Thursday, May 26, 2011

Kyle Busch Busted; Hermie Sadler Says So What?

This really pops my cork. I was watching some of the NASCAR coverage today and heard Hermie Sadler, a C-rate driver in the sport, say that the media and fans were making too much of Kyle Busch's citation in Charlotte, North Carolina this past week. The man, who is one of the most successful racers in the past few years, was pulled over and cited for driving 128 mph in a 45 mph area. According to Sadler, Busch's apology and the good graces that allowed no one to be hurt in this incident should be enough. We should move on and discuss other things.

In my view, Sadler is crocked. Kyle Busch is a role model, whether or not he wants to be one. He is the spokesman for products like M&M's, and he was driving a vehicle that wasn't even his. Lexus apparently lent it to him, no doubt in hopes for some endorsement or favor.

The fact that no one was hurt was a blessing, not an excuse to let Busch off the hook. He could just as easily had hit and murdered someone from his overzealous attitude to see how the car would handle. And what about his wife, Samantha? I heard she was in the car as well. Doesn't she have any common sense either? Or is she just as crazy as he is?

Sadler is dead wrong. This needs to be talked about, and Kyle Busch needs to be made to feel as uncomfortable as possible. He needs to remember this. Maybe it could do him some good, but I doubt it.

Oddly, several years ago, his older brother, Kurt Busch, was just as arrogant as Kyle, and it was a run-in with law enforcement and being set down (as in not allowed to race) by his then team owner, Jack Roush, that finally put a dent in Kurt's honor. He had a wake up call. He got married, and he reformed. No, he's not Mr. Perfect. He still has rough edges, but that's okay: that's personality. Kurt lost the ego and attitude. Kyle still has it, and unfortunately, this incident probably won't do anything to change. He practiced today so obviously current team owner, Joe Gibbs, isn't going to take the Roush route, and Kyle probably will lawyer up and talk his way out of losing his NC license.

So, unless the media and fans continue to remind Kyle that while he may be a good driver on the track that he does not have license to risk our lives on the road. As for Sadler, he just proved that he's not a role model either. In fact, Denny Hamlin, also a Gibbs' driver, was also lent one of the vehicles. He admitted to going 10 mph over the speed limit, which probably means at least twice that. He, of course, also said it's no big deal.

Sad. Very sad. That's why so many are killed by irresponsible drivers.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Thumbs Down to Carl's Jr. and a Hopeful Recovery for MTM

Winter hasn't quite left us yet. We've had nice, Spring weather for all of May until today. Temperature drop of 20 degrees and thunder to accompany the rain. It won't last, though. It should be gone and the 80's back by mid-week.

My BOO HISS for this post goes to the west coast fast food chain, Carl's Jr. They have a commercial out that states that they've included skinny models because, as the commercial states, no one wants to see a fat one. I have phoned in my complaint over this and have stopped patronizing their locales. The older I get, the more important it is that we stand up for what we believe, and I just think that ad is not what should be on the air in these days of self-image.

Link of the day to check out is my shed plans review. It's a good one for the woodworkers, pro or amateur, out there.

Finally, a shout out to Mary Tyler Moore. I just finished watching 5 years worth of superb comedy with her on The Dick Van Dyke Show. I laughed so hard, and I've seen these shows numerous times over the year. Moore just had brain surgery to remove a benign tumor that they've been watching for years. Swift recovery for Moore is my hope!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Wal-Mart Ripping Off Customers with Gift Receipts

Gift givers beware! A local news station has discovered that when you buy something and give it to someone with a gift receipt so they can return it, if necessary, that the person doing the return is probably not getting the full amount back; in fact, they are probably only getting half the gift value. This was discovered when a local man returned something he had bought himself and he just took the gift receipt. For a $15 item, they wanted to return just $7.50.

The local station in Northern California then conducted an investigation and also had a sister station in Pennsylvania do the same thing. It's just shocking.

Here is the link to the initial report and here is the link to the follow up where California lawmakers are about to get involved as well as a lawyer who is considering a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart.

The point is, if you use a gift receipt and you or the person you give it to uses it to return, odds are they are not getting the full value. I suspect, as does the California Majority Leader, that Wal-Mart has made millions with this deceit.

Pass the word along if you are a Wal-Mart gift giver.


 
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