Remember last week when I wrote how those who works retails and in the restaurant are the worst paying and least appreciated?  Not just from the customers who frequent the business; but also from the managers/owners.

In this blog I will be making reference to this book.  So in a way I’m promoting this book.  You can call it’s free advertisement.  I have read this book and found it’s very interesting.  I recommend anyone who is about to become a manager or is a manager to read this book first.  You might learn something.

First I want to say though.  Managers must learn to appreciate their workers.  We starve for the appreciation.  Don’t just say, “we appreciate you” and give them a piece of paper.  That is a joke, that is not very funny.

In a big corporation, the higher-up comes up with crazy ideas that never really works for the individual stores.  Yet they get paid the big bucks and the bonuses for an idea that will fail in the long run.  Managers who runs a local businesses, knows the business better than those in the higher-up position who makes those ideas.  They knows their employees better than these corporate heads.  At least they should!

A good manager works alongside their employees.  They don’t just sit in their ivory tower and make a list for their employees to follow.  Some managers even got bad handwritings; that is hard to decipher.  If you decipher wrong, you get yelled at.

A good manager takes the time to get to know their employees.  Yet they don’t show favoritism.  Favoritism is never good!

One of the things that will hurt a business is bad management.  Customers will know it because they will sense it in the employees.  If the employees is not happy, how can they satisfy the customers?

Don’t treat your employees like slaves!  Slavery been defeated after the Civil War around 1865.  You need to pay your help better and not take advantage of them.  Don’t assume that they are happy to do what you ask of them.

You know what assume mean?  Assume mean making an ass out of you and me both.

I have shirt that I bought while working at Kmart years ago that said, “Overwork and underpay.”  Believe me, that shirt fit Kmart.  We were overwork and underpay.  That is also with a lot of retails and restaurant workers as well.

Many companies know that the ability to find and keep talented employees is vital to sustain success, but managers don’t know how to keep their help satisfied.

Wouldn’t it be better to pay your helps and treat them better than to always be hiring for new help?  It will be cost-affected.

If you ever look at the want ads, jobs that is constantly looking for help, there must something wrong with management.  I can named a few businesses that is always looking for help; but I think you get the message.

Remember, this is why a good run business is prepared to go all out to keep their good employees.  Because every good managers knows the importance of keeping talented people on staff.  Yet all managers needs a little help to do this.

A good manager must be people oriented.  They have to be more interested in people than the bottom line.

If a company is bleeding people, they are bleeding values as well.

Let me ask you, what does a strong vibrant workplace look like?  What lies at the heart of a great workplace?  What attracts and keeps good employees?

Employees must have the proper tools to do the jobs that is required of them.  They must be recognize for the good job they do.

I actually believe if the employees has a stake in the business, they will do all they can to make it a success.  If they are not treated with respect, why bother.

If you treat your employees right, they will treat the customers right.

How do the best managers lay the foundation for a strong workplace?    Do they make the employees want to stay and give their all or do they treat them like slaves?

My Uncle Frank was tougher on his family who worked for him than with non-family members.

When I was a supervisor at Concordia, I tried to make it fun for the workers.  My goal was to get to know the workers working under me.

Managers do things right.  Leaders do the right thing.

Managers worked to teach the employees new skills.  If they don’t do that, what good are they?  Managers must also be willing to listen to suggestions from the employees as well.  Sometimes, their old ways of thinking may not work anymore.  Sometimes a workers may have a system that works best for them.

There are those in Washington and elsewhere who don’t like Trump because he doesn’t played by the rules.  They say that there are certain ways things must be done to get the job done.  I like him because he doesn’t play by the rules.  He knows that some rules are meant to be broken.  Some of the old rules in Washington doesn’t work anymore.

These career politicians are in Washington far too long that they actually forgot what the American people actually wants and needs.  They think they know, but they don’t.

It the same with managers.  The managers may think they know their employees but they are fooling themselves.

That is why it’s important to know your help better.  That is why a good manager must be willing to break some rules if a business is to succeed.  The head of the corporation don’t know; yet they make dumb rules thinking it’s for the best for the company.  Just like our career politicians make laws that is actually harmful for the country.   They think they know what is best but they actually don’t.

Don’t just take my words for it.  I asked to read the book at the top of this blog.  It’s very informative.  I only gave you small tidbits from the book.

 

 

Are you the kind of person that goes crazy on Black Friday?  Do you get up real early just to see what kinds of deals you can finds in the stores?

First, let me tell you this, you aren’t really getting a deal.  Stores first raised the prices up and then put it on sale at a lower price.  That’s a secret they don’t want the buying public to know; otherwise they cannot hook them in to shop in their stores.

Yet so many people rushed into the stores on Black Friday and even later in the day on Thanksgiving.  They hope to get the best deals for  their bucks.  They wait to then to do their Christmas shopping.

Don’t they know that the better time to Christmas shop is after Christmas for the following year.  You can finds better deals during the year for ideas for Christmas gifts than during Black Friday.

Now let us get to the real reason for this blog.

The two worst jobs with the most stress and least pay are:  those who works retails and those who works in the restaurant industry.  Also in those type of jobs, those who worked them are less appreciated for their service.

I worked in the restaurant and I worked retails. I don’t know which jobs were more stressful.

William James, an American psychologist and philosopher wrote, “In every person from the cradle to the grave, there is a deep craving to be appreciated.”

We all wants to be appreciated!!

So when you wait until the last minute and choose to  go crazy and shop on Black Friday, don’t blame those who works in these dead-end jobs of retails and restaurant.  It’s not their fault that the stores ran out of the items that you want.  It’s your fault for waiting until the last minute.

Stores owners knows that, that is why they lure you into their trap to get you to spend your hard earned money.

Those who works in the retail and restaurant industry gets very little pay and no appreciation.  Not just from irate customers; but also from the owners and/or managers.  The owners and managers doesn’t really appreciate you.  They say they do.  They are just talking out of both side of their mouth.  Their appreciation is not genuine.

If they really appreciate the help, they would pay them better and gives them decent benefits.  They would even gives bonuses.

Wal-Mart is one of the top retails now.  When Sam Walton was alive he took better care of his employees than his kids do.  Then again he didn’t expect for Wal-Mart to be as big as it is.  It was his kids who made it a global industry.

They raised the starting wage to lure workers in; but when it comes right down to it, what do you get.  You just get a swift kick in the ass and treated like slaves.  They don’t give raises, bonuses, benefits, etc.

I never worked Wal-Mart but I did worked for Kmart.  At one time they were a prominent company.  The original owner took care of his employees.  I know that the company is dying.  You can thank Eddie Lambert.  (I don’t won’t go too far into this because that is another blog.)

All I will say, the pay for working retails and restaurant is very low and there is no incentives.  The turnover is very high as well.  There are many restaurants.  People who usually works retails are those in high school and/or college.  They are working those jobs until they get their education, so they can get a better paying jobs.  Those types of jobs is a stepping stool for something better.

Don’t get me wrong though.  There are some people who do stays a long time working in retails and restaurants as well.  Somebody go to do it, I guess.  Either they like it or is afraid to move on to better paying jobs.  Some may not even get a better paying jobs; so they are stuck.

Not only is the pay low and there is no incentives; those types of jobs are more apt to be part time.  That way they don’t have to provide benefits.

It’s all about greed!!

Retail workers are not suppose to accept tips or gifts from customers.  Even when the customers do it to show their appreciation.  I can say it now, but I couldn’t while working at Kmart.  There had been some customers who gave me tips outside in the parking lot as I helped them with a carry-out.  We were not suppose to accept and if we did, we were suppose to give it to the managers.  What I been told, “what the managers don’t know won’t hurt them.”  If they don’t want to appreciate their helps, then they should allow customers to show their appreciation.

Those who works in restaurants, usually gets tips along with their pay.  These restaurants owners figured since they get tips, they don’t have to pay more in wages.

They don’t make enough in tips to make a living.  Also our government wants you to claims your tips you make as well.  That is not right!

The wait staff takes a lot of bull from customers.  They have to deal with rude and angry customers.

I had an aunt, who had money; but when it came to leaving tips, she was cheap.  She would makes these wait staff runs constantly.  It was embarrassing going out eating with her.  I felt sorry the waitress.  The excuse she used was, “I need the quarters to do my laundry.”  So she will makes them do all these running for her thinking they are doing her a service; and all she would leaves them is pennies/or lose change.  If you don’t want to leaves quarters, you can leave dollars.

Sometimes even cooks, busboys, and dishwasher would gets tips as well.  Usually the wait staff have to split it with them though.

I do remember one time though, while working at the Viking Room, there was a customer; who happened to be an old boss, gave me a tip for cooking what she ordered.

Like I said, I worked retails and I worked restaurants; I don’t know which is more stressful.  Believe me, I don’t miss it!

All I will say is this, working retails when it slows down in January, there is really no slow down.  You are constantly putting out freight or helping customers.  Unless the stores is struggling, that is a different story.  Then they cut hours.

In restaurants, they cut hours to.  Sometimes, you have to looks for ways to get your hours by finding things to do, like special cleaning for example.

That stress working in retails and restaurants is hard on a person body.  You feels it all over.  The aches and pains!  There is a different between stress tired and a good honest tired.  I won’t go into that because that is a different blog.

This year either during Black Friday or the Christmas season, shows some appreciation for those who works retails and restaurants.  Don’t get mad at them because you couldn’t get the item you wanted to buy.  It’s not their fault that you waited so long.  They do a lot of to make sure that  the customers gets the service they expect.  They are not truly appreciated by their employers or even paid decent.  They have no benefits and no incentives.  Sure, the manager may say, “we appreciate you,”  but then all they give is a piece of paper.  That’s a joke!!

Thus the title of this blog, in honor of Black Friday, show some appreciation.  As Tim McGraw sang, “Be humble and kind.”  They are humbling themselves to serve you.  The least thing you can do for them is show them a little appreciation.

Stay tuned for next week when I will discuss how managers can be better managers by breaking some rules and even treat their employees better.

Last week I mentioned the Plaza that is being built in downtown Fargo, and how I felt that there is better things that Fargo can spend their money on then that.

This week, I will be discussing the Keystone pipeline being built in North Dakota.

I’m going to let you know right away that I am against it.  I feel that it will hurt our farmlands with pollutions.  It will make it difficult for the farmers to make an honest day living providing food to feed the whole world.  I will give other reasons too.

About 2 years ago, give or take, there was a protest against the Keystone pipeline being built over the Native Americans sacred burial grounds.  To the Native Americans, their burial ground is sacred.  They believe in the spirit of their love ones and ancestors.  I was taught growing up that you don’t go trampling through the cemetery.  It’s like you are dishonoring the dead.  I also know that their bodies may be there, but their spirits is all around us watching over us.  I believe that wholeheartedly.

The older generations believe that we must honor the dead by decorating their graves for Memorial Day weekends.  Stores even profit on that.

I don’t want to dwell on this though; besides, I already talked about this in my blog “Gone but not Forgotten.”

I was for the peaceful demonstration that the Native Americans did against the Keystone pipeline.  When it had turned nasty was when the people from Hollywood (Hollyweird) got involved.  They turned a peaceful march into a drag out battle.  It likes anything, when the Leftist gets involve.

Not only are they building the Keystone pipeline, the oil company wants to build another pipeline going from North Dakota to Texas.  You wouldn’t believe where they want to start building it?

They wants to start building it at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.  It will be not far from Medora, ND.

That’s a historical National Park.  Our former Governor, Ed Shaffer’s parents were proud supporters of the Medora Musicals.  They wouldn’t approve of the pipeline going through Medora.

Do you also know who wouldn’t approve of both pipelines?

One of the great Republican President, Teddy Roosevelt.  I know that this may sound likes an oxy-moron, but even though he was a Republican, he was also one of the first Environmentalist.

North Dakota is proud of Teddy Roosevelt but the way they treat North Dakota, he wouldn’t be so proud of them.

Even though Teddy Roosevelt was born and raised in New York; he fell in love with North Dakota while on a hunting trip.

You may wonder, what’s to love about North Dakota?  It’s just a fly-over state.  The state is flat and not as much beauty as Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Maybe during Teddy Roosevelt’s time, the state of North Dakota was very beautiful.

I believe that he wouldn’t approve of both pipelines.  He would be very angry.  Teddy Roosevelt was like a bull; and you do not wants a bull to charge you.  His motto was “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”

Another great Republican President was Ronald Reagan, and he too wouldn’t approve of both of the pipelines being built.  Reagan was also an Environmentalist.  He loved the great outdoors, just like Teddy Roosevelt.

When God created Earth and man; he intended for man to be caretakers of our planet.  Ever since sin entered mankind, we have been doing a lousy job at taking care of our planet.

Do you remember the old commercial, where a Native American was standing beside a polluted stream that had garbage all over the place and he had a tear that fell from his eyes onto his cheek?

I remember years ago, in one of my story that I wrote.  In that story, Planet Earth was destroyed and the UFO’s came down to see the destruction.  One of the alien spoke, “Earthlings, with all their technology, to make things better, and all they do is destroy it.”

I’ll never forget when I took the train to Seattle, Washington.  The first year I did that, there was a fire North of Montana, in Canada.  People are being careless.  They are slowly burning up our planet.

I was taught not only in Cub Scout but also by my folks.  When you make a campfire, you keep an eye on it; so that it doesn’t burn out of control.  When you are done with the campfire, you make sure that it’s completely burned out.  Smoky the bear wouldn’t be happy.

Anyway, going through Glacier National Park on the train; I fell in love with that area.  It was just so beautiful.

I can imagine how Teddy Roosevelt felt when he was in North Dakota on a hunting trip.  I love the great outdoors.  I love being one with nature.  I would rather be in a mountainous, wooded area than on a beach in the Caribbean.  Just traveling through Minnesota and Wisconsin, you can see the beauty that God created.

When I hear that the oil company wants to build another pipeline, like the Keystone pipeline.  It makes me want to cry.  They are destroying our planet.  They are destroying the farmer’s livelihood as well.

Go ahead, call me a bleeding Liberal if you want!

North Dakota didn’t need the Keystone pipeline; anymore than they need another pipeline going down to Texas.  They should rather consider taking care of the people of this state instead.  There is a lot of poor people in this state.  It’s hard for a person to live on minimum wage.  It’s hard to for those who wants to retire to be able to retire.  Some people may not be able to retire.

It’s downright greed that allows the oil company to win out over the North Dakota’s people. They don’t care about the people and they truly don’t care about the beauty that is all around us.

I bet you that God is looking down at us and crying; while shaking his head saying, “What did I do?  I created man and this is the thanks I get.”

I also believe that Teddy Roosevelt is probably looking down and he too is crying at what the oil company is destroying.

First of all, I have to admit that the city of Fargo had finally done the right thing by fixing up these old historical buildings.  They owe it all to Gov. Doug Burgum before he became Governor.

I would say that Burgum is the Donald Trump of North Dakota.  The similarities are: They both were not career politicians.  They both are businessmen.  They both worked at restoring buildings.

I have to admit these old historical buildings that were finally restored looks very impressive.

Doug Burgum isn’t the only one responsible for restoring old historical buildings.  North Dakota State University also gets some credit as well.

Years ago, any old buildings were either torn down or burned.

I remember going to Indianapolis back in 2001 for a Work & Witness trip in the inner city.  Now Indianapolis has some old historical building that were fixed up very nice.  A group of us stayed in an old historical building turned into a hotel.  It was very beautiful.  Even downtown, Indianapolis had some very nice historical buildings.

Now back to Fargo, ND.  Some of these historical building looks very nice.  Hodo; which was a dive when I was a kid, now looks very impressive.  NDSU had fixed up 3 buildings downtown and made them into classrooms.  One was the old Northern School Supply building, now it’s a school for architecture.  The old insurance/investment building is now a school for business.  There is an old warehouse that was being renovated.  Prairie Roots Co-op was an old historical building on University and NP.  That building is very much needed and looks impressive.  Even the old horse barn was renovated instead of torn down.  Sure, it was made into a bar though.

Even though fixing up these old historical buildings looks very nice, it came with a costly price tag for anyone living, working and spending downtown.  The everyday people cannot afford to live downtown.  I mean, if I could, I would love to live in one of those lofts that is downtown; but I can’t.

There is also new buildings going up as well.  These buildings is taking away parking spaces that is very much needed downtown.

Before West Acres was built, Broadway was hopping.  Once it was built, downtown Fargo, became the inner city and falling apart.  There was nothing to attract people.  Businesses went south and west.

Now, thanks to Doug Burgum, Broadway is a happening place.  You just can’t find a parking space.

Years ago there was a lot of bars on NP Ave.  Those bars were dives.

There is still a lot of bars downtown Fargo; but they are becoming more higher class.

Fargo is in middle of building another tall multipurpose building on Broadway.  It’s also going to be a plaza; where people can ice skate outside during the winter and sit outside during the summer.  This will be one of the tallest building in Fargo. It will be in front of the Radisson and Prairie Public Television.

Prairie Public doesn’t approve of this building because it will block their satellite.  Who can blame them?

Why do we need that building?

I can think of better things for Fargo to spend their money on instead.

If the city planners is trying to improve downtown to attract people, they should think about parking spaces instead.  With all these buildings , where are people to park?

Shouldn’t they think about not only parking spaces, but building a diversion to protect the city from another major flood like in the Spring of ’97?

Shouldn’t they think about the homeless problems that is rapidly growing?

To the 1% crowd, the homeless problems is an eyesore.  They don’t want to look at it or even think about it.  If they had their ways, they would moved them outside the city limits and bus them in for work and back home again; so they wouldn’t have to look at them.  The 1% don’t even likes trailer courts.

The 1% group wants Fargo to be like bigger city, like New York City and Chicago.  They feels that it will attracts better class of people.

Don’t they realize it will also attracts more crimes as well?

You can keep Chicago!  I’ve been through it on the way to Indianapolis; and believe I didn’t much care for it.  It scared me!

Sure, I would love to see New York City, just to say I’ve seen it; but that is as far  as I go with that.

The city of Seattle had gotten way too big.  The train depot is right downtown.  To get there, the traffic is very unbearable.  My cousins only goes to Seattle when they have to.  Otherwise, they go out of their ways to avoid it.

Even though North Dakota is a red state, the city of Fargo is slowly become a blue city.  People in Fargo is more likely to vote Democrats than the whole state of North Dakota.

This also makes me thinks when they built the new Metro-dome down in Minneapolis.  They really didn’t need it.  The Minnesota Vikings doesn’t deserve it.  Every time they comes to a bowl, they choke.  Why should the Minnesota’s taxpayers pays for a losing team’s new stadium?

Anymore, then Fargo needing  this Block 9 multi-purpose building.

My step-dad always taught us, if you don’t need something, you don’t need to buy it.  If you don’t have the money for something, you either don’t buy it or you save up for it.  He never had a credit card the 87 years of his life.

When I go shopping, stores must really hate me.  I usually try to stick to my list and only buy what I need.  I don’t diddle-daddle around.  I go into the store to get what I want and get the hell out.

Businesses would rather have someone in the store who they can manipulate to overspend than someone  like me, who only goes in to get what they want and get the hell out.

I could go on,  but you will have to wait until next week for part 2.  In part 2, I will be mentioning the Keystone pipeline.

So you tell me this, does Fargo really needs the  Block 9 Plaza?  Isn’t there a better ways to spend the taxpayers money?  How about helping the people?  How about creating parking spaces downtown; so that the people will have a place to park while downtown?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but winter is coming.  Are you ready for it?

I’m no weatherman; so I can’t predict the how bad this winter is going to be.  It could be mild or it could be cold.  We could have lots of snow or hardly any.

All I can say that there is no escaping the inevitable of the drastic winter season.  So we must be ready for it when it’s come.

I will say this though.  Winter isn’t as bad as it was when I was a kid.  We had a lot more snow.  It was a lot colder.

Is this because of global warming?  I don’t think so.

Here are some tips to get ready for old man winter:

Let us start with winterizing your car and driving.  First, you should make sure that your battery is charge properly; that way your car will start during the coldest part of winter.  You should also have snow tires put on your vehicle.  You should change your oil, so that it will fit the climate.  You should have a winter survival kit inside of your car, God forbid you ever get stranded in a blizzard.  A smart thing to do is never goes out in a blizzard in the first place.  Nothing is important enough to be out in a blizzard.  Not your job, not shopping, not whatever!  The most important thing, you must never text or talk on your cell phone while driving.  You must have your full attention on the road.  That way you won’t slip and slide on the ice and cause an accident.

Now let us winterize your home.  You must make sure that your chimney is cleaned; so that there won’t be a fire that will burn down your home.  I remember, every year in the Fall we would put on the storm windows to get ready for winter.  In the Spring we would take them off.  You should make sure that your furnace is running properly.  Growing up, on the farm, we had a wood stove that my step-dad built himself.  He made sure that we had a wood pile up close to our house, and easily  accessible.  The kind of woods that he liked to used was oak.  They were very sturdy and last a long time when burning to keep warm.

Winter is a time to put away your summer clothes and gather all your winter clothes.  In other words, you don’t wear shorts outside during the wintertime.  Yet, I see people who does wears shorts during the winter.  I sees kids wear shorts during the winter and wondered why the parents don’t put their foot down.  If we wore shorts outside during the winter, both of my parents would yells at us to put on pants.

You should make sure that you have a good winter coat and make sure that you wear it.  I have seen people goes outside without their winter coat.  You should also make sure to have a good pair of winter boots.  One that will help you not only in the deep snow but also help you walk on the ice as well.  Remember, ice that is buried under the snow is more likely to get you to slip and fall.  The reason, you can’t see the ice to prevent yourself from falling.  When you’re young, you can bounce right back up.  Once you get older, it’s harder to get up, and the healing process isn’t as fast.

You should also make sure that you have nice warm cap and gloves.  That way your hands and ears won’t freeze.  If your coat zip up over your mouth, then you don’t need a scarf.  That way you won’t breathe in the cold air; which will bring about a cold with a sore throat.  That cold air is so dry, it can really affect your throat, to the point that you cannot talk.  This year, I’m going to get myself a dehumidifier, to help rid the dryness from my apartment.

Those who were raised on a farm knows that during the Fall, your mother would canned all kinds of vegetables for the winter.  That way you had food to eat in case you were ever stranded at home in a blizzard.  Our parents also froze meat and even some vegetables as well.  I remember my mother canning homemade vegetable soup.  Then the during the winter all she had to do was either add it to the meat and heat it up or heat it up by itself.  We knew that we would survived the winter if God forbid there was ever a long blizzard stranding us.

The medical profession would suggest that you get the flue shot to be ready for winter.  I won’t go too much into that because that is another blog.  All I will say is, I don’t believe in the flue shot.

I’m more into the herbal remedies instead.  If you buy certain herbs, you can prevent getting a cold or sick with the flue.  I would say stock up on those herbs.  They are more healthier for you. This is all I’m going to say on herbs, for another blog.

I’m not saying that you have to wear winter underwear, unless you work outside.  I’m not saying that you have to wear wool clothing like they did years ago.

Make sure that you don’t freeze your water pipe also.  You don’t want to be without  heat and water during the winter.  If you’re going to keep your car running while in a store for a short time, make sure that you have an extra pair of keys with you; so that you can lock your car.  That way no one can steal your car.  You should also be sure to have a blanket in your car.  Believe me, it came in handy when I came home from school and my folks weren’t home and we didn’t have a key to get inside the house.  We were able to snuggled under a blanket.  I also remembered, my step-dad having straws built up around the well house to keep it warm.

These are just a few tips to get ready for the inevitable old man winter.  Folks, for those living in the northern hemisphere, winter is coming.  We can’t  fight it!  So my big question for you: are you ready for it?

 

 

 

First of all, Happy Halloween!!

Years ago, vampires and Dracula were evil scary creatures; but all of that change in the last few years.  Hopefully, together we’ll see what brought about this change.

Dracula originated from Transylvania.  Was he a myth or real?

Vampires were considered to be evil scary creatures that only comes out at night.  If they happened be out during the daylight, they just burn up from the sun.

They sleep in coffins.  They drink human blood as they bite the vein in the neck.

Ways to keep vampires away were as followed:  If you wear garlic around your neck.  Showing them a crucifix or a cross.  Tossing Holy Water at them.  If you put a stake directly into their heart and leave it there, you can kill them.  The sunlight also burns them up.

They were very creepy looking.

Let me set this straight, vampire bats are way different from actual vampires.  Vampire bats are real.  Vampire bats don’t drink human bloods like vampires will.  Vampire bats are flying mammals. They are adaptable to live anywhere.  They are not one size fit all.  Many bats travel south for the winter.  They built the rainforest.  They control the insect population.  There is only 3 species of bats that are vampire.  They are immune to many diseases.

Now what brought the change of vampires being the creepy villain to what they are today.  How did they became a romantic hero today?  What brought this about?  How did people seems to have fallen in love with the vampires.  Did weird Hollywood have anything to do with it?

First, let us take a look at Ann Rice’s novel, “Interview with a Vampire.”  They turned that novel into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.  In that movie, Tom Cruise was a vampire who bite Brad Pitt and turned him into a vampire.

Was it that book/movie that brought about people love with the vampire?

Vampires are now part of the Goth culture.

Goth is someone who sees beauty in the dark side of life.  Today’s society is focused on negating darkness because it is associated with evil.

There is a goth following out there.  It may not be very big.  The Goth people looks very gothic, almost creepy like-vampire like.  They wear dark clothes, dark makeup; especially lipsticks. Their face is very white.  Marilyn Manson is a goth musician.  He is very creepy looking and totally weird.  Even weirder than Kiss and Alice Cooper.  Those 2 are not goth, one is heavy metal and other rock.  I can tolerate Kiss and Alice Cooper.  Their music is good.  I’m just not into Marilyn Manson, sorry.

Maybe what brought this love affair with a vampire was the Twilight movies?

I’m in touch with my manhood, so I can admit that I was team Edward; more than team Jacob.

In the Twilight movies, if a werewolf would bite a vampire, the vampire will die.  The werewolf was an arch enemy with the vampires.

Another thing, the vampires wore a ring on their fingers that had power to keep them from burning up while out in the sun.  If they took it off they were done.

When Hollywood went about casting stars to play Edward or even other vampires, they would look for the hottest stars.  They wanted to have people fall in love with them and route for them.  They did what they can to make them a romantic hero.

There was even a TV series on the CW network called “Vampire Diary.”  I have to admit, I enjoyed watching “Vampire Diary.”  They had a very good storyline.

Actually, Vampire Diary was written before Twilight.  It just that Twilight came out first at the movies.  They both have similarity.  In Vampire Diary we learned who was that made the ring that the vampires wore gave it it’s  power to keep them alive in the daylight.  It was the witches spell.

Vampire Diary had a spin-off called “The Original,” another good show.

Do you still wonder like I do, how the vampires went from being the creepy villain to a romantic hero?

It’s almost like people are worshipping vampires and treating them like idols.

It’s how you look at them.   Do you see them as gothic and creepy like Marilyn Manson or do you make them romantics like in the Twilight movies?  Not everyone who watched the Twilight movies or Vampire Diaries are into goth.

 

Once again, God bless America!!

It’s great that we live in a country where we have the rights and power to vote.  There are countries where you don’t have a say with what goes on with the leadership. No wonder that people are dying to come to this country.  No wonder they want to come to America.  We have that freedom.

I don’t want to be the kind of person that tells you how to vote.  It just that this election is vital that you get out and vote.  As you can tell from my last 3 blogs, I have been very upset with the Democrat party for what they pulled, and what they are doing to America right now.

If you truly love America, you will do the right thing and vote Republicans.  We must send the Democrats a message from the American people.  The message that we must send is, “We’re fed up with their selfishness.”

Here is a quote from Sen. William L. Marcy, “The politicians of New York are not so fastidious as some gentlemen are, as to disclosing the principles on which they act.  They boldly preach what they practice…If they are defeated, they expect to retire from office.  If they are successful they claim, as a matter of right, they claim, as a matter of wrong in the rule that to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.”

Yet the Democrats are not so willing to give up.  They just want to hang on to that power.  They will stop at nothing to do so.  They will even smear a good man’s name.  They will take advantage of anyone they can just to get what they want.

They will not listen to anyone who disagree with them.  They would rather argue or call a person names.  They do not have respect for anyone.

As I had written in my last blog, I had a college professor who was a Democrat and I was a College Republican.  We had respect for each others despite of our political differences.  I looked up to him as a mentor.

The Democrats are so desperate right now that they even become very violent.  They call it protesting.  I call them terrorist.  The Leftist are destroying property and hurting people like terrorist.

This country is so divided right now.  The Leftist Democrats and Leftist media are to blame for it.

The Democrats expect a blue wave this election; so that they can get back the control of either the House or the Senate.  Hopefully, the American people are so upset with them that they send them a message by not voting for them.

Here is a Bible verse from Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

The Leftist Democrats are being very selfish.  They say that they are for the people; but really they are for themselves and the power that goes with being in Washington.

Our forefathers were afraid that this would happen too.. That was why they suggested that they do not make a career of being in Washington.  We need to throw those bums out once and for all.

With these act of terrorism by the Leftist Democrats, it reminds me of the book, “1984.”  In that book, the Government tried to control the people and the media is their police.  The mainstream Leftist media is in the Democrats pockets.

As I said before, I will be voting Republicans.  Believe me, some Republicans leaves a bad taste in my mouth; but they are not as bad as these Leftist Democrats are becoming.

Thanks to the Tea Party movement and the non-establishment candidates, such as Trump, Carson, Rubio, and Cruz, the Republicans has some redeeming quality.

You can’t say that about the Democrats right now!

But don’t just take my words for it.  Do your research.  Get the facts before you vote, that way you will see for yourself.  Don’t just believe me or the mainstream news media.  The information is out there for us to gather.  You can go to Fox news.  You can go to the Drudge Report.  You can even check to see how they voted.

The mainstream news only tells you what they want to tell you.  There is a woman candidate running for Senate in Arizona who is in favor of the Talaban.  Doesn’t she realize that they would prefer woman to keep quiet and have their faces covered?  If they want to go forward, then why do they favored terrorists?

What the world needs now is love.  There is so much hate in this world today.  We are so divided.  The reason for the division is because of the hate by the Leftist movement.

Both John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt would roll over in their graves if they knew how bad the Democrats are becoming.

The Democrats claim that they are for the working class people.  Well they don’t have my back.  They claim that they are for the women.  There are Republican women who disagree.  If they are for the women, they wouldn’t had taken advantage of Christina Ford and made a victim of her all over again.  They claim that they are for the blacks.  Yet the black unemployment is lower than it was under Obama.

The Leftist Democrats is just so desperate to hold on to their power that they will stop at nothing to do so.  They seems to forget what Bill Clinton did while he was President.  They don’t want to recognize all the crimes Hillary Clinton had committed.

So when Election comes in November, let us send a message to these Leftist Democrats.  They want a blue wave, may they not get it.  May they be sent back home packing instead.  Won’t you join me and vote Republicans?  That way America can continue moving forward in making America great again.

Let us love one another and stop the hate that these Leftist is pushing!!  This is my message to the people.  I may have some very upset people out there because of this blog.  Hopefully, the American people will be more upset with them instead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God Bless America!!

     There are people who would like to eliminate the electoral colleges.  The Democrats would very much loves to eliminate it.

The only reason why the Democrats would wants to eliminate the electoral colleges, was because they lost the election back in 2016.

I’m here to tell you that if the electoral colleges was eliminated, the fly-over state; such as North Dakota wouldn’t have a say in Washington DC. Only heavily populated states, like New York, California, Texas, Florida, etc.  will have a say what goes on in Washington for the rest of the country.  These smaller populated state will no longer have a voice in the election.

Yet the Democrats would allow the illegal immigrants to continue voting in the election.

They complained about the Russians tampering with the election since they lost; but what about the ideas of allowing the illegal immigrants to vote in the election.  That is tampering at its best.  That is voters fraud!

It goes to show that the Democrats will stop at nothing to remain in power.  They don’t care about the American people.  They are just so desperate to remain in power and to stop Pres. Trump; that they will do almost anything, even if it’s illegal or unscrupulous.

Let us look at the latest thing they did.

Under the leadership of Sen. Dianne Feinstein from California, they went to smear a good man’s  name.  They tried to stop Brett Kavenaugh from being appointed to the Supreme Court.  They accused him of sexual assault.

Not only did they smear his good name, they made a victim out of Kristina Ford all over again.  They were just using her for their own gain.  They didn’t care who they hurt.

No wonder Kavenaugh was very upset.  I would be too, and so would you.

It was like a witch hunt; similar to the Salem Witchcraft trial in the 1600’s done by the religious leaders of those days.

He had every rights to be angry at the Democrats.  It was righteous anger.  Just like when the Pharisees persecuted Jesus and crucified him on the cross.

It was similar to the ’50’s when Sen. McCarthy made accusation to anyone who he felt was commies.

What teenage boys or even men as boys ever done inappropriately things with girls back in high school and college?

I’m not disputing that something happened to Christina Ford back in high school.  I’m disputing at the way it was handled by the slimy, sleazy Democrats.

They will stop at nothing to remain in power.  They cannot stand Pres. Trump.  They wants him out of office; and they’ll do anything possible to make it happen.  They don’t like the fact that unemployment rate is at it’s lowest.  Even lower than it was under Obama.  They didn’t like his tax cut; in which the working taxpayers got a bigger take home paycheck.  If you don’t like the increase in your take home pay, just give it to me.  Why give it back to the Government?

I’m here to tell you that President Trump has been very good to me.  And I’m just a blue-collar worker.

You can’t tell these Leftist Democrats anything like that.  They just don’t listen to reason.  They just wants to argue to the point that they become very violent.  They will name-call and everything else.

Years ago, when I first became a Republican while under Reagan, I had professor back at NDSU who was a Democrat.  I consider him a friend and a mentor.  He never tried argue his point or stoop to name-calling or become violent.  Back then we respected each others.

Now days, you might as well forget ever reasoning with them.  To them we are rednecks.

Who haven’t been attack either verbally or physically?  I know a few of these Leftist personally.  They just don’t wants to listen to reason.  To them, we don’t know what we are talking about.

Even Hillary Clinton and even Obama called us rednecks and needs to be controlled.

If there is  anyone who  ever been attack by these Leftist, I would love to hear from you.  My e-mail address is daleaheger@msn.com.

As I said in last week blog, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp lost my vote this election; all because she side with her fellow Democrats.

Matter of fact, I will not be voting Democrats anytime again.  That can be a hard things to swallow; because there is some bad Republicans out in Washington.  It just that the Democrats are worst right now.

This election, let us send a message loud and clear these Leftist Democrats.  The message we must send is DO NOT VOTE for them!!   May they lose this election.  May they lose the House and the Senate.

They hope to have a blue wave this election.  Let us tell them, HELL NO by voting them out of office.

This country is so divided right now because of these Leftist.  More divided than we ever been.  To make America great again, we must vote out the Democrats this election.

The Democrats thinks that they can win the women’s vote, by lumping them all together.  There is Republican women who will not vote for them.

The Democrats even thinks that they can win the black votes also?  There are blacks out there who are big Trump supporters out there.  Kanye West is one of them.  The Leftist media just ridicule him; like they do anyone who supports Trump.

If you remember few years ago how Clint Eastwood was called senile because of what he said at the Republican convention?

The American people is upset with our government and the corruptness in Washington DC.  Who are they more upset with.  My money is on the Democrats right now.

Don’t get me wrong, there probably a few good Democrats out there.  Those are the kinds that are becoming very upset with their party.  Some even are thinking about leaving their party.  The Leftist leaders and media is doing one heck of job in destroying the Democrats party as we know it.

Two weeks ago, I read a letter to the editor that said, “the two-party system isn’t working anymore.”  I kind of have to agree.

Even Max Schneider, who is running for the North Dakota House  said that they fight like cats and dogs in Washington.  The bad part is because of Heitkamp no vote on Kavenaugh, he is also running behind his Republican challenger as well.

Won’t you join me this election to vote against these Leftist, sleazy, and slimy Democrats.  Let us send them a message that we are mad as hell and will not take it anymore.  It’s very important that you go out and vote this November.  Vote against the Democrats!  Believe me, I will!  They will never get my vote again.  No matter how bad the Republican candidate may be.  I now regret ever voting for Obama; but I couldn’t stand both McCain and Romney.

 

 

This year is one of the biggest Senate race in North Dakota between Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Kevin Kramer.  The last time it was this important was 6 years ago when Heitkamp ran against Republican Rick Berg.

Back then I couldn’t vote for Heitkamp, because I felt that I couldn’t trust her.  I also couldn’t vote for Rick Berg either.  I had nothing against him personally.  I knew him when he started out and back then he was decent person.  What kept me from voting for him was that the power had gone to his head.  So that election, I wrote in my own name for Senate.

When this race begin, I was torn on who to vote for.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp had done some good things as Senator for the state of North Dakota.  She even did good things as Attorney General.  She didn’t always vote straight party line; at least I thought.  When Pres. Trump first became President, he invited her and Kramer in his office for a meeting with talk of a cabinet post.

She went after the sex trade industry.  Which was a good thing, and even Trump sign that bill into law.

She did vote no on Trump’s tax plan, giving the working taxpayers an increase in the take home pay.  That increase led to more jobs and unemployment rate at its lowest, even lower than when Obama was President.

Who doesn’t like less money taken out of their paycheck?  I like seeing a bigger paycheck.  The Democrats don’t though.  It means less for them.

This wasn’t what help me to make my decision about Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.  What put the nails in her coffin was her no vote against Brett Kavenaugh for Supreme Court.  That proved that she is no better than her fellow Democrats.

Her no vote only shown that she don’t care about the North Dakota’s values.  She doesn’t want to be reelected.

I used to have some respect for her; but since that vote, that respect went out the window.

She is a baby killer just like all the Democrats.  With the exception of Sen. Manchin, who voted yes for Kavenaugh.  He was the only Democrats who had courage to stand up to his party and vote for what the people wants.

It goes to show that she didn’t read John F. Kennedy’s book, “Profile in Courage.”  Pres. Kennedy would roll over in his grave if he knew how the Democrats had become.  He was the last great Democrat President; and he would not be accepted by today’s Democrats.

I don’t want to go much with attack on the Democrats with this blog.  I want to save it for next week.  This is more against Heidi Heitkamp.  The baby killer, the liar and the list goes on.  I have no respect for her.  When she said that she will works with anybody; that is a BOLDFACE lie!!

She had lost my vote.  Hopefully, she will lose a lot more votes because of her vote against Kavenaugh.

Does this mean that I will vote for Kevin Kramer?  That is still to be determine.

My big concern about Kramer is that he is a career politician.  Yet the at the same time, I’m so angry with the Democrats and I wants to continue going forward with the Trump agenda.  I may vote for Kramer on that alone.

We need to continue moving forward.  By electing Kevin Kramer for Senate, we can move forward.

I sympathized with the farmers over this trade war that we are in right now.  At the same time, I understand why we are in this trade war.  If the United States was to buckle under pressure and give in to this trade war, it will show weakness.  And by showing weakness, the other countries will walk all over us.  The last time that the United States was strong and a force to be reckon with was when Reagan was President.  No countries dare mess with us.  We need a strong leader to remain strong.  Trump is a strong leader.  He may have a mouth that some people would love to shut up; but I have respect for him because stands his ground.

The Nafta bill that Pres. Clinton signed into law was a disaster.  The reason why the terrorist attack us in 9/11 of 2001, was because they were not afraid of us.  The whole time that Obama was President, the other countries was laughing at us.  The Chinese was slowly buying up United States.  Russian President Putin had no respect for Hillary Clinton.  He had more respect for Trump because he saw him as his equal.

A person needs to stand up for something and for what they believe in.  I’m taking a stand right now and standing up for my principles.  I may get some hate mails because of this week and next week blogs.  Then again, I’m the angry blogger, so be it!

This is only the tip of the iceberg that sunk the Titanic.  You better stay tune for next week, when I go full barrow on the Democrats.  Believe me, they will deserve it.

So Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, you might as well pack up, because you are done.  You just kiss this election goodbye.  You have no courage to stand up against your fellow Democrats.  You are a liar, when you say that you will work with anyone.  This overlook the good you had done in Washington; now it’s time that you go home.  You lost my vote and my respect.

I have more respect for Sen. Collins because she did the right thing and voted for Kavenaugh despite receiving death threats.

If you are like me and feels the same way about Heitkamp and Kramer; and do not know who to vote for.  The reason for my picture on the top of this blog, with me wearing my Trump’s shirt.  You can write in my name on election day to vote for me; if you do not feel comfortable enough to vote for Heitkamp or Kramer.  Here is how you spell my name:  Dale Heger.  I won’t forget the North Dakota’s way.  I’m not one of those career politicians either.  I will put the people first.

Stay tune for next week blog, when the Democrats will feel my wrath for what they did.  As it said on that shirt, “There will be Trump Toupee.”  In other words: there will be hell to pay.

Mr. Rob Port is a fellow blogger from Minot, North Dakota.  He also has a podcast as well.  Some of his blogs are printed in the editorial of the Fargo Forum.

I don’t know if you read any of his blogs or any of his letters to the editor; or not.  If you had, you might have noticed his obsession with Senator Heidi Heitkamp.  It’s almost like he is stalking her for some reason or another.

I won’t go into too much of my opinion of Heidi Heitkamp in this blog, because I will share that in next week blog.

It seems that he really have it bad for her.  When you read it, it’s never anything good.  He is constantly critical of her.

With his obsession, he should come clean and confess.  Doesn’t he knows that confession is good for the soul?

I mean, I shared my obsession with the book, “1984” awhile back.  I came clean for my readers.  Shouldn’t he do the same?

Rob Port is a conservative like me.  He seems to be a blowhard like Rush Limbaugh and the late Ed Schultz.  Then again, some may say that I can be blowhard at times.

Rob Port wasn’t always a blogger, I bet.  It probably took him awhile to become famous.  It wasn’t until the last few years that we heard of him.

You got to start somewhere though.

I used to once in awhile write letters to the editor; that would be printed after they edit things in the letters.  It wasn’t until about 2 years ago that someone I know revealed to me that I could set up my own blog site; and write on whatever topic I so-choose.  I’m not as famous as Rob Port is right now; but who knows maybe some days I will be once my blogs goes viral.

It’s exciting to see the stats on my blogs.  I bet you that Rob Port felt the same way when he first started out.

I have people reading my blogs from all over the world.

Where we differ, Rob Port is strictly a conservative political blogger; and my topics varied from week to week.  Sometimes, I come across as an angry blogger.

Whereas, Rob Port needs to get his obsession of Heidi Heitkamp under control.  It’s almost scary.  Can he write about anybody or something else?

I usually write about topics that I know something about.  If I don’t know much about something; either I will do research on the subject or don’t write on it until I do.  I was taught one of the key things a writer should do before writing, is that they should at least know a little what they are talking about; just to be believable.

Some of my blogs get to personal for some people.  Yet it seems that when I write more personal blogs, I get more likes or sometimes comments on them.

I hope that some days I too will have what Rob Port has because writing his blogs.  I just wish that he would admit that he is obsessed with Heidi Heitkamp.

If you want to know my opinion of Senator Heidi Heitkamp, you can either read the blog that I wrote on her last year or stay tuned for next week blog.

Next week, I will be writing on the big Senate race between Heitkamp and Kramer.  In that blog I will give you my opinion on who I may or may not vote for in this coming election.

If Rob Port is reading my blogs, I welcome your inputs.  I want to know how you finally became famous with your blogs.  I want to know how long it took.