Chin up, Mr. President

When I just heard on the news Pres. Obama is going on the road to promote his Stimulus Recovery Bill, I just got an urge to write. People who write know what I mean.

Something gets into your head, you scrounge around for the longevity of your thoughts, you experience some linking abstract ideas and some spot on ones and the anxiety pushes itself to fever pitch levels and before you know it, you are polishing the keys of your computer keyboard with a great big private smile of satisfaction. You know at least you have a beginning and a some-what middle “something” to say. You may not know how your concept will end up due to the fact just like ironing an article of clothing, you do not know how your writing will end up until you finish ironing it out, placing it on a hanger, standing back and looking at it. At that point, you may realize you have missed a wrinkle or two or perhaps you should have used more spray starch on one of the sleeves and if possible, make the necessary adjustments.

I am mindful of hearing the other day that a poet stands in the middle of a thunderstorm wishing for lightning to strike him. Metaphorically speaking, of course. At least I hope it was metaphorically speaking. I am not a poet so my writing process is a bit different. Thank God! The way of the poet, although admirable, is not for me. I seek pleasure, not pain regardless the metaphor.

I can fully understand why our President wants to go on the road to promote his Stimulus Program. It’s his baby. His first opus. The results of his blood, sweat and tears to date and he wants it to be successful. Personally, I was never one to go seeking approvals for any parts of my creative abilities. I take the opinion that people will see your little light shining and if you have to always direct them into seeing it by coaxing them and by using other means, they will turn on you. People do not like that! They feel you are trying to convince yourself more of its worth than they do and will grow suspicious of your motives and rightly so. Some may even have the feeling of efforts to manipulate them.

But, alas, the President is young and these are things you do when you are young and the most egregious of mistakes is thinking others share your goals. All bright eyed and bushy tail on your first job it is hard for one to think otherwise. After all, don’t the others working there also work for the same person or corporation? There is so much to learn on your first job and one thing you quickly learn is where the land mines are in order for you to keep your job. You learn wherein your own stimulus recovery package lies. You may also learn if you want something done and you want it done right, you HAVE to do it yourself. If Pres. Obama has to be the first President in history to write his own bills to present to Congress, so be it. He would have to learn how to do it and if so motivated, do it. It would be interesting to note how the President would have written his Stimulus Recovery Bill had he been so motivated. As President, Mr. Obama should never again be placed in the position he finds himself regarding his Stimulus Bill.

As an example or two, a teacher is taking a big chance letting the teacher’s aid teach the class or an architect letting an underling design the second Twin Towers or another opera house in Australia. As another example and as negative as it is, there is/was the devastating war in Iraq so successfully executed due to the fact its architect, Dick Cheney, was there and on top of events every step of the way.

Here is hoping our new President in years to come will look at this, his novice first experience as President of the United States of America, as the learning experience it is. More things will come to nail it down. He has yet to have the joys of his fiftieth birthday party, teaching his daughters how to drive a car and keeping his wife’s love for him as strong as the love he has for her. The experiences of the ups and downs of the learning curves of life go on and on. Most of us older Blacks love our President more than he could ever know and we wish him well.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

Mayor Daley expresses himself

*“Us and New York decided not to do that. (Author: Decided not to reveal our Stimulus list) We thought we could go directly into the federal bureaucracies and the different departments," the mayor added.

And
"Read some of your newspapers. Heh heh," he replied. (Author: Are these the same newspapers from which Blago wanted the Op-ed editors fired?)

If I wanted to have a little fun with a theory and had the skills, I could make Galileo’s theory read like “The Three Little Pigs”. There is a gold mind in those three little sentences of the good Mayor Daley. However, I do have a theory that admittedly falls short of Galileo’s and it has to do with the reason our Congress appears to don work boots made of cement when trying to pass a bill. My theory is simple: Congress wants to waste time so the political crooks to whom they are beholding can get in place to siphon off as much money as they can after the bill is passed. At the next roll call and after receiving certain phone calls and messages you may hear..

-Mr. A.
-Aye
-Mr. A votes “Aye.” Mr. B.
-Aye
Mr. B votes “Aye.” Mr. C…….. Mis-ter C.
-Aye.
-Mr. C votes “Aye.” Mr. D.

Scene two:
It’s not that I do not understand what the “Stimulus Package” or, to be politically correct, “The stimulus recovery package” is. I do. It’s that “Tax cut” thing I do not understand. Give me some examples. All I hear is, “The Republicans want tax cuts”. That is the Democrat’s main contention with them. All they want are “Tax cuts!” they repeat over and over. I have been around enough to know that political nomenclature is never what you think it is. If you go along with the normal meaning of words and their associations when listening to political talk, you and that proverbial crazy bed bug will have lots in common. So it is when the Democrats and political pundits talk about the Republicans wanting “Tax cuts,” I doesn’t know what dey talkin’ ‘bout!. Color me stupid and double stupid if they themselves know what they are talking about.

Scene three:
Ms. Hilda Solis for Sec. Of Labor. The Republicans don’t want her due to the fact she wants all workers who want a union to be in one. This is what I heard.

In my opinion, having unions is a double-edged sword. Were it not for unions, many of us Blacks would not have stood a chance in hell. Most of the middle-class Blacks of yesterday grew as a result of unions. Pullman Porters and Teacher Unions come to mind as good examples. Church members were unions for Ministers. The physicians were just out there.

The other edge of the sword says that many companies went off shore due to the increase demands of unions. There is talk they can become very un-reasonable, power greedy and intimidating. Watching the confirmation hearings of Ms. Solis is going to put me in conflict with heart felt emotionally charged “Good and Bad”. It would be easier if it were “Good and Evil” but it isn’t. Damn!

Scene four:
Discovering I was a diabetic and learning a hell of a lot from the visiting nurse, I have discover a processed ham sandwiches and slices of country ham on a folded single slice of bread sends my sugar level up considerably. Must be some Genetically Engineered products in them which repulses the human body. I sure hate to waste the money throwing them away but hey, what are my choices? “I’m Reviewing the situation?” Nah. Well maybe, just maybe and since I have to take Lantos at night…maybe Fagin had something. I’ll see. Nah! I don’t want to have to get on a dialysis machine ever in life. (check mate!)

Scene five:
Verizon is my Internet Service Provider (ISP). This morning I was told to contact my ISP due to the fact I could not get on the internet. After doing some technical stuff, the technician decided I needed a new router and said I would receive the new router on Tuesday, four days from now. I resolve to watch movies to while away the time using my Fios on Demand. The message said there was a problem with the Fios on Demand service and to call the service department.

Another department and another technician. We did the trouble-shooting thing and after awhile, my TV screen went black and then came back on. It was fine and I would access Fios on Demand.

I returned to my computer and tried once again to get on line and, ”Wahla!”. Not only did I get on line but my computer monitor had stop blinking off and on. Feeling brave and fearless, I also Googled “How to change the screen refresh rate of your monitor” and got http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311403. I followed the directions and change the refresh rate from 60 to 70. That was early this morning. No more monitor blinking on and off. Peace at last! I Just hope the good Lord forgives me for all the dirty names I had been calling my monitor. (Smile)
Curtain.
As always,
BB
P.S. Could Pres. Obama be considered a surrogate employer of members of congress “firing” the ones who do not do well?
*Daley refuses to release stimulus project list
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/02/daley-refuses-to-release-stimulus-project-list.html

Stimulus Recovery and work ethics

Do we need a resurgence of Miss Manners to tell people how to keep a job inducing them into applying appropriate work ethics? I think in that area Americans could benefit greatly.

There are myths, true or false, surrounding certain groups of people and their work ethics. There is the “Get a Jewish lawyer” myth if you want to win your case. There is the “Those Spanish guys really do a good job on home repair and landscaping, always on time and work quietly amongst themselves” and the one “Get Asians to bring up the test scores in your school district” and alas, “Get a Black on your football or basketball team to get into the lucrative winning circle”. Each one of these groups has carved a nitch in American society being coached by the elders of their ethnic group. For that, I do not have a problem. Each member of each group staying within the group, not sharing with other groups and proud of their distinctions as well they should be.

There is also a group in our Congress also carrying a flag of distention. This is the group with members like Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham who either do not read the bills or have the mis-fortune of possessing fallacious processing skills. In my opinion, calling them “obstructionist” is using a shortened description to allay a very serious problem, again in my opinion.

In the field of education, you see them time and time again and although it is a huge part of your job to tolerate them, you still find them frustrating and annoying and they know how you feel about them. For example, you can tell right away they have not read the lesson. They may come into the room admiring the way you are dressed that day or make some comment regarding your favorite team. After you get into the lesson, they have a lot to say about nothing and the words bull shitin’ readily comes to mind. They ask dumb questions, make efforts to control the lesson and really make an ass of themselves as recently occurred a few days ago with a newly assigned White House reporter trying to communicate with White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs.

Those “obstructionists” have the same rhetoric as McCain, Lindsey Graham et al., talking around the subject and not making sense at all. Is there anybody who seriously thinks low academic performing Sen. McCain has read any parts of the Stimulus Recovery Bill?

- Hester. HESTER!! Bring me that bill to sell that bridge Pookie bought over the other day for me to see!

In the old days it was simply called “Woffin’”. You know, the wolf barking at the moon? Trying to get the moon’s attention? Trying to get the moon to notice him?

Those “Wolfers” could do a lot of good for the country if they would first of all read and understand their job description. Usually everything they need to know is right there in their job description; code of conduct, expectations and the likes. Now if they got the job and do not perform regarding their job description, you have only to blame the person who hired them. However, no meaningful or enforceable job description yields no meaningful employee. And regarding the person hiring him, that’s the SOB with whom you should have serious concerns. Just as Pres. Obama left the ultimate fate of Sen. Lieberman to his employers who are the voters in Connecticut, I agree with him that is as it should be. Sometimes! Smart man that President we got. Show your butt and he’s got somethin’ fer ya and it may not be what you think. When he flashes that smile he is amused himself at his creativity. (Smile) I am mindful of the brilliant pianist Glen Gould during his performances.
As always,
BB
P.S. Today, on CNBC “Power Lunch” there was actual fireworks and pie throwing amongst the commentators. I turned it on when a reporter named Bernstein was standing his ground. He was not going to be moved! It was the first time I had seen such open unfettered and spontaneous hostility amongst commentators on television. It was fun to watch.

What Michelle Obama was talking about

When First Lady Michelle Obama made what some considered an “Un-American” remark regarding her patriotism, in my opinion the performance of “My country ‘tis of thee” by Aretha Franklin at the Inauguration on January 20th and the singing of “The National Anthem” by Jennifer Hudson at the Super Bowl last Sunday night should leave no doubt in people’s mind many of us Black have heightened feelings of patriotism. Both of the sisters are Divas in their own rights.

You could hear the heightened patriotism in their voices and the music arrangements for the solo of Ms. Hudson, both instrumental and vocal, were breathtaking; At least it took mine away. My very excited nephew called me first thing Monday morning telling me about it and “You just gotta hear it!” he shouted in my early morning ear! I did. Suddenly, “Barack the magic Negro” became impregnated with new associations. I note what it did for RNC Chairman Michael Steel and found this article on *one hundred twenty surveyed college students. Three cheers for Pres. Obama!
As always,
BB
(Excerpt)
**“The first study of the "Obama Effect," has produced a tantalizing result. Nothing saddens me more than the achievement gap between white and black test takers. And the studies that show that black kids do even worse when they self-identify right before taking the test makes me want to crawl into a bottle of Hennessy and drown. But this new study shows that the achievement gap was statistically erased by black test takers after hearing an Obama speech. According to Newsweek:”

And
“I truly believe that we are all suddenly living in another era. Can you imagine some knucklehead still chiding a black nerd in class for acting white while over his head hangs a picture of the President of the United States?”
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
*An 'Obama Effect' on Blacks' Test Scores?
Sharon Begley
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2009/01/23/an-obama-effect-on-blacks-test-scores.aspx
** The Obama Effect, the Super Bowl and the Revenge of the Black Nerd
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trey-ellis/the-obama-effect-the-supe_b_163123.html

Tom Daschle “..falls on his sword.”

A good thing for the American public, a bad thing for the press. I do not know what Sen. Daschle was thinking to have prolonged his wishful thinking for so long.

This afternoon, Sec. Hillary Clinton at her press conference with a British official intimated Iran has a metaphorical clutched fist. That is not true. To my knowledge, Pres. Ahmadinejad sent two un-answered letters to Pres. Bush and one un-answered letter to date to Pres. Obama. I understand Pres. Obama is presently preparing a reply. One of the letters Pres. Ahmadinejad sent to Pres. Bush was published in its entirety. Why does Hillary always “stretch the truth?” Drama? Wishful thinking? Attention getting? What!?
As always,
BB
P.S. In my opinion, Republicans are the best friends Pres. Obama has to date. They appear to be very protective of him.

The Villagers have a celebration festival

Excerpt:
* “Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said that Rove, however, will cooperate with a federal criminal probe of the firings being led by Nora Dannehy, the Acting U.S. Attorney for Connecticut who was selected by former Attorney General Michael Mukasey to lead the investigation. Dannehy has recently empaneled a federal grand jury to hear evidence in the matter.”

The alpine horn announces the start of events. The hurdy gurdy plays familiar tunes; dressed in their finest, some villagers plat the ribbons on the May Poll, dogs bark and one can spot a juggler and his team. There is the strong man bending steel bars up and down, others watch a puppet show eating cotton candy with periodic small burst of laughter; if one looks closely at the very top of the May Poll, one sees the impaled head of Karl Rove. Those villagers are such nice and gentle people.
*Attorney: Rove Will Cooperate With DOJ Probes
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/attorney_rove_will_cooperate_with_doj_probes.php#comments
As always,
BB

Super Bowl Porn

*Janet apologized in 2004: Fines
Comcast apologized in 2009: Chuckles
Janet Jackson apologized: Stay of fines
Comcast apologized: More chuckles
Janet Jackson apologized: Family values issues. Fines.
Comcast apologized: Case closed. (Chuckles)

I am mindful with the Janet Jackson situation there was the story of a father watching at half-time who was so offended his son had to see such a spectacle. That man probably went to pop popcorn at half-time this year. I wonder if the Obama girls saw it?
As always,
BB
* http://www.janetjacksonflash.com/

Super Bowl Porn

*Janet apologized in 2004. Fines
Comcast apologized in 2009. Chuckles
Janet Jackson apologized. Stay of fines
Comcast apologized. More chuckles
Janet Jackson apologized. Family values issues. Fines.
Comcast apologized. Case closed. (Chuckles)
As I remember with the Janet Jackson situation, there was a man watching at half-time with his son and he was so offended his son had to see such a spectacle. That man probably went to pop popcorn at half-time this year. Only in America.
As always,
BB
* http://www.janetjacksonflash.com/

Please don’t embarrass the President again!

I hope the signers of the new Stimulus Bill have written something
reasonable, coherent and above reproach to offer the President.

I have always been mindful of the fact, “If you start off wrong, you end up wrong” and I have never seen it to fail. Now that I have gotten older, when the painter is over a half-hour late just to take my order, I say, “No thanks! I’ve changed my mind.” When I was selling my old house, a real estate agent was forty five minutes late after I had given him instructions as to how to get to my house. He was shocked when I told him I had changed my mind and why. For too many years I have tried in earnest to turn around a situation that started off badly. It can be done but it is not usually worth the enormous amount of energy it takes.

So it is in my opinion, the first Stimulus Bill started off wrong. The mental energies were not in their appropriate places. The word skewed comes to mind. I would hope the new preparers of the bill scrapped and guttered the old bill as do renovators of old houses in re-gentrified neighborhoods. Many times it does not matter how long it takes as long as it is done right and if this new Stimulus Bill is not done right this second time around, I for one will be talking about it like a MF! Please do not embarrass the President a second time regarding this bill. Get it right! Give him what he wants.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
P.S. Perhaps the President should consider contracting out the bills he wants to be written. He makes an outline what he wants and leaves the rest to the contractors. It could also be open to the public. Make it good enough to qualify for some journalistic or literary prize. Nobel? Pulitzer? I've seen worst.

America ain’t got no money! Word!

From what I can understand, America is broken and all the King’s men and all the King’s money in the whole wide world can not put it back together again. Bankers know it. Participants at Davos know it. Wall Street knows it. As quoted in the enclosed post, “There is simply not enough money—in the United States or in the entire world—to bailout these toxic assets. Although not many people know of this fraudulently kept secret, the banks of course know it”.

Seems everybody knows about it except lit’le ol’ me. If anyone thinks the news is sickening to hear, how do you think I feel? The financial woes of America keep getting worser and worser and nobody's going to jail. I want to say cynically and for self preservation, with the logical conjectures, predictions, direct quotes, repetition and at times, to me, contradictory statements in the long referenced post, I believe most all of it. I say “most all” due to the fact I do not want to throw up on my keyboard. There is some dignity I like to maintain irregardless the hour.

*Excerpt:
The answer is that government policy makers, Wall Street financial gamblers, and the mainstream media are misrepresenting the ongoing financial difficulties as a problem of illiquidity or lack of cash. In reality, however, it is not a problem of illiquidity or lack of cash, but of insolvency or lack of trust and, therefore, of hoarding cash. The current credit crunch is a symptom, not a cause, of the paralyzed, unreliable financial markets.

And
There is strong evidence that major money-center banks (such as Citigroup and Bank of America) that have received huge sums of the bailout money are technically bankrupt, but they are not declared as such out of a fear that it may cause turbulence in global financial markets. “Here is the ugly, unofficial truth that neither Wall Street nor the government will acknowledge: the pinnacle of the US financial system is broke—with perhaps $2 trillion in rotten financial assets on the books. Nobody knows, exactly. The bankers won't say, and regulators won't ask, or at least don't dare tell the public” [2].

And
There is simply not enough money—in the United States or in the entire world—to bailout these toxic assets. Although not many people know of this fraudulently kept secret, the banks of course know it.
As always,
BB
* "Too Big to Fail:" a Bailout Hoax
By ISMAEL HOSSEIN-ZADEH
http://counterpunch.com/zadeh01302009.html