The Ramblings of a Happy Madman

Today on my way home from work I stopped at Del Taco. If you’ve never had Del Taco… well, it’s Mexican fast food with a different flavor than Taco Bell, plus burgers and fries on the menu. I’ve never tried their burger; I’ve heard it’s decent.

I left work at noon today – I’m lucky enough to get 40 full hours of work at my workplace as an hourly employee, as long as I have work to do. The easy way to make that happen is to be willing to do anything, and do it better than everyone else who is not on salary. Being able and willing to teach others has also been greatly beneficial to my professional life.

My key to success in all aspects of life, at least as of today (which I believe would include the entirety of my life), has become my understanding of just how important that though process can be in everyday life.

Be good at what you do. Or, get good at something, and do that.

And do right by those who trust you with information that provides them a benefit, because that information is likely providing you a benefit as well. Otherwise they’d likely not trust you with it.

Or it might be they’re just really lucky and you’re along for a dangerous ride. Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, they say.

So the plan was a stop at Chic-fil-A, then head home to whatever came my way. Well here I am, but the line at Chic-fil-A was amazingly long, so Del Taco became the most convenient alternative since I didn’t want to work out the food issue with time in the kitchen beyond grabbing a plate and a Dr. Pepper. Oh, those 23 flavors of joy.

I had other things to do, even if my other things were even something so simple as dragging myself out to the pool and basking in the 110° heat, which does my bones a world of good. Best. Disinfectant. Ever.

So I had to have fast food. You understand.

Don’t tell Mayor Bloomberg, he may try to take over Phoenix and exploit my obvious lack of self-control with some new restriction on my freedoms.. er.. I mean regulation.

My Dr. Pepper was in a can, by the way. Twelve ounces. Take that, Bloomberg!

So I was headed to Chic-fil-A and re-routed to Del Taco, I believe, before that tangent.

They run an amazing operation, Chick-fil-A, and their business volume shows it. Everyone who has ever had Chic-fil-A loves it, as far as I know. Please tell me if I’m wrong, but be warned I may ask for signed, notarized documentation and a video statement from the person who doesn’t love that place.

Anyway, the long line at Chic-fil-A… and I ended up at Del Taco. I’m focused.

Interfacing with the young lady working the register inside Del Taco was an interesting experience. I’d say she was “working” the register, but I do not want to insinuate that she is in any way involved in prostitution. That would be a reach, although I’m not sure how much of one. I mean, thick silver eye shadow over dark eye liner for the counter at a fast food gig? I know I’m getting old, but ugh…

I was ordering an item that appeared new to the Del Taco menu. Pollo Asada Burrito. The picture made it look like it contains chicken, Pico de Gallo, rice and maybe beans, and guacamole. Guacamole… even the crap from a tube at Del Taco is good when you don’t have guacamole much. Obviously I don’t, because I’m clearly obsessing about guacamole.

So I gave the early 20-something female employee my order for the Pollo Asada Burrito, plus the coupon for “Buy one, get one free” chicken soft tacos. My role in this adventure then became watching her fuss with the register, then get irritated with it, and in doing so give me a new insight on life.

That’s an important part of what I’ve come to understand as well, during the aforementioned “entirety of my life”. I learn something from an amazing array of interactions with people I know and people I don’t know, just living life.

I don’t believe everyone understands the value of finding a lesson in simple everyday experiences. For some time, I didn’t understand this simple truth, or at least not like I do today. That tells me all I need to know.


It wasn’t the fact that she looked like she was completely unsure of what she was doing, because she simply looked so irresponsible; it was the reaction when whatever she did simply would not work for her. And trust me, the look on her face made it clear she had done everything correctly.

She was so surprised by the fact that her efforts were unsuccessful that she scoffed, flipped her head back, and then rolled her eyes as if to be telling that register it didn’t know what it was doing.

Somewhere along the way, I asked if the Pollo Asada Burrito indeed had guacamole on it. Remember, I’ve got an obsession by this time.

She replied, “To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t know.”

In hindsight I want to appreciate her candor, but at that moment my opinion was more of “what a surprise.” Based on the attitude she presented by her actions, not to mention her general appearance, I didn’t believe she knew much about anything happening at Del Taco.

It’s amazing the importance of a first impression.

I just had to share this experience because it’s good for me, and I know there are people who care about me that like to know what’s going on in my life. Whether family, or people I’ve never met, I have good people interested in my exploits and my well being. That’s a great feeling.

I used to write here a lot. I haven’t been here lately because… well, just because. What’s the difference, really?? It’s a story, I’m sure, why I haven’t been here much lately writing.

Another time, perhaps.

I plan to come here more often. I may offer a microburst of though and be gone, or I may drone on and on about my moral superiority, like I have today.

The liberal left believes that since conservatism is such the “old white men” club, and that we’re so regressive in our thinking, that we conservatives “just don’t get it.”

Well I’ve got news for you, liberal left.

I have done things. You know… smoked a little weed, done a little blow.. the things that give the liberal left their supposed cover to understanding President Obama's past. And just like President Obama, I’m not afraid to admit my past.

My family knows me, and I know myself. I have found my place in life, and I’m good with who I am. I am a decent person.

Or I’m a racist. You make the call.

I believe it’s dangerous for people do be offered too much opportunity to depend on anyone other than themselves, and I believe that’s what government is trying to do to us. They want us to depend on them. I believe President Obama understands that's the end game of his political philosophy, and I believe that fact needs to be exposed. Fairly and reasonably, but exposed nonetheless.

Self reliance equals survival, and while we’re not the “Wild, Wild, West” anymore, the world has always been a place where we must all keep ourselves prepared for anything and everything. When we start to believe the “system” has our back is when we become most vulnerable.

I’ve come to believe that the more I admit my own truths, the more I am able to see why the direction President Obama wants to take America is wrong.

I believe they call it “Speaking from experience.” I plan to begin speaking from experience a little more often, here.

I sincerely thank all of you who have taken time from your life to make it to this point in my writings. I also feel slightly sorry for you, that I, of all people, am that interesting to you.

That’s self-deprecation, but you already knew that.

I’m on Twitter, if you haven’t heard.. I’m not very popular – I don’t have thousands of followers. It’s all good… I’ll get there. Trust me. I’m a heck of a guy, people are bound to start noticing. I’m good at what I do, remember?

Fridays are always fresh days… Have a good weekend!

In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart

As you probably know by now, Andrew Breitbart passed early Thursday morning at the age of 43. A husband, father of four children, and savvy entrepreneur, it is reported that he died of natural causes just about one hour after a lengthy discussion with a marketing executive named Arthur Sando at a local bar and restaurant called The Brentwood.

I’ve sat and struggled, trying to find just the right information to link to, or just the right thing to say I read today, that will somehow raise my “Worthiness” as I write a few words about this man who left us far too soon. But there are no stories to share from the internet, that tell the story as strongly as the feelings I have, so for me it’s just this simple:

Today I lost a friend.

I never met Andrew Breitbart, and to be honest I didn’t really visit his websites very often. But he was a spirit that I connected with, in a way. As a resident of the Brentwood district of Los Angeles, Andrew Breitbart was surrounded by liberalism all his life. Yet he fought through it to find the light of traditional values and conservative beliefs, and then he promoted his beliefs relentlessly – sometimes to a fault. He was accused of being over-the-top and extremely partisan, even though his values align with the majority of Americans, and he and his associates unearthed some very important information that the traditional media types wanted nothing to do with.

Sometimes he was wrong, more often he was correct. Regardless, he put himself out there as a lightning rod for a movement he largely created, that which was called today by one writer “Punk Rock Republican.”

Here is his speech from CPAC 2012, at which he explained exactly how I feel about my participation in the blogosphere. “Everything has changed, everything has changed in the last few years, conservatives used to take it and we're not taking it anymore," Breitbart began this speech.

That spirit is exactly why I began writing this blog some three years ago, and why I have decided I need to begin writing again.



It will take a thousand or more voices to fill the void left by the loss of Andrew Breitbart. Rest in Peace, Happy Warrior. Thank you for blazing the trail and for showing us the way. We’ll take it from here, and we’ll never forget you.


If I'm not here, you might find me on Twitter.

Herman Cain's Smokin' New Ad Has Pundits All Fired Up

The political world is all fired up today about this new web advertisement by Republican candidate Herman Cain, starring his Chief of Staff Mark Block and a cigarette. Seems the cigarette has caused quite an uproar. Here is the clip:



I think this ad is genius, and draws an incredibly stark contrast between Herman Cain and the status quo. In my opinion, this ad represents the essence of Herman Cain’s candidacy for President.

This ad reeks of freedom, individual responsibility, and honesty. No more Presidents sneaking off to the back patio to have a cigarette that will be denied if anyone should ask; this campaign is telling you right up front what it is about. You may or may not like it, but it’s going to put it out there and let you decide.

I'd like to put forward a little bit about Herman Cain and his "putting it out there" attitude that has impressed me so far.

First and foremost, Cain put forward the first bold proposal for a plan to restructure the tax code. He has sent every other candidate scrambling to come up with their own, hopefully more impressive plan. "9-9-9" may not be perfect, but it brought to the forefront an extremely important topic that the current administration refuses to discuss. A flatter tax code with lower rates across the board is considered by most economists not named Krugman to be the best way to jump-start the economy and create a wider revenue base.

Cain spoke of and never should have backed away from the idea of a real border fence. For decades we have been hearing from both sides "We must first secure the border," yet nothing has been done. Sure there’s a little bit of hyperbole there with the whole electrocution thing, but at least he is willing to say what nobody in politics really seems to be willing to say; that we have a security issue in this nation, and until we address it forcefully it will never be solved.

Cain has made in-your-face statements to the Black community about himself and his belief system as compared to affirmative action and entitlement bound belief system of President Obama. He calls himself a Black American, and has said ultimately he prefers to be called an American, with no hyphenated anything. Regarding opportunity for success in America, Cain takes a position most Americans can truly believe in. He discards the race card and will not allow himself to be called a victim due to the color of his skin. Cain came from humble beginnings to become the CEO of a major corporation, and never received any government assistance along the way. He truly is a self-made man, and has the background and success to speak to the true American Dream.

Herman Cain may not be perfect, but what he shows in potential tells me that he is much better at this moment than anything our current President has to offer - even after President Obama’s almost three years in office. Herman Cain is a leader, and he is a manager. Cain has acknowledged that he doesn’t know everything, which is a refreshing change from the man who was proclaimed by the media to know it all, acted like he knew it all, and has ultimately proven he really doesn’t know much at all.

Cain has said that if he does not know, he will find someone who does know and employ that person’s wisdom. That is real leadership and management.

The one specific I would like to hear Cain address is President Obama’s appointment of “Czars,” as opposed to what I hope would be Cain’s request for counsel without the need for title and salary.

The “Czar” idea is not exclusive to President Obama. If we are to move this nation forward in a dignified manner, we all need to recognize and admit that President Obama and his outrageous power grab is a culmination of decades of “progressive” ideals, and that politicians from both parties have participated in the excesses allowed by the system created by "progressive" politicians. What has taken nearly a century to create will not be disassembled overnight, but anyone offering to change the course in a principled manner should be applauded.

President Obama appointed people based on personal favoritism, perhaps influenced by a little Soros cronyism. He put them on the government payroll, and gave then free reign. Rather than seeking their advice, he allowed them to shape policy. Under this system, we have more unnecessary environmental regulation than ever before which is ruining business development and growth. We also have the most radical “progressive” policies ever regarding the ideas being taught in our schools. And most importantly, the balance of power between the three branches of government is less than at any time in our nation’s history.

Regarding Cain, I would hope (based on his behavior to date) that his choices would always be founded in principle, not in political expediency.

Cain’s biggest weakness seems to be foreign policy, but he is a quick study, and he has the right belief system. Peace through strength and clarity is a lot better than “Every nation is exceptional.” Telling the world that Israel and England are our most staunch allies, that Iran is the most known source of proxy terrorism in the world today, and that Pakistan had better mind its manners are all good policy statements.

Regarding Cain’s recent abortion comments, I understand and agree with Cain’s ability to separate a personal belief system from government intervention into our lives. While I firmly stand on the side of life and would hope no life ever be aborted, it is not the responsibility of government to make that decision for adults. Prohibitive laws regarding minors should be in place and should be strict, but adults in a free society should take personal responsibility for their own actions and should have the right to do what they believe is best. If we truly believe in small government, we must understand that while we may vehemently disagree, abortion is a decision that should be left to the individual. That is a decision the individual will make between themselves and their God, and they will have to live with that decision. I also believe that it is better to have legal and safe clinics for such procedures than to have them take place in an underground, back-alley environment.


I don't know if Herman Cain will win the nomination, but he is definitely changing the conversation - and I would say for the better.

And to those who think Herman Cain’s smile at the end of the clip is odd, if not creepy? Herman Cain said it himself - lighten up, America. Get a sense of humor.


#iamthe53, are you? Keep up with me on Twitter. Tuesday night I live tweeted Michael Moore's appearance on Piers Morgan. What a facepalm that event was!

Groupthink In Effect: Sheeple at "Occupy Atlanta" Silence Civil Rights Era Hero

This is some of the strangest behavior I have ever seen. This crowd consistently repeats - or parrots, if you will - every single thing said by whomever has the "floor."



I would not say I have a completely thorough understanding of Marxism, but this video definitely represents the most secular / collectivist mentality I have ever seen in America. The closest thing I can imagine as I watch this video is Jim Jones and his followers at Jonestown, or David Koresh and his followers at Waco.

From the YouTube description:

What we saw at the "revolution":

Many curious citizens and media outlets came to the first Occupy Atlanta event, and were visible shocked and confused by the consistent Marxism employed by the group. People abandoned their individuality and liberty to be absorbed into a hypnotizing collective. The facilitator made it clear that he was not a "leader" and that everyone was completely equal; words often spoken by leftists, but in this case they actually applied their philosophy. Into this surreal and oppressive environment, Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights hero and icon of American leftism, came to speak as has so often done at left-wing rallies and events in Atlanta. He is practically worshiped in Democrat circles, and was visibly stunned to see these Marxists turn him away. It was reminiscent of previous Marxist revolutions in history when those who ignorantly supported the revolutionaries are, over time, purged and rejected for the "good of the collective", when their usefulness has expired.

Keep up with me on Twitter.

iMourn

Today we lost the man many would say is the Thomas Edison of our era. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, has passed away.

I don’t own an Apple product. I know many who do, and they love them. All of them.

But the products themselves are not the story; the story is the man, and his vision. Steve Jobs had dreams, and his vision allowed him to turn those dreams into reality.

Steve Jobs lived his dream, and in doing so he made the world a better place. May he rest in peace.

Arizona Diamondbacks Honor Fallen Fan

State Run Sports Media Network ESPN Removes Hank Williams Jr. Song From Monday Night Football Opening

Editor's Note: I understand the position taken by ESPN; I am simply here to point out the media hypocrisy. I hope this issue is resolved and Williams' song returned to its appropriate place next Monday.


ESPN, the network that has brought you President Barack Obama’s “March Madness” brackets every year since his inauguration, decided that Hank Williams Jr. went too far.

After 20 years of opening Monday Night Football on ABC or ESPN, Williams’ well-known pigskin-revised rendition of “All My Rowdy Friends” was replaced by The Star Spangled Banner, as performed by "Sister Hazel."

During an interview with Fox News Channel “Fox and Friends” Monday morning, Williams made a comparison that did not sit well with management at the Connecticut based sports network, which is known by many to have an “East-Coast bias” in its reporting and broadcasting.

The Disney / ABC owned network did not take kindly to Williams’ statement that he thought Speaker of the House John Boehner playing golf with President Obama "would be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu ... In the shape this country is in?"

Told by anchor Brian Kilmeade that he (Kilmeade) didn't understand the analogy, Williams said: "I'm glad you don't, brother, because a lot of people do. They're the enemy." Asked who, Williams said: "Obama. And Biden. Are you kidding? The Three Stooges."

Boehner played golf with Obama in June at the height of the national budget debate in Washington, D.C.

Williams, from Tennessee, has said he would run as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Later in the Fox interview with Williams, anchor Gretchen Carlson told Williams he used the name of one of history's most hated men to describe the President. "Well that's true. But I'm telling you like it is," Williams said.

ESPN issued the following statement regarding their decision to pull Williams’ fan-favorite from their broadcast:

"While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast."

Through his publicist, Williams issued the following statement regarding the situation:

"Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme -- but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me -- how ludicrous that pairing was. They're polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president."

This is (no pun intended) an interesting position for the sports network, given its lack of condemnation of former Heavyweight Boxing champion and convicted rapist Mike Tyson.

Like Williams, Tyson is not an ESPN employee.

Tyson recently made his feelings about former Alaska Governor and Vice-Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin known during an appearance on ESPN radio’s “Gridlock.” When asked about the allegations put forward in an unauthorized biography that Palin had once had an affair with basketball player Glenn Rice (a Black man), Tyson went on an obscene rant [parental advisory] that can be heard here .


In a completely unrelated story, ESPN Paul Azinger was recently reprimanded by ESPN for his Twitter comments regarding President Obama’s golf outings, most specifically his aforementioned outing with Speaker John Boehner during the “Debt Ceiling” talks.

In the wake of Azinger’s social media commentary, ESPN ‘reminded” the golf analyst that his venture into political punditry violated the company’s updated social network policy for on-air talent and reporters. “Paul’s tweet was not consistent with our social media policy, and he has been reminded that political commentary is best left to those in that field,” spokesman Andy Hall said in a statement.

This blogger did an independent search on YouTube for “george w bush espn brackets” and found no worthwhile results. I do not recall the network ever taking interest in the former President’s opinion on March Madness as much as it has requested that of our current President.

To be fair, President Bush is known to be an avid baseball fan, so I did a search for “espn george w bush baseball” and found this interview the network did with Mr. Bush regarding the state of baseball affairs.

Keep up with me on Twitter