Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Lebron James (see Losers in America)

Lebron, hey Baby... C'mon, you have shelved America and put us in our place because even though the Heat lost the title, you are are still an overpaid, whining, bitch millionaire superstar and our lives still suck, because, well, we are not you! 

The problem is YOU and punk ass bitches like you, who waste our brain cells to see you pat yourself on the back as you decide which city in America you will bless with your excellent skills at bouncing and throwing a basketball, even while patting yourself on the back can't accept defeat with grace and humility.

And the biggest shame is that there are many young people who will idolize you, treat you with reverance, throw their money awayto see you... because that's the American way.

So, yes, my life will contine to suck because I don't have the millions that you have but when I look in the mirror it doesn't say bitch on my forehead... BTW, how's that triple threat dynasty and multiple championship thing working out in Miami? Apparently money can't buy everything...

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Special Message for Delta

Please bear with me and allow me to get something off of my chest before I dive into the real reason for this post...

Dear Delta Airlines:  I was so thoroughly appalled that it would take public outcry based on a video posted on youtube for you to realize that your policies not only did not support our troops but placed an unbelievable burden on these soldiers returning from a tour of duty that permits you to rip off their fellow Americans.  If you truly appreciate their service you should give each of them a ticket for two to any destination of their choice on any airlines of their choice for it most certainly wouldn't be you!  Secondly you should drop ALL baggage surcharges that were imposed as a scheme to profit off of a bad situation... we now have to bear with passengers taking extra time to load and unload carry on baggage or to have them loaded at the door of the aircraft...  Great policy!

And finally... there's a delta between my thighs that you all can kiss before you'll ever see me as a passenger again!

Now, to the real post...

Next month my son will depart on his third tour of duty in Iraq... And, you know, it wouldn't be so bad... thing have settled down, the insurgency has been quelled... BUT... the last time my son deployed my Grandson was about 6 weeks old.  That was tough enough and when my son returned he was almost a year old.  I went to Germany to be there when he returned.  I pulled every string and every favor possible to be able to spend time with him and was allowed to be on the ramp when he disembarked... it was great!  But it was hard seeing my son trying to deal with seeing his son not recognize him and not quite sure what the deal was with this new guy...

Next month my son departs on his third tour of duty in Iraq... And , you know, it's gonna be pretty damn hard... Princess Jaden is 10 and is at a point where Dad can mediate between Mom and the Tween... K-Mak is 7 and Daddy is the most important person in her life... she's pretty emotional, as it is.  But Jeremiah Makaio will be 2 1/2... his Daddy is everything in his world!  He gets to beat up on Daddy, go riding on the motorcycle and quads with him, Daddy helps him to lay down and go to bed even after a long day that starts around 5:30 Am and ends around 5 PM... sometimes.  Hehehe... who are we kidding?  Daddy falls asleep first most of the time and J-Mak comes down stairs, carrying his sippy cup and telling us to shhhhhh... Daddy's sleeping!

Lately my son, like so many other soldiers, has begun to question things... It's not The Suck, he's a Soldier and he can handle that... It's not the hardship, he's a Soldier and he can handle that... It's not the danger, he's a soldier and he can handle that... It's leaving his family again, like so many other soldiers, and not being there for the milestones, the birthdays, the holidays... Not being there to wipe away the tears, not being there to celebrate the A's on the Report Cards, it's just not being there...

And that's why he has begun to question things... The "Thanks for your service" just don't have the same meaning to the 1 per cent of the American population who have voluntarily chosen to serve our country.  It seems hollow when they return and listen to people complain about Walmart not having the right size or color or it's too hot or it's too cold... It's hard to come back and face people who don't understand you... I've said it before and I'll say it again... it's not enough to say "Thanks for your service"... next time you come across a servicemember, take the time to take their hand, to pat their back and look them in the eyes and feel what they feel... see what they see...

Next month my son will deploy for the third time to Iraq... and as before, I will pull every string, call in every favor, abuse every privilege to be there when he departs again... he's a Soldier and deserves no less...


A Facebook conversation we had yesterday...

Jeremiah Conwell  Just saw the patriot guard riders! American heroes!


    • John Conwell The sad part was that they were paying tribute to a fallen brother...
      Yesterday at 1:37pm ·

    • Jeremiah Conwell The good part was he was not forgotten.
      Yesterday at 1:46pm ·  · 

    • John Conwell Dude... you've been bitten... You're a soldier, as hard as it is to take some days, you're a soldier! I salute you!
      Yesterday at 1:50pm ·

Losers in America

Who amongst us hasn't cheated or fudged the cards just a little bit when playing solitaire?  Why do we do it?  Because we love to win?  I think it has more to do with we hate to lose!

I think that one thing that frustrates me in America is how we try to sooth over losing.  We give out larger trophies for second place than first, we offer little Johnnie or Judy counseling c'mon folks!  FACT:  Second Place is First Place loser!  So sad, too bad now get over it.  When I coached youth athletics I always played all my players and worked with them to develop their skills and sometimes we lost.  In fact we lost pretty much all the time.  I certainly didn't blame the coaching!  I tell you, there is little that can bring a smile to your face like a grilled hot dog, ice cold Dr Pepper or seeing a kid make a play that he never thought he could!  My oldest son's first hit in T-Ball he ran tot he pitchers mound because that was the setup we had at home... needless to say he was put out but when he hit that ball,,, ZOWEE!

And not to be a whiner about it, but in youth athletics, starting in Little League and Pop Warner up to High School and College... we have families that move around to put their child on a team of contenders, we have coaches that push lesser skilled players away, we have parents that FORCE their children to play athletics when they have no desire... I FULLY support and encourage athletics for children... my Granddaughters have the wii, they have the X-Box, they have Angry Birds but they spend time reading, playing dolls and sports so their mind and bodies are being developed fully!  Not to keep on about practically insolvent high schools and colored field turf but USC (Pretty-Boy Pete... your past is catching up with you!)  has had their BCS Title taken away and Boyzee School of Trucking is awaiting decision from the NCAA for their abuse of practice rules...  Stay Strong will be changed to Stay Strung...

Anyway, there are lessons to be learned from losing... think about it's sheer mathematical fact that at least half of this country if not the majority of this country are losers!  Great lessons can be learned from losing... the desire to always strive harder is one... learning to deal with disappointment is another!

The reason the idea for this post came to me is something that happened recently in Alamogordo, NM, a town to the north of here.  Apparently Mr.Loser was dating a coworker for 6 months and one day she told him she was pregnant... She pushed him to get married to the point of saying that she the only way that she would have the baby would be if he allowed the baby to be adopted or that he married her... he was opting for a co-parenting plan.  When she was to go to the Dr's for a sonogram she text him and said that she had lost the baby.  To this day he still doesn't know what happened to the pregnancy (or for that matter if she was ever really pregnant!) because soon after they broke up... now, Mr. Loser, after posting on Facebook, has placed a billboard saying this is what his 2 month old child would look like if she hadn't killed their baby.  The billboard was originally co-sponsored by New Mexico Pro-Life but they have since withdrawn their support.  Face it Mr. Loser... she probably isn't suing to get the issue of whether she had an abortion removed from public knowledge as much as she doesn't want people to know that she ever dated you!  Next time you get scorned move on and take the $1300.00 and get a life!

Woman Challenges Ex-boyfriend's Anti-abortion Billboard

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Education in America

I am by no means a traditionalist and certainly question "higher" education at times... I mean, it doesn't take an MBA to ask if you want fries with your meal... Having said that, the trend towards "gangsta" language in our youth and dumbphonics used for texting and internet in general sometime get's my irk.  I know my punctuation is incorrect and I am constantly misspelling words (mainly due to fat fingers!) but I do try to check... And I get over it.

But, last month, as the Texas budget was being considered and schools were facing budget cuts, the Canutillo Independent School District on the west side of El Paso had started laying off teachers come the end of the school year.  With such looming fiscal constraints it made sense on the surface but looking deeper it appeared to be more of a stunt to get voters to pass a bond to increase to property taxes.  Ok, the bond issue passed and the teachers jobs were saved.  YAY!  The kids of Canutillo would not suffer... Canutillo ISD had no schools fail to meet academic requirements for the state standardized TAKS tests (see below).

Then tonight on the news it was announced that Canutillo High School would be installing Blue field turf in their high school stadium.  WHAT?  Field turf?  BLUE field turf?  The thought of blue field turf makes me sick as a Fresno State fan, but for a high school?   Well, I guess field turf is better for the kids.  BUT WAIT A MINUTE... Canutillo High School is in a rural location and a farming community located relatively close to the Rio Grande... But even more ludicrous?  Canutillo High School ALREADY has field turf!  Now proponents are saying that this was included in the bond.   

http://www.ktsm.com/news/blue-turf-coming-to-canutillo

Remember what I said about Canutillo ISD not having any schools not meet the academic requirements in the TAKS testing?  It's probably because they "encourage" students to drop out that don't meet the requirements dropping their failure rate.  And, as is the case with most school districts subject to standardized testing the academic goal is set more to teaching the test and placing so much emphasis on the testing.

http://shapleigh.org/news/print/3863-canutillo-students-asked-to-withdraw

Monday, June 6, 2011

Testing 1, 2 , 3... Testing 1, 2 , 3...

D Day 2011... no parades, no D Day film marathons.  I thanked many WWII Vets at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home here in El Paso.

Good news... USC has been penalized and had their 2004 BCS Championship vacated.  Still waiting for the NCAA to vacate their 2005 season... In which case Fresno State would've beat them like 64 - 9.  Waiting to see what penalties the NCAA will place against Boyzee State for their practice violations...

Anyway, welcome to the blog and take care!