New NY Represenative Breaks 4 Camgaign Promises In A Day

Congressman-elect Bill Owens was sworn in at noon today.
Owens indicated in a press release released shortly afterwards that he was now in favor of the the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act" bill in direct contrast to his earlier position during the election campaign.
According to Politico.com, Mr. Owens assured voters that he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. Contrary to that position, Mr. Owens now indicates that he intends to vote in favor of the bill even though it now contains a public option.

http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7623:owens-to-break-campaign-promises&catid=60:st-lawrence-news&Itemid=175

Well, he is a liberal and a Democrat. What do you expect, that he would honestely keep his word. Nah, just like most other liberals and Democrats, he is a liar. It is in their DNA.

To those in NY who just voted for this clown and a 1 year represenative: Suckers

Dina Titus and Shelly Berkley- Disgraced Mistresses of Nevada

Shelly Berkley and Dina Titus (D--Pelosi) showed why they are a disgrace to Nevada. Both voted for the health care bill that passed the House of Representatives tonight. Both sucked up to the teat of Nancy Pelosi.
I didn't really expect much from the mistresses. After all, Titus has never held a real job in her life and she is a professor at UNLV. She is an elitist who really doesn't have the cognitive ability to think like a person who actually has a job and pay taxes. She just sits in her Ivory Tower (Ok, in Las Vegas, it could be a cactus tower) writes papers and pretends to teach. I just don't think she is smart enough to know any better than to follow Pelosi.
Berkley is a socialist, plain and simple. She is one of Pelosi's lap dogs and when Nancy yelps, Berkley follows.
Both of these mistresses would be comfortable in certain businesses in Pahrump and Beatty as they sell out the working men and women of Nevada.
Berkley and Titus- mistresses of NV.

Congress Fiddles While The U.S. Burns

The U. S House of Representatives are fiddling while America falls apart before our eyes.

The House is debating the health care bill, which will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the country's deficit.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is around 17.5%, with millions of Americans out of work. Meanwhile the Obama administration completely lies about the numbers about how the stimulus saved or created jobs, losing creditability among the public.

Because millions are not working or working reduced hours, federal income tax revenues are down sharply, causing the deficit to grow. Income taxes to states that do have a state income tax are down sharply as well, causing more headaches to those states.

Meanwhile the slowly going bankrupt Social Security is now going towards bankruptcy rapidly. With those jobs gone, social security taxes collected is now reduced and those people who were at retirement age and were laid off probably have decided to take their social security checks.

Meanwhile, prices are going up. Gas prices in Vegas have gone up about 15 cents a gallon in the past couple of weeks. Food prices are going up at Wal-Mart- only nickels and dimes, but percentage wise, it is about 10% or more in some cases on many items. So, the families that are struggling with the basics are struggling even more with the basics.

Property taxes are going up in many areas of the country, so homeowners that are struggling struggle even more to pay more taxes to stay in their houses, while apartment dwellers will see their rents raised. We will see our expenses rise and we will cut back, causing more unemployment problems.

There are very few signs that the economy will be getting any better or unemployment will go down anytime soon.

But does Congress or Obama care? Nope. They are doing nothing about the economy. Now granted, Congress can't do very much. But they can do something. They can create incentives for companies to hire new workers. The Congress could put a freeze in collecting income tax for several months. The Feds can actually cut the deficit by reducing or eliminating programs.

I am just an average guy, working my butt off over 70 hours a week. I am blue collar and proud of it. I am also a union member, though I am conservative. I see this happening at the school I teach at and also at the Wal Mart I works at. I see this in my neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods. But apparently, the congresscritters are too blind to see this. They are too insulated from the public and really have no clue what is going on.

So, Congress and Obama fiddles while the country burns and goes down the drain. Thank you Obama and Congress, we will remember this in 1 year.

Unemployment Rate at 17.5%

The unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 -- and is likely to go higher. Nearly 16 million people can't find jobs even though the worst recession since the Great Depression has apparently ended. The Labor Department said Friday that the economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October, less than the downwardly revised 219,000 lost in September. August job losses were also revised lower, to 154,000 from 201,000.
But the loss of jobs last month exceeded economists' estimates. It's the 22nd straight month the U.S. economy has shed jobs, the longest on records dating back 70 years.
Counting those who have settled for part-time jobs or stopped looking for work, the unemployment rate would be 17.5 percent, the highest on records dating from 1994.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Jobless-rate-tops-10-pct-for-apf-563122944.html?x=0&.v=8
This is a disgrace. This is Obama's economy and has been for several months. We, as Americans were promised by the Obama administration, Democrats and RINO's that the stimulus package would keep the unemployment rate around 8%.
But yet, the unemployment rate is getting worse and not expected to get any better in the near future.
But what is Congress's idea? Pass health care and raise taxes and pass the Cap and Trade and raise taxes and expenses on the American people and companies.
However there is one segment of American business where they should slash jobs and I would support 100% unemployment. If there were a sudden job loss of 536 positions in Washington D.C. and they are replaced by people who are competent, I would support that.
Again, Obama is responsible for this, along with Congress- Dem's and RINO's.

More Welfare For Unemployed

From The Las Vegas Sun: An estimated 10,000 Nevadans who have exhausted their unemployment benefits could be aided by a bill that gained final approval in Congress today.
The House passed the legislation 403-12 and sent the bill to President Obama. The Senate voted 98-0 Wednesday to extend jobless benefits by 14 weeks for every state -- with an additional six weeks, for a total of 20 weeks -- in high unemployment states where the jobless rate exceeds 8.5 percent...Mae Worthey, public information officer for the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, said about 10,000 workers have lost their unemployment benefits. Some of them were getting checks for up to 79 weeks.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/05/10000-jobless-nevadans-could-see-benefits-extended/
First, let me clear, for a person who has lost work, unemployment compensation is absolutely necessary to keep the unemployed from going totally broke. I have no problem using unemployment compensation as a safety net, just as it been intended.
But now, it is possible for someone who is unemployed in Nevada to receive unemployment compensation for 2 years. It is no longer a safety net but a way of life or lifestyle.
Six months of unemployment, great, maybe 9 months at the outside. But almost 2 years? If you cannot find a job, any job, in 2 years, it is time for you to either move to where the jobs are or look for another career.
I have been unemployed several times in my life but never more than 2 weeks. I would do any kind of job, regardless of the pay to get working again. For those 10,000 or more people who been on unemployment for over a year, you need to get off your lazy butt and go get work, no matter what it is. Stop living off of others.

Terrorist Attack At Ft. Hood?

Apparently a Major, with a Muslim sounding name went on a rampage at Fort Hood, killing at least 12 soldiers and wounding around 30.
Per ABC News: Twelve people have been killed and 31 wounded in a shooting spree at a Texas military base by what officials believe was possibly carried out by an Army officer. The suspected gunman was identified by ABC News as Major Malik Nadal Hasan.
The shooter was killed and two other suspects, who are also soldiers, have been apprehended, Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone said.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/soldiers-killed-fort-hood-shooting/story?id=9007938
If true, this seems like a coordinated terrorist attack and the first one since President Obama took over.
I hope the investigation is very thorough and the swiftest justice and harshest justice be handed out.

Your Vote Really Matters, At Least Here

From the Budget, out of Sugar Creek OH: Some election results: -
Baltic Village Council: VOTE FOR FOUR.
CHRIS FINLEY - 2
BOB MILLER - 4
CHRISTY STUTZMAN - 3
DONALD A. WALTMAN - 3
Baltic Village Board of Public Affairs
VOTE FOR ONE.EDGAR “JACK” McQUEEN - 4
And
Garaway Board of EducationVOTE FOR THREE
GREG BROWN - 4
TAMERA FANNING - 5
CELESTE HONIGFORD -7
Jim Parson - 1
Scott Walter - 3
http://www.thebudgetnewspaper.com/Article.php?ItemID=1313
I love small towns.

Wal-Mart Has To Pay, But Is It Fair?

Wal-Mart has to pay up to 85 million to attorneys/employees for workplace violations. U.S. "District Judge Philip M. Pro in Las Vegas approved the settlement yesterday and awarded one-third of the recovery in fees to the workers’ lawyers, up to about $28 million depending on the claims made. Walmart is to pay at least $65 million and as much as $85 million."

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/elsewhere/2009/nov/03/vegas-judge-approves-85-million-wal-mart-settlemen/

Two thoughts: I am an employee at Wal Mart and if they violated the law, they need to pay something.

The second thought is I got a form in the mail and I wasn't given an option whether to accept payment. I have work for Wal-Mart for 2 years and I have not had any problems with breaks, being locked in a store or any other time abuse. But I am still to receive a check for $50. Why? Wal Mart did not violate my rights, but they are going to pay me like they have? I have a problem with that. Even if I did not return the form, which I did not, I am still going to get paid. Again, why?

Ok, a third thought, why are the lawyers being paid up to $28 million? Did they do $28 million worth of work? Nah, didn't think so. Just a bunch scum bag lawyers.

And yes, if Wal-Mart wronged me, I would have taken the money.

Las Vegas Sun: CryBaby

Starting on Monday, the Las Vegas Sun got smaller. The reason being is they blamed the The Las Vegas-Review Journal for the problem. The LVRJ, a conservative paper and the Las Vegas Sun, an extreme lefty newspaper are the two main newspapers in Las Vegas. Like a typical liber, the lefty Sun has to depend on the conservative RJ to deliver it's newspaper.
So, the Sun has to cut it's size by 1 inch. Well, being a lefty paper, they should be happy. They are saving trees by using less paper. You are losing less ink, so that is good for the enviroment.
But, as usual, they bitched about it. They said they had to cut some puzzles and cut something by John Ralston, a liberal commentator who no one reads any ways.
Well, LV Sun, if you want to publish your own paper, go for it and stop depending on conservatives to do your dirty work, you hack of a liberal newspaper.

Pretty Good Night For Conservatives

The GOP took over the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia tonight. Virginia was not surprising but New Jersey was. I honestly though that Corizine would cheat his way to vistory.
The conservitive fell in NY 23, which is disappointing but better than a real Democrat won than a fake one in the GOP canidate.
The Dem's won in CA, but that was not surprising.
The loser- Obama. he put all his eggs in the New Jersey race and he lost, big time. Jersey is a big time blue state and an actual conservative won.
Right now, Harry Reid is crapping in his diaper in Nevada.
For 2010, look out for conservatives. Not RINO's, but actual conservatives.

Turkey Wars In Vegas

Turkey wars in Vegas has erupted. No, not the race for U.S. senator or governor.
The war is between Wal-Mart and Food For Less. Jennio turkeys are selling for as low as 40cents a pound at Wal Mart with White Honeysuckle for 60 cents a pound. At Food For Less, they are apparently selling turkeys for 37 cents a pound.
I just bought 60 pounds of turkey for about $27. Of course, now I know what I am going to be eating for the 5 months.
I am also not sure how long the war will last.

Barney Goes To The White House- No, Not That Barney

SEIU, home of the Barney Brigade because of their favorite color is purple, has a strong connection to the White House. Lead Barney, Andy Stern, President of the Barney Union (SEIU), has visited the White House 22 times since Obama has been inaugrated.
Somehow, I don't think he wasn't singing the Barney Song.

Operation Repo And Pawn Stars- Truth Or Fiction

I was quite naive when it came to reality shows when I first started watching them. I thought they were real and that includes Operation Repo and Pawns Stars.
Well, after watching the show, I am convinced the action is staged. For instance, in Operation Repo, when Matt rolled the car, why were there no police on the scene? When the guys get hit over the head with a bottle, why does it look like it is a breakable glass like they use in the movies.
In Pawn Stars, these people whop want to sell or pawn their things just don't walk into the store and start negotiating. I've seen it in person. They prep the employee what is going to come in, where to stand and the employees see the item before they film. That is reality?
So, it was disappointing that these are just reenactments. So, what else reenactments? I watching some cooking shows. Do they make the cooks make several takes when they are cooking? In ReHab at the Hard Rock, is that reenactments? I am pretty sure they are. Especially when they had that Texan the other night who acted like a spoiled child. That was way over the top. If that story was true, tell that Texan to stay home. Plus, when they fire someone, you don't do it on camera- that probably violates a whole lot of employment laws.
So, when Cops started, that was real but reality shows today are really not reality anymore. Just reenactments.

Why Liberals Cannot Be Trusted With Health Care Numbers

From Blue Sage Views, a blog that is spokesperson for Dina Titus, or at least that is how it seems says this: "Happy Halloween! HCAN plans a Grim Reaper Festival, Thursday October 29th, 11:00 am to 11:45 am, at the Thompson Federal Building, 300 Booth Street, Reno, NV. Why? Because in Nevada approximately 23,310 people per year are losing their health insurance, 1/3rd of the NV population under the age of 65 are uninsured (841,000), and the Grim Reaper is getting 5 people per week for lack of health insurance coverage"
http://bluesageviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/titus-co-sponsors-small-business-bill.html
Where do they get these numbers? I asked, but they refuse to respond.
5 people per week because they lack health insurance? Where do they get that number? The 23,310 number is also bogus. They may have lost their job and health insurance, but how many of those 23,000+ also got new health insurance either through a new job or government health care in dire consequences. And 841,000 uninsured under 65? Again where are the statistics? In the country, there about 12 million legal citizens who do not have health insurance and Nevada has about 7% of them? We don't have 7% of the U.S. population, so I call bull on those numbers.
So, once again, another Dina Titus supporter just spouts some more lies about health care.

What Is It With David Letterman And Sarah Palin?

I've accidentally watch David Letterman the other day and he was telling a joke about Sarah Palin. I've also read in the LV Sun and RJ, when they have comments from the late night show and invariably, there is Letterman making fun of Sarah Palin. Why?
I guess, given the sexual harrassment at by Letterman at work, I kind of think he has a problem with women in general and strong conservative women in particular.
Letterman is just a rich pathetic human being, who has some serious problems with women. And BTW is really not that funny.

Global Warming: Sometimes It's A Good Thing

Today, the temperature today in Vegas is in the low 80's. It is a wonderful day- sunny skies, no humidity and no wind.
Normal highs are in the low 70's.
Sometimes global warming is a very nice thing, even though it is a hoax.

Inside American Jail: Las Vegas Opinion

I was watching the TV show, Inside American Jail when, of course, they showed the Clark County Detention Center.
I have never had the experience of being in or visiting the jail, nor do I have anybody I know have been there (at least I don't think so)
However, I have been to the courthouse which is next to the jail for a marriage license and to pay a traffic ticket.
To me, it is both eerie and scary to walk by. They keep the windows open during the day and you get to hear all the caterwalling by the prisoners. It is loud and you can hear it a couple blocks away. It is scary enough that I would never would want to be in there.
However, I doubt it is any scarier than when I worked at Mendota Mental Health Institute. I worked on a unit as a janitor in the worst unit for the criminally insane. If the prisons couldn't handle them, they came to our unit. And these were some scary dudes. One guy poked out both his eyeballs. Fights would break out and you had some of the biggest beef are working there.
Scariest was the first day I worked the, 2nd shift, and I was trapped in the elevator for 15 minutes. The thoughts running through my mind that day frightening. Would someone come from the ceiling? Did it happen by accident or on purpose? I got out safely and enjoyed the rest of my time there. Even helped with a drug bust. I worked there until I almost graduated from college but it was something I will remember for a long time.

Stupid Headline Of The Week

From the Appleton Post Crescent: "Appleton educator draws praise in wake of death from cancer"
Just curious: Why did they wait for him to die until they praised him?
I am sure they did, but the headline implies they did not.

Da Packers Suck and Favre Rules

Brett Favre showed why is he is the best QB in history again today, when the Packers played the Vikings today. 4 Touchdowns passes.
The Packers showed there is not a penalty they cannot commit and Rogers is good, but not as good as Favre.
The schedule doesn't get much easier for the Packers and I just don't seeing them in playoffs at all.
P.S. I missed the point spread by 1 point- I thought the Vikings would win by 11 and they won by 12.

More Socialized Medicine Horror Stories

From Fox News: An elderly kidney patient was locked in the back of an ambulance for five hours after the driver forgot about him and clocked off duty.
The 65-year-old man was trapped at Sharston ambulance station in Manchester from the early evening until the middle of the night, Sky News reported.
Apparently, he had three other patients in the ambulance with the patient who was stranded: "It is thought the driver forgot about the man after dropping off three other patients" http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,570859,00.html?test=latestnews
It also appears that this driver worked by himself.
I can never see this happening in the U.S. now, but in the future, it certainly is possible in the Democrats and liberals have their way.

Sue Lowden: Stupid Gaffe, But Way Overblown By Liberals

Sue Lowden who is running for senate against Harry Reid and made a stupid comment on the Heidi Harris show last week.
Apparently, in 1981, someone supposedly tried to blow up Harry Reid's car. Harris made a reference to it and Lowden make a comment back and both of them laughed.
The conversation went like this: "Everybody says that maybe there was a rumor, but nobody has been able to verify that actually happened," Harris said, floating a falsehood on the air.
"I've never heard of that, either," Lowden replied."
1981 was a long time ago, especially by Las Vegas standards. The vast majority of people living in Las Vegas now did not in 1981, 28 years ago, so very few people even heard of such a thing.
Lowden was a reporter back then and for her to remember all the stories that happened 28 years ago is practially impossible.
But John L. Smith, a left wing "writer" and columnist for the LVRJ who really doesn't write anything entertaining anymore, apparently thinks Lowden committed the worst act of the half century. Does he remember everything that happened 28 years ago? Does he remember all his newstories he wrote back then? http://www.lvrj.com/news/unlike-political-races-car-bomb-attempts-are-no-laughing-matter-68202782.html
Then you have Jane Ann Morrison, an even more left wing hack from the LVRJ and before Smith column (apparently Smith couldn't come up with anything original this week) also goes ballistic: "So, when I listened to a recording of Lowden yucking it up with radio talk show host Heidi Harris, insisting they had never heard about it, so it never happened, the women sounded callous and stupid." http://www.lvrj.com/news/political-joking-some-car-bombings-are-easier-to-forget-than-others-67906512.html
Like I said before, it was a stupid comment and Lowden didn't even say that much. Reid is pissed about this, but apparently he isn't pissed about the 14% unemployment rate in Nevada.
That being said, I am more concerned about this: "A group of disaffected Republicans says it feels vindicated after a Friday night count of missing ballots from the April 2008 gathering showed three delegates for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul should have been sent to the national convention. Paul supporters said they felt party leaders cheated them out of a place at the national convention when they abruptly recessed the convention before delegate ballots from the state's 2nd Congressional District could be counted. The district was allowed to choose three of the state's 34 delegates to the national convention.
The convention in Reno ended after Paul supporters won a rule change that allowed them to vote Paul delegates to the convention."
Sue Lowden was the GOP chairman and ran the convention. If I remember right, they ended the convention abruptly after the Paul people took over the convention.
Instead of following the rules of the convention, Lowden the the GOP quit and went home. It was disgusting then and it is disgusting now.
And this is how I will remember Sue Lowden. So, If Lowden win the nomination, and I probably would vote for vote for her over Reid, but we will have a choice between 2 politicians who really stink of politics.

Watching Roseanne Halloween Specials

I have been watching the Roseanne's Halloween shows tonight. Can anybody argue they were not the best Halloween shows ever put on TV?

ViQueens-Packers Part 2

Well, The Pack and the Viqueens are playing today in a few hours.
I plan on cheering for Brett Favre at my Packer bar. I am sure that will go over real well. I might have to give up my membership in the Packer Backer Club at the Rum Runner.
Prediction for the game: Viqueens 28 Packers 17. Packers are not that good.

Another Harry Reid Lie

From the LVRJ: "U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office reported that its figures show 6,134 jobs were created in Nevada, including 2,094 public school and 2,064 higher education teacher jobs.:
That is just false. In Clark County, we lost teacher jobs and the same with the rest of the state. And to say that 2000+ jobs in public schools were created are a flat out lie.
Another bit poor information: It says that 5,667 jobs were saved or created. Run the numbers and it cost "$55,584 per job. (using the $315 million number)
Further: Reid's office also said 615 construction jobs have been created through the $201 million grants awarded to the Nevada Department of Transportation" This comes to $326,829 per job. Yup, that is not wasting money, now is it?
Further, most of these jobs were government jobs, not private sector jobs, where the real hiring is needed.
This shows once again, that Harry Reid is a liar and that the stimulus did not work.

What A Weekend For Vegas

This weekend, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) finals are in Las Vegas this weekend. http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4994405161429545698

Also, the NHRA drag racers are in town as well, at the Speedway. http://www.nhra.com/

Next weekend, is Aviation Nation, one of the biggest airshows in The U.S. I'll be going to that.
So, if you are a cowboy, into very fast cars or a wing nut, you will find something for you.
If you are into fancy cooking or partying on the Strip, well, I can't help you.

Federal Government (Harry And Obama) Kill More Jobs

From the Las Vegas Sun: The Bureau of Land Management signed an order today that withdraws almost 945,000 acres of sensitive public lands from new mining activity in Southern Nevada for 20 years... The reason being: The sensitive areas include cultural sites, such as petroglyphs and archaeological sites, and wildlife habitat that is crucial for survival of the Mojave Desert tortoise, the southwestern willow flycatcher bird, woundfin and Virgin River chub fish and other species in the Ash Springs area.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/30/945000-acres-protected-mining-20-years/
So, almost a million acres are taken off from potential mining for some critters and archaeological sites? So, a state with 13% unemployment and it is going to get worse, so the bureaucrats in Washington, under the leadership of Obama and Reid decide to kill more jobs in Nevada. Way to go Harry and Obama, we love you in Nevada! Not!

What If A Major Incident Happened At A Courthouse And Not Reported- Did It Happen?

Yesterday, about 2:10 in the afternoon, we were driving by the Family Courthouse by Pecos and Bonanza when at least 10 police cars or more came roaring into the courthouse entrances. There was also 2 ambulances and a fire engine. Police officers were running in several directions. The police were rolling out the crime scene tape. On the Alarm office for the fire department said there was a cardiac arrest ongoing at that address. The paramedics were working on someone on the drivers side of an old green compact car, probably from the 1980's.
So, did something happen at the courthouse and if so, why hasn't anyone reported on it yet?

3 Cheers For Government Health Care At Work!!

From the LVRJ: "Health officials are urging the public to exercise patience and courtesy after a fight broke out when someone tried to cut in line Thursday at a Reno swine flu clinic. Washoe County Health District spokeswoman Judy Davis said she didn't have any details of the incident, but it involved people in high-risk groups waiting in line for a chance to get a swine flu shot.
So, people have to wait in line at a County run clinic, someone skips and a fight breaks out. Get used to it.
Finally, "Davis said that vaccines were available for 1,200 people Thursday and that from 200 to 300 people in line were unable to get one."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/fight-erupts-among-people-in-line-at-reno-flu-clinic-67506187.html
Now, we're into rationing. Well done, Washoe County Health District and here's looking to our future if Obama and the Democrats have their way.

People Are Still Moving To Vegas?

Channel 8, KLAS, in Las Vegas has a story about the moving costs to and from Las Vegas and it talks about the different costs U-Haul charges.
To me, the most amazing thing about the story is this: "Applied Analysis says tracking how many people move away is difficult, but even now, some 4,000 to 5,000 people are moving here every month. During the boom, that number was 6,000 to 8,000." http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11411180
With an unemployment rate around 14%, why would anyone want to move here? Good weather, of course and the shows, Strip and parks, it is a nice place to retire. But 4000-5000 people a month? Please say it is not for the welfare benefits that illegals can receive.

Happy Nevada Day

Happy Nevada to the fine citizens of Nevada. I will take the day off from school and sleep in.
Nevada Day celebrates when Nevada joined the Union in 1864.
For more information: http://www.nevadaday.com/

Storm Chasers: My Experience

I am watching Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel and it reminds me of one scariest moments in my life, when I actually had a small (if there is such a thing) tornado go over my head.

It was about 1998 and I was working for Airport Connections, an airport shuttle service. I was working on a Saturday or Sunday in the Spring. I was dispatched to O'Hare in the company's town car to pick up a passenger to bring back to Mequon.

I got the car from their headquarters on 3rd and got on the freeway at Layton (I-43). As I was heading south, I could see the sky getting dark. I just passed Rawson, I believe, when for some reason I turned to the left and I saw something I've never seen before. The sky and clouds were green. I just said it was cool and then said "oh crap" or something to that effect.

It started to hail, rain and then rain harder. I was right across the highway from a truck stop. The rain got so bad that I pulled over, the first time I have ever had pulled over for rain.

All of a sudden, the wind came and it blew hard. It was in a circular pattern and it blew very hard. I tried using the cell phone, but could not get through as I could not even get a dial tone. I tried to call my wife and then dispatch on the Nextrel, but nothing went through.

The car was rocking back and forth and I really was scared. The whole episode lasted about 3 minutes but it seemed like an hour and when I looked to the east, I could see the funnel.

I later heard on the news that several tractor-trailers were tipped over at the truck stop I was across from and there was a lot of damage. I am just glad I was in the Town Car as opposed to the company van. I went through about 5 more severe storms that night and the trip, which is usually about 4 hours round trip, was about 7 hours.

So, I would like to see a big tornado from afar because I have already seen one close up, too close up. And watching Storm Chasers helps me watch the tornadoes from a distance.

Top Chef Las Vegas

Watched Top Chef: Las Vegas tonight and it was nice to see a Milwaukee chef make it on the show. Paul Bartolotta who has a big restaurant at the Wynn and he was featured in the first challenge. They also pronounce his name differently in Vegas than in Milwaukee.

They also sent Michael home tonight. Kind of surprising, but they were cooking vegetarian food and it all looked terrible.

I'd rather a person who can cook steak well and a terrible vegetarian meal than cook a who can cook a vegetarian meal and not a steak or other cuts of meat.

Why I Can't Ever Live In Wisconsin Again

Today, when I woke up, it was about 47 degrees and a little windy. I was freezing my butt off. The high was about 63 and I was still cold. I even had the heater in the car working!!!
I have prided myself that I have never worn a jacket since I lived Las Vegas, a little over 3 years. This year may well the year I actually wear a jacket in the Valley. (When I go up to the mountains, it can get to below zero, so that doesn't count)
So, I admit, I am a wimp. When it comes to the weather.

Government and Obama Lies: Anybody Surprised?

From jsonline: "The government has overstated by thousands the number of jobs that it has created or saved with federal contracts under the president's $787 billion recovery program, according to an Associated Press review of data released in the program's first progress report.
The discrepancy raises questions about the reliability of a key benchmark that the administration uses to gauge the success of the stimulus. The errors could be magnified Friday when a much larger round of reports is released. It is expected to show hundreds of thousands of jobs repairing public housing, building schools, repaving highways and keeping teachers on local payrolls."
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/67102947.html
At least the AP is asking questions, but really, who is surprised the stimulus kind of sucked and was just a political payback to liberal special interest groups?

How Sad

From the Jsonline: "Ask him how he's doing these days and Willie Wood will tell you he feels pretty good. But the 1960s-era Green Bay Packers safety goes silent when asked why he has traveled from his assisted living facility in downtown Washington to a packed congressional hearing room on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. 
Wood, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who has dementia, is among a number of retired football players who have developed serious memory problems after leaving the NFL."

As a boy growing up, I was a fan of Willie Wood and the rest of the Packers. It is sad to say that the Packers have lost a a lot of players to death (Ray Nitschke, Henry Jordan) and dementia (Willie Wood and who knows who else)

Now, Willie lives in an assisted living facility, probably for the rest of his life.

How sad that once a great human specimen has been lowered to this.

Is This Any Surprise?

From the New York Post: New Yorkers are fleeing the state and city in alarming numbers -- and costing a fortune in lost tax dollars, a new study shows.
More than 1.5 million state residents left for other parts of the United States from 2000 to 2008, according to the report from the Empire Center for New York State Policy. It was the biggest out-of-state migration in the country.
The vast majority of the migrants, 1.1 million, were former residents of New York City -- meaning one out of seven city taxpayers moved out.
"The Empire State is being drained of an invaluable resource -- people," the report said.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/tax_refugees_staging_escape_from_qb4pItQ71UXIc0i6cd3UpK
It goes on: "Why all the moving vans?
The center, part of the conservative Manhattan Institute, blames the state's high cost of living and high taxes."
New York is a liberal state and has a very high tax rate, both in the state and in the city.
Liberals just don't understand that when you raise taxes, people leave. It is human nature to keep as much money as they can. People are going to live where taxes are lower and services are better. They are also going to live in an area where they are more comfortable- i.e. bigger lots, newer homes and less crime and hassles from the government.
New York should not be surprised and other higher taxed areas should take notice.

Go Visit A Very Good Haunted House

Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, where I teach, is putting on a haunted house this Saturday. The haunted house is being put on by the SOL.

I have been at this haunted house for the past 2 years and this is not your average haunted house. This is one of the best haunted houses in the valley. They have an area where it is not scary- face painting and a pumpkin patch for the young, young kids.

For the older kids and adults, they put on a spook house that is 2 floors high and 4 hallways long. And it is scary. The kids do a great job and you will have to wait in line, as turnout is large.

The best part is the cost is only $1 or a donation of a canned food product.

Desert Pines is located at 3800 E Harris, just down the street from Family Court, off of Pecos.

Stupid Suspension of The Year Followed By a Slapdown

From ESPN: ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya....During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game Saturday, a graphic was shown listing the top five drivers in NASCAR's points race. Fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, who is Colombian.
Griese replied he was "out having a taco."
And he gets suspended for that?
However, Montoya had the best comeback: "Montoya is declining to comment on Griese's suspension. He brushed off the remark Sunday, and said he'd never heard of Griese."
That probably hurts more than the suspension.

Wisconsin Democrat State Politics: Funny As Hell

So, now it turns out that Barbara Lawton has taken herself out of the running for governor of Wisconsin, for "very personal reasons". The blogsphere is ripe with rumors about what is going on. It really doesn't matter what the personal reasons are, she is out.
Now, the Democrats have 0 as in nada as in zilch candidates running for governor. Hell, even Jay Bullock of http://folkbum.blogspot.com/ won't run. How sad.
While it is possible that someone, anyone will jump in the race. Maybe Tom Barrett will run reluctantly and be the sacrificial lamb, but the bottom line is there is no legitimate candidate running for governor on the Democrat side.
But why? Jim Doyle has run the State in the ground. The State Assembly and Senate is run by Democrats. The State is bleeding jobs and State government and their taxes and regulations are being blamed.
But this is a national problem for the Dem's. They are in severe danger of losing the governorship in Virginia and has a good chance of losing the governor's house in New Jersey. Here in Nevada, Harry Reid is losing to Mickey and Minnie Mouse for U.S. Senate.
It seems like in 2010, it is going to be a year of throw the bums out, GOP and Dem's included. Also, in Nevada, Gov. Gibbons, who I like, is going down faster than Oprah on a box of chocolates.
So, Wisconsin politicians, join the crowd of politicians who are running for cover by refusing to run or are going down in flames.

Restaurant Service 101: What To Do To Piss Off A Customer

Today, the family went out to celebrate Cathy's birthday. We decided to go to a Chinese restaurant and it really was the worst experience we have had since we have been in Vegas.
We went to the Asian Buffet- Little Dumplings restaurant in the 2500 block of W. Craig.
We had a coupon that stated that if you bought 2 buffets at the regular price, then a child 10 and under was free. Well since our son is 10, we thought that should be a no brainer, but no. When we got to the restaurant, their sign in the restaurant said under ten gets the discount. We argued for a bit. They argued that their signed overruled the coupon. I argued that words means things and they ought to honor their coupon. We were only arguing about a dollar or so, but it was principal of the thing.
So, I won and we got the discount. So, we got our drinks ordered and I went to the bathroom. When I got back, my daughter was soaking wet because the waiter spilled a glass of ice tea on her, accidentally, I think. The waiter never apologized.
The food was so-so and service to the table was poor at best.
When it was time for dessert, my daughter who is allergic to nuts, wanted some dessert, but the desserts were not marked. So, we asked the waiter if their were nuts in any of the desserts. Mistake!! It would have helped if the waiter understood English. It would have helped if anyone understood English. So my daughter had vanilla ice cream, which was a little disappointing.
When I was in the bathroom, one of the toilets had poop on it , there was gang graffiti in the stalls and soap was out of one of the dispensers.
So, in the end, I left a $2 tip- why I don't know.
They lost us as a future customer and I am sure we are not the only ones.

Government Health Care For You

Hundreds of people lined up in Milwaukee to get their Swine Flu immunization. http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/65781417.html

Think some of these people got sick by standing in the cold and rain?

Southern Nevada Health District runs out of the injectable immunization: http://www.lvrj.com/news/h1n1-vaccine-in-short-supply-65465617.html

The government cannot even handle a normal flu outbreak, and they want to run health care? Fools who believe this are just that- fools.

H/T Charlie Sykes

Happy Birthday To My Sweetheart

A Very Happy Birthday to my wife, Cathy today. May we celebrate many, many more birthdays together!!

Halloween Events In Las Vegas

From The Las Vegas Review-Journal comes their on-line edition of what to do during Halloween in Vegas. http://www.reviewjournal.com/media/interactive/halloween_events_09/

The Las Vegas Sun also has some information as well: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/20/guide-halloween-las-vegas/

I have walked the Strip the last 2 years and it was very boring. Hardly anyone was dressed in costume.

Now, Halloween was on weeknights, so I am sure that has something to do with it. With Halloween being on a Saturday, this may change.

The weather will be beautiful, about a high of 74 and a low in the mid-50's.

But just remember, don't drink too much or else:

Wal-Mart Health Insurance: The Real Facts

As some of you know, I work part time at Wal-Mart and I qualify for health insurance, if I want it. well, it is open enrollment time and so I decided to actually find out the costs of health insurance Wal-Mart provides.
Wal-Mart offers several plans, from low to high deductibles, with a couple of plans in between.
The plan with the lowest deductible- $500, the cost is $76 every 2 weeks for the individual and $234 every two weeks for the family.
The plan with the highest deductible, $2200, it costs $9 every two weeks for the individual and $27 for the family.
The Dental plan is $6.20 for the individual and $19.70 for the family.
Wal-Mart insurance is offered to about 95% of it's employees.
As you can plainly see, Wal-Mart, despite what the leftists and the Wal-Mart haters in this country, including President Obama say, Wal-Mart offers health insurance that anyone can afford.
So, if you ever a person saying that Wal-Mart doesn't offer affordable health insurance, tell them they are full of crap.
And BTW, I have several friends who have had to use the insurance and everyone says they are pleased with it.

Disgusting

From Jsonline: "An attack on an African-American student from Wauwatosa West High School appears to be racially motivated, Brookfield police said Thursday.
According to Capt. Jim Adlam:
Four male Wauwatosa West students - the African-American student and three white students - were running near the pavilion area of Lamplighter Park about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Three white males in a black four-door vehicle swerved at the runners and at least one of the males yelled racial slurs. The vehicle stopped and a fight ensued, Adlam said.
While the 18-year-old African-American student was being attacked, one of his classmates, 17, intervened.
The 17-year-old was punched by one of the males from the vehicle and told police he was knocked out. He later received stitches at Froedtert Hospital for lacerations to his upper lip."
I hope they catch these thugs and lock them away for a long, long time.
While the 17 year old got the crap beat out of him, he is still a hero.
I ran cross country for Tosa East in the 70's and then, Oconomowoc.. Cross-country runners are a rare breed and they will defend their brethren. Again, I hope they catch these thugs.

Dina Titus: Will She Ever Have a Real Job? But Joe Heck Has A Real Job

Dina Titus (D-Suckup to Nancy Pelosi) has really never had a real job in her adult life. But yet she thinks she knows what the working person wants or needs. How can she possibly think that?
From Titus's own web site: "Dina Titus has dedicated her entire professional life to education and public service. She has taught American and Nevada government at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for 30 years. She represented the people of Senate District 7 in the Nevada Legislature since 1988, serving as the Democratic Minority Leader from 1993 – May 2008."
Call me cynical. But I don't trust anyone, and that includes conservatives or liberals, who never had a real job in their adult life.
Titus has been a professor at UNLV. I'm sorry, but professors aren't exactly in tune with the world. They barely work and just work on writing papers and hoped to be published and teach a couple classes a week..
But yet, unfortunately, she is my Representative in Congress. It would be nice if someone would challenge her who actually knows something about the real world.
Oh, wait, there is. Dr. Joe Heck is challenging her. He is a doctor, but not of the educational kind, but is a real medical doctor. He is an Army Reservist, which means he actually went through basic training for officers.
From Heck's web site: "Joe began his 25+ year career in public service as a volunteer firefighter and ambulance attendant in rural Pennsylvania. He volunteered as a Medical Team Manager with the Nevada Urban Search & Rescue Team - Task Force 1 and as a member of the LVMPD Search & Rescue team. He continues to serve as a tactical physician with the LVMPD SWAT team. Called to active duty in 1996 in support of Operation Joint Endeavor and 2003 in support of Operation Noble Eagle, Joe continues to serve in the United States Army Reserve having recently returned from a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He currently holds the rank of Colonel and commands a U.S. Army Hospital. In July 2006 he graduated from the prestigious U.S. Army War College, earning a Masters of Strategic Studies."
Wow, what a difference in character and jobs. A professor in a virtually useless subject area vs a doctor who serves in the military.
So tell me, who has the real world experience? I think the answer is quite clear and it ain't the professor.

Nevada: We're Number 2!!

According the Las Vegas Sun: "For the second consecutive month, Nevada placed second in the nation for its unemployment rate, trailing only Michigan.
The U.S. Department of Labor said today Nevada’s rate of 13.3 percent was second to Michigan’s 15.3 percent in September.
The state reported Tuesday there were 190,700 workers who were jobless in September. And the 13.3 percent is a record for the state." http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/21/nevadas-jobless-rate-second-nation-after-michigan/
So, apparently the stimulus is not working for Nevada. Harry Reid, when he is not causing job loss personally, apparently cannot do anything about the unemployment rate, even though he is one of the most powerful person in the country.
The fact is, is no one, whether is the Messiah Obama, Reid or any Republican can do anything about the job loss. The so-called stimulus was a give away to special interests, not job creation. Right now, other than tax breaks for hiring people, there is not much government can do. But they won't stop trying and screwing things up even more.
But hey, while millions of Americans are out of work and suffering, Obama can be partying up at all the different music he is bringing into the White House. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2009/10/14/20091014fiesta.html

Nevada supreme Court Gets It Wrong

From the LVRJ: "The Nevada Supreme Court has thrown out the death penalty conviction of a Las Vegas man who killed a cabdriver in 1990, ruling that the circumstances of the crime did not warrant capital punishment.
Justices in a 7-0 decision vacated the death penalty given Frederick Paine and ordered his case be remanded to District Court for a new penalty hearing consistent with the decision"
Well, what did this thug do?: In two previous penalty hearings, Paine, now 39, was sentenced to die for killing cabbie Kenneth Marcum during a Jan. 19, 1990, robbery. The cabdriver was shot in the head. He was robbed of $45.
Ok, but the justices, who never went to law school said this: Justices said there were no valid “aggravating circumstances” that gave rise to two past decisions to sentence Paine to die.
Under state law, prosecutors must show that aggravating factors, such as torture, existed in the crime to impose the death penalty.
In Paine’s case, a panel of judges and a jury ruled that the killing was “random and without purpose,” an aggravating factor that could be used to give him capital punishment.
But justices said that was an error.
“This is not a situation where Paine chose his victim 'without a specific purpose or objective,’" according to the decision. “The specific purpose was robbery.”
So, being robbed at gun point is not torture? I am sure the cabbie was pretty cool with this situation since he was not being "tortured". The justices apparently never heard of mental torture.
What a bunch of idiots. The Supreme Court, that is.

Great: Another Traffic Light We Don't Need

The City of Las Vegas, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put a stop light at the intersection of Harris and Pecos. This light is 1 block from the light on Pecos and about 1/2 mile from the light on Pecos and Washington.
The mental midgets who time or attempt to time or don't even try and time the traffic lights in the Valley now have to deal with another stop light that just is not needed. Another new light is on Owens and Walnut, which is just was not needed and a total waste of time and money.
So, now, we will be waiting at traffic lights when it is not necessary and the motorists will be wasting gasoline and time.
The traffic light on Harris is right across the street from Child Haven and family court. My guess is so stupid lawyer or judge complained about waiting 30 seconds to cross the street and now we have a stupid stop light, wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars and causing more of a traffic headache then necessary.
Government is the biggest waste of gasoline and oil there is. How many minutes do you spend waiting at a traffic light? Then you multiply that by a few million cars, each day.
We probably wouldn't need to depend on foreign oil if the government actually learned to time stoplights.

This Is Just Not A Good Idea

A Carl's Jr. a fast food restaurant, similar to Hardees, was denied permission to build a restaurant next a pet cemetery.
"A controversial request to build a fast-food restaurant next to a pet cemetery has been withdrawn, but cemetery supporters remained wary because the property at issue could still be rezoned for commercial use."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/Proposal-withdrawn-for-Carls-Jr-next-to-pet-cemetery-65098377.html
Something tells me I would not want to order a burger from Carl's Jr. knowing it is next to a pet cemetery. Not that I would go there if there ever ran out of meat, but just the thought....