Jim Vann’s Blog

I was just thinking about how happy I am that all is well in the world. It must be because the House Commerce Committee is today holding hearings on thoroughbred horse racing. Apparently the economy is in such good shape that the Commerce Committee has nothing better to do than look into the hard-hitting subject of horse racing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t we have a minor situation in banking and another one in housing, and another in the commodities markets that might be a better use of these esteemed people’s time? I was watching C-SPAN, because I have a lot of time on my hands since being put out to pasture. I watched a little of the judiciary subcommittee on whatever is trendy and might get a few votes hearing on torture. They still haven’t defined what it is but they are, to a windbag, agaINST IT. It reminds me of the old joke about the Supreme Court hearing a case on pornography. The Justice looked at the evidence and said, “No, that’s not pornography, what else ya’ got?” Anyway, after watching the House subcomittee on posturing, I can only say that I am sure glad we have the Supreme Court to govern the country. I know the Constitution doesn’t allow it, but, somebody has to govern and the Congress sure shows no inclination in that direction. I would call them “pathetic,” but I might be delared a terrorist and tortured…whatever that is. On another subject, I want to thank those of you who choose to read these missives. I will be cutting back to once a week for the foreseeable future. It’s lke a t-shirt I read the other day. It said, “More people read this shirt than your blog.” Maybe that is true. I had hoped it would become a way for us to keep in touch. Apparently, my former employers were right. It appears that few people want that. I will keep doing them on Monday’s, primarily as therapy, and I would welcome your thoughts as well. We have to keep “Just Thinking.” Lord knows we can’t depend on our government to do any. 

I was just thinking about a quote I heard last week. It seems diplomats from the U.S. were trying to get OPEC to increase production and the response was, “How dare you ask us to do that when you won’t even drill for the oil right there in your own country.” Now, I’m not saying that the sheiks are good guys, but they do have a point. The first president to get a report that we would be running out of oil before the turn of the century was Harry Truman. That means we’ve had 9 presidents (5 republican and 4 democrat) over a span of 57 years who have chosen not to address the problem in any meaningful way. I was just thinking that the time for party finger pointing is long since over and the time for American industry is here. Have you noticed that the cost of medical care has been addressed recently by Wal-Mart, Kroger, CVS etal., and more has been done to lower prices that the government has done in decades of robbing Peter to pay Paul. It could be that capitalism works. We should keep an eye on how it’s working in China and India…and maybe try it here.

I was just thinking that a black man is the candidate of a major political party for president. There are advantages that balance the disadvantages of getting older. Offsetting the “making the old man noise when getting out of a chair,” thing, is the “I saw the first man step on the moon in 1969,” thing. On the other side of the fact that going to the bathroom is the only thing I can still do twice a night, I watched, first hand as people anguished over giving full citizenship to all people, and decided to do it. Sure the term “maintenance medications” means more to me than I ever thought it would. But I have seen the seen a president brought down because he was not more powerful than the law. The first man I supported for president was murdered 40 years ago this week, but we got through that, together. Now we have a black man who may be the next resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Just a thought from the vantage point of the fool on the hill, who has seen a lot of parades go by. The one thing all of the events I mentioned have in common. The people involved were Americans. We decided to explore space, and we did it. We decided segregation was wrong, and we changed it. We said to Richard Nixon, “No sir, that’s against the law.” Try to imagine being a black kid in school and having the teacher talk about Barack Obama. “Wow! He looks like me” I can do that, too!” The word is pride. And, although I won’t be voting for the man, because I disagree with his vision for the future, I am proud…not only of Senator Obama, but I am proud, once again, of America.

I was just thinking about the fact that actions speak louder than words. I was reminded of that fact (and it is a fact) Monday when President Bush bestowed the Medal of Honor on a soldier who died when he threw himself on a hand grenade that was thrown into a Humvee. He saved the four other soldiers in the vehicle. Ross McGinnis was 19 years old. He always will be. And, if I live to be 100 years old, I will never be the man he was. As I said at the outset, actions speak louder than words, and I have no words that can add anything. Maybe you do. If so, please feel free to add them under “COMMENTS” below. But rest assured, anything we say is for us, not Ross.

I was just thinking that irony can be so ironic, sometimes. While the whole country is abuzz because a disgruntled second-tier White House aide says President Bush is stubborn and unreasonable, the junior senator from New York won’t drop out of the presidential primaries in spite of being about as likely to win as the Braves on the road. I wish I could get a job where I could make up my own rules, and then ignore them, but, unfortunately, that’s just not in the cards. I’m sure John McCain feels the same way. Of course, a republican can’t get away with lying because we have a media dedicated to catching republicans who lie (and lying about them when they tell the truth.) Did you see the “View” the day after Rush Limbaugh correctly pointed out that Hillary doesn’t have a chance. These bimbettes sat there and argued the he didn’t have the right to say that she didn’t have the right to run, which he, obviously has the right to say (it’s the very first amendment to the Constitution) but he never said. He simply spoke the obvious fact that Senator Obama had an insurmountable lead. And yet every woman I talked to who had seen the show was full of righteous wrath over Limbaugh’s comments. Everyone over the age of 18 that isn’t in prison has the right to vote. But that doesn’t mean they should. If you base your vote on the gaggle on “The View,” or Rush Limbaugh, for that matter, please do the country a favor and spend election day in France.

“Jim Just Thinking…Out Loud” available by clicking the link to the right. I hope you enjoy.

I was just thinking about a report I saw on 60 Minutes. I always skip the first feature on that show. It’s what I call the “Why America is wrong ” segment. I also skip Andy Rooney. His eyebrows make me have trouble sleeping. Did ya ever wonder if those things can create oxygen? But, usually, in the middle, there is a feature that is actually interesting. This week it was on the Millenials. This is the latest generation to come into the workforce. They’re the ones around KICKS that call Cadillac Jack “sir.” In addition to the feeling that the rest of us should just have the good grace to die and let them have a turn, like the business world is some kind of playground game, they also have no use for criticism. They have been told all their lives that their breath doesn’t stink, and if their employer thinks otherwise, they might just get a call from some irate parents. Of course, this is nothing new to me. It was the whole reason I wrote “Who Died…and Left You in Charge.” It was an apology, of sorts, for letting them inherit the world we created. It is understandable that they would approach it with a bit of attitude. So, how are they doing so far. Well, they say the media is a reflection of society. TV has been sucking up to these youngsters for a while now. See how much better it is. Now, don’t you feel foolish for worrying?

“Who Died…and Left You in Charge,” as well as The new CD “Jim Just Thinking…Out Loud” are available by clicking the link to the right. Just in time for Fathers’ Day.

I was just thinking about a letter I got from the IRS. It was sent to me to let me know that the money the government had stolen from my children in order to buy my vote (aka economic stimulus check) would be arriving shortly. I couldn’t help wondering why they didn’t just put the check in the same envelope and save the postage. Of course, that’s not the way the government works. They were required to send me a notice, lest I forget, so close to election day, from whence came this bounty. I am told that it cost about 24 million dollars to send out these notices. But, as they say on TV “Wait! There’s more!” I got the notice 2 days after the money had already been deposited into my account. For a moment, I thought I had more money coming. I think they sent it to make sure my wife, who wisely is in charge of the money at our house, actually let me know the payola was there. We can’t take any chances this close to election day that someone, through their ignorance, would not cast an appreciative vote. My first thought was to return the money directly to my beautiful daughters. Then I remembered college, weddings, car repairs, etc, and I decided to be selfish. I went out and bought an entire tank of gas, which I used to drive to the unemployment office. Economic stimulus, indeed.

“Jim Just Thinking, the CD,” is selling like hotcakes. It’s already on the Delkwood Grill’s best seller list, right behind the vegetable soup. Get yours today! Get two, we’ll press more!

I was just thinking about words. Words have been an integral part of my very good life for as long as I can remember, but, on a day like today, my old friends never fail to betray me. I look back on my life and I have no words to thank the courageous people who allowed me to live it. Memorial Day makes it clear to me that I have really never done anything important. I have strong feelings about war. Few of them are positive. The older I get the more I realize that lining up and killing each other is a ridiculously childish and counterproductive way to settle our differences. By the same token, when there is a group who are dedicated to our destruction, somebody has to stop them. As I look back I realize that it has never been me. I have given lip-service and moral support but I have never put it all on the line. The brave souls we commemorate today not only offered it all but they lost it all. So did their families, friends and lovers. Abraham Lincoln got it right. What we say here is not important. What they did is important. Actions do speak louder than words. But words are all I have. I can boil it down to two words, in fact. I hope you know what they are.

Please help me help high school music programs. Buy my CD and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. See “All Things Jim” at the right. Thank you!!

I was just thinking about Ellen DeGeneres marrying her Portia. When I first heard the news I thought, Well, that’s just wrong. There ought to be a law against it. This is demeaning to the institution of marriage. Why is it that celebrities think they can do anything they want to and never suffer the consequences of their actions? The very idea of a person marrying a car. I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous. Now, I will admit that I’ve always wanted a Porche, but Jannis would never let me have one, but even I would never marry one. Then somebody pointed out the potential bride/groom on TV. Jannis still won’t let me have one, and I still wouldn’t marry her…if she were a guy. I still have to wonder why liberals scream bloody murder when somebody cuts down a tree, but they cheer at a waste of natural resources like this.

I was sitting in the service department waiting room at Carl Black, listening to them talk about what a nice guy Cadillac Jack is, when the story came on CNN. They asked Trace Adkins for his opinion and, to the surprise of nobody in the room, he gave it. I kind of have to agree with Trace, “It’s really none of my business, followed by a frustrated, ‘whatever‘!”

Please help put music education back in our schools. Get my CD and help support the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. See details at the right under “All Things Jim.” Thank you.

I was just thinking about aliens. Not the aliens from south of the border taking all those farm jobs we all covet or from north of the border like Alex Trebek, taking all the really high paying jobs, but aliens like ET. I wonder what they would think about us if they dropped in about now. Have you noticed that the threat of an invasion from outer space hardly ever comes up in conversation during an election year. Maybe it’s because, by comparison, they seem like such a minor threat. I wonder what they would think of us. Do you think they would be democrats or republicans? Neither do I. I do tend to think their idea of middle east policy would lean more toward the word “vaporize” than the word “appease.” I have to believe any civilization capable of space travel would be fond of us, much the same way we like the Three Stooges. After all, everything about us is entertaining…well, except maybe our TV. But we probably would not be taken seriously by any intelligent life form. Certainly not as seriously as we take ourselves. Maybe we should learn a lesson from them. What would that lesson be? I guess it might be that no society can govern itself until it’s people can control themselves. Or, to put it another way, “Earthlings, heal thy selves.”

My new CD is now available and a portion of the proceeds goes to the MR. Holland’s Opus Foundation, helping keep music programs in our schools. See, “All Things Jim,” to the right. Thanks