Mommmaaaa Asks, "We are supposed to bail out VIAGRA users now?"

This article was sent to me by Mommmaaaa (it is from Consumer Affairs from 2006 but still very pertinent):

"Lifestyle drugs -- chiefly Viagra -- are costing General Motors $17 million dollars a year and the cost is passed along to car, truck and SUV consumers. The blue pill is covered under GM's labor agreement with United Auto Workers, as well as benefit plans for salaried employees.

"GM executives estimate health care adds $1,500 to the price of each vehicle but they do not break out how much of the premium is caused by erectile dysfunction expenses. GM provides health care for 1.1 million employees, retirees and dependents and is the world's largest private purchaser of Viagra.

"GM recently raised the co-pay for erectile dysfunction drugs to $18 under a new agreement with the UAW and the company has also pared benefits for salaried workers.

"The automaker spends almost $5.6 billion each year on health care. While lifestyle drugs are a small fraction of the total medical bill, every health care expense is added into the price of every new vehicle and is a drag on the struggling goliath's earnings.

"Given the large number of aging autoworkers in the U.S., the industry's Viagra tab and bill for other erectile dysfunction drugs is certain to continue rising.

"Neither Ford nor Chrysler will disclose the amount spent on erectile dysfunction drugs.

"While many government and company health plans have eliminated impotence drugs from coverage plans, GM has more than two retirees for every active worker on its rolls and must negotiate eliminating the drugs from the union health plan with the UAW."

Mommmaaaa's husband Todd writes (in a text message, nonetheless)

"Now the government wants to bail out the auto industry. It costs about 75 bucks per hour to build a GM car. A Toyota car built in America costs about 35 bucks per hour to build. Almost 2000 dollars of the cost of every new GM car goes to pay insurance benefits of the auto workers union. GM spent over 16 million dollars last year on Viagra for its union members benefits. No wonder they're almost bankrupt. I say void union contracts and start over. Are they bailing out the companies or the
unions?"

That's a good point. That's definitely something to think about.

My Dog is Not Discriminatory. He Hates Everyone.

I am sick to death of people asking me if my dog is racist or somehow insinuating he is racist--especially when they imply I made him that way. Pepe "I-am-a-chihuahua-who-thinks-it's-a-rottweiler" Patron is not racist. He is not discriminatory. In. Any. Way. He fucking hates EVERYBODY. Get the hell over it. He growls, barks, and otherwise makes an ass of himself to everyone. EVERYONE. If he doesn't know you, he doesn't like you. Period. Does he need some Cesar Millan on his ass? Probably, but he's not aggressive. He doesn't bite. In fact, he runs the other way when you come toward him. Which, in my opinion, is probably pretty damn smart. And, he's my dog, and I don't give a shit if he hates people he doesn't know because he loves the shit out of me.

What spurred this hatefest of obscenities, you ask? I went down to the hospital today to see Dad, who is cancer free and won't have to do chemotherapy, by the way! Yay! I digress. I took Pepe with me because he loves to ride, and he hates to be left at home alone. I leave him home all day in the crate while I'm at work, so I figure he deserves a little ride.

So, at the hospital you have to pay to park in their garage. Pay. At the hospital. Yeah, I've never heard of that either. So, I get my ticket, and park, and go see Dad, and come back. All the while, Pepe is sitting quietly in the backseat wrapped up in a blanket with a coat on. He's warm and toasty, and he's happy. And, he knows there is a ride home to look forward to. Trust me. I know my dog.

So, I get ready to leave, and I drive down, down, down, and I finally drive up to the exit. I give the lady my ticket, and Pepe's head pops out the window. Well, the lady has a sock cap on and her hood pulled up (it's cold as shit today!). It scares Pepe. So, of course, he starts growling. And, that bitch had the audacity to say to me, "He ain't used to seeing black people, is he?" The fuck you say, bitch? I should have said that. But I'd hate to get my ass kicked by her, and then be blamed, and be put in prison for a hate crime.

So, I politely try to say, no. I say, "I think it's your hood. I think it scares him." To which she replies, "Oh, he thinks I'm a thug." Oh. My. Fucking. God. No, he does not think you are a thug, but I think you are a racist bitch. He thinks you are someone he doesn't know, and he thinks you look funny with all that piled over your head, and he is scared of you because you are only, oh, I don't know, TWENTY times his size?

But the worst part is this woman obviously can't see she is being ridiculously racist and hateful because she keeps going on about how cute he is. My God, lady. You just accused me of having a racist dog, and now you want to tell me how cute that is? What-the-hell-ever. She goes on to tell me that I better watch out because someone might call and report me for leaving my dog int he car. Yeah, someone like YOU.

A Break for Bush

So, while I think George W. (Dubbya) Bush is a total flaming retard, I have to give the guy some credit. He did run the nation. Into the ground? Maybe. Probably. But, he did do it. I think he completely fucked us for a while, but I can say without a doubt that I wouldn't want his job. He can have it. I can respect the fact that he was enough of an arrogant, sick, son-of-a-bitch that he wanted to be President. But, we all have to admit, he had a hard, shitty job. In this article on Yahoo, he says he will return to Texas after January 20th, and he may write a book (Gasp! He can write?!):

"'I want people to know what it was like to make some of the decisions I had to make,' he said. 'I've had one of those presidencies where I've had to make some tough calls, and I want people to know the truth about what it was like sitting in the Oval Office.'"

Well, la-te-frickin'-da. I mean...Good for him!

But, seriously, aren't all Presidencies the kind where you have to make some tough calls? I'm just sayin'.

Double Standard Much?

I'm still pretty pissed off at all the people who voted for Obama JUST because he is black. I mean, I didn't vote for McCain just because he is white. And, I didn't not vote for Obama just because he is black. Neither should you. You should vote for the person who you think will do the best job running the country, which is what I did. But, you've fucked yourselves again, you bunch of racists. Yeah, I said it. You're racist if you voted for Obama JUST because he is black. If you voted for Obama for any other reason whatsoever, you are not racist, or at least, you aren't because of that. I don't know what you do on your personal time.

But, the bullshit racism that's fucking our nation in the ass without lube is going to continue to fuck us for Obama's entire tenure. I read this article on Yahoo that is going on and on about how Clinton was pressured to diversify his Cabinet. He "famously promised to appoint a Cabinet that 'looks like America'". I don't know how famous his promise was, but he appointed several women and minorities to high-ranking positions and accomplished a more diverse administration than those before. Bush continued this trend.

But, Obama is not held to this standard, apparently. Quoting the same article:

"Does our first African-American president, elected with a rainbow coalition, have more of an imperative to appoint an administration that includes minorities in high-ranking positions?

"Not really, is the answer supplied by a group of prominent African-Americans. Having a team of varied faces is preferable and in keeping with Obama’s pledge to represent all Americans — but these veteran black politicians and public officials say the president-elect should tap into the best talent available without taking a head-counting approach, in which slots are determined by demographics and symbolism trumps substance."

What? He doesn't have to diversify his Cabinet? Why? Because he is diverse enough? (“'It’s less of a demand because of the history that he’s making in that office personally,' said Mike Espy, a moderate who was the first black congressman in Mississippi in over a century and served as agriculture secretary under Clinton.") I guess so considering he is half-white and half-black.

But, are you fucking kidding me? He should appoint people who are best suited to the office? NO FUCKING SHIT. I've been saying that from day one. The best person for office should be in office. I just find it awfully funny that they apply this to Obama, but when Clinton and Bush, who are white, were in office, they were pushed to create a diverse Cabinet--seemingly without regard for the qualifications of the person who would be filling the position. And, no one who was on Obama's side was screaming about putting the right person in office. They were screaming, "Let's make history!", and, "Our first black President!"

The article goes on to say that if Obama appoints a mostly white Cabinet, he "could turn off African-Americans". So, the article comes right out and says African-Americans care more about the color of the people in office than their capabilities. Huh. Big surprise there.

This shit is never going to end. What's next? Reparations? Watch Chappelle's Show and get back to me about those reparations.

Custody Dispute gets Wild

From MSNBC Weird News:

"A 21-year-old woman was arrested in Hamilton, New Zealand, in October after she allegedly kicked in the door of her ex-boyfriend's home, then assaulted him because of a custody dispute between the couple over their pet possum. [New Zealand Press Association, 10-8-08] "

Two words: pet possum. Enough said. Wait, I think I hear banjos. Durn-de-durn-durn-durn-durn-durn-durn-durn-durn.