72 Murderers Spared

The U.S. Supreme court spared the lives of 72 convicted murderers today when it handed down a decision that said it was unconstitutional to execute underage killers due to their lack of maturity and intellectual development when the crimes were committed.

BULL%@IT!

Prince William County, VA said they would not prosecute a murder case against Lee Boyd Malvo because of the ruling. Malvo was one of the Washington DC area snipers in 2002 that killed 10 people and wounded 3. Their 1990 Caprice was a "killing machine" as some police officers described it. With two holes cut in the trunk, one for the barrel of the gun and the other for the scope, one would never have to exit the car.

Missouri. Christopher Simmons, who was 17, kidnapped and raped a neighbor. Then he hog-tied her and threw her off a bridge to drown. He bragged about getting away with it because of his age.

Fayetteville NC. Kevin Golphin fatally wounded at point blank range, NCHP trooper Ed Lowry and sheriff's deputy David Haithcock after his brother Tilmon had already wounded them with a semi-automatic rifle and they lay on the ground bleeding.

Don't give me this crap about a 17 yr old lacking maturity and intellectual development. I have a 17 yr old son and I know how mature and developed they can be when they want to be.

You can't tell me these "kids" didn't know or understand what they were doing.

Are people EVER going to be responsible for their actions??

All the supreme court did today was let a bunch of murderers off the hook and opened up the door for a bunch more "underage murderers".

Skip's Card

Hogg'sblog has an interesting take on comments made at the Thursday night County Comissioner meeting by Skip Alston. (full transcript here)

It seems we missed the truth by one un-uttered word. Maybe it was divine guidance that caused him to stop and think before inserting his foot in his mouth again.

We all know what he was going to say.

Skip has to keep the black and white communities divided and separate. Then he can lobby for the grants and entitlements that keep the black community dependent on government. He needs to keep the black community "down" to keep his power and control.

Playing the "race card" is his most powerful weapon.

Dr. Krishnaraj's Agreement

Looks like the Health Board fixed it to where Dr. K will get all his money and all the taxpayers and naysayers should just STFU now.

"We as a board could have been a little bit more clear and maybe a little bit more concise....."

I don't know what could have been more CLEAR and CONCISE than a signed contract. Or do they not mean what they say they mean?

Or is it that after all the public outrage, the threats of lawsuits, the handwritten notes on the contract trying to make it say what you wished it had said months before, you just finally decided it was time to "cover your ass".

Well, ass covered, taxpayers screwed once again.

Deja Vu

St. James II is in the news again and is looking just like another Project Homestead.

Late audits turned in, payments with no invoices to back them up, no oversight by the leaders in Greensboro of the taxpayer money doled out, and an African American leader crying "racism".

What, you think that because you're African American you have unlimited, unchecked access to the taxpayer funds of the City of Greensboro to do with as you wish?

Would you be considered a "racist" if you asked your bank for a audit of funds you deposited into your business checking account every week? How about the grocery store, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Lowes, and every where else you shop. Do you not check the receipt to make sure you were charged correctly? Is that "racist"?

Same with the taxpayers. We have a RIGHT to know where our money is spent and that it is spent properly.

It seems funny to me, as with the Project Homestead fiasco, anyone with any knowledge as to what went on doesn't want to talk.

Sarah and Donald Graham just want to move forward. Carolyn Tarpley hung up the phone. Why?

All Skip can say is everything was fine when I left.

So what happened?? If the city really wanted this to fail, as Sarah Graham alleges, all they had to do is NOT give you the $1 million. It would have surely failed then and would have saved the taxpayers $1.4 million.

It looks like it's time for the City of Greensboro and the taxpayers to get out of the business of low income housing.

PARTY TIME!

NOLA Bourbocam (via Jeff Jarvis)

CAIR and Gen. Mattis

I'm a little late commenting on this,but the more I think about it the madder I get, so I am going to get my 2 cents in anyway.

It seems that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Executive Director Nihad Awad wants the Pentagon to discipline Lt. Gen. James Mattis, for comments he made last week saying it was "fun to shoot people."

"These disturbing remarks are indicative of an apparent indifference to the value of human life", said Awad.

Excuse me, Nihad.

I missed your post condemning the Islamist A$$HOLES that plant car bombs that indiscriminately murder anyone in their path (women and children included). The ones that cut the heads off of innocent hostages. The ones that strap bombs to their bodies and detonate themselves in stores, night clubs, and crowded shopping areas. Yeah, the same ones that pull occupants from cars only to murder them in cold blood in the street.

"An apparent indifference to human life."

I missed that post. Could you send me a link??

I agree that Gen. Mattis's comment should not have been said and not have been made public.

To be shooting at an enemy who is trying to kill you, your fellow soldiers, or civilians should not be made out to be a sporting event.

But for you, Nihad, to condemn one side and call for discipline, while totally ignoring the other and saying nothing, does nothing for CAIR's cause of building coalition's and mutual understanding.

Mardi Gras Party

Road trip to the Blue Bayou Club tonight for their Mardi Gras party.

Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos brand of swamp blues and Cajun boogie makes for a very entertaining evening and should bring the Mardi Gras atmosphere right into downtown Hillsborough.

Nicknamed "The Zydeco Chef" by friend and former bandmate C. J. Chenier, rumor has it that Mel may even cook up some of his famous "Louisiana Gumbo" for tonight's show.

Looking........Looking........

Tylenol.............Check.

Rolaids............Check.

OK. Ready to go.

My Calling In The Afterlife

This Body Worlds exhibit sounds like it's made for me.

At least my son thinks it is.

He said, "Dad, You ought to sign up for it. You could be put on display as a 5' 10" 165lb A$$HOLE!"

My are'nt they greatful at 17.

But he's probably right. ( PHOTOS)

WWF In Guilford County Schools

WWF wrestling match at Jackson Middle School. (via Woody Cavenaugh)

They teach this in middle school then wonder why in the hell the high school kids are so violent!

I can't say much more about this now but needless to say I can't wait to see a copy of the video.

Will They Ever Learn?

Will the powers that be in this freakin city ever learn??

These people just cost the Greensboro taxpayers $1.4 million dollars.

What is the city's answer to it?

Give them another $25,000.00 of taxpayer money.

Think I'll go up there and get my ass in line.

Excedrin and Alka Seltzer

sales should increase dramatically in the next few weeks as tax filing season gets into full swing.

I completed mine yesterday in just under two hours with the 'ole computer and some store bought tax software.

I was pleasantly surprised when a sizable refund popped up on the screen. A refund had not been in my thoughts this year. I expected to have to pay them some because I had worked almost 200 hours of overtime last year. Wonders never cease.

However, the joy of the refund didn't last long---I found this little tidbit on the net:

Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

How true!

Now if my lottery numbers would.......

A Brand New Me

I finally found out why I'm so ill tempered and irritable all the time.

TOXINS.

With this kit I can flush all the toxins away.

I will then have a sense of renewed energy, a clean fresh feeling, my moods can be balanced, and I'll have a free wad of energy.

Well not exactly free, the kit costs $89.50.

Might have to stay ill tempered and irritable.

Left To Rot

This text accompanies a photo in the News & Record this morning.

"A fall tomato shortage has turned into a surplus that Florida growers say has forced them to abandon 60 million pounds on the vine in the past two weeks, generating pledges of help Tuesday from the state.

Help from the state? Sounds to me like the state is going to pay the growers for the tomatoes. The state should have said, "Look, If we're gonna buy these things, you're gonna pick 'em." And made them pick every one.

Last I heard Campbells still makes tomato soup and Hunts and Del Monte still can tomatoes. 60 million pounds of tomatoes would make a lot of soup or can tomatoes that could be put to use in food banks or homeless shelters in Florida. They could have made a deal with Campbells, Hunts, or Del Monte, or SOMEBODY to get the tomatoes processed. Maybe a one-time tax break for what it cost to do the processing?? Then they would of had probably 45 million pounds of usable tomatoes and soup in the food banks and homeless shelters.

The way it stands now the tomatoes are rotten, the growers will be paid for letting them rot, the Florida taxpayers will be out money, the homeless will still be hungry, and the food banks will still be wanting for food to give to the needy. And 60 million pounds of tomatoes rotted on the vines.

But that's how government works.

Deeper and Deeper

So who gave Etta Mullikin a blank check to spend taxpayer money like it was her own?? The more of this situation that comes out, the more it seems it was a "gift of public assets" which is illeagle according to the NC Supreme Court.

Frankly, if the allegations prove true, I hope she is prosecuted, convicted, and made to foot the bill for Dr. K's $63,000.00 severance since she so arrogantly decided that the taxpayers should do it instead.

I'm also a little curious as to what advice the lawyer they hired was giving her during this fiasco. Advice not heeded or incompetent???

The Nerve of Some People

Went over to the "budz" house Sunday to watch the football games, just like I have been doing all season.

He's got a nice playroom where we can set up three TV's. Two to watch the two network games, plus one to watch the game on satellite with the season pass package he's got. All this and we can shoot pool and drink beer too!! It's a hard life but somebody's gotta do it.

I get there before the rest of the crowd and go to the fridge to grab a beer, open the door, and my jaw hits the floor. In the fridge, staring back at me, are about three cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Milwaukee's Best. Now all this coming from a man who has been supplying the "boys" with Budweiser and Michelob the whole season.

First thing that hits my mind is this is a not so subtle reminder that "I'm tired of buying the beer". But hey we've offered and you've always declined so I don't know why you've got a bug up your ass and I know you're going to read this. So tell me, "What's the problem?"

You've always had the pleasure of our company (since your wife won't let you go out with us), and you've always made money when we come over (off the pool games and our lousy football bets) so the least you could do is buy some good beer. Hell, I even heard you comment that you furnished your new daughters nursery off my bad bets and bad pool playing.

But that's all right. I drank your beer.

Tell you what though.

I'm buying the beer next Sunday and for the Super Bowl.


Cause I soaked your ass for $165.00 Sunday didn't I???????????

Same Old Disease

GreensboroCityCouncilStJamesHomesProjectHomesteadaphobiawhite
elephantitistaxpayerscrewithus

"CYA" Agreement??

It looks like Dr K and the Board of Health are in the news again and it looks to me like it might be one of those "cover your ass" type scenarios. It seems they have a settlement agreement signed by Dr K so he could receive his $63,000 taxpayer gift, they publicly accepted it Monday and voted to include it as part of their board minutes from a Nov 22 meeting.

I'm no rocket scientist but I do get a burr up my butt every now and then when people appointed to be stewards of the taxpayers money can give it away like this in secrecy and try to scam the taxpayers and keep it a secret. I did a google on what meeting minutes were and the laws for minutes and this is what came back:
They must be accurate and reflect what was actually said----must be actionable (clearly
state agreed action) and selective (only the important things should be noted and not all
the fluff in between) --- to formally record vital information.
If this agreement was accurate, important, vital information, and reflected what was actually said, why wasn't it already in the minutes of the meeting and why did you have to come back a month and a half later and vote to include it as part of the board minutes of a meeting where he tendered his resignation. I would think that is vital information and that is why I think this is just a "cover your ass" move. I don't think the settlement agreement ever came about until all this became public and all the bad publicity.

According to last weeks Rhino that may be the case.

The legality of this whole deal is now in question as it is believed now that it was never voted on by the Health Board. According to one Health Board member there was never a vote in closed session. According to the media there was no open session public vote outside the purview of the press. Any way the agreement was signed putting the taxpayers on the hook for the $63,000.

Or are they??

Public officials in North Carolina who give away government assets face personal liability for those assets.

Since this agreement was signed without a vote of the board the person that signed the agreement is personally liable for the money paid out and also the cost of any benefits paid out. Personally if the person that signed the agreement is held responsible, I think they all should be just because of the cavalier, in your face, we don't have to tell you shit about what we do with your money attitude that these people have. It would do my heart good to see 'em all have to keep up 'ole Dr. K for six mos.

Now I see the News & Record wanting to blast Steve Arnold for wanting to remove these board members saying it might cause more "problems" than it "solves". I sure don't see how the hell that could happen. We got a truckload of problems now.

They also say that Arnold and his fellow commissioners ought to ask tough questions about the Krishnaraj matter. But they should do so with an eye toward a resolution, not a revolution.

I agree the commissionersought to ask tough questions, with the exception of Bruce Davis.(Him being on the Health Board he is part of the problem)

But it may take a revolution to get a resoulution.

Road Trip--- Why Not Greensboro??

Took a road trip down to the Blue Bayou in Hillsborough last night to see W. C. Handy award winner Big Bill Morganfield. Big Bill is the son of McKinley Morganfield, aka "Muddy Waters".

The Bayou was packed, the drinks were flowing, and Big Bill and the band provided two sets of blues that had the crowd dancing in the aisles.

Big Bill has created his own style but you can also see a lot of influence from his father. On a couple of the songs it was so eerie because he sounded so much like his father, you would've swore Muddy was up there singing. The blues "is in Big Bill's blood".

Next up at the Bayou is 2004 Blues Guitarist of the Year, Michael Burks. Take it from me this is a show you don't want to miss. He is awesome. Friday January, 14 2005.

Now for my rant:

Why not Greensboro???

I (we) have been driving to Hillsborough, Charlotte, and Winston-Salem every week-end to see national act blues bands. We are going to Blue Bayou, Double Door, and Rubber Soul to see bands such as Ronnie Baker Brooks, Tinsley Ellis, Guitar Shorty, Michael Burks and Jimmy Thackery.

I know there are places in Greensboro such as the Wild Magnolia, Fishers, and Plum Krazys that bring in the local blues acts that we go see, but isn't there SOMEBODY out there that could get a national act to our town someday?? Or are we satisfied with the nitelife we have (or lack of it)??

Maybe you'll say it's because nobody supports the blues in Greensboro. I don't think that's the case because every time I go out to see one of the bands at these bars there is always a good crowd, and a national act would only draw a better one.

End of rant.

Randolph Seeks Lake Access Points

It looks like Randolph County has already picked their sites for boat access to the new Randleman Lake.

Since access to the lake for recreational purposes will be heavily restricted because of the reservoir's primary purpose as a drinking water supply for Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown, they have to petition the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the N.C. Division of Water Quality to amend the permit to allow the access.

Guilford County county will also have to do this because they are planning to build a park at the north end of the lake and are also seeking access at that site.

Frankly, I can't see why anybody would want access to a 3,000 acre cesspool.

I know. I know. You're saying they passed all the required environmental impact statements and water quality studies.

You have a 163 acre Seaboard Chemical contaminated "superfund" site sitting on the bank of the Deep River that is going to be feeding this lake. Tetra Tech, Inc. did the study, said the water quality was acceptable for a public water supply. Do they live here? Are they going to drink it? Do they even know what kind of chemicals have been dumped at this site that are now leaking into the groundwater?

You have a now closed city landfill on the bank of the Deep River. Who knows what has been dumped here over 20 or 30 years that is now leaking into the groundwater and into the river. Black and Veatch, Inc. did a study. Said water quality and quantity acceptable for public use. Do they live here? Are they going to drink it?

Then you have the sewage treatment plant. I don't know how many gallons they treat a day but it all goes in Deep River and will end up in Randleman Lake. If you ever ride down I-85 during the summer, 95 outside, southbound, cross Deep River bridge, DAMN whats that smell!, then you know what I'm talking about. Much less having to drink it. It's like having a boil and popping it open. EEEEEWWWWWWW!!! Smells like shit.

All these water quality permits and studies and studiors don't mean a damn thing to me. I'm to old for it to make a difference to me. What I'm worried about are my grandkids (when I have some) drinking and playing in this so called "safe water". You can't tell me this water is going to be safe by diluting it with the fresh water that is coming downstream. I'll give you an example. I'm sitting here imbibing now. If I mix my Crown and 7 weaker by diluting my Crown with more 7-Up, It may take longer but I'm still gonna get drunk.

Same with the water---may take longer----but the're still gonna get sick. Remember Lipitor, Zocor, Vioxx---it was safe too!!

The End

Today marks the end of a well deserved, and the last ever, 15 day vacation. It's back to the old grind tomorrow.

It will also be like starting a new job as we go from working rotating 12 hr shifts back to a five day, 8 hr shift.

Sure gonna miss those 7 days off every other week.

Leave it to the "Big Wigs" in the corporate world to screw up a good thing.

Go from 3 on, 1 off, 3 on, 7 off,--------> to 5 days a week.