be appointed to Hillary Clinton's vacant senate seat, she was interviewed for a broadcast news show and her verbal ticks became the fodder of the critics for weeks. So much so that it actually made her rethink her wishes to get into politics. She is smart and well written, but when she speaks she has her crutches. Nobody who has read the things that she writes would have expected that in a one-on-one unscripted interview she would come across sounding like an ill prepared teenager, " like... ya know?"

Another Piss-me-off lately that I have been noticing more and more is people saying, "All the sudden..." Where did they learn English? The phrase is, "All of a sudden..." , or "suddenly" I have no idea where or when people began saying, "the sudden", but I remember taking note of it sometime in the last year, because I thought it sounded odd. Then I heard it a few more times and I began to pay attention to it, and I find it more and more in common usage. It sounds like someone who never understood song lyrics, trying to repeat what they have heard. It's a "bad moon on the rise.", not a "bathroom on the right." and Jimmy says, "Excuse me while I kiss the sky!", not "Scuse me while I kiss this guy!"

A few weeks ago I brought up the use of the article "an" in front of the word "historic", and I have figured out the reason for this. Grammar gurus like to remind people that the correct usage is to use "a" in front of a consonant, and "an" in front of a vowel, but when the consonant is silent such as is the usual usage for words like "herbs" and "homage" the usage should be the same as the vowel lead. Historic is a HARD "h" sound!! written or spoken in should be "A historic..." , however the "a" sound should be the long sound as in "pain", rather than the short "a" sound as in "sofa".

Freaking Geniuses!! Good thing there is a freedom of speech.

Such a loser!

Well, I guess it all depends on how you are defining loser. In many ways I find that I am a pretty lucky or if not lucky, well positioned, individual. When I refer to loser here I am referring to nothing less that the NY State Lottery and specifically the multi-state game Mega-Millions. I saw the other day that the jackpot was up in the $70 million range and I decided to spend 2 dollars on a dream. I didn't win, but I did match the mega-ball so I got $2 that I used for another ticket. This one got me nothing, but oddly enough I had a bunch of numbers that were just one-off, and the pot has now grown to nearly $150 million. That's a stimulus Package! Needless to say I'm gonna go buy another ticket . I just feel lucky!

What is my dream? Nothing less than winning the whole freakin' thing all by my lonesome! Yeah baby! What would I do with that kind of money? I have thoughts and ideas, and I am sure that they change with the wind. I can say that there are a few small things that I would do immediately and without fail. Depending on the size of the Jackpot I won, ( I am DREAMING here!) I would set up a trust fund for each of my nieces and nephews. It would be contingent on either a college education, or a real job with a future, and the possibility of a career. With college I would ask that they at least try to attain a masters degree, but would offer a bonus for Doctorate. If they forgo college for the work route, the funds would be available to them in a few different ways. I would first give them the option of using them as an annual "bonus" that match their annual income for that year, ( I would set it up so that they would receive, free and clear, the sum that is equal to their annual gross pay ) Without their knowledge I would put some extra bonuses in there for certain milestones, but they would only be informed of these bonuses after they had met the preset requirements, they would not be "trying" for them.

Each person in my immediate family would get some sort of gift, dependent upon the size of the jackpot. It would be a One time thing. I will give them the amount of my choosing, and that will be ALL. They are still family and I will of course help them in the future if they need it, but as for monetary packages, it will be a one time thing and it will be their responsibility to invest or squander it. Little Brother would most likely be the one to use it in some way to make money, and Sis would be sure to stash a pile and use it sparingly. I would set up Pops for his retirement. Wherever in the world he chooses. He has given me a great life and upbringing and I am grateful for all that he has give and taught me. Both of my Mothers would get something too. It would be a discussion though. I don't have a set amount in mind, and I think each of them would be a different case.

Now I have done stuff for the family, what about my friends? It all depends. It is hard to say that I would definitely do anything for anyone else that is not a blood relative or married to my next of kin. Now, what about myself? Again it depends on the size of the Jackpot. I think that if I had a couple Millions left after spreading the winnings through the family economy, I would live one of my biggest dreams which is to travel. I would see the world. I would do my motorcycle trip through Europe. I would make a home for myself in Ukraine where I have fallen in love with the people, the country and especially the women! I would spend a few years studying languages so that I could travel anywhere, understand and be understood. If I only had 1 million or so to work with, I would build my house, and buy the land around it that I have been wishing for, then I would travel occasionally.

There is much evidence that winning the huge payout can ruin ones life, and there is also evidence that it can change one for the better. I think that it depends on the type of person you are in the first place. I actually know someone who won a jackpot and he's now in prison. Why? He was an asshole to start with, and the money gave him the feeling of invincibility, and he found out the hard way that he wasn't. After 3 DWIs inside of 5 years, he did some prison time, then he got out and decided to use his prison contacts to become a pot dealer. Not the brightest bulb on the tree. Anyway he got caught, and he went back to prison. Dumbass! I know another guy who won one of the "Win For Life" pots, his is $1000 a week for the rest of his life. He has used it to his advantage. He invested the entire first year of payouts. Then he began using 1/4 of the payout, while depositing the other 3/4 in the investment account. Now after 15 years he lives easily off of the interest of the invested amounts, while still saving the weekly payout. He has done well for himself and he is still the decent levelheaded guy he always was. I hope that I would have the good sense if I ever have the good luck to win a huge pot of gold.

The odds of getting hit by lightening are almost twice as good as winning the Mega-Millions jackpot, but people keep winning. There are people out there who have been hit by lightening more than once. You ever say to someone, " Ah hell, it's a one in a million chance!" ? So is this, but someone is going to win eventually, why not me?

Save the taxpayer, save the world!!

Funny thing, I was watching "Heroes" this evening. ( last nights episode on DVR) and when I was too busy to get to the ad zapper button, I heard that line, in a Turbo Tax commercial. The play on the line from the first season of "Heroes", "Save the cheerleader, save the world." The "dumb" guy in the ad, Gets happy and says, "Save the taxpayer, save the world!" and the "smart" guy replies, "that doesn't even make sense." But it really does make sense.

I have been saying almost exactly that for the last few months about these bailout /stimulus packages that have been going around and through the Government like shit through a goose. While we the Taxpayers sit home worrying about paying our bills on what little money we get from unemployment, or praying like hell that we can hang onto our jobs, the Dopes that we put into office year after year, continue to forget about us and send our ( and our childrens', grandchildrens', and great-grandchildrens') money to corporations and banks that have squandered billions of dollars, and look well poised to squander billions more.

I think that the part of this whole thing that really drives me crazy is that even while all of these banks and credit issuers are going under and being bought and sold left and right, WE are still expected to continue paying our bills. The companies have changed hands three or more times and the letterhead on the statements changes each time, but we still have to write a check to the new company. It pisses me off to no end, that corporations can trade OUR debt like a commodity. It seems to me that when the original company that we made our original agreement with goes under for whatever reason, our debt is erased with the name on the letterhead. And they are not allowed to keep the name on the letterhead when the company is acquired by a bigger company just so they can continue to take our money. I have to believe that the trading of debt as an asset, is one of the reasons that we are in this mess in the first place.

One of the points that still gets my goat, but is being addresses by some new legislation, is that the credit companies can take your payments every month and apply them to the lowest interest rate first. This allows them to keep the highest interest balances collecting interest for the longest time, thereby keeping you in debt forever. Or until you win the lottery or die! Sometime in the next couple years it will become illegal for the companies to do this, they will be obliged to apply payments to the highest interest debt first. And believe it or not this legislation was passed before the changing of the regime!

Anyway, if we the taxpayer had this money we really would probably save the world. It is the consumer who brings about the growth. Giving us the money to pay our debts, will give the economic boost to the banks and credit industry, it will free up our cash to use for purchasing new cars and for other luxury items. Sadly, it will be much similar to giving the money to the corporations in that the largest amount of people will just dig the same hole that they were just pulled out of, but there may actually be enough of us who have learned something from this mess and once we get out of the hole, we will do our level best to live within our means. Sometimes it's nearly impossible, but we sure try. I was just thinking that it seems that the harder I try to save money, the more likely it is that something comes up that requires me to spend way more than I really can afford. Whether it is truck repairs, clothes or a hospital bill, somewhere I always end up with some extra bill at the exact worst time for it. Murphy really was an optimist!

SO, that's my rant for today. Not really hot, but I guess I have to continue beating this dead horse! Maybe someone will pick up the cry and take it to the steps of congress and make themselves heard.

Tired of winter....

Yeah, Yeah, I know, I live in Western NY and I may as well get used to winter because it's pretty much here until the end of March. Truthfully we have already had a few little tastes of the spring weather that is to come. A few days where it was actually warm enough to walk outside without a coat, or at least a heavy coat. The sun is shining more these last couple weeks too and it is a lift to the spirits to see it and to feel it on the face, bright and warming.

I look forward to the days when I can walk outside without my coat or shoes. I want to sit on the back porch and listen to the frogs in the woods and look at the stars without losing the feeling in my fingers and nose! I want to be able to pull my motorcycle out of the garage and go for a ride. I am even willing to swat some skeeters as long as the weather is warm while I do it! Spring is nice because the nights are cool and I can build a fire from the fallen limbs I pick up from the yard. Spring sucks because there seems to be mud everywhere! Spring is cool because the flowers are coming up. Spring sucks because the damn rabbits are eating my tulip tops!! Spring is cool because things start turning green. Spring is cool because it smells so sweet in the air, but it sucks because I live in farm country and this is when they clean out the slurry pits. PeEEE U!!!

It doesn't really matter how I feel about the weather, it will change when it's ready and not one second before. Oh well, Life goes on I suppose, like it or not!

Gentlemen Start Your Engines!!

It's NASCAR season once Again!!!
Yes, in case you haven't guessed, I am a Race fan. And when I say a race fan, I am not really a picky race fan. I will watch snails race if there is nothing better to do!! Ok That's not really true, but I have watched lawn mower races. LOL Sometimes a guy just needs to see something interesting. There are many people who don't consider motor racing to be a sport, but I'm not one of them. A sport defined as follows :

(1): a source of diversion : recreation b: (1): physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2): a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in

4 a: sportsman b: a person considered with respect to living up to the ideals of sportsmanship

So by this definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Racing is a sport and the drivers and pit crews are sportsmen.

I guess that I am something of a sports nut after all. I am not a hardcore fan, ( I miss summer races all the time) I am however a long time fan since I have been a race fan as far back as I can remember. I used to watch the races when they were on TV sporadically back in the 70's. I would watch the highlights on The Wide World Of Sports. I watched the Daytona 500, The Indy 500, the Charlotte 600, the Southern 500, Darlington and Rockingham and Bristol and Martinsville. These were the races of the days when the Allison's and the Petty's ruled the track, when guys had a beef and they got into fisticuffs in the pits, they swung for teeth and later that night popped a beer together and laughed about it. They weren't called into the hauler and told how to behave in front of company. These guys were mechanics as well as drivers and they knew the wrench as well as the steering wheel. The last of these guys are still running a few races, Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin. They haven't had to turn a wrench in years, but they still remember the days when the driver split time with the crew chief driving the hauler to the next race. Now most of the teams have dedicated employees for every aspect. Drivers for the haulers, tire changers, jack men, Tire carriers. There is a guy whose entire job is to run a stopwatch. So It really is a team sport.

I watched the stock cars and the open wheels and the Grand Prix and the road rally's. It was sort of in my blood though because there was a time when my pops used to race snowmobiles. I loved going to the races. I got to be in the pits and to see all the guys. This was way before the days of the corporate sponsors and if you had a little bit of factory backing you were in the top echelon of the sport. Pops quit racing the year that one of his closest friend was killed on the track. It was the final straw for him, besides the expense of getting to and from the race sites, there was the upkeep of the machines and the other related equipment. Then when his friend was killed it lost some of it's appeal. I was only 6 years old, but I remember seeing the accident that killed Curtis Beam. I won't describe it, but suffice it to say that I will probably remember it for all of my life. Even so, it is a risk that every Driver takes when they decide to compete. This past week the Extreme Motocross world lost Jeremy Lusk. In 2001 NASCAR lost Dale Earnhardt Sr. There are so many names of Drivers who have died on the track doing what they loved to do. I couldn't come close to listing them all. And not only drivers but the crew members as well. Pit guys, and track guys and rescue guys and even in some cases fans. It happens, and we understand this. Maybe we have a little bit of the macabre and we hope to witness one of these crashes. We all want to see some carnage, but we really hope that everyone walks away. There is nothing like the cheer in the stands when there is a spectacular wreck and then the driver gets up and walks away from the wreckage. We like the excitement, but we want the human to live on.

If your not a fan of racing, you will never understand the appeal, and if you are a fan then you know what I'm talking about. Root this year for Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip. Mark because he is racing a full season and making a run for the cup, one more try before he retires. He is one of the best drivers in the business but he has never been a series champion. Mikey because he needs a good season to keep his teams and his sponsors. Gentlemen, Here's To you! May yo have a great season and I hope you rund a great Race on Sunday.