Stupidity Should Be Painful

Stupidity should be painful. Now, stupidity by others often causes pain to everyone else. Whether the pain be physical based on their action, or (as is usually the case) mental pain from having to listen to them. In my humble opinion, there should be a way to inflict this pain on the stupid person in question.
Can you imagine seeing someone come in to your office holding their head because they are in pain? You would have a clear understanding of their situation and know to avoid them like the plague! Imagine hailing a cab and the cab driver is screaming in pain... you would let him pass and wait for the next one. This way you wouldn't have to endure his stupidity for your entire journey. For us north-easterners....imagine if you will, your local (Sl)Amtrak conductor running around the station with both hands against his ears. How many people would have been saved?
"What brings this topic to mind today?", you may be thinking? Well, my fine feathered friends...snow. Snow in Virginia. The weathermen/women have been telling us for days "there is a winter snow storm that is going to slam the area. Expect 4-24 inches starting Saturday at 1am and lasting through Sunday". That is a pretty clear statement. They follow this by saying, "If you don't ABSOLUTELY NEED to leave the house, please stay at home." I woke up this morning at 7:30 to find approximately 5 inches of snow in my yard. What do you know? The weather man was right! Now..I don't proclaim to be in possession of higher intelligence, but I am no idiot either. I turn on the news at 7:45 to see that there were 27 accidents this morning. It is Saturday..the malls are closed, government buildings (state and federal) are closed, the fundraiser for Haiti at Mt. Trashmore...cancelled. What people ABSOLUTELY NEEDED to leave the house today? I will tell you. Stupid people! 90% of the Hampton Roads residents are military families or retired military. 75% of those people came from other states that didn't ever get snow. It has not SNOWED in Hampton Roads since 2005. What makes these people think that they have the ability, training, or experience necessary to drive with snow on the ground? I (as most of you know) was born and raised in the great state of New York. We saw snow EVERY winter (and even one strange October). I have not left my house today...nor do I plan to. Is that because I feel that I have forgotten how to drive in the snow? No. It is because stupid people who THINK that they can drive in the snow. I do not trust anyone else on the road to know what the hell they are doing.
Again...if these people felt the pain of stupidity, they would either be unable to drive OR take the friggin hint that if they are in that much pain, MAYBE they were about to do something stupid and change their minds.
Okay people..if you are with me on this, please sound off on facebook. If you are not, you might fall into the category of people that are out driving today instead of sitting at home enjoying your family and a nice fire in the fireplace. Alright true believers, sit back and relax....hope you are enjoying the ride!
-Salty Dog

Grumpy Old Man

Okay, so I have fallen into the eternal trap of becoming "The Grumpy Old Man". I have been doing this Navy thing for 19 years now, and I know I am not the youngest guy in the bunch anymore. I also did not think I was like my grandfather was toward me when I was young. He asked me one time when I was about 10 years old, "How old are you now?" I told him that I was 10. He said "Well when I was your age, I was 11!"
This was a common strain of conversation...the comparison of how the younger generations had gone soft. He had to walk 26 miles uphill in the snow to school..BOTH WAYS! I always shook my head and just blew it off as Grumpy Old Man Syndrome. I now see exactly what he was talking about....
I made a comment the other day about Marion Barry (Bitch set me up!) and was met with blank stares by the members of my surrounding peanut gallery. The thing that killed me is was there was no frame of reference. It happened in 1990 PEOPLE! Then I look back and realize that most of the people around me at the time were either just born or younger than 5 years old at the time.
I refuse to tell stories of "When I came in the Navy...." because I won't be that guy, but come on people!
I do know that a lot of my references are lost on most people. I have a very ecclectic reference library in my head, and I understand that not everyone wastes their brain cells on stroring such trivial bullshit. So I do not expect that people will understand EVERYTHING that comes out of my blowhole. Cultural icons, timeless events, these things are requirements. If your children (children are anyone up to the age of 25) do not know these things...you are setting them up for failure. Monty Python movies...required knowledge, Exploding space shuttles...required knowledge, Spinal Tap...required knowledge, Beastie Boys...required knowledge, Crack Mayor..required knowledge, subway vigilantes.. you guessed it, required knowledge. Stop depending on the teachers today (many of which qualify as children under the above rule)to teach your children everything. If your "Child" runs into me before I retire from the Navy and they don't know the basic Cultural Requirements...tell them to stand by for heavy rolls, for I will tease them until they cry.
Stay tuned children, this ride is going to get bumpy...and quick!
-Salty Dog

Defining The Blog

Alright everyone...there is no one point from which this, or any story springs. I will tell you that this whole blogging thing is Bill's fault. He asked a question in his blog (which I am obligated to read because he is one of my oldest friends) about what one thing I wished I had pursued more vigorously "back in the day" (which we all know was a Wednesday). After much thought, I answered him by stating I wish I had pursued writing more. Well, with no other current outlet, this is my pursuit.

The title of my blog may be foreign to many of you (however "many" may turn out to be). It is from an Ice-T song of the same name. When having to title my ranting and raving, it was the first thing that came to my mind. I enjoy writing, I enjoy ranting, I enjoy heated debates when the opposition is equally passionate and well versed on their topic. I am considered by some to be an emotional cripple, as I do not often show emotion outwardly. I am not politically correct, and do not often take others' feelings into consideration when speaking. If this is to be an issue for you, I recommend that you turn back now while your sanity and feelings are still intact. For those of you that can take things with a grain of salt...I welcome you aboard.

I do not know how often I will post here, I guess as the mood strikes me. I cannot guarantee that anything I have to say will appeal to any of you. I also cannot guarantee that the things I say will make sense to everyone. I can guarantee that I will use this for an outlet whenever something strikes me as noteworthy. I welcome you all to take this journey with me and hope that we can make this an entertaining trip.

-Salty Dog