Bringing In 2018

2017 wasn't really that bad, was it?  New POTUS, new fighting words between the U.S. and North Korea, the State of Oklahoma's budget disasters, the resignation of elected officials, and of course, the indictments of elected officials in Oklahoma.  Okay, perhaps it was a little on the hairy side, but I think if we're smart (and I know that we're not), we'll see the lessons learned from 2017.

First, I think that the GOP has learned that electing a reality TV guy as POTUS wasn't necessarily the smartest thing we could have done.  Granted, the alternative was a frightening specter of death, but damn.  We really should have known better.

Second, in Oklahoma we have come to the start realization that there are folks who run for office because it would be the best job they've ever had and a little bit of power and prestige goes a long way to polluting the mind.  Hell, in some cases, it seems to have rotted a few souls along the way and many lives will never be the same.

Third, one would hope we have learned our lesson regarding sexual harassment.  Touchy-grabby-feely is not a good thing in the workplace and some folks are paying the price for their indiscretions.  Finally.  And then there's the whole Roy Moore thing...God help us.

Photo from Tulsa World

2018 does look to be an exciting year, for me, anyways.  I'm kicking off the Gorilla Bytes Podcast where I'll be ranting regularly about politics, pop culture, music, and maybe even the plight of the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In other words, it's pretty much going to be whatever I'm feeling at the time and frankly, it will be unbridled and aggressive.  I'll definitely be talking about the upcoming elections and which candidates I like and which I believe are douchebags.  It'll be fun.

This is the year, I hope, that I can get on the transplant waiting list for my liver.  That would be nice.

Mid-term elections also give us a chance to thin the herd and perhaps rid ourselves of bureaucrats and life-long elected dingleberries.  One can hope.

No matter what, 2018 will be what we make it.  Success and happiness isn't dependent upon a lack of turmoil, but rather can be found in the midst of our actions to handle that turmoil.   Let's make it a good year.

Ron "Gorilla" Black

Goobernatorial Gander

Yes, I know; it's been a while since I've written anything but I've not been feeling at the top of my game but here I am now.  What inspired me to open up the old blog-a-licious is the banter that has been tossed about by our candidates for Governor.  There are quite a few of them (12), but I will focus this column primarily on a handful of them that I think are noteworthy at this time.  

Let's roll up our sleeves and get nasty.

Dan Fisher:  Former legislator who has apparently been smitten with the idea of becoming Oklahoma's next, and first, abortion abolitionist Governor.  He probably learned how to cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees over unconstitutional legislation while serving in the legislature, which explains why that is pretty much his platform right now.  He has signs that say "audit everything" and that's kind of cute because there is a legitimate auditor in the race for Governor.  Fisher is a pastor and there are those who would argue that perhaps he has forgotten about the whole warnings to the Pharisees in Matthew 23 by running for office (again), but he is on a mission and like Jake and Elroy, he won't be stopped.  More than likely, he'll end up with around 5% - 8-% of the vote during the primary.  He's fun to watch though, that's for sure.  

Gary Jones:  If memory serves me, Gary was one of the first to announce his candidacy and on paper, he's probably the most qualified candidate to handle the difficult task of reining in the legislature and get the budget fixed.  Sadly, that is often not enough in the great state of Oklahoma to get you elected to a statewide or Congressional office.  Jones is our State Auditor and he has ruffled more than just a few feathers with some of his talk about streamlining the state government.  He himself has accomplished it within the office of the Auditor, but not many other agencies have done so willingly and without duress.  I've known Gary Jones for a number of years and he has always been an honest, upright man who doesn't shoot from the hip or shoot off his mouth for the sake of political blathering.  He is exceptionally qualified for the job, but it's going to be the toughest race he will ever face since Lt. Governor Todd Lamb is running.  

Todd Lamb:  There can be no doubt whatsoever that Todd Lamb is, by far, one of the most polished politicians in the state of Oklahoma.  His service as Lt. Governor has afforded him the opportunity to travel around the state in a largely ceremonial role, but everywhere he goes, Lamb leaves a very positive impression.  I meet him at an NRA banquet once and found him to be both genuine and knowledgable about state and local issues and he is a very dedicated family man (not to say that other candidates aren't).  He's intelligent and he surprised everyone when he cut across the grain and made comments that were in disagreement with Governor Fallin's budget positions.  Rumor has it that it angered much of the "Chamber crowd" and that there may be some question as to whether or not he can muster up a broad-based, centrist support system while pissing them off.  Todd will more than likely lead the race in fundraising and I predict, as of today, he is the candidate to beat.  

Mick Cornett:  To say that I was shocked to hear that Mick was running for Governor would be putting it mildly.  Mick boasts of the success he's had in the private sector with his business, but yet he likes being in the middle of the political fray.  Mick has run for Congress in the past and he looked a little like a deer caught in the headlights, but more than likely, he has a different consulting group handling his race and getting him polished on state issues.  His argument will be that he has brought the NBA to Oklahoma City and the success of the MAPS projects.  But, how will those things play in Honobia Creek?  Durant?  Tulsa?  Arnett?  Ada?  Rural Oklahoma is a significantly different animal than urban Oklahoma and his city charm may not play as well.  He is a long shot, but to count Mick Cornett out of the race at this point would be rather goofy.  He is a determined man who is dogged in achieving his goals.  We shall see.  [Note:  He doesn't have a website for his campaign, but there is his Facebook page.]

Just a few of my thoughts and there will be more to come very soon.

Peace!

Ron "Gorilla" Black

Blair, Caudill, Reynolds Go Down

The Tuesday runoff election was one of the most entertaining to watch in a very long time.  While the voter turnout stank to high heaven, the results were surprising to say the least.  It's sad to see so few people heading to the polls but given the political climate, we should expect as much.  Campaigns have become mud slinging propaganda-fests that are void of truth and reality and most often filled to overflowing in lies and deceit.  

The 20-year incumbent in the County Clerk's office was unseated by a business owner who is best known for his trumpet and not for his prowess in political affairs.  Not only was Caudill defeated, but David Hooten beat her with an almost 2-to-1 ratio.  Caudill's office has been plagued with problems for many years; hell, I remember pointing out problems with her office back when I was the afternoon drive host on WKY.  There were those who thought I was being too mean, but it turns out that I was spot on in my analysis.  Caudill will, of course, get to take her retirement and ride off into the sunset but she will be riding out of town on a hog rather than a steed.  Hooten will take over in January and he will have his hands full.  Not saying that the County Clerk post is the most difficult and complex in all of County government, but it is certainly one of serious responsibility and sitting on the Budget Board to allocate dollars to and fro can be a daunting task.  Will he rubber-stamp the desires of the senior members of the Board or will he trumpet reform and accountability (see what I did there)?

Former State Representative Mike Reynolds ran for Cleveland County Court Clerk and was defeated by almost 1,000 votes by Marilyn Williams.  Reynolds was known for his "smaller government" stances while in the House of Representatives.  There were plenty Republicans in Cleveland County who were shocked that Reynolds lost to Williams and they will probably analyze that race for many weeks to come.  Williams went after Reynolds on her Facebook page calling him a "career politician," which is terribly ironic because Reynolds advocated for smaller government; except where he decides to run apparently.  No doubt we'll see Reynolds again somewhere because he is very active in the GOP and rather enjoys politics.  

The biggest and most fascinating race was Senate District 41 in Edmond where Air Force pilot Adam Pugh faced the Goliath that is the former football player-turned-pastor, Paul Blair.  Blair racked up a ton of endorsements including those from members of the State House and the former "Dr. No" of Congress, Tom Coburn.  In the past, an endorsement from Coburn almost guaranteed a victory. Blair even received the endorsement of Congressman Steve Russell who was involved in the capture of Saddam Hussein!  Blair also picked up the endorsement of former Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane and current Oklahoma County Democrat District Attorney David Prater.  Neither endorsement carried enough weight to push Blair beyond the relative newcomer, Adam Pugh.  Somehow, Pugh became the David of this David and Goliath match up and came out on top. 

Another Week of Shenanigans

Some of the dialog you're about to read may be offensive to some and it may anger many of you and for that, I'm not sorry.  You see, Oklahoma is a fun state with fun people and an underground creativity that exists behind the scenes for fear of being labeled "liberal."  Oklahoma is home to the Cowboys and the Sooners and both are exquisite institutions of higher learning or something.  But this past week, it was as though meth was poured into the water system by the Trilateral Commission under the orders of the New World Order and pushed by the 9/11 Commission.   

In other words, what you're about to read about is true, but you'll wish that it was not.

1.  Edmond Public Schools Superintendent called Edmond schools one of the "poorest funded" in the state.  In an interview with the ever-lovely Abigail Ogle, Bret Towne kissed a final farewell to his mind and to his reputation for trying to play Edmond Public Schools as a poor and down-trodden district.  Anyone with three functioning brain cells in the state of Oklahoma knows that Edmond has great schools in great shape and that the taxpayers always support initiatives on the ballot to support their schools.  As a matter of fact, when was the last time ANY sales tax increase or continuation failed in Edmond?  

2.  Candidate Filings.  This week brought a bunch of new faces to the political arena and some where decidedly more refreshing than others.  We in Oklahoma had, of course, the usual suspects of career politicians but we also saw the faces of numerous teachers who are fed up with the way the legislature has proven their collectively low IQ by screwing up school funding.  We have also seen the exciting entrance for the County Clerk post that is inhabited by the now legendary DUI recipient, Carolyn Caudill.  Charlie Phillips entered the race and while a veteran of the Clerk's office, she is a small business owner with backbone.  Personally, hers will be the race to watch during this primary season.  She's funny, smart, approachable and will serve the people of Oklahoma County well.  

3.  No Gorilla In the Race.  No, I've decided not to run this cycle for House District 82, but there is a very good chance that I will be running in the next cycle.  I probably could've beaten the incumbent Representative like an old rug and done so with ease and with impunity, but this is going to be a busy and very life-changing year for me.  I won't go into any details right now, but I will soon enough.  For all of you who have extended a hand of support for my potential run, I thank you and for those who support my candidacy and have expressed their desire to help financially were I to run against Calvey, I can't tell you enough you're appreciated.  There'll be a race to be sure, but just not this one at this time.  I know I'll catch hell from some of my close friends for not running; particularly after I had already put together a campaign platform and strategy, but surely, one of you will understand.  Calvey needs to go away from the public eye and I have a feeling that when he runs for either Attorney General or Oklahoma County District Attorney, he'll get the pounding he deserves. 

4.  Increased Taxes.  Unlike some of my readers, I happen to like the Governor.  When I saw that the Governor was thinking about raising taxes on tobacco for the purpose of filling so-called holes in the budget, I admittedly found myself a little disappointed.  Increasing taxes is not what we need and we particularly don't need to raise taxes on the poorest among us either.  It's hard for some to realize the difficulty faced by those in poverty while living in gated communities.  Remember all of those employees who have been laid off because of the down turn in the oil and gas market?  Well, they are the ones who will be taxed more and frankly, it's a bad idea.  As I have said before, there are ways to raise revenue for the state without further burdening the taxpayers.  

5.  Morrissette for Corporation Commission?  I have no beef with lawyers, really.  A lot of people hate them until they need them and some of them are admittedly sketchy.  Others, however, are solid, hard-working, and dedicated to the profession of law...until something better comes along.  Morrissette is a nice enough guy and has a good relationship with Scott Mitchell (consultant/talk show host on KOKC), but he had decided that since he has been term limited in the House, it's time to "move on up" like George and Weezie and run for statewide office.  From my knowledge, he has no oil and gas experience but the trial lawyer clan wants to defeat Dana Murphy because of the stand on the earthquake lawsuits.  They will probably throw a ton of cash his way, but it won't do any good.  Dana Murphy is one of the best Corporation Commissioners we've ever had and I was privileged to help her get that post. 

Well, there you have it, friends.  Yet another week of goofiness and as election day gets closer, it's going to only get more zany.

Until next time...those are my opinions and are for educational and humorous purposes only.  So now you can't sue me.


Gorilla

Solutions to Wad Panties

State revenue is down which means that state agencies will be feeling a pinch.  It's what happens.  The liberals are blaming Republicans for tax breaks for the state's bread-and-butter industries; oil and gas.  The Republicans are blaming "100 years of mismanagement" rather than taking responsibility for the fact that the mess we're in is an equal opportunity destroyer and that politicians of every breed are to blame.  Republicans and Democrats alike are culpable for the place we're in right now because for both parties, the only solution is to raise taxes.  

Liberals want to raise taxes on the rich.

Conservatives want to raise taxes on the poor.

The bovine fecal matter stacks up so high in the Oklahoma legislature that you need wings to rise above it and largely, it's the career politicians who are left holding the bag.  Their greed and desire for power has overruled any common sense they may have possessed at a time in the past and it will never return.

With all of that taken into consideration, I have some budgetary solutions that will work to more effectively use state tax dollars and to rein in the madness under the methane gas-filled dome.  These solutions are going to piss off some people and those are the people we should vote out of office with impunity.  They are the problem, not the solution.

1.  Reduce Legislative Pay:  Pay for all state legislators and their assistants, envoys, project managers and the like should all be cut in half.  If you don't think they are overpaid, consider these little positions for the State Senate alone:

Randy Dowell        Chief of Staff      $128,947   Been there since 1997

Jonathon Nichols    Legal Council     $120,138  Been there since 2000

Caroline Dennis      Dir. of Ops        $120,128  Been there since 1982

Trait Thompson       Capital Proj. Mgr.  $86,957.

Those are JUST a few.  You see very familiar names when you go through the list of Senate payroll recipients like; Trait Thompson, Jonathan Nichols, Sharon Veazey, Claire Mcatee, or Nancy Pellow.  You got to see this madness.  I mean it.   The State Senate and staff should take a 50% pay cut and the position should remain at that specific salary.  Period.  It's amazing how much money is being slung around to and for our elected legislators.  

Here are more for you to review.  Bring a barf bag.

Attorney General

Corporation Commission (Note the total salary number.)

Boll Weevil Eradication Organization  (Yes, it really exists.) 

Department of Corrections (Your butt will pucker.)

Department of Tourism (The salaries are completely out of control here.)

State Treasurer

Department of  Veterans Affairs

2.  County Official Pay Reduction:  Like the legislators and their staff, County elected officials should receive pay that is commensurate to the average median income of their respective counties.  Makes sense, doesn't it?  Their pay should NOT be based on how much money is in the county, but rather the average income of the citizens therein.  This alone will save millions of dollars a year and when you take into consideration the number of staff members they have, when the same formula is applied, the savings to the taxpayers within that county will be astronomical.

3.  Statewide Elected Officials:  This is really a no-brainer.  Take the average median income of the state of Oklahoma and that will be their base pay.  They would be entitled to travel pay when on state business throughout the state, but beyond that, their pay should be capped as should their staff members'.

You can see how these three suggestions/solutions would create a huge problem from some elected officials so I implore you to ask your elected officials whether or not they would support a proposal such as what I have here.  If they say no, they are NOT citizen/legislators but rather are bottom-feeding blood-suckers.

Spread the word.  People need to know.

"Gorilla"

 

Make It Stop. Please.

Most everyone loves puppies.  They are cute and cuddly, and watching them grow borders on the miraculous; heck, we tolerate with great patience their "accidents" on the floor when they are little.  But there does come a time when they reach an age when they just know better.  If they have an accident as an adult dog, it is often a sign that something is terribly wrong.

The three amigos who want to be the Republican nominees for President have been pooping all over the process and We The People should recognize that something is terribly wrong.  There should have been a few indicators early on that caught our attention, but apparently we were too busy watching Netflix (at least I was) to notice.  Let's take a look at some of the warning signs that we should have noticed, and now should notice.

If a Presidential candidate has a reputation of being despised by his own party in the Senate, there's a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate repeats himself like broken robot, there's a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate sends out false information about an opponent "suspending his campaign," there is a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate makes reference to his John Thomas during a debate, there is a very good chance that something is terribly wrong.

These candidates are pooping all over the place and we should know better.  Hell, they should know better but the way the process works is that you spew back to the electorate whatever tripe came out in polling.  In other words, they tell their gang what they want to hear and they don't care if the American people have to scoop the poop. 

When did We The People kiss farewell to our minds?  How in the hell did these three comedians become the Republican front runners?  I mean, really.  Is this the best we could do?  Why are so many people ga-ga over a a guy whose campaign has been anecdotal and at best, one-liners?  Trump is so NOT a legitimate candidate but here he is stirring up shite in the GOP because perhaps he really wants Hillary to win the election?  Maybe?

Trump in the race reminds me of Gary Richardson getting in the gubernatorial race because he didn't like Steve Largent which, by default, handed Brad Henry the governor's race.  

Stop for a moment and think about which of the candidates you would prefer to sit in a meeting with Vladimir Putin.  Surely, not Trump.  Ted Cruz would just want to argue with him.  Marco Rubio would be sitting in a puddle of his own pee!  Maybe it's just me but I long for the days when we had candidates on both sides of the aisle who could debate and carry on a conversation without hair-pulling and rock-throwing.  

We are so screwed.

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be completely off-base and totally wrong; but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla

 

We Can Fix It

No one wakes up in the morning hoping to read a story about how four teens from Norman North High School sexually assaulted two boys on a bus returning from a wrestling match.  It's shocking and deplorable and what's worse yet is the wrestling coach who was supposedly on the bus as well did nothing to stop the assault.  It forces us to ask just what in the heck has happened to us as a country or even as a community.  Where have we gone wrong?  

We are raising a generation of children wherein many have no code of honor, who have no sense of respect for human dignity, and are addicted to immediate gratification and we, as adults, we as the Church, have allowed it to happen right under our noses.  Look, there is no doubt that your humble Gorilla is the chief of all sinners and is the embodiment of Romans 3; I'm simply pointing out the fact that we are all responsible.

What really puzzles me is how the Church continues to grow numerically, but seems to be increasingly impotent to create change for the better in our neighborhoods.  It doesn't really make sense, does it?  Church youth groups are filled to overflowing in many megachurches but what is the aggregate result?  In Michael Scott Horton's book, "Putting Amazing Back Into Grace," he quotes philosopher Paul C. Payne who said:

"Today, the world doesn't take the Church seriously because today, the Church isn't serious."

Sadly, he's right.  The Church wants to project an image wherein their pastorate and staff look as though they are Abercrombie models wearing only the latest in fashion and following cultural trends.  It somehow makes them "more relevant" to the world when the world is waiting for the Church to start taking their mandates seriously.  When a church staff's average age is 35 years old and whose life experiences are limited to summer church camp and memorizing feel-good passages of Scripture, it's something that we need to fix and we can fix it.  We just have to have the testicular fortitude to speak the truth to these American Eagle Outfitters fashionistas who know more about Coldplay than they do orthodox theology.  

But I digress...

The Oklahoma legislature has their God Squad who have decided that this should be a proving ground for their brand of dominion theology and have usurped the role of the Church as a whole.  While claiming to be representative of the Church, they have decided that the new church will be Government itself.  These self-same legislators gnash their teeth and rend their clothing because the so-called liberals are using government to push their agenda, but isn't that what they themselves are doing?

The hypocrisy stacks up so fast around here that you need wings to rise above it.  We can fix this problem as well very easily.  We simply stop voting for these Pharisaical boobs and send them to their churches where they belong.  Maybe they can learn the honor and responsibility of the former office they held from that vantage point; but I predict it to be highly unlikely.

Speaking of honor and duty, today is the anniversary of the murder of United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield.  These are men who stood for something larger, something more important than themselves.  Each and every day while deployed, lives were put on the line to make the ultimate sacrifice if necessary so we can grow out churches, so we can spoil our children, so we can raise a generation of self-centered, petulant brats who not only don't know who Chris Kyle was nor do they know what a Navy SEAL does every day of their deployment.  

We can fix that problem too.  We have to be vocal, we have to be informative, we need to poke fun at ourselves and not take ourselves too seriously, but take our message very seriously.  There is honor in serving.  There is honor required in being a part of a team.  There is honor and dignity required of the parents of athletes and academics alike and it is the parent's responsibility to send those kids out the door every day with a taste of the bigger picture.  We can fix it all; we just have to want to do something about it.

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

"Gorilla"

 

 

13 Hours Stuff

I had the privilege of seeing the movie, "13 Hours" over the past weekend and it was probably one of the most challenging movies I've seen in a long time.  Some of the scenes are graphic and there are times when I wonder whether or not the graphic nature of a film is necessary; this movie was based real life and in real life, people were killed and in a gruesome manner and more people need to see just how brutal some people can be.  Overall, I thought the movie was exceptional, and the garbage flying out of people's mouths who haven't seen the movie who are saying that it is a political propaganda piece are, well, full of it.  It's not like that at all.

Even the depiction of the Ambassador being dragged through the streets was missing from the screen; there was dialog, but no visuals.  There was no reference to the Secretary of State, so the Hillary supporters are full of crap.  There was no dialog about the Administration.  What it does, however, is point out some serious problems with rules of engagement and the communications infrastructure within the CIA.  Which should tell us something because it has been an issue for many years now.

John Krasinski ("Jim" from the television show The Office) puts in a top notch performance that is serious, compelling, and where appropriate, a great sense of humor. His character "Jack" is a troubled fellow; constantly evaluating the value of his presence there as a contractor.  Jack misses his family and feels a twinge of guilt for leaving them once again for a potentially dangerous situation to generate revenue for his family.  

"Roy" from The Office (David Denman) is in the movie as well, however, he plays a quiet and focused sniper and he does it splendidly.  David Costabile (was in Breaking Bad) plays the role of "The Chief" and from the very beginning of the movie, you learn to despise the character and by the end of the

movie, it becomes very clear that his unwillingness to act early when his security forces suggested ended up costing lives.  The character shows a bit of remorse at the end of the movie, but when his face pops on screen, your blood begins to boil.  

This movie is based on a true story that really happened.  People really did lose their lives at the hands of brutal beasts who have no sense of humanity at all and they were more then willing to urinate on the rules of engagement.  You do get to see how our men were able to drop significant numbers of the enemy and that is important to the film.  The men who lost their lives in defense of something deserve our honor and our admiration for their sacrifice. 

Forget what both sides of the aisle are saying about the movie and go watch it for yourself.  Make your own decisions about the movie and put aside the rhetoric about the political nature of the movie because it just doesn't exist.  There are critics who are saying the movie isn't a blockbuster and neither should it be; just remember who those critics are, generally speaking.  They are men and women who review movies and have never gotten off their asses to stand a post. 

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla

Silly Putty Brain

Something snapped in my pea brain after I turned 51.  Everything had a renewed sense of urgency because I was once again coming face to face with the reality of my mortality.  I'll be honest with you; it sucked and still sucks.  Perhaps you have found yourself in a similar situation.  Maybe you had a couple near-death experiences that left you with the same type of Silly Putty Brain (SPB) as I have.  The brain ceases to function normally and everything is urgent, every circumstance requires immediate attention and then seconds later, you're all, "Ooh, look at that shiny thing."  

I know I'm not alone because there are plenty of traces left behind from fellow SPB sufferers on social media like Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter.  There are the left SPBs and the right SPBs.  There is still a large contingent of American voters who still seem to think that President Obama is running again in 2016.  He's not.  Let me open your eyes for a moment:

Polling data shows that there is a strong dislike of President Obama among conservative and Republican voters.  The GOP candidates want to garner that vote so what do they do?  They target the POTUS with ridiculous accusations and attacks.  The sad thing is that their campaign consultants know for a fact that it's going to work and thus the little sheep are led astray while ignoring the truth of what each of the candidates represent themselves.  It's as though whichever GOP candidate gets the biggest "gotcha" moment gets the most votes - AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

I've been criticized in the past for my criticism of criticism of the POTUS just for the sake of criticism.  (Wrap your head around that one.)  I don't really give a hoot because he is still the POTUS and is deserving of the respect that office commands.  If it bothers you and gets your rebel flag panties in a bunch, take two aspirin for headaches, Midol for any cramps.  You've been duped and frankly, you probably shouldn't be allowed to vote anyway.  

On the other side of the spectrum, it's almost as though the Democrats are constantly on the search for the least popular issue to be their cause célèbre'.  Yes, there are certainly Syrian refugees who deserve to be here and the GOP has gotten it all wrong.  No doubt that innocent children and families are in need of sanctuary.  But  look, there are a lot of folks who call themselves "refugees" who are just ass hat terrorists taking advantage of our kindness.  We have to find a method to process these refugees and determine whether or not they are the good guys or the bad guys, and I acknowledge that it won't be easy.  But the rhetoric makes the Democrats look like a bunch of do-gooder whiny bitches.  

At least that's how my SPB sees things right now.  At a time when we need to be working together to ensure our nation's safety, we're too busy either trying to prove who is the most "Christian," or pretending like a term-limited President is the AntiChrist.  Poppycock.  Just stop it and think rationally and reasonable for just a couple hours.  This is and always has been a great nation but we're turning into a bunch of petulant children.

Of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

"Gorilla"

Kick That Dog!

"He was a quiet man, friendly of course, but not one who had mastered the art of conversation.  To look at him, one would think that he was just another middle-aged white guy with questionable fashion sense.  His mannerisms and body language was always downtrodden.  He avoided eye contact, he spoke in low, soft tones that were both soothing and unsettling.  He lived alone, though his attempts at marriage resulted in complete failure, and he had gotten comfortable with his routine.  He really only had one source of irritation and it was from a coworker.

There are bullies in the workplace and he hated them.  He had spent his childhood at the hands of these brute beasts - coming home from school with his clothes ripped or stolen, his face scratched or bruised, and sometimes missing homework.  When he would return home, he had to face his father who would in turn beat him severely for being picked on.  All of these events would lead to one tragic day.

The workers were on a break where they often went to enjoy some sunshine, the rooftop of the 5-story brick building in the industrial district of the city.  The bully was there and he was again in his top form.  Laughing, poking, and being commanding, controlling.  He was standing close to the edge of the barrier on the rooftop when the bully said something about bedding his mother.  He grabbed the bully and held him in his arms in a bear hug and walked backwards.

When the two of them hit the ground, the sound of bones crushing and breaking echoed off of the other buildings.  Their demise had drawn the attention of neighboring workers who came out to see what had happened.   He had reached a boiling point, the emotional point of no return where self-harm and destruction were merely a means to an end.

It's how many of us live our lives today."  ~ 'Killing Me Softly,' Ron "Gorilla" Black

My mother used to tell me in her marvelously country accent, "Butch, if you kick a dog often enough, eventually that dog is gonna bite ya."  It's a lesson that I've had to learn the hard way throughout my days on this big blue ball.  It's a reality of the human pathos that is virtually unavoidable, regardless of how faith-filled a person may be or even how gentle and sweet an individual may appear.  There comes a saturation point with each of us that pushes us over the edge and we're willing to go down with the ship just to ensure that the kicking stops.

Most recently, this saying was put into practice when the Oklahoma GOP decided to elect a ultra-conservative to chair the party.  People within the party had heard for many years how the grassroots efforts, the development of candidates, and affiliation with the various Chambers of Commerce were going swimmingly - and they were.  The problem is that the core of the GOP is not a fan of the Chamber's agenda at some points.  Apparently, these points are so sharp that it's worth breaking fellowship.

That is what happened when former State Senator Randy Brogdon was elected as chair.  In many ways, the "group think" was most likely punishment for the many years of centrist ideologies and the disdain of the party apparatus who treated the conservatives in the party as dirt on their $695 Salvatore Ferragamo dress shoes.  The Chamber crowd got bit and now, the party has suffered as a result.  There's no need to go over the multitude of mishaps with Brogdon at the helm, but in a way, the party sacrificed itself to get a point across.

How this all pans out is anyone's guess.  

This is just an opinion and I could be wrong.  But I'm not.

Ron "Gorilla" Black

And the TRUMPet Sounded

I had an interesting conversation with my son today.  It was really nice to catch up, discuss some of the happenings in our lives and even a little politics.  He asked me what I thought of Donald Trump as a ladder climbing POTUS candidate for the GOP.  My initial thought was that Trump was little more than a blowhard voice screeching in the wind and will get creamed by the Bush money.  But watching some of the news stories and the comics about Trump have made me think a little more seriously at the whole mess.

First, let's consider some irrefutable facts:

• GOP is scandal-ridden.  Just look at Oklahoma and the party pissing contests that have gone on of late.  Former State Senator, former Gubernatorial candidate, former U.S. Senate candidate and present chairman of the state GOP, Randy Brogdon was elected and it wasn't a week before he was stirring the feces and now, the party reeks from the stench of it.  
• The GOP doesn't like its choices.  They wanted a hardcore, line in the sand cat for leadership, and now they are whining about his leadership?  A leopard cannot change his spots and Brogdon is a special breed of leopard who couldn't give a rats ass what anyone thinks of him.  That's what he was elected for, remember?
• Donald Trump is a very wealthy man, and though he has filed bankruptcy more than once, he always lands on his feet.  It's hypocritical for anyone to chastise him for that (particularly in the GOP) because when you think about it, under the GOP leadership, we have spent trillions of dollars on a never-ending war on whatever the hell is over on the other side of the pond.
• Trump is saying out loud what the GOP used to have as a bloody platform.  The GOP used to be the party of legal immigration and hatred of illegal immigration.  Suddenly, the GOP wants to court the ILLEGAL immigrant vote?  Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican. 
• If the GOP puts up another Bush against Hillary Clinton, he will get his ass kicked like a Klansman at a Black Panther rally.  And justifiably so.  With the GOP abandoning its roots of reasoned approaches to issues of immigration (an 80 percentile issue, by the way) and surrendering to big oil and gas producers whose subcontractors hire illegals.  But that's another topic altogether.  

The Trump whom we all wish would run for POTUS.

But Donald Trump is a target.  Stupid, stupid move on the part of the GOP.  It's so ridiculous for the GOP to cut off its nose to spite its face in this manner.  But let me tell you some insider information:  The hits most likely are not coming from the candidates themselves, but rather their slime-slinging consultants who become intoxicated with the nectar of their own vitriol.  It's mess at that level and if you think otherwise, you're a damned fool.  The GOP will eat their wounded faster than any other critter on the planet.  Greed, avarice, and the hunger for power is transcendent at the POTUS level.  Sad, but true.

To truly answer my son's inquiry, my summation is that Trump is good for the GOP.  He is separating the Shiite Republicans from the Neo-Cons and taking advantage of the bump in the poll numbers even though he's under enemy fire.  If he can keep himself in a positive light in the media, maintain a cool head, and get an image consultant, he very well could be the one to take on Hillary.  But then again, none of the choices right now are very appealing.  

They all look like monkeys trying to make love to a football.

This is my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla