The McCarty Metro - Sound Off

ED NOTE: Send me your questions or comments on the form or via email and I will answer them.

Thanks for you, Margaret and your friends coming out last Saturday, it really meant a lot. Remember I’m going all out now just in case you put together a ‘Cockroach’ reunion tour together. I’m planning on getting more sleep! -Lance

ED NOTE: Thank you and the Motor City Ox Band for the invite. As always, I enjoy hearing you play. You are a top notch drummer and a great friend. Sleep is overrated. Keep those Cockroach tunes in the back of your head. (Do I smell reunion?)

I am getting a little paranoid with all of the recent tornado activity across the country. Since I don't have a storm shelter, I've resorted to sleeping in a ditch outside of my home. Am I over reacting? -Damp in TN

ED NOTE: I think in Tennessee, actually sleeping in a ditch can be good for your back. It might also be a good idea, because you know what a tornado and a redneck divorce have in common? In the end, someone is going to lose a house trailer.

I only golf once a year. Do you have any tips to improve my game? -Old Duffer

ED NOTE: If by "golf" you mean "have sex", and by "tips", you mean "Viagra", then this question will never make it into the McCarty Metro. We have a no sex talk policy here. Margaret has made it quite clear as content editor. However, if you are actually talking about golf, then no, I have no tips.

I always heard, "When two vowels go a walking, the first one do the talking". I don't think this is always true. Did I misunderstand? -Just Wondering

ED NOTE: Sometimes the second might talk, but count on the first one being the smart bet. Here is a little story. Two vowels go a walking into a bar. The first one says to the bartender, "I'd like to buy some peanuts." Bartender says, "Sorry, don't sell peanuts." The vowels leave. Next day, the two vowels go a walking into the bar, "I want to buy some peanuts." said the first (doing the talking). Bartender replies, "I already told you I don't sell peanuts!" The vowels leave. Next day, the vowels walk into the bar, "I want to buy some peanuts!" said the first vowel again. Bartender yells back, "I told you, I don't sell peanuts! If you ask one more time, I'll nail you to the wall!" So the vowels leave. Next day, the vowels walk into the bar. The second one said to the first "I know when us two vowels go a walking, you being the first does the talking. This time as an exception, let me do the talking", and he turns to the bartender and asks "Do you have any nails?" Bartender says, "Sorry, don't have nails." The second points to the first, so the first one asks, "Do you have any peanuts?"

Most people think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of 'those moments.' One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk. Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, Video Games, Computer, IPod, etc. Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together. Eye to eye contact helps a lot too. I've included a photo of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique. -A Friend of the Metro

ED NOTE: Thank you friend!

Can you find the recipe’s for the menu items on Taco Bell. Please include the Enchirito and Bell Beefer. -Taco Bell Fan

ED NOTE: What I find interesting is that Taco Bell (the former national phone company of Mexico), has begun touting that menu items like the Enchirito and Bell Beefer can help people actually lose weight. I also am now reading that Marlboro Ultra Light cigarettes will now give people clean lungs. Anyway, the Enchirito is made from cheddar cheese, tortilla, beans, beef, red sauce and onions. On the Bell Beefer, swap the beans out for dog.

PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR EDITORIALS. THEY COULD BE PRINTED HERE.

Last month, I got on this page and congratulated President Obama for killing the terrorist Osama Bin Laden. It was a long time in coming. The Bush administration was not able to get him, and the CIA, our Military, and Obama was able to get 'er done. JOB WELL DONE!!!

After the sense of closure a week later, I saw an old bumper sticker from the 2008 elections on the car in front of me. The bumper sticker said Obama... For A Change. This was the slogan for the democrats in '08 to separate themselves from the Republicans, specifically George W. Bush. Even though John McCain was running against Obama, he made his campaign against W.

When I saw that old bumper sticker, without hesitation, I laughed.... Then I got to thinking about Obama's first 2 1/2 years in office and I wondered if things had actually changed under the new administration or if things were basically the same.

One of Obama's pledges was to bring home all the troops quickly after elected because they shouldn't be overseas in illegal wars. After all, no weapons of mass destruction, right? When he said that, we had troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. With Bush as President, in 2008, we had about 48000 troops in Afghanistan. In 2011, that number has more than doubled to 100000. Currently, we still have 50000 troops deployed in Iraq. I recall a lot of criticizing how Bush "pushed his agenda" in the Middle East, and the fact we got ourselves into 2 wars during the Bush administration. I am glad to say that under Obama, although we are still in those wars inherited from Bush, that we haven't added any more.... Unless you want to include the fact that we started bombing Libya.... But I'm sure they must have done something terrible to the US because I'm sure we just wouldn't do it to just "push our agenda" there.

Back home, I wondered if things have actually changed as well. I mean, things were awful under President Bush, right? In 2008, the average National unemployment rate was about 5%. Obama said we needed change, and today the average unemployment rate is around 9%.

When Obama took office, the price of a gallon of gas on average in the United States on January 5, 2009 was $1.68. Today, we have more than doubled that to around $4 a gallon. Because of those gas prices, groceries and other goods have increased as well, making it tough for the lower and middle class America to make ends meet.

After really thinking about that bumper sticker, I am in agreement that with the Obama bumper sticker. He DID bring about real change. Unfortunately, I realize that my first reaction was wrong. Instead of laughing when I saw the bumper sticker, it might have been more appropriate to cry.