Cretins in the Mist

Nobody likes vandals.  Nobody likes to see the damage that vandals do on a regular basis.  But when it comes to political vandalism, it is an indicator that there truly is trouble in River City.  

I've written about Charlie Phillips previously in her bid to rehabilitate the staggering Oklahoma County Clerk's office and a few things have changed since our last correspondence.  Charlie has been doing all of the right things that politicians should do; parades, presenting her position, knocking doors, putting up signage, and meeting with future constituents.  Apparently, she has done a great job because politically-blind cretins have attacked her numerous signs and your lowly Gorilla has a few ideas as to why this is happening.

First, I am convinced that whomever recently sawed Charlie Phillips' billboard in quarters is a person who probably needs to have face time with a mental health professional.  For the reasons below, the type of individual or individuals who have defaced and destroyed her signs are a danger to our city and our county and should be dealt with according.

Charlie Phillips

Second, we often try to destroy what we fear.  Whomever defaced and destroyed her signs are afraid that now Charlie is the front runner and they need to reduce her name recognition by any means necessary; even if it means destroying private property.

Third, Charlie's opponents or opponents' supporters have committed a crime, but because it is a political set of signs, law enforcement might be reticent to get involved.  If they did and found out who was responsible, the news would probably rock the county at its core.

Fourth, political insiders often find it funny to destroy their opponents' signage.  That's right, there are those who are greatly amused by taking or destroying political signs.  It's sad, but during the election cycle, the cretins are easily awakened and they always find something with which to amuse themselves.

It's true that I've done work for Charlie and that I unashamedly support her for County Clerk.  If you recall my days on WKY, I was always critical of the incumbent and while there was another host who supported her because of his "regular employment," I never budged for even a second.  I haven't changed my mind and for those of you who know how greatly I despise the little oligarchy of elected officials in county government, it shouldn't be a surprise to you that I support Charlie Phillips for County Clerk.

Oh, and some of the signs that were vandalized yesterday were vandalized again today.  Bless their little pea-picking hearts.

Some of you reading this may consider defacing or destroying political signage to be no big deal or merely something to be expected in politics.  That's how bad things have gotten in politics when we expect bad stuff to happen.   However, I also say that you're part of the problem with the political process.  If you think it's funny, cute, sly, or even "the right thing to do" to vandalize the property of others, do us all a favor and don't breed.  

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I'm not.

Gorilla

What Did You Expect?

To lighten the mood a bit, I've decided to take tidbits from the news and from social media and ask one of the most profound questions in all of history:  What did you expect?  These are morsels of truth that no one really likes to swallow but are as necessary for survival as oxygen; and we need to laugh at and with ourselves once in a while.  

Journalist Who Profiled Melania Trump Files Police Report After Getting Threats:  What did this journalist expect?  She pulls no punches in a story about the wife of a bombastic and incendiary POTUS candidate and she gets threats.  This should be under the "profound grasp of the obvious" file because there is no doubt she knew (Julia Ioffe) that it was inviting trouble.  You can't jump into a pit of vipers and then bitch about the fact that your dumb little butt got bit.  I'm not saying that threats are a good thing and neither am I justifying them.  I'm just saying that when you're in the media and you stir up some poop, you have to expect to get some poop on you yourself.  

Raising Taxes to Solve Revenue Problem:  Our legislature in Oklahoma as well as the Governor herself have considered that one way to solve the "problem" of an income crisis is to raise taxes on citizens, but to leave in place countless incentives for the richest among us.  For example, the Thunder organization is not required to pay payroll taxes on their massive payroll.  This benefits the multi-million dollar players and the millionaire owners, but doesn't do a damned thing for the average working Joe in Oklahoma.  Yes, I know that the Thunder has become a sacred cow in Oklahoma City, but the truth is what it is.  They receive a ridiculous incentive that they just don't need.  Yet, it is not just limited to the Thunder, but rather extends to the rich and famous in Oklahoma.  Instead, they are planning to raise taxes on cigarettes (again) because Medicaid needs the money and they want to toss some by way of the education infrastructure.  But what did we expect when we elected this particularly raw group of narcissists?  We knew that it was fame and fortune for them and for most of them in office, it's the best job they will ever have.  What did we expect, really?

American Ninja Warrior at the Capitol:  ANW is filming in Oklahoma and they are filming in the parking lot of the methane gas filled dome.  Seriously?  What did we expect?  It's the perfect location for horseplay such as that.

Axl Rose Singing for AC/DC:  The response has been tepid at best where the Guns-N-Roses front man heading up AC/DC is concerned and really, we shouldn't be surprised.  Live performances when Rose was in his prime were always a crap-shoot, and now that he is forced to sit on a throne because of a broken leg and screech out what we thought were AC/DC tunes, he sounds like a cat that needs to be put down with impunity.   

Hillary Targets Female Voters, Attacking Trump's Standing With Women:  Hillary has most meat-eating conservatives on the right chomping at the bit to see her in jail and most of the Hillary-haters are men so, it should not be a surprise at all when we see Hillary trying to cuddle up to the female voters in the attempt to make Trump look like a big meanie who hates girls.  Trump doesn't have the greatest family values record, to be sure, and admittedly, neither do I.  But there are a ton of Americans who have grown tired of the chest-thumping of the dominionists who want to run the country (and state) like a theocracy.  They want efficacy and a no-holds barred approach to problem solving; not a bunch of hand-wringing bed-wetters who are strong only on religious issues, but are sissies where issues of Constitutional import are concerned.  It was predicted that this would be the way she would steer her strategy.

These were just a few issues and problems that were just too funny not to mention and do so with a sense of humor.  We live in wickedly weird times, my friends and it's only going to get more strange.

Of course, these are just my not-so-humble opinions and I could be wrong.  But, no.  I'm not.

Gorilla

HLK Bombshell Review

Hard Luck Kings is a small manufacturer of custom guitars in California and have been known for their ability to make what they call "tour ready" guitars that are sturdy, inexpensive, and sound great.  When they put their "Bombshell" guitar on special, I had to have one and the price was absolutely right.  I thought that this would be the deal of a lifetime.

I was wrong.

Pictured right is their website and there is a lovely picture of the guitar I purchased.  The matte green and black just made for a badass looking guitar and after listening to some reviews and samplings on YouTube for that model, I was sold.  The "Tour Ready Gear" advertisement was a bonus because most guitars require a ridiculous amount of adjustment before they are ready to gig.

I couldn't tell you how excited I was when it arrived.  I opened the shipping box and made sure that everything was there and after the satisfactory inventory, I pulled it out of the box, plugged it in and tuned it.  The first thing I noticed was that it was a sonofabitch to keep in tune.  I attributed it at first to new strings but after a few hours of tuning, playing, tuning, playing, and tuning again, I could tell that something was wrong.  

The finish was as nice as they said it would be but there were blemishes on the head stock and on the body.  The plastic cover on the pick guard was trashed and it was obvious that this guitar had to be a return because it had clearly been played hard.  For the price, I thought that it was still going to work out okay regardless.

The next thing was the buzzing of the strings all over the fingerboard.  This meant that a truss rod adjustment was in order and after the adjustments, the buzzing was reduced a bit.  The next problem was the intonation itself and that became a serious issue.

At the 12th fret, the strings were almost a half step sharp with all of the strings so, again, my trusty tools were busted out and adjustments were made on the bridge itself and then, more of the truss rod adjustment.  After contacting customer service and then watching countless videos about the problem, I came as close as I possibly could to fixing the problem, but it will always be an issue to some degree because of how the guitar is made/put together.

The last problem I had was when I noticed that the nut was uneven in string position.  The low E and A strings were higher than the others.  I replaced the strings with lighter gauge strings (which I did not want to do), it was still a problem but when I was tuning, the notch for the low E just busted clean off of the nut.  

Of course, weeks had passed and therefore I had gone beyond the "return policy" so it looks like I am going to have to have another nut set on the neck and ignore the rest of the problems or just never ever play live with it ever.  

The neck feels and felt great, but the pickups aren't "hot" as advertised and in addition, I was not prepared for the amount of noise they generate.  Some noise is to be expected with a single coil setup, but this sounded like a cheap tape recorder microphone was used for the pickups rather than something with even marginal quality.  In all fairness, the bridge pickup isn't bad; it just isn't great.

So, what is the Gorilla's recommendation with regard Hard Luck Kings?

Always remember that you get what you pay for and rarely will you find discounted music gear being a good value.  This was the case with my Hard Luck Kings Bombshell.  If you want to try your luck with Hard Luck Kings, I recommend you do so with a note on your calendar for the return policy and stay within those parameters.  I've seen people who are amazingly satisfied with their HLK gear, but I wasn't one of them.  "Tour Ready" doesn't necessarily mean "gig ready" in my opinion.  Perhaps what they mean is that you can use these guitars on tour as a distraction for would-be thieves to steal them rather than your real live gear.  

Many have had great experiences with HLK and I applaud them for that.  I'm sure that they purchased gear that was not on sale or were simply fortunate wherein I was not so fortunate. 

Conversely, I went out to Shawnee to Music Unlimited and picked up a Jackson on sale for the same price and guess what?  It is spot on.  They adjusted it before I left and it has been one hell of a work horse from day one.  The staff and ownership at Music Unlimited were all really helpful and they were happy to see folks from outside of Shawnee come down to visit.  They have a great selection of Fender, Jackson, PRS, and other brands that you expect to see at another, larger store.  It's a great place to make purchases.  Highly recommended.

Of course, these were all my personal experiences and opinions and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.


Gorilla

 

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"

 

Owning It

They went to a baseball game together on that warm, damp night.  It was to be yet another in a long string of "date nights" where the lovely couple could enjoy festivities as they did before they married.  The humidity hung in the air with the same heaviness as the anticipation they felt for the evening and as they found their seats, they took in the lights, the atmosphere, and the energy of the field.  

The couple was very attractive and it wasn't unusual for either of them to receive longing or flirtatious glances from the opposite sex.  They had made it a bit of a game; a game that would determine which of the two would be the designated driver for the next outing.  Unfortunately, the humidity coupled with the fact that neither of them had eaten earlier in the day made each adult beverage they consumed more intense and before long, the concept of a designated driver went by the way side.  

He drove them home and didn't react quickly enough to the deer leaping onto the highway in front of the vehicle and his reaction sent the vehicle into a ravine.  They survived the ordeal, however, neither would ever walk again and their hopes of children and a "normal" family life disappeared before their very eyes.  The guilt and anger over his mistake drove him to commit suicide a few months later and his loving wife was left all alone.

This story illustrates how one person's bad decision can become a decision with consequences that ripple throughout time and space as we know it.  The wife will be forever transformed physically as well as emotionally; forced to face her condition alone and without the love of her life.  He didn't "own" his mistake for one reason or another and the aggregate result was tragedy heaped upon tragedy.  No one made it out unscathed and as a matter of fact, it was infinitely worse than he imagined it could be.

Every day of our lives we make decisions that, while they may not be life or death, cause ripples in the cosmos and certainly impact those around us.  Speaking for myself, I've made so many mistakes that I've actually written a book about my mistakes and how not to commit them.  I own them all; they are all mine and no one else is responsible.  I've been at the bottom of the barrel and I've been at the top of the heap and none of it equals the joy of just "being" in the here and the now.

I'm not one to hide behind anything, nor have I ever been; I don't hide behind a religious facade though I am a Christian (a lousy one at that, see Romans 3), I didn't join the military service because it was something that would help me in a run for office but it was a childhood dream fulfilled, and I don't hide behind the facade of righteousness as so many involved in politics do with impunity today.  I can't.  I'm far too flawed.  Too many of us wear masks to hide who we are and present a visage of who we are not, but who we wish we could be or whom we desire TO be.

I'm an imperfect human being and I own that 100%.  

You will fail your spouse, you will fail your partner, you will fail your children, and you will even fail your pets, but failing is only the beginning of the human experience.  Once we fail, we can start over and change how we do things so as to have a positive outcome that benefits everyone.  If you're one of the cats running for office right now and you're doing it to stroke your  ego or to cover up your mistakes, you're lying to yourself and to everyone who even considers casting a vote for you.  Hit yourself in the head with a sledgehammer because you're of no use to the rest of us. 

Life is easier when we own who we are and what we've done in our past and what we're doing right now.  I know a few people who are scampering about right now waiting until filing day to see what kind of opposition they will face and they do so at their own peril.  We have to live in the here and now and own where we are and what we may or may not face in the future.  It's all dust in the wind anyway, isn't it?

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


Gorilla

Carolyn Caudill Makes DUI Laws Look Silly

In Oklahoma, if you get a DUI, you're pretty much screwed for a while.  You're going to pay a hefty fine, you're going to probably spend the night in jail, you're going to fight to keep your license (which is unlikely), and it will be on your criminal record for a very, very long time.

This is, of course, unless you are an elected County official who works in a building just across the alley from where the judge who handles your case will be hanging out.

According to a shocking story on NewsOk.com, Carolyn Caudill's attorney W. Shawn Jefferson (wonder what the "W" stands for and from his Facebook page, you can see something about the running of the bulls) filed a motion to have Caudill's records of her DUI arrest sealed, expunged, cast into the sea of forgetfulness just in time for her to run again for Oklahoma County Clerk.  This election would giver her a sixth term.  A sixth term.  That's right, a sixth term in  office.  Take a look at this little morsel from NewsOk.com and see if it doesn't

make your blood boil:

In a petition to the Oklahoma County District Court "for expungement and sealing of records," attorney W. Shawn Jefferson states she is eligible under state law to ask that the case records be removed from public view and sealed.

Jefferson wrote that the harm to Caudill's "privacy and/or the dangers of unwarranted adverse consequences … outweigh the public interest in retaining the records."

Jefferson is asking that the Oklahoma City Municipal Court and departments including the Oklahoma City police be directed to seal records related to the incident.

In the petition, he also requests an order "mandating that the subject official actions shall be deemed never to have occurred."

You need to check out her lawyer here and here. 

No, it isn't a clipping from a Lost Ogle satire, but it is real and what the attorney is asking.  Caudill could be in danger?  Danger?  The only danger would be her getting busted again and being beaten in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

Adverse consequences?  Wait...should would have to pay like every other citizen?  Heaven forbid.  The real adverse issue I am sure that she's worried about is having her rear-end handed to her in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

The people are once again being boondoggled, bamboozled, blinded, and fooled with the ultimate in trickery bred from the loins of long-term, career politicians.  Caudill should be ashamed of herself and just retire with some sense of dignity left.  If you haven't decided whom you will vote for in this GOP primary, I suggest you vote for a real Republican who understands (and can spell) transparency; Charlie Phillips.  

My support is behind Charlie Phillips and for good reasons; she is a small business owner, she has ten years of experience in the Clerk's office, and she has been nothing but candid with me.  It's refreshing to talk to someone running for office who isn't a narcissistic, egomaniac with the personality of a Barbie or Ken doll.  Charlie is the real deal for Oklahoma County Clerk.  

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

Gorilla

 

Chronically Skeptic

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the Presidential campaign this year.  Which candidates stand out in your mind and why?  Next, think about the whole "Education Savings Accounts."  There are a lot of people coming out in favor from the conservative right and the conservative right does nothing without a profit motive.  Who makes the money, who stands to win, who stands to lose, and why should we give a damn.  Now, think about the last time you watched the morning news and think about the stories.  How many "bad news" stories permeated the fabric of your being this morning?  

All of these and a whole lot more contributing factors have created a generation of skeptics who are tired of the profit motives of the right, the socialism of the left, and the lack of trustworthiness of electronic media.  Talk radio, for example, is the same as it has always been on a national, syndicated level.  It's all the same and they are all puking out the same tripe day after day.  Local talk radio in this market basically consists of consultants who are probably just using the airwaves to plug their clients. 

No one should have any question as to whether or not we deserve to be skeptic.  We have earned it and frankly, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

It's no wonder that there are so many people who have become chronically skeptical.  Promises are made by politicians who desire to garner our trust and our votes, but once elected, those promises fade away like cotton candy does in the mouth.  I used to keep track of campaign promises and how they were left unfulfilled by the Governor, members of the State House and Senate, as well as the United States Senate but I gave up after realizing that the campaign rhetoric will never match the actual performance of the same.  

Look around you, friends.  Wake up and smell the bullsh*t that has surrounded us for far too long.  It's there, it stinks, and it is staining our shoes.  

How do we rid ourselves of this mess?  First, we become skeptical of things around us that are of human origin.  Matters of politics, economics, campaigns, consultants, and property are all external and guided and ruled by man therefore, they are destined to fail at some point.  The whole natural gas and oil bust has been kind of an example of how unpredictable the world around us can be but conversely, matters of faith and conscience are found in the spiritual realm and there is where we cannot afford to be too skeptical.  

Sure, we are to "study to show ourselves approved," which means that there will always be a sense of skepticism, but feelings themselves are deceptive and we should be skeptical of emotional responses to eternal truths.

I hope that makes sense.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I am skeptical that I am.

Gorilla

Sometimes, It Must Be Done

If you're a parent, how far will you go to protect your children?  Would you purchase a firearm?  Would you invest in a security system for your home?  Would you enroll your children in self-defense classes?  How far would you go to ensure they are protected as much as humanly possible?

Now, think about the kids in your neighborhood.  Would you be willing to do as much for those kids?  Heaven would hope so.

I read a story about a group calling themselves the "Punisher Squad" in the state of Washington who had set up an Internet sting of their own and lured a potential child predator right into their hands.  They masqueraded as a 13 year-old girl and had a drawn out and intensely explicit dialog with one predator jackass and when he agreed to meet what he thought was a 13 year-old, he got something else altogether.

Stop right there for a moment.  What do you think happened to the potential child predator?  What would you do were you in that situation; would you turn him over to law enforcement or would you handle it yourself.  Here's an excerpt from the story:

A local vigilante group in Kelso, WA, calling themselves the “Punisher Squad,” forced a man, who they accuse of being a child predator, to call 911 on himself. The confrontation was caught on video via a cellphone.

The suspect, 36-year-old Adam Olson, now faces charges of attempted child rape and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes in Cowlitz County. 

Yes, they made the dude call 911 on himself and the predator is going to be facing some pretty rough prison time; as well he should.  They shot video of the whole apprehension of the criminal and the Prosecuting Attorney had this to say:

Prosecuting attorney for Cowlitz County, Ryan Jurvakainen, told KATU there’s no indication the video is false but said he’s still reviewing police reports. He is set to make a charging decision Tuesday and Olson is due to be arraigned in court on March 15.

Jurvakainen wouldn’t say anything more about the case.

Police elsewhere have encouraged people not to engage in similar vigilante activities, saying they can be dangerous and that the cases are often tough to prosecute.

The raw cellphone video, posted to YouTube by Hart, contains graphic language and has removed from YouTube because it violates “YouTube’s policy on harassment and bullying”.

The idiocy of YouTube deleting the video is about as asinine as one can get, but the point here is that the police have encouraged people NOT to engage in these "vigilante activities" because they can be "dangerous and tough to prosecute."  I don't know about you, but it is my opinion that we don't have enough convictions as it is even when "vigilante citizens" aren't involved.  One child molested or preyed upon via the Internet (or anywhere else) is one too many. 

Defense attorneys are paid to work hard to ensure that their clients receive the best legal representation possible and even when their client is guilty, they have to help them.  In my opinion, the lawyers are part of the problem with the prosecution and effectiveness for jail time as a deterrent.  While I would never, ever condone vigilante violence, I would certainly understand it in cases such as this.

Maybe Oklahoma needs a "Punisher Squad" or two.

Sometimes, it must be done.  It is highly doubtful that a jury would convict in the state of Oklahoma; and that may be a good thing.

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

"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

 

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio Walk Into A Bar...

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio walk into a bar...

Cruz orders a diet cola because he doesn't want to offend the church-going crowd by having an adult beverage.

Rubio calls his consultants and asks which brand of beer he should drink according to polling.

Trump orders a Long Island Iced Tea and says, "I need something strong to deal with you two."

The POTUS race on the GOP side has really gotten interesting, hasn't it?  The hatred and fear of Donald Trump has caused some on the right side of the aisle to lose their bloody minds and go full-on idiot.  The arguments used against Trump are ones that have been used in the past against other GOP candidates and there was gnashing of teeth and belly-whacking back then, but it's okay now, apparently.  To see the banter back and forth should be quite revelatory to most of us; it's an indication of just how dirty many of the campaign consultants can and will be to ensure their ponies fair well.

What is absolutely hilarious is the latest blathering to be put forth about "fighting against Trump."  Here is a quote from one elected official:

"I will fight for my country against Donald Trump till I have no fight left."

Wait.  What?

This is a man who has never stood a post, who chose to go down the path of politics as a career who is admitting he would fight for his country against a fellow American but his chicken sh*t ass wouldn't stand a post in the greatest military in the world?  Surely, he is kidding, right?  But no, this dude and others like him are talking a good game when it comes time to "nut up," they are Missing In Inaction; standing a post or being a part of the military would be so beneath them.   

We shouldn't be surprised that not a single one of the presidential candidates on either side of the aisle ever stood a post.  None of them.

Forgive my language, but the audacity of some elected officials to put forth an image that they are exceptionally patriotic during a campaign year when their candidate is getting their asses kicked is nothing short of phenomenal.  

And the really sad part to this madness is that there are supporters of this cat who are congratulating him for taking a stand.  The stupid.  It burns.

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio are exactly what the GOP asked for and we're getting a heaping serving of all three.  These candidates (Trump included) are no different than the candidates we've seen before; just like we keep regurgitating the same line of political hacks and electing them to public office, the POTUS candidates, with the exception of one, are all career politicians.  There are a few differences between the three GOP front runners, but if they are elected, you can rest comfortably knowing that these fellows are going to do what previous presidents have done:  Little.

Don't think for a nanosecond that I somehow support Trump either because I don't.  There are some serious

crap coming down the tracks and I don't think any of the candidates will be able to deal with them.  There's Iran, ISIS, VA disasters, immigration, jobs, and the mess with the SCOTUS.  Which of the candidates can you see actually handling these problems?  Rubio looks like he'd piss his pants if Putin showed up for a meeting, Cruz would probably hold a prayer breakfast of Pharisees, and Trump would just launch and put us in another long and arduous war.

I don't know.  Maybe I am too harsh.  I respect everyone's right to support whomever they choose for whichever office they choose.  Maybe I don't know enough about the candidates, maybe my personal feelings about politicians has been clouding my judgement.  I just know that there was a time when we could have had a decorated Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, and dedicated man serve in Congress.  Instead, we chose a camp counselor who is now in the U.S. Senate.  

God help us.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could very well be completely wrong, but I seriously freaking doubt it.

Gorilla

Anheuser-Busch Shenanigans

Casually watching the news last evening, I saw a story on News 9 about Senator Clark Jolley's bill to bring the state into the 21st Century by allowing real adult beverages in convenience stores and grocery stores.  Jolley had his argument down solidly and the naysayers had to resort to the fear of "the loss of jobs" as a result of a bill.  

First, when an advocacy group opposes a bill that makes sense and is more progressive in nature and they start rending their clothing and dress in sack cloth and ashes, you can pretty much rest assured that they are full of crap.

Second, Anheuser-Busch responded on the same network of the story with their opposition advertisement.  They, of course, found a less than flattering photograph of Sen. Jolley and proceeded to completely twist what Jolley had said on the news report just seconds previously.  What does that tell you?  The ad was not, by any stretch of the imagination, straightforward and it was designed to simply scare the people of Oklahoma that there could be "job losses."  With Devon and other energy companies laying off people, AB knows that the people are terrified of more of the same.

They are playing to the lowest common denominator:  Fear.

Sadly, much of the media is playing up to that fear.  Lawton station KSWO opens their headline with:

"A provision to a bill looking to change Oklahoma's beer laws could force Anheuser-Busch out of the state."

This is a desperate act of a television station that is begging AB for some of those advertising dollars.  Absolutely pathetic.  It makes one want to say, "Get off your knees, KSWO, you're embarrassing us."

The story goes on to quote AB executives but fails to even mention the author of the bill or the number of the bill.  This is corporate propaganda being slung out there by a bleeding media who is clamoring for every single advertising dollar they can muster.  Gone are the days of legitimate, objective news reporting and these shenanigans prove that the media is not to be trusted and that it's always best to do much of your own homework.

I did my homework and the aggregate result was that my bovine fecal material detector went nuts as soon as the AB commercial appeared on the television.   We're so far through the looking glass on this issue that Alice is shaking her head at us.  We expect politicians to spin their news, but local media has been the last stronghold of true journalism and now, they are mouthpieces for advertisers.  Talk radio is a dismal failure, the newspaper hard copy sales are deplorable, and apparently television news is now taking the lead in propaganda pushing.

It's bloody pathetic.  Jolley's resolution is a good one and will no doubt get some tweaking.  Watch and mark your calendars because the fear tactics of AB will once again be proven unwarranted.

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

Your Gorilla

POTUS Race Halftime Entertainment

It's February and the POTUS campaigns are in full swing and already some of the candidates most of us believed shouldn't be in the race to begin with have called it quits.  There are still a couple on the GOP side of things whose resolve has been bolstered because of a good showing in New Hampshire.  John Kasich pulled it off, but good heavens; he's not even remotely electable.  Governor Christie should be dropping out or "suspending his campaign" and Carly Fiorina, well, she didn't even stand a chance going into the race.  It's kind of sad because she seemed intelligent and ready to lead.

The two GOP candidates who are still legitimately in the running are Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz.  Read that again to yourself.  Trump (net worth in the billions), Rubio (owns a half million dollar house and his net worth is $976k), and Cruz (made over a million dollars last year).  That is the best and brightest that the GOP can come up with?  Can you imagine any of them actually getting elected? And we thought the Super Bowl halftime show was bad...

On the Democratic side it is pretty much a done deal.  Hillary will be the candidate.  Sanders is an interesting cat to be sure, but just, no.

About the Super Bowl...

As a Seattle Seahawk fan, I found it difficult to cheer for former division rival, Denver Broncos, but I abhor the Carolina Panthers even more. I thought it to be an interesting and entertaining game and then there was the halftime show.  

Perhaps it's my old age and my desire for simplicity is the driving force in my life, but I didn't get any of the halftime show.  Bruno Mars was good, I think.  Coldplay is Coldplay and you know what you're going to get with them, but it wasn't a good show at all.  Beyonce, once again, wore a skimpy outfit and showed off her hindquarters and her ability to rumble that backside.  The whole Black Panther thing?  It was silliness and the aggregate result is that she is getting plenty of attention as a result.  Her mission was accomplished on many levels.

Who would make an entertaining halftime show?  Bruce Springsteen?  Zakk Wylde and BLS?  U2?  Aerosmith?  Lady Gaga?  There really has to be someone or some group that would be better than a bunch of butt-shaking jibber jabber.  Or maybe not.

Of course, it's just my opinion and I could be 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"