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.

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

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!!!

'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?

Was anyone else surprised to hear that yesterday regarding the shootings at VT, that this was the worst mass murder in our history?  For some reason, it struck me that it surely we've had worse.  Is that just the American Way in me thinking we've probably done bigger?  Is it because there is some blur created by events like 9/11 WTC murders?  Is it because of serial killers who have taken far more lives?

So I guess when it's defined by A gunmen in ONE event, it substantiates the phrase.  I heard a newsman say Americans in the future will remember where they were on the anniversary of this event.  Will you?

Ah, the American Spirit of entrepeneurship at its best.  froogle google has got stuff.  Someone get Al Sharpton on it.  See the link at:

http://www.drudgereport.com/

The next step in national embarrasment is playing out in front of us.  The democratic leadership has declined an invitation to come to the White House to discuss the funding of the war in Iraq.  Mrs. Pelosi and Dirty Harry Reid have said they have no interest in going.  Yet on the same day, from the Pelosi camp, the word is out that she IS ready to go meet with the Iranian leadership (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad), even though they acknowledge many of the things he has said are objectionable, inaccurate and inappropriate.  She is ready to meet with the leader of a terrorist state (against any foregin policy of the administration) but won't meet with the President of the greatest country on earth, the country which she serves.  Pelosi is not the Secretary of State and she is not the President, to set her own foreign policy agenda.  2008 is coming soon.  I can't wait. 

Big news about Iraqi's protesting the US presence there.  Reverend Moqtada has rallied his Army and followers to march in the streets demanding we leave.  It would seem to me the Reverend could do more good and achieve his aim by using his militia to do some peacekeeping and open the door for the US to leave.  Is he thinking we'd rather stay?  I don't understand his thinking.  He's working both sides of the aisle; using his Army to fan sectarian violence, yet coming out opposed to the US presence which is trying to establish order.  We won't leave on those terms.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/08/iraq.main
/index.html

So there's not a day goes by when you're not blasted with how you and I are screwing up the planet with all our greenhouse gases.  It is the new religion of 2007.  Professor Internet (I mean Gore) has won an academy award and is currently lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize for his science project.  And you and I are all to blame.  So read the following link about climate change on Mars.  That planet has heated up more than ours.  I guess in short order someone will be telling us how we've screwed that planet up as well; probably with our planet rovers that we've sent.

I won't tell you that people don't contribute to this.  But I will say what is happening is bigger than us and your contribution is not as big a news item as you keep hearing.  Don't be fooled by these preachers of the new religion.  And you certainly can't buy their contribution to the cause.  While Gore flies in his personal jet to Stockholm and uses more electricity than several families in his Tennessee mansion, but says he buys carbon credits to 'offset' his footprint.  What is that?  Has he not still contributed to the problem?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/04/04/mars.clima
te.reut/index.html