Pro Sport Labor Relations

There's a lot of talk recently about labor relations in professional sports.  The NFL is planning a lockout if they don't get some concessions from the union.  MLB is worried that Albert Pujols will get a new contract that will make A-Rods' look puny. And last, but not least, the NBA is trying to speculate what impact the LeBron James fiasco will have on the future of their league.

It's hard to feel sorry for either side, management or labor.  Basically you have millionaires fighting billionaires. Labor relations are a concern of most working people.  But labor relationships in professional sports is a little bit different.  In professional sports the owners are all socialists and the workers are all capitalists.  The owners demand salary caps to keep rich owners from buying up all the good talent. They have an inverse draft system in order to share the wealth of talent.   If they should lose a good player to another team they demand compensation.  Conversely, the players want the market to set their value.  If someone is dumb enough to give a player Fort Knox because he can get a hit 3 out of every 10 at bats -- so be it.

When I am King, I'll encourage the fans to stay away from the games until the owners and the players once again realize it's just a kid's game.  If fans stop attending, there won't be so many millions to throw around.
 

Start Treaty

Can someone explain to me why the Republicans are against the Start Treaty. I know that the GOP doesn't want to do anything that might help Obama get something done.  But really, who doesn't want to see fewer nuclear bombs. Is it so important that Obama must fail, that you risk the future of civilization?  Maybe we should promise every Republican a bribe for every bomb taken out of circulation -- seems like money is their only motivator. When I am King, I'll pardon Jack Abramoff  and let him handle the bribes -- he knows how to talk their language.

Automated Phone Service

I don't know about you, but I really hate automated phone service.  I am tired of having an automated voice say - "If you want English, please press 1, all other languages press 2.  If you would like to hear a list of products you could care less about, press 1.  If you are calling to sign up for shitty service, press 2.  If you would like like to sign up for our ultimate shitty service, press 3.  If you would simply like to tell the automated voice to go fuck himself, please hang up and try again when you have calmed down." If you do finally make a selection, you get put on hold and every now and then, an automated voice comes back to tell you he's sorry for the delay, but your call is very important, so please stay on the line for the next two hours.  If it's that damn important, answer the fucking phone.

When I am King, I am going to find out who invented this technology and have him or her beheaded.

Check out this link, Why I'd rather be punched in the testicles than call customer service., that was recommended by Jochem Atteveld. You'll get a good laugh.

Bully School Board Member

When I was a teacher, I had no use for school board members.  Most of them had a hidden agenda - i.e. get my kid more playing time on the basketball team -- get a certain teacher fired -- provide me a stepping stone in politics, etc.  But there's a moron school board member in Arkansas named Clint McCance that has created a new despicable low.  He posted on Facebook that he was happy when gay kids killed themselves.  Watch this report and judge for yourself  http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2010/10/27/ac.school.official.antigay.rant.cnn.html?ref=nf

I can actually say I knew school board members who were this bigoted, but none this stupid.  In our country, you have free speech that gives you protection from an oppressive government.  But, the first amendment does not protect you form public scorn.  People can form judgements about your character, wisdom, integrity, and intelligence (or lack of).  There should be a popular up rising to get this bum off the school board.

In these troubled times, we need our schools to teach tolerance.  Having ass hole bigots like Clint McCance on the school board sends the message that bullying is acceptable.  It's not.

A Man's Worth

By now,  I am sure everyone has heard about the minister in a small town in Florida who thinks it would be good idea to have a Burn the Koran Day on September 11. I've seen a couple of interviews with Reverend Terry Jones and the man appears to be totally off his rocker. He claims he wants to send a message, but is totally incapable of articulating what is his message.  During the interview I noticed he had a gun on his desk.  He claims he's been getting death threats, and therefore he's always packing.  What ever happened to "... I will fear no evil: for thou art with me...".

Basically Reverend Jones is just another nut case looking for his 15 minutes of fame.  Unfortunately, the media has probably all ready given him too much attention.  At first glance he just appears to be a totally worthless human being.  But then I remember what my father use to say, "No man is ever totally worthless, he can always serve as a bad example."  Well done Reverend Jones.

Russians Piss Off God

First an Iranian cleric said that earthquakes were caused by women who dressed immodestly.  He had to be taken down by a Purdue science student - remember Boob-Quake?  You would think these holier than thou people would learn their lesson.

Enter Vasily Boiko, a Russian tycoon who blames Russia's extreme weather this summer on what he called a lack of ample religious faith.  In case you're not aware, Russia is having an extreme heat wave that is causing  hundreds of deaths per day.  More that a 1/3 of the Russian wheat crop has been destroyed. Can anyone say Al Gore.

Boiko had decided to be pro-active.  He has informed all of his employees who are living together to get married by October 14, or get fired.  All workers who have had an abortion will be fired immediately. Hopefully this will bring rain and cool weather to Mother Russia.

Of course, Boiko is no saint himself, having done jail time recently for fraud allegations.  I am sure God is still proud of his efforts. Where's that Boob-Quake founder when we need her.  I think another science project is in order.

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

What do Takeru Kobayashi and Timo Kaukomen have in common? Both are World Champions. Kobayashi eats hot dogs for a living. When he goes to work, his goal is to eat 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Can you say Pepto Bismol? Kaukomen’s job is to sit in a hot room for six minutes at a time. I mean, really hot. His occupation requires him to sit in a 230 degree room and see if he can outlast his opponent. In his last outing, his opponent died.

Why would people risk their good health to do such dumb ass events. Better yet, who are the dumb asses who put on these events or show up to cheer the competitors ? My dad taught me just because you can do something, like eat dirt, doesn't necessarily mean you should. Too bad he didn’t get this message out to more people. When I am King, the media won't be allowed to cover these morons. Lets see what happens when people can't get their 15 minutes of fame -- or 10 -- or 6.