Gearhead Lorena: Reverence for the President

Gearhead Lorena: Reverence for the President

Reverence for the President

Reverence and the President

I have heard some of the foulest rhetoric from the GOP and the Tea Party regarding the President of the United States. I am shocked at the disregard for our nation leader. Never in the history of America have we seen such disrespect for a sitting president.

Whom do these parties think they work for? I am appalled at blatant disregard that the GOP has demonstrated. The GOP and the Tea Party are a disgrace and deserve no media coverage. I say it is time America stands up for President Obama and look at the issues the Republican Party left him when Bush left office! The Bush Administration walked away knowing the housing crisis was about to erupt and more importantly, left Obama with a declining job market. The facts are clear from the US Dept. Of labor: Obama has increased jobs!

Bush took the economy straight into hell and Obama has proven that no obstacle is too difficult! Since taking office, he has increased jobs in the private sector and, despite the economy, has made improvements.

America needs to take a good, long look at what the GOP has done to this country, and decide if they want to become proactive and make change! President Obama is on a path to change, instilling a work ethic back into this country.

Want change? Get out and work for a party, do something besides complain!

Dump Trump!

Trump Irresponsible

Donald Trump has once again made a mockery of US Politics with his ill-advised commentary to the Republican Party. His recent advice to allow the US Debt to default in hopes of derailing any Presidential opportunities for President Obama is reckless and presents a danger a to the American public if he is successful.

Donald Trump does not care about the Americans in this country or the impact of financial failure his recommendations would bring upon this country. He has nothing to lose; after all, he is rich. He stands to make money as well if our interest’s rates rise and the debt defaults. His motivations are clear; make money off the poor and let the Democratic Party take all the blame.

Having watched Trump and his Tea Party affiliation, I have seen nothing but immature grandiloquence since he gave a nod to the 2012 elections. Again, he was not serious and like many of the Tea Party candidates, he quit! Trump is an agitator with only two goals; make money and gain notoriety.

Look at the consequences of his behaviors! Big banks and financial institutions would fail. In addition, 52 million Americans on SSI/SSDI/SSA would not receive any entitlements. That equates to no subsidized housing, food stamps, monies to pay for food or shelter, and the impact would explode across American in the form of a major depression! Veterans would not receive any income, Medicare patients would be denied care, and ultimately become homeless. Local food banks would become nonexistent as well as church resources.

This country needs bi-partisanship and for our Congress to take responsibility to stop the default. The last thing this country needs is people like Trump who stand to lose nothing! Compromise does not mean starving the elderly or the poor! Furthermore, Congress needs to take fiscal responsibility as they have a vicarious responsibility to all Americans to balance the budget and not jeopardize our financial sustainability!

The news media needs to start focusing on real solutions and the people who can help! Remember, Trump is nothing more than an agitator looking for recognition!

Tea Party Tyranny

Tea Party Tyranny

Since the take over of the House in Congress, the Tea Party has been plotting their “tyranny” of control over the Democratic Senate. Announcing a complete shutdown of the Federal Government if they do not get their way, Republicans have resorted to nothing more than tyranny! Fooled were the voters by the simple rhetorical phrases such as, “ I’ll Pay For My House, You Pay For Yours,” or “Limited Government Under GOD.” Exactly what does that mean? According to the Republicans, it means holding hostage the right to be disabled in this country, it means the wounded veterans will be evicted from their homes, it means that the basic, essential needs of mankind will not be respected or tolerated until they get their needs met. They will cut off every American citizen who receives a Federal stipend of any kind to prove their point, which is they are as dangerous as Moammar Gadhafi, who is arbitrarily killing at will.  The difference will be if they shutdown the government, it will take weeks for the “trickle” down effect. Homelessness will raise exponentially, food banks will run out of supplies, people will lose their mortgages, kids will live on the streets, and millions will be without basic needs. Sound familiar? Sound like the terror going on in some Middle Eastern Countries? The Tea Party Tyranny is a senseless portrayal of power that must be stopped! Their plans have been in the works for months, methodically planning this pathetic show of force, and for what? America needs to wake up and take their plight to the steps of every Congressman in this country! The Tea Party is nothing more than a bunch of hoodlums that will send this country into the worse depression known to man. Log on to www.congress.org to find your representative and get involved!

Suzuki K15 Hillbilly

I just recently received my wiring harness, a much needed part for my Suzuki K15 Hillbilly. I literally had to either replace or rebuild every part. With the exception of the handlebars, I think everything was broken, or worn. I have stripped the bike down to its very essence and am looking to begin the trek towards stripping the paint. I desperately need fork seals! I marvel at the simplicity of this machine, although it is the first two-stroke, oil-injected enduro, I believe the bike was built for trails. I run my hands along the cylinder walls and find virtually no scratches or pitting. The bike has been beat to hell and back, and the only thing that is in tact is the cylinder! I ordered a new piston and ring set, and will tank and paint the head. The carburetor has seen better days and I might have to go Italian for a replacement. As with my nephew’s k15 bike, I will have to fabricate the air box with an aftermarket filter set up. I have new rubber and brakes mounted already and will true the spokes as needed. The chrome is in bad shape in places but it adds to the character of the bike. I am tanking the parts, cleaning the crud out of every nook and cranny, to breathe life and restore this machine to its true terror! I love the fact it has a dual sprocket system, although I wonder how many people actually stopped to pop the chain. I have replaced most of the electrical, speedo, and anything that resembled a switch. With my flywheel puller, I shall explore the stator and points, with the expectations of cleaning the rust off after 40 something years. I look forward to the spring as I purchased rally red for the color. I plan to do a custom paint job with classic Suzuki lettering along the fenders. I hope to have the bike completed by late spring.

There are Clouds in my Coffee

McCloud’s fears of digital application to comics seem real. I say, "comics are just another form of communication and art, waiting to adapt.” As with the last of the cannibalistic tribes of Papua New Guinea, comics, in their present, static form, are becoming outmoded.  The terrestrial map that took the pains to drag us along is morphing, becoming smaller. Do we need a map? Maybe accepting the fact that the terrain is flexible, constantly moving, and fluid means comics begin to change. We have to think of all mediums in the digital format and how that will influence or change them. Taking the comic, rolling it up, and swatting the annoying fly is no different than comics going digital. We will draw them in the digital format, roll them up and morph them into flies, but they still need to be swatted from time to time. I feel McCloud is worried as his landscape is changing and the ink will come alive (scottmccloud.com). Yeah! We need new flyswatters, and change the folds of terrain to continue captivating us.  Technology will wait for no one. Despite how the contextual format changes, the artist still maintains how far the ink runs! We need to push the boundaries to the point there where they are no longer needed. Comics, static as they are, have always held our imaginations without parameters. As kids, we envision scaling the high-rise, capturing the mighty villains in hopes of seeking truth and justice, and pondering when the next Bat signal will illuminate the night skies. Looking to the future, maybe symbolism will take the place of the cues that textually lay amongst the borders. On the other hand, maybe there will be a new verbal form, a new language, or a presence that guides us through this continuum. We shall evolve! Therefore, shall comics evolve? But how? Is the monitor the focal point in which we view? Maybe the monitor will evolve to disappear! Maybe we have been looking through this restrictive portal because it has four sides and can hold information. Maybe Pandora is suffering from the theory of elasticity, and will begin eroding the walls that we helped her establish! Was that Pandora’s ability all along? Is that why we write about her evils, clinging to our safe, yet allusive walls? Pandora has been flirting with humanity for centuries, tempting them to fall, fail, or maybe just try. I think comics will always find their feet, become accustomed to the terrain, and continue to hold a mystical power over us, despite where they draw themselves. Yes, my tense is transitive! So, how do I know such information? Foss, Foss, and Trapp (My Favorite) bring about the age-old argument of the unknown. The Greek showed distrust for the Sophist because he spoke of new, and startling concepts. He even appealed to the emotional and vulnerable side of man (Foss, et al). Sound familiar? Were the Sophists just another version of a Pandora seductress? Is the digital realm cloaked in an allusive Pandora-like membrane in which we fail to recognize? We have been here before, peering into the restrictive portal, waiting for the instructions. I like to think history will not always repeat itself and we will actually move beyond the boundaries that give us comfort. The best part of the digital realm is everyone has to learn! To question! To keep trying! Pandora will always be waiting to take away the panels, un-color the pens, and poke fun at our insecurities. Nevertheless, fear not! Foss, Foss, and Trapp ease our fears with the notion that rhetoric will save our bacon! We will have the use of symbols and a mode to approach such crazy discourses in the face of the digital world (Foss, et al)

Cited Works

Foss, Sonja. Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric. Waveland Press Inc., 2002. PDF

Fournier, Steven. "What Is A Taste of Rhetoric." A Taste of Rhetoric. Web. 26 Aug. 2010.

"Scottmccloud.com - Understanding Comics." Scott McCloud | Journal. 2003. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. .

What about Eve? Blog #6

I struggle with Lanham and some of his theories. However, if I say communication is defined by words and means of expression, then what about the meaning of intent? Do we discard the purpose? The clarity, brevity, and sincerity of communication are not so easily understood (sometimes by design). Does the electronic book emulate the same context as the hardbound style? I do take a personal offense to calling books, “Stuff.” Nevertheless, Lanham has a point in that what the messages (stuff) convey does not meet well with the digital form of expression (138). If I am to understand Lanham, the “stuff” is affecting the conveyance of the message. Lanham suggests since the invention of printing, the presumption of “stuff-based” humane communication is reinforced. I feel since the beginning of time, society has created the “stuff” to enhance the message. How can we strip away any form of “stuff?” “Go ask Eve!” As for brevity (the politicians could practice this), Lanham discusses how this C-B-S model is not useful in conveying communication (137). I think the author of War & Peace might agree. There is no “sanitized” way to convey or transmit a meaning. Contextually, it would be down right scary to “put it out there” for all to read. That might affect the sincerity and the context! Back to calling things, “stuff.” Lanham suggests that the “stuffy’ old book will share the stage with the electronic version. He states, “The new spaces for words will be competitive and self-conscious” according to Lanham (145). I agree that the new medium is in fact competitive and is inclusive. Like all shifts with technology and the “orality” factor, there is no way to predict the outcomes. The model of communication is outmoded; as with some of the fears, that technology is going to rot our children’s minds. As with Eve, everything is interdependent. Words and language will always question the medium. 

Cited Works

Lanham. "DTC|English 355: Schedule." Paul Muhlhauser, Ph,Doctor. 2010. Web. 19 Oct.

2010. .