I must not be a “Real American”.

More foreclosures than last year are on the way and people will be without a place to live. This is because job loss is now the leading reason for foreclosures. The perfect people can’t blame the problem on the irresponsible ones any more. Those now facing foreclosure are people who were not in trouble, had good credit and wouldn’t have a problem today if their job hadn’t been outsourced overseas or eliminated all together to turn their salary into earnings on shareholder reports.

But I’m sure there are still perfect people who will make some pretentious comment about how these folks should have “planned ahead” and “shouldn’t have borrowed more than they could afford to pay back”. That’s because there will always be assholes among us who may not ever know a hardship thanks to nepotistic handouts, free rides and other financial blessings, earned or not. And they’ll always have a condescending comment regarding the failure of others as long as their self-perceived perfection saturates them. It’s arrogance and it permeates American society like a virus that we are not trying to cure. The scary thing is the pending economic doom we’re facing may even catch up to the trust fund kiddies this time. You know, the ones who preach independence and responsibility working at Starbucks in SOHO while mommy and daddy pay the $2600/mo. rent.

American’s who actually labored their whole lives are the ones facing the fire right now. Those who are wealthy enough to be vested in the markets are trying to maintain their wealth at the expense of the American worker. And they will for a while. So the kids of rich bankers and investors will talk down to people who are rapidly losing their life savings as if they have a clue what it’s like to actually work hard. Meanwhile unemployment benefits will run out and families will be forced to the street.

Greater demands will be placed on our social service networks and the “real Americans” will scream that it’s not their place to provide for people who “don’t want to work”. I never seen so little compassion for the plight of people facing hardship as I do in America right now. From health care reform to social support the conservative right has taken a position that it’s not their responsibility to help others. I called out conservatives but this is really becoming a class divide. The haves and have-nots are going at each other hard now. The “real Americans” are mad, screaming and in self preservation mode.

Amy and I have our immediate family, on both sides, very close to where we currently live. After watching and analyzing the situation for years I am completely serious about my next comment.

Unless unexpected changes take place my goal, that I will focus on intently over the next decade, is to get my family out of this country. American greed, arrogance, nepotism and narcissism are tearing this country apart. People are becoming increasingly vocal that they do not care about others. They only care about themselves and feel they are responsible only for their own well being and should not be required to care for others. I don’t want to live in a country full of people with this attitude.

Yesterday I watched NRA advocates in Phoenix carry automatic weapons to health care rallies to promote their cause.  A cause that is not even in jeopardy except in the minds of those who perceive their government as a constant threat.  I realized I don’t want to live in a place where I’ve got to teach my children to protect and care for themselves and no one else. I don’t want them to be part of a society they cannot find acceptance in without proclaiming hatred for their government.   To speak of the greater good implies weakness and in America (at least in NC) and it is rarely tolerated.  Thanks to years of believing bullshit jargon like “the one who dies with the most toys wins” all the self centered, arrogant, narcissistic American’s are beginning to reap the rewards of their demise.  I don’t think it can come fast enough for some.

Growing up I was actually proud and comfortable being an American. Now I despise the omnipresent fear that many use to manipulate the American social construct.  Many have forgotten that “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”.  Instead scare tactics have now become the weapon of choice for the Republican party who uses their vocal “leadership” to make comments such as those suggesting government run “death panels”.   According to these standards to be a “real American” you must comply with party policy, accept the propaganda, checking your individual decision making abilities and thought processes at the ballot box.  Otherwise you are not a true “patriot” or a “real American”.  Just shut up, drink the Kool-Aid and thank God for it.

I personally believe other countries and governments have been more correct, in many ways,  about planning their social structure and governance than the US but the sheer arrogance of many if not most Americans will never let them recognize any successes of other nations.  The “real American’s” will never accept implementation of policy that is not perceived as an American original despite any visible success in other countries.  The perception of other nations that American’s are pompous and arrogant is not without established merit or basis for belief.

To show your disgust for this writing go out and put a magnetic American flag decal on your car.  You know, the one made in China.

Angry Health Reform People

Did Republicans forget that they lost an election in part because John McCain came across as an angry old man?  And remember the rowdy old people who stood up screaming about socialism at the McCain campaign rallies?  It seems the only thing that whines harder than my two year old is a Republican that isn’t getting it’s way.

Last night on ABC News 11 I listened to a  man, who didn’t get to scream and chant at representative Brad Miller about the health reform bills, tell an interviewer “I don’t want to have my family treated by the V.A.”.  What?

Are these people serious?  Are they really that dumb or are they trying to be sarcastic?  Based on this guys enunciation and dress code I was left with no alternative but to think he’s serious.  What’s going to happen when the very Latino’s these rednecks are trying to run out of the country start looking more intellectual than the very best the hard right can put forward?  Your “other brother Daryl” doesn’t count.

If you watch these town hall rants on health care you will see an clear demographic in attendance: middle aged and old white people who are clearly angry by their own admission.  They seem to be getting madder.  On a Democratic radar that sign means it’s working and this must be the right thing to do.  Nothing says success to a Democratic legislator like a madder than hell conservative.  Against their own best interests conservatives have cornered the market on disgruntled lately.

Instead of getting mad why don’t they come up with some valid counter points and arguments.  They only thing they have is “government sucks” and “lower taxes”.  Care to add any meaningful content to the conversation aside from “don’t change anything”?  One thing they have stated is that the cost of health care services are too high.  Very true.  And here’s why their only valid point is counter productive:

The very minute any legislator, Democrat or Republican, tries to regulate the prices of drugs and health care services through cost controls, the same conservatives using price as their argument will call for the government to stay out of the free market. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t so just be damned they say.

Even the VP of Economics for the conservative Heritage Foundation has noted that health reform must be enacted.  He’s “not sure” about a public option.  Paul Krugman tried to explain it to him:  Without a public option, including a mandate for all Americans to have coverage, a bill would only serve as a windfall for insurance companies.  The idea that a mandate will reduce indigent costs, thereby reducing provider costs resulting in health care savings is simply a dumb-ass pipe dream. The insurance companies will simply add the new revenue to their record profit reports for many years to come. Once again for the slow readers: The mandate is the reason the public option is absolutely necessary.

If you want to take the public option out you’ve got to take the mandate out.  I endorse taking the mandate out no matter what happens to the public option.  No one should be forced into an untested system.  Especially one that’s built on an already broken system.  Massachusetts did it under the guidance of Sir Ass Hat, Mitt Romney, and I wrote about it here on July 4th two years ago.  Now it’s contributing to their states bankruptcy.  Did costs go down?  Hell no.  I have no choice but to think that  the Mass. legislators were led by insurance companies into the law they passed.  The federal legislators should not make the same mistake.

Health insurance companies will lobby for the mandate without a public competitive option.  If they get their way America’s ultimate destitution will be forthcoming at a highly accelerated rate.

Wilson makes top of the line golf clubs. Who knew?

Last week I sold my Nike Pro Combo forged irons after only playing them a couple of months.  The swing weight was way too low on these clubs.  I think they are D1’s and D2’s depending on the club.  Since I like to think of my swing as though I’m swinging a lead ball at the end of a string I want some weight on the club head.  In the past three seasons I’ve played the Nike’s, a set of Cobra SSI’s and Titleist 695 forged cavities.  I keep coming back to my 1999 Top Flite Tour OS clubs for the swing weight and shot consistency.  I’m about exactly 140 yards with my 7 iron, 150 if I crank it.

I’ve been trying to find clubs to replace the Top Flite Tours for years.   I think they are the most under rated irons in the history of golf but mine are beat to death.  The 9 iron looks like I’ve been swinging it in the gravel parking lot at the driving range.  I went on an extensive search recently at Golfsmith and the Pro Shop at the Falls driving range.

I hit Ping G10’s and Titleist AP1’s.  They are both $599 retail.  The Pings were alright for swing weight but pretty boring and I hate the looks of Pings at address.  I think Ping has become a golf cliche and a victim of their own success.  The Titleists were quite awesome as any $600 set of irons should be.  But then I decided to try a brand I’ve never really considered before.  On the rack was a set of Wilson Staff Ci7’s.  They sure look damn good.  Better than any club on the rack (I later learned they won the Golf Digest 2008 award for “best looking” club along with “best feeling” club).  Then I saw the price – $389.00.  The rep in the store told me Padrick Harrington won the 2008 British Open Championship with this exact Wilson model.  It was time to hit them.

First thing I noticed on the Wilson’s was the stock grip.  Nike should take a lesson.  These were straight up Golf Pride DD2’s with a Wilson logo.  That’s an $8 grip on each club.  No need to change them right out of the box like I had to with the Nike’s.  Then I noticed that the shaft sticker that said “spline aligned”.  If anyone’s ever bought a replacement shaft they know this is a critical part of club assembly often not incorporated in “game improvement” irons.  Manufacturers reserve it for the $1000, hand assembled, forged pro sets.

After the first few swings I took with the Ci7’s I was ready to buy.  To me the swing weight is better than my Top Flite Tours.  I haven’t been able to say that about any clubs in 10 years.  I was real impressed with the TX-105 True Temper shafts.  Every component Wilson chose for these clubs is top of the line.  And if pros are winning majors with these sticks then they are only “game improvement” irons by classification and price.

So Wilson is bad ass.  Again, who knew?  These are not my Grandfather “Pops” old Wilson persimmon woods sitting around in the cracked and dusty leather bag.  That was the image I always had in my head of Wilson golf clubs.  Sales volume is about brand name recognition but performance has nothing to do with logos.  If Wilson had the reputation in golf that they do in tennis these clubs would sell for more than the Ping G10’s and Titleist AP1’s.  I’m getting some this week.

I hear the Staff Di9’s are incredible, I haven’t seen them in person, but priced at the point of the Ping and Titleists.   And guess what… I found the Ci7’s even cheaper on ebay where they are going for about $249 or less with free shipping.  I actually feel like I’m stealing or that I know something I shouldn’t.  The guys I play with will never understand why I got rid of my Nike Pro Combos for Wilson Staff’s.  Until I beat them by six strokes each next weekend.

Word is the Executive Staffing Group can’t make payroll.

This morning I learned from a few readers, who are Executive Staffing Group employees, that the Clifton and Savage operation have issued some payroll checks that bounced.  Apparently they also issued a notice to all employees that all direct deposits would cease immediately.  So does this mean that ESG employees should only expect to receive bad checks?

If this is true it’s a bad situation.  The Department of Labor or Insurance could step in a shut down ESG but where does that leave ESG’s contracted employees or the ESG clients they’re working for.   At the time any possible connections between ESG and the Castleton Group were made by investigators all efforts should have been made to shut down ESG before anyone else got hurt.  I personally believe the only reason this was not done was pure greed and arrogance on the part of the Savages and Clifton.   It gives the appearance they wanted to try to maintain some level of prominence and lifestyle in the face of personal bankruptcies and investigations.  They will argue they were trying to keep people employed in a down economy.  But what service are you doing to keep people employed when you can’t pay them?

Health Care Reform

Health care reform is in the spotlight again.  No matter what  compromised bill comes out of Congress one thing is certain: As long as health care remains a for profit venture in America it will remain a broken system.  No corporation should measure profits or shareholder returns by wagering on, or attending to, peoples health and well being.  Anyone who disagrees is most certainly too barbaric and immoral at their core to recognize the heartlessness of their position.

Still don’t think that banks and politicians are in bed?

Then just look at this article about Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye and calls his office made to influence the distribution of TARP funds to a bank where most of his personal wealth is invested.  The bank did not qualify, at all, for TARP funds prior to his mysterious phone call.  If this continued rip-off by Congress and the banks is not annoying and obvious by now then I have no alternative than to think that most  American’s are dumb ass-hats who genuinely don’t care.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31675539/ns/politics-washington_post/

If you drive drunk and hit and kill someone, RUN!

Today Gavin Hawk was sentenced to 19 to 23 months in jail for (in all probability) driving home drunk from a Carolina Hurricanes game and hitting and killing Spyk Quick on I-440.  Most people think the sentence is light.  Legally Gavin did the smart thing even though what he did was morally reprehensible.

You see if Gavin had stayed at the scene drunk after hitting Spyk he would have been charged with murder or manslaughter.  Because he ran and hid for a few days while Raleigh detectives searched for him, Gavin will serve less than two years.   Prosecutors could not prove he was driving drunk even though he admits being on his way home from a Hurricanes game he conveniently attended with only his father.  And what do you know, from what I understand Dad says Gavin wasn’t drinking.  Ain’t that a shock.

Zebulon Country Club Course Review

I played at the Zebulon Country Club this week.  Overall it’s a very good course as far as conditions go.  Among local courses I would rank the fairways and greens slightly above Lochmere and Wil-Mar.  It’s definitely way better than nearby Wendell Country Club (which is barely a golf course anymore). We were told the greens may be a mix of bent grass and Bermuda.  They were almost as good as the bent grass greens at Carolina Country Club.

It’s not a long course and has some easy to par 470 yard holes.  It’s got a couple of easy to birdie par 4’s if you’re even slightly better than me.   All-in-all it’s a course worth going back to many times, again based on the conditions.  But it does have one really bad problem on weekdays: lots of grumpy old men.  I mean, these old timers are straight evil and angry that anyone under 55 years old dare, yes dare, come on their course.  They play with no golf etiquette, none, zero.  They don’t finish out their putts from five or ten feet and then proclaim “ya, I scored a 74 today”.   Right, minus any putting at all.

Since they don’t putt out once they hit the green they’ll pick up their ball and tee off immediately while the group in front of them is still on the fairway.   One thing is for sure, these old coots won’t slow you down.  They’ll spray the ball to bejesus, usually on to another fairway, and then without warning or any dialog drive their carts straight onto a fairway someone else is playing to hit their shots.   We were playing fast (pars and bogeys) but one group behind us was so bad we let them play through since no etiquette, hurry up golf was their thing.  Only to have another Geritol gang come up behind us and almost hit us with a ball (literally) as we  finished putting.  I said something the the effect of “You need to slow down and chill”.  To which one old man replied “No, you need to move boy!”.   So I replied “No. I do not and will not”.  I know what they’re trying to do because I’ve seen it before.  It’s an ego trip for these old guys to be able to say they can play 18 holes in 2 1/2 hours or less, score be damned.  It happened a lot at Winton Country Club in Virginia where the average member age is probably 62.  Nothing makes them prouder than to have the “youngun’s” let them play through.  Somehow in their minds this equates to better golf.  Never mind taking the time to make shots that score low.

I’ve decided to try this course another day at a time later in the afternoon to see if the “Geritol Thugs” might be less of a distraction.   The first time I went to check the location and prices a really nice manager was offering some attractive membership rates.  Even with the wonderful turf this course has, if you’ve got to sacrifice playing a complete game to let angry old people who don’t really care about quality golf have their way, it’s not worth it.  The attitude of regular patrons can make or break a golf course.  I’ve played many, and these regulars are the absolute worst I have ever seen despite the sign coming into Zebulon that says “Home of Friendly People”.  Ya right, friendly people that think they own a golf course because it’s the only one they play four times a week.  I hope my next experience is better so I don’t have to leave these great turf conditions to the cranky old coots.

The ups and downs of side jobs.

I may have just gotten my first side job using my newly acquired Fluke Optiview Series III Integrated Network Analyzer.  Running cable is nasty work but hey, it’s money.  This Fluke meter can test and certify Category 5e/6 and 6a (Gigabit) ethernet drops and LC, SC and MT-RJ fiber connections.   I have no intention of running fiber drops any time soon unless I come across someone willing to pay for the cost of materials.

The only up side is the extra money.  The down side is the time.  I already work 10 hours a day on occasion plus commute time.  I really love my kids and would like to get a chance to see them.  I don’t know that I’m doing this out of necessity but it sure won’t hurt.

The potential for side jobs to grow out of control always worries me because if I do ever start getting bigger jobs I’m going to have to go through the whole process of  getting a Federal Tax ID, filing quarterlies with the IRS, the major accounting stuff – oh joy.  I remember all this from the PC-Pickles days of the 90’s.  I also remember working 60 hours a week plus the accountability and liability that comes from being a small business owner.  I question if I ever want to go that far and quit my day job again.

For now I will settle for jobs of 48 copper drops or less at $59 each plus materials.  I can handle that overhead out of the gate working with one other person at about $15 to $20 an hour.   I’m starting small and might stay small.  We’ll see what happens.