A RACIST BIGOTED REDNECK?

SO, WHAT"S NEW?
Johann Wagener 12-19-13

What is also not surprising is that the majority of "Duck D" and "H Booboo" fans are also. Add COPS , WWW, Glen Beck, R. Limbaugh, FOX, and a slew of other silly so-called "reality" shows, and you have the cast for the sequel of "Idiocracy."


Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson Says Being Gay Is Illogical: A Vagina Is More Desirable Than a Man's Anus

Duck Dynasty’ star Phil Robertson took aim at homosexuality in an interview with GQ. Equating same-sex relationships to bestiality, he called homosexuality ‘not logical’ — and was subsequently suspended from the reality show by A&E Networks.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson-equates-homosexuality-bestiality-article-1.1551556#ixzz2nyhPxGLQ

THE COLUMBINE GENERATION

A SHOOTING GALLERY
Johann Wagener 12-15-13

We live in a society that glorifies violence. A society that entertains itself with violence. A society that views violence as a sign of strength. A society that raise their children to worship violence through the heroes they emulate.

Still, the majority of Americans persist on holding on to their distorted (and often psychotic) perception that none of this is related to the actions and beliefs of people who act out and slaughter countless innocent Americans.

Since Columbine these mass murders are becoming routine and almost predictable. Yet, the reaction is always one of disbelief; how could this happen here?

The rituals remain the same; flowers, memorials, parades, funerals, testimonials, congressional hearings, prayers, tears, books, documentaries, all serving to veil the reality of the role we all play in perpetuating this human tragedy.

Those that profit continue to use the same nonsensical rhetoric that this is a "2nd. Amendment" right. That video games, movies, TV shows, football, cage fighting, bullying, hero worship have no influence or relationship to these acts of violence.

Americans are so naive that they believe these are isolated incidents committed by disturbed individuals who, in hindsight (always) showed all the warning signs that we somehow continue to miss.
As this latest shooting spree unfolds we are again hearing the same talking points;
HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

 "He's a funny kid. He's smart. He's in the Eagle Scouts, a very intelligent kid. Did not like being wrong," said August Clary, who was a friend of Pierson. "If you're arguing with him, it's going to be, that's a feat if you win an argument against him."

"He would not be afraid to tell someone how he feels," said Zach Runberg, 18, a senior in Pierson's English class.

Pierson legally bought a shotgun on Dec. 6 at a local store, and he purchased ammunition the morning of the shootings. He managed to ignite a Molotov cocktail inside the school library before he killed himself as a fast-acting school security officer, a deputy sheriff, closed in, Robinson said.

As usual, politicians put a positive spin on this shooting, complementing themselves on their ability to lower the number of victims and fail to point out that this shooter was armed with a shotgun, not an assault weapon, which was most likely to determining factor for the lower causality count.

 After the Aurora, Colo., theater shootings and the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, Colorado's Democrat-led legislature this year implemented gun control measures that limited the size of ammunition magazines and instituted universal background checks. Colorado also appropriated more than $20 million for mental health hotlines and local crisis centers.

The measures were intended to address violence associated with so-called assault rifles, not shotguns that are widely owned for hunting and sport.

Hickenlooper acknowledged the latest shooting raised again questions about guns and violence. But he noted that Pierson "didn't seem to exhibit any signs of mental illness," and he cautioned that the investigation was in its early stages.

"Everyone in Colorado is asking the same questions," the governor said. "On the one hand there is a deeply held conviction for the freedoms laid out in the Second Amendment, but also a very, very strong conviction about the safety of children and the safety of the community."

As is also usual, politicians fear being held accountable, not by the voters, but the lobbyists and special interest groups, in pointing to the obvious factors that consistently play a part in this shootings, bu rather makes an absurd statement like this;

Friday's shooting, he said, "defies any explanation, and you know we are searching for some pattern."

Maybe the governor and all those who continue to deny reality should begin to connect the dots. For example, in the Newton Massacre  AN OBSESSION WITH COLUMBINE there are more than ample clues on explaining what drives these kids.

Social Impairment

Today’s report sketched a picture of a young man diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder in 2005 who, starting in seventh grade, withdrew from playing baseball, soccer and the saxophone. After showing signs of the social impairments and extreme anxiety associated with the disorder, Lanza refused medication and therapy.

In the house he shared with his mother, the windows were taped and covered with black trash bags in Lanza’s bedroom and a computer room on the second-floor, the report said.

Investigators found a spread sheet of mass shootings over the years, and materials that indicated the obsession with Columbine. That shooting on April 20, 1999, left 12 students and a teacher dead. The two student shooters also killed themselves.

On computer hard drives and memory cards, investigators found pictures of people killing themselves with guns and rifles. They also found evidence of a 

computer game titled “School Shooting” having been played. In the game, a player controls a character who enters a school and kills students.

 154 Shots

In March, Sedensky said the Bushmaster .223 caliber model XM15 rifle used by Lanza had a 30-round capacity magazine. The 20-year-old shooter used a single shot from a Glock 10mm handgun to kill himself before police arrived and had a 9mm Sig Sauer P226 handgun with him, Sedensky said.

It took Lanza less than five minutes to shoot his way into the school and fire 154 shots from the Bushmaster on his way to gunning down the children, the staff and finally himself, Sedensky said.

The guns, which also included a 12-gauge shotgun found in Lanza’s car, were all purchased by Lanza’s mother, Nancy Lanza, Sedensky said in the March statement, when warrant returns were unsealed in court. Lanza killed his mother in their home before heading to the elementary school.

 Without going into long explanations arguing either side of the debate there are 3 obvious clues that anyone with an ability to reason will see;

1) Obsession with violence  2) Violent Video Games  3) Obsession and access with guns.

Contrary to the Governor's statement these factors do not "defy explanation"  and there is a "pattern."  Time to act, not talk.

AMERICA'S BODYGUARDS

BIG GOVERNMENT
Johann Wagener 12-14-13

Representative government; one created by the majority of it's citizens, is much like a bodyguard. The bigger the better!
Those who oppose big government are usually small "special interest" groups that have little or no clout in a functional democracy and can only operate in an environment where there is little or no oversight or regulation. Much like we have witnessed time and time again when the country is brought to the brink of destruction by self-serving destructive forces that are allowed to go unchecked and grow to be so powerful that they are "too big" to fail or jail.
These "too big" entities exist because of "too small" government. Underfunded or non-existent regulatory agencies unable to enforce or exert controls that are often gutted by corrupt politicians who pander to special interests who fund their campaigns. Or politicians gerrymandered into office which effectively nullifies majority representation and renders the government ineffective as we have been witnessing these past 6 years.
What we are witnessing today is the dismantling of our government and the foundations it was built on. At the same time our bodyguards become weaker and less effective as many Americans continue to buy into the myth that Reagan (or those who wrote his speeches) perpetrated on us along with the ill fated concept of "trickle down economics; both miserable failures.
Just as time is running out in curtailing climate change, the clock is also ticking when it comes to salvaging what remains of the "American Dream." In order to survive America needs a "big" strong government and effective regulatory agencies that can guard Americans from predators that relentlessly look for ways to exploit and oppress our government and citizens.
2014 mid-term elections is the next opportunity for Americans to take this country back from those who threaten our way of life.  Americans need to remember that this country is at it's best when the majority of it's people determine the direction in which it goes; not allowing 1% of the population to walk away with 45% of our wealth, or imposing economic slavery on our working class. Allowing individual rights to be superseded by corporate interests or our Presidents to be elected by the courts instead of our citizens.
Small government, weak bodyguards, rampant cronyism and corruption are the precursors to a complete breakdown of this society. There's still time to save ourselves.

WHAT'S THAT SUCKING SOUND?

IT'S THE 1%
Johann Wagener 12-09-13

Draining the life-blood from this country by exploiting and oppressing Americans for their own personal gain.

The majority of them hide behind tinted glass and gated communities and circulate in social circles comprised of their kind.

Pope Francis called them out in his recent proclamation, EVANGELII GAUDIUM

While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule.

Three Ways the Super-Rich Suck Wealth Out of the Rest of Us

To briefly summarize, the richest 5 percent (six million households) own about two-thirds of the wealth, or about $10 trillion of the $15 trillion in financial wealth gained since the recession. That's $1,667,000 per household. Calculations based on alternate sources resulted in a gain of over $2 million per household.
With the U.S. driving the expansion of this great bubble of wealth, our nation has become the fifth-most wealth-unequal country in the world, while global inequality (between rather than within countries) has become even worse than for any one country. Just 250 individuals have more money than the total annual living expenses of almost half the world—three billion people.

MADE IN AMERICA!

LOW-WAGE WORKERS
Johann Wagener 12-06-13


Several of the news media outlets are making a "Made In America" pitch to Americans and showing spot ads of companies plugging the slogan.

Unfortunately, the "Made In America" and "America Strong" media blitzes don't include those commonly labeled as "the unskilled" much like the "scarlet letter A" of times past, and now replaced with a "U".

These are the Americans that tirelessly work but are hardy able to survive on wages that are so low they remain below the poverty line and many need to be subsidized by the American taxpayer with welfare, food stamps, and healthcare. They and their families live day-to-day, in fear of losing what little they have and ending up in the streets, homeless and even more desperate.

 They are not "unskilled" as employers would like you to believe. They provide Americans with a much needed, and in demand, service that millions of Americans use daily.

Americans seem to forget that these human beings are also "made in America."

Raise The Minimum Wage

To those who claim that "higher wages means higher prices" tell them "higher wages means lower profits."

THE "S" WORD; SLAVES STRIKE!

99% vs 1%
Johann Wagener 12-05-13

These $7.25 an hour workers have nothing to lose by protesting their working conditions. They already qualify and collect welfare, food stamps, and healthcare because of the slave labor wages they are paid by some of the largest and wealthiest corporations in the world.

These corporate oligarchs complain that if they were to pay employees a "living wage" they would have to pass the cost on to shoppers and raise prices rather than lower their profits.

Let the American shopper decide; higher prices? or Lower profits?

The six Waltons on Forbes’ list of wealthiest Americans have a net worth of $144.7 billion. This fiscal year three Waltons—Rob, Jim, and Alice (and the various entities that they control)—will receive an estimated $3.1 billion in Walmart dividends from their majority stake in the company.

The Waltons aren’t just the face of the 1%; they’re the face of the 0.000001%. The Waltons have more wealth than 42% of American families combined.

Why does all of this matter? While the Waltons are building billion-dollar museums, driving million-dollar cars, and jumping between vacation homes, Walmart, the country’s largest private employer, is paying its associates an average of $8.81 an hour. The Waltons make billions a year off of a company most of them don’t even work for, while Walmart associates struggle for respect on the job and enough pay to make ends meet.

“We Can’t Survive on $7.25”: Fast Food Workers Kick Off National Day of Action for Higher Pay

The federal minimum wage – which many fast food and retail outlets pay employees – is $7.25, or about $15,000 a year for full-time work. That rate was set in a 2009 measure that increased the minimum wage but still left it, in real terms, at the same rate as when Harry Truman was in office – a fact Obama mentioned in his speech on Wednesday.

In Chicago, hundreds of protesters gathered outside a McDonalds at 6.15am. As a large "Christmas Grinch" ambled about in freezing temperatures, demonstrators chanted for the minimum wage to be increased to $15 per hour.

It was the first of nine strikes in Chicago, with employees at McDonalds, Wendy's, Walgreens, Macy's and Sears also due to walk off shift. Low wage workers were due to strike across 100 cities through the day, including Boston, Detroit, New York City, Oakland, Los Angeles and St Louis.

"To put it in perspective, yesterday I got paid, today I have not a dollar in my pocket," said Akilarose Thompson, 24.  

THE DAYS-AFTER HOLIDAY SALES

75% PLUS DISCOUNTS
Johann Wagener 12-01-13


Now that actual holidays are turning into shopidays maybe it's time to rethink your shopping strategy in finding the best cluck for your buck.

Rather than suiting up and battling your way through hoards of often angry shoppers who are willing to kill to get that door-buster why not wait a few more days; even up to a week before plunging in?

If you think 35% or 50% is a deal what about 75% or 90% off? Now, that's a deal!

That's what usually happens when retailers end up overstocked when the few door busters were not enough to sucker anyone into buying something else and instead went home empty handed.

All you need to do is hold your breath, disconnect from the marketing blitz by putting everything on fast-forward and wait. Especially for those electronics. If you dare wait a month you'll find that $1,000 flat screen cut to $600 for the holiday door-buster now dropped to $300 to make room for another of a never ending string of "new and improved" whatever.

Retailers plan how to hook shoppers months in advance and are counting on them to take the bait, year after year in order to continue pumping up the bottom line and beating the previous years figures. That's the way business works in America. There's never enough profits so by hook or by crook they look for ways to outsmart shoppers. Since last year was pretty much lackluster they invade the holiday itself to kick off what used to be "black Friday" and create "grey Thursday" mania.  I can't wait to see what they come up with for Christmas.

Unlock Big Bargains at Post-holiday Sales | NEA Member Benefits

AMERICANS CELEBRATE SHOPIDAYS

BYE BYE THANKSGIVING
Johann Wagener 11-29-13

We should have seen this coming years ago. "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?"

Retailers have successfully transformed Thanksgiving into "Grey Thursday" followed by "Black Friday."

The 24/7 media has fallen into line and devote almost every hour reporting on "sales" and more "sales" and the millions of shoppers spending millions of dollars, none of which is even remotely related to the holiday we used to celebrate.

“This year, no turkey, no dinner,” one shopper said.

“I’m working on Black Friday so I decided to come early and get the shopping over and done with,” said shopper Michelle Sylvester.

National Retail Federation Predicts Holiday Sales Will Jump Nearly 4 Percent

MALL MAULS: ATTENTION HOLIDAY SHOPPERS!

STAND YOUR GROUND!
Johann Wagener 11-29-13


Spending your holidays being mauled in malls is not what the retailers want anyone to see.

The ads and marketing omit disclaimers warning shoppers "you may be in danger when shopping during grey and black Thur-Fri. For your own protection we recommend Kevlar vests and tasers."

The shopping frenzy surrounding Black Friday has already led to a number of violent incidents across the country.

Starting as early as Thursday night, shootings and stabbings have been reported at retailers in several states. Among the most violent episodes happened yesterday at a Kohl's in Romeovile, Ill., when an alleged shoplifter dragged a police officer from his car before being shot in the arm by other law enforcement officers present at the scene, The Chicago Tribune reports.

A shooting was also reported Thursday night in Las Vegas. Two assailants reportedly attempted to steal a TV from a man who had recently purchased it. After arguing, theman was shot in the leg before the attacker sped off in his car, leaving the TV behind, CBS News 8 reports. In an email sent to The Huffington Post, Kohl's said it was "cooperating with the authorities leading the investigation" into the incident.

A police officer in Rialto, Calif., was also injured Thursday night when a fight broke out at a local Walmart.

In Virginia, a man was allegedly slashed with a knife during an altercation with another shopper over a parking space at a Walmart.

A stabbing was reported early Friday morning in Carlsbad, Calif. The victim in that case was stabbed in the stomach at the entrance of a mall, according to NBC San Diego.

Multiple instances of milder forms of violence, such as pushing and shoving over merchandise, have also been reported. Videos showing the frenzy over the deals have been shared on social media and various websites:

Mobs, Stampedes, Fights, Brawls, A Stabbing And Shooting: A Video Compilation Of Black Thursday 2013

DEAR MR BLANKFEIN; GOD IS CALLING!

DID YOU KNOW?
Johann Wagener 11-29-13


Did you know that one in five of the nation’s children is living below the poverty line? One in 45 is homeless. 

What are their lives really like? Our 2012 film Poor Kids gave some of these children a voice and a chance to speak for themselves.

If I understood you correctly when you said "I am doing God's work" Still 'God's work'? Blankfein defends Goldman when making comments like this:

Blankfein defended the payment of bonuses to employees at Goldman Sachs by arguing that it was necessary to "keep the firm together."

(Read more: Goldman CEO on risk: Worst 'absolutely will happen'

"If we hadn't paid our people we wouldn't have had a stable population at the firm," he said. "I work at the company. I don't own it. I'm not entitled to blow it up" by not paying bonuses.

"I would say to Occupy Wall Street, that business has helped lift more people out of poverty than philanthropy," Blankfein said in a Wednesday afternoon panel at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

Philanthropy can "fill the gaps" where profit motives don't suffice to improve the lives of the poor. But it's role is "supplementary." The "bulk of it"—raising people out of poverty—is done by business, he said.

"We should educate the public more about how business and its core activities have lifted people out of poverty," Blankfein said.

In another remark likely to generate controversy, Blankfein praised the U.S. for having "accepted a higher unemployment rate" over the past few years, even as it bailed out the banks. Labor market flexibility—reflected in the ability of U.S. companies to fire workers—is one of the reasons the U.S. is doing so well despite many headwinds in the economy, he said.

"The United States is in a position where the banks are recapitalized and companies are more efficient, not because they kept people on but because they let them go. It was a social decision we made," Blankfein said.

Blankfein said that although his focus is on Republicans "right now," some blame must be placed on the Obama administration for its early behavior.

He argued that the Obama administration acted as if it were in a parliamentary system early in its first term, when it controlled both the House and Senate. It didn't reach out to Republicans enough when passing health care reform, he argued. That set the tone for the GOP's defiant stance..

If the health care reform known as Obamacare had been passed with "more Republican support and concessions to earn it," the tone in Washington would be different now, he said.

Since you are the "poster child for the 1%" I can understand why you take the position you do on social issues and follow the Romney lead in discounting 47% or more of the population but, the following comments were particularly disturbing to me; because of the hypocrisy and arrogance they infer.

"I would say to Occupy Wall Street, that business has helped lift more people out of poverty than philanthropy," Blankfein said in a Wednesday afternoon panel at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

Philanthropy can "fill the gaps" where profit motives don't suffice to improve the lives of the poor. But it's role is "supplementary." The "bulk of it"—raising people out of poverty—is done by business, he said.

"We should educate the public more about how business and its core activities have lifted people out of poverty," Blankfein said.

So Lloyd, here's a great opportunity for you to "educate the public." Why not take a day off, jump into your limo and take a drive around "hometown" America and see how much work you are missing out on.

Frontline has even provided you with a map just in case you get lost in Greenwich or the Hamptons

In all, 41 states saw a rise in homelessness among school-aged children last year. Fifteen states reported a gain of at least 10 percent while another 10 states reported spikes of 20 percent or more. The map below breaks down the changes:

Map: Where is Childhood Homelessness Getting Worse? – Poor Kids - FRONTLINE

I believe that you and I would agree that this indeed would be doing "God's work, or are you referring to a different god that I am?

I AM TONY ROHR; "JUST SAY NO!"

AN AMERICAN HERO!
Johann Wagener 11-28-13

I was not going to post today. It's a "holiday" and I wanted to take the day off.

That is, until I scrolled on what I call a "David and Goliath" story about a young man who singly took on a giant and lost, and then won, and then?

I don't like comparing this hero to "Joe the Plumber" but the media attention he's getting is similar. That's were similarity ends for me.

What impressed me about this person is that he is willing to "walk the talk" act on his convictions and morals, even if it means losing his job.  Firing someone for refusing to open a business on Thanksgiving is a crime against humanity even if there are no laws on the books in this morally decaying nation.

I am hoping that many more Tony Rohr's will take his lead and take a stand against those who would exploit and oppress people who hold themselves to a higher standard than just making a profit.

Maybe the time has come for American's (excluding the 1%) rethink their priorities when it comes to values, family, tradition rather than just blindly follow those who have little to no interest in America and whose priorities are nothing more than a bottom line.

Pizza Hut Manager Fired For Refusing To Open On Thanksgiving?

A Pizza Hut manager has been fired after refusing to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. According toWSTB, Tony Rohr worked at the pizza chain for 10 years -- starting out as a cook before working his way up to being the manager of the Elkhart, Ind., location -- before being fired.

As WSTB reports, Rohr says he was told at a meeting with his bosses that opening on Thanksgiving was mandatory this year. "I said, 'Why can't we be the company that stands up and says we care about our employees, and they can have the day off?'" Rohr told WSTB. "Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they're closed in the whole year, and they're the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off and spend it with their families."

According to WSTB, Rohr’s bosses at Pizza Hut said he could sign a letter of resignation for his refusal to open the restaurant on Thanksgiving.

“I do not resign,” Rohr wrote in a letter to his boss. “However, I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company." He added, "I hope you realize that it is the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible."

AN AMERICAN UNSKILLED SLAVES PROFILE

ROMNEY'S 47%
Johann Wagener 11-25-13

To hear Republicans tell it, this is the profile someone in their ranks posted in one of the more prestigious blogs I go to.

Skills required to do 95% of the jobs in a fast food restaurant -

Show up on time
Leave on time
Don't steal
Be friendly
Be polite
Do what you are told
Make change

Unfortunately for the country, there is a large segment of American's who live in what Bill Maher refers to as "the bubble" and who actually believe that this BSC-BS is true.

So, for those who are willing to take a peek at reality it might serve our country better if they do a little fact checking;

Myth 2: Retail workers are unskilled 

Reality: 28% of retail workers (pdf) have completed some college, and 15% have a bachelor's degree or higher. Employers have deskilled a lot of the work, but  still report in surveys that they want employees with both soft and hard skills, including product knowledge, ability to relate to customers, and increasingly, familiarity with technology for assisting with online sales.

Read more;   10 Biggest Myths About Retail Workers

THE UNSKILLED 47%
Johann Wagener 11-22-13


This is not about color, gender, or religious beliefs. It crosses over  these lines and specifically targets an "economic class" commonly referred to as the "unskilled."

When I posted this question on one of my favorite blogs "what is the job description of an unskilled worker?" this is one of the responses  I received that I thought expressed the views of many of the "free market enthusiasts"

Yes, there are unskilled workers. Or more appropriately, workers who have jobs that require no real skills.

Skills required to do 95% of the jobs in a fast food restaurant -

Show up on time
Leave on time
Don't steal
Be friendly
Be polite
Do what you are told
Make change

McDonald's creates profits by buying a case of hamburgers for $20, a case of buns for $5, and turning it into $200 worth of sandwiches. Turning $150 worth of syrup and $2 worth of water into $3,000 worth of soda.

Should McDonald's share more of their profits with their workers? Absolutely. Regardless of other factors, they do have employees and they should try to help those employees have decent lives. But from a pure business perspective, the value added to McDonald's business by labor is probably worth just about $8 an hour.

This also appears to be what many of the large retail outlets use as a job description for their employees in light of the way they are treated;

For example when it comes to holidays which are defined as; hol·i·day ˈhäliˌdā/ noun1.a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done. "Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday"

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day a national holiday in 1863.
Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on the final Thursday in November, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed it to fourth Thursday in November to ensure it wouldn't fall too close to Christmas.

synonyms: day of observance, festival, feast day, fête, fiesta, celebration,anniversary, jubilee; saint's day, holy day

I posted this question on my favorite blog;

Is employers mandating that their employees work on national holidays a form of oppression?

and this is one of the responses;

You have the right not to be employed. Any retailer, restaurant, hotel, hospital, police force, has the right to operate any hours they choose and they can, and do, mandate their employees work whatever days they see fit. It should not be surprising to any adult that has shopped on a holiday that many retailers are open every day of the year. In case you should go brain dead when accepting a job with such a company, you can bet that you will be told in your interview that your failure to accept work on an assigned holiday will be treated as a resignation.

Walmart is again at the forefront of these innovations on how to celebrate holidays in America. One Walmart executive went so far as to say; (boy! he's really got a set of big one's)

"Wal-Mart associates are really excited to work that day, it's a pretty high energy day for associates as well." Walmart executive says employees are excited to work on Thanksgiving [Published Daily Kos - Nov 14 2013


I wonder if the families and friends of these gifted, talented, well paid, stalwarts of the corporate world were to announce that they would not be able to join them on Thanksgiving because they were so "excited" about going to work that day. I would like to be a door mouse so I could be there to hear their responses.

I'd be willing to bet my Thanksgiving turkey that this sentiment is being echoed behind closed boardroom doors all across America when the discussion turns to the 47%, but these folks are slick enough to not let anyone in on it; as one famous Republican did when he so eloquently said;

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what … who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims. … These are people who pay no income tax. … and so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
— Mitt Romney, remarks at private fundraiser, Boca Raton, Florida, May 17

Read more: Romney comment about 'dependent' 47 percent not his first misfire in Palm Beach County

That got a standing ovation from an audience that I'm guessing was made up of these corporate giants. Who else would be rich and dumb enough to fork up $50,000.00 for a meal just to listen to a very foolish politician to embarrass them and himself thanks to one of those "unskilled" workers who gave Americans a glimpse of what goes on behind those closed doors. I'm also guessing that the staff attending future events like this will be frisked and required to surrender their cell phones; though this might also be a violation of their rights. Still, no one seems to care much as long as it stays on the 47% side of the tracks.

In case you haven't been able to understand what I'm saying and are thinking that I must be one of those BSC socialists-communists pigs I am including a short list of the Big Retailers who are "requiring" that workers spend  the better part of Thanksgiving and the day after with them rather than their families which I'm certain they are not at all excited about.

In fact one of the Big 8; Kmart's plan to be open for 41 straight hours beginning at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning is drawing criticism. At this Kmart store in Connecticut, shoppers wait in line to take advantage of sales on Thanksgiving Day

I can't fault those standing in line which I know represent the Romney 47% because I, along with other American of good conscience, realize that these people are not excited about stand in line (some even camping out) but desperate to find a way to afford providing for themselves and their families. 

A noble and admirable act on their part given that these retailers will only drop their grossly inflated profit driven prices on Holidays which they know targets the low income and impoverished.  

I am left to wonder why the people in these lines haven't thought on just staying home for; let's say a week and not buy anything at one of these Big 8 retailers and see what happens then. 

I'm certain there will be a lot of wailing from mostly free-market Republicans that will say this is going to kill jobs, and blah, blah, blah.

What they are not saying is that these jobs are keeping their employees below the poverty line which not only oppresses them and their families, but require American taxpayers to subsidize them while at the same time chains like Walmart are piling up the profits;

Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. "Buy American" banners are prominently placed throughout its stores; however, the majority of its goods are made outside the U.S. and often in sweatshops. Critics believe that Wal-Mart opens stores to saturate the marketplace and clear out the competition, then closes the stores and leaves them sitting empty. Freedom of speech issues also come into play. Musicians are at the mercy of Wal-Mart's stringent content rules, forcing many to create "sanitized" versions of their albums specifically for the discount chain. The sentiment behind Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's promise of a "better life for all" belies questionable business practices - many that have been challenged by employees, unions, environmentalists, recording artists and human rights organizations. Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. "Buy American" banners are prominently placed throughout its stores; however, the majority of its goods are made outside the U.S. and often in sweatshops. Critics believe that Wal-Mart opens stores to saturate the marketplace and clear out the competition, then closes the stores and leaves them sitting empty. Freedom of speech issues also come into play. Musicians are at the mercy of Wal-Mart's stringent content rules, forcing many to create "sanitized" versions of their albums specifically for the discount chain. The sentiment behind Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's promise of a "better life for all" belies questionable business practices - many that have been challenged by employees, unions, environmentalists, recording artists and human rights organizations.

What boggles my mind is that Americans are the first to condemn countries like China for their slave-like business practices: which by the way has no effect on our doing business with them) but barely make a whimper about what is gong on inside our own borders. 

Take Walmart, for example one of the giants in the retail industry as these stats reveal;

Forbes magazine, polling business executives (not employees) has ranked Wal-Mart among the best 100 corporations to work for. Yet the employees on average take home pay of under $250 a week. The salary for full-time employees (called "associates") is $6 to $7.50 an hour for 28-40 hours a week, which is typical in the discount retail industry. This pay scale places employees with families below the poverty line, with the majority of employees' children qualifying for free lunch at school. When closely examined, this amounts to a form of corporate welfare, as the taxpayer subsidizes the low salaries. One-third are part-time employees - limited to less than 28 hours of work per week - and are not eligible for benefits.

Walmart has come up with a brilliant strategy to avoid repercussions from Americans who begin to question these slave-labor business practices; and I must admit this is indeed brilliant. Give that CEO another $ million

in bonuses if he's able to successfully pull this off;

Wal-Mart sets up Thanksgiving food drive -- for its own employees

I've been left with one conclusion to reconcile as to why this kind of corporate violation of human rights can go on right under our noses. It's that many Americans are in a state of "denial" which is usually the prime reaction to trauma that is too  much for an average person to endure. It is usually driven by "fear" which Republicans are very good at instilling with buzz words and talking points about "losing jobs" or destroying, the economy, being invaded by migrants who pick our fruits and vegetables, or bringing down America. All very effective distractions designed to keep many American in a state of paranoia and paralysis that they are unable to see what is actually going on behind the scenes.

If one were to look this is what they would find; Top 10 World’s Biggest Retail Giants 2013

is the undisputed retail leader in North America and tops the global list of retailers, but the company’s international operations in 15 countries outside the United States generate just under 25 percent of annual sales. Their Slogan “Save Money, Live Better” is very customer friendly. The company is the world’s third largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list. The company employs nearly 2 million people and is the biggest private employer worldwide. Wal-Mart has 8,900 stores spanning 15 countries under 55 different names. In India, it operates under the name “Best-Price”.

As Wal-mart grew rapidly into the world’s largest corporation, people started criticizing its impact on local stores, particularly small towns with “mom and pop” type stores. Even studies suggested that such an expansion would lead to shutting down of small town shops and local businesses. This was also one of the primary reasons several economies were initially hesitant in allowing them to open up their stores in their country.

The primary reason why Wal-mart is famous is because of the considerably low prices offered and that is the reason for its huge base of loyal customers. This truly reflects the “Low prices, always” advertising slogan that Wal-Mart started with. An interesting fact is that a survey suggested that the average income of a customer who shops at Wal-mart is much below the calculated national average. And if that’s surprising then the next fact is a shocker, about one-fifth of them lack a bank account.


Interesting Fact - A poll was conducted after the 2004 US Presidential Elections, which revealed that 76% of voters who shopped at Wal-mart atleast once a week had voted for George.W.Bush, while the rest 23% supported John Kerry. This revealed that in comparison to other voters, Wal-mart shoppers were most politically conservative.

My concern for future generations is that the ranks of Walmart shoppers will continue to grow even larger.

By the Numbers: The Incredibly Shrinking American Middle Class

Share of self-described middle-class adults who say it’s more difficult now than a decade ago for middle-class people to maintain their standard of living: 85

Percentage of Americans that consider themselves to be “lower class” (the highest percentage ever):8.4

Percentage increase in salary growth for the median worker from 1979 to 2012: 5

Percentage drop in average real income per family since 2007: 8.3

The median net worth of a family in 2010: $77,300
and in 2007: $126,400

Percentage of Americans that are unemployed/underemployed rate: 14

Number of states in which poverty rates rose between 2007 and 2010: 46

Approximate poverty rate from 2009 to 2012: 15

The last time it remained at or above 15 percent for three years running: 1965

To me that has a lot to do in answering why Americans would prefer to stand in lines; reminiscent of soup lines in the Great Depression years,  Depression-era Soup Kitchens

As for those Americans who might still be able freely choose how they want to spend Thanksgiving , being the idiot that I am, I'd ask;

What would be more enjoyable for you and family? Jumping in you crossover and hurrying down to your nearest Walmart or Mega-Mall to spend Thanksgiving pushing your way through crowds of people?

You might also want to remember the army of "unskilled" workers tending to your needs are not there because they are excited, but rather because they are afraid of losing the only thing that probably stands between them and the streets. A below poverty level job provided them by one of the 21st Century slave masters who would rather oppress them than to send them home with a turkey to share with their families on Thanksgiving.

List Of Stores That Will Open On Thanksgiving

Retailers open this Thanksgiving 

Aurora Farms Premium Outlets: Opening at 8 p.m.
Best Buy: 6 p.m.
Big Lots: 7 a.m.
Dollar General: 7 a.m.
Gander Mountain: 8 a.m.
Kmart: 6 a.m.
Kohl's: 8 p.m.
JCPenney: 8 p.m.
Lodi Station Outlets: 10 p.m.
Macy's: 8 p.m.
Office Depot: 8 p.m.
OfficeMax: 8 p.m.
Sears: 8 p.m.
Staples: 8 p.m.
Target: 8 p.m.
Toys "R" Us: 5 p.m.
Walmart: 6 p.m.

I'll leave the rest up to decide what to do on Thanksgiving. I know what I'll be doing after looking up the word "holiday" in the dictionary.

hol·i·day ˈhäliˌdā/ noun a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done. 

I'll just save my shopping for next week and visit one of the retailers that were respectful of the American people and our holidays to place those values before profits;

My hope is that there are enough Americans out there that want to share their holidays with families and friends, that will be willing to send a message by just staying home on Thanksgiving and demand better pay for worker and lower prices from the Walton family and friends on the days that follow.

14 Stores That Refuse To Ruin Your Thanksgiving

 AAFES Exchange
Aeropostale
Ace Hardware
Bass Pro Shops
Bed, Bath, & Beyond
BJ's Wholesale Club
Costco
Fred's
GameStop
Gordmans
Half Price Books
Harbor Freight Tools
Havertys
Home Depot
JoAnn Fabrics
Lowe's
Menards
Nordstrom
PETCO
PetSmart
Radio Shack
Rite Aid
Sam's Club
Sportsmans Warehouse
Stein Mart
Tommy Hilfiger

PRESIDENT OBAMA IS A NIGGER!

THERE, I SAID IT
Johann Wagener 11-22-13


And now it's only a matter of getting over the nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I'm told by many self-proclaimed Constitutional scholars that referring to the President of the United States using this term; as distasteful and disgusting as it is, protected speech; much unlike yelling "fire" in a crowded theater (when there is no fire) , and must be defended at all costs lest we be stripped of a cherished freedom.

I'm also told by the "scholars" that when it comes to people in political office this right is sacrosanct; with the exception of threatening violence, and is merely "criticism."

When it comes to President Obama Republicans are in the forefront in defending free speech given their reactions and commentary when they or their base slur the President so I thought I would try to level the playing field;

I'd like to suggest that politicians, on either side of the political landscape, encourage their constituents to exercise their 1st  Amendment rights by referring  to their opponents using their ethnic backgrounds; See The racial slur database to look up your target

For example;

Ronald Reagan is a "bog-jumper"  "donkey"  "fire bush" (click for more)

George Bush is a "island monkey"  "rock spider" (click here for more)

Mitt Romney is a mix of "guffie" "fur licker"  "cross-dresser" "moron" (click for more)
Mitt Romney: Ethnic Ancestry Summary
40.6% England — Mostly Northwest England, partly W.Midlands.
18.8% Scotland
26.6% Colonial-Yankee
12.5% North-German
1.5-3% French, Acadian and possible Huguenot (see entries #5 and #7 far below)


I don't believe our Founding Fathers, even though a few of them referred to blacks as niggers and thought of them as only a half-of-a-person, thought (or even imagined) the right to free speech would lead Americans, down the path we are on. They were too much of a "gentleman."

I'd like to think that they expected future generations would be much more civil and patriotic given these rights, though it never occurred to them that, one day, a black man, would occupy the Oval office.

None  the less, I believe they had hoped for much more civility, respect for your fellow Americans; those were most likely  their aspirations.

As I wrap this up, I need to apologize if I offended anyone. It was not my intent.

I also realized that those that refer to the President using the "N" word are completely off base;

HE'S A "CALF" "COOKIES & CREAM" "CHROMIE" (click here for more)

And now that DNA testing is in the mix, I suspect there's many more Americans who are in for a big surprise; White supremacist would be black under America's one-drop rule

Just in case some of you don't know this; it doesn't wash off.

As an afterthought, I would add that I decided to use the complete word; N-I-G-G-E-R rather than just "N" in the headline because I think the latter is just a tactic used by those who want to avoid the issue of racism and address it head on. and not acquiesce by falling into line with a recent Supreme Court decision. ruling that racism no longer exists in America;  Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act but rather affirming racism is thriving, in a much more sophisticated form in these United States of America.

I also wondered how a black person, who is proud of the race, feels or thinks about being referred to as an "N"  knowing that the person mouthing that word has spelled it out in their mind?

I wonder why political leaders and media pundits think that by replacing the word "nigger"  with "N" is an effective, logical way to address racism in our society.

What must the next generation of blacks and whites be thinking when they ask; "mommy, what does the "N" word mean?"

Christians are well aware that the "sin" is committed in the thought not the expression of it. So how do they reconcile themselves with God on that one?

I also often wondered what would happen if an African-American were to proudly announce that'

"I'M AN AMERICAN NIGGER, AND DAMN PROUD OF IT"

How would a racist respond to that? In my profession they refer to it as "reverse psychology" which I interpret to mean that you "disarm" your attacker by using their own weapons against them.

Sounds like a plan to me. But then, I am just an idiot.