tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52208012011-12-15T08:50:12.178-05:00Smile at Me-World Peace via International Friendship''If you smile at me, I will understand cause that is something everybody does in the same language.''<p>
About Me: I'm a 52 year old American named Dave. I'm married w/4 children. I am interested in hearing from anyone in the world. Age and gender don't matter. Either does religion. If you just hate everybody though, keep it to yourself, thanks<p></p></p>David Blainenoreply@blogger.comBlogger4741100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-74775316536788020662009-10-12T18:02:00.002-04:002009-10-12T18:05:05.346-04:00If the insurance companies don't like the Democrat's new health care plans, it should tell you something. Insurance companies are a for profit organization, even if they call themselves non-profit. Even non-profit companies pay their executives exorbitant wages and perks.Contact your legislators and let them know you want real health care reform, and you want it now.If they don't think you careDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-80171095125770746782007-02-20T07:58:00.000-05:002007-02-20T08:13:31.659-05:00Jet Blue HooThe big fiasco at Jet Blue this past week has got me ticked off. Not at the airline, at the whiney passengers. This whole country is spoiled; I’ve known that for a long time. We’ve been raised on entitlements, and I’m not just speaking about help for the disadvantaged. We have heard the word “rights” used so many times that we’ve lost all sense of personal responsibility. Just David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-76057068337769344272007-02-13T07:48:00.000-05:002007-02-11T12:49:50.960-05:00Deja Vu, George W Bush and Spring JacktsDespite all the president’s claims to the contrary, the American experience of war in Iraq is turning into the same experience as the war in Viet Nam. The U.S. has gone into a region of the world with a markedly un-Western culture and tried to prop up a Western style democracy. The majority of the people in Iraq and the entire Middle-East region do not wantDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1145880793335054792006-04-24T07:59:00.000-04:002006-04-24T08:13:13.510-04:00Oil AddictionsIs it those large American SUV's, monster size trucks, or the high performance sports cars that are wasting fuel and driving up gas prices in the U.S.?The president says that we need to break our addiction to oil. It is often pointed out that gasoline overseas costs much more than it does in the U.S., and many countries have much more fuel efficient vehicles to cope with it. Well,David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1145620053232895632006-04-21T07:40:00.000-04:002006-04-21T07:47:33.276-04:00Gas PainThe number one concern of most Americans today is the price of gasoline. With the oil companies making multi-billion dollar profits this past year, petroleum executives are scrambling to defend their earnings and deflect the heat. Chief among their tools are misinformation and outright lies. The “fact” that keeps getting bandied about is that the global economy sets oil prices, not theDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1143496990445669232006-03-27T16:55:00.000-05:002006-03-27T17:07:26.113-05:00It's a Global Economy, Stupid.Ah, the Republicans want to make illegal immigration a felony. Well, immigrants wouldn't come here if there weren't jobs waiting for them, jobs Vincente Fox says, well, never mind, we all remember that racist remark. But it is true that the immigrants are coming for jobs that go unfilled by Americans. No surprise, I've been to California and no one is going to David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1141821274853374322006-03-08T07:22:00.000-05:002006-03-08T07:34:34.923-05:00More Bennish BacklashSo now there is scrambling to try to defend the attempts to silence Jay Bennish, the teacher accused of comparing Bush to Hitler. The mother of Sean Allen, the boy who taped the Bennish lecture, asks "what about Sean's free speech?"Well, what about it? The teacher accepted anyone's questions and allowed all statements of belief. He even said he'd award extra credit for David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1141737296558255122006-03-07T07:56:00.000-05:002006-03-07T08:14:56.610-05:00World Hero Jay Bennish is a world hero. I was going to write, "American Hero", but it is necessary to stop thinking nationalistically and start thinking patriotically. We are ALL world citizens in the end. If you don't recognize him, Jay Bennish is the teacher who dared to compare Bush to Hitler in his sophomore world geography class. He posed several questions to his class, presenting differing David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1138195091628373322006-01-25T07:51:00.000-05:002006-01-25T08:18:11.680-05:00George W, Wrong AgainLet me begin by stating that I am not a lawyer. If someone has an explanation for my concerns, please, tell me.The Bush Whitehouse has been caught "pants about the ankles", again.As easy as it is to pursue suspected terrorists in our country right now, any rules seem to be too many for George W. This is no longer news. Since there are already two sides arguing this, one David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1132412447427149192005-11-19T09:23:00.000-05:002005-11-19T10:00:47.513-05:002,000 Plus Dead, Another Urban MythI asked a very intelligent and caring woman, my wife, how many people have died now in the American battle over Iraq. Of course she gave the standard answer, "over 2,000".She was quite right, in fact it's about 25,000 people over 2,000. Almost no American civilian will stop to consider the Iraqi death toll when answering this question. It's not that they are David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1130939021843208922005-11-02T08:36:00.000-05:002006-04-21T08:05:03.396-04:0090 Day ItchTen billion dollars in profit. Not for a year, for ninety days. And not just any ninety days, for those ninety days when our country was savaged by Katrina and Wilma. Ninety days when the wind whipped our gulf coast into an oil-coated sewage lagoon. Their gulf coast too. The profit was supposed to be higher, but production was down during those storms.These were the ninety days when David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1121290091039926602005-07-13T17:20:00.000-04:002005-07-14T08:05:40.243-04:00Burn, baby, burn.It's a big argument about nothing. Should burning the American flag be against the law?This isn't like defacing Mount Rushmore, flags are owned as private property. People use them as ornaments, as window curtains, as tablecloths. But there is a symbolism in flag burning that can't be denied. I've never really understood burning the flag. The flag represents almost three hundred David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1120686555113832252005-07-06T17:30:00.000-04:002005-07-06T17:57:59.133-04:00Hello, I'm back...What got up Gary Trudeau's ass? Sunday's Doonesbury strip asks "isn't blogging basically for angry, semi-employed losers who are too un-talented or too lazy to get real jobs in journalism?"Right, and drawing cartoons is for artists who are too un-talented or too lazy to produce legitimate commercial art, eh Gary?No, I'll tell you what blogging is about. It's about real writing, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1116767803203807762005-05-22T09:00:00.000-04:002005-05-22T09:21:16.300-04:00OutsourcingI've finally come up with a good use for outsourcing. Most companies have been going at this all wrong. The norm is to lay off thousands of American workers and have a product produced overseas by lower paid employees who will work without benefits. I want to save some real money. I think we should outsource the higher paid jobs, starting with Congressmen and Senators. That's right, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1115375496005854992005-05-06T06:24:00.000-04:002005-05-06T06:31:36.013-04:00Seven Ways to PrayAfter reading the comments to my last post I realize how the late Pope was viewed by different cultures in different places. I agree that mere prayers are window dressing if not coupled with action. I have been working with someone to change myself from an angry person to a more peaceful person. You may have read some of my poems here before, this is the latest one.Seven Ways David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1112477163106631092005-04-02T16:22:00.000-05:002005-04-02T16:26:03.106-05:00Buena Serra, Signore.I don't hold much regard for any organized religion. Religion, per se, has been responsible for more wars and wrongdoing than nearly any other cause. But I have to respect the late Pope John Paul II, even if I didn't always agree with him. I always felt he operated out of sincere care for others, and not for himself. Goodnight sweet prince.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1112285054438185952005-03-31T10:56:00.000-05:002005-03-31T11:04:14.440-05:00To Italy and BackLong time here without a post, sorry. I hope all had a blessed Easter season.My wife and I went to Italy the middle of the month for almost two weeks. It was a wonderful trip, and we experienced a tremendous amount of thehistory and beauty of the country in that short time. Our trip started in Rome for three nights, then we traveled south to Pompei, Sorento and Capri. HeadingDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1109262614552272262005-02-24T10:51:00.000-05:002005-02-24T11:30:14.553-05:00Go Ahead, I'll wait here.Do you remember when states started passing bottle deposit laws? When Nixon was president?The end of the Viet Nam war? Do you recall when Charlie Manson went to prison? When the U.S. got into the railroad business with Amtrak? How about Led Zeplin coming out with Stairway to Heaven? The movies Love Story and The Exorcist? If so, you are thinking back about thirty years. David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1108597680278924582005-02-16T18:39:00.000-05:002005-02-16T18:48:00.280-05:00Do you know the score?There is a new frenzy in the consumer world these days. A lot of hype has been spun around an old term, credit score. Everyone seems concerned, advertising would have you believe that if your score is too low, you would be turned down for a loan. But that isn't the whole story. The reason advertisers are stiring the fire is that there are companies who make money David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1108042742730433122005-02-10T08:28:00.000-05:002005-02-10T08:39:02.730-05:00The Cost of Free Speech
The University of Colorado has a difficult choice to make. One of their professors, Ward Churchill, has written a paper saying the bankers and stock brokers killed in the WTC terrorist attack were responsible for the disaster. Calls for Churchill's head to be brought up on a platter are now being heard in the administrative offices of the university. Naturally Churchill David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1108042008633263262005-02-10T08:17:00.000-05:002005-02-10T08:26:48.633-05:00Waste of Tax Dollars
The FTC is stepping up fines for television networks that violate decency standards. On the face that doesn't seem wrong, but it is redundancy of a system already in place, a system that costs the taxpayers nothing. Television is supported by advertising dollars, and advertisers are a far better judge of what the public is offended by than Washington bureaucrats. When a David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1108041437158546362005-02-10T08:11:00.000-05:002005-02-10T08:17:17.160-05:00The Real Danger in North Korea
Now that North Korea has announced they have nuclear weapons, necessary for self defense, the real danger isn't from the bombs. North Koreans and everyone else know that the country has nothing anyone wants. The only reason to invade North Korea is for the safety and security of her neighbors. Today's announcement only serves to paint North Korean leaders as David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1106048178767251972005-01-18T06:36:00.000-05:002005-01-18T06:36:18.766-05:00NonsenseI think that blaming Abbas for continued activity of Palistiian millitants is bullshit. The U.S. is in control of Iraq. Does that mean that the U.S. is responsible for attacks by Iraqi insurgents?Before Abbas will have enough clout among the Palistinians to shut down Hammas, he will have to show those people he can be effective in negotiating with Israel. If Sharon continues the "eye David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1105975140776068892005-01-17T10:14:00.000-05:002005-01-17T10:21:53.613-05:00I, too, have a dream.
Dream In My Head
There’s a street in my town
with bars on one side
and stars on the other.
There’s blood on the blacktop
a rip in the road
where everybody’s right,
nobody’s wrong;
and you can’t talk sense
to someone who thinks
that people are targets to strike at.
There’s a river in our land
with them on one side
and us on the other.
It’s a river of tears,
through a David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1105687691706120262005-01-14T02:28:00.000-05:002005-01-14T02:28:11.706-05:00It's OfficialThe United States has determined that there are no weapons of mass destruction to be found in Iraq.Whew, glad that's over, eh?David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1104580947694900902005-01-01T07:02:00.000-05:002005-01-01T07:02:27.693-05:00Not a Spectator SportThe disaster in Asia is still unfolding with projections of loss to near 200,000 souls. This will probably be the largest natural disaster in known history. Don't just sit on the sidelines and watch, get in the game. I was going to list links to a few places you can donate to help the tsunami victims, but there are so many it would be hard to choose between them. My David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1104499111297988722004-12-31T08:18:00.000-05:002005-01-01T06:43:34.196-05:00Sad Way to End a YearWake UpSeers, oracles,minor prophets,singing psalms, carrying signs.The end is near.We scoff, guffaw.Go home, read the obits. A dozen dead.Just another day.Turn the page, a handful more born;parents beamand laugh at the doomsayers. It's about the scale,about being palatable in small doses.We watched two grand damestumble into the streeteagles snarled and flaming in their David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1103720257955969582004-12-22T07:57:00.000-05:002004-12-22T07:57:37.956-05:00Tis The SeasonWe just passed the winter solstice, a time of year when many holidays are being celebrated. It is traditionally a festive occasion for most, but it is also the time of year for much depression and self injury. We build these holidays up to be larger than life. That is the way of tradition. Expectations build, then crash with the realization that nothing is different today, nor David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1102949323706792012004-12-13T09:48:00.000-05:002004-12-13T09:48:43.706-05:00I'm Pro WarI used to think I was against war, but that was back when a war was between two countries and we fought until one side gave up. Now I am starting to understand the new concept of war and I'm all for it. Now you don't need to have a defined target to start a war, only a concept. First we had the war on drugs. There was no country, no side that we declared this war against. I was David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1102338635051388622004-12-06T08:10:00.000-05:002004-12-06T08:10:35.050-05:00Leaders, Role Models, and GovernorsI called my mom yesterday. She lives in Florida. She has been sick for a couple of weeks and thinks her cancer may no longer be in remission. I'm not surprised. She started smoking again this year. She has always smoked since she was a teenager, quitting once in a while, but always going back. Who's fault would that be, besides her own? There have been a David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1101461116837766912004-11-26T04:25:00.000-05:002004-11-26T04:25:16.836-05:00Thanksgiving DayLike a highballing freightThanksgiving eve arrived.Wind whistled at the windows,delivering a heavy load.The wet, wintry coatstrained wires,left homes cold and dark.But season's first snowfallmade yards peaceful and whiteand hearts warm and brightcome Thanksgiving day.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1100185838656453122004-11-11T10:10:00.001-05:002004-11-15T09:56:29.310-05:00Under the InfluenceThe length of this road,your girlish face,time we’ve spent apartdrew me backto draw you close, butI’ve drawn wrong conclusions.It’s the time of yearfor heavy frost.I’ve scraped away enoughto find the yellowed leavesof our calendar yet knowing how way leads on to wayI doubted if I should ever come back.It’s the time of yearfor killing things,a duck, a deer,a bottle of David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099925926400581122004-11-08T09:58:00.000-05:002004-11-08T09:58:46.400-05:00De United States of AmericaI've been mulling over the future of the nation now that Bush will be leading the country for another term. He and his Republican congressmen and senators will shape the way our country operates for eons beyond that, naming new Supreme Court justices and possibly passing constitutional amendments during the next four years. I will have to respect the president of our David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099504321933345662004-11-03T13:52:00.000-05:002004-11-03T13:01:44.616-05:00Perspective
My son is a volunteer firefighter. He is performing a civic duty for his town and is serving about a thousand people. Most people would consider that a good thing, and I do too, but what if he had a chance to serve his whole county?
Should he tell the county no, he is so happy serving the best interests of his town that the county isn't important? No, most people would say to go on David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099466364636132262004-11-03T02:19:00.000-05:002004-11-03T02:19:24.636-05:00PainThere's a fire in my belly that won't go away. The newsman and the party boss discussed what will happen now, over the next four years. The president will need to reach out. Well don't reach out to me, I'll spit blood in your eye. You can't steal from someone and then reach out. You can't burn down their home and then say your sorry. Right now all I possess is anger, and there isn't David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099402050077966932004-11-02T08:27:00.000-05:002004-11-02T08:27:30.076-05:00Date: November 2, 2004Time: 7:12 A.M.My vote was cast and counted. What were you doing?What are you doing now?David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099316683717787312004-11-01T08:44:00.000-05:002004-11-01T08:44:43.716-05:00ImpotentMany Americans are voting for Bush because they believe he is the candidate most qualified to defend the country against terrorists. If that is true, you have to look at Osama Bin Ladin and ask this question.With many nonsensical voices spouting the opinion, over the past year, that Bush would capture Bin Ladin a few weeks before election day to secure a victory, and considering the factDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099271436467332662004-10-31T20:10:00.000-05:002004-10-31T20:18:29.386-05:00Perfectly Clear?I am distressed. I am troubled that the prospect looms for George W Bush to get re-elected this coming Tuesday.In a responsible country, the man should be a lame duck before the election, not running four to six points ahead of his opponent. Make no mistake. I believe Bush should be subject to prosecution as a war criminal. If you want to vote for him you are either rich, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1099052500911180682004-10-29T08:21:00.000-04:002004-10-29T08:21:40.910-04:00Please VoteOn Wednesday, November 3rd, the world will know that either a majority of Americans approve of a president who refuses to admit error, refuses to redress wrongs, refuses to consider any opposing viewpoint, or they will know that the majority of Americans disapprove and are going to give a different man the chance to do better. All Americans will be judged one way, the minority will beDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1098627385897885062004-10-24T10:16:00.000-04:002004-10-24T10:16:25.896-04:00Stick with what worksThe escalation of violence in Iraq was predictable. As we reach election day in the U.S., I reflect on what terrorists did in Spain just before the last election there. Horrific terrorism brought defeat of the candidate the dissidents opposed. Why wouldn't enemies of Bush try the same tactics? Is there a lesson here? Well I hate to give terrorists what they want, but David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1097170347100112612004-10-07T13:32:00.000-04:002004-10-07T13:32:27.100-04:00OutsourcingBy now you have heard that there is going to be a shortage of flu vaccine in the U.S. this winter. The factory that produces the bulk of our supply, an overseas factory, is contaminated and must shut down. This leads to two questions. If we can't re-import American made medicine from overseas why are we importing medicine made overseas at all? I'll leave that loaded query for David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1096841730342359812004-10-03T18:11:00.000-04:002004-10-04T09:57:07.956-04:00Fighting for God and Country
In the beginning God made man,
but man couldn’t understand God,
so man created god in man’s
own image. Then man wanted a box
to hold this new god, so he invented
religion. Wars were fought over
religion, and man thought that war
was good, so another box was invented,
politics. This is how the mantra grew,
"god and country". Then there were two
excuses to fight wars.
David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1096569358864689062004-09-30T14:35:00.000-04:002004-09-30T14:35:58.863-04:00A Girl!See what is exciting in Rezwan's life this week!As Louis Armstrong sang, "What a wonderful world! Ohhhhh Yeahhhhh!"David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1096028546800812522004-09-24T08:22:00.000-04:002004-09-24T08:22:26.800-04:00When is an Election not an Election?Iraq's interim prime minister and the Bush administration are beginning to talk about the elections scheduled for next January in Iraq. The noise is about the reality that in many parts of Iraq the security issues won't allow elections to take place. Perhaps only three quarters of the country or two thirds of the country, geographically, will be able to vote.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1095819800826483042004-09-21T22:23:00.000-04:002004-09-21T22:23:20.826-04:00Rather Vs DubyaOk, I get the big stink over Dan Rather cooking the books about Bush's service records, but the guy is only guilty of depending on an unreliable source for the intel, er info he used to produce his news report. It's not like he relied on faulty info, er intel to launch a war or something. As I see it, the score is as follows. Rather BushDead David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1095783748570265862004-09-21T12:22:00.000-04:002004-09-21T12:22:28.570-04:00John McCain, the next president.No, I'm not off my rocker, yet. Bush is already the president, so assuming Kerry continues to not run, we'll have Bush another four years, and then McCain can be the next president. I'm sure he'll win,he could have run as a Democrat and won this time.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1095250492261217282004-09-15T08:14:00.000-04:002004-09-15T08:14:52.260-04:00Time to TalkIf either U.S. presidential candidate wants my vote, they better start talking now. They better start telling me what they want to do for this country in specific terms. Bush would have to tell me why he hasn't done anything the first four years besides fight a war against terror in a country that didn't have any terrorists. I'd need to know, looking over his record so far, why I David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094900501811370652004-09-11T07:01:00.000-04:002004-09-11T07:01:41.810-04:009/11/2001, a re-runOn Living and DyingOf all the images of nine-eleven that are burned into my mind,none are as desperate as those of the souls who chose to leapfrom the doomed towers to certain destruction on the streets below them.Their last few seconds falling, an allegory of our lives. And as they say onmany a trip, ‘getting thereis half the fun' ‘relax andenjoy the journey'For falling isn't David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094900223249804512004-09-11T06:57:00.000-04:002004-09-11T06:57:03.250-04:00Setting Things StraightAs a follow up I need to state that Friday Colin Powell addressed the issue of the genocide in Sudan. Whether it is out of the administrations true concern for the people in Sudan, or whether it is out of political pressure from the election campaigning, I'm glad it isn't being ignored.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094739775846475562004-09-09T10:22:00.001-04:002004-09-09T10:22:55.846-04:00GenocideEthnic cleansing in Sudan continues with no acknowledgement from the U.S., the U.N. or almost any Western nation.While John Kerry calls for action, Bush's administration keeps it's collective head in the sand. Why?Let's just say if your car ran on sand, we'd be in Darfur fighting right now. Yes, I'm really that simple minded.Are you that thick?David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094673871495754892004-09-08T16:04:00.000-04:002004-09-08T16:04:31.496-04:00Fall FellGeese are heading south, but there will still be some warm weather left this fall.Indian SummerOld dog Autumn’s festive foliage started to fallDeciding to get down with the grass in a solstice danceNot linger on the limb, weary of such whimYet while crisp cool nights portend cooler still to comeSouthern fronts slip up to kiss on occasion and teaseThe old man into thinking winter might beDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094559110097731892004-09-07T08:11:00.000-04:002004-09-07T08:11:50.096-04:00Spin DoctorThe U.S. presidential campaign is showing, once again, the stupidity of our citizens and the arrogance of our politicians. For me, I'm disgusted with both camps. Neither will stand up and address the problems before us.Bush is now outlining all he wants to do in the next four years, better health care, more jobs, and education is to be a priority.He is silent about why these haven't David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094558003914053272004-09-07T07:53:00.000-04:002004-09-07T07:53:23.913-04:00Welcome to the EliteThis is not an "I told you so". I would never be that cruel. Still, I have to point out that the recent events of terrorism in Russia, both the crashed airliners and the massacre at the school, and the recent kidnappings of French citizens, have thrust the issue of terrorism into a new light. No longer the exclusive problem of the United States, terrorism is now being used David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1094070896057842652004-09-01T16:34:00.000-04:002004-09-01T16:34:56.056-04:00Seven Days In New York CityThat wonderful time of the year,Central park in fall.Dittoheads doing the lambada.Draftdodger's wives dancingcheek to cheek with sliderule generals.Delegates with a bad case of anus envy swoon after Rush Limbaughand line up to get beatenwith a clue stick by George Stephanopoulos.When all are sufficiently wound upclosing ceremonies are heldand everyone drinks the David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1093698820249686232004-08-28T09:13:00.000-04:002004-08-28T09:13:40.250-04:00Friday Poetry on Saturday"God Explains How It’s Supposed to Work"On the first morning that I made the world there were no animals, only treeswith leaves so green,Sycamores, Maples, and Oaks.There were evergreens too,Pines, Spruce, and Cedars,verdant needles gleaming,standing next to their broadleaf brethren.At the end of that day, which as I recall lasted about a year,Autumn light grew lowand David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1093698509631403102004-08-28T09:08:00.000-04:002004-08-28T09:08:29.630-04:00The Beginning of the EndNo, it's nothing dark and sinister, in fact, I'm looking forward to closing a chapter in my life that has been open for over twenty years. This week my youngest son started his senior year of high school. Last night was the first football game of his final varsity season. It was always a nice feeling when each of the other three children graduated, but the last one, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1093552804023576422004-08-26T16:40:00.000-04:002004-08-26T16:40:04.023-04:00$50.00?What is fifty dollars? The "psychological threshold" price for a barrel of oil where the American economy is supposed to take a crap. I can't wait til we get there. No, I don't want to see the economy fall, but it's going to anyway. And it isn't going to come up again until Americans pull their collective head out of their butt and start conserving fuel.Don't blame Detroit. Car David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1093364150253310612004-08-24T12:15:00.000-04:002004-08-24T12:15:50.253-04:00I'm BackSorry, never told anyone I was going.I was on vacation all last week, and got pretty snowed under at work while I was gone.I'm also taking a college class online that is keeping me fairly busy.But there will be lots of things to rant about, I'm sure of it.Hope all are well.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1092394781542467742004-08-13T06:59:00.000-04:002004-08-13T06:59:41.543-04:00A Poem for FridayTapestrySunbeam bullion greetsivy covered brick.New day’s dew freshensnight weary life.This was a promise yesterday brokenbut believed anew each dawn.A finch sings melodious chirpsto her mate, notes that are noticedby the cat on the corner.The butcher’s wife hoses offher sidewalk, speaks Italian to the grocer next door whileDominicans stop to buy jerk chickenfrom the Jamaican David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1092235833097818822004-08-11T10:46:00.000-04:002004-08-11T10:50:33.096-04:00For What It's Worth
I'd give equal time to a Democratic Barb if someone sent me one.
Things you have to believe to be a Republican today:
Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when the 1st President Bush made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
Trade with Cuba is wrong because the David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1091628726551223642004-08-04T09:53:00.000-04:002004-08-04T10:14:56.353-04:00Plain and Simple
Regardless of anything else, I think a few things tell a sorry tale of George W. Bush's first four years as president. First of all, he has eroded any foreign support for him or our country. Customarily the Chief Executive could get his allies in OPEC to flood the world with oil in the months leading to an election, one sure way to give the U.S. economy a false sense of securityDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1091464411596844702004-08-02T12:25:00.000-04:002004-08-02T12:33:31.596-04:00Help!
I'm not smiling now. In fact, I'm in trouble because I don't smile under stress at all. And work is all about stress. So today I have been written up for "not playing well with others" for lack of a better term. And that can lead to very negative consequences if the pattern doesn't change. The ten year old pattern. So, help. What advice, good advice, can you give for someone who hasDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1091018421258928492004-07-28T08:40:00.000-04:002004-07-28T08:40:21.256-04:00SuccinctFrom a political cartoon yesterday: The country is ready to fire Bush,They're just not ready to hire Kerry.Better start stumping for the job, John.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1090882328975513372004-07-26T18:50:00.000-04:002004-07-26T18:52:08.976-04:00New Friends
Oh, friend, let me tell you
of someone new I’ve met.
She’s interesting, not from here,
and cute, of course, but inteligent too.
She’s not like us, dusky and mysterious really,
rather exciting I think.
And I like her accent, and the way she tries
to speak English, though I’m not at all
certain you’ll understand her.
“Me too, I’ve met a girl today, an odd one,
and not from here, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1090437750272305242004-07-21T15:13:00.000-04:002004-07-21T15:22:30.273-04:00Quit Paying Sixty Minutes
That's right, you thought shows like Sixty Minutes, Forty Eight Hours and the like were free, but you are paying for them every day.
Top network newscaster salaries have gone through the roof. Tom Brokaw is reported to be getting between seven and eight million dollars a year. Katie Couric is supposedly receiving between twelve and fifteen million dollars a year.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1090366377034845072004-07-20T19:24:00.000-04:002004-07-20T19:32:57.033-04:00The New Disease
The government has now declared obesity a disease. Great.
I was worried for a while there that it might actually be my fault.
That perhaps if I stopped shoving food into my pie hole, then I might not have to struggle into my slacks, or let out the belt another notch.
I was concerned that I might actually have to get off my big ass and walk once in awhile in order to keep David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1089495275048946862004-07-10T17:31:00.000-04:002004-07-10T17:34:35.046-04:00Babylon Redux
In eras elapsed eternities past
On Mesopotamian plains lived individuals of largesse
Loathsome were they, and full of themselves.
And their seers, preconceiving a time off
When the men of Babylon would be laid low,
Convinced the sons of Nimrod to build a testament
A monument for the world to gaze upon in awe
Gaze upon with favorable consideration.
And ziggurats they raised
One David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1088857543274298622004-07-03T08:25:00.000-04:002004-07-03T13:23:47.123-04:00Lost In Translation
-------------------------------------------
Sometimes we need what can’t be bought,
What cannot be stolen,
But which must be received as a gift.
And the benefactor is as blessed as the beneficiary.
These most precious presents, these beatific bequests,
So freely transferred, so freely received,
Always multiplying, never diminishing,
Mystically making more than pieces of David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1088684103284589922004-07-01T08:15:00.000-04:002004-07-01T19:35:03.720-04:00I.P.O.
America has been sold
in an Initial Private Offering
to the party with the right of first refusal,
the United Corporations of the World.
The brain trust of this corporate cabal
has set up a new world economy
with puppet governments in foreign nations
and all fifty states.
So now our politicians are really just the inner circle
of stockholders in the house of representatives
and the brainDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1088330889543578932004-06-27T06:08:00.000-04:002004-06-27T06:08:09.543-04:00Wal MartWal Mart has been taking some shit from communities across the nation lately. And rightly so. But their most vocal opponents are always the businesses who Wal Mart competes with.I don't like the fact that Wal Mart doesn't provide living wage jobs for bread winners. They make no bones about it. When they tell you that they will bring two hundred new jobs to town, they admit that they David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1088175261404713162004-06-25T10:52:00.000-04:002004-06-25T10:54:21.403-04:00Sparkle Horse
-------------------------------------------
this animal will race no more
put out to pasture
standing at stud
his trophies and ribbons bear
a testimony
serve as a memory
of what he once did
how much he was worth
but you think that today
you will run him a bit
get him lathered up,
and make sure his heart
still ticks the way it should
he still serves a purpose
and it would be David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087846157538755502004-06-21T15:28:00.000-04:002004-06-22T06:31:23.130-04:00We, The People
political tailors keep us naked and starving
vested interests are like suits
with two pairs of pants
one grey
one herringbone
there can be no black or white
there can be no straightforward pattern.
pentagonian pimps turn democracy
into a whore. A kept woman
who answers only to
her keepers. Every day
she looks more like
lady justice-
blinders in place.
the shining star of David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087671891059442252004-06-19T15:04:00.000-04:002004-06-19T15:04:51.060-04:00It Runs On Alcohol
-------------------------------------------
willful operator of perpetual motion metal
incoherent limbs flail at lever and wheel
pyrotechnical technician taking tacit control
sparks fly and flash as the glass and steel roll
two ton locomotive runs down asphalt tracks
cowcatcher grill disfigured and grim
a few seconds spent, there's no calling back
genie's left the bottle, David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087596992762730112004-06-18T18:15:00.000-04:002004-06-18T18:16:32.763-04:00What Would Elvis Do?
What would Elvis do,
blue sequined jumpsuit
shimmering in the heat
under the spotlights?
How would he feel
with his perspiration running
down the greasepaint makeup
and pooling in the small hollow
at the base of his throat?
When he smiled was he happy,
I mean
really happy? Did the sound
of the applause ring
sweet in his ears, or was
he hard of hearing that way?
I David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087473966454389662004-06-17T08:06:00.000-04:002004-06-17T08:06:06.453-04:00Smiles DeuxDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087424673503097452004-06-16T18:19:00.000-04:002004-06-17T05:20:54.003-04:00Cogito Ergo Sum
backdoor cipher
holder of truth
not so much purveyor of lies
as jailer of veracity
but loose lips
sink ships you know
brainsick butterfly
bundle of nerves
always itching never
scratching
wouldn't show you the itch
wouldn't let on that he enjoys
the aroma of gasoline
might think him a bit odd you would
also wouldn't let you know
that his favorite color can
only be seen in the David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087256474869577842004-06-14T19:40:00.000-04:002004-06-14T19:41:14.870-04:00It's like I'm already there
Wistful
-------------------------------------------
I’m going to Cuba in my mind
to feel the dirt between my toes,
the same dirt which Hemmingway felt.
We would have that between us,
Ernie, the dirt and I.
I’m going to talk to el Jeffe
about Che, and maybe Fidel
will tell me his secrets
and his regrets.
I want to viva en Havana,
eat pescado, drink
the local David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1087071881538139522004-06-12T16:21:00.000-04:002004-06-12T16:24:41.536-04:00Eulogy
My favorite part of the funeral for Reagan last night was when his daughter spoke about a goldfish funeral Ron had helped her with. He had told her not to be sad, because now the fish was swimming in a clear blue river in heaven, and now it could swim as far as it wanted, because there were no limits on that river. So when his daughter went back in the house and looked at the three David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1086974838033872242004-06-11T13:26:00.000-04:002004-06-11T13:27:18.033-04:00Lost One
The Blogrolling link to insIDEAmind no longer works, and I don't have an e mail address. Anyone who can help with a point?
Thanks.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-108688922862402992004-06-10T13:40:00.000-04:002004-06-10T13:40:28.623-04:00Monumental
-------------------------------------------
Brick upon brick, stone upon stone
workman supplying his sinew and bone
memory buildings for lives that were spent
men who left family and never came home.
To north Atlantic beach they went
in southeast Asian jungles sent
Pacific rim on ships were bound
for good or evil was it meant?
The obelisk and column round
erect here on this bloodiedDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1086695221327329282004-06-08T07:47:00.000-04:002004-06-08T07:47:01.326-04:00Thirds "Never to suffer would never to have been blessed" Edgar Allan Poebeat me bend mebreak me into three pieceshurt mefor when I feel no pain it hurts too muchbeckon me to work with you in the swelterbetter to labor in the heatthan stand alone in the coldlead meinto the teeth of a gale so intense that the driven rain rips my facebetter to taste the salt of warm blood David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1086308377416298392004-06-03T20:18:00.000-04:002004-06-03T20:19:37.416-04:00Friday Poetry
Yeah, I know I did poetry yesterday too, but hey,
it's what is on my mind right now. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This is not mine, author credited at the bottom. Enjoy.
Astral Anvil
there's an astral anvil
and an ethereal hammer
raw unformed physical chaos in between
and the cold steel kid
forging a killing machine
in the blazing fire of its gaze
flames are dancing
inDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1086280174548241652004-06-03T12:28:00.000-04:002004-06-03T12:29:34.550-04:00New Visitor
I recently had my first known visitor from Ireland post a comment here. Lea is a writer and poet I met on another site.
After she helped me with some of my work and showed me some of hers I wrote this for her. It was for her birthday which was yesterday.
Fate is Kind
-------------------------------------------
A little bird, across the pond, picked
up a bit of what I'd floated David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1086109821728543352004-06-01T13:01:00.000-04:002004-06-01T13:11:17.953-04:00Wasted Effort
I've noticed in a lot of places, in public, in private, in print, that people are arguing and disagreeing about U.S. politics as never before. War will do that, and a war time election will surely do that. People who never would be so controversial as to speak about heated issues are not only discussing them, they are bringing up the subjects themselves. Gone are the days of David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1085748466244402322004-05-28T08:45:00.000-04:002004-05-28T10:10:54.203-04:00The Roots
1492
“Those who do not learn from history are destined
to repeat it”. George Santayana
In fourteen hundred and ninety two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Never in the recorded history of our world
has one man so utterly failed
at accomplishing his task at hand
yet been so richly rewarded
and fondly remembered.
If you tattooed a valentine on Chris’ ass
he wouldn’t be David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1085645862320105242004-05-27T04:00:00.000-04:002004-05-27T04:20:42.876-04:00The Truth about Americans
I wanted to tell my non American friends the truth about Americans. I wanted to but I can't. For one thing that would involve speaking for everyone from Argentina to the Yukon since America spans three continents. But more pracitcaly, to speak of the U.S.A., I still can't tell anyone the truth. Why? Well because I'm a middle income white man, 49 years old, married David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1085589622383806202004-05-26T12:38:00.000-04:002004-05-26T12:40:22.383-04:00Pointy Headed People
If you posted a comment on a previous post, and the whole post is gone,
it's because someone in the blogosphere has been threatening other bloggers.
Yup, you speak kindly of the wrong blogger and you get threats. Friendship is
a dangerous thing you know. People get too friendly and wars start, wait, well anyway I'm sure this blogger knows how to save us from ourselves withDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1085316529088244432004-05-23T08:43:00.000-04:002004-05-23T08:48:49.086-04:00Wired
A friend e mailed me yesterday, I hand't been to his blog lately, did he do something to offend me. No, I'm wired. I have three blogs of my own, one pretty inactive though. I check in on six different e mail accounts, which are seperated according to business, daily. I maintain two web pages, one for making beer, one for my wifes store. I participate in a couple of chat boards for David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1085059727539517862004-05-20T09:14:00.000-04:002004-05-20T09:31:14.256-04:00Marriage
The subject of marriage is dividing Americans as never before. I wrote a fairly long piece on this but can only do a condensed version here. I think it is important. Here are a few facts as a basis.
1. The United States is not a Christian nation, is not founded on any religion. It is a secular country. It was founded by people who fled church/states to come here. However we do David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084806285927589452004-05-17T11:04:00.000-04:002004-05-17T11:04:45.926-04:00Kerry's DilemmaBush's popularity is at an all time low, approval ratings ditto. Americans' support of the war in Iraq is slipping, and Kerry is trying to figure out how to beat this guy. A simple explanation is that although a lot of Americans don't like Bush, they say they feel safer with him as president.People aren't getting a good vibe from Kerry, and they aren't getting a satisfactory David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084656226596728202004-05-15T17:23:00.000-04:002004-05-15T17:23:46.596-04:00You are What You EatBetter Living with ChemistryMust be strong, must be fit,eat what’s healthy, not that shit.Content labels so verbose-carboxymethylcellulose.Sense of taste not so keen? Add acetoxypyrazine.Natural foods don’t last too late,just add potasium sorbate.(Or if you can not stand that linejust use a lil' nitrosamine.)Lecithins emulsify most of all the gunk you buy.And if sugar’s not inDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084403230615565562004-05-12T19:07:00.000-04:002004-05-12T19:07:10.616-04:00Good Bye, NickNick Berg's fate is sickening. It proves only that there are heartless butchers all over the world.There were three retired types discussing it at the House of Knowledge (barber shop) today. I asked if it was worse than dragging a man in Texas down a dirt road chained to the back of a truck. No, they had to admit it wasn't. One of the men, a WW II vet, suggested that the Iraqi'sDavid Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084375321224726532004-05-12T11:22:00.000-04:002004-05-12T11:22:01.226-04:00The MasterOnce in the south was a man named George who owned more wevils than anyone else. He became known asthe wevil master. George had a visitor who wanted to buy two wevils from him. George said no, he wouldn't sell them, but he would let two out to the man for a charge of a dollar each per month. Each month the man sent George a money order for two dollars. One day George ran for high David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084306497058872002004-05-11T16:14:00.000-04:002004-05-11T16:14:57.056-04:00Ode to a Flowering TreePity the poor magnolia tree. She stands naked the winterthrough, arms upstretched in supplication. Come spring nature rewards herwith a splendid new white dress, the envy of most other trees.But magnolia is a precocious child.In a week, perhaps two, while dancingin some rainstorm, she'll pull offher new clothes and lay them on the ground.Standing a short time again denuded,David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084193134983656642004-05-10T08:45:00.000-04:002004-05-10T08:45:34.983-04:00CabaretTook J to see Cabaret at a local civic theatre Saturday night as her mother's day gift from me. We were looking forward to it, but knew nothing about it. The story is about an American visiting in Berlin just prior to W W II. By intermission I was emotionally disturbed. J went to the rest room and I fought back strange feelings of fear and anger. If you've never been let me share David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1084035532474798232004-05-08T12:58:00.000-04:002004-05-08T13:02:07.013-04:00Waiting for the other shoe to drop.Let see, went in under false pretenses. Never found W'sMD. Caught with pants down beating prisoners. And the word is, things are going to get worse before they get better? "Bush's comments in his weekly radio address came a day after embattled Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned in congressional testimony that more damaging images of mistreatment of David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1083850293421328242004-05-06T09:31:00.000-04:002004-05-06T09:34:46.356-04:00What was he thinking?Why couldn't he just say he was sorry? It's just a courtesy, sorry that you have been hurt, sorry that you were embarrassed. We say we are sorry to hear people are sick, it doesn't have to be an admission of guilt.Well on behalf of myself, I'm sorry.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1083762715384266482004-05-05T09:11:00.000-04:002004-05-05T09:15:07.466-04:00Uno, Dos, Tres, Quatro...Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone. I have the day off, the sun is out, it'll get up into the 60's and no rain here today! That means I'll celebrate on a bike ride. Back to more serious stuff manana.David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1083684848291218622004-05-04T11:34:00.000-04:002004-05-04T11:36:49.546-04:00Last MayA few other bloggers are re running a post from last year this time to reflect on what they were thinking about a whole twelve months ago.This was my entry on May 16, 2003.Consider These. When I was young I helped grandfather pick the vegetables in his garden. He would go back out to the tomatoes I left, which were still too green, and pick them so the frost wouldn't get them. He took David Blainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5220801.post-1083673610038899942004-05-04T08:26:00.000-04:002004-05-04T08:46:16.200-04:00Introducing...
Line Winder, Poetry under construction.
I've placed some original poetry on these pages in the past, and now that I wish to recall it, I need to sift through all these archives looking for two or three posts. To make this easier in the future, I've started a seperate blog just for my own poems. I'll probably post some of them here first, but if you would like to see a new one David Blainenoreply@blogger.com