June 3, 2019 - PPM - 57 Pronouns

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the ongoing gender-identity movement.    

I have attended two college orientations where the incoming freshman must choose a gender pronoun. "He, She, They, or Other."  I heard some colleges give you 57 CHOICES.

All well and good, except we mostly live in a BINARY world.  Airplane tickets require you to choose MALE or FEMALE on your ID to board a plane.  The colleges I have visited only assign you a dorm room based on the TWO genders. There were no options for OTHER.

I get that there are unique circumstances, but must we really adapt our entire society for such a small minority.  

What's next, baseball stadium stop selling peanuts to everyone because one person has a nut allergy?

April 22, 2019 - PPM - Hypocrisy For All

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the UNBRIDLED HYPOCRISY of musicians, actors, and their ilk.

Donald Trump, post 2016, has been accused of the following:

RACISM - yet he won NAACP award in the 1990s

XENOPHOBIA - yet he owns properties in many countries and employs the most qualified  regardless of nationality.

ANTISEMITISM - yet his daughter and grandchildren are Jewish

It's too bad, people hate President Trump more than they love America.  They have resorted to character assassination instead of arguing the issues. In the end, history will be the judge.  But only if it written by a new generation of TRUE journalists.

March 18, 2019 - PPM - Veto Poof Minority

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is AGAIN, the absurd, over-reaction of the media to any thing Trump.

Case in point: PRESIDENTIAL VETOES

President Trump has been labeled a Dictator, a Nazi, a Tyrant, a Despot.

In the end, President Trump is just doing his job.  Haters are going to hate.

Dec. 3, 2018 - PPM - Frosty the SnowPerson

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY is how EVERY thing has to be found "politically correct" by 2018 standards.   If it offends only ONE person, it must be changed.  Now we have a war on Christmas Songs.  Here are the TOP songs now identified on the internet as needing changed:

1. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus: subjecting minors to softcore porn 

2. The Christmas Song: Open fire? Pollution. Folks dressed up like Eskimos? Cultural appropriation

3. Holly Jolly Christmas: Kiss her once for me? Unwanted advances 

4. White Christmas? Racist 

5. Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Sees you when you’re sleeping? Knows when you’re awake? Peeping Tom stalker 

6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Bullying 

7. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Forced gender-specific gifts: dolls for Janice and Jen and boots and pistols (GUNS!) for Barney and Ben 9

8. Frosty the Snowman: Sexist; not a snow woman 1

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Make the yuletide GAY? Wow, just wow

10. Baby, It's Cold Outside: Date rape

It is a "Slippery Slope."  This just in. PETA wants to ban the phrase, "Bringing Home The Bacon.  

WTF.

June 4, 2018 - PPM - Customer dis(Service)

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the state of Customer Service.

Forget the fact, that it is extremely hard to get a LIVE person on the phone as you navigate the Voice-Response-Unit and the maze of options.

Forget the fact that when you finally get a  person on the line, the chances of the customer service (?) agent speaking English is remote.

Forget the fact, that if you want to cancel your service, you need to be transferred several times and many times they intentionally drop your call.

This week, I decided to "cut the cord" on cable.  I had been with Time Warner / Spectrum for 22 years.  All I wanted was the same new introductory rate they offer to "new" customers.  What a terrible marketing model.  They were charging me 35% more after 22 years than someone signing up for their services for the first time.

After cancelling my service on the phone, I had 2 weeks to return the equipment to the local Customer Service Center.  This was the line.  6 stations, 2 agents working.  NICE!!!

I tried to keep the line happy by singing, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey hoping others would join in with me. It didn't catch on, as the mob turned angry. One disgruntled guy suggested that I sing, Cee Lo Green's "F&#k You."

I'm headed over to the Post Office now to see if I can spread some joy there as well.

May 21, 2018 - PPM - Passport Process Predicament

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the US Passport process.

I tried to get a Passport renewal for my 15 year old daughter because she is daring to hike/canoe in Canada this coming summer.

What should be a 3 minute online process was a painful 75 minute painful lesson in government inefficiencies at the local Post Office.

Here is a summary of the process:

- Mother could not attend so I needed a notarized affidavit of her having a working Mother along with photo copy of her driver’s license. (which I had)

- Clerk #1 did not like how I wrote my “A’s” on the application - I remarked you should see how the Nuns made me do my “2’s.” No sense of humor, 10 minute delay as I had to redo a page.

- Needed picture of non-smiling teenage girl. (which I had - see photo).  I remarked, my teenage daughter never smiles, as she is stuck in some Twilight / Stranger Things dimension. No sense of humor, 10 minute delay, just because they can.

- Clerk #2 said I needed photocopy of previous passport. I explained I had original, expired passport. After 5 minutes discussion with Clerk #1, they said they could accept it as long as I signed a form stating I would not get back the expired passport. I said fine. I joked that my daughter would not be going to Yugoslavia, North Vietnam, or Siam, as they were “expired countries.” No sense of humor, 10 minute delay. I can only guess they would have referred me to the Mueller probe had I referenced the USSR.

When it came time to pay, they needed an $80 personal check, no credit card for one of the fees. However, I was able to pay the other $35 fee WITH a credit card. WTF?

I dared to ask how long it will take before we receive the renewed passport.  I stated her trip starts on June 15. Clerk #1 and #2 picked up their calendar behind the desk, counted the weeks till June 15, looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and said, “Hard to tell.”

I kid you not.

Is it any wonder why NO ONE wants Government involved in Health Care?

Jan.22, 2018 - PPM - Undocumented Bias

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is Illegal Immigration.  The issue is also known by the politically correct as "undocumented workers" and "neighborly guests."

If someone comes into your house: Sits down. Eats your food.   Do you let them live there or do you call the police?

The issue has been kicked down the road for years and is finally being addressed by President Trump.

My PEEVE is how Trump's position is being categorized by the media(?) as racist.  President Trump’s position is the same as the previous 3 Presidents.  Google It. YouTube It. Read It.

What is different is that Trump stating facts about Illegal Immigration and it's not someone the media approves or endorses.


Haters are going to hate, but look at the facts. Look at the message, not the messenger.
History will judge, but only if the history writers present the facts.

Jan. 1, 2018 - PPM - Alternative Facts

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the pending release of an expose(?) about the first year of the Trump White House.

The book, “Fire and Fury” is authored by Michael Wolff.   Wolff has already admitted that some of the information in the book is not true.

I'm old enough to remember, the media complaining about White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer using the term "Alternative Facts" in 2017.

If someone comes over to your house and you say, "Help yourself to whatever you want in the fridge, but half of the stuff is bad."

Do you eat or take a pass?

If the author admitted that there are lies in his book. What do you believe?

Unfortunately, the media and the haters will focus on whatever information (fact or not) that advances their narrative. 

The author is brilliant and will sell tons of books.  I only wish that it is eventually reported that Trump and the author COLLUDED to make up stuff to sell books to share in the incredible profits.

At the end of the day, Haters gonna Hate regardless of the facts.

Aug. 14, 2017 - PPM - Statue of Limitations

This weeks' PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about the historical statue removal craze that is consuming our country.

This picture made me laugh. 

Seriously, these statues / monuments have been around for years, decades. And just now, someone is triggered and they all most go? Will this solve racism, create jobs, and end terrorism? It's at a minimum a distraction, at worst it divides us even more.

Nancy Pelosi is now pressuring House Speaker Ryan to remove Confederate statues from the US Capitol. She was the Speaker from 2007-2011. Where was she on the issue then? Is she a "reformed racist"?

Maybe we can take all these removed statues and make a great big outdoor Civil War chess set.

I agree with those who say, "Where does it stop?" 

I'm now worried that PETA will remove my giant fiberglass Pig from my yard under the dark of night or during the eclipse.

STOP THE STUPID!!!

Just Saying.

Aug. 7, 2017 - PPM - The Book Thieves

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about Hillary Clinton's new book about the 2016 election: "What Happened".

We all know how her last book, "Hard Choices" performed.

Clinton's book sales didn't even cover half of the $14 million advance that Hillary was paid. 

Some could say, that the book publisher, Simon & Schuster, may have actually made a campaign contribution to her.  Either that or they are really bad at selling books.  Which is scary, given they have one job: SELL BOOKS.

Now, Hillary Clinton is writing another book about the 2016 election called: "What Happened".  Who knows how much the advance will be, but critics are already panning the book.  When you are a liberal and have lost the liberal critics, you have no where to go but down.

I can save you time and money.  I don't mean to spoil the ending, but.....

Here is my PEEVE.  These book deals are nothing more than scams to line the pockets of politicians.  BOTH sides do it, yet it goes undressed.  

I know it is a free market, but stockholders of the publishers and Americans for a free and fair democracy should be upset. Or in my case, PEEVED.

Just Saying.

July 24, 2017 - PPM - Broken Promises

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about BROKEN PROMISES.

The below nine celebrities (?) all stated that they would leave the USA if Donald Trump was elected President.  

To date, THEY ARE STILL HERE!!!

Fine, if you don’t leave.  But you can’t tell me how bad a restaurant is and then continue to eat there again and again.

I propose if someone says they are leaving and don’t leave, then 2 things need to happen.

1. You lose your right to vote in any future elections.  You were leaving and renouncing your US citizenship anyway.
2. You are no longer allowed to comment on any political issue.  You can’t be trusted. You told a lie.  Remember “the sky is falling” parable?

The only thing worse than rhetoric is SPINELESS rhetoric.  Keep your promise and go.  I will proudly share my GroupOn Ryder truck rental coupon.

Just Saying.

July 17, 2017 - PPM - The Password Is?

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about PASSWORDS.

I believe the pendulum has swung too far.  In fact, I think the pendulum is broken.

I understand the need to have passwords for your financial data or for sensitive personal information, but do we really need a password to make dinner reservations, to see my kid's homework, or to order a pizza?

Can we not be trusted to make reservations under our own name?  Are there really several Abe Fromans out there?  (Ferris Bueller reference)

It reminds me of the bathroom protections that were once, only in airports.  You know the ones.  The bathrooms where they eliminated the faucet handles in lieu of a motion activated sensor.  The sensors THAT DON'T WORK.  YOu constantly wave your hand under them yet no water comes out.  All this, because one guy left the water running, we must all now suffer.

I keep my passwords in a special file on my computer, which also has two levels of passwords to access any file.  The password file now has grown to a list of over 150 accounts.  I'm thinking about publishing my passwords for my electric and water bills in the hope someone else will pay them.

At some point, someone will simply the process.The only problem , is you will need a login and password to access the solution.

(The Password Is? - is a shout-out to a TV show I used to watch in the late 60s and 70s called "Password", hosted by Allen Ludden.  Great show. Great memories of watching the show with my Grandma.)

Just Saying.

Mar. 20, 2017 - PPM - Free isn't Fair

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about Obamacare.

The US Congress will be attempting to repeal and replace this horrific law this year.  It has been bad for our economy, bad for the overall healthcare cost curve, and extremely bad for the trajectory of our country as a whole.

The problem is that healthcare should have never been entitled.  Nowhere in the US Constitution does it state that healthcare is a right. It will not be easy, because it is extremely difficult to take back an “entitlement” once provided.  The continued Medicaid expansion that has ballooned under Obamacare cannot be sustained.

Taking money from the working people to pay for someone else’s healthcare is not reasonable.  If I’m going to pay for someone’s healthcare then I should have a say in their lifestyle that affects their healthcare spending.

The best scenario for rolling back an entitlement was when the national and local governments made able bodied welfare recipients work for their benefits.  The welfare rolls dropped when this stipulation was introduced.

Life style choices of poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, and tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drug use, drive poor health results, and drive up healthcare costs.

Where is the motivation to contain Medicaid spending if the users are not held accountable for their behaviors that drive the costs?

If we are going to have an “Entitlement” society, then there needs to be counter measures to balance the cost versus the benefits.

Just Saying.

Jan. 23, 2017 - PPM - Enjoy The Moment

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about Enjoying the Moment.

The below picture could have been taken at any public event of iPhone some 10 years ago.  It could have been from last Friday's President Trump's inauguration.

The bottom line, ids no one ever just experiences the moment.  They have to record a video, take a picture, Snap Chat it, Instagram it, .....

I'm not totally guilt-free from this phenomena.  I've slowly weened myself off of this technology laced indulgence, because I know I can get a visual record from someone else.  Truth told - my phone has limited memory left because I haven't deleted anything in almost 10 years.

Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way where we all put our phones down and enjoy the moment.  I just hope someone is there to record THAT moment.

Just Saying.

Jan. 9, 2017 - PPM - Snowball's Chance in Hell

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the work ethic of today's youth, or actually, THEIR LACK OF A WORK ETHIC.

As we head into this year's "snow season", I am reminded of what has happened the last few years.

The snow falls and there is silence. 

No door bell ring.  

No sounds of metal shovel on the driveway.  

No one singing, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?"

Actually, I'm OK with the last one, because I've let it go. Let it go.

I remember the Ohio blizzard of 1977 when I made a bucket of money shoveling snow.  Today's kids have no desire, skill, or work ethic.

Companies actually now sell snowball making machines, because our kids can't be challenged with making their own snowballs.

 I believe as an old man, I will never have to yell at a child to "GET OFF MY LAWN" because they will never leave the security of their Momma's basement and their gaming systems.

Just Saying.

Dec. 12, 2016 - PPM - Two Cents Times Five

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is that renown feminist Gloria Steinem is refusing to pay her taxes.  More specifically, she says she will send the portion of her income taxes that would normally go toward funding Planned Parenthood directly to the organization should President Trump or the Republicans take away their funding.

Dear. Ms. Steinem -  Please don't call me a misogynist if I refer to you as "Buttercup."  It's not a gender-specific term.  This is not how the tax-collecting, government-spending process works.  

Even if you were able to line-item your contribution and select how your tax monies were spent, consider your actual contribution.

The math behind it is pretty hard to understand. Again, not a misogynist, but I do have a MBA in Finance while your degree is not.   Let me break it down for you.

US 2016 Annual Budget - $3.900,000,000,000

2016 Planned Parenthood (PP) Funding (US taxes) - $500,000,000

PCT of US Budget spent on PP -  0.013%

PCT of PP business that is abortion based - 33% (they claim its 3%)

Gloria Steinem annual income - $178,000

Gloria Steinem taxes paid (28% bracket) - $49,840

Note - We all assume Democrats take no tax deductions because they want to pay their "fair share." Her effective rate is probably closer to 15%.

Total amount of taxes paid by Gloria Steinem that goes to abortion funding is:

 ($49,840 *0.00013 * .33) or $2.13

If you index this amount for her actual effective tax rate and the 3% Planned Parenthood figure they post in their literature,  her possible TRUE contribution is:

$.10 or ONE THIN DIME.

So Ms. Gloria Steinem - you can hardly afford to put your two cents in, but thanks for taking a stand.  A position that cannot be legally performed or supported.

Sorry Buttercup.

By the way - this is Misandry, which is just as bad as Misogyny. 

Sept 26, 2016 - PPM - Celebrity Anmesia

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about the people NOW supporting Hillary Clinton.

Stumping for Hillary Clinton, Katy Perry vows, “We can do better!” 

Odd considering she stumped for President Obama's re-election effort in 2012. SO, NOW, they can do better than the person who they endorsed 4 years ago. 

Is it a memory loss or convenient amnesia? 
How about just an apology and saying you were wrong? 
Any Regrets?

June 6, 2016 - PPM - Graduation Gift Grabs

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is High School Graduations.  Specifically, it's the Graduation Announcements.

Every year, I dread going to the mailbox to retrieve the seemingly endless supply of HS graduation announcements.  Some are legitimate.  They are the sons and daughters of close friends. I know of them and quite possibly remember their names.

Others come from long lost acquaintances who I didn't even know had children.  These are nothing more than a straight Graduation Gift Grab.  At least when you invited to a wedding, you bring a gift because you are getting a nice meal and possibly an open bar.

I've developed a "Gift Scale" that is indexed on the geographic proximity of the friend, the length of the friendship, and the frequency of our interactions.  Some make the gift cut.....others do not.

Either way, when asked to deliver some advice to new grads, I'm always reminded of the below:

Please contact me when you get a diploma from a college or a trade school or spend a few years in the Armed Services. I have a much more generous "Gift Scale" for real accomplishments.

Apr. 25, 2016 - PPM - Socialism Defined

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is Socialism. Nobody seems to understand the economic concept. Everyone likes the idea of "Free Stuff" until they realize it isn't FREE.

I don't know what is more ironic:

Bernie Sanders, the Socialist, laying off campaign workers. (I'm sure he will still pay them a living wage - he was actually paying some $11/hr not $15/hr)

OR

Hillary Clinton saying that the the voices of sexual assault victims should not be silenced. (Broderick, Jones, etc. etc. etc.)

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/politics/bernie-sanders-staff-downsizing/index.html

March 28, 2016 - PPM- Social (Media) Injustice

This week's PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is the obvious double standard that now permeates Social Media.

If this was posted about Hillary Clinton there would be congressional inquiries.  If it were posted about Barrack Obama it would immediately be labeled a "Hate Crime."

I am by no means a Donald Trump supporter.  BUT can the media at least PRETEND to be non-biased?