A word from Jay Leno

[George Schilling]

Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see....

As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.

'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.

In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?''

A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

F.. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?


G.. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your
family, and your belongings.

K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?




Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who:

Guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day? Make no mistake about it.

The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like OJ. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

Jay Leno

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Wasn't written by Jay Leno.

Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

[Tom Phillips]

Wasn't written by Jay Leno.

Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't think it matters who wrote it . Truer words couldn't be spoken. The "general public" grumbles about the price of gas, bread and milk, then go to the house they own in their brand new Hummer.
The freedom we enjoy, daily, was and is, paid for by the blood of our Armed forces. And I am grateful for the chance to spout off about it without fear of repriasal.
Just my $0.02 worth.

[George Schilling]

I don't think it matters who wrote it . Truer words couldn't be spoken. The "general public" grumbles about the price of gas, bread and milk, then go to the house they own in their brand new Hummer.
The freedom we enjoy, daily, was and is, paid for by the blood of our Armed forces. And I am grateful for the chance to spout off about it without fear of repriasal.
Just my $0.02 worth.

Well said Tom. The most important valve I have tried to instill in my children, my empoyees and anyone else who'll listen is gratitude. We have so much to be thankful for in this country. I am fearful that the continued tampering of our way of life will lead to an end of our wonderful way of life. My in-laws who are from France are just wrapping up a visit here. Even they are gratejul for the United States. When I hear about the taxes they pay it makes me cringe. At dinner last night they were contrasting the differences between the two countries. People here romanticize about wanting to be like Europe, but in our conversation last night, I found little to like. They are amazed at the choices we have here, especially the abundance and quality of our food supply. But as busy body legislators pass more and more laws as to what we can eat an when, even that is in jeopardy. In Los Angeles, a council woman just introduced a measure to outlaw fast food restaurants. If the people didn't want fast food, there wouldn't be any fast food places, but of course the law maker/busy bodies know best. Frightening. And what's the latest trans fat ban just passed by the state. Just a few years ago they passed laws encouraging the use of trans fats. Will the alternative be more of less safe? I say let the public decide with their pocket books.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

The most important valve I have tried to instill in my children, ...

George, the authorities are cracking down on valving children.

Europe has its old world charm, but even with all the modernization, life is much easier in the U.S. The average British family lives in a modern row house that is cramped compared to the average American condo.

That said, right now a lot of people are losing jobs and that's only made the housing market weaker than it would have otherwise been. Every silver lining has a cloud. ;)

A couple of other things. How is my freedom affected by invading a country, deposing its leader -- asshole that he was -- and then attempting to peddle a democracy that the newly freed citizenry doesn't really want? Afghanistan is different.

Most of that little essay is patronizing crap. Some of it makes good points.

When people say "God bless America," my first thought is, that's already happened.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

In Los Angeles, a council woman just introduced a measure to outlaw fast food restaurants.

George, you complain about the media skewing stories because of bias and you've done EXACTLY that right here. The councilwoman wants a moratorium -- that's hardly outlawing* -- on NEW fast food restaurants because there already a lot of them in her district and the kids living there are obese. Not is she unlikely to succeed, but so what? The companies would simply build elsewhere.

*If fast food joints were outlawed in her district, they'd all have to close. The likelihood of that ever happening is nil. If by some fluke such a law was passed, it would be struck down in federal court faster than you say "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."

[George Schilling]

In Los Angeles, a council woman just introduced a measure to outlaw fast food restaurants.

George, you complain about the media skewing stories because of bias and you've done EXACTLY that right here. The councilwoman wants a moratorium -- that's hardly outlawing* -- on NEW fast food restaurants because there already a lot of them in her district and the kids living there are obese. Not is she unlikely to succeed, but so what? The companies would simply build elsewhere.

*If fast food joints were outlawed in her district, they'd all have to close. The likelihood of that ever happening is nil. If by some fluke such a law was passed, it would be struck down in federal court faster than you say "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."

Bob your right, it was moratorium. I'm not a reporter. I expect to news media to report things honestly. I admit it, I was going from a feeble memory, but the gist is correct, a polititian wanting to take away another freedom.

Back to outlawing fast food joints, is it the food that is served or the choices people make when ordering. Almost all fast food outlets now serve salad and other "healty" items on the menu. These items don't sell very well. People could sit home and get fat just as easy by making poor diet choices. Should we "put a moratorium on potato chips? What about the people that can make good choices? How about letting the market decide Bob?

Here's another one for you. I'm sure you'll correct the details. Apparently, California is one of two states that prohibit mounting a GPS on the windshield. There is legislation pending that would allow one to mount it on the windshield so long as it is in the lower right or left corner I believe. How about letting me decide? In some cars, you couldn't even reach the lower corners of the windshield. So I'm a criminal because I mount mine in a place that doesn't obscure my view, but not in either corner. We have passed so many laws restricting freedom that only the saints among us don't violate several laws or statutes a day. What a joke.

[Tom Phillips]

So I'm a criminal because I mount mine in a place that doesn't obscure my view, but not in either corner. We have passed so many laws restricting freedom that only the saints among us don't violate several laws or statutes a day

George -
Although we seem to be on the same page a lot of the time, I, too, am a dyed in the wool, down the middle of the road, Conservative. I think that you sometimes read into items things that aren't there, or you preceive may happen. Unfortunately, the preception of what may be can sometimes lead us into over-reacting long before any thing could be proven to happen.
Driving to work at 75 because everybody else is, is breaking the law. But are you a criminal? I think not.
Placing a GPS in the middle of the windshield, if not obscuring your vision, would most likely be ignored by the police, UNLESS you gave them a REASON to pick fly sh-t out of pepper.
If we don't like a law, we have the right, albeit, the duty, to question the validity of that law by going through the courts or by banging on the heads of our representatives to change it or nullify it.
Again, it's just my $0.02
Tom

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Bob your right, it was moratorium. I'm not a reporter. I expect to news media to report things honestly. I admit it, I was going from a feeble memory, but the gist is correct, a polititian wanting to take away another freedom.

Back to outlawing fast food joints, is it the food that is served or the choices people make when ordering. Almost all fast food outlets now serve salad and other "healty" items on the menu. These items don't sell very well. People could sit home and get fat just as easy by making poor diet choices. Should we "put a moratorium on potato chips? What about the people that can make good choices? How about letting the market decide Bob?

Here's another one for you. I'm sure you'll correct the details. Apparently, California is one of two states that prohibit mounting a GPS on the windshield. There is legislation pending that would allow one to mount it on the windshield so long as it is in the lower right or left corner I believe. How about letting me decide? In some cars, you couldn't even reach the lower corners of the windshield. So I'm a criminal because I mount mine in a place that doesn't obscure my view, but not in either corner. We have passed so many laws restricting freedom that only the saints among us don't violate several laws or statutes a day. What a joke.

Not a funny joke either. It's some sort bureaucratic recommendation, probably packaged with umpteen other things, that the CHP, DOT and DMV want pushed through the Transportation committees just as fast as chairmen of those panels can get a rubber stamp voice vote. Graft that puppy onto some spending bill and most of the little bull**** sails right through the floor vote. I covered the Legislature in Arizona and I've seen exactly this kind of lawmaking. It's representative government in action and it's crap.

I'm a criminal too, because I want mine to the left of the rearview mirror. Now I wouldn't call most of these huge restrictions on my freedom, but they're a senseless waste of the taxpayer's money. I don't want to pay the Legislature to sit on its' lobbyist-funded fat asses and churn out crap like that, and then take every important issue and create a ballot measure out of it. I now won't sign any petition for any ballot measure. Half of them are special-interest screw jobs and the other half are unconstitutional.

Of course people get fat because they choose the wrong food. I'll bet a moratorium wouldn't make a damn bit of difference on child obesity. If they want to control what kids eat out of some sort of public health concern, then close the campuses, including the high schools, and don't feat 'em crap. That won't happen either because parents will insist Little Billy should be able to cram his face with a cheese burger and a slice of pizza washed down by a soda that's laden with sugars because that's what he likes at home. See a pattern there? God forbid they actually make the kid something decent for lunch or dinner or eat something healthful themselves.

George, you know I'm just sparring with you. But "outlaw" and "moratorium" are pretty different.

And I know you deal with bureaucratic paper-pushers on a daily basis. Think of it this way: those poor slobs know they're not winning any popularity contest. Most of them just drag out the book and look something up. They don't care if it says red or blue, because they aren't allowed to. A lot of them like it. It's structured and they don't have to think. It's really pitiful if you think about.

Oh, and Tom's right.