Stop Pulling the Wagon

In the classic Western Movie – El Dorado – Cole Thornton (John Wayne) is talking with “Mississippi” (James Caan) who asks him if Nelse McLeod (Christopher George), a hired gun won’t be really mad when he finds out that “Cole” has taken the side of Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum)?

Cole Thornton replies that “I hope he is mad”. “The madder he gets, the better I like it”.

The point being that when any of us give in to our anger, hate or rage we tend to make mistakes.

I know that at those times in my life when I have submitted myself to these emotions, I have invariably said and done things I later regret and unfortunately cannot undo.

One way to defeat your opponent is to damage their emotional stability to the point they can no longer think or act rationally regarding the consequences of their actions.

Our President seems to have succeeded in totally enraging the “Progressive” “Far Left” to the point they have become irrational and are flailing about with wild, unsupportable claims of wrongdoing.

In the process they are also engaging in outrageous, often hypocritical, charges that are so weak that even an eight year old could see they have no merit. Frequently some of them, like Representative Adam Schiff are being caught in rather pathetic lies.

Their only accomplishment, if you can call it that, seems to be that they are destroying the “mainstream”, more traditional Democratic Party.

The Republican Party may find joy in this but I am not sure it is in the best interests of our Country.

Maybe it is just me, but it seems it is also aging some of their supporters.

I make no claim of having been a fan of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, but have grudgingly admired her politcal skill and tenacity and the way she has maintained her appearance and demeanor. In the last two and a half years I have noted a change. Maybe it is the AOC Syndrome, but it seems she has aged 10-15 years since regaining her Speaker-ship of the House of Representatives. She often looks so tired, worn and almost haunted.

I almost feel sorry for her. Sad.

Bob Bandy – Oct. 2019

El Dorado – 1966 – Paramount Pictures

Sacramento Bee Headline

American River Beach looks like ‘diluted sewage‘

The above photo is of visitors at Tiscornia Beach on the American River Parkway in Sacramento. The article with the photo and caption tells us:

“Tiscornia’s E. coli readings were three times higher than the safety threshold on August 27th and six times higher on August 13th. The American River Parkway attracts millions of visitors annually. Despite this widespread popularity, few public bathrooms are available 24 hours because officials have refused to provide them where homeless congregate, saying campers would just destroy them. Officials remain unwilling to point to the homeless, which number between 200-300 along the American River, as a source of the fecal bacteria.”

“Instead, they’ve embarked on a three to four year study that will test the DNA of the bacteria to determine its exact source. The cost to taxpayers: $600,000 to $800,000.”

“Local officials say that aside from the study, they’re taking other steps to address the homeless issue.”

The above quotes are from the front page article of the Sacramento Bee – Sunday September 15, 2019 issue. Available on line.

Forgive the sarcasm but I feel much better knowing that we are going to do a three to four year DNA study costing $600,000 to $800.000 to find out if the fecal matter (human waste) found floating in the water is from nameless, homeless people using the river as a toilet because the same city government cannot provide sanitary toilet facilities on a 24 hour a day basis.

The city is also working on more shelters that will “come on line” in “coming months”. I shudder to think what the ultimate cost of those will be with this same city government in charge of the project. Another “Shelter” that the city managed (and ultimately closed) ended up costing the city about the same amount per homeless person as it would have cost to put them up at a Motel 6.

It seems to me that government has a habit of trying to solve problems with long range, expensive studies and well meaning but generally ineffective plans instead of tackling the root cause of these problems, which are all too often caused by the same governments poor management, excessive taxation and taxpayer waste which, in turn, puts such a burden on citizens that they cannot afford housing and become homeless.

Bob Bandy – September 2019

 

Seven plus years ago (Feb. 2012) I wrote a “spoof” article on this site titled: Mark of the Beast – The Club Card. It is still available on this site (use the search box) and I included it in my book “Boiling the Frog” – available on Amazon.com or order a signed copy direct from me for $10 (see right hand column), The point of the article was that these “Club Cards” and other methods of tracking our purchases are being advertised as ways to “Serve Us Better” but are really only vehicles to monitor our lives for the sellers purposes and potentially for the government to control what we can buy, sell or consume. All, of course, “for our own good” because they, the government, know best how to manage our lives. “Scared yet?”

Now I see on television that Insurance Company’s are “offering” an “App” to monitor your driving habits in order to offer discounts on your car insurance if you drive the way they have decided you should. This, and similar “Apps” can also track your movements, i.e., where you go, What you do, how long you stay and other morsels of personal data to be harvested by Google, Facebook and other entities.

Goodbye, private get-a-way weekend with your loved one. Your Cell Phone companion is a “tattle-tale” to all those companies and Government Agencies who want to monitor your life. “Scared yet?”

Facebook is offering a handy “Portal” to install in your home so that you can always be “on camera” for whoever has access to your “Portal” “on the other end”. Family, Friends, Facebook, IRS etc. Can you spell “hacked”? I am thinking of ordering one of these “Portal’s”, putting it in our house, then hanging a picture of a horses butt in front of the lens just for fun.

Google (and others) have “Algorithms” – no this is not a “hot” Latin Dance – that can monitor and predict your nearly every move, voting habits, purchases, favorite foods, character flaws, weaknesses etc. etc. Now, are you scared?

Our day to day world is filled with cameras, everywhere you go and no matter what you are doing. More and more of these cameras have “Facial Recognition” software. Not to mention listening devices and “other ways” to track our every activity.

We live in a fish bowl.

Hmmmmm! On the other hand, maybe this could present us with an opportunity to have a little fun? Want to trade “Apps”, identity and habits for a while?

Since the “Apps” and tracking often seem to depend on our Cell Phones, perhaps we could do something creative with said phones. Like using “disposable” phones purchased at Walmart while in disguise, using them for a short time and then slipping them into the pocket of non-English speaking tourists at the airport or duct tape them inconspicuously to a local commuter bus. That could keep the Fed’s busy for a while. Lots of possibilities!

Bob Bandy – September 2019

 

Recently while watching a documentary on prisons and prisoners, I saw a prisoner with “MOMMA TRIED” tattooed across his chest.

It got me to thinking. And, no I am not talking about the unfortunate homeless living on the streets.

I am talking about the City Administrators of these cities, like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and, yes, sadly Sacramento and too many others.

Yesterday, I heard on the news that San Francisco was going to provide elevator operators in buildings because the “homeless” have been using elevators as public toilets.

I am ashamed to admit that in a moment of anger I would like to take these so-called “Administrators” and “Guardians” of their citizenry, and have “MOMMA TRIED” tattooed across their foreheads.

Their first duty is to provide the citizens of their city with safety in a clean, healthy environment – not hold meetings and talk about grandiose plans which will cost a gazillion more taxpayer dollars and in the end not produce the desired result. I have heard on the news that the State of Washington has spent a Billion (with a “B”) Dollars on homeless plans and the situation on the streets of Seattle are, if anything, worse.

Here is a two step plan to clean the streets:

First, provide Charter Buses to relocate these poor, miserable people living in filth and degradation to new, clean and prosperous locales. May I suggest places like Marin County (home of Nancy Pelosi), Malibu, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Hollywood and other places filled with those smart, politically connected folks who believe they have all the answers for all problems. Be sure they arrive with a nice box lunch, map of the area of their new “home” and a crisp new $100 bill.

Second, using scrapers, loaders and dump trucks, remove the debris and trash from the streets. Then Fire Hose the remaining human waste and filth into a containment location (similar to the ones required on construction sites) and have it “sucked” up and disposed of in a sanitation facility. Preferably one in Marin County etc..

After completing these steps put up signs (in multiple languages) that henceforth the streets will be water-blasted on a regular basis for public health and safety reasons on an unannounced basis as needed. Then do it.

Problem solved at far less cost than all those “solutions” provided by those “Administrator” meetings.

Sorry about the “MOMMA TRIED” tattoo crack. Most of those Administrators foreheads are probably too narrow for it anyway.

Bob Bandy – August 2019

I have often received requests to create a book from many of the articles presented here on this site over a number of years.

The above photo is of my just published book in an effort to do this.

Paperback – Format is 8 1/2 x 11 inches – Large Print

My desire was to create a book that can be left out for eye catching access and is an easy read in most any lighting. I also wanted something that can be picked up, thumbed through and offers a quick read on a variety of articles for casual reading and sharing. Books like this are sometimes referred to as “Coffee Table Books”.

I also had a goal of keeping the cost down to make it affordable for gift sharing. At $9.95 offered on Amazon/Amazon Prime, It is an attractive large size that should be well suited for this purpose.

After you read it, I believe you will want to share it with others.

It includes 63 Articles/Essays/Blogs from 2009-2019 in four categories:

Your Government at Work

Something to Think About

Mostly Just For Fun

Clowns, Criminals and Lunatics

Many of the chosen articles could have been listed in more than one category.

It finishes with a personal story.

Published just last week I have had limited feedback but it has all been positive and enthusiastic.

Please forgive this seeming “commercial” but it is my effort to share this with as many readers as possible. I think you will be pleased.

PLEASE NOTE FUTURE POSTINGS AND NEW ARTICLES WILL CONTINUE ON THIS SITE!

Thanks for your consideration.

Bob Bandy

I am often asked where I get ideas for the articles I write. If there is a problem, it is that too many ideas come my way. The media and daily news are an “Opportunity Rich Environment” for writers like myself.

Especially now, with next year being a Presidential Election Year, we have every “wannabe” trying to outdo every other “wannabe” by going farther and farther into the fringes to try to gain attention.

Just a few examples:

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At last weekends Democratic Socialists of America Convention attendees were instructed to wave “Jazz Hands” because the sound of clapping could be offensive to some. Likewise, attendees were instructed to address others only in “Gender Neutral” terms. They were also told to not use “Aggressive Scents” and not to talk to “Outsiders” or “Cops”. There was more.

Reminds me of the College Students in the news a year or so ago. The ones needing “safe” places on campus because they were “fragile”. I think many referred to them as “snowflakes”.

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In the last Democratic Presidential Debate, Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang stated that it is already too late to reverse Global Climate Change and we should be moving the population to “Higher Ground”. This in addition to his plan to provide a universal income of $1000 per month for everyone. He says his plan will be paid for by a new “Value Added Tax” which will return the money to Government.

Want some cheap beach front property anyone?

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Following the mass shootings at El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio our Nations Flags were ordered flown at half mast in the Nations Capitol. In an interview following the announcement, a former “FBI Assistant Director”, Frank Figliuzzi told “Tabloid News Media” MSNBC Anchor Brian Williams, “The numbers 88 are very significant in the Neo-Nazi and the White Supremacy movement. Why? Because the letter ‘H’ is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and to them the numbers 88 together stand for ‘Heil Hitler.’ So we’re going to be raising the flag back up at dusk on 8/8,” (August 8th – the 8th day of the 8th month).

National Enquirer, eat your heart out.

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If I tried, I could not create better material, you just can’t make stuff like this up. The inmates are taking charge of the asylum.

Bob Bandy – August 2019