Let's Hopethe New Year is Better! Could it be worse?

Warning!!! Rant in progress!

Hope all had a pleasant Christmas and on behalf of the stafff here, I wish you all a Happy and successful New Year.

Three years ago,I was on top of my mortgage, I had two cars in the driveway and was spending large chunks of disposible income on trips to my local hobby shop. Today we have burned up all of our credit cards, we are at serious risk of foreclosure and the only car in the driveway belongs to my boss at Dominos Pizza. The next time I visit my local hobby shop will in hopes of selling, not buying.

What happened? A number of things. First we had the oil spike. This house is a real pig on oil. We started renovating with siding and had our storm windows removed on hopes of buying new windows later. Later never happened. we burned up all of our credit cards trying to keep up with the heat. Then the mortgage. Slowly we got later and later. Then we missed one payment. A change in ownership of the franchise meant I had to travel more to keep cash flowing in. A problem with one company, meant a new job and a longer commute. After four years of abuse and 203k, the engine blew in my Cavalier. Two weeks later I was down to one part time job and one car. It was a struggle just to keep food and lights. Just after we recieved our foreclosure notice, a former employer offered a job. Just things started going positive for a change, I was rushing to work, looked down and did not see the mini van until it was too late. the wife's car was totalled.

Here I was ready to panic. No car and thus no job. Everything was on the line. I called my boss from the wreck site. After getting the wreck home, I sat here and started praying. A few hour later, I got a call. Not from an angel, although I was ready to put wings on him. It was my boss, someone who I had had many bouts with in the past, and who had taken me back under strict conditions. He told me not to worry and that he would get me a car to drive. It would be something that I could use to take Janet to her doctors and do some other local stuff.

Unfortunately the worst was yet to come. Over the next several weeks, Janet would be hospitalized several times. Once, due to my own ignorance,she nearly died. But for the help of her friend and a breakdown of the car, she might not be here today.

I was a basket case to say the least. Working as many hours as I could, getting to the hospital, taking care of the house and animals, while trying to figure out which bill to pay next. It was at that point some very special people stepped in.

My boss Anthony Patalano and my co workers at Domino's Pizza, cut me a lot of slack at work. Often they would let me visit Janet during working hours, if only for a few minutes. My friends at Sound Off Ct were a great help. They put up with my somewhat off the wall behavior in the chat room and offered support. A member even offered help with the birds. Even the show host, Jim Vicevich offered support and prayers. Last bu not least, I give credit to the God of my understanding and my friends at e-AA.org. Some of you do not know this, but I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for some 27 yrs. I firmly believe tha God works through people and when it comes to helping this drunk stay sober, he has enlisted the help of my friends on line.

As I finish this blog, it is a Saturday night in Springfield. The PT Cruiser which is my work car, got towed away with a broken fuel pump. I will have tomorrow off without pay. The car should be back on Monday. We have food in the fridge, oil in the tank and everyone is safe and warm. In the end that is all that really matters. So this is it, the end. Thanks for reading.

It is time to Just Vote NO!!!!!!

We need a new position added to every political ballot in our nation. Caal it none of the above. Yesturday, I along with over 85% of Massachusetts voters failed to cast ballots on the primary to fill the seat of the late Senator Kennedy.

All four of the candidates on the Democratic side were names from the Boston area.
Few west of Worcester have ever seen or heard from them before, and with the exception of the winner, we will never see them again. On the Republican side, we had a party insider facing up against a person who was given little chance. Voters like me saw no real choice on either side and we stayed away in large numbers.

A "None of the Above" place on the ballot, would give many people a chance to have a real say. It would force both parties to be more accoutable to the people that they represent. Should that position win an election, the process would start over. We the people would come out a winner. Now before you start talking money, why not spend a bit more and get the government that you really want. Is that too much to ask?

A Tibute to Our Parents

The gang I hung around with in the 60s and 70s are all well into adulthood now. Several of the guys are now grandparents. This week I recieved word that one of the parents of a friend had died. This week his funeral will be held in the church tha I attended as a child. The same church which sponsored the Boy Scout troop where I made the rank of Eagle Scout in 1970. Seems like some of us stayed behind.

This gave me pause to think about how lucky we were back then. I do not know if our parents saw each other socially, but I do know that they cared about us. They cared enough to be good role models and to show an interest in what we were doing. Several of them served on the toop committee. One of them served as our scoutmaster for a time. Even my dad, who was no great woodsman, came out camping with us on occasion. The important part was that they cared and it showed.

Outside of our group, we had many other adults that we could look up to. At the high school, Gerry T., the gym teacher who was also a Scouter helped this handicapped youth get several important merit badges. At the Police station, the Juvie officer, Al Costa, had a smiling face and an easy dispostion for the good kids. Heaven help you if you ran afoul of the law. Your parents would most certainly hear about it. In the house next door to ours, lived Florian Marquis Jr.. Everyone called him Junior, but to us kids he was Mr. Marquis. He ran a service station that was just across the tracks. At one time or another, he fixed every car in the area and knew all of the adults. During the Blizzrd of 78, we made a total neighboorhood effort, just to get his tow truck free of our street. He was already playing a role in my life, but more of that another time.

I am not saying that we had it good, or that we had perfect childhoods, but in the 60s and 70s in Woonsocket R.I. Our neighborhood was a good place to grow, Our parents saw to it.

Please do not forget to tip the Pizza Guy!

I know all about the economic woes that we are facing whether it be here in Springfield, with my friends in the Numeg state or our nation as a whole.

There is one favor I would like each and every one of you to do for me, please do not forget to tip the pizza guy, the waiter or waitress and your newspaper carrier.

Your favorite waitress, the guy or gal who brings your pizza or your other takeout foods and your newspaper carrier all depend on tips for a good part of their income.
I know because I deliver pizza for a living. There are several sites and chatrooms where I am "The resident pizza guy". I say that with pride. Although some may consider it a humble job, I enjoy it and have made a decent living at it for the last several years.

What a lot of people do not think about is that we in these businesses rely on you to pay us. In many states we make a sub minimum wage and count on tips and run allowances to make up the difference. With the economy in trouble, many folks see a cheap meal out or delivered foods as an afforable luxury. Where they tend to cut corners is in the tip.

I speak from hard experience. Whether the economy is good or bad, I am my co workers still have our costs. We have to pay our bills, the same as everyone else. In addition, delivery drivers often have to buy their own vehicles, pay for fuel, insurance and maintence. Your tips go a long way to help.

We do not expect tips for bad service and or poor food quality. As a driver, I take every possible step to make my customers happy. Often I will make a call to resolve a customer complaint. In some cases, the order gets the discounted or free. A good driver will do that and more to make you happy. Please keep that in mind the next time you order out.

I am going to close this log with a website http:www.tipthepizzaguy.com It is a forum open to the general public as well as the industry. It is funny and serious.

Thanks for your continued friendship and readership. Comments to kokoracer@gmail.com

Don't forget to tip the Pizza Guy

A tribute to My Brothers and Sisters in Uniform

With the passing of Veterans Day, the killings at Ft. Hood and the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I had a chance to reflect on both what is going on today and my own attempt to serve our country.

While I am still proud of having served, I am not proud of how I served. In truth, my service was barely worthy of mention compared to the trials facing our troops today. I was a Cold War soldier and a piss poor one to boot. I never saw combat. the only time I ever handled a live weapon was out on a firing range. When I signed up with the Rhode Island National Guard, I had no idea of what I would face. I was a pipe smoker, I was overweight, and I showed all the signs of an alcohol problem.

It started at the very beginning, getting drunk at the first opportunity, missing a formation and being disciplined. An accident in training, due to my poor conditioning resulted in a fall from a 40 ft tower, injuring me and putting an NCO in jeopardy. I completed basic, only after restarting training and being put on an extreme conditioning program. That would prove to be one of my few successful moments. I then completed my skills training and returned home without any major issues.

I spent a short time with the RIANG. Only enouggh to prove that I was having increasing problems with alcohol. I looked forward to drill weeknds for low cost alcohol. By the following summer, I was on my way to Ft. Polk La.for my first active duty assignment.

My 13 months at Polk were marked by a discipinary actions due to alcohol. A barracks accident with involved alcohol and resulted in severe burns and time in a psycho ward, all due to alcohol abuse.

Somehow I made it through my time at Polk and got assigned overseas. I would complete my tour of duty in West Germany. Shortly after arriving in country, alcohol reared its ugly head again. I was on a downward spiral which ended with a determination that I was not fit to serve. That was in May of 1982. I put down the drink at that point, leaving the country and then the military, clean and sober. While I did get a General Discharge under Honorable Conditions, my service was no where near honorable. I feel like I am not worthy of polishing the boots of today's soldiers.

The soldier of today is a far cry from the one I was. Reservists and members of the National Guard face call ups to serve under hostile fire. Members of the regular Army face long tours far from their homes and families. Even in their stateside bases, they cannot feel safe. They face an enemy who may reside within their own ranks. It is not right nor is it fair.

Today I live in an area near Westover AFRB. There is are many military personnel both active and reserve in the area. I serve many of them in my job and never forget to say thanks. Not because of what I once did, but because of what they are doing today to keep us free.

When you see a soldier, sailor, Marine or airman, have the courtesy to say thanks. It is the least we can do.

A Question for You!

This post is dedicated to some of my co workers, managers and friends who work for Dominos Pizza in Chicopee and Springfield Ma.. Amoung them are my franchisee Tony, his wife and children, John and Liz Sanborn with their children,Brigette Whalen and her son, and my friend Anna with her unborn child.

The question is this, what kind of country are we going to leave for this new generation of citizens of the United States?

I was born in 1954 to two first generation Americans. The future of the U.S. looked bright. We had just won WWII. My dad had quit high school to enter the Navy and the war ended while he was in training. He went to barber school on the G.I. bill to follow his father's trade. He owned a small business which he worked at part time, while being employed by the Draper Corporation. Both he and my mother worked hard and were moderately succesful. We owned a modest home at the edge of the inner city. My mother worked a variety of jobs in the textile and food service industries
while raising three children.

The United States was much like my family. We were strong and proud. We held our head high. We grew our own food, We baked our bread. We built our cars and made our own shoes. The shirt on my back was made of cotton which had been grown by an American farmer, woven into cloth on an American loom, and stitched by an American worker. We pumped our own oil, which American refiners turned into gasoline to fuel our American made cars. Las but not least, we saved and scrimped, while we might have borrowed for a mortgage or a car loan, for the rest we paid CASH!!! Our government was the same way. When they borrowed, it was from it's citizens.
While there were social programs, they did not intrude on our lives. We felt free to pursue the American dream.

I would like to know what the future holds for the children to whom I have dedicated this blog. The mill where my father once worked is a mangled ruin. The milltown would be a ghost town were it not a suburb of Boston. The clothes I wear are made in China, Even my computer and my model trains come from overseas. Two of the three car makers which once dominated the U.S. market have gone bust and one is now controlled by Europeans. Our government spends money that they do not have on things that we do not need. The privately owned slums that once dominated the inner city, have been replaced by public housing. The respect that I was so carefully taught as a child is no more. Teachers are beaten in the schools and the police who once walked the beat, rush from one crime to another in their hi tech cruisers.

Today I fight to maintain a decent quality of life. The home share with my wife is one payment away from foreclosure. The house next door is vacant. Right now we do not even have our own automobile. The car we are using has been provided by my employer. My wife has been in the hospital three times in the last two months for diabetic problems. Meanwhile, those in Hartford, Boston and Washington, laugh at us.
They are constantly trying to find new ways to cripple us with laws and taxes. From cigarette taxes to sales taxes and property taxes, I have to work harder each and every day, just to hold on to what I have.

I am not without hope for our future however. I believe that the spirit that made our country great is still alive. I believe in myself. I believe in my co workers and friends. i believe that we can take our country back. It will not be easy. The working men and women of this coutry will have to join hands like we have never before. If there is to be a second American revolution, let it begin here. Let the shouts of freedom ring out on the streets of Springfield. Bring hope back to Hopedale. Bring a smile to the farmer of the Midwest who grows the wheat for our bread. 2010 can be a new beginning for our nation. We need to let our elected representatives know who they work for. We need to do this at all levels, city, state and nation. The time for action is now. We need to do this for our next generation. We need to let them see the country we once knew. Proud, strong and free.

Is it time to Outlaw the Vegi Sandwich?

As regular readers of this blog know, I work for a franchisee of a national pizza chain. Recently we introduced several additions to our line of "Oven Baked Sandwiches" Now you can call me names if you must. Call me a sellout or whatever. Fact is that this national chain has kept yours truly employed for the last nine years. I am a loyal employee of the firm as well as a consumer of the product. One of the new sandwiches is a Veggie!

I was working lunch last week and a sandwich was made by mistake. Often we get to eat them rather than waste food. I picked up the sandwich and sank my teeth into it. I found the mixture of flavors interesting, but there was something missing. It was a Veggie sandwich. I do not know about you, but I am classed as an omnivore. I will eat just about anything, fruits, veggies, meats, chicken, seafood etc. I do have a sweet tooth as well. What was missing in that sandwich was the meat! "Where's the BEEF?" Even though I knew it was a veggie sandwich, my mouth, my taste buds and my stomach were not into that sandwich. If you are having something that calls itself a sandwich, it needs meat or chicken to be complete, otherwise it is just a collection of veggies and cheese on a bun. What a waste!

Now some of you will say that to be politically correct, we have to have healthy items on our menu. IMHO not many people who walk into our national chain, call us for delivery, or order online are looking for healthy items. Our specialties include a breadbowl stuffed with pasta, cheese and meat, a slab of baked dough covered in cheese and topped with high fat and high salt meat products, and breaded spiced chunks of chicken breast. What is healthy about those choices? Why do we need to waste space in our store to cater to a very tiny fraction of our business? And while I am at it, have you noticed the move to have chains post calorie counts on the menu? Let's see now a Large national sandwich, fries and a shake. If you do not want to look, I won't tell you. Anyone with any common sense what so ever knows that a diet that is high in pizza and fast foods will make you FAT! The only way I keep my trim figure is lots of exercise and modest consumption of my employers products.

While we are at it, could we please outlaw vegitarians? i am not saying that all of them are nuts. Some abstain from meat for matters of faith and some for true health reasons. The ones who drive me crazy are the PETA folks and the other nazis. Vegitarianism is a hiding place for liberals. Time to root them out of their hiding holes. Like most other liberals, they seek to control our lives. Personally, I would like to do nothing better than to sit down and consume a large meat pizza, wash it down with a coffee, (I do not drink alcohol) and finish my meal with a bowl of gently flavored aromatic tobacco, (substitute for fine cigar)! I would do it right in front of them and then jump into my SUV ( I do not own one) and drive away happy. To watch the steam rise from their ears would be priceless.

That enough for this round. Comments questions, opinions to kokoracer@gmail.com

R E S P E C T

Hello ladies and gentlemen

"What we have here is a total lack of respect for the law"

One of the biggest problems that I see in the world of today is a total lack of respect.
In one of my earlier posts here, I wrote about how when I was growing up, our family had respect in our neighborhood. My parents may have not have had a lot of money, but they showed me that by working hard and treating others right, you could do well in life.

From an early age, I was instructed to treat everyone with respect and courtesy. It was always okay to disagree with someone but it had to be done with respect. I was taught to respect my elders and those in authority. At the top of that list were the priests in my church, my teachers, my bosses and the police officers.

Today, I see a total lack of respect. It makes me wonder if it starts with the parents of today.
Are children still being taught this simple rule of life? I see problems at all levels of society from the schools to the workplaces, to the political world. Everybody I run across today seems to operate as if they and they alone are the center of the universe. How else can you explain the problems with discipline in schools. Children who do not learn because they do not "want to".
How else can you explain the crime ridden streets of our cities? How else can you explain workers who steal brazenly from their employers or union leaders who lobby against the interests of their members? Last, but not least, how do you explain the fact that our elected representatives ignore the wishes of the voters?

It is time for a change and we alone can make that happen. It starts in our homes, in our work places and in our political system. Each and every one of us has to look deep inside ourselves.
Are we teaching respect? Are we showing respect? Are we holding others accountable for their actions?

A few months ago, I had an issue with a manger at work. As a result, I learned that I could be replaced. I keep this in mind today. Everyone no matter what you do or who you think you are can be replaced. I think that it is time to show more people how easily they cna be replaced.
I do not care if it is in the workplace or in the political system. You either do the job that is expected of you and do it well, or face the unemployment line.

Respect goes both ways. It is time for employers to show their workers respect, for parents to show their children, for teachers to respect their students and for the political leaders to respect the wishes of their voters. Today I know I have the trust and respect of my boss. Two weeks ago, I was driving to work and had an accident. My boss stepped up by buying a company car and letting me drive it. He could have left us high and dry. I would be out of work and be waiting for the mortgage company to take the house. He showed my wife and I some serious consideration. In return, I am trying to show him the proper respect. I drive his vehicle with care. I am taking care of it and letting him know about any problems. I am complying with the rules that he has given me regarding its use.

Do you get the idea now?

The TEA party movement as shown me what our politicial leaders think of us as voters. Our leaders seem to think that we are a herd of cows waiting to be milked waiting to be milked and then slaughtered. They hit us with tax and fee increases and then complain about revenue drops. On a national level, they are trying to impose the cap and tax and health care reform, both of which will hurt an economy which is already under strain.

It is time to demand respect from our elected leaders. All of our protests will fail if we do not
exercise the one right we have left. The power to fire them. Let the battle begin but do it with respect.

John Kokolski

Your comments are welcome. kokoracer@gmail.com or on Facebook Unsigned material will be ignored. If you email, please put Blog in the subject line.

You cannot legislate common sense.

Recently there were three auto accidents that I know of. Two of the cases look like they will be resolved without a lot of fuss, while another makes headlines. It looks like two of the cases will spawn still more new laws. Really though I think that there are already enough laws on the books. What it boils down to is common sense.

Last Tuesday, I was rushing to work, driving my wife's 98 Kia Sephia. As I was approching a traffic light, I reached for a ringing cell phone. I took my eyes from the road and rear ended another vehicle. The other driver might have been injured, I do know that she walked away from her vehicle. My wife's car appears to be a total loss and it is only the goodwill of my boss that has allowed me to keep working. It was my first major accident in over 200k and could have been avoided with either a hands free phone or simply ignoring the phone until the road was clear. I made a stupid mistake and will be paying for it, I was issued a warning for following too close. Meanwhile the lawmakers in this state will continue to push for restrictions on phone usage. Look for a hands free phone in my future.

Last Friday, a friend of mine was involved in an accident in which a 6 yr old boy was killed.
He has been accused of negligent homicide, along with OWI and other charges. What really is starting to bug me about this case is how he is being tried by the local media. I have known this person for several years. He has visited my home, worked on my cars. All in all, a nice guy, who like me, made a mistake. I am not going to try to justify his actions. Many of you who are reading this, know me and know of my relationship with alcohol. I take a dim view of anyone who gets behind the wheel after even one drink. It is but fo the Grace of God that I do not walk in his shoes.

Again, with this story making news, the state lawmakers will push for more laws regarding operating under the influence of alcohol, along with the laws on elderly drivers and anybody else in our commonwealth who appears ot disturb the peace of it's population.

Our lawmakers recently passed a bill which I object to. Rather than wait for the special election
to replace the late Sen Ted Kennedy, they changed a law to allow our governor to appoint a temporary replacement. This was signed sealed and delivered with the concent of the Democratic Party and under pressure for the national power structure. Rather than allow the people's voice to be heard, the took it upon themselves to fill the position.

Are there not enough laws in all of these areas, or do we simply have too many lawmakers with nothing to do. How about if we return government to the people. How about taking steps to reduce the size and power of our government and making it more accountable to those they serve. Now that would truly be legislating common sense. John

The Death of the American Union?

Are the pinky ringed thugs running scared? I think they should be. Why are they holding on so tight to a presidental administration that is failing miserably? Could it be that they are trying to hold on to power that is slipping away? I think so.

Over the last year or more, I have been hearing and reading stories about how the unions are in trouble. Day after day we are seeing stories about how companies are threatening to move union jobs and how unions are making concessions in order to keep them. That is not the union way. The union tradtition is to improve working conditions as well as pay and benefits for their members. Their weapon of choice has alwasy been the strike.

In today's market, unionized companies have to compete, not only with non union labor, but with labor from all parts of the globe. When a union threatens to stike, a company can simply pack up and take jobs elsewhere and they do. Sometimes, new companies will come into a market that is dominated by unions. They do so, not burdened by wage, pension and healt care plans imposed on them. they make competitive products at lower costs and make money. In time that will drive the unionized companies out of business or force them to negotiate reductions. That is what happened in the U.S. auto industry and why two of our three auto companies are now goverment owned. I forgot one other little item. Profit! A company whose cost per unit are not competivtive will soon lose money. You loose money too long and there go the jobs. The unions loose membership and they loose power. Those auto plants that are in thr process of being closed right now will never reopen. Those jobs are gone forever.

Where are the unions going now? The only places where unions can safely go is the health care industry and government. They do not have to face competivtive pressure. If you want to see government unions in action, look at the Postal Service. It is facing rising costs and handing less volume than ever. It is losing money at a growing rate. Customers who are facing increasing costs and reductions in service are taking their business elsewhere. In other parts of the public sectior, the problems are similar. Costs of government, driven in part by union contracts are growing at a time of decreasing tax revenues. Governments react by raising taxes, which has a net result of decreasing revenues furthur as taxpayers pack up and leave. Look at what is happening with California. Look at what is happening in your city or town..

Meanwhile back in D.C. the union leaders buddy up with the President of the United States, a President who they bought and paid for. I hope and pray that President Obama will be the last one. Whether they know it or not,he may be the one to put the last nail in their coffins with his health care, cap and trade and other legislation.

What may have been good for GM might have been good for the nation, but what is good for the unions is killing our nation.

John Kokolsk is the son of a deceased member of the Steelworkers Union and a former member of the Postal Workers Union. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Rhode Island College.

Your comments are welcome Please address them to kokoracer@gmail.com Comments in the subject line.

Warning! Rant in Progress

I support Congressman Joe Wilson! I am sick and tired of being abused, over taxed and lied to!
I am sick and tired of having my wages reduced every time the state decides it needs more money. I am sick and tired of driving on bad roads that my taxes pay for. I am sick and tired of seeing big corporations get bailed out while I fall behind on my mortage. I am sick and tired of seeing the auto industry and other industries being taken over while the rights of the citzens are being trampled.

My name is John Kokolski welcome to my world. Recently the state of Massachusetts decided that they needed more taxes. In their infinite wisdom they decided to raise sales taxes. With the sales tax came an increase in the meals tax. Cities and towns were given the local option to raise taxes even further. Who is the one paying those increased taxes, the customer. Who gets hurt by the increase in taxes? ME!!!!!

I deliver pizza for a living. A few years ago, I decided to try doing it full time. I love my job. I have made a good living at it in the past. For several years it paid the mortgage and kept two cars on the road. I get paid in the form of wages, a run allowance and tips. In Mass, I get a wage below the minimum. Ct pays the minimum. The run allowance helps to pay for gas, maintence and insurance. It does not even come close, but it helps. I drive my own car, pay for my own gas, insurance and repairs. What I really count on to make a living is tips and that is the problem. When the government needs money, they add a tax, when corporate needs money, they raise prices to my franchisees. When they need money, they raise prices. When these increases hit the customer, what happens, they do not tip as well. I either have to work harder or reduce my standard of living. I am sick and tired of both!

Now I am sure that some wil say, why not get out of the business? Not as easy as it sounds. Currently I have heard quotes that the "real" unemployment in this country is close to 16%.
I am 55 years of age. The only other industry, I have ever worked in is in worse shape then what I am doing now. I was partially unemployed for six months this year and am currently trying to stay out of foreclosure.

What I am getting at is whether you know it or not, you are all in the same position I am in.
Every time you go to work, you feed the beast. Put gas in your car, you feed the beast, buy virtually anything at a retailer and feed the beast. If you own a home or a car, you feed the beast. Maybe it is time to stop the madness now.

I wish that I could have been in Washington this weekend. I had to work and could not afford to go. Unfortunately I fear that those voices will not be heard. There is only one way to kill the beast, shut off the blood flow. I hereby pledge to live my life in such a way as to minimize any revenue to any government anywhere. While I do not seek to engage in any illegal acts, I am going to take steps to reduce my tax liabilites and keep my taxable activities to a minimum.

I am also going to suggest a national tax holiday. It is time for us to take radical action. On the day to be determined, a general strike will occur. Those who chosse to join us, will not work, nor will be be in the stores. We will not buy gasoline or other taxable items. We will stay home and meet with our families and friends. It will also be a national day of rest. A true national day of prayer. Maybe someone will listen?

Hello Again

Well now, I have been trying to do a post here for several weeks. Just goes to show you what a sick wife and 80 hr weeks do to your time contraints. A warm welcome to the friends of the Howie Carr show. In addition to a periodic link on my FB page and on the Sound Off Ct site, this blog will now been seen on Howie's page. I just hope Junior and Steve understand.

I am a fan of both Jim's and Howies shows for similar reasons. While I live and work here in the Springfield Ma. area, I also have a part time job in Enfield Ct.. Both of these shows are very similar in theme and I think that we who are fans of both shows can help link them together even if it informally.For those of you who are fans of Jim, try Howie's show. It is broadcast out of Boston with a local station in Springfield, 560, WHYN from 3-7 pm. Howie does Mass politics and the national scene with an accent on Boston.. For you Howie fans, Jim Vicevich and his Sound Off Ct show runs from 9am to noon on WTIC 1080 out of Hartford. Jim does Ct politics and the national scene as well. Both hosts tend to be libertarian/conservative and that pretty much fits me as well.

Since the folks from SOC know me pretty well. I am going to introduce myself to Howie's friends. My name is John Kokolski. Born and raised in R.I., I graduated from Woonsocket schools and hold a B.A. from Rhode Island College. I have always been interested in politics and was involved from a young age. I held a sign for George McGovern. Graduating from college in the Carter years and doing a stint in the military proved to me conclusively that liberal ideas do not work. After several years of traveling the stock car circuit, I relocated here to Springfield wher I married my wife Janet. Our full house consists of two poodles, and african grey and a host of smaller birds. I make my living as a pizza delivery person for Domino's Pizza. As to what a pizza guy is doing writing a blog, I am just going to ask you to stay tuned and find out.

Till next time John

An Open Letter to President O Bama

Mr President

I am writing this blog using the freedoms that have been guaranteed to me by the Consitution of the United States. Those freedoms include LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Depending on which agency you contact, you will find that I am, employed, and a homeowner in the city of Springfield Ma.. I have been married only once,and am still married to her after some 18 yrs.

I graduated from high school in 1972, attended Providence College for three years and got my B.A. from Rhode Island College in 1979. I went on to a brief career in the U.S. Army and was discharged under honorable conditions in 1982.

Over the years, I have been successful in a number of areas ranging from a career in the automotive industry, involvement in an auto racing ministry, and a period spent as an internet columnist for several regional and national websites.

Here is the problem Mr. President. I am both a handicapped person and a disabled veteran.
I was born with several defects including a hand/eye coordination issue. If I had been a fetus today, I would have never been born. The same could be said for my wife. In the 50s her mother took a drug. As a result, my wife could never concieve. We are a childless couple in our 50s.

I have accepted my limitations and have always worked around them. Despite my handicap, I was able to complete military training. My VA disablity has less to do with my handicap and more to do with some stupid actions on my part.

The move to nationalize heath care scares me. I may be 20% disabled, but I am still 80% able.
Last week I worked some 80 hours as a pizza delivery person. I spent another 10 hrs maintaining my home and several more assisting my wife. Sleep is an option.

My wife depends on Mass Health for her medical treatment and I use the VA. Each month my wife has to visit her doctor to get her pain killer medication. Every month it is a battle for her to stay functional Under your plan her life would be worthless. She would be classified as a non productive citizen. She would be amoung those forced to consider assisted suicide.

I try to avoid using the Veterans Administration. That currently leaves me with untreated diabetes. I would rather self treat than face the doctors and the wating lines. I use the mental health unit, but only under extreme conditions. My fear is that in time, I too will face the lable of a non productive citizen.

Mr President, You cannot give life nor should you or your government have the power to take it.
That includes forcing abortions on people as well as assisted suicide. I have always believed that we as Americans value life. Our elderly, our veterans and our unborn all deserve a chance.

Thanks

John Kokolski
an American citizen

Cash for Clunkers? I want to trade in John Kerry!

Disclaimer!!!

I currently am driving my wife's 98 Kia Sephia, which does not qualify as a Clunker. By choice, I have been driving 4 cyl fuel saving vehicles for most of my 35 yr plus driving career. I am also an admitted car nut. My favorite vehcles of all time include the Ford Capris of the early 70s and the Hemi powered Mopars of the mid 60s.

Could you please tell me where I can trade in Senator John Kerry for the Clunker credit? If the price is right, I will add in Senator Ted Kennedy and the House delegation from the state of Massachusetts. If the purpose of the legislation is to improve fuel economy and reduce carbon emmisions, I cannot think of a better way than to trade in our elected representatives for newer lighter and more efficient models.

In the long run the C for C law is the biggest bomb to hit Detriot since the Edsel and here is why.

Yes there are a number of cars on the road that could/should be scrapped. Most of these are driven by low income people. This law only permits credit towards the purchase of new vehicles. That alone puts it our of reach to those who need it. It requires that all vehicles must be scrapped after the engine has been disabled. This reduces the supply of used vehicles and thus the prices on them will rise, furthur hurting the poor. The requirement that the vehicles be scrapped has a double whammy. Prices for scrap have already fallen, this supply will push them down further still. Meanwhile, the poor get wacked again as prices for used parts will increase.

Detroit, Japan and other car countries share a common problem. There is only so much demand for new vehicles. The manufacturers have been building too many cars for too long and have resorted to discount pricing. All this does is move demand forward. The C for C law does more of the same. What will happen when the law finally ends? Demand will fall back to previous levels. What Detriot and the other car builders will have to do is to continue to reduce their production until the supply is equal to the demand. That is pretty simple. I leaned that in Econ 101. Oh, I forgot, Barney is capable of running a bank but never studied Economics.

Hey! for the right offer, I will toss in Chris Dodd and Deval Patrick

The "N" Word

Hello folks



I grew up in the 60's and 70' on the edge of what used to be know as a slum. The polite term then was "The Inner City". My neighborhood was made up of working folks of all races creeds and colors. We had our gays, our loose women and our welfare families.



My fmaily had moved into the area in 1960 when I was 6 years old. My dad had had a business in the area before that. While not in the upper crust of the community, we had "respect". Respect in those days was earned. It was how you treated people that counted. As early as I can remember, the one word that was off limits, was the N word.



I make no claims to perfection. There is only one person who was ever that way and he died on the cross. Still, I did try to do what my parents wished. I chose my friends carefully. It wa a pretty mixed gang, most of us were in Boy Scouts together and had other interests we shared.

Hanging together were some catholics, some protestants and even a lutheran family. My neighbor from across the street was darker than most of us. His family came from The Azores and was of Portugese decent. I met my first black family when i was eight years old. they were just like us, working folks. they went to church and like most others , we never treated them with anything other than respect. I might have used the N word once and got a beating for it.

My father then explained to me the evils of racism and how using that word would cause my family to loose the respect that he had worked so hard to earn.

From that background, I come into today. I am a middle aged white male. As part of my job, I spend a good bit of time in the inner city. Having been in this area and in this field for several years, I know that I have many customers who watch for me. I have earned the respect of people I work for and with.

What I do not understand is how certain groups of people use that word without a thought. I hear young people of many races refer to each other using the word, the word that would hav earned me scorn by my peers and a beating by my parents. I wonder if they realize the meaning of the word. I wonder if they realize that by using that word they are beating themselves up in a society that seems to have little use for them to begin with. I wonder where the pride is, where the self respect is? I for one do not see it. Until you respect yourself, no one else will respect you.

At the same time I wonder, why does so much of today's popular music glorify the inner city lifestyle? When growing up, tyhe inner city was a place to grow up and leave. Leave I did, for another city. My home today is still in a working class area. My neighbors today are a diverse lot. Will I choose to leave the area? I think not. We are safe and happy here. We have respect. In the end, that is what matters today.

NASCAR and More

As I predicted in my writing on another site, GM has announced cutbacks in their NASCAR activites. It has already been anounced that some truck and Nationwide series teams have lost support. Cuts in the Cup series have not been announced as of yet. This follows moves by both Ford and Dodge to cut costs. These moves have resulted in layoffs throughout the sport.

At Michigan, it was Mark Martin taking his third win of the season in race taht was decided by fuel strategy. A crowd of only 80,000 watched Mark win another one for the over 50 crowd.

While the current crop of car suppliers are suffering, Brian France is opening the door to more imported competition. This was announced following this weekend's race.

It has also been announced that NASCAR is going green. Following each race, trees will be planted to provide a carbon offset.

What does Brian France have in common with the captain of the Titanic? Both went down with their ships. The double file restarts are a plus, but if things do not start changing, look for NASCAR to get in line for a bail out.

If you want see some real neat vintage racing photos, check out the latest edition of "Muscle Machines" published by Hemmings. The spotlight is on Darlington in the 50s. Among the cars are a 51 Kaiser Manhattan and a 59 Buick Invicta. Drivers include a young Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts and other greats of the early years. Both "Muscle Machines" and "Classic Car" are good reads if you like cars the way I do.

The Chrysler -Fiat marriage is a done deal. We will now be blessed with ugly little cars that start rusting before they leave the lot. I have always been a fan of the US car companies, but scratch Chrysler and GM from the competition for the vacant spot in my driveway.

"Trains" magazine had an interesting article this month on trasnpotation comparing how various modes stack up for costs and efficiency. It costs less to build a mile of track than a mile of expressway. Lots of other intersting stuff there also. It vacks up my belief that we need a balanced transportation system in this country.

The Obama administration shudders every time unemployment figures are announced. They can be held directly responsible for another jump with almost 800 Chrysler dealers closing this month and thousands of GM dealers getting ready to follow. While BO has said that he does not want to run a car company, it looks like many of the closings have been dicatated by politics as opposed to economics.

I have not had as much time to blog or to participate in my favorite chat rooms, but that is a good thing. My personal economy has improved since I returned to work for Tony Patalano's
stores. I am now pushing around 60 hrs a week. That can easily grow, depending on sales.
We are negotiating with the bank and hoping to avoid foreclosure.

That it for this trip. John

Ranting at Random

Hello all

Welcome to any new readers. This blog now is being posted in the Soundoff Ct. chatroom, the Western Ma 912 discussion board and on my Facebook Page.

I would like Tony Patalano of Patalano Pizza for rehiring me. Tony has two Domino's stores in Chicopee and Springfield Ma. I worked a full week for the first time in about five months and it feels good.

Looks like the house is safe for now. I have spoken to our lender and we are now eligible for a loan modification. Looks like I will now have to mow the grass since it is now taller than a poodle.

A interesting development. Some old friends from Woonsocket High School have been finding me on Facebook. I wonder what they are thinking when they see the rest of my page?

I am a proud member of two conservative groups. The Western Mass 912 group and the Sound Off Ct chat room. The 912 group operates on priciples esposed by national talk show host Glenn Beck, while the Sound Off group supports Jim Vicevich who is a talk show host on WTIC in Hartford. The reason I support both of these organizations is simple. I live in Mass and work both in Mass and Ct.. I have also found the chatroom that supports Jim to be a really great bunch of people. They proved to be very supportive during my recent difficulties.

What bothers me is the inability of these two groups to get together. Despite the fact that they are built around many of the same priciples, they let geography and the fact that they support different radio shows keep them apart. I am trying to act as a link between the groups because I feel that if we really want to have an impact, we need to show larger numbers. We cannot do that if we are splintered into many small groups. Western Mass and Ct. have many of the same problems. We face high taxes and representatives who do not speak for the people but are bought and paid for by special interests.

I have read a copy of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy that was recently made public.
If you are intersted in the sport, you will find it of interest. Now what I would like to see is a list of banned substances and a quick end to the Mayfield case. I am sick of this sideshow. We should be reading about racing, not court cases. Jimmy Johnson won this week's race at Dover Downs. I missed the end of the race but what I did hear was a good one.

General Motors is now officially bankrupt. Another 30 Billion of our tax dollars will be invested in this company. If GM was going to go bust, it should have happened a year ago without taxpayer dollars. As a result of this bankruptcy, more plants are going to be closed as are more car dealers. Where will the administration find jobs for all of these displaced workers?
Another result is less choice for the car driving public. Both Pontiac and Saturn are being dropped and the Hummer brand will be sold. As part of the deal to sell GM of Europe, there was an agreement that the new company could not sell cars here.

While the Federal government prints and spends money, the states are in trouble. California is already bankrupt and voters there recently failed to approve new taxes. Mass and Ct. are not far behind however we cannot follow the lead of Ca voters. In Mass., our leaders recently approved a 25% increase in the state sales tax. A small band of us recently staged a protest at the state office building in Springfield. Why would our state reps listen to 25 protesters in Springfield when they are getting lobbied constantly by people who get paid to do just that?
Meanwhile, our brothers and sisters who own firms in Ct. are beins slapped with another penalty. Thye are being told that they have to provide paid sick time if they have 50 or more workers. This is just another form of taxation. More buisness will either leave or not grow in the Nutmeg state.

Till next week, Live long and pay cash. John

The Spirit of America

One of my liberal friends an I have been having a debate recently on my facebook page.
Years ago, she was my manager in a store that no longer exists. We both went on to other things. For some strange reason Facebook has brought many of us together. It was only a short time, micro seconds in a galactic clock. We worked together as a team. Our goal, a simple one, make money for our store owner and as a result achieve our own success. We have all gone our separate ways. Only a few are still working for Dominos. The companies for which we once worked, no longer exist. yet it gives me reason to think. What is the Spirit of America? Who is the Spirit and does it even still exist. I believe it does and here is why.

Citizens of the United States of America! Now doesn't that have a ring to it. I first saw you in my back yard when i was three years old. You were driving a massive black steam locomotive on the New Haven line between Providence and Worcester. You never saw me, but i was there.

I saw you sitting scared in my father's barbershop. Your house across the street was on fire.
You helped my mom serve coffee to the firefighters.

You drove the massive front end loader in the blizzard of 1978. You came through from Buffalo N.Y. and helped a snowbound city recover.

You caught me as I fell of the top of a forty foot tower in basic training. You risked your life to save mine.

I was a stranger in a southern city. You paid for my hotel room while we waited for my car to be towed from the interstate. I still have the Bible you gave me. It has traveled many miles and many years.

You working in the infield of a track which no longer exists. Your daughter sold me coffee at a nearby diner in the state of William Penn.

Another track and another time. You befriended a lonely young drunken racefan. Later we would serve the Lord together. You have gone to him and I remain.

You and I have never met. You made the steel for my cars, the flour for my pizza dough.

On a sunny spring day in a far away land, you saw a scared and broken man. You gave him hope.

Yes America, your Spirit is alive and well. I see you each and every day. I hear you on my radio. I chat with you on this thing we call the internet. I work with you in a pizza shop.
You pulled me over and did not have my car towed.

I know you. You are white and black, gay and straight. Your families, like mine came from all over the world in search of freedom and a chance to have a better life.

Yes America, your Spirit is alive and well. We have some tests ahead, but we will pass them together. We will pull together like we have so many times like we have since our country was born. We will succeed, we will win and we will prosper. No one man or group of men can defeat us.

We are the Spirit of America.

Will the real NASCAR please sign in?

Hello everyone

After a bit of work, this blog should now be read by a number of my very best friends. I do not plan on posting every day, but when there is something that I absolutely need to say, I will.
I promise that it will my opinion, pure and simple. No editor to muck it up either.

I have been a fan of NASCAR since the 1960s. I lived for the days when I could sit and watch Chris Economaki on Wide World of Sports. There was something that drew me to racing. Stock cars were the cars I saw every day on the streets in my hometown. I never could play sports very well due to a handicap. I remember asking my dad if I would be able to drive a race car.
He never said no.

From 1971, the year he died, until Janet and I met in the early 90s, most spring summer and fall weekends you would find me at a track. Sometimes you might find me in the pit area, if I knew someone or if I was helping Rev Pat Evans. Otherwise I would be parked in a grandstand seat.
The only break came during my time in the military, even then, if there was racing, I would find it.

The sport in general and NASCAR in particular has changed a lot in nearly 40 years. Not complaining, just stating a fact. When I came into the sport, the WWII generation was still firmly in control. You could still build an entry level car with a couple of trips to the junkyard, some rollcage tubing, a torch and hand tools. I know this because my best friend and I once built a car with the help of my next door neighbor who just so happened to be a darn good mechanic.

If you were racing in New England, you either ran NASCAR or an outlaw track. NASCAR controlled the two top series here, the NASCAR modifeds and the North Late Models. You coudl draw a line. If you were in Mass, R.I. or Ct. you were in modified country. The northern states were ruled by the late models. The two top events on the calender were the Thompson 300 for the modifeds at Thompson Ct. and the Oxford 250 for the Late models at Oxford Plains in Maine.

In 1971, I got my first taste of pit side action at Seekonk Speedway in Mass.. A social worker went out of his way to help our family. His cousin was racing a street stock there and invited me to come along. For many years I would call Seekonk, my home track. Later we would build a street stock to race there, we even had a car number and a sponsor. The car would never see the track.

Seekonk, like many New England tracks was a product of the WWII era. A first generation Italian American, Anthony Vendetti built a 1/4 mile oval on the family chicken farm on Rt 6 in Seekonk. He did so with lots of concrete and his own two hands. If you raced there, if you even attended races there, you were part of his family. In later years I had several conversations with him that I remember fondly to this day. The track continues under family ownership to this day. In fact, my nephew has raced there in recent years. With the help of his father and his sister's husband, Eric Boyko has followed his uncle's dream.

It is said that when a tree dies, the roots are the first thing to go. So it is with NASCAR. Where they once dominated the New England countryside, today their presence is limited to the two Ct ovals and NHIS. The weekly racing that they once ruled has become splintered. Many tracks have shut their gates. Those that remain, survive on a diet of limited late models and modifieds, hobby stocks, and other entry level divisions. The Late Model tour is now called the Camping World East and runs a limited number of races as a developmental tour. The Whelen Modifieds alos run a limited tour, focused on the two Ct ovals. There are a number of other tours in the region run by numerous groups. They range from the PASS and ACT Late Model tours to the 4 cyl mini mods and midgets. While the Thompson 300 remains in name, the Oxford 250 has become a part of the ACT . I have no bone to pick with any of these people. I have known many to be fine people who are devoted to their sport. It is just not NASCAR.

Now it seems that the illness has reached the upper levels of the sport. The first two generations of the France family were men of vision. Bill Sr took a bunch of bootleggers and made them respectable. Bill Jr,made them professionals and made the sport into something that attracted a wide range of interest. At one point I saw it becoming the fourth major sport in this country. I can see that I was wrong.

The current leadership has made mistakes that may not be easily repaired. Brian and his sister would rather manage their other interests than concentrate on the sport. For many years, NASCAR was seen as being free of drug abuse. The worst that could be said is that they were a bunch of hell raising good old boys. Not so today. Within the last two months, a former Nationwide series driver has been found dead in a motel room and a Cup series owner/driver has been placed on indefinite suspension for testing positive for an unnamed substance. The driver has been in discussion with NASCAR and is now taking them to court. This has rocked the motorsports world. To it's credit, NASCAR has taken the drug issue seriously. Following the rain out of the World 600, it was reported that ten people were randomly tested. While I am glad to see action, I really did not want to read this.

The sport faces many other problems. Last year's race at Indy turned into a tire failure nightmare. As you read this, eight teams are meeting to test tires. One of the biggest , most hyped changes in the sport, the COT is not helping the sport. A ban on testing has hurt teams who are trying to make it into a car which allows the good quality of racing that the series has been known for. Every week I see figures on tv ratings and attendence. It is down across the board. Not a good sign when teams are struggling to find sponsor dollars.

The final nail in NASCAR's coffin may come from the United States government. At this writing,
there are four auto companies involved in the sport. One, Chrysler is already in bankruptcy after accepting billions in aid. General Motors is following closely behind. Of the domestics, only Ford remains in private control, while Toyota, the lone import bleeds it's own red ink.
I cannot see either GM or Chrysler remaining in the sport once government takes control.
Our president is no fan of motorsports. We are not green enough for him. At a time when he is increasing mileage standards, I see little interest from this administration in helping the sport.
Cutting this funding will leave a major hole in the sport at all three of the major levels. Where will the teams find funds to compete? Will we lose at least one of the tours? Will we begin to lose tracks? Will our sport, a sport that many of us have come to know and love, fade into the carbon crazed sunset? I hope not, 40 years is a long time to waste.

Will the real NASCAR please sign in?

Passenger Rail? Who are we kidding?

I recently read an article on the site of another raido station about a proposed upgrade of the railroad bewtweenSpringfield Ma and Greenfield to allow Amtrak to use the corridor as a more direct route to the north.



At this time the trackage is designated for 10 mph use. That is a very slow freight. At present those tracks are just about totally useless for anything. Years of neglect by the current ownership has allowed this to happen. It is proposed that the state and federal government invest millions of taxpayer dollars to upgrade this trackage. If this is done, passenger trains would be able to use this route, eliminating service to Amherst Mass. and replacing it with a stop in Northampton. Yes, you are shortening a route. You are also eliminating service to a town that needs more rail, not less. You are also adding traffic to a major highway, (Rt 9), which cannot handle current traffic. Note: Amherst Ma. is the home to U Mass Amherst and four other colleges. The town currently faces severe road traffic issues during the school year.



Now I know the readers in Ct. are going to say, there he goes again, shooting his mouth of about the Commonwealth, when we are here and not there. What I am writing about above illistrates only one part of a larger problem. We as residents of the Ct river valley, need to work for a comprehensive transportation plan in both states.



A solid transportation plan would look at the entire region from Worcester to the New York state line and the entire state of Ct. A plan would include ways to optimize all forms of transportation from the harbors and rivers to the rails, roadways and runways.



There are currently several proposals similar to the one above that are proposed for this region.

I am a serious unbeliever in passenger rail for the most part. I have yet to see a passenger system put into private hands and turn a profit. One proposal that I have been told of would require a subsidy of $30/passenger/trip. I can fill my tank for less than that.

And, unless you upgrade the capacity of the current rail system, you ar just adding more stress to a system that is operating close to capacity on freight alone. Passenger rail should be limited to large cities and their high density suburbs. If the traffic is there at present, fine. I understand that cities like NYC and Boston need what they currently have. Draw the line there unless you can currently demonstrate demand. Stop throwing money away.



Now some of you are saying, isn't there a cost to traffic and pollution, are we not already subsidizing highways. Is there a better answer? Yes, here is what I propose.



Upgrade all current rail systems for freight use. If there needs to be a private/government
partnership, so be it. We need to take steps to move as much truck traffic off the interstate system as possible. The idea that one truck and one driver can move 20 tons of cargo for long distances should be made obsolete. If we could take 200 trucks a day off I91 between Hartford and Springfield, how much pollution would we save? How much traffic would we eliminate?
It would be easier and cheaper to use a series of roll off or container terminals in each town served by rail. Trucks would go 20 or 100 miles,, not thousands.

If people demand mass transit, where none currently exists, let them have it. In fact, it already exists and can be operated at a profit by private companies. It uses existing infrastructure and puts no additional burden on the taxpayer. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the ultimate answer to 21st century mass transit, the inter city bus. For passenger use, the bus has a lot of advantages over trains. The inital vehicle can be much smaller. Current mini buses which would be suitable for low volume routes carry as few as 10 people. Larger buses such as operated by Peter Pan can operate with 60 or more. Bus travel frees you from the need for rails and the competition with freight. Moving more trucks off the road would reduce traffic, allowing buses to achieve better on time performance. Buses use smaller engines than a railroad locomotive, futher reducing pollution. If you need more capacity on a route, it is easier to add a bus. If you have a need to change routing, it is easier to move a bus than a rail line.

One other factor falls into this whole argument. Under current proposals, cars and small trucks of the future are to be smaller and lighter. These vehicles will be getting in the way of large trucks. The result of these less safe vehicles having impacts will result in more highway deaths. All the more reason to use common sense in looking at our transportation needs.

Welcome

Welcome to the new "Pipe Smoke" blog. Some of you know me as John K., others as kokoracer, and still some as John the Pipe.

I have used the title "Pipe Smoke" for many years. In the early part of this decade, PS began as a column on an independent site. It was dedicated to the New England Motorsports scene and carried a message that you can beat the disease of alcoholism. Most recently it has been the title of my national column which was dedicated to NASCAR racing. Now it is time for a change.

This blog will now be a part of the Sound Off Ct community. It is my little contribution to Jim
Vicevich and the crew. I want to start this by thanking each and every member of the community. A few weeks ago, you opened your door and your hearts. I cannot express what I feel for you all. You helped Janet and I through a very difficult time.

I also want to thank Jim. Without the show, this would not be possible. You have many friends and I am happy to be amoung them.

Okay so where do we go from here?

I am 55 yrs old, a resident of Springfield Ma. and my interests include politics, auto racing, the automotive industry and beating alcoholism. My home includes two poodles, an african grey parrot and a number of smaller birds.

While the primary focus of this spot will be on transportation, all of the above is fair game.
I may blog on a show topic, the current state of NASCAR, or anything else that I might find of interest.

If you have not gathered from any of my past writings, I am a conservative who leans Republican. I am also an enviro realist. I believe that we have to have a clean planet, that we need a sound energy policy and that global warming is a bunch of BS.

As a person who lives in Mass and works in both Mass and Ct., I believe that we are over taxed and under served. There are too many over paid people in government today who provide no value to the taxpayer.

I make my living as an employee of two small businesses. I feel that in order for small buisness to grow they need less regulation and an environment where growth is encouraged.

To all of you, my friends new and old, I bid you welcome. Ladies and Gentlemen start your engines!