Friday Wrap-up: June 6, 2014

Not much real stuff in the news this week, only more Republican talking points about Obama making a deal with the Taliban on the release of Bowe Bergdahl, an American Prisoner of War, after being held by the Taliban for over five years.  Thing is, Republicans were for the deal, up until the president did it.  No real news there.  And speaking of news, Joyann Ried is turning out to be WW’s favorite anchor on MSNBC.  Granted, her Facebook page seems kind of hokey, but her show is top shelf and makes even WW give something a thought or two.

Meanwhile, “Orange Is the New Black,” comes out on Netflix today and Weird Wally (WW), will be turning off his cell until he’s finished, at least, five of the thirteen episodes.   Although WW abhors violence, he is said to have felt some serious gratification while Piper Chapman was beating the crap out of the woman who had kept bulling her.  Great way to end the first season.

First book on WW’s summer reading list was, “Natchez Burning,” by Greg Iles.  WW sez this is a “No Skim Zone,” story and hard to put down.  That there are so many characters often gets confusing and the ending, though satisfying, is far to action packed.  In short, WW insists that Natchez Burning, would probably make a better movie then it did a novel.

WW just started, “Flash Boys,” by Michael Lewis, a non-fiction account of the corrupt under plunder in which many Wall Street players are currently engaged.   To outsiders, some of the concepts may seem foreign and difficult to understand, but readers will get a definite feel for how Wall Street is ripping them off.  Although this book will piss people off, they will soon realize that there is no real solution.  A lot of very smart sociopaths are finding their way to Wall Street, and like brilliant computer hackers, neither security nor regulators can stop them.  And the way they see it, their job is to rip the rest of us off.

Weird Wally Wants to Know:  While using one of the public restrooms in a Denver area Whole Foods, WW noticed the usual sign reminding employees to wash hands before leaving.  Problem is, with Whole Food’s effort to always conserve energy and water, it takes the water about twenty seconds to come out in small streams for three or four seconds, before pausing for another twenty.  And so goes the water cycle in that particular restroom.  Been that way for five years now and WW can’t help but wonder why no one has ever complained?

Don't forget to checkout the Asshole of the Day blog.

And Weird Wally Sez:  Always remember to talk about voting every chance you get!

Secret Interview with a High Level Republican Operative: Part II

This is Part II of an interview that took place over the Memorial Day weekend between Weird Wally and a high level Republican operative, whom we call Dick, as he wishes to remain anonymous.  To learn how this unlikely conversation came about, click here for Part I of this interview.

WW:  I understand all of that, but by scaring the crap out of white people might help you guys in 2014, by 2016, things will be different.  Minorities, young people and single women will come out and droves and you guys won’t stand much of a chance.  Besides, only twenty-five percent of voters are so far right that they actually give a shit about when a fetus become “life,” and who is allowed to marry whom.

Dick:  Don’t kid yourself Wally, if things go according to plan, those people who didn’t give a second thought to the mid-terms of 2014, might not have a vote in 2016.

WW:  I don’t think so, Dick.  I know your plan.  Take enough state houses and kick as many Democrats off the voting rolls as you can.  But the administration will defend their turf with help from the ACLU, NAACP and a lot of others.

Dick:   Obama will be too busy defending himself because, if we take over the Senate, game over.  Your president will be impeached and we may have enough Senate votes to actually remove him.  And with a Republican House inciting investigation after investigation, your boys will be too busy with no will left to fight for their turf.

WW:  And all this will happen because my side won’t bother to vote.

Dick:  We’ve done a lot of polling and focus groups.  We know for a fact that content voters don’t vote, while the scared and angry do.  And that is how us few old and powerful white men will fight and win against shifting demographics.  Then too, polls also show that the current white majority, even liberals, are a bit nervous about the coming shift and fear being treated like the minorities they will soon become.

WW:  So everything hinges on my side not voting this election and you guys taking over state houses and . the U.S. Senate.

Dick:  Ancient Chinese proverb, Wally.  "You snooze you lose."   By the way, what did you say the name of your journal type blog is?

WW:  Weird Wally’s Worldview.

Dick:  I like the name, shows a total lack of class.  You should consider coming to work for my side.  An African-American man, such as yourself, could make a mint blogging for us conservatives, here’s my card.  Think about it.  Remember, you snooze you lose.

Thus ends the Secret Interview with a High Level Republican Operative: Part II.  Meanwhile, WW is said to have a major announcement in the coming days.  Stay tuned and click here for updates.

Weird Wally Sez: Question Authority!

And happy Monday

Shit Really Does Roll Downhill

And how Veterans Affairs (VA) came to find itself in such deep shit

Everyone who has ever had to work for a living knows about how shit rolls downhill.  Nothing unfair about it, that’s how gravity works.  And those who actually started the shit have either retired in luxury or moved onto bigger and better possibilities.

Meanwhile Veterans Affairs is left holding the bag.  When the war first started, not only was it supposed to be short, it was to have paid for itself with predicted income from Iraqi oil.  Ten years and $1.7 trillion dollars later, who would’ve thought.  Worse yet, vets are owed an additional $490 billion in promises and benefits that could reach over $6 trillion over the next forty years.  

And our returning warriors, many of whom are wounded, after the longest war in U.S. history, are in dire need of medical attention.  Like that quick war that should have paid for itself, the VA finds itself steeped in all kinds of shit.  No one was prepared for the huge influx.

Usually, someone high up sees a swarm on its way and they meet with other higher ups and write memos to those below them.  No matter what the agency or business, these memos all tend to say the same thing; “Do more with less,” and, “Think outside the box.”  In other words, be creative about it and don’t bother me with the details.  And even when someone has the nerve to disturb them, they may say something like, “More is less.”   After all, they are the boss and must be right, even when what they say is bullshit. 

But the shit doesn’t stop and eventually, people near the bottom, without power or money for a lawyer end up drowning in everyone else’s shit.  In the case of the VA, however, it’s both painful and irritating.  The people near the bottom get blamed, when the politicians, bosses and CEOs, started everything rolling in the first damn place.  The Upside is, while shit rolls downhill, the smell tends to waft upward.

How it Works...

Secret Interview with a High Level Republican Operative

 

This Weird Wally (WW) Exclusive happened quite by accident.   The long and short of it is that Wally managed to capture an image of a very conservative and high level Washington insider, exiting a Denver, Colorado, pot shop with a hot young woman on his arm, during the Memorial Day weekend.    Not only did the insider purchase Wally’s cell, he sent his friend off to more shopping and agreed to a chat over lunch.   The insider, who must remain anonymous, shall be known as, Dick.

WW:  Thanks for both lunch and the chat.  I really appreciate it.

Dick:  You have me at a disadvantage, Wally.  But this could be fun.  What do you call yourself, again?  Liberal, is it?

WW:  Progressive, Mr. Dick

Dick:  No need for formalities, Wally.  We’re both equals here.

WW:  Good point, Dick   But more to the point, between you, the American Legislative Exchange Council and the Koch Brothers, there’s a lot of negative shit being thrown about.  And considering the shifting demographics, do you really expect to win elections with that kind of strategy?

Dick:  We only need to win one, and that’s the next one.  It’s no secret that in an off year elections, most liberals don’t vote, you guys think that the presidential ones are the only that count, but us conservatives know better.  We get most of congress, governors and state houses with us, we can kick any president’s ass and nothing anyone can do about it.

WW:  Why do you think my side is working so hard to get minorities, young folks and single women to the polls.  Besides, I got minimum wages and a whole bunch of other issues on my side, Dick.

Dick:  Don’t mean dick, Wally.  I got money on mine and all we need do is appeal to our base. 

WW:  Who do think your base is?

Dick:  Old white guys, for the most part.  And their wives, of course.    The kind of people who like things the way they are, who see Obama as a sign of things to come and are scared shitless by it.  My base doesn’t give a shit about minimum wage or health care.  They’re scared of an unknown future and having lots of guns makes them feel safe.  My rule of thumb is, when people are scared shitless, that’s when they are most likely to come out and vote their shit.

WW:  You’re sounding like a cynic. 

Dick:  Just being real with you, Wally

Anyway, after a longer than planned for lunch, Wally found himself actually liking the guy.  But Wally was also mindful of the fact that he’d never met a sociopath he didn’t like.  Here ends Part I of the secret interview.

To Be Continued.