The good old moldy days.....

An open letter to my fellow Americans....

Ahhh! The good old days when, Milk was delivered to your door, The newspaper was as well. Remember when we played outside and then there were only were 3 channels on the t.v. ETC, ETC...

This blog isn't about any of that stuff!

Over the past 18 months or so I have noticed a trend. As a Stay at home dad I have the ability to go food shopping on a regular basis. Now with that said; is it me but, has anyone else noticed that not only is everything substantially more expensive then just a few years ago, or Is it me but, has anyone else noticed that even store brand or generic items are even more expensive than they used to be?!?!?

Which begs the question what gives? Why? When did this start happening? Now we can blame the government, which I am never averse to doing but, I actually think there is much more to it. For example; has anyone noticed how many products have a generic twin item right next to it on the shelf?  How about when there are several generic items next to the name brand stuff!!  Example; Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, and right next to that the store brand "Frosty Flakes" followed by Malt o Meal "Sugar frosting flakes!" I could go on with myriad different products but, I think you get the picture.

It isn't just the expensive pricing I've noticed there is an even more disturbing trend to me that seems to be going unnoticed maybe not unnoticed but, not being mentioned and that is the quality of said items.
I am talking about freshness! Does anyone remember freshness? Because quite frankly I don't!
The last 3 times I have purchased bread, white sandwich bread, I have gotten either an already stale loaf of bread or one so close that it was stale a full 2 days later.

Now keep in mind in my younger days I held several jobs in grocery stores or convenience stores where we had to rotate stock putting the older items up front and the fresher items towards the back. So I know how to read dates as well so please don't make snide comments as to checking dates because part of this disturbing trend is that the dates are within normal freshness dates yet and still when the item is opened it is already all but stale.  I have also gotten a loaf home and not only was it close to stale but, completely stale and moldy within a few days!!!!

In my normally humble opinion, this is not only a disturbing trend but, one that I think isn't going to
change anytime soon.

And here is why;

Now buying bread is pretty much a necessity, the bread companies and there a few, have to compete with the big bread companies ie; Wonder bread etc... Now if you go and buy a name brand loaf of sandwich bread it is gonna run you about 2.50 to 3.50 on average. Then there are the generic brands or store brands that sell for about half of that. The store brands are able to mark down breads, milks and the other necessities to almost half the price of name brand items because of the old adage that you are in the store and you're going to buy more items that aren't generic therefore those items will have a better markup and then everyone can make more money ie the store, the brand etc.....

My problem isn't the competitive pricing aspect of any of this it is the freshness or the quality of the items like bread. You see I have done some quasi research on this bread thing. I have purchased several different brands of breads over the last few months. Name brand, generic and the like. What I have found is that they are all stale or at least very close to it when first purchased!  Not only did I do this project in one grocery store I have done it in several different stores from large grocery chains to local grocery chains and even local convenience stores and without fail all of the bread has had the same problem each and every time!!!!
Am I missing something?! The "Main Stream Media" isn't covering this because I imagine that bread isn't sexy?
Not to mention the inflation aspect of this whole thing that isn't even being remotely addressed by the media! I mean anyone can go and get a loaf of generic bread for about a buck but, will it be any good in a couple of days or will you have to go out and buy another loaf in 3 days even though you still have some of the original purchase left but, no one will eat eat it because it's old or worse yet you had to toss it because it was moldy!
I mean what gives!?!!  I mean what are we supposed to do complain the pimply faced store manager who has barely gotten through puberty as of yet. "Umm sir, I bought this loaf of bread 2 days ago and it's already stale can I have my money back?" Or more than likely you don't say anything to anyone and go out and buy another loaf in the hopes that this one will last longer. I mean when does it end? Does anyone care? Not just the retail level or manufacturing level? How about us? Do any of us really care? And why not? I mean we're being gouged on so many other items that we are essentially being gouged on a necessity like bread?!?  Whats next milk, eggs? etc..etc... When does it end? When does someone say or do something? Or are we really like sheep and just built to follow? I haven't, nor will I even begin to address the price of gas in this blog. Is that where all of this started? Was it the price of fuel? Have we been asleep at the wheel here? Or have we just chosen to play by the rules as they are, for lack of a better term, accepting the status quo?

It isn't just bread.  I mean we as Americans were brought up to fight for our rights; weren't we? Something should be done about this. But, by who or whom?

Please bear in mind I am not just talking about bread here. I guess bread is just colloquialism
 for the real disservice being done to us Americans. We are being gouged and if there was a worse time for us to be gouged for anything I don't believe now would be it.  In a time when we are experiencing unemployment numbers that none of us has ever seen before. Now would not be the time to just blindly accept the status quo. AGAIN PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BREAD!!!!! It is about the fact that while we have a million other things to worry about the prices we pay at the grocery store or the gas station should not be something we just ACCEPT!!!

All of us Americans sit idly by while we are steadily gouged if for no other reason than to make the big corporations richer? I have no problem with a corporation making money. But, not at the risk of doing it unfairly. Keep in mind it isn't just the big corporations it is all of the companies.
We pay dearly as they compete against one another for our "bread" purchases. They will do anything in order to beat their competitors for our "bread" purchases including but, not limited to no quality control of said "bread."

It's time to take a stand America! Take a stand against gouging but, not against the corporations. Take a stand against your neighbors who are more than willing to stand by and be gouged by whoever wants to screw with us!
The way to take a stand is to start to Educate your friends, neighbors, family etc... tell them all.

I implore you all to take notice next time you buy a loaf of bread. Is it fresh? Does it stay fresh for a normal amount of time?
Remember it doesn't matter what brand you purchase, just check it out and see it for yourself. See if I don't have a valid point here.

Just educate yourselves and realize that while we continue to go broke, is it only our fault! Are we the only ones to blame? Will you continue to sit by idly and follow along like sheep?

Because in my opinion, that's just, BAAAAD!

Lucky number '13. 13 goals for 2013.

I have always had an affinity for the number 13. Well the calendar has rolled into the new year and it is now 2013 and since 13 is my favorite number it got me thinking of more numbers from this past year.

262 - That is how many potential days I had to go to my gym or get in a workout. I try and spend my weekends at home with my family so, I don't do too many workouts on the weekends.

200 - Actually closer to how many potential workouts I probably did this past year.

30  -   approximately  how many pounds I lost  in 2012.

63  - New Facebook  fans in 2012.

5.25  - New Facebook fans per day.

0  -  Personal visits to the emergency room.

2  -  Visits to the emergency room made by my wife this past year.

6  -  Amount of 5K races I participated in.

1  -  Half Marathon I completed.

5  -  Blog posts on blogger  in 2012.

3  -  Video blog posts on youtube.

208  - Loads of laundry completed.

20, 6, & 5  - The ages my children turned in 2012.

Those are my 13 numerical observations from 2012.

And now 13 goals for 2013:

1 - Attempt to blog every day.

2  - Lose 20 more pounds.

3  - Continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

4  - Build my voiceover / podcasting studio & business.

5  - Help my Brother in law with his new business.

6  - Be a better husband & Father. Since no one is perfect.

7  - Continue going to Church every week, rediscover my faith.

8  - Visit my Parents & Brothers in Florida.

9  - Write, write and write some more. Ie; Blogs, ebook and my great American novel.

10 - Take some small business and podcasting courses online.

11 - Find a mentor and become a mentor.

12 - Complete another half marathon & beat last years less than stellar time.

13 - Continue becoming a rockstar!

Well there you have it! Keep in mind that I never make resolutions they never seem to work, I try and set "goals". So what will you do this year? How will 2013 be different from 2012 for you? Don't be afraid to leave a comment on the bottom of this post. I will try to respond to all of your comments.

Happy 2013!

Honey Boo Boo and what this family could teach all of us...

I recently viewed an episode of "Here comes Honey Boo Boo." 
This is a reality show that follows Alana, Honey Boo Boo, and her family; Mom, June, Dad, Sugar Bear and 3 sisters, 17 year old Anna "Chickadee", 15 year old Jessica "Chubbs" and 12 year old Lauryn "Pumpkin." Of course the show follows daily life in the Honey Boo Boo world. From just sitting around watching t.v. to all out adventures like going out for a family photo shoot in the Georgia woods. There are trips to the little beauty pageants that made Honey Boo Boo famous on TLC's reality show Toddlers and Tiara's. 

There has been some talk around the blogosphere and talk shows and all of the talking heads seem to have some sort of level of disgust with this family. 
I have heard things like "offensive", "outrageous" and "exploitative". 

Now I don't know how any of my readers' family dynamic is set up other than my own of course but, I do know the the family unit in America is more like the Honey Boo Boo's of the world than the so called Nuclear family of the 50's and 60's Leave it to Beaver pipe dream. I mean in my family alone I am married to my second wife and we have two children of our own ages 6 and 5 but, when you add in my oldest son, 20,  from my first marriage well then you can just throw out the so called Nuke Family term. In fact I can't think of anyone I know in my close circle who comes from or has the so called nuke family!
 It goes without saying the The Honey Boo Boo clan doesn't do things the way most families would but, rest assured this family loves each other UNCONDITIONALLY! The oldest daughter recently had a baby of her own and I never once witnessed an ounce of disgust with this family! I mean in any form! Honey Boo Boo herself couldn't wait to meet and hold this little baby. It is one thing to judge a family unit for what  you might not consider an ideal situation but, we are taught from a young age how to just love and accept each other for what and who we are than I think we'd all be a little better off.
Learning something from this family is not what I thought the result of me watching this show was going to be but, dam-nit if it isn't what happened! The Mother and father may not be an ideal couple in many people's eyes but, dad goes to work every day as a chalk miner June stays at home with the kids and the siblings help out where they can. I understand it isn't what some would call perfect but it is perfect for them. Besides whom are we to judge?!?! Look around at your own personal circles and I'll bet you might find one "Nuclear Family" but, the rest of them are anything but. 
After all; isn't it just about loving one another?  At least that's what I was taught! 

To all of you out there with pre disposed thoughts of this family unit and any other family that you may not believe is the "Ideal" family, ask yourself this; do they love each other unconditionally? Do they judge you or each other? And most of all why does it matter to you what someone else's family does or how they live? 
We should all be so lucky to have a family unit like this one and we should all strive to be as accepting and loving as this family is! 
Never judge a family or anyone else for that matter, without looking at your own. None of us are perfect but, if love is the ingredient that makes us whole than it shouldn't matter one way or another.

Sons of anarchy and what the Motorcycle club can teach you about business and loyalty

I have recently caught up on the entire series of Sons of anarchy. It is an excellently written and acted show. For those of you who haven't heard of or watched the series it is on FX on Tuesday nights. It has colorful language and less than politically correct stereotypes which Hollywood has accepted on television since the advent of shows like NYPD Blue and later on The Shield which also aired on FX.
Sons of anarchy is about a fictional Northern California Motor Cycle Club in a small Northern California fictional town called Charming. It is the story of a  young man in his 30's who's apparently the reluctant heir apparent to someday head the club. His late father was the head of the club until his best friend and his "Old Lady" apparently murder him or have him murdered so that they can be together.
It takes place years after those events in which have made the best friend Clay Morrow played brilliantly by Ron Perleman, the "President" of the club. or for the purpose of this blog, the CEO. His now "Old Lady" Gemma Teller / Morrow, the mother of the club. Which is played by Katey Sagal, yes Peg Bundy, whom by the way plays Gemma as if the role was written for her. It probably doesn't hurt that her real life husband Kurt Sutter created and writes the show as he has done for the FX series the Shield. Sutter also plays a Club member on the show however, he is in prison serving a life sentence for myriad murders and the like.
The show deals with motor cycle gang violence on many levels but, what the show deals with the most are the relationships of the club members. The President and his "board" members. In total there are 11 of them at the table for their quasi board meetings. They take votes on everything at the table from drug muling to gun running etc. What they deal with the most is club business.
The President will bring up issues and put said issues up for a vote. Even though their are 11 of them in the Board Room which they refer to as "Church" only 8 sit at the table even though all eleven vote.
Items brought up for a vote are only passed when there is a majority.
In any business there are always decision makers. When it is a big company there are many people making decisions. In major corporations there is usually a board which when there is a vote it has to be passed by a majority.
As far as loyalty goes in Sons of anarchy loyalty is rewarded with money and protection. If loyalty comes in question in the club it usually ends in death or some might say worse than that, when your tattoo affiliations are burned off and you are outcast by the club. I will spare you the gruesome details on how the tattoos are burned off but, suffice it to say, they don't get them removed by a doctor.

Now a business also rewards loyalty with a paycheck sometimes bonuses etc. They don't require body art and things of the motor cycle clubs' nature but, the club is no different than any other business in fact this particular club is set in the back of an auto / motorcycle repair shop. Which by all accounts is a real business run Clay & Gemma Morrow.
the club has many businesses not many of them are legal but, all make money. They have a part in porn movie business. They have the garage. There is the gun running and the drug muling and this season they are getting into a high end prostitution ring.  Some companies in the real world branch out into a variety of businesses. Usually though it is done by a huge conglomerate with experts throughout said company. It appears that the club is usually on overload with all they take on which usually ends in someone dying or someones. Real world, a small company may take on some different businesses but, none more than it thinks it can handle. If it does take on too much it will more than likely end in doom for those smaller departments maybe even the entire company.

Let me end by saying that I don't condone violence of any kind in business or real life at all but, If I were running a motor cycle club like the Sons it would be much more streamlined. Maybe the Porn could combine somehow with the prostitution ring just an example. The guns and drugs could and should be done as separate industries those two industries seem to go hand in hand in Hollywood but, in my opinion would be strange bedfellows in the real world. Just asking for trouble there.

In the end, The show is about family and the people in your life that you make your family. The common denominator this show is the love and brotherhood of this club. It is one thing to start a business with family and friends it is another to make it successful. It isn't rare by any stretch but not very common. These guys seem to make it work for 12 -15 episodes a season but, it always ends up bad for them or someone.
I am just glad it has been renewed for 2 more seasons because, I can't wait to see what happens!

Death in the family.

A few years ago my family lost another member.  He was my grandfather's brother. I was very close to my late grandfather subsequently, I spent alot of time with my Uncle Hugo as well, when I was an young Impressionable child. The senior men in my family were all blue collar guys they did what they had to do to make ends meet and support thier families. My grandfather was a superintendant, basically a handy man for a huge New York city apartment complex. I am not really sure what my Uncle did but what ever it was rest assured it wasn't easy and it wasn't glamorous. I remeber watching my grandfather getting ready for work every morning showering shaving making sure he was completely presentable. One day @ the age of 10 I asked my grandfather. "Why do you bother getting all cleaned up shaved and looking like yu are going to work at some big company?" My grandfather was the strongest man I knew, he was also the kindest soul I have ever known. He turned to look at me bent down, so as not to talk down to me and said, "Georgie I go into people's homes and fix thier problems. These are thier homes, If I don't take pride in my appearence then How can I be the best Super ?" he paused and I asked my follow up question, "But you are just the Super!" Yes but if I can be the best super then why wouldn't I do my best to be the Best super!"

In my humble opinion It is this type of attitude that is severely lacking in today's workforce. I cannot think of too many people who take personal pride in thier work nowadays. I am definitely guilty of the same attitude in certains jobs I have had in the past. I know most of today's workforce is just trying to scrape by with the jobs they have. That doesn't excuse us from having a little self pride and doing the best we can, for ourselves, and especially for our employer. If not them then how about being thankful we are able to provide something for our families.

In today's economy most of us are lucky to have a job. How about we act like we appreciate the little things in life that are not owed to us and we should be thankful for.

If you are serving tables, pumping gas (In New Jersey), educating our children or caring for our elderly. Please be thankful you have at least that job. Some of us have to have multiple jobs just to survive.

As an aside this is for those of us for who are the ones going to those restaurants or any other establishment where we are being serviced, be mindful of what that server, gas attendant, again in Jersey, or the medical staff in a busy E.R. is going through. We don't know what someone else going through be it either personally or in that same job. That server may not be looking for the next big tip he / she may just be looking for the one customer that day that is polite and takes everything in stride.

This is for all of us who struggle everyday with the everyday struggles.

Danny Faulkner

I am currently reading "Murdered by Mumia." which was written by Maureen Faulkner and Michael Smerconish. Mrs. Faulkner is the widow of the murdered Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner. Mumia Abul Jamal is the murderer.

Jamal was convicted by a jury of his peers in 1981.

In the nearly 30 years since Faulkner's murder, Jamal has become a media darling. You see he was at one time before the murder a journalist, radio broadcaster, as well as the one time head of the Black Panther Party in Philadelphia.

The reason that I say Mr. Jamal has become a media darling is because of his questionable intelligence he has managed to parlay himself as the poster child of the anti death penalty movement. He has been published in the Yale Law review. he has also written books and the most amazing one of all has a radio show. He is an honorary French Citizen, but honestly who cares about that one.

Some Hollywood heavyweights have even thrown their misguided support behind this cold blooded Murderer!

My only question is, WHY IS MUMIA ABUL JAMAL STILL ALIVE!?!?!?!?!?

The misguided Hollywood morons have succeeded in Martyring this murderer and sustaining this animal's life.The death penalty is in place for scumbags just like this. And he is still breathing!

While the many Faulkner family members and Mrs. Faulkner's family members are all gone. How is this possible? This man has been on death row since 1981!!!!! He will never be released no appeal will ever overturn his conviction, Nothing will change. Yet and still he exhales our precious oxygen.



All he is doing is wasting taxpayer money. It is my opinion he is probably the most coddled prisoner in the world, AND HE IS ON DEATH ROW!?!?!?

How could this be?



PLEASE DO DANIEL FAULKNER A FAVOR AND EXECUTE THIS ANIMAL. There is some money the commonwealth can save on the next budget. Every little bit helps doesn't it?

Gimme five minutes with

Jeff Conaway, he is a mess!!!