Just some nice colors and designs

More ignorance

I just finished reading a couple of articles that truly make me wonder..... WTFATT??????????? what the f..k are they thinking? The first article has to do with the ignoring of historical information by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. It seems that the 27 foot waves created by the recent tsunami are not new to the area. Geologists have proof that on a few occasions during the last 3000 years waves have been as high and have actually traveled further inland than the recent event. One of those events took place in 869 AD. In geological time that works out to about 5 seconds ago. The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power plant sits on a bluff 14 to 23 feet above the shore. The TEPCO said there was no way the water could rise above 18 feet. Another indication that human beings should not be in charge of building Nuclear Power Plants. Nuclear Power plants should only be constructed by beings from another galaxy. Most likely they have figured out what to do with the waste and how to neutralize any accident. WE, on the other hand, have NOT. And then the other article I read concerns the GOP and their attempts at introducing less cluttered legislation. One of the paragraphs in the article stated the following..... " House Representatives intend to advance a series of smaller bills pursuing narrower goals such as promoting nuclear power, opening up more domestic oil and gas exploration and blocking environmental regulation." I highly suggest that the previous paragraph gets read one more time. Go ahead....read it again....I'll wait. Please go back and read it one more time after you read all about the Japanese problem. I'm sorry but IGNORANCE is the only answer. And I've always heard that ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law. How about for breaking humanity's spirit? IGNORANCE IS IGNORANCE and the GOP is going out of its way to prove that they absolutely are a charter member of that club. When the election starts rolling I hope people take notice of what the Republicans are trying to focus on with their small bills. Small minds need small bills. Michael Timothy McAlevey

I'm just asking

When I voted in 2008 I voted for certain ideals that I thought clearly separated the two major parties.

Something doesn't feel right when I observe current events.

I was told the other day that WE are in a conservative time period.

Is that true?

I've always considered the party, not occupying the white House, has having the upper hand when it comes to the GENERAL ATTITUDE of the American people.

It's tricky because a lot of people voicing their opinion on one thing or another, don't participate in the actual election process.

60% is the average turnout. Four out of ten people that are talking trash right now....don't vote.

And then the people who have large media voices think they have all the answers and they speak in absolutes so people get excited.

General Attitude is a perception issue heightened by the loudness and repetitiveness of the most vocal participants who are playing the game.

The game is politics and it's important to keep one thing in mind......

It's much easier to attack then to defend.

Offense always scores more points than defense.....but a great defense shuts down offense almost every time.

I'm having a problem coming up with a great defense for the administration because so much appears to be aimed at appeasement toward the other party.

This can't all be caused by the Republicans taking control of the house in 2010....can it?

The General Attitude seems to think Barry caused the unemployment problem.
The General Attitude thinks that the current administration is totally responsible for the deficit.

Sometimes I wonder where the Clinton economists are hiding.

Maybe I need to be spending more time listening to the liberal talk shows on the radio.

That's pretty funny don't you think?

Most of my life I've heard that liberals dominate the media. If that's the case then how in the world did radio become completely conservative?

Radio is part of the media is it not?

If it wasn't for the Aaron Sorkin, an occasional film and Harry's Law..... I'd never see a liberal point of view.

You really have to search to find a great voice on the left.

Was my friend right.......Is this really a conservative time?

I'm just asking.

Remember the good old days of Bush and Cheney bashing? Hopefully Sarah will soon announce her run for the presidency so things can pick up on the liberal attack mode.

I'm just looking around the world and wondering why so many decisions seem to be carbon copies of the last guy.

I obviously need a sweat lodge experience or some really clean acid.

My General Attitude really needs an adjustment.

I'm willing to take all suggestions, other than the stupid one about becoming a Republican.

Trust me when I say....things will never get that bad.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Time for some anti-war rants.....are there any left?

Last Saturday Daniel Ellsberg got arrested at an anti-war rally in Washington D.C. The story said there were hundreds at the rally with approximately 30 being arrested.

Mr. Ellsberg says he is the Bradley Manning of a bygone era in America history.

Ok....I added the bygone era in American history line but what else could I say when hundreds show up to an anti-war rally in front of the White House.

Back in the bygone era.....hundreds were handing the coffee and doughnuts to the thousands who were speaking up against war.

THOUSANDS of people at a rally is an indicator that millions of people were against the war.

Hundreds of people is an indicator that the Anti-War movement is simply a nice memory.

How many people at the rallies are against ALL WAR?

Back in the bygone era.....MOST OF THE PROTESTERS were against WAR....PERIOD!


The essence of Anti-War protest in the late 60's and early 70's.....was fairly simple.

Any WAR
anywhere
with anyone.......... was no longer an acceptable method of solving problems.

OMG that was REALLY A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.........sometimes it seems like it wasn't even real. Like maybe it was a movie and we just got carried away with the stars of the film. Jane Fonda was smoking hot and one of the main stars and we loved her. And then she hooked up with one of the leading protesters in America to enhance the love story. What a movie! The musical score was beyond excellent. The music in the anti-war movement was simply put......."unearthly."

So many words and so much music about loving each other and so many words and so much music about stopping the violence and so many words and so much music about getting along with each other.

How many anti-war protesters from that bygone era, don't even blink when we bomb Libya?

How many simply say....."oh Kadafi is a nut and he deserves what he gets." Is there just a small part left in the peace side of your beautiful brain that thinks this action seems excessive.

Iraq and Afghanistan aren't enough to satisfy our War appetite? We now need Northern Africa on our table?

The United States Government has been able to silence the very core of a generation that thought war was obsolete 40 years ago.

Forty Years ago!

I love the arguments from the other side.........basically saying.... "anti-war sentiments belong to the fairy tale worlds of children's books and nursery rhymes. Idealistic bleeding heart liberals who have no idea what the real world is like........need to grow up."

We have no idea what the real world is like?

The problem is....WE HAVE A PERFECT IDEA!

We, who think war is an obsolete method of solving human problems, believe that the next level of human evolution, which some of us are experiencing at this very moment, basically does not recognize WAR as a solution.

WAR IS A LAST RESORT.

IS THAT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PROBLEM SOLVING?

We, who believe that violence is obscene on any level, do not appear to be present in large quantities.

We are most definitely in a minority and we might not even be a minority....we might be obsolete.

Hundreds at a anti-war rally in 2011?
There were more people climbing Mt. Everest last week.

Love was the answer in 1970 and love is still the answer in 2011.

NEO-ILLUMINATION #22

You have the ability to be loving......
if not
then you need to start practicing

And that applies to every Christian, every Jew, every Muslim, every Hindu, every Buddhists, every atheists, every egotist, every member of the military, every visitor from outer space.......and basically every man woman and child living on the planet Earth.

No one said it would be easy to be a loving person. As an example.....it took me years to get over my homophobia....and while I'm still not that relaxed around gay men I realize that it was my wiring, not theirs, that was crossed. Even last week on Glee when Kurt got his first kiss, I kinda cringed. It wasn't as big a cringe as might have appeared years ago, but it was still a cringe.

A cringe is a cringe is a cringe.

I'm still a work in progress and those of you who seem to think that War is the only method of problem solving, might want to get started on the road to peace.

It's a nice road.......and it doesn't appear to have much traffic at the moment.

Good time to jump on board.

No toll required except for a little bit of
love

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Stepping up the anti

The game appears to be on in Libya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Tunsia. Unfortunately many of us in the United States aren't quite sure what the game is.

Are the protests occurring in order to develop democratic forms of government, or is it a battle to establish Fundamentalists Islamic rule?

The battle ground is moving down through Africa and The Sunni's have the upper hand in Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, and Somalia. The Shiite's have Yemen.

After everything is said and done is this a Sunni vs Shiite tug of war? And by the way......who exactly is running the country of Somalia......Blackbeard? Autocrats are using force to stop the activists and in the long run that means bigger forces will enter the picture. Yesterday the United Nations authorized military action against Kadafi and what that means is unclear..........but warplanes are warming up in France, Great Britain and the United States. Kadafi responded by calling a cease fire. If he started distributing oil revenues to the people of Libya he might have a chance to stay in power, but after 40 years of being a stingy asshole I don't think that's on the table. Dictators and Kings. Who would have thunk that those two descriptions of leadership would still be relevant in the 21st Century? It's coming to end Moammar......I think you should enter a monastery and convert to Catholicism. Give 75% of your wealth to the people....and then perhaps the Jesuits could do something with your attitude. Think out of the box....or get put in the box......it's up to you goofy. Michael Timothy McAlevey

Odd but not so much

This picture was supplied by the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) to demonstrate the energy dispersal from the 8.9 Japanese earthquake of March 11. Japan is in the upper left side of the picture with the small black arc being the origin of the source.

What I would like you to do is focus on the colors.

For the last four weeks I have been working on a painting that has these exact same colors.

Of course my design is quite different but once you see the finished work you will go......hummmm.

I say........hummm.

Of course there's always a chance that the NOAA has spies everywhere just trying to steal colorways from unsuspecting artists so that their charts and patterns will look really cool.

And I'm really not that paranoid........wait a minute..........did you hear that?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

If AC/DC turns up on General Hospital

To be perfectly honest I'm not sure General Hospital is still on the air (yeah I know I could find out pretty easily but I don't want to) but if AC/DC suddenly turns up on that show, I think I might have to turn in my fan club membership. Of course I don't really have a fan club membership.....but I think you get my point.

I'm referring to the current appearances by rock legends into the world of reality television. First Steven Tyler takes over for Simon on American Idol (the show is leaps and bounds or screams and tones better than before) and then Meatloaf becomes a cast member of Celebrity Apprentice.

If Paul McCartney turn up as the new host of A Minute to Win It (no I don't watch it) and Bono decides to do Survivor, I'm going to throw away some legendary albums.

I'm really surprised that Meatloaf decided to do Mr. Trump's gig. I realize that you might not be that surprised but it seems most of the other players are linked to some strangeness or previous short celebrity stints.

MY GOD.....Meatloaf is...................... Meatloaf.

I just don't think he realizes how important he is to the Broadway Rock musical genre. I know it probably has another name but that's how I tag his music.

It could be on Broadway or it could at Staples Center or it could be blasting on the car radio going like a Bat out of Hell on 395.

I just didn't realize that his career had slipped to this level.

I have no idea what they get paid to be on The Donald's celebrity adventure but I sure hope it's a bunch.

The saddest part of the story is.....I'll watch the show until Marvin gets eliminated.

I can't believe they actually have a demographic searching for Meatloaf fans.....

And lo and behold.......they found one.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Nuclear radiation IS A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM

I had to pause a moment and try to recall when President Obama said that Nuclear Power needed to be readdressed in this country. I think it was in his State of the Union address. I remember thinking that he was attempting to appease certain members of the opposition and cuddle up to big business. Moving toward a new centrist position indicated to me that he was obviously beginning his reelection campaign.

I have a feeling that recent events in Japan might put a hold on those readdressing plans. The United States has been extrememly sensible about building Nuclear Power plants in the last 35 years.

There has been ONE under construction since 1973

A reactor in Tennessee was started in 1973 and will be finished in 2012.

38 years to build one.......
and then........
.....60 seconds to create world wide radiation alarm.

We have 104 reactors operating in the United States and they supply 19% of our electric energy needs.

We have no Nuclear Reactors built on the top of an active Volcanic mountain range.

But we do have 4 operating in California. In fact, I think I've read that two of them sit very close to the San Andreas fault line. To be honest I haven't really researched it because I don't want to know the actual truth.

Ne0-Illumination.... "Happiness might be based on how much truth....one can ignore."

The entire NUCLEAR EXPERIENCE........makes me pissed off and dizzy and upset and confused. I'm probably one of those victims of the early radiation in the San Fernando Valley caused by a leak at Atomics Lab on January 13, 1959.

My thyroid was removed in 1976 and it wasn't caused by drinking goat's milk.

That's the problem with radioactivity. The negative results don't occur until much later and by then everybody responsible has hit the highway and gone off to another venture.

and because of that irresponsible attitude......I can easily make the following statement.

WE, THE HUMAN RACE, HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO CREATE NUCLEAR POWER WITHOUT HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES. EVERYTHING WE DO TO CREATE ENERGY FROM NUCLEAR......PUTS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AT RISK.

Dr. Helen Cadicott should be designated as the head of NUCLEAR REVERSAL.

Nuclear Reversal Inc, should be an organization that completely reverses all efforts to harness nuclear power.

If you don't know who Dr. Caldicott is ....then you should Google her immediately.

In the meantime I'm looking toward the island of Japan and just waiting for the next horrible wave to be revealed. It won't be a wave created by the ocean. It will be a wave of radiation created by human beings and it will be traveling in the Jet Stream and it will be headed for Western Canada and the United States.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Since 1945

Japan has been nuclear since 1945. Of course their introduction to the power of nuclear energy came rather suddenly and without warning.

The 55 nuclear power plants, that generate 35% of their energy needs, have been built with the full approval of the Japanese government.

The photograph above shows the Islands of Japan. What it doesn't show is the actual mountain range that exists under the ocean.

Japan is the visible part of an active volcanic mountain range.

I think it takes a huge portion of radioactive gonads to build 55 nuclear power plants on land that can routinely receive earthquakes and eruptions.....which is the natural byproduct of being an active volcanic mountain range.

It's really not the mountain range's fault. They are just trying to grow and become larger mountains.

I'm not sure if it's weirder to build nuclear reactors on the side of a volcano or to think that world dominance should be their birth right.

The Japanese really have some amazing inflated ego stories over the last 400 years.

They must have read all the press clippings from Great Britain's historical attempt to own the world.

LIEF.........LITTLE ISLAND EGO FEVER

I suppose I understand the conquering concept when your personal land mass is an island, and you feel the need to acquire more land. So in that respect the colonization concept makes much more sense than building nuclear reactors on the top of volcano's.

8.9

OMG......that's big.

Let's just hold our breath until we get a full report on how those reactors responded to one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded.

They do build good cars (most of the time) so maybe their construction can withstand massive vibrations caused by mountain growing burps.

Maybe is the key word in that sentence....but the other sentence that always seems to pop up....might be more apropos.

THERE'S NEVER A PROBLEM UNTIL THERE'S A PROBLEM.

8.9 in the Ring of Fire.

yikes....

Michael Timothy McAlevey

An important link to another blog

This is a blog that you should read on a regular basis. Especially if you want a rational and intelligent viewpoint on economics.....both present and historical.

http://www.robertreich.org/

His recent books should also be read.

I don't do this very often but Mr. Reich deserves the honor.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Thank You

Discovery is now back and headed to a well deserved retirement spot at The Smithsonian.

Thanks for helping mankind keep their vision pointed upwards.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

It should be a documentary

For the last 6 weeks I have been scouting locations for an art show. I have covered every possibility except for the church across the street....and they are on my 2dew list this afternoon. The most interesting encounters I've had are with Art Galleries. I actually should have a secret mini CIA type video camera implanted in my left eye ball so that the verbiage could be preserved. Sometimes the verbiage turns into carnage and then all forms of human interaction take place. So far there have been no police calls and no one has become physical but that is only due to the fact that I leave the arena of confrontation....and rightly so, because it is their business. Their business is the magic phrase. Some art gallery owners are so out of touch with reality that I feel like they could become United States Senators without the slightest effort. I'm not talking about them not liking what I do, because generally they don't even ask to see my "stuff." I get the fact that snobbery exist in all areas of society.....but art gallery owners, and quite often the people who work at the front desk, have a UNIQUE position in the world of snobbishness. I understand how a person who is involved in a exclusive auction house or a world class museum can develop an attitude regarding the product they sell and display. I would most likely be an incredible snob if I was handling an original Renior for a family that needed to sell their $30 million dollar painting. If I ran the Tate Gallery in London I might be a total dickhead. The point of this is..... if you own a gallery in Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, California.....you better be a really, really friendly person.....and you should go out of your way to welcome anybody into the gallery. Of course the homeless guy who hasn't showered in a few weeks does create a unique problem....but I've been to hundreds of galleries and have yet to see one of those types attempting to appreciate the art. Maybe someone should take the art to them in the streets.....they need help and art is created to improve the soul because in reality the soul has created the art. That might be the best explanation for who and what Basquiat was about. Back to the space hunt. And when you think about it.....hunting for space is truly a journey of its own. Obtaining a space to display personal creations is much more complicated than doing the work. IN FACT....making the art is not really work. It can be extremely frustrating and time consuming and mistakes can be made and anger can result, but when you are obsessed with something, that is coming from the soul ,and or, the deepest creative glands inside your body, then it's all about passion for your obsession and while it is referred to as the work.......it's much much more than work. It's a form of breathing. I would assume that most art gallery owners have been frustrated artists at some point in their life......maybe at 5 years old, maybe yesterday. They either decided that they could explain art better than they could do it, or they understood the business aspects and that became their passion. They might still do their art but it's no longer their lifestyle.....it's their hobby. Creating art is not my hobby. To be fair there are exceptions to all rules. Another extremely important part of the art game is the art critic. 30 years ago I created the following quote..... "critics come and critics go but critics don't put on the show" Some art critics actually consider their part of the show much more important than the actual show, because they are explaining what the artist is attempting to do and often times their explanations are even eye-openers for the artist. A critic attempts to tell a story that is either positive or negative. Does their story make you want to see the work or even better yet....own the work? Art gallery owners are the ultimate art critics....and they can make an artist feel amazing or they can make an artist feel like slicing a few fingers down to the first knuckle. In their minds they are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting the taste of the most important person they know....... THE COLLECTOR that buys from them. Personal economic ups and downs determine how and what gets spent on the acquisition of art. Collectors generally want to know the story behind the art. In other words....they would like to know the artist. If the artist is no longer in this physical reality then historic information becomes important. People are interested in what motivated an artist to create the art. Traditional paintings and sculptures generally need no explanation. A 20 foot wide Albert Bierstatd painting of Yosemite Valley only needs to be viewed, in person, to understand the power of the work. The back story of how Albert worked is quite interesting. Contemporary and Abstract art might need an explanation but often times the explanation can vary from person to person. It's like a giant frontal vortex puzzle. Is there something in the painting that I don't see? Is it disturbing? Is is pretty? Is it important? I have an opinion that generally people looking at abstract art don't consider perspective....at least they don't consciously consider it. Their brains and their eyes calculate perspective but their reasoning does not enter into the picture. The reasoning is the element that decides whether they like it or not. Of course sometimes people buy art because of the artist. And sometimes people don't buy art because of the artist. And sometimes people love the artist and hate their art but they will buy it anyway, because the gallery owner believes it to be a great investment. And sometimes people love the artist and hate their art and won't buy anything because it's too expensive. I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on stating the reasons people do and do not buy art work. But suffice to say....a contemporary modern abstract artist probably needs a snob somewhere in their immediate vibrational field of play. The snob can be a person or it can be a gallery. When a snob does not need to be involved is......when an artist sells their work for a very reasonable price. A reasonable price is a price that equates time and energy to monetary terms. Do not point out the Picasso line drawings at the end of his life. His signature was valued because his entire body of work was valued. He could have sold dots on a business card for thousands of dollars as long as he signed those dots. By purchasing a piece of art from an artist, at a reasonable price, one is basically saying I'd like to help the artist continue painting and I'm interested in what comes next.. My story is interwoven into the art and due to certain circumstances in my story, I believe that some of the work I've done is priceless. I'm an artist and I have the God given right to make ridiculous statements. I'm fairly certain I have a compelling story to tell and I'm grateful that the story includes some colorful explanations which exist on paper and canvas. I will find the right location to share my art and I will be sure to invite you to the show. There will be some dancing so be ready to shake it up. I will be inviting some snobs.......whether or not they show up, is out of my hands. If they do show up please don't step on their shoes while dancing in front of my pictures. (I liked that Steve Martin used the term pictures in his new book so I'm borrowing it for a moment) Michael Timothy McAlevey

Martin Sheen and his various creations

Martin Sheen, actor and activist, has always been one of my favorite celebrities. He seems so grounded and has always been able to explain his actions in a calm and sensible manner. I recall his anti-nuke arrests with fond memories.

One of his creations seems to be operating in an entirely different field than the one Martin plays in....but in actuality it's probably Martin's fault that Charlie is the way he is.

Let's get something clear right off the bat.....The Charlie Sheen Reality Show is compelling TV.

I don't like the knife stories or the life threatening accusations by women he has rented for the evening....but the Charlie rants are rare visitations into the mind of a celebrity gone wild.

I'm thinking he should run for Senate....or Congress.........those two rooms are full of hypocrisy and bullshit that always seems to be covered up by stoic and righteous behavior. Maybe Charlie could liven the place up and reduce the amount of lying that takes place on an hourly basis.

Another great idea for Charlie is for him to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Think how much fun the clubhouse would be and if they aren't going to play well at least they can party well. The media coverage would be large.

Imagine the bat girls!

I didn't think the TV exposure of his children was very bright....and today I see they were handed back to the mom. The odd part of today's story is that the mom, Brooke Muller, had moved back into Charlie's house a month ago. It was a small part of the story but in my mind a very important part.

I'm actually thinking that what Charlie would really like is for all the women and all the children in his life to simply move in. He might need a much bigger house. That would solve a lot of problems and maybe the children could insure that everybody would be on their best behavior.

YEAH RIGHT!

Charlie could obviously take some lessons from the master of harmonious expansion.........Hugh Hefner.

I see fighter pilots flying supersonic jets across the sky and simply marvel at the difference in our live styles.

Charlie is a fighter pilot who can't remember where to land his machine so he just keeps screaming across the celebrity horizon waiting for someone to shoot him down.

I suspect that TV evangelism is probably next on his list.

Maybe his soul will actually rise up and propel him to some spiritual awakening that has nothing to do with organized religion.

He's got the platform....now he just needs the awareness.

It really is an entertaining show but I like happy endings and this doesn't appear to be headed in that direction.

I hope I'm wrong.....for Martin's sake.....because after all the hoopla and bells and whistles and ridiculous media coverage, this comes down to a story about a father and a mother and a brother and a son.

Just another family trying to sort out the vibrations of experiencing life in the 21st Century.

I'll say a prayer and then hope Charlie decides to buy some of my artwork.

We all have an agenda......don't we?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Best of the show

While watching the Ultimate Olympic Ego Show last night...better known as The Oscars....I was quite pleased to see THE INSIDE JOB win for best documentary. I wrote a piece about that film when I saw it and suggested that it should be required viewing for all high school seniors. If The Oscar can increase the viewing public by 10 or 20 percent then that means a few more people will be asking the question that Charles Ferguson asked when he won the award.

Why has nobody involved in the 2008 financial meltdown been indicted or gone to jail?

The questions get much deeper when you realize where some of the major players in that fiasco.......now find employment.

Look at the present administration and then turn your attention toward a few of the great universities in America.

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PROGRAM.

As for the actual Oscar telecast.

Why can't we just have Billy Crystal handle the situation until the next great master of ceremonies comes along? Maybe someday it will be Jimmy Fallon but right now nobody fits the bill better than Billy.

I'm not saying anything negative about James Franco and Anne Hathaway. They came, they looked good, they didn't embarrass themselves and then they went away.

The host of the Oscars has legendary status. Bob Hope and Johnny Carson set the bar and Billy Crystal has come the closest to reaching that bar.

I understand the youthful demographics but I am just a bit nervous that next year the producers of the show will give it to..............Justin Beiber.

Maybe those E-Trade babies would be a good choice.

Bring back the experienced host and let's up the anti on the dignified portion of the show.

But one thing that is good about all this......

THE AWARDS SEASON IS FINALLY OVER....

NOW LET'S ALL GET BACK TO WORK.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Dodger thoughts

I'm going to write about what the Dodgers did in the off season to improve their team.....




End of story

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Public Pensions and common sense

I'm going to try and make this as simple as possible.

We all know that the cost of operating a government is enormous. The number of jobs needed to sustain a government is a large number.

What we generally don't know is how much is paid to government employees after they retire.

I have never seen a list showing what public pension funds pay to various retirees.

I have heard rumors. Everyone seems to know someone who knows someone who receives retirement benefits that almost equal their actual pay.

I've even heard rumors about certain government retirees who make more than they did while working because they had multiple pensions....such as an elected official who held several elected positions.

I know you've heard those rumors also.

The truth is we don't know the truth and I think that's what is happening with all the fuss in Wisconsin.

The fuss in Wisconsin will soon become the fuss in AMERICA.

PENSION REFORM must be addressed and as that happens the moaning and groaning will turn into bitching and yelling and then that will turn into gathering and protesting and then maybe the rest of us will actually learn the real numbers.

We've all heard the rumors about firemen and police officers who manipulate their final years of work in order to receive a much higher monthly pension.

RUMORS need to turn into actual facts. It's hard to investigate the reality of the PENSION situation because there are so many variables involved.

It's like we might be able to understand all the complexities if they created a PENSION REALITY TELEVISION SHOW.

"PENSION PLAN REVELATION" Wen 8pm NBC

Somehow the actual facts need to be revealed on how much people receive from PUBLIC PENSION FUNDS.

THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING PAID BY TAX DOLLARS.

SOMEONE WHO MADE $75,000 A YEAR WHILE WORKING AND WHO NOW GETS $60,000 A YEAR RETIRED, COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE PAID ENOUGH TO GET THAT KIND OF REWARD.

THE NUMBERS ARE OUT OF WHACK.....
OR THE RUMORS ARE OUT OF WHACK.

THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE LEARNED....and common sense needs to be applied.

And while I'm addressing common sense......why doesn't the amount of money spent in IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN ever get mentioned when talking about excessive government spending?

I tried to keep it simple but now I've brought up the elephant in the room.

Oh well....let's try to learn the truth about pensions before we try to understand the military complex.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Supreme Court once again says BIG BUSINESS rules

Pharmaceutical companies are some of the largest companies in the world and anytime something goes wrong the only recourse is to sue.

The Supreme Court has ruled once again that drug companies are exempt from personal lawsuits.

The latest ruling says that no one can sue a vaccine maker if their vaccines are defective and cause injuries.

Children are the victims of injuries from vaccines.

The ruling was a 6-2 vote.

The last time I checked there were a few more people in the Supreme Court.

Once again CORPORRUPTION rears its ugly head.

I realize that vaccines are very important to the overall safety of the American public but if a bad batch is made and horrible things happen to lots of kids then the families have no voice in the highest court of the land.

BULLSHIT!

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Discovery goes to stud

Discovery, one of the three orbiters in the shuttle fleet, will make its final flight on Thursday February 24th.

We really do take the shuttle launches for granted.

Discovery was the shuttle that launched the Hubble Telescope and for that reason alone it deserves a very nice farm to rest its weary composite. Obviously the Smithsonian has some fertile fillies running around that will ensure the Discovery of many relaxed years of pleasure.

The sexual references come easily because this might be the most powerful phallic symbol in the history of mankind.

The preparation and the tense moments and the wining and dining and then the eruption of power and the penetration of space.....followed by the various offspring such as The Space Station and multiple satellites doing who knows what for whom.

And then don't forget the smoke that follows the launch.

Google Earth probably owes its life to Discovery.

I've been told by people who have seen it in person that a shuttle launch is the most powerful man made thing they have ever witnessed.

We salute you Discovery....and we'll see you on the farm.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

OMG I never thought I would say this...

Justin Beiber is a great American success story.... and the movie Never Say Never explains it all......the Beiber Fever is real and it's coming to your town.

It turns out he's a nice kid from a small town in Canada who simply took advantage of modern day technology and created a fan base that seems to be sticking with him as he matures.

He is the Networking golden boy....the poster child for going viral. He's the older brother for girls under 12 and the younger brother of girls over 17. He's nobodies dad and he's nobodies uncle and he's nobodies husband. He's just a good looking talented kid who seems to know what he wants to do with his life.....and what he wants to do is entertain.

I think back to how people reacted when the Beatles appeared and 85% of the guys thought their music sucked and that they were faggots. (There were no gays in 1963, so just relax)
(( I hope you aren't one of those nuts who think Mark Twain's words should be changed))

I was a senior in high school when the boys from across the pond hit America, and when I say 85% of the male population didn't like their music and hated they way their hair looked...I'm not exaggerating.

Every teenage girl in America instantly fell in love with them and the rest is history.

It seems that young Mr. Beiber might have fallen into that exact same space.

His shows are entertaining and his team knows how to treat his fan base. His people go out before a concert and give away a certain amount of great seats to young women who don't have tickets for the show. He picks a girl from the audience to come on stage and receive flowers and be part of a song called ONE LESS LONELY GIRL.

Hopefully he will continue to display a NICE GUY demeanor, but we have seen the horror stories that take place with youthful success.

I think he's going to be alright but then again remember...... I'm the same guy who thought McGovern would kick Nixon's ass.

He's definitely has some talent in his corner....Usher being the main one. And Usher seems to have made a great career out of imitating Michael Jackson, so helping Justin shouldn't be that hard. The kid can play various instruments....and he can sing. Now we just have to hear what happens after the voice change.

Anyway I recommend the movie because it has a special message for anyone who is trying to achieve anything of substance....at any age.

And while I was writing this he just got the MVP in the celebrity basketball game at the NBA weekend festivities.

NEVER SAY NEVER is the message and we all should hear it........ and hear it good.


Michael Timothy McAlevey

My baby boomer take on the Grammy's

I was working on a piece of art last night and decided to watch the Grammy's for a little musical interlude.



Few notable observations.


Didn't Taylor Swift sell about a billion albums last year?
Her name was never mentioned.

Whatever Mick Jagger is taking......I want some.

Was Bob Dylan going to start laughing during the performance?

Barbara could have lip-synced and nobody would have cared....she's Barbara.

Who was that tall school teacher chick on the right during the opening number?

It would be so cool if Bruno Mars wasn't gay. He's really talented. Is he gay? Hard to tell.
Doesn't really matter....but if he's straight then he might be the new pop king.

Arcade Fire? Seriously? Do they do the music on CSI Moscow? It was really like background chaos. I realize I'm old but AC/DC could teach them a few things about rhythm.
And the strobe lights gave me a headache.....can't imagine being in the room.

Justin and Will Smith's kid will be replaced, very soon, by those babies on the E-Trade ads.

Lady Gaga has started working out. She needs to be careful that she doesn't develop Elton John's figure.

And since I mentioned AC /DC I've got to ask....... why aren't they doing the Grammy's?
Talk about setting the room on fire.

Katy Perry needs to have some kids with Russell Brand and just relax.

Muze had an interesting sound. Their LED light show was brilliant. Great use of the technology.

Marshall Mathers and Jerry Mathers (The Beav) are not related. Marshall seems like half the enrollment at a local community college. He and Bill Murray should open a clothing store.
Oh yeah I forgot there's already a Goodwill store. And if anyone knows about it....it would be me.

If Neil Young is going to come to the party then they need to make sure he plays a song.

And seriously.....what is Mick taking? He wasn't even breathing hard. All I could think about was when are The Stones tour dates going to be announced? I'm so ready.

One thing that can be said about the Grammy's. We sure don't have to worry about the awards interfering with the performances. Apparently they hand a bunch out the night before. In a few years there will be no awards handed out at the show.....just a list underneath. And I also noticed there were multiple ads selling recordings of the Grammy show. No Video....just audio. I guess CBS controls that puppy. Will they make it available on Netflix in a few months? They don't replay award shows. ....do they?

The Grammy's might be the only award show that could be marketed later.

And the best performance
of the night goes to.....

MICK JAGGER.
cus I need you...you...you.....
Michael Timothy McAlevey.