Hey friends,
Don't forget that my rants, and mini-rants, are also on Facebook. Just search for Semper America and "like" my page...
Thanks folks and God bless our Troops and our Nation. We sure need it!
Frank Semperpapa
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Nancy Pelosi Not Honest? Really?
By Semperpapa
No way, I said, as I read the statements of former CIA agent Jose Rodriguez. There is no way I am going to believe that someone so ethical, honest and whatever else like Pelosi would actually lie about anything.
OK, time to turn sarcasm off.
According to Rodriguez, and a pile of documentation backing his story up, the former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had been briefed about the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks, on captured terrorists, for the purpose of gaining information on future attacks against our nation.
Repeatedly, Pelosi has rejected the insinuations that she had any knowledge of such enhanced interrogations techniques, stating that she would have not stand for torture. The truth of the matter is that in those dark days following the 9-11 attacks, every single politician was running scared, and for many reasons.
The high profile nature of these folks job and the fact tat they are always so ready and happy to place their faces in front of a camera or microphone make them targets for any follower of the religion of peace.
Moreover, being seen as supporters of what misguided progressive idiots call torture makes them targets for the ultra leftist fringe of unwashed bottom feeders, especially at a time when the Obama regime was unleashing the DoJ dogs against CIA operatives connected to Guantanamo.
Nancy Pelosi, well aware of the truth and of documentation proving it, went on record few years back denouncing at first any knowledge of such tortures occurring and later that she had been assured waterboarding was not being used. On both accounts, according to Rodriguez, the California congresswoman is at best failing to properly remembering or at worst being untruthful.
So what it really comes down to is credibility of two individuals: Rodriguez or Pelosi.
Well, I am going to be as diplomatic as I possibly can, but my bet is definitely on Rodriguez.
There is no way in hell that I would believe the word of a seasoned, corrupted, power hungry political beast like Pelosi over that of a CIA operative who has been fighting an unknown and dangerous war for the safety of America. This does not mean that I have blind faith in everything that Mr. Rodriguez says, after all I don't know the man, but in a contrast with trusting the ugly witch of the West or him, he wins hands down.
And couple of words about torturing.
I am sorry to disagree with Leslie Stahl about the Orwellian actions taken by CIA interrogators upon the terrorist. During her interview of Jose Rodriguez, the CBS dimwit could not mask her horror at the admission from Rodriguez that they had given Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the dietary supplement Ensure (a high vitamin, high protein drink used in hospitals to give cancer patients dietary supplements they would not get otherwise). Stahl called it "dietary manipulation" and America does not do that! (Of course unless you are Mooochelle Obama and you want to tell 300 million people what to eat, but I digress).
As I recover from from the horror of hearing that the operational mastermind of the 9-11 attacks had been forced to drink a dietary concoction, I became even more enraged by the fact that it was in part my tax money that paid for those drinks.
Hey, if I have to pay for torture of these sub-humans, I want to see fingernails ripped off, electrodes attached to genitals, power drill action.
Now that's good old fashion torture! Definitely nothing that the elitist morons like Pelosi or Stahl would know if it smacked them in the face.
We the People, on the other hand, have had to endure two years of looking at Pelosi ugly face as third in line to the Presidency: we KNOW what torture is.
Just my thoughts!
No way, I said, as I read the statements of former CIA agent Jose Rodriguez. There is no way I am going to believe that someone so ethical, honest and whatever else like Pelosi would actually lie about anything.
OK, time to turn sarcasm off.
According to Rodriguez, and a pile of documentation backing his story up, the former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had been briefed about the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks, on captured terrorists, for the purpose of gaining information on future attacks against our nation.
Repeatedly, Pelosi has rejected the insinuations that she had any knowledge of such enhanced interrogations techniques, stating that she would have not stand for torture. The truth of the matter is that in those dark days following the 9-11 attacks, every single politician was running scared, and for many reasons.
The high profile nature of these folks job and the fact tat they are always so ready and happy to place their faces in front of a camera or microphone make them targets for any follower of the religion of peace.
Moreover, being seen as supporters of what misguided progressive idiots call torture makes them targets for the ultra leftist fringe of unwashed bottom feeders, especially at a time when the Obama regime was unleashing the DoJ dogs against CIA operatives connected to Guantanamo.
Nancy Pelosi, well aware of the truth and of documentation proving it, went on record few years back denouncing at first any knowledge of such tortures occurring and later that she had been assured waterboarding was not being used. On both accounts, according to Rodriguez, the California congresswoman is at best failing to properly remembering or at worst being untruthful.
So what it really comes down to is credibility of two individuals: Rodriguez or Pelosi.
Well, I am going to be as diplomatic as I possibly can, but my bet is definitely on Rodriguez.
There is no way in hell that I would believe the word of a seasoned, corrupted, power hungry political beast like Pelosi over that of a CIA operative who has been fighting an unknown and dangerous war for the safety of America. This does not mean that I have blind faith in everything that Mr. Rodriguez says, after all I don't know the man, but in a contrast with trusting the ugly witch of the West or him, he wins hands down.
And couple of words about torturing.
I am sorry to disagree with Leslie Stahl about the Orwellian actions taken by CIA interrogators upon the terrorist. During her interview of Jose Rodriguez, the CBS dimwit could not mask her horror at the admission from Rodriguez that they had given Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the dietary supplement Ensure (a high vitamin, high protein drink used in hospitals to give cancer patients dietary supplements they would not get otherwise). Stahl called it "dietary manipulation" and America does not do that! (Of course unless you are Mooochelle Obama and you want to tell 300 million people what to eat, but I digress).
As I recover from from the horror of hearing that the operational mastermind of the 9-11 attacks had been forced to drink a dietary concoction, I became even more enraged by the fact that it was in part my tax money that paid for those drinks.
Hey, if I have to pay for torture of these sub-humans, I want to see fingernails ripped off, electrodes attached to genitals, power drill action.
Now that's good old fashion torture! Definitely nothing that the elitist morons like Pelosi or Stahl would know if it smacked them in the face.
We the People, on the other hand, have had to endure two years of looking at Pelosi ugly face as third in line to the Presidency: we KNOW what torture is.
Just my thoughts!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
When Class Does Not Matter
By Semperpapa
As in President Obama.
No there is obviously nothing wrong in a politician to self-praise for his or her accomplishment, but in the case of Obama and the killing of Bin Laden, the lack of any class or respect for the office of the Presidency and what it really represents for the American people, is appalling.
What would be acceptable is that the President would call the assassination of Osama Bin Laden an administration accomplishment in the arena of foreign policy and national security. But to parade as a blow fish and use the action in political ads goes well beyond the acceptable.
The action in Pakistan that netted the killing of the most hated sub-human for America, and many other civilized nations, was based on intelligence investigation that Mr. Obama not only had nothing to do with, but that he even tried to literally kill as he instructed his DoJ to investigate CIA operatives connected with Guantanamo Bay.
Moreover, the information that initially sparked the sequence of events which brought SEAL Team 6 to the compound where Osama was holed up, was obtained by the same people Obama criticized and via methodologies that he, Obama, vehemently opposed while pandering to the ultra left during the 2008 campaign.
The CIA memo that also has surfaced indicating that Obama had indicated that a Navy admiral was the author of the official authorization for the raid and the verbiage aimed at covering Obama's ass if things would have gone wrong, further indicates that the "courageous" leader wanted the political victory the action was going to bring if successful, but was ready to unload the blame if not.
This is the true sign of a cunning, successful politician and a lousy, despicable leader, descriptions that fit Obama very closely.
Than there is the use of the action heroically conducted by exceptional warriors in the political ad, which saw not only Obama taking credit for the actions of others, but also insinuating that his likely Republican opponent Mitt Romney would not have authorized the raid.
In the first place, there is no way that Obama can make such statement in honesty, but honesty is definitely not part of the DNA of this Chicago politician.
Secondly, as Romney responded, every president deserving such title would have authorized the mission with the info in hand. "Even Jimmy Carter" Romney added.
But Obama was not satisfied and actually double down accusing Romney of rejecting any action inside the so called ally Pakistan, just another Obama lie as Romney, paraphrasing, actually stated in 2007 that he would never take anything off the table , just he would never publicize it. Exactly right.
Obama's drive to political power is so perverted that he would have no problems in divulging sensitive info if it meant pandering to some voting block (and even leaking secret plans of our allies if necessary).
Some have qualified Romney answer as undignified by the mentioning of Carter's name, but I actually think that it is time toll it like it is, no more sugar coating. The stakes are the survival of our country.
Today we hear that Obama has made a surprise trip to Afghanistan to confer with Karzai and that there will be an Obama presser from the A-stan later (probably an official statement of surrender followed by an apology).
We can be assured that the Commander-in-Chief will somehow use the Military again as a campaign sound board, again a campaign stunt courtesy of the American taxpayers.
It is already awful to see a Nation slowly being brought down to its knees by the coordinated efforts of a relatively small number of radical tyrannical Marxists, but to add insult to injury, Obama is purposely doing so using our money and smearing that fact all over our collective faces, almost daring us to protest. And be labeled racist.
Oh well, I have been called worst...
Just my thoughts!
As in President Obama.
No there is obviously nothing wrong in a politician to self-praise for his or her accomplishment, but in the case of Obama and the killing of Bin Laden, the lack of any class or respect for the office of the Presidency and what it really represents for the American people, is appalling.
What would be acceptable is that the President would call the assassination of Osama Bin Laden an administration accomplishment in the arena of foreign policy and national security. But to parade as a blow fish and use the action in political ads goes well beyond the acceptable.
The action in Pakistan that netted the killing of the most hated sub-human for America, and many other civilized nations, was based on intelligence investigation that Mr. Obama not only had nothing to do with, but that he even tried to literally kill as he instructed his DoJ to investigate CIA operatives connected with Guantanamo Bay.
Moreover, the information that initially sparked the sequence of events which brought SEAL Team 6 to the compound where Osama was holed up, was obtained by the same people Obama criticized and via methodologies that he, Obama, vehemently opposed while pandering to the ultra left during the 2008 campaign.
The CIA memo that also has surfaced indicating that Obama had indicated that a Navy admiral was the author of the official authorization for the raid and the verbiage aimed at covering Obama's ass if things would have gone wrong, further indicates that the "courageous" leader wanted the political victory the action was going to bring if successful, but was ready to unload the blame if not.
This is the true sign of a cunning, successful politician and a lousy, despicable leader, descriptions that fit Obama very closely.
Than there is the use of the action heroically conducted by exceptional warriors in the political ad, which saw not only Obama taking credit for the actions of others, but also insinuating that his likely Republican opponent Mitt Romney would not have authorized the raid.
In the first place, there is no way that Obama can make such statement in honesty, but honesty is definitely not part of the DNA of this Chicago politician.
Secondly, as Romney responded, every president deserving such title would have authorized the mission with the info in hand. "Even Jimmy Carter" Romney added.
But Obama was not satisfied and actually double down accusing Romney of rejecting any action inside the so called ally Pakistan, just another Obama lie as Romney, paraphrasing, actually stated in 2007 that he would never take anything off the table , just he would never publicize it. Exactly right.
Obama's drive to political power is so perverted that he would have no problems in divulging sensitive info if it meant pandering to some voting block (and even leaking secret plans of our allies if necessary).
Some have qualified Romney answer as undignified by the mentioning of Carter's name, but I actually think that it is time toll it like it is, no more sugar coating. The stakes are the survival of our country.
Today we hear that Obama has made a surprise trip to Afghanistan to confer with Karzai and that there will be an Obama presser from the A-stan later (probably an official statement of surrender followed by an apology).
We can be assured that the Commander-in-Chief will somehow use the Military again as a campaign sound board, again a campaign stunt courtesy of the American taxpayers.
It is already awful to see a Nation slowly being brought down to its knees by the coordinated efforts of a relatively small number of radical tyrannical Marxists, but to add insult to injury, Obama is purposely doing so using our money and smearing that fact all over our collective faces, almost daring us to protest. And be labeled racist.
Oh well, I have been called worst...
Just my thoughts!
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Obama Mystical Economic Rebound
By Semperpapa
Yes it is a mystical phenomenon at best, and in reality a major lie.
Regsardless of how much Michelle Obama tries to equate her husband to God, we have not been delivered from the darkness into the light in the least by the actions of the current squatter of the White House.
Just as the good little wifey was boasting of the quasi-biblical accomplishments of Barry, the news came out that the government was revising the number of weekly unemployment filings from their initial 380,000 to 388,000. Sure, you say what's the big deal, only 8,000 people.
Yes, you tell any of those 8,000 people how insignificant the statistic is.
In 2004-2005, in the middle of two fighting wars, the media had a field day at the news that the economy would add less than 400,000 jobs and unemployment rate was less than 5%, taking the opportunity to trash W. Bush for the imminent recession.
But, as prominent conservatives point out, the new normal is that when the economy adds only 120,000 jobs in one month and 388,000 new unemployment claims are filed and the fake unemployment rate is just over 8%, the media calls it an economic recovery.
Progressives don't just re-write history, now they want to re-write the dictionary as "economic devastation" really means "Obama recovery".
And that is not the end. The housing market has taken another dive, with home purchases dropping another 2.6%.
How could that be. Interest rates are at near zero; millions of foreclosures mean that many banks may be willing to make a deal to move some of the properties, although the credit qualification standards have been tightened significantly. And the Obamessiah has delivered us from the darkness.
Well, the truth is that the real unemployment rate, if one counts all those folks who have run out of unemployment pay checks or have just given up on searching for employment that just isn't there, is probably closer to 19% than 8%.
Also, guess what. when people do not have employment, they usually do not spend money on frivolous items and definitely do not try to purchase homes.
I know it may be hard for people like Obama and Dodd and Frank and Pelosi to grasp the concept that many Americans will not commit to large purchases like homes and cars when the economic environment is such that instability on the job market reigns supreme. After all, we do not all have the financial benefits that are so popular among politicians.
The Obama economic recovery is nothing more than a huge smoke screen that Barry is very skillfully blowing out with the help of a disgusting partisan media. A lie that the feeble minded of our society are more than willing to swallow so that the free stuff may keep on coming.
A mystical presidential tooth fairy
Just my thoughts!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Confusion On The Left On The Real Meaning Of Choice
By Semperpapa
I believe the people on the left in America are a little confused about the real meaning of the word choice.
For the liberal progressives, and especially the activists of feminism, the only locus where the acceptable application of the concept of personal choice is in the realm of abortion.
In the minds of misguided creatures like the N.O.W. movement and similar, the ability to chose for a woman is only applicable when it comes to make the decision of killing a fetus or not.
I cannot understand how the proponents of "choice" are the same individuals who are bent on allowing the government to take over their whole lives in the name of some obscure equality.
Hilary Rosen's attack on Ann Romney of the last 48 hours, complimented by the denigration from another champion of women's rights, Terry O'Neill (president of NOW), is clearly showing the level of confusion for these folks on what it really means to make a choice in life.
The past has seen liberals attacking Sarah Palin for having brought a Down Syndrome child into the world, clearly a "choice" just as much as it would have been to abort the little guy.
Women have been attacked by the liberal feminists for wanting to be mothers and homemakers and stay home with their children, clearly just as much of a choice as it would have been to continue their careers.
What it is really happening has much more to do with political agenda than a true, real and unselfish interest in the vicissitudes of women.
Just as the actions of so called black activists have little or anything to do with the interests of black people and more to do with the need of the Sharptons and Jacksons of America to make themselves relevant, the feminist activists are self-serving and hypocritical.
The only reason folks like Rosen or O'Neill and company are so vocal against women like Ann Romney or Palin or Backmann is because these women have a clear understanding of why they made the choices they made, having been driven by personal values, not activist agenda.
Personal conviction is not what these feminist liberal activist are interested in. Personal conviction is the living spark behind the concept of choice. It is only through personal conviction that a choice should be made. Condemning and attacking someone else's choice because it goes against one's political agenda is as hypocritical as any other Liberal progressive ideology.
Ultimately, someone should tell these folks that Ann romney is not running for President, her husband is. Just because Michelle Obama tells Barry what to wear or eat, does not mean the same dynamic exists within the Romney's household.
Just my thoughts!
I believe the people on the left in America are a little confused about the real meaning of the word choice.
For the liberal progressives, and especially the activists of feminism, the only locus where the acceptable application of the concept of personal choice is in the realm of abortion.
In the minds of misguided creatures like the N.O.W. movement and similar, the ability to chose for a woman is only applicable when it comes to make the decision of killing a fetus or not.
I cannot understand how the proponents of "choice" are the same individuals who are bent on allowing the government to take over their whole lives in the name of some obscure equality.
Hilary Rosen's attack on Ann Romney of the last 48 hours, complimented by the denigration from another champion of women's rights, Terry O'Neill (president of NOW), is clearly showing the level of confusion for these folks on what it really means to make a choice in life.
The past has seen liberals attacking Sarah Palin for having brought a Down Syndrome child into the world, clearly a "choice" just as much as it would have been to abort the little guy.
Women have been attacked by the liberal feminists for wanting to be mothers and homemakers and stay home with their children, clearly just as much of a choice as it would have been to continue their careers.
What it is really happening has much more to do with political agenda than a true, real and unselfish interest in the vicissitudes of women.
Just as the actions of so called black activists have little or anything to do with the interests of black people and more to do with the need of the Sharptons and Jacksons of America to make themselves relevant, the feminist activists are self-serving and hypocritical.
The only reason folks like Rosen or O'Neill and company are so vocal against women like Ann Romney or Palin or Backmann is because these women have a clear understanding of why they made the choices they made, having been driven by personal values, not activist agenda.
Personal conviction is not what these feminist liberal activist are interested in. Personal conviction is the living spark behind the concept of choice. It is only through personal conviction that a choice should be made. Condemning and attacking someone else's choice because it goes against one's political agenda is as hypocritical as any other Liberal progressive ideology.
Ultimately, someone should tell these folks that Ann romney is not running for President, her husband is. Just because Michelle Obama tells Barry what to wear or eat, does not mean the same dynamic exists within the Romney's household.
Just my thoughts!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
What American Progressives Will Never Get
By Semperpapa
I do find myself standing in complete astonishment as I hear some of the comments coming form Obama or other progressives in America.
It was already highly disturbing to hear the first black candidate to the presidency of the greatest country in the world stating that he wanted to radically transform this Nation. Well, if he loves this country as he claims, why would he want to "radically change it"?
But the disturbing aspect of all this is that there are so many people out there who espouse the radical ideology of the man.
I have had the chance to talk with a lot of people about this. The vast majority of those who are so bent on "changing" America are completely in the dark of what they want to change it into. Many say that America should be more like Europe. I say F U.
I come from there, Italy to be exact, and I can tell you that I don't want to see my beloved America become anything like the economic hell that Italy was and remains today.
The problem is that the vast majority of these ignorant idiots have never lived in another country and if they did, it was under specific circumstances. I had a conversation with a man who said he loved his time when he lived in Italy and that we, Americans, should pay attention to the way things are done in places like that.
What he confess to me, though, is that while he did live and work in Italy for two years, he was employed by an American aerospace company, was being paid in dollars, had access to American health care in American military bases, did not have to pay federal income taxes and received subsidies from his company for auto and gas expenses. Under those circumstances sure I would live in Italy too on a temporary basis, but they are NOT by any stretch, indicative of what life really is for the common people trying to make a living under dire economic conditions and a governmental system corrupted and overbearing.
So, the idea of wanting to be more like Europe is a bunch of crap. And it is also infuriating for me to hear someone like Obama accusing Americans and America of being arrogant. In the first place, it is hypocritical for Obama to use the word "arrogant" as he is forcing us to accept a socialist America in his own image. Nothing more arrogant than that!
Moreover, again thanks to the country I came from, I witnessed and learnt first hand what America really meant to Italy and the Italian social standing.
In other words, without the "arrogance" of America, I would have grown up in a third world country at best or a Soviet satellite country at worst.
Ultimately, America is the not only the last remaining bastion of freedom in the world, but it is the last refuge for those of us who refuse to kneel to despotic pressure like the ones from the current regime.
I don't want the government to tell me where to live, what to eat, where to go or what property I can or cannot own. The Constitution tells me the government cannot do so.
But progressives will never, ever understand that because they are the real arrogant morons who do not have a clue of what real freedom is. Their idea of freedom is being able to kill a fetus because the timing of pregnancy is not right. Freedom is hating those who have been successful at what they do.
Progressives would not recognize freedom if it smacked them upside the head. And that may eventually happen.
Just my thoughts!
I do find myself standing in complete astonishment as I hear some of the comments coming form Obama or other progressives in America.
It was already highly disturbing to hear the first black candidate to the presidency of the greatest country in the world stating that he wanted to radically transform this Nation. Well, if he loves this country as he claims, why would he want to "radically change it"?
But the disturbing aspect of all this is that there are so many people out there who espouse the radical ideology of the man.
I have had the chance to talk with a lot of people about this. The vast majority of those who are so bent on "changing" America are completely in the dark of what they want to change it into. Many say that America should be more like Europe. I say F U.
I come from there, Italy to be exact, and I can tell you that I don't want to see my beloved America become anything like the economic hell that Italy was and remains today.
The problem is that the vast majority of these ignorant idiots have never lived in another country and if they did, it was under specific circumstances. I had a conversation with a man who said he loved his time when he lived in Italy and that we, Americans, should pay attention to the way things are done in places like that.
What he confess to me, though, is that while he did live and work in Italy for two years, he was employed by an American aerospace company, was being paid in dollars, had access to American health care in American military bases, did not have to pay federal income taxes and received subsidies from his company for auto and gas expenses. Under those circumstances sure I would live in Italy too on a temporary basis, but they are NOT by any stretch, indicative of what life really is for the common people trying to make a living under dire economic conditions and a governmental system corrupted and overbearing.
So, the idea of wanting to be more like Europe is a bunch of crap. And it is also infuriating for me to hear someone like Obama accusing Americans and America of being arrogant. In the first place, it is hypocritical for Obama to use the word "arrogant" as he is forcing us to accept a socialist America in his own image. Nothing more arrogant than that!
Moreover, again thanks to the country I came from, I witnessed and learnt first hand what America really meant to Italy and the Italian social standing.
In other words, without the "arrogance" of America, I would have grown up in a third world country at best or a Soviet satellite country at worst.
Ultimately, America is the not only the last remaining bastion of freedom in the world, but it is the last refuge for those of us who refuse to kneel to despotic pressure like the ones from the current regime.
I don't want the government to tell me where to live, what to eat, where to go or what property I can or cannot own. The Constitution tells me the government cannot do so.
But progressives will never, ever understand that because they are the real arrogant morons who do not have a clue of what real freedom is. Their idea of freedom is being able to kill a fetus because the timing of pregnancy is not right. Freedom is hating those who have been successful at what they do.
Progressives would not recognize freedom if it smacked them upside the head. And that may eventually happen.
Just my thoughts!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Someone Saved My Life...In A Parking Lot
By Semperpapa
The truth of the matter is that while I do believe in a Supreme Being and in an after-life, I am not really one of those people who likes to publicly interject religion into every aspect of my life. To me, religion is very personal and should remain such.
That stated, I do believe that someone saved my life in a parking lot just couple of days back.
I commute 100 miles a day on my motorcycle to work and back, and it can be said that the freeways of Southern California are probably not the healthiest environments for motorcycle commuters, but a combination of many years of experience and a good dose of defense driving, has kept me right side up for the most part.
Interestingly, even as close-calls or near-misses, or whatever else one wants to call them, happen on an almost daily basis in my situation, the closest call I have ever had was in a parking lot near my work, just few days ago.
As I make my way down toward my work, I use a major boulevard that takes me from the freeway down toward my destination. This boulevard is lined with businesses on both sides, including mini malls, car dealerships and motels.
I take this route south from the freeway for about 5 miles and than turn right (west) on a smaller street that takes me to my work. As one approaches the point of my right turn, there is a business that does not open until later in the day, so at the time I come through, its parking lot is completely empty.
Few weeks back, on a morning that saw the boulevard busier than usual, I decided to try the parking lot as a cut that would get me through the intersection. Entering the lot from the boulevard and proceeding to the very back of the lot would allow me to then make a left turn and go back out unto the smaller street I need to take.
The maneuver worked out great, as it allowed me to avoid having to negotiate the busy intersection in order to make my right turn. In following days I kept on using the short cut every time I saw the upcoming intersection overly crowded. I would turn into the parking lot, make my way to the very back, turn left and go to the driveway where I took a right back out unto the street. No stopping, just slowing down through the deserted lot.
Couple of mornings ago, toward the end of a particularly challenging work week, I was making my way down the crowded boulevard, like every day. As the intersection of my street came into view, I noticed a wall of cars and buses in front of me, so, as I have done so many times, I slowed down and entered the empty parking lot, making my way toward the back. But this morning I noticed something that had failed to get my full attention previously: the very back route on which I would turn left lines up with a route that continues to the right. I guess the corner of the business had given me the impression that the opening to the right was just one of those service routes that go to the back of the businesses. On this morning though, I just decided that instead of taking the left turn in stride, as I have done so many times just slowing down, I came to an almost complete stop. And that is when the lady in the SUV came out from the right at about 50mph. Had I taken the turn as I usually did, she would have taken me out...permanently!
She did not even see me, nor realize I was even there, not even tap her brakes. With a car load of children, she must have been in a hurry to take them to school.
I so noticed that the route she had come from goes to a conglomerate of condominiums nested in the back of the business complex, something I had never paid full attention to before.
Ultimately, I am convinced that someone made me notice the route on the right, made me register a potential threat and made me stop. Ultimately, someone saved my life that morning in that parking lot. Thank you, God!
We all want to believe we are going to live for a long time, at the same time subconsciously knowing it want be for ever, but we are convinced that we still have a lot of time left on this Earth. The truth of the matter is that life is fragile and unpredictable, which in a twisted way is what makes it so worth living.
But the message I gathered that morning, and that has been gnawing at me since, is how a split second decision can have such an impact on the lives of so many. For that woman, the decision of driving through that parking lot at such high rate of speed could have had an enormous impact on so many people's lives. I am pretty sure she does exactly the same thing every morning and by having witnessed several children in the SUV, unrestrained, she is jeopardizing their safety even more, even if we want to accept her prospective of total lack of care for the safety of a stranger's life like me or anybody else at that time.
On a personal note, I am convinced that someone up there had a hand in saving my life. I know, some of you may just attribute the whole thing to coincidence or riding experience or just plain luck, and you may be right.
I, though, choose to believe that God does not need me just yet and did not allow the momentary stupid act of one person to rob my family of me. God wants me to still enjoy my wife and kids and grandkids. God wants me to meet my grand daughter who will be joining the clan any day now. God saved my life that morning, proving to me that He is truly everywhere, even in a deserted parking lot in Stanton, California.
In closing, I really hope that people will at some time in history realize how dangerous stupid driving is. What you may perceive as a need to hurry may turn into a nightmare for you and so many other people. What you may perceive as your right to do something stupid on that road as long as you don't get caught, may ultimately infringe upon the rights of others and possibly ruin their lives for ever. Please, don't do it.
Just my thoughts and Happy Easter!
The truth of the matter is that while I do believe in a Supreme Being and in an after-life, I am not really one of those people who likes to publicly interject religion into every aspect of my life. To me, religion is very personal and should remain such.
That stated, I do believe that someone saved my life in a parking lot just couple of days back.
I commute 100 miles a day on my motorcycle to work and back, and it can be said that the freeways of Southern California are probably not the healthiest environments for motorcycle commuters, but a combination of many years of experience and a good dose of defense driving, has kept me right side up for the most part.
Interestingly, even as close-calls or near-misses, or whatever else one wants to call them, happen on an almost daily basis in my situation, the closest call I have ever had was in a parking lot near my work, just few days ago.
As I make my way down toward my work, I use a major boulevard that takes me from the freeway down toward my destination. This boulevard is lined with businesses on both sides, including mini malls, car dealerships and motels.
I take this route south from the freeway for about 5 miles and than turn right (west) on a smaller street that takes me to my work. As one approaches the point of my right turn, there is a business that does not open until later in the day, so at the time I come through, its parking lot is completely empty.
Few weeks back, on a morning that saw the boulevard busier than usual, I decided to try the parking lot as a cut that would get me through the intersection. Entering the lot from the boulevard and proceeding to the very back of the lot would allow me to then make a left turn and go back out unto the smaller street I need to take.
The maneuver worked out great, as it allowed me to avoid having to negotiate the busy intersection in order to make my right turn. In following days I kept on using the short cut every time I saw the upcoming intersection overly crowded. I would turn into the parking lot, make my way to the very back, turn left and go to the driveway where I took a right back out unto the street. No stopping, just slowing down through the deserted lot.
Couple of mornings ago, toward the end of a particularly challenging work week, I was making my way down the crowded boulevard, like every day. As the intersection of my street came into view, I noticed a wall of cars and buses in front of me, so, as I have done so many times, I slowed down and entered the empty parking lot, making my way toward the back. But this morning I noticed something that had failed to get my full attention previously: the very back route on which I would turn left lines up with a route that continues to the right. I guess the corner of the business had given me the impression that the opening to the right was just one of those service routes that go to the back of the businesses. On this morning though, I just decided that instead of taking the left turn in stride, as I have done so many times just slowing down, I came to an almost complete stop. And that is when the lady in the SUV came out from the right at about 50mph. Had I taken the turn as I usually did, she would have taken me out...permanently!
She did not even see me, nor realize I was even there, not even tap her brakes. With a car load of children, she must have been in a hurry to take them to school.
I so noticed that the route she had come from goes to a conglomerate of condominiums nested in the back of the business complex, something I had never paid full attention to before.
Ultimately, I am convinced that someone made me notice the route on the right, made me register a potential threat and made me stop. Ultimately, someone saved my life that morning in that parking lot. Thank you, God!
We all want to believe we are going to live for a long time, at the same time subconsciously knowing it want be for ever, but we are convinced that we still have a lot of time left on this Earth. The truth of the matter is that life is fragile and unpredictable, which in a twisted way is what makes it so worth living.
But the message I gathered that morning, and that has been gnawing at me since, is how a split second decision can have such an impact on the lives of so many. For that woman, the decision of driving through that parking lot at such high rate of speed could have had an enormous impact on so many people's lives. I am pretty sure she does exactly the same thing every morning and by having witnessed several children in the SUV, unrestrained, she is jeopardizing their safety even more, even if we want to accept her prospective of total lack of care for the safety of a stranger's life like me or anybody else at that time.
On a personal note, I am convinced that someone up there had a hand in saving my life. I know, some of you may just attribute the whole thing to coincidence or riding experience or just plain luck, and you may be right.
I, though, choose to believe that God does not need me just yet and did not allow the momentary stupid act of one person to rob my family of me. God wants me to still enjoy my wife and kids and grandkids. God wants me to meet my grand daughter who will be joining the clan any day now. God saved my life that morning, proving to me that He is truly everywhere, even in a deserted parking lot in Stanton, California.
In closing, I really hope that people will at some time in history realize how dangerous stupid driving is. What you may perceive as a need to hurry may turn into a nightmare for you and so many other people. What you may perceive as your right to do something stupid on that road as long as you don't get caught, may ultimately infringe upon the rights of others and possibly ruin their lives for ever. Please, don't do it.
Just my thoughts and Happy Easter!
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