...about Celebrity Importance

I suppose a year of no blog means things have been going pretty smoothly. I was prompted recently that I had expressed a view or two that might be better fleshed-out in a blog, so here we go! 

Personally, I think we lend waaaay too much credence to what those in celebrity life positions tell us, care about, or feel. We let them express their viewpoints, and we discuss them, are thoughtful about their position, and truly seem to mold our own positions based on what they tell us. 

Let me say right here that I use the editorial "we" in this discussion. Please do not be misled into thinking that I agree with, or even pay attention to what these high-dollar clowns think. I suppose I was trained in the use of we in an editorial sense from way back. I fully grasped from someone's teaching, that we is a much better alternative to the self-serving, or finger-pointing feeling exuded by the use of the word "I".  But...I digress. 

Let's look at a few examples of what I'm talking about with these celebrities. I call it "Aaaannnnnddd.... nobody cares!" 

After news of an NBA memo talking about playing games without fans or media, as a preventative measure to stem the spread of coronavirus, LeBron made clear to the media, and everyone who listened, "So if I show up to an arena and there ain’t no fans in there, I ain’t playing. They can do what they want to do.”  Now there are those who believe he could entice other players to say the same. But, as one reporter observed, they get paid when they play.

As for me? I say - Aaaannnnnddd.... nobody cares! 

In 2003, Natalie Maines made a comment that brought the Dixie Chicks career to a screeching halt. While performing live in England, she took a shot at President Bush 43. Country music stations, and especially country music fans stopped playing and buying their music... like instantly! After many years of obscurity, the Dixie Chicks released a new album last week. Heard it was releasing...have heard zero update.  Aaaannnnnddd.... nobody cares! 

Back in January, Harry and Meghan declared their intent to step back as "senior" members of the royal family. They also shared their plans to become financially independent and to split their time between the U.K. and North America. Aaaannnndd... nobody cares! 

The Bachelor season 24 will wrap up this Monday and Tuesday, finally revealing to us all who Pilot Pete either has or hasn't proposed to and what his future may hold. It's an ending that has been described as "unprecedented," and Chris Harrison even claimed that not a single person knows exactly what will happen. Holy crap! 24 years!?? Aaaannnndd...nobody cares! 

On March 3, 2020, Breitbart News reported Biden’s announcement that Beto O’Rourke would be heading up his gun control push.  Biden made clear O’Rourke will “be the one who leads” the gun control agenda.  During a September 12, 2019, Democrat debate, O’Rourke said, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-17.” A threat that was answered by many, including a Governor and a Congressman with, "Go ahead. Try it."  Aaaannnndd....nobody cares! 

My point to all of this is to show that we as an intelligent society have allowed these types of people to believe that they own a controlling stock in our thinking and our way of life. That they in some ridiculously tiny fashion, have any impact in our lives other than pure, mindless entertainment. They truly believe that we give one hoot in hell about them and their supercilious driveling. WHO CARES what Whoopi and them other cackling hens on The View think? Nobody cares! 

Enjoy TV. Enjoy sports. Enjoy talk shows. Enjoy politics, if you have the stomach. But please, please, please remember. YOU think and decide what's right. Don't let these over-paid, under-intelligent, limelight-seeking, drooling idiots blur your vision of what is real and what is fake; what is smart and what is dumb; and what is right and what is wrong. Your mother taught you those things a long time ago. 

Sorry for the length. Aaaannnndd...nobody cares!  

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...About Misguided Band-Bashing

Well, here we are again. It's time to blow off a little steam about some item or event that aggravates me. Nice thing about having your own blog... you can do that. 

I have been associated in one form or another with Troy University for over 40 years. Dang! Forty years! That term encompasses student, employee, and continuing contractor. In my 40+ years I have seen a lot of changes and a lot of others come and go. The ONE thing that has never changed is the Sound of the South Marching Band. It is the single largest recruiting organization on campus - has been for many, many years. More students come to Troy to play in the Sound of the South than come for any other specific entity on campus. 

The band has always been the premier face of the university. Presidential inaugurations, gubernatorial inaugurations, parades, exhibitions, and many other events including providing support for the football team at games. The band has seen really great teams and very bad teams, and has cheered for them all. The relationship between the band and the athletic department is a close, warm, working-together-for-the-best atmosphere. It is stronger at Troy than at many other universities, and I know people from other places who envy that. 

Another thing the band has always done well is entertain the people. Music that makes you tap your foot, or clap, or even sing! Music is one of a very few things that can turn a mood 180º. It's near impossible to listen to fun music and stay mad about something, or dwell on the negative. 

This past Saturday night was one of those nights where the football atmosphere is hot and exciting, the crowd and the band are in full voice and volume! What an evening. Enhancing the evening is that it is Band Day at Troy. The 20th Annual Band Day! Thirty-one bands from across the region - 1,500+ high school band kids - are at the game to take part. Every note the band plays energizes the end zone filled with band kids to dance and clap and cheer. And, of course, in there will be The Wave. It has become timeless in its ability to actively engage everyone willing to participate throughout the stadium. It is an event that takes place around the world. 

But I suppose, as always, there are those who are never able to take fun for what it is and let it thrive. And so, when The Wave was initiated Saturday night by the Sound, and the crowd of those willing to have fun joined in the cheering, the band was chastised by some pasty, holier-than-thou humbug. (And that's the nicest way I can say that.) Sadly, there was another rock-thrower who even works for the university! Can you imagine a university employee publicly belittling another (larger, more successful) on-campus organization? I guess, really, who cares what some Social Media Manager thinks? Probably the same people who would care what a cell phone salesman thinks. 

I should also note my disappointment that a commenter on the jerk's post noted that the Wave is "very high school." My disappointment is not because she doesn't get the concept of involving 1,500 HS kids in a fun activity just might bring some to Troy; it's that she has deep direct affiliation with the Sound throughout her family and friends. She also has (supposedly) a long love for the band. Nice showing.  But...... I digress. 

I suppose if either of these unhappy bullies were to allow their children to participate, they'd be singing things from the other side of their mouths. Though we will never know, the best we can ask of Chad and Jonathan is to leave the band alone, go stand over there, and try to find something else to do besides bash young people who are NOT drug addicts. They are NOT thugs. They are generally in a higher IQ bracket than non-music students. They function in a way that most could never commit to (Saturday alone was an 11+ hour day in extreme heat which physically took out about a dozen members, including sending 2 to the hospital). 

And guess what??! They do it for 1 credit hour. ONE. SINGLE. FRIKKIN'. CREDIT. HOUR!  

Maybe... just maybe... doing The Wave isn't THAT big a deal. 

Besides, it's just marching band.   

$.02



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...About Terrible Adults

It has been a while since I've been here. If you're reading this, thank you for stopping in! 

It seems people are becoming worse and worse and worse every day. The things people will do, or say, or condone from their children is becoming more and more appalling. 

Now let's get this out of the way right off the bat. This is NOT going to be a political rant, though I could certainly make it one easily. And that means from or for either camp! But I'm not going to do that. I have friends who share my views and friends who don't. I am not going alienate anyone. I love my friends. I have tried to remain calm and not get swept up in any frenzy. Gonna try to keep being that way. But... I digress.

I saw on the news the other night where a fight broke out in the hallway at a school. Involved? Students AND parents! Can you believe that? Parents fighting in the halls. Some did the "pull-off-your-shirt-and-look-bad" thing. Grown. Adults. You got that? And people wonder why things like the Knockout Game go on. 

It makes me want to regurgitate when I see a news story where we see video of a punk/thug/criminal committing a heinous crime, and the parent is complaining that their little angel did nothing wrong; just needs to be understood and hugged; and it's everydamnbody's fault but the little nare-do-well. Really? REALLY?? It's MY fault your little piece of wasted molecules is committing crimes? 

Last night, I was witness to another such terrible show of asinine adult behavior. 

Some of you know that I work for a school district. Part of my job is to video record School Board meetings for public record. So I am at all of them, and hear all the proceedings. Sometimes it's quite rewarding - someone being honored for a great accomplishment. A student being honored for being the Outstanding Something in the Nation. Sometimes it sucks badly. Like last night... 

Mixed in with some really nice recognitions and such, was a contingent of folks - adults and students - imploring the school board to incorporate a new athletic sport into the district's offerings. It couldn't come at a worse time. The legislature voted that same day on items that will severely affect many districts financially. Now, add the request for a new sports program? Not good timing. And the folks doing the requesting didn't give two-hoots-in-hell about the funding woes. They felt they had an answer for it. They feel that enough people want to come out to watch Lacrosse, that it would pay for itself. Yeah...ok. When the direction of the board's comments swayed from the rose-covered welcoming the crowd wanted to hear, they became jerks. There was rude shouting, booing, heckling -- all being done by the PARENTS of the students in attendance. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF EXAMPLE ARE YOU SETTING?!?! (Sorry for yelling.) 

We wonder why the young people of today feel entitled. We wonder why the young people of today have no respect for authority. We wonder why the young people of today have no sense of responsibility for their actions. This is why. And until those parents start figuring out how badly they are ruining their children, things will only get worse. 

I guess it might stop when young people start deciding their parents have lived long enough and aren't needed anymore.

Damn. 



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…About Feet.

OK. I haven't been here in a while, and a couple of people have prompted, so here we go. Hang on!

I have marveled for many years at the human. None of us can fathom the intricacies of God's work in creating such a machine. Hundreds of puzzle pieces that connect here to affect some function there to reach the result of this and help us accomplish that. So wonderfully amazing. Whenever I see some program on Discovery or Science or whatever, I am so engrossed in the sheer awesomeness of what we, generally, don't ever think about. That's the part about the inside.

On the outside - more amazement. Though there are exceptions, people have all the same exterior pieces. 2 ears, 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs, a nose, a mouth, a butt… you get the picture. Everybody has the same parts, but how those parts line up, how they look combined, is truly a work of art. I have the same parts as George Clooney and Harrison Ford, but I will admit that I probably don't look quite as good as they. (It's close, but not quite.)

And - Everybody has feet. And 99.9999% of feet are not pretty. And of that 99.9999%, the majority are pretty ugly.

What are you gonna do with those? Sit on a telephone wire?

For many years I have felt that God may have said, "Everybody is going to have something that is ugly. If it's not anything else, it'll be feet." Now I don't know if God really said that or not. I don't pretend to have that type of knowledge. There are those who believe they know God's thoughts or reasons. I think they are full of hooey. If you give them long enough, they usually show their ridiculousness and fakeness. BUT… I digress.

Some of the most beautiful people I have ever known - male and female - have the ugliest feet. I mean swoop-down-outta-the-sky-and-grab-a-fish ugly! And I get that, and it's OK, just please keep them things covered up so we don't have to see 'em!



I won't even get into the conversation about WalMart feet - should be no need. Hopefully there's not any question what them things look like. YUK! "At least hit them things with a wash rag!"  But that is a prime example of what I'm talking about. I'm not sure most people have any sense of what they look like to other people. How can people who have any sense of what looks nice and what doesn't go out in public waving them fins around for the rest of us to try not to look at? I suppose there is a point where some would say, "I just don't care what others think." That's too bad. You should have better friends - someone who will tell you your feets is U-G-L-Y!

OH! Here's one for you:

Them things belong to a famous celebrity! I won't mention names, but she OWNs her OWN network, and if you spell her name backwards, it is the same as a famous Marx brother.

Now some people have been blessed with pretty feet. I know some. Lucky them. I bet they've got stinky pits and belly-button lint. But as I say, there aren't too many.

I'm not trying to be a jerk. I promise. All I'm asking is that we all think a little before we do that foot selfie. Take a good look down and, if you feel like "maybe these are less than desirable", enjoy sporting a really nice, covering sandal. I think it's great to let us all know that the beach vacation is going so wonderfully, but, personally, I'd rather see your smiling face with the waves in the background than your stinky, sandy, tired dogs. Toe nail polish? Not always very effective - see above picture. Maybe put some socks on and leave a little to the imagination. "I bet that's some sexy toes under yonder!"

And, yes, I love flip-flops as much as the next person, but when I go somewhere, I put on topsiders. I'm just sayin'.



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…About Referees, Rules, and Replacements

Well, hello! Welcome back… It's been a while, but I feel like it's finally time to have a conversation I've been  thinking about for quite some time. 

I think it's time to start holding referees' feet to the fire. 

When video review in football first came around, I was not a big fan. "Don't take out the human factor," I said. "Video will take over the game," I said. "We don't need the annoyance," I said. 

Perhaps I was a bit quick to judge. There have been many occasions where I have been happy to see the replay review change the call. 

Admittedly, it is always a happy thing when that call reversal benefits my own team, but I feel I am honest enough to appreciate getting it right even when it benefits the opponent. This is especially true when it deals with things like "targeting," or a call that could change history. (If you don't get what I mean by that last phrase, it's ok.)  

I have a few friends who are "stripes." My dear friend John is one of the hardest working officials I know. By his character, he strives to call the most near-perfect game he is capable of calling. That's his nature. He couldn't look in the mirror if it were any other way. So, John, Rennie, Dan, et al, please don't flag me for Unsportsmanlike Conduct when I continue my rant. But… I digress. 

If we (editorially) are going to use video replay to determine the outcome of a play, or decide whether or not a player was trying to play dirty, or whether or not it was actually a fumble, we need to use it to confirm whether or not an official is worth having on the field. 

I am not an official; have not done the schooling for it. I am like so many millions of others - an armchair Coach/Quarterback/Referee. What I am is able to see what is going on during a play. Now I know there are many things that official is supposed to be watching. I get that. But when there is a penalty that is so obvious my Great Dane can see it, that's just wrong and the unseeing official should be held accountable. (No, I have no Great Dane, but you get my point.) 

Here comes today's prime example. I am currently watching a bowl game, the very clear underdog is trying to make a game of it. The wide receiver goes long - post pattern to the goal line. The defensive back for We're So Great U is beaten. At the point of the catch it is as clear as well water that the DB is holding the WR's arm. The replay shows two officials looking dead at the play. Neither throws a flag. NEITHER throws a flag! How can you tell ANYONE that there was no foul? How can you tell ANYONE that you didn't see it? That's just pure bad officiating.  

Here's the next point: Rules. Are. Rules. There is no softening of that fact. Rules. Are. Rules.  The rules of any game are the rules of the game and are to be followed. That is how life operates. That's just the way it is. The most asinine statements made every game are: 

* You gotta let 'em play. 

* That wasn't much of a hold. 

* It's gonna be a long game if you're gonna call every little thing. 

* That's a good No-Call. That statement makes me want to instigate violence more than any other. 

If it's a rule that you can't do this or that, when someone does this or that, it's a penalty. Period. Done. Fini. Over. End of conversation. Throw the flag, walk it off, press on.  

So here is my solution to bad officiating. If a replay shows an official blatantly miss a call, or choose to make a no-call on a clear penalty play, on the third occasion, have the official removed from the game and replaced. And this should be a "challengeable" thing. Three strikes and you're out. If you're not going to be efficiently effective, you get to sit out - and with no pay, mind you. Make the calls, correctly, or take a seat.  

And NO calls are above being challenged. I know an official is not going to see every single thing. There are too many things going on. But there are many, many, many things that are not called that are pure ridiculousness. 

Surely this would be fair!  Absolutely nothing less is expected of us in our jobs! 

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...About Being Fed Up

Well... Hello again!   It has been a while since I've written anything here. I guess the reason would be that things have just been kinda rocking' along - not perfect, but not too bad. I've never been one to want to write or post every move I make - please refer back to the blog entry "...About Social Media", April of 2012 - so I don't always have that much to say. I'm not interesting enough that my daily occurrences would be compelling reading. The things I do from day to day would seem interesting to some, out of the ordinary to others, and just plain boring to most. But... I digress! 

I am sick to damn death of it, and I can't stand it any longer without blowing off some steam about it. I have had all I can stand of the bullshit about changing our country, and our flag, and our mannerisms, and our religious practices, and our way of dress, and our Driver's License pictures, and every other damn thing about OUR way of life to avoid offending some maniacal religious group that hates our country anyway! We - not me, the editorial "we" - have changed damn near everything about our way of living in this FREE country named The United States of America. And all to appease a bunch of terrorists posing as crying religious fanatics who want to create such a pacifist nation that it will be easy to overthrow and destroy. 

It seems to be working, too. We have become so soft; so swayed by this pacifist, pansy-ass way of thinking, that there are those who are currently feeling sorry for the Boston Marathon bomber and think "maybe he's learned from this and is changed." ARE YOU PEOPLE THAT DAMN STUPID!?! From the time you're old enough to stop peeing in your pants you know what is right and wrong. You know what is acceptable and what is not. I have two brothers, a year apart each from me. I can assure you that none of the three of us could ever have swayed the other to do something he knew was wrong, if he didn't want to do it. Never. And yet, having become so frikkin' "politically correct" and "more accepting of others' beliefs", we have one ridiculously gullible herd of lemmings after another marching right off the damn cliff by espousing some bullshit about how WE need to change to accommodate those with differing feelings. Screw their feelings! If they want to be in this country, be in THIS country. 

The latest I've seen today is that the Catholic School Crosses violate Muslim rights at Catholic University. Apparently, too, there aren't enough prayer rooms for the Muslim students (at this private CATHOLIC institution), so they have to pray in rooms with Christian artifacts and symbols in the room. (Please forgive me, Sister Johanna) TOUGH SHIT! Don't like it? LEAVE.  

English is our language. Learn it or LEAVE. 
Religion is a free right. To believe and practice, or the choice not to practice is a free right. No matter what faith. Don't like that? LEAVE. 
Sexual Preference is a free right. In so much as it doesn't impose itself into another's lifestyle, no problem. Don't like that? LEAVE. 

There are so many other examples like these, but you see what I'm saying. If you don't want to abide by this country's laws, and practices, and beliefs get the hell out! We won't care. We won't miss you. We won't cry when you're gone. There are many, many, many who want to come here to pursue a better life. We don't need your crying, subversive, entitled ass here. 

We have so many, many problems in our country that must be overcome. Those of us who are citizens here have so much work to do already. We have to continue to better our relationships with our neighbors. We have to work very, very hard to improve our race relations and equality; our gender equality; our economic foundation; and our positive influence in raising our children. 

We have a lot of stupid people in our country who "belong" here. We have a boat load of work to do already. But that's our row to hoe. We, the people of this country will work on it, and make mistakes, and work on it some more. We may fight among ourselves, but as they say in south Alabama, "Don't be gettin' all up in the middle of my family!" You fanatic "sumbitches that ain't from 'round here" need to realize this: the people of The United States of America will join together and will whip your ass if you think for a moment that you're going to destroy the freedoms we have. Think not? Look back at the unity of our country on Sept. 11, 2001. We will 2x4 and baseball bat your stupid ass back to the Stone Age. 

And I, for one, think it's just about time. 



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…About My Name

You know, spelling my last name is not really a "gimme."  I get that. It's spelled M-c-N-e-e-l-e-y. OK, yeah, it's got a bucketful of "E"s in it.  I get that the usual spelling has only two. M-c-N-e-e-l-y.  So when I first meet someone, I could see where they might make a mistake. Once.

I say "Once" because I am very clear on how to spell my name. As soon as someone starts to write it down, I am very clear and helpful. "That's M-c-N-e-e-l-e-y."  Now you have no excuse. I don't have some deep Southern drawl that makes it difficult to understand. I'm not generally one who mumbles. "M-c-N-e-e-l-e-y."  It's pretty easy really.

Through these many years, I have had some very interesting spellings from people who seemed at the time to be pretty intelligent. McNeely, MacNelly, McNealy, MacNealey… You see what I'm saying.  The favorite (not really) of all time: MacKnealy. Where the hell did you get that??!

I also get quite miffed when someone is just lazy. (On the phone) "OK, hold on while I ask Mr. Neely…"  Really?  REALLY?? "Mr. Neely"??  Are you too lazy to give me ALL of my name?  It makes me want to return the favor. "Why of course, Bar, I'll get it for you."  "Sure thing, Mr. Washin, here you go."

It's not just my last name, either. My first name is Paul. Do me a favor… say that aloud a time or two. Paul. Paul.  Does that sound like anything else to you? I surely hope not. Now I worked in radio for many years. I have done public speaking for many years. I have worked as the announcer for a college band program for many years. (Actually I am now in the 19th year!) So I know how to speak.    Now, you please tell me, how does "Paul" sound like anything else??  It doesn't. But I can't tell you how many times I get this:  "Hi, I'm Paul."   "Hi, Tom, nice to meet you."
WHISKEY-TANGO-FOXTROT, OVER?!
How the HELL did you get Tom from Paul? Geez, Louise. Please Pay Attention!

Now here comes the good part of that one. I saw a copy of a letter from one of those moments where the guy said he had spoken with… wait for it… TOM MCKINLEY. Holy shit!! (Sorry.) But… I digress.

I have, in the last two weeks, gotten emails at work from separate folks who, in the body of the  emails, type my name as M-c-N-e-e-l-y, but then send it to me with the spelling of M-c-N-e-e-l-e-y.  (In my best whiny voice) Whyyyy??

I have friends with out-of-the-ordinary last names. My buddy Nick's last name is Efstathiou. Try saying that one correctly!  But try to spell it without practice. Not easy. Lydia's last name is Mitrevski. Not an easy one. But you know what? I spell them correctly. You know why? Because it's important to me. I know how I feel when someone can't get mine right. I don't want to do that to someone else.

So the whole point to my rant is this simple thing: Pay attention to people. When you meet someone, look them in the eye and warmly repeat their name. "Hi, Paul, it's nice to meet you." Be careful to understand. If you don't understand, ask.  I would FAR rather someone ask me to repeat my name than call me Tom McKinley.  I promise you, no one who suffers this same aggravation would think less of you for asking.

Personally, I'd truly appreciate it!



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