The Problem with Smoking Drivers

I don’t really have a problem with people smoking cigarettes as long as they don’t smoke where I have to breath it.  I don’t have a problem with people smoking in their cars as long as I am not trapped in the car with them.

However, here is the problem.  Riding to work yesterday,  I see a lady puffing away in the early morning rush hour in her big ole truck.  She was probably talking on a cell phone as well but that’s a different post.  So I am riding behind her and she is puffing and blowing the smoke out the window.  No big deal really.  But then, as always happens, she tosses half a lit cigarette out the window.  It hits the street and bounces around a couple times and thankfully I get past it without it blowing up my car (sarcasm intended). 

So what is the problem, you ask, beyond tossing a burning piece of trash into the street?  Well, my big problem is why can’t these smokers put these half used cigarettes and butts into their ashtrays?  They seem to like the smoke in their lungs and also in their cars so what is the need to toss it out the window?  Keep it where it belongs – in your car.

Rant away.

The Problem with the NFL Union

I was watching ‘Outside the Lines’ on ESPN last Sunday and there was a story about a guy who played for the Minnesota Vikings for about 7-8 years.  This was not too long ago and I don’t remember his name right off hand.  He was injured in his 2nd year or so with a concussion and things went downhill from there.

The guy started having problems remembering plays, his position, etc.  He finally had to retire and things got even worse – depression, headaches, etc.  Finally he  contacted the union about disability.  They sent him to a doctor who confirmed his injury was football related.  The NFL and the Union then sent him to a 2nd doctor who also confirmed it.  Finally they sent him to a 3rd doctor who did not confirm it and so they denied his benefits.   What????

That was the whole point of the story.  Gene Upshaw of the Union was shown answering a question at a press conference and basically said that if a doctor confirms the disability is football related, the player is paid, no if’s, and’s or but’s.  However, this player was not.

The problem here is that the NFL is making billions per year and yet the league and union can’t pay an injured player’s disability, despite the fact that the first two doctors confirmed it?  They sent him to another doctor and then another apparently looking for a reason to deny the claim.  These guys have more money than just about anybody outside of Bill Gates.  The average career is probably less than 5 years and it’s a shame they can’t treat their retired players better with all the $$$ that are flowing into the league.

The Problem With Oil

This seems like a simple problem with a simple answer.  We as Americans consume too much of it and seemingly are too dependent on it.  This in turn creates wealth for nations that pundits claim could be supporting terrorism (probably right in many cases).  I am not a political scholar or expert on the Middle East but it is very easy to see the effect of gasoline use in the U.S. 

Think back just a short time ago.  In my area, regular gasoline was about $2.95 per gallon while mid grade and premium were well over $3.00 per gallon.  Whether you believe it or not, this increase in price did have an effect on the economy and the price stayed up long after supply lines damaged by hurricanes had been brought back to full capacity.  Families at all income levels were talking about cutting back on other things.  Believe it or not, I even heard people filling up Hummers complaining about paying $80 for a tank of gas. 

If you can believe what you read, OPEC basically turns the faucets on and off, increasing or decreasing supply to manipulate prices.  It seems like we are at the mercy of their whims.  Regular gas in my area is now slightly under $2.00 per gallon, about a 33% decrease from the highs.  The peak price of oil was $78.40 per barrel on July 13, 2006.  As of this writing, the price is down to $59.25.  I heard commentary not too long ago that some countries were increasing supply in order to bring the price down in an attempt to keep money out of Iran’s coffers.

Why do we as a nation allow ourselves to be held hostage to this resource?  Why must everyone drive solo to work?  I do it myself, but only about 4 miles.  With a little sacrifice of time, I could carpool most days but I would be inconvenienced a bit.  That is the problem – most people are so ingrained in their behavior with their cars that they cannot or will not be inconvenienced. 

There is a Home Depot and a grocery store on every corner.  Need 1 item?  Hop in the car for a quick trip over.  Forget something?  Hop in and go again.  Our President (or Congress) has not asked the nation as a whole to make any sacrifices in the area of oil dependence.  Why not come on television and ask the following of everyone – figure out how much you spend on gasoline in a month and for ONE MONTH, try to cut it in half.  Let’s say you fill up twice a month at a cost of $60 total.  This covers your commuting, kids activities, shopping, yadda yadda.  How about for ONE MONTH, figure out how to stretch that tank as long as possible.  Carpool, combine trips, telecommute a little if possible.  Just one month on a concerted national effort would be a minimal sacrifice and would send a message to the oil suppliers of the world that we can do it if we want to.  They believe that we are addicted and so far, we have shown no willingness to prove them wrong.  Start a grass roots movement if you can.  Instead of forwarding some joke email, forward a link to this post.

Rant away.

The Problem with People Who Think They Are More Important Than You

Okay, this is pretty petty but hey, it pissed me off today.  I go out on my lunch hour to run a few errands.  At the first traffic light I stop at, we all sit patiently in line at the red light.  Our light turns green and as it does, 2 additional cars from my left go through it prior to our lane being able to move.  Now why is that those people think they are so important that they cannot stop at what was obviously a red light?  Not the usual ‘it’s yellow so speed up light’.  RED.  Of course in our society today, if no one is looking do you what you want.  This is not an isolated incident and again, maybe I’m being petty but I see so many accidents, many causing serious injury, and just wonder what everyone is in such a hurry to do?  Where are all these idiots going?

Next stop – the grocery store to pick up a birthday card.  I’m on my way back to work and dash in, make my choice and head for the ‘Express Lane’.  Ten items or less.  What do I see in front of me?  A lady unloading a cart with probably 15-20 items.  I stand with my card in hand and count as she places them on the belt.  EIGHTEEN!  Now again, a minor thing to some but why does this lady think she is soooooo important that she can hold up the express line with her cart full of crap?  As they check her out, there are 3 more people behind me with 2-3 items each.  She then pays with a credit card and signs her slip while the cashier bags her groceries and puts them in the cart.  This lady is in the express lane and needs the cart to get her crap to her car!  WTF? 

Then I get a ‘Sorry about that’ from the cashier.  I don’t really blame the cashier because what’s she gonna do?  Tell Ms. I’m So Important to change checkout lanes? Probably not as that would cause a huge scene.  I could have said something but it was just not the day to get into a squabble at the grocery or make a cashier feel even worse.

How about all you oh-so-important folks get a clue and have some manners and try to fit into society like the rest of us. 

Rant away.

The Problem With Marty Schottenheimer

Once again, the Chargers and Marty Schottenheimer have exited the playoffs in their first game. This despite have the league MVP, possibly the best tight end in the NFL, and some ferocious defenders.

Marty has won 200 regular season games in the NFL and has proven to be a quality head coach. His playoff record, as has been widely publicized, is a dismal 5-13. So what is the problem?

The Chargers were 14-2, the number 1 seed in the AFC, playing at home, and seemed to have things going their way. But they let leads of 14-3 and 21-13 slip away. Now be advised, those other guys, the Patriots, are no slouches. They do have a couple guys named Brady and Belicek on their side. Still, the Chargers had it there for the taking. So what happened?

Well, after New England kicked a field goal to take a 24-21 lead, San Diego got the ball back at their own 29 yard line following the kickoff return. There was 4:36 left in the game at that point.

So here is what they did:
1st and 10 at the SD 29 (4:30 left) Runs MVP Ladanian Tomlinson over right tackle to the 34 for 5 yards.
On 2nd and 5 at the SD 34 (3:53 left) someone calls a pass play which is incomplete to V.Jackson
San Diego calls timeout #2 for some reason. This was key later in the game on their final drive.
So now it’s 3rd and 5 at the SD 34 (3:46 left). They pass again and Rivers’ pass to Eric Parker is incomplete.
So now on 4th and 5 at the SD 34 (3:42 left) they are forced to give the ball up.

San Diego did get the ball back and had the last ditch try for a FG to tie from 54 yards out, which failed. But in my humble opinion, the series just described is where they lost the game and their season.

One word says it all – MVP. Why in the world would you not ride your big dog? One rush for 5 yards and then 2 passes? If you are going to pass, throw LT a screen. If I’m gonna go down, I’m going to do it with the ball in my MVP’s hands. There was plenty of time during that series (as opposed to the final series where they had no choice but to throw down the field). Any time LT touches the ball, it could go the distance. Let the guy do what he’s paid to do, which is not block and not be a decoy. Hell, I’d even have called a halfback pass over what they tried.

This is a rule that every fantasy football participant knows – you go with your studs and don’t look back.

Rant away.