So now it's with great pleasure that I bring you what I affectionately call The "NO" List. And depending on what side of 30 years old you find yourself on you're sure to associate with one or two of them. Whether I entertain or enlighten you I'll confide in knowing that I've accomplished what I set out to do. If I offend anyone in the process all I can extend is my sincerest apology. My intentions were never to set out and crucify anyone here but if you sound like the person, the entity, or a corporation that I could be referring to you may have to take a good long look in the mirror and ask yourself if the shoe fits.
No Tom Cruise
This guy is really beginning to bug me. Scientologists in general, but this guy is the poster boy for crazy. I have to wonder every time he says anything if he honestly believes the garbage that comes out of his own mouth. to reference the fact that Scientologists are the only beings that can stop and help someone as they drive by an accident scene is ridiculous. Hey Tom, I'm a Firefighter and an EMT and I can say with all confidence that I myself as well as my brothers and sisters out there can manage just fine. And I don't know of a single Scientologist in the bunch. And it's not just the professionals but good Samaritans who stop and help as well. Contrary to your warped beliefs these people do exist in our world. So what do you and LRH think of that?
To insinuate that Scientologists are so much more supreme than others in this world is an absolute joke. But I guess when your shelling out an obscene amount of money for what you believe is enlightenment one is bound to cling to false promises and brain-washing to feel their self worth. This whole cult must be some pretty powerful stuff because they apparently have quite the following and can boast other big name celebrities like John Travolta, Halle Berry, and Wil Smith. All of these people I respect and enjoy as entertainers but what I can't understand is why are they so soft spoken while Tom is a raging lunatic? Does he believe in his mind that he's a couple thousand bucks short of becoming the next ultimate ecclesiastical authority? And if so, does his holiness Mr. Miscavige know of this?
My solution to this is simple. I'm boycotting all that is Tom, and you should as well. Owning his merchandise and seeing his movies at the box office just puts more money in this twisted little mad man's pocket. Money that will no doubt end up in the hands of his beloved cult and before you know it your entire sub division is buzzing with the rhetoric of these weirdos. I don't know about you but my neighborhood is no place for spaceships, aliens, or anal probes and I'd like to keep it that way.
No Drifting
What is this craze about watching these so-called athletes spin a car around a track on the verge of being totally out of control. Some might argue this very thing is what separates all other drivers from them in the fact that they, the Drifters, are on the very edge of the car's abilities at all times. I have to disagree. It's one thing to be able to perform at the threshold of your car's ability. Meaning going as fast as the vehicle will allow while being just one fraction of an inch from being out of control. This is what I would classify all drivers past and present who pilot purpose built race cars. Drifters on the other hand are always a fraction of an inch over that threshold while never really seeing the full potential of the vehicle. It's more like a circus side show if you will. Nothing more than a moderate speed ballet with a lot of tire smoke. If I wanted to see something like this I'd watch the wannabes leave the local dance club's parking lot at closing time.
Unfortunately I have no real solution to this one. There's nothing I can really do but ignore it if I don't enjoy it and hope that maybe someday the obsession will dwindle. I doubt it will happen anytime soon. This younger generation feels very strongly for their sport compacts and everything else that my generation believes to be nonsense. I can't fathom a drag strip that has more entries under two liters than the ground pounders of my time but that day is surely coming. Face it, all of the gearheads who enjoyed the muscle car days are dying off just as fast as the cars themselves. But it really doesn't matter whether it's cars, fashion, or music. Every generation in time has scratched their heads as to what the younger generation is thinking and I am undoubtedly no different.
No more appetite for oil
Reason number one, Hugo Chavez. What more is there really to say? This totalitarian communist is believed to be the reason for the global destabilization in oil prices resulting in our outrageous amounts we have to pay at the pumps. Chavez, who controls the hemisphere's largest oil reserves, is no doubt a stern opponent of the US. If we continue to rattle this guy's cage as I'm sure we will do, this combination could equate to even tougher times for us financially as well as the possibility of a missile with our name on it courtesy of Iran or any one of his friends in low places.
Reason number two, War. At least for the past three decades most of our wars have been fought over oil. It may not have been the direct initiative that led to the conflict but we have been known to jump in bed with a country and their people in hopes of sharing the wealth. We may not have seen eye to eye on everything with these cultures but we sucked it up and fought right along side them in hopes of assuring our continuous supply of crude. This is not to say that I'm anti-war and that I don't appreciate all that our troops are doing today and have been doing in the past for us. I feel when human rights are violated and atrocities are committed we very well should be there delivering a swift boot in the ass of our opponents. What we don't need to do is send more young men and women home in boxes who's missions were to defend oil fields and their oil-rich countries.
Reason number three, Pollution and the Greenhouse effect. Even if you're not a devout tree hugger or someone tuned in to our declining environment and it's resources you have to know what fossil fuel is doing to our planet. There are so many other ways to power our homes, cars, and towns, but we never seem to move forward with them. If politicians could do what's right for once, and cut their billion dollar embillical cord with big business giants we might stand a chance to explore other options and move toward a cleaner and more economical way to live.
So my idea on this one is not so simple. Both sides of the plan are pretty hard to swallow for most but how high does the price of a gallon of gas have to go before you'll react? I'm thinking it's pretty high because I still see plenty of single occupants in very large vehicles going to work every day.
The first stage of the plan is for everyone to go out and buy a bicycle or a Vespa. If you're fortunate enough like me to have country roads separate you from the office then a pedal bike is the way to go. If your commute is a little longer than you can handle then the Vespa might be the route for you. Either way you're choking up the atmosphere far less than you would in your Escalade, and with the pedal bike you're getting one hell of a great workout in the process. We're a society obsessed with our weight so why not kill two birds with one stone? And there is an abundance of cold weather clothing available to all of the hearty souls who choose to travel this way year-round. If not, car pooling or a smaller vehicle could surely help. This is one facet of change that we have control over. Unlike my second suggestion, only you and you alone have the power to make this change.
Suggestion number two: Move toward more nuclear power. I know when individuals think of this, visions of sterility or three-armed children are usually conjured up. The thing is people, Three Mile Island happened a long time ago and our technology as well as our awareness of how to safely operate these facilities have grown tremendously. Sure we stand a threat of having these large targets out there for our enemies to focus on but here's a news flash, they're going to try and find ways to strike us again even if we don't have them. What we can benefit from is some of the most affordable,clean, and efficient means of power on our planet. And with all the money that's saved we can invest in better security and fail safe systems to ensure that we won't see another incident like they did in Pennsylvania back in '79. The best part would be a decline in our country's reliance on fossil fuels and a lot less broken bank accounts because of it.
No China
My god why can't we figure out ways to manufacture goods right here in the good ol' USA as cheaply as China does. Oh I know why! because we don't violate people's rights and force them to work nineteen hour days for 6 days each week. We don't stack them in dormitories right on the company grounds and resort to cheap threatening tactics to constantly dock their wages. And call me crazy but I'm sure it could be tough to find people here willing to pledge their loyalty to you when you not only treat them like this, but you pay them about six cents an hour.
It's not only sickening to hear what they do to their own people, I'm also tired of what that country is doing to our economy. I can't find lead or steel anymore because we're selling our scrap in boat loads to the highest bidder. And those boats usually dock somewhere in China. The quality and workmanship of most of their products is substandard to say the least yet more and more people are either buying them or having their products made there. And good luck if you have a bright new idea and your low bidder in Shenzhen gets the job. Give them 60 days and your new mousetrap is being marketed to the world by them as well. And usually at lower prices!
Solution: Another tough one seeing that almost everything, or parts of it, are manufactured in that region. If you can sleep at night knowing that women and children worked themselves literally to death to make half of that cart of Wal-Mart goods you bought yesterday then stop reading here. If aiding in the abuse of human beings for a good bargain doesn't sit well with you then check your labels and thoroughly investigate where your next major purchase is coming from. It's time to walk the walk and talk the talk. If you really care about this country, the workers who are employed here, and the companies on our home soil, then show it and buy American. Who knows, along with saving our economy you might save some one's life.
No Politicians who don't deliver
Yeah like this is ever going to happen. Denny Hatch had a great little line on his last web post saying something to the tune of people suffering from Electile Dysfunction —Ed Zuckerman, Proprietor of “Government Policy Newslinks” to Denny Hatch, e-mail, January 23, 2008. This is the inability to become aroused over any of the choices for president put forth by either party in the 2008 election year. It's become harder and harder to pledge your allegiance to any side any more. I used to think I was about as Right as they come but I'm having a hard time with the choices I have in this election. None of them are really appealing to me.
Almost every President that I can remember has left the country in shambles when the keys to the nation have been passed on. And it's all a part of the fact that none of these individuals are or have been accountable for their words and actions. The big topic in this most recent presidential campaign (from both camps) has been the stance on illegal aliens. I really hope someone follows through on this one. I as well as millions of others in this great country of ours has grown tired of increasing health care costs and legal fees because of these people bedding down on our dime. Forgive me if I sound heartless as I really do feel for the people that come here and the hardships they had to endure in their country but if you're going to come here, come here legally. Every candidate has been puffing out their chests and declaring 60, 90, or 120 day time periods for these individuals to comply or face deportation. Great idea! I have no clue as to how they are actually going to do this but we'll leave the details up to them. This is what we pay them the big money to do. All I ask is that they themselves and their administration follow through.
But like the majority of politicians in this world who have broken countless promises to us I'm not expecting this to happen soon if at all. Once they're in office they become puppets for big oil, tobacco, or any other group who can line their campaign's pockets and assure a nice long candidacy. It's no longer an issue about the people and their needs and concerns, it's more about what's in their agenda.
My suggestion in all of this is that we the taxpayers, legal citizens, and voters need to be more accountable ourselves. It's one thing to sit with a group of co-workers at the water fountain and complain about this or write stories on a blog. It's another when you write your congressman or local politician and let them know how you feel and what you want to see being done. We also need to pay less attention to being part of any one side and more attention on the issues that a candidate plans on tackling. Regardless of their being left or right. There used to be a time when you wore your political position like a badge of honor and you didn't deviate from it no matter what. I think we need to put an end to this once and for all. It makes no sense any more since we have so many politicians who are Conservative Democrats and vice versa. Pay attention to what matters and maybe we'll find someone who'll make a difference.
No ELF (Earth Liberation Front)
Apparently the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. It seems as though the activists of decades past have spawned ignorant cry babies who are as much a threat to us as any other terrorist group in the world. Paint it any color you like. As long as you're disrupting the peaceful lives of individuals and destroying their property and livelihood then in my book you've left activist status and are now nothing more than a terrorist. Plain and simple.
Now I love this planet just as much as the next guy and I'm hoping there's going to be something left of it for my great grandchildren to enjoy. I just think there are more productive and resourceful ways of ensuring this. Most of which do not include incendiary devices.
So who are these people? It's tough to say so forget racial profiling on this one. They're every color, religion, and they come from many different backgrounds. Students, music teachers, soccer coaches, you name it. Anyone who has strong feelings against something or someone, and very little grey space to understand right from wrong is a good candidate. Sounds like any other menace to society now doesn't it? The only difference is that these individuals are cloaked in a polished suburban image that blends in nicely with their surroundings.
Although sometimes a bit spacey, many activists have very noble causes and feel very strongly about their issues and I can respect that. As long as your demonstrations target the right individual or corporation and nothing is harmed in the process, I feel you have every right to assemble and voice your opinions. But how do these morons from ELF even begin to believe that it's a fair trade off to fire bomb universities and burn down million dollar homes to prove their point? They're not even close to being part of the solution, just more of a problem.
The funny thing about these clueless people are that they come from all walks of life and they still couldn't muster up the collective IQ to do their homework before a job in 2001. They planted a devastating fire bomb at the University of Washington that destroyed its Center for Urban Horticulture and do you know why? It was because they believed researchers there were genetically engineering trees. They were wrong. And the question arises as to what could be so wrong with genetically engineering a tree? Cloning or genetically engineering a human? maybe, but a tree! Even if the university was involved in these types of studies I'm failing to understand what the issue is here. We need more trees in this world to begin with so I would think there are bigger tragedies to conquer. Luckily no one was hurt in the blast but if they keep up with this type of behavior it's just a matter of time before someone does. It might not be the individuals targeted but an innocent civilian, cop, or firefighter.
So my solution to this one is for all of you to get a life! Half of the stuff you're bickering about is trivial to begin with so find a cause that's worthwhile and try really hard not to blow anything up in the process. And if you just can't find it in yourselves to do this then maybe you should consider living elsewhere. That's the great thing about America. The door is not only opened to accept new citizens who want to embrace our way of life and taste freedom, it's open to throw out jackasses like yourselves who don't know how good they got it.
