Cheese, Please

Whining is what it is . . . whining.

Every so often a person needs to complain.  I know that I do.  Let off a little steam.  Release some pressure.  Complain.  The wife calls it “whining.”  But it works for me.  Author Franny Billingsley says, “I adore complaining—it calms the nerves.”  Franny sounds like my kind of person.

 

Probably the most common retort that people encounter with their complaining or whining is: “Do you want some cheese with that whine?”

 

Your darn tootin’ I do!  Cheese, please!

 

It might be that I have been super crazy busy at my university job working six days a week and several evenings for the past month and not having a break that has made me whiny lately.  It might be that I am getting older and crankier to the point I am embracing my inner Henry Fonda from On Golden Pond.  Twenty/twenty hindsight is much more nostalgic when life was much better than today . . . could be that sort of thinking.  Maybe it is because I see the finish line as I am nearing full retirement.  Maybe I’m tired . . . hungry.  Who knows?  All I know is that I need to vent . . . and, yes, I will take some cheese with it.

 

One of my complaints—which seems to be everyone’s complaint—it about this constant circus of politics.  Especially during a presidential election year.  I’m sure everyone is aware that it is a presidential election year . . . it is historic.  On one side there is a septuagenarian . . . on the other side is an octogenarian.  Old!  They are both old.  One has been the president or at least a clown in office depending on who you ask.  Historians have not been kind to him and nor should they be.  He is running again for the third time after losing his re-election bid to the sitting president—the octogenarian.  Their age is showing.  They have had their moments of elder-ism—forgetful, incoherency, brain farts, gaps in memory, plain old “old”.  Things that I am experiencing as I enter the “golden years”.

 

Those are our choices.  With 332 million people in our country and this is the best that the political parties can come up with.  It’s sad.  It’s embarrassing.  There are not a lot of choices.  Thankfully the septuagenarian has demonstrated over and over again what a terrible human being he is.  His terribleness is quite public and recorded for all to read and see.  It is a joke that such an individual is even being considered to lead our nation.  It is an insult to all of us as citizens of our nation . . . insult to our intelligence and morals.

 

At the same time the octogenarian is an accomplished politician.  Pretty much a “lifer” when it comes to politics.  That should be a warning sign and a clear strike against him as his past is right there for public consumption.  He’s got the experience since he’s done it for so long . . . good or bad . . . but, hey!  Surely there is some younger and fresher blood out there!  Also, his age is showing, as are all our ages.  It probably won’t get any better as time goes on.  He is a nice grandfatherly figure . . . but, really—is this the best that we can do?

 

Politics of any sort . . . suck.  Nasty business.  And this is what we have right now.  Not much of a choice.  It will come down to choosing the lesser of what many consider the “two evils”.  I’ll take grandfatherly over the one constantly being hauled before grand juries.

 

That is my political rant . . . and rant it was.  Probably didn’t make much sense, but I feel better.

 

Gas prices.  The oil companies succeeded in luring us asleep as they slowly lowered prices over the past few months.  Almost convinced us that they were “good”.  Now they are slapping us awake with the bleak reality of soaring prices at the pumps.  Some say that it is because the price of oil is up on the global scene.  Others have said that the warmer winter has seen an increase in the seasonal demand . . . that more people are driving.  Still others say it’s because the refineries are shifting from the winter blend to the summer blend . . . summer blend costs more to make, thus someone must eat the price of it all.  And there is the fact that OPEC is playing economic bully politics and holding back the supply.

 

Excuses, excuses, excuses!

 

All I know is that I’m nearing the point that I need to take out a second mortgage to be able to make my commute back and forth to work.  The savings that took months to achieve have been completely wiped out in a matter of weeks.  Do I buy into the causes suggested for this gas pump robbery?  Nope.  It is simple greed and power at play.  The companies and corporations keep getting richer while the masses feel the pinch.  That is the way of economics.  Economics is the real religion across the globe.

 

Which brings me to inflation.  The price of everything keeps going up.  A price increase in one area necessitates a price increase in another.  Tit for tat. Inflation is a human-made concept . . . a state of mind . . . a fantasy.  It makes no sense.  Technology and industrialization have made the products we buy supposedly cheaper and better.  Made it possible to save money for the expense of production, thus saving money for the consumer.  Yet, that loaf of bread bought in 1960 for 23 cents now costs $2.01 on the average in 2024.  None of us can barely afford to make a “wish sandwich”.

 

I don’t understand inflation.  All I know is that it is making life miserable and difficult.  I feel for those who have seen their lives squished and impossible by the rising cost of inflation.  I’ll blame the companies and corporations—the rich as they seem to be getting richer as inflation climbs.  Someone is profiting and it ain’t us people from the middle down.  It’s crazy.

 

Same goes for real estate.  As I near retirement the idea of moving to be closer to the grandchildren is a thought the wife and I have bounced around.  But who can afford it?  Since the pandemic real estate has become an unaffordable circus.  When the wife and I bought our house fifteen years ago, we probably paid more for it than it was worth.  At the time we could afford it.  Since then, it has tripled in value.  That’s wonderful.  Turned out to be a great investment.  The problem?  We can’t afford to purchase anything comparable . . . and trust me, it is not a mansion on Easy Street.  It is a fairly common and plain ranch house . . . very much middle class.  Housing is crazy expensive . . . unaffordable . . . and frustrating.  It would be close to financial ruin for us to move.  Inflation or greed?  I feel for those who are just starting out.  It is hard.

 

Wah!  Wah!  Wah!  I need more cheese!

 

The list could go on and on.  I’ve a few bones to pick when it comes to war.  The Ukraine . . . a world war with Russia that the world is letting little ol’ Ukraine fights for us.  It is a war that the world’s nations are happy to let them fight so we don’t have to.  War by proxy.  That is the American way, too.  History shows that as a nation there has only been approximately ten years that we have not either been at war or in a military conflict.  History will also show that we have funded lots of wars and military conflicts across the globe.  Israel’s war against Hamas—or is it the Palestinians—doesn’t seem to be much different.  We have dumped a whole bunch of moola into funding those wars that are supposedly not ours.

 

There has been a lot of destructive waste created by those two wars.  The mass destruction in material and human lives is disgraceful.  It will take generations and decades to recover and rebuild . . . if they can ever really recover from such devastation.  It is “black” mark against and on all of humanity.  Whole generations have been wiped out.  War—any war—is not good.  It goes against God’s desire and demand for love . . . to be God’s loving creation . . . God’s family.

 

Got to throw in there global warming or climate change—whatever you want to call it.  It is not a myth.  It is real.  The average temperature is rising every year and doing so quickly.  This has been one of the mildest and driest winters in Montana.  Even the old timers are getting anxious.  This is not normal.  Snow pack is at 87% when it is typically over 100% at this time of year.  Spring has sprung and it shouldn’t.  With the snow pack and moisture, we have gotten it is going to be a long summer of smoke and fires.

 

Since moving to Montana fifteen years ago, the state has moved into a growing drought.  Across the state the climate ranges from “abnormally dry” to “extreme drought”.  This winter isn’t going to improve it.  Hopefully we will get some late season blizzards and snowstorms.  Global warming and climate change are real.  It is not some fantasy of the liberals.  It is real . . . and it is scary the impact it is having.

 

At the same time, it has extended tourism in Montana.  With warmer weather the tourists have come . . . in droves.  The annual plague.  But I probably shouldn’t complain.  Tourism is big business in Montana.  Tourism provides 43,900 jobs.  Brings in 12.5 million visitors in a state that just has a little over a million inhabitants.  Those tourists spend 5.82 billion dollars while enjoying Big Sky Country.  It produces 315 million dollars in taxes for state and local governments.  Tourism is a big deal in Montana . . . but, boy, what a hassle.  Tourists . . . they are everywhere!  It has practically gotten to biblical proportions . . . like a locust plague.  Yet, they are a necessary crisis no matter how frustrating it is for us locals.

 

Whew . . . this is wearing me out.  The list could go on and on.  There’s plenty to whine about . . . to complain about.  I could rant about being privileged . . . immigration . . . other people whining . . . Republicans . . . Democrats . . . and, always, taxes.  There are gender issues.  Issues about personal freedom and the individual’s right to control their own bodies.  Shoot, I’m probably only scratching the surface, but the cheese is running out.  Whining without cheese is not the same.  It is just ungrateful belly aching.  I have had my say, and I feel better.  Much better. 

 

I have been told that I have that right.  Someone told me that it is “freedom of speech”.  Mokokoma Mokhonoana says, “Most people mostly use freedom of speech as freedom to bitch.”  Well, I have expressed my right.  At the same time, others have the freedom to not listen.  I imagine that will happen.  Yet, I feel better now that I’ve gotten it all off my chest . . . at least for a couple of months . . . after all, it is an election year.

 

In all honesty, my life is not so bad.  I have a wonderful wife who tolerates me . . . dogs that love me . . . a house over my head, food to eat, and a family that continues to amaze and grow . . . grandchildren that are a joy . . . and, I can still get out of bed on my own every morning despite all the complaining from my body.  Life is good.  Whether I believe it or not, I am blessed.  We all are.  If the truth be known, I would rather count my blessings.

 

Besides . . . there is no more cheese . . . and I feel good.

 

Monday Potpourri

Potpourri . . . I think it is a French word that means "moan and groan" or "bitch and complain".  Actually it means a mixture of things--often not related--thrown together to create something unique.  I kind of like my original understanding of it in French, but either way it will work for this blog.  I have a few things I am thinking of, but nothing that would constitute a whole blog topic--thus, potpourri.

 Gas prices continue to climb in our area and the rest of the world.  I read this evening in Time magazine that the a big part of the problem is that the rest of the world has started to use more and more gas, thus driving up the cost of gas in our country.  This continues to happen even though we Americans are using less and less of the stuff.  I think it is pure greed, but what do I know.  I know that there is supposedly plenty of gas available and the prices continue to rise.  As I was filling up my vehicle this evening I was reminded of that scene with Al Pacino from Dog Day Afternoon.  It was the scene where he is negotiating with the police and he keeps telling the police to "kiss me."  This confuses the police as they don't understand what he means.  Finally he tells them, "I liked to be kissed when I am being ****ed!"  Crude, but probably what most of us feel when fueling our vehicles.  I know, wah, wah, wah!

Slush . . . what a wonderful surprise when I woke up this morning, prepared to go to the big city to work at the university, and discovered that it was slushing!  Actually it was snowing, but as soon as it hit the ground it was slush--three to five inches of slush.  Now I enjoy a nice slush--typically cherry flavored--but this was not that kind of slush.  It was a steady forty to fifty miles speed all the way into the big city.  Now this is not all that bad except for all those speed demons who don't know how to drive in the slush.  Hey, what do they care?  They've got four-wheel drive and can handle anything . . . at least that is what they keep saying as they slide off in the ditch.  I appreciate the spray as they go blazing by . . . I appreciate how they think driving with their high beams and fog lights will make it easier for them to see the ditch as they slide off . . . and, I hope they appreciate my sign language.  I guess it is appropriate that no one else is in the truck with me--my ordination is still safe.

Typically a slushy snow storm usually means that we Montanans are entering into that period off weather when Mother Nature cannot decide whether or not she is going with winter or spring.  This morning started out in near blizzard conditions (northern Montana was in a blizzard) and ended with all the snow melted due to the warm temperatures.  I guess that is probably why most Montanans dress in layers--we are prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way.  Yet, at the same time, it would be nice if she would make up her mind one way or another--WINTER or SPRING?  I don't care which one, but make a decision and stick to it!

Peyton Manning is to become a Denver Bronco--who cares?  Probably Peyton as they are offering a minimum of 90 million dollars over five years to play for them.  Ninety million dollars . . . I think that is the state budget for Montana.  That is a lot of moo-la for just playing a game that has no relevance (outside of pure entertainment) in most of our lives--it is a game!  Good for him, he has succeeded in living the American Dream and has used its economics to get what he wanted.  For those of you out there now fearing that Tim Tebow could be coming to your team . . . well, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry because I think the Broncos should keep Tebow and use him as a running back who can play a little quarterback.  With Manning as the quarterback and Tebow as the running back it could be quite an awesome combination.  Denver could win all around on this one and it would lessen the stress of my clergy friend in Bozeman worrying that Tebow is going to Miami.  Blessings come in all shapes and sizes.

Despite the fact that my children are all involved in the March Madness of the NCAA basketball tournament, I have once again succeeded in avoiding filling our a bracket.  One has to wonder what all this is really about--is it about the basketball being played or is it about the brackets (gambling) that are being filled out?  I would hope it is about the basketball being played, but something tells me that it is otherwise . . . especially when every person I hear keeps telling me that their "bracket is busted" and they are out of the running.  I just like the basketball.  I would love the opportunity to follow a team through the tournament--from start to end.  It should be about the game--favorite teams--and the love of a bunch of kids putting their all on the line, not about whether or not I still have teams left in the race for the over all best bracket.  I know . . . wah, wah, wah!

Last little bit of potpourri . . . MUD.  Slush in snow with lots of moisture, lots of moisture.  Moisture makes mud--especially in our back yard.  The dogs like to run in the yard, which means they run in the mud.  The mud gets on their paws and legs.  They love it, we hate it.  We have light brown carpeting in the house.  Mud shows up on it well.  We should have gotten mud colored carpeting, but we weren't thinking.  This muddy season now entails us washing the dogs off every time they come in from being out. They don't like and neither do we.  We are seriously talking about getting mud color carpeting or boots for the dogs--the carpeting is winning.  In the meantime we clean paws.  Mud sucks!

I know, this truly is a potpourri of whining and complaining about pretty much nothing at all . . . and, that is okay.  It is okay because at least for a few minutes I stopped thinking about those serious things I am always thinking about in my life--NO, not world peace, justice, and equality for all living human beings!  No, not that stuff . . . stuff like: I wonder if Rogaine really works--I could use some!  You know, the things that matter.  In the meantime, I am thankful that my life is really not that bad.  I have a family that loves me, a church I enjoy serving, and a God who loves me.  Oh yeah, plus I hope that my Minnesota Vikings don't end up with Tim Tebow!  Oui,oui, this is truly potpourri!

Robbery

Like a lot of people I imagine that a robber is some masked individual with a gun taking my riches--sort of like Yosemite Sam in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons.  Well, maybe not quite like Yosemite Sam, but at least wearing a mask and carrying a big gun.  The truth is though, I have never actually been robbed in the classic sense--no one has ever held me up.  Up in my mind I have encountered a few robbers over the span of my life, but instead of a mask and a big gun they are out in plain sight and hide behind a cash register or fancy Madison Avenue advertising.

In the last couple of weeks the robbers I have encountered and being losing my riches to are the big oil companies that sell gasoline.  In the past two weeks gas prices have risen a whopping fifty cents--usually jumping up a dime at a time--from $2.95/gallon to $3.45/gallon.  It took nearly six months for gas prices to get below $3.00/gallon only dropping pennies a week, and only two weeks to see all of that disappear.  Which confuses me . . . confuses me because I thought that we consumers had reduced our consumption for the crude by nearly twenty percent over the past year or two . . . confuses me because the world demand for the crude has gone down . . . confuses me because there is an abundance of crude available at the present time . . . and confuses me because despite the dip in prices in the past six months, the oil companies still showed ungodly profits.  Why in the world are gas prices skyrocketing out of control to new heights and depths in my pockets?  Something smells and it isn't just the two oil refineries in our area.

This feels like robbery--plain and simple.  The oil companies continue to rake in outrageous profits while everyone else hasn't seen a raise in income in years.  There is something morally wrong about this, but it is the American Way--it is the law of economics, which is the American Way.  On those grounds it is hard to argue with what is going on because that is just good business, or so I have been told.  But when is enough enough?  How much profit does one need?  This is greed . . . and it is scary.

It is scary because of the "domino effect".  Rising gas costs make other things rise in price.  The food that we eat will rise in price.  Household goods will increase in price.  Travel will increase.  Services will increase.  Life will become more and more expensive to live as the dominoes start to fall--where will it all end?  Probably when most of us are in the poor house . . . and that is scary.  Scary because we are living in shaky times and the prospects of the poor growing in population is very real.  As I see it, this is robbery all for the sake of greed.

One blogger who writes for website Money Crashers--Your Guide to Financial Fitness offers several solutions for the rising cost of gas.  Heather Levin recommends the following:

1. Switch to a high MPG car.  Seems like a good idea if I could afford one.  Remember this is big business and the American Way that we are dealing with--economic reality.  High mileage cars are suddenly going to be in demand and the prices for them are going to shoot to the moon.  If I can't afford the gas how in the world am I going to afford the car?

2. Find alternate ways to heat your home.  She suggest putting in a wood stove as one way to combat rising prices in crude.  Well, I need wood to burn.  The wood is in the forest on the mountain about a half-hour from my home which means I have to drive my truck.  My truck runs on gas.  Gas cost money.  Seems like a vicious circle--sort of like running in place.  It feels like your going somewhere but you are not!  Besides I kind of like the trees in the forest.  Domino Effect on this one.

3. Grow your own food.  This one won't work.  I have a brown thumb and gardening experiments in the past have ended badly--we would starve if we had to rely upon my agricultural skills.  It is sort of like fishing.  I do my fishing at the Red Lobster or Long John Silvers!  My food comes from the local grocery store where someone else has grown it.

4. Buy some food in bulk.  Most of the bulk of food hangs over my belt.  The bulk food sellers in our area are 45 minutes away by car.  The car takes gas.  Gas costs money.  Domino effect anyone?  Besides the wife once bought oatmeal in bulk and we had everything and anything oatmeal for months!  I can only eat so many oatmeal raisin cookies!  Which seems to correlate with the sudden bulk slumping over the belt.

5. Learn how to can your own food.  Heck, I just learned how to open a can of food.  Now I am suppose to learn how to can my own food!  I don't think so!

6. Walk, take public transportation, or ride a bike.  It is difficult to walk to work when work is nearly 40 miles from where I live, but I do enjoy walking.  Walking is good for you--makes sense if you are not a commuter, but it would increase the shoe budget by quite a bit.  Probably wouldn't save much if I was having to replace shoes every couple of months.  Public transportation--what is that?  Is that the same thing as bumming a ride with the neighbor?  There is not a lot of public transportation in a town of 600.  Ride a bike--sounds like exercise.  Good idea but lets get real--this is Montana.  Nine months of winter, one month of rain, and two months of beautiful weather. 

I guess I am going to have to face reality and accept the fact that I am just going to continue to get robbed.  Gas prices are going to continue to sprint towards that five dollar prediction everyone is talking about.  My wallet is going to continue to grow slimmer and the ol' bank account is going to shrink.  That retirement fund I have in the bank has now become the family gas fund--there will be no retirement for me.  I will have to work just to put gas in the car.  Yeah, it torques me off.  Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me.  And, yeah, I could be totally off base with everything that I have written . . . but, you know what?  It just feels good to complain.  Plus I know I am not the only one who feels this way.  I know that there are a lot of others who feel the same way.  This is not an exclusive club.  We all know robbery when it happens and this is definitely robbery.  At least when Yosemite Sam robs you you can laugh--he's a cartoon character.  When big oil does it there is nothing to laugh at.  The least they could do is wear a mask.

Laugh or Cry--the Weekly News

Another week and more news that if you did not laugh you would have to cry!

This is a Mercedes-Benz car . . . 

. . . this is a tank . . . 

. . . much like the one the that Mayor Arturas Zuokas of Vilnius, Lithuania, used to to crush the Mercedes-Benz car that was illegally parked in a bike lane.  Crushed it like a grape!  Talk about an expensive parking violation!  The mayor, an avid bike rider, warned that he would "repeat the performance" should motorist continue to disrespect bike lanes.  Now, I don't care too much for the bike lanes, but I can only imagine myself in a tank cruising down the interstate on the way to the big city for work--there have been more than a few mobile idiots and fools I wouldn't mind teaching a little respect to!  A tank sure beats sign language any day!

Cristiano Ronaldo plays soccer for Real Madrid . . .

. . . Kaka does too . . .

. . . and they are both paid millions of dollars to do so--I'm talking big time millions around the 230 million dollar level.  Recently the owner of the Real Madrid team desperately needed a loan from the bank.  For collateral the owner offered the two players.  No word yet as to whether or not the bank approved the loan, but it makes one wonder . . . I wonder if the bank would give me a couple of thousand for any of my kids?  It is just a thought!  

Apparently the truth is really out!  Besides beating Starbucks at the coffee game a person can get more than just coffee and donuts at the local Dunkin' Donuts establishment.  In Rockaway, New Jersey--gotta love New Jersey--a Dunkin' Donuts worker was recently arrested for selling more than just coffee and donuts--she was selling sex on the side.According to the Parsippany, New Jersey, Daily Record, Dunkin' Donuts employee Melissa Redmond, age 29, was selling a little more than was on the menu.  Detective Kyle Schwatzmann told the paper that she was "a nighttime employee, supposedly a very good one."  During the six-week operation--aptly named "Extra Sugar"--police watched as Redmond propositioned customers via the establishment's drive-through window before joining her in the parking lot.  Redmond was eventually apprehended when she approached an undercover police offer with a list of discounted sexual services.  Ms. Redmond might have been an exceptional employee, but come on!  This was a coffee and donut establishment--there had to be an abundance of law enforcement officers there at all times of the day and night.  You know how they like their coffee and donuts!

This is a gun . . . 

. . . and this is wound in the arm caused by a gun shot . . .

. . . oh the things we do for love!  A heartbroken Milwaukee man persuaded a friend to shoor him, in the hope that his ex-girlfriend would take him back out of sympathy.  Jordan Cardells, age 20, was shot once in the arm by Michael Wezyk, age 24, a court heard late last month, but Cardella's ex was not moved enough by the news even to visit him in the hospital.  Prosecutor Christopher Rawsthorne stated, "This has to be the most phenomenally stupid case that I have seem."  Wezyk, the shooter, was sentenced to two years' probation.  Cardella walked free with a broken heart, an expensive medical bill, and a sore arm for the rest of his life. Talk about dumb and dumber--maybe his ex wasn't so stupid to walk away in the first place!

After . . . and before . . . 

. . . according to the London Daily Mirror the average British tourist gains eight pounds during a two-week trip to the United States, thanks to big portions and all-you-can-eat buffets.  I thought they might be hanging out at the local Dunkin' Donut store a little too much!  

apparently inflation and the recession have caught up with the Tooth Fairy.  According to The Denver Post the Tooth Fairy is even cutting costs in these tough economic times.  The average sum left under a child's pillow in exchange for a lost baby tooth has dropped to $2.60 this year, from $3.00 last year! Talk about inflation--I always thought I was hauling it in when I found a quarter under the pillow!

And last, but not the least, is gas.  Dan Froomkin on HuffingtonPost.com says that it is good to be an oil company.  The Big FIve announced "a whopping $36 billion (yep, billion) in profits in the second quarter of 2011," with ExxonMobil alone posting $10.7 billion in profits, a 41 percent increase over last year.  Shell's profits doubled from last year, to $8.7 billion, and Chevron and BP were also up.  Only ConocoPhillips posted slightly earnings, after it sold its stake in Russia's Lukoil.  Which has led to new signs being posted at most of the major gas retailers: 

I guess we have to appreciate their honesty!  

That's this week's news!  It is difficult to decide . . . do we laugh or do we cry?  I think I will go fire up the old gas guzzler and head down to the local Dunkin' Donuts--all that extra sugar should do wonders for my teeth.  If I'm lucky maybe the Tooth Fairy will leave me a small fortune . . . if not, do you know anyone who is interested in a few adult children for a cheap loan?