FishStick's Blog

Are you tired of hearing this ongoing strike by the WGA?  No one can write anything if it's not written by the guild.  What a sweet deal that is.  If you ask me, the Leno monologues are as bad as ever.  I can't tell there's a difference in quality.  And they complain that he writes his own monologues??  Didn't he and every other stand up comedian have to do it for themselves at one time?  We're not going to get another stellar (not) Golden Globes Award show?  Please......

This is just what a union does when it doesn't get its own way.  I don't think we hear enough of the news about the non-union people and how they are affected because they can't work.  We only hear about the overpaid celebrity actors and their 'solidarity' with the guild.  That's because THEY are truly nothing without the writers and if they cross the picket line they will personally feel the backlash.  When you make millions off a movie, you can wait it out at no harm, but you know there are lots of other people associated with production that are suffering and having to take other work.

Personally, let the WGA stay on strike.  These things have a way turning around and working in an unanticipated way.

So my wife and I have been wondering what the H is Romney's first name?  What's this Mitt stuff?  When I grew up, mitts were out on the baseball diamond.  We tried to think of how do you get to 'Mitt'.  Remitt? Permitt? Submitt? Or if you read Wonkette, they call him 'mittens'.  Was it short for Matthew?

Internet to the rescue.  It is his name, albeit his middle name.  His father gave him this name after one of his good friends.  So what's his real first name??   WILLARD.  Another gift from his father.  Willard Romney......hmmm.  I know what many of you are thinking.  Wasn't there some movie about a mouse (ha) with that name???   I guess he could have gone with Will.  I think I would have, if I didn't have such a classy name as Fishstick.

So here we were over the last week, since the Iowa caucus, treated to story after story about how Hillary's losing it, how she's about to give it up, how Obama is double digits ahead of her and unstoppable, how there's little foreseeable hope for Hillary, she's running out of money, etc. And then we get these results.  Makes you wonder, don't you think?  Was this all media driven to have us all watching closely?  Was it all so much free advertisement for both Hillary and Obama?

Someone tell me how every news organization gets it wrong.  Just goes to show how much trust to put in these fine reporting organizations.  It is these same kinds of reports that discourage voters from going to the polls because we're given the impression the deal is done and your vote won't make a difference.

Hail Arlington County, who installed Walter Tejada as County Board Chairman.  Did you see his agenda?

1)  ban trans fats in restaurants, 2) eliminate smoking in public places, 3) require PROPERTY OWNERS to pay relocation assistance to low-income tenants who are displaced, 4) urge residents to GIVE UP THEIR CARS to save money and reduce greenhouse gases, and 5) allow homeowners to build 'accessory dwelling units' on their properties.

This sounds just wonderful and makes me feel a lot better about living in Montgomery County.

Yesterday there was an article regarding a uranium mine in Va, greater than 100 million pounds.  It is currently illegal to mine uranium in Va, but surprisingly Gov. Kaine is interested in a study on how it can be done.  RIGHT AWAY, out the gate the 'environmental groups' are trying to get the fear factor working, crying out that this will cause cancer, contaminate natural resources and even make comparisons of mining uranium to Three Mile Island.

Do not be fooled by this 'environmental concern'.  It is this kind of political thinking that keeps this country dependent on foreign oil.  We have all these resources in our own country, billions of barrels of proven oil, yet these same environmental groups protest drilling and mining in the name of the environment. 

Do you want energy independence from foreign sources?  Then you have to invest in your own territory.  Are there risks to the environment?  Yes, but no hardships that can't be overcome with technology.  If the position is that ANY drilling or ANY mining is bad, then you will NEVER GET OFF FOREIGN DEPENDENCE.   Corn isn't going to get you there.  Wind and solar technology still has a long way to go.   It may not be PC for a politician to take a stand that we need to utilize our own natural resources, but any politician that speaks of energy independence without taking this step is only grandstanding for the vote.

You may have read come New Years Day, the County ban on use of trans fat in restaurants kicks in.  An article in the (Com)Post that includes an interview with the owner of the Tastee Diner in Bethesda and his comments on costs and who is going to be paying for them (you know who, of course).

I don't get it.  Where does government meddling in privately owned business end??  Clearly if the business is conducting something illegal (e.g. the 'spa' that just got busted) that makes sense.  But what's next on the list of health issues the County is going to weigh in on?  How about making folks eat egg-beaters instead of real eggs?  Only one strip of bacon?  No real sugar use allowed?  You can say I am over the top, but if you let government in the door, precedent is set.  Couldn't one make an argument that the County hasn't gone far enough to help the (stupid) consumer??

My point is let the government set rules where the government owns the property.  Otherwise, keep out!!  God knows there are plenty of things the County is already responsible for (security, traffic control, schools, etc) that need attention.

All these news reports about the tiger attack in SF.  I think the thing that surprised me the most was it was reported that there ARE NO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, so they won't have any video footage to review.  The Police are counting on gathering some story from the other two guys who survived their attack.

If these guys did tamper with thecage or taunt the animal, the whole story may yet come out.  I think the city is asking for trouble on a number of fronts for not having video surveillance on the grounds.

Did anyone else notice this?

New Jersey is being hailed as being progressive for abolishing the death penalty.  There have been many instances cited of people being wrongly convicted.  These cry out for a thorough investigation and conviction based on facts, but no one needs to tie their hands when it comes to sentencing.  There are some crimes that warrant death:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/grant/14906731/detail
.html

It is getting a little old to read these multiple page articles on 'poor Hillary'.  Yesterday's Style section was about how the men (competitors) are ganging up on her.  Today's big spread is 'Will Enough Men Stand By This Woman?' and the men being talked about are voters.  For some reason the Post doesn't understand how some men can't support someone who doesn't really have a position on an issue. 

The other piece of the article seems to paint women as in the bag for Clinton.  Can you women-bloggers out there tell me where you stand?  Is it really so or is this what I suspect; the daily tripe from the Post who would suggest to the reading public that there is only 1 candidate.

I received a flier in the mail from our good friends at Pepco; one subject line:

PEPCO OFFERS MORE WAYS TO SAVE

The article goes on:  'We're discounting the price of select Energy Star CFLs for our Maryland customers.  You'll save $1.50 on each single bulb and $3 on multipacks when you shop....'

Then they lower the boom in the next paragraph:  'Maryland customers should note that a minimal surcharge will be added to electric bills starting in January to pay for the cost of this program.'

Are you kidding me?  When they say 'We' in the first paragraph, they must be meaning me and you Pepco customers in Maryland.  So I guess if you don't like the price of the CFLs, you need to get over it because it looks like 'We' will be paying for it.

Merry Christmas from your friends at Pepco!!!

Do you remember who said the following things in 2007?  The following are the top 3 stupid things said by people.  A non-American made the list:

"Don't tase me, bro"—

"I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for us,"

"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."

I love music and I love Christmas music.  But am I wrong or is Paul McCartney's 'Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time' getting more than the usual share of Christmas air play?  In every store I go in, and every time I hear Christmas music I can't escape that song.  A close second is Mariah Carey's 'All I want for Christmas is you'. 

What do you think gets too much play?

How about your favorite?  Christmas season begins after I hear 'Rockin Around the Christmas Tree' (Brenda Lee)

'The government of Washington, D.C., is asking the court to uphold its 31-year ban on handgun ownership in the face of a federal appeals court ruling that struck down the ban as incompatible with the Second Amendment. '

Can someone explain to me why the DC government is against the overturn of the ban?  Is there some thought that suddenly guns will be used indiscriminantly in the district?  Will the every day peacefulness of the district suddenly go south (into violence) when people can legitimately own a handgun?