Mussings at the end of the week

For the second time in two weeks I have almost been hit by a biker on the WFU campus who was going the WRONG way on a one way street. Crossing from the parking lot to Carswell, it is one way right to left. The biker this week came tearing down the road from left to right. When I yelled out, you are going the wrong way on a one way street he yelled back yea I know. This is what drives me crazy about bikers, the belief that the law does not apply to them. It does. They have to obey all the laws of the road. I wonder if the WFU police would give them a ticket if they say it happening? So, from now on I will look both ways when crossing from the lot to the building.

Went to a 5th CD Executive Committee meeting yesterday held at Shatley Springs. The owner of Shatley Springs, Lee McMillian, is a big republican -- of course the entire area is a big republican area. Shatley Springs is a wonderful place to go about once a year. Before going one should fast for a day or so. It is a family style resturant which means they place bowls and platters of food at the table and if you are not with a group they sit you where there are seats (regardless of whether or not you know them). We had breakfast and placed on the table before us were platters of country ham, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, grits, fried potatoes, baked apples, and the best biscuits one has ever eaten along with gravy. As the platters and bowls empty they are replaced. Great stuff but in no one's world low calorie.

It is always great to meet up with folks and friends from around the district. Of course this looks like a great year for Republicans.

The mountain's were beautiful and every time I drive up there I fall in love. Then I think about the winter time and the snow. Those mountain roads are curvy and narrow. I stopped on the way down to visit a friend who had just bought a place up there. He is down a very narrow road but once you get there and sit out back it is as if you were the only people on the mountain. The view was amazing. It was so quiet, all one could hear were the birds. The view was mountains and woods. I could imagine myself sitting on the deck and grading papers or reading a book. As the afternoon went on you could see the shadows moving across the hills, really beautiful.

It's Sunday and it is in the 70s and it is raining. All the windows are open and it smells so good. I love this time of year.

Lindsay and Paris

Do the judges in LA really think they are doing Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton a favor by letting them skate on their drug charges? The judge sentenced Lindsay to 90 days in jail and 90 days in rehab if my memory serves me right. She served 21 days in jail and about the same amount of time in rehab. They said she was cured and had been 'scared straight'. So how long did it take her to start using cocaine again? Two-three weeks? We all know her parents did not parent her but rather partied with her and lived (and still do) on her money. If something isn't done she is going to end up just like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, both huge talents who no one ever said NO to. The same can be said for Paris Hilton. Once again she made a deal to escape punishment. The only question is how long will be be until she is found with drugs again and will the judge this time really really put her in jail for a year. My money is soon and no he won't put her in jail for a year. Part of the problem we have in America today is that people are no longer held responsible for their actions. Bill Clinton could get away with lying under oath (for those in Rio Linda as Rush would say, that means putting your hand on a Bible and swearing to tell the truth) because it was only about sex. Newt Gingrich can get away with his cheating behavior. He cheats and lies and yet there are those who think he should be president because he is a deep thinker. Give me a break. Let him write his books which are best sellers and let him not run for president. Part of this mess comes from the fact we don't hold people accountable. It used to be that if you did something wrong you were embarrassed, now you get a reality show and make millions. Somewhere along the line we have lost our moral compasses. In a sense that is the outrage the "tea partiers" are expressing. We have all these folks that are supposed to be leaders yet look at their behavior. They all stand up there and pontificate as to what should be done while behind the scenes they are acting out "pols gone wild". Call it what you wish, ruling class, elitism, it is a feeling that they are right and we are wrong so just shut up and do what we tell you to do. Yet at the same time they are telling us what to do they are also saying the rules don't apply to us. You don't like the bad schools too bad suck it up and send our kids there but we will send ours to private school. Look at what Congress did in DC with the school voucher program -- since the teachers unions did not like it, one of the first things the new Democrat congress did was to stop it. Where do top leaders send their children to school? Not DC public schools I can assure you.

How did I get from Lindsay to DC public schools? Seems to me they are both part of the problem -- lack of personal responsibility.

Whiners and Losers

If one really needs an explanation of why people are so mad these days one only needs to take a look at all the politicians who have been defeated in a primary who have chosen then to run as either an dependent or to conduct a write in campaign. It used to be that losers were sulk and lick their wounds for a few days but almost always say they would support the nominee. They might only say so but not do anything to help them get elected or they might actively support the individual who defeated them. But this year we have seen a number of politicians who have been defeated in primaries or believe they will be defeated who have changed parties or become independent or are conducting a write in campaign. Their attitude is that the people made a mistake, I am the better person and I should be in office. No the voters said no. No you should not be in office. Elections have consequences. If you don't organize and get your voters out then it is your fault. The arrogance we see in our politicians go a long way in explaining the tea party movement and the anger that is out there today.

Turn signals and othe irratants of life in Winston Salem

One of the things that just drives me crazy here in Winston Salem is the lack of use by the citizens of turn signals. Don't you people here realize the purpose of the turn signal is to let others know what you are planning on doing. If I know which way you are going, they I might not run into you. I don't understand why that is such a hard concept for some people. One is be courteous by doing this and one is protecting themselves. ERRRRRG pay attentions folks and use your turn signals.

My other pet peeve here is that the notion of merge does not exist. When you are driving down a ramp onto a road you are supposed to give way to traffic on that road not the other way around. People come flying down ramps and instead of merging they just act as if there is no one else on the road and they drive into the line. ERRRRG again folks pay attention -- when you come down a ramp you are supposed to give way not me.

Don't you just love how the local rag sheet, the Winston Salem Journal, is going to provide us with a special service, a better weekly TV guide, one that is much more informative than the one we have been getting for years and years. Aren't they great, and oh by the way it is going to cost you $33.75 a year. Thanks for nothing. I do believe that this is final straw, when my subscription comes up for renewal and I am going to drop it. And I hate doing it. I am from the generation that loves to sit and read the paper over a cup of coffee in the mornings. I really like the feel of the paper in my hands. It isn't just the same on the internet -- I find I don't read as much or as closely as I do with a paper. But the newspapers are making it impossible to read them these days.