December 16, 2011 [Friday]

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PETA Drop for New Year’s Eve

by Anthony

So I am reading online that PETA wants the good folks at Clay’s Corner in Brasstown, NC to quit their annual Possum Drop.  I spent enough time in the Western part of the state to know that they are probably going to be too polite to say what needs to be said here so as native North Carolinian and general advocate for people doing silly even non-nonsensical things let me say as politely as I can….

HEY PETA – MIND YOUR OWN F’N BUSINESS!!!

and as the folks in Brasstown have likely already said “bless your heart!” I know most of you probably haven’t seen a live possum but the image to the right is fairly typical of the reaction you’d get if you got close to one. It’s a lovely little creature that would probably kick your tail if he got a chance. And – it sounds like (using Wikipedia as an independent source) the “hillbillies” are even nice to the little guy.

The (original) Possum Drop in Brasstown, North Carolina is an annual “hillbilly” event at Clay’s Corner convenience store organized by proprietors Clay and Judy Logan. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, instead of dropping an object, a plexiglass pyramid containing a living opossum is lowered from the roof of the store. The animal is lowered carefully to prevent the occurrence of injury or trauma. [SOURCE]

So thanks PETA. We appreciate you trying to stomp in and take away something else of cultural significance. My suggestion? Let’s lower a PETA supporter from the roof.

If you get a chance visit the jokes page at Clay’s Corner – classic.

December 2, 2011 [Friday]

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Did I just post audio from Adam Carolla? NSFW

by Anthony

So I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of Adam Carolla. In fact I often thought of him as annoying. Now I find myself agreeing with him. On what you ask? His opinion on the folks at Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy movement. (Audio here.)

Warning: I put NSFW in the title and gave it the NSFW icon for a reason. Unless your boss is Popeye the Sailorman and obscene language is in the employee handbook you may want to re-think listening to this on your work computer. Then again if you work for Popeye and the health plan is good – let me know if you are hiring.

I think he over-generalizing in his rant but I do agree that a lot of the problem is envy. In anything we do someone wins and someone loses but it is usually temporary. The goal is to make it to another day to win or lose and to win as often as you can. Every loss has a lesson and hopefully if you learn from those lessons you will learn to win. It isn’t fun to lose but it beats the alternative which is not playing period.

So sit on the side of the street and hold your sign. The rest of us may not be winning but we definitely aren’t losers.

November 8, 2011 [Tuesday]

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Occupy Raleigh Denied

by Anthony

Always cool to see someone start a sentence with “I want my” and then accuse someone else of being greedy but this is the mentality of those camped out and making a mess in front of the Capital Building. As the occupation wears on we see no sign of them slowing down or introducing clarity in their demands. I am beginning to think they just like sitting outside and why not – the weather has been exceptional. No question this is the time to stage a protest outside.

All that being said congrats to the Law and Public Safety committee of the Raleigh City Council for doing the right thing and denying the request to camp out on city property. I think this would have opened the door (or ground in this case) to any number of groups that wanted to ramble with no particular purpose about anything and get a place to do it.

Don’t get me wrong – I am all for groups having the right to peacefully assemble just not in a manner that costs the rest of the taxpayers while you are claiming high political speech and effectively saying nothing. Well – nothing except corporate greed is bad when it gets in the way of personal greed like the sign to the right. Want to cry about losing money? We all do that’s why it is a global financial crisis. I’m sorry you put all your money in the stock market and not in mason jars buried in your backyard like my financial adviser instructed me to do. (Feel free to call Princess she has really protected the family fortune for mere milk bones a day.)

Again – where this started almost made sense and the goal I think was a coherent message about improving the lives of the people that were being hurt during the crisis. Now I think everyone that hasn’t bathed in a week has a list of demands. I’m proud of the city for saying enough and holding a line. Now we need to address the $61,000 you’ve cost us as of today. [SOURCE] I know you’ve heard it before but freedom isn’t free and those of us stuck paying the bill are a little tired of those of you not contributing costing us unnecessarily.

October 27, 2011 [Thursday]

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Occupy Raleigh and the Numbers Game

by Anthony

So I’ve been posting more to the Soapbox lately and honestly it is because my city is under siege by an occupying force of 12 or so people. I say that sarcastically but driving by them on a regular basis has made me wonder. There is a constant presence from the Raleigh Police Department at this “event.” Something that I decided to do a little looking around on the web about -

Call it a pricey camping trip funded by local taxpayers: The city of Raleigh spent more than $40,000 through Tuesday to police anti-Wall Street demonstrators bivouacked in downtown. [...]

In Raleigh, city government spent $26,300 for additional police protection during a kickoff rally the weekend of Oct. 15, according to estimates from the Raleigh Police Department. Since then, the additional tab for policing protesters lined up on the sidewalk near the Capitol grounds has been $1,500 per day. [SOURCE]

By my math (assuming that number is correct) that is enough to hire an entry-level police officer and have a little money left over for a department pizza party. I don’t think the Occupy Raleigh folks are seeing the big picture on this one – or if they do they should do what other events do downtown – pay for the overtime of the police officer needed to monitor/protect/babysit your event. It isn’t that I don’t think you have some relevant points (some of you – not this guy) but no one is going to take you seriously until this stops.

This group keeps talking about the 99% but fail to mention the 53% (those of us that pay taxes) – here is a website with the 53% speaking out. You know – those of us that are paying for your camping trip right now. Again – not that some of what you are asking for – especially at the highest levels isn’t right – just that asking the rest of us to finance you asking for it is a bit much.

Maybe you should organize your thoughts, refine your approach and do something that doesn’t punish the 53% of us that are paying taxes. Or participate in the great equalizer and encourage people to vote (only 40.9% do nationally and only 39.3% do in North Carolina [SOURCE]). Either way – not to sound old but how about getting off my lawn? At least until you can afford the bill.

UPDATE: According to Twitter and #occupyraleigh the group has been asked to leave by the Capitol Police (not RPD).  [DOA Release] [IndyWeek]

 

October 25, 2011 [Tuesday]

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Occupy Raleigh – New Pictures

by Anthony

A few photos from our man in the air. No – he hasn’t been drinking Red Bull. Does he have wings? Not ruling it out.