Sunday, November 30, 2008

Silly Christmas Songs :: Santa Claus Is Coming To What???


For some reason, I've had this silly version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" brewing in my mind. It is Christmas time, of course, and the music has been playing for several days, now. And while I'm a Christian, I'm not going to confuse the American Christmas season with the Christian religion, so please don't any of you, either. If this seems a bit vulgar, just consider it a poor attempt at humor . . .

Santa Claus Is Coming To What???
© 2008 by Mark Dopita

You better watch out, you better not cry
The big guy's coming, get ready to fly
Santa Claus is coming to kick your ass!

He's making a list of things you done wrong
Of how you done bad, in words that are strong
Santa Claus is coming to kick your ass!

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
[Music stops; spoken]That seems a little creepy, don't it?
A restraining order's what you need
Get one now, for your own sake!

You better watch out, you better not cry
The big guy's coming, get ready to fly
Santa Claus is coming to kick your ass!

You're out with your doll, she's starting to coo
But over your shoulder, he's looking at you
Santa Claus, that creepy old man

You're havin' a beer, you're havin' a shot
You're smokin' the last cigarette that you've got
Santa Claus is makin' his plan

The kids in girls-and-boys land
Who do the things you do
Are all in for a rude ol' shock
When he gets his hands on you

You better watch out, you better not cry
The big guy's coming, get ready to fly
Santa Claus is coming to kick your ass!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Post 33 of 30 :: And While We're At It . . .


Anybody else remember these from the 60's???

Post 32 of 30 :: A Logo


Whaddya think? It fits me! Thanks, Mr. Schultz!

Post 31 of 30 :: The Art Shot



Beautiful, downtown Keokuk, Iowa, as seen from the side mirror. Kinda works, doesn't it?

Post 30 of 30 :: Used Books and ???


I'm not sure where the name came from, but I love browsing through used book stores. This one was in Kirksville, MO, and is, sadly, out of business. On my way to Kirksville, I used to travel through Keokuk, IA, where the was a store named "Treasures and Trash". One man's meat is another man's poison, they say . . .

Post 29 of 30 :: A Nice Lake View




Kinda makes you want to compliment the Lord who made it all, doesn't it?

Post 28 of 30 :: Fay's Dinky Diner


This might look familiar to anyone who lives in Eagle River, WI. A small diner, much longer than it is wide, with a terrific (and very descriptive) name. I believe it's called "Don's Downtown Diner", now, though.

Also from 2005.

Post 27 of 30 :: The Cabin


I help my friend Paul open and close his cabin in Land O' Lakes, WI almost every year. We went up a couple of weeks ago to close it up for this year, and enjoyed some pretty nice weather. Back in 2005 we had beautiful colors to go along with nice weather.

This is a picture from that weekend.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Post 26 of 30 :: Executive Pay


I've recently read an article titled, "Why Obama, Congress must curb CEO pay" (link). While I consider myself a conservative, I am not so conservative as to "cut my own throat", compensation-wise. Therefore, I must agree with the author.

The article's basic point is this: executive salaries are too high - way out of line with what the average American earns - and are hurting the economy. If you can accept that premise, the questions that must be asked are, first, can the government (Congress) do something about it, and, second, why should it?

The point is that the government can decide, through tax policy. Take the average employee's salary, multiply it by 20, then tax a company an amount equal to the difference between the average and any other employee's salary that exceeds the average.

For example, if the average employee's salary is $20K, and the president of that company makes $400K, no tax is owed. But if that same executive makes $4,000K (four million bucks), that firm will owe the feds $3,600K in taxes. Total cost to the company for that executive: $7,600K.

Why is it that the government can do this? Because the government sets tax policy through the writing of laws and the establishment of rules guiding the application of those laws. See the US Constitution, article I, section 8:

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;


Why should the government do this? Because it is in our government's best interest, and is the reason the Constitution was established:

". . . to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity . . ."


I believe the operative phrase is "the general Welfare". If executive compensation is getting out of hand, as most would agree it is, it is at the expense of the common man, and should be corrected.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Good-Bye to Daylight Savings Time!


And hello to waking up at the same time. Yesterday's six o'clock is today's five o'clock. So what time do I wake up? At five . . . rats!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Post 25 of 30 :: The Gardner


On the advice of Justine, I recently read the Rudyard Kipling short story, The Gardner. I enjoyed the story - especially the language, which English was written quite unlike today. I really liked the payoff, in the third sentence from the end of the story.

Makes you think . . .

Ps 103:15-18

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its placed remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.