Let's save lives, not get duped by alarmists

I haven't even finished reading this article and feel the need to post it here. Malaria kills; global warming, not so much.

Tuesday, The First of December

Plenty happening in the world lately, and yet I will bemoan the fascination of our broadcasters with Tiger Woods' personal life, the cancellation of yet another stupid "reality" show that I, thankfully, have never seen (I just say no to Cable t.v. and Satellite, too), and the "crashing" of a State Dinner. It really seems like the downfall of civilization when I turn on the television lately.

For example, I know my kids are not the target audience of the NFL, but I really can't stand the commercials run during our Sunday Football watching. Two and a Half Men is not exactly what I want my 6 or 9 year old to have to watch during the breaks, much less a Cialis commercial.

I know, it's just whining, but hey, it's my blog.

World's Dumbest Bumper Sticker

I saw an amazingly stupid bumper sticker last Friday, the 13th (co-incidence?) but I know not everyone will agree with me.

You see, one of my peeves about the current socio-political climate in America is this weird idea that liberals are smarter than conservatives. There was a recent article about this very topic, and I get what the point is, even while I think it misses the point in some ways as well. I agree that radical ideas start with "intellectual" folks that are usually liberal-minded (in a modern, 2009 sense, for you that hold on to early 20th Century political definitions) and that over time, some become absorbed into the mainstream, like the idea that it's not okay to just shoot your dog. Once a radical idea, now most of us seem to get that it's not okay, right?

However, there are those radical (liberal?) ideas that are foisted upon the teeming masses with the intent to marginalize their opponents and mainstream ideas/behaviors that are not mainstream. These can be to the detriment of society, like, gosh, I dunno, communism? Socialism? Fascism? Radical ideas (from each according to their ability, to each according to their need) aren't always the good ideas, that's why man purses will never take hold. Or, I hope, a single-payer, government-run health care system in America, but I digress.

What I really find frustrating is the intellectuals that just aren't that smart. You know, the ones that get the subtlety of everything yet don't really get anything. All the while condemning the heathen masses and their simplistic, black and white views on everything.

The bumper sticker read: "What we really need is a Department of Peace!" Now this seems soooooo profound, for about 7 seconds. First, I asked myself: is there currently a Department of War? I just googled it, and the answer is "no," not since 1949, really, when the Department of Defense took over. Second, then, since your stupid bumper sticker is now a little stupider, is "do you think that the opposite of "Defense" is "Peace?" If so, you are approaching monumental idiocy.

Ok, this took me very little time to work out, and as I had some drive time left, I asked the tough question: Ok, let's play along, and accept your (stupid, ridiculous, simplistic, puerile) premise: what, exactly, would this Peace Department look like? How would it be structured to go about Peace-ing the country, and would it attempt to Peace other countries as well? If so, how would that be accomplished? Seriously, who would you hire to head this Department? What would they do all day?

I get how Defending a country works, even from nebulous terrorists like those hiding in caves, but how does one Peace a country? It took me approximately 37 seconds to come up with these last few questions for the driver of the well-kept Buick sporting this idiocy, why didn't he take the time before attaching this gluey platitude to his rear end?

This did leave more questions: if we have a Dept. of Peace, how do we define Peace? Is it when no one wants to kill Americans in our borders or internationally? Is it when there is an absence of conflict? (Good luck on that, by the way, if history is any guide). Is it when we no longer have the need for any military forces? If so, how do we achieve that?

If Peace is the absence of conflict, it'll never happen: conflict is a part of the natural state of things, and peace is clearly the aberration. This notion that harmony exists in the natural world (without evil human influence) is a joke: forms of stasis, sure, but harmony? Never. Every episode of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, or Marty Stouffer's Wild America tells the same tale: survival is a struggle up and down the food chain, eat or be eaten. Surely even the most dyed-in-the-wool liberal gets that, right? Didn't Darwin teach us anything?

Peace can only be achieved in a few ways. One, of course, is to surrender. The Islamic fascist terrorists would be happy if we surrendered and accepted their terms, and peace would result, right? We aren't talking about an aggressor that will compromise, so if negotiation and diplomacy are your plans, know that the only way to achieve peace is converting to Islam and surrendering. Not an option?

veteran's day

I've told this many times, more than my Dad did, probably. He never told this to me, or any of his kids, to my knowledge, but it got back to us nonetheless (one of the hazards of him being a tavern owner: bar stories got re-told).

When Gordon was 15, he wanted to serve his country. He believed in the cause and probably needed the money and experience, but he was too young, so he did exactly what anyone would have done: "borrowed" his older brother's SSN and enlisted in the Army. (He also lied about his age at 10 so he could sell newspapers to help out the family's finances: you had to be 12, I believe. Walked downtown from Mt. Auburn to do it, too). It worked, and his Mother worked to get him out, but by the time she was successful, he'd completed basic training. He'd also turned 16, old enough to join the Merchant Marines! Off he went into the Pacific.

The stories are vague: evading a U-boat on the Euphrates, spending a few days in the water after a ship wasn't as fortunate, ending up recuperating in Egypt (his big regret was not getting to see the Pyramids when there) and while waiting for transportation home (resources were involved in some big offensive) he was injured by shrapnel while watching a firefight from a Venetian rooftop. By the time the boat got him home he was healed and 17, old enough for the Army, and re-enlist he did, skipping basic as he'd already done it, and was back to post-treaty Germany.

The one story I got out of the horse's mouth was when I was in the hospital recovering from my spleenectomy (4th grade sledding accident, if you must know) and he asked a nurse with a unique, but typically Cincinnati German last name if she was related to a war buddy of his: it was her father-in-law. He then regaled us (to entertain me, no doubt) with a story of their wartime experience as MPs at a military hospital in Germany. Seems the locals showed their gratitude by donating kegs of beer to the soldiers, but they had nothing to drink the beer out of, so they grabbed the closest things that resembled steins: handles? check. Vessel? check. You might be be guessing what in a hospital has a handle, can hold liquid, and is handy, indeed, pretty much one for every bed? Yep, they scrubbed the bed urinal thingys and drank the beer from those. Now you understand the picture!

He finished High School, stayed in for a while, and started a family, then law school, but didn't finish as he got a good job offer and the rest is his story, just not this one. I salute you, Gordon P. on this and every Veteran's Day, because now I know what it means, and I'm sorry I didn't get it when I was younger.

Fort Hood shooter and the President's lack of ability to "comprehend"

Alright, I am sooooooooo sick of my intelligence being insulted. As more than one pundit, critic, observer, etc. (but none on ABC, BS, or CBS, I bet) has put it, uhm, Mr. President, Mr. "this incomprehensible act," uhm, HE SHOUTED ALLAHUH AKBAR AND HAD CLEARLY STATED HIS ISLAMIC JIHADISTIC POSITIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

Sorry, I didn't mean to shout, but holy hell, is this ridiculous. Just shut up if you can't say the obvious: he was a militant Islamic fascist in our military, a frickin' Major, for Pete's sake! Too afraid to insult Islam that you can't state the obvious? And quit bashing America ("divisive times, blah blah, uhm, blah") when you should be emoting with families of murdered HEROES yo, robotic flack. I'm a little worked up about this.

The photo credits, as one should always cite your sources: EPA/TANNEN MAURY http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/features/article_1512576.php/In-Pictures-Obama-Fort-Hood-Shooting-Memorial-Service?page=5

Gore makes money, too!

Wow, I must admit I never thought the New York Times would run a piece like this: Al Gore is making money off green investments. And he was soooooooooooooo indignant when questioned about this on Capitol Hill earlier this year (which, I see, the article took the time to mention). Now, it's okay to make money on it?

It is, it's just the conflict of interest that bothers some of us: working as a lobbyist to make legislative changes that will make him lots and lots of money.

Ronald Reagan 1964

Watch this speech.

I only recently read Barry Goldwater's The Conscience of a Conservative and like that book, this speech explains clearly why conservatism is what it is: fair, democratic, compassionate and uplifting of humanity in ways that modern liberalism will never be. Ever. My favorite part is the simple declaration that human history has mostly been people living under dictatorial systems, and we must not fall back into that! This great American Experiment is the anomaly, not the norm, and as in the classic Benjamin Franklin anecdote, (As Franklin emerged from Independence Hall the final day of the convention, he was asked by a woman, “Mr. Franklin what have you given us?” He responded, “A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.”) we must work to keep it. Conservativism does.

More low temperature records being set!

Germany's coldest October temperature on record.

Of course, extreme lows are a part of climate change, right?

Death of Journalism

Well, plenty more indications that journalism is dying and why. Funny enough, this knowledge is accompanied by a prominent "journalist" writing a piece stating that Journalism is too important to die, or be for profit. That's right, folks, newspapers, news, should be 401-c non-profit. That's enough to prove the guy's a nutroot.

Funny enough, there are examples of news organizations making money. That, of course, is immaterial to the argument. Fox News is the devil, after all, even if Britt Hume and Chris Wallace have more jouranlistic gravitas than, say, all the ex-Clinton hacks on the major networks (can you say Stephanopoulos?).

The major media got punk'd over the Chamber of Commerce's fake support of Cap & Trade, and were busted on it. They lied about Rush Limbaugh for the express purpose of derailing his Rams investment opportunity and slammed their fellow Juan Williams for pointing out the lie. I love Charles Krauthammer's take: CNN fact-checked a SNL skit, but not the Limbaugh false quotes.

Welcome to the end of American journalism, let's hope its replacement actually does its job so it can stay around.

Nobel Prize? Really?

The Nobel Peace Prize has been a joke, a travesty, a mockery of the intent for so many years, it comes as no real surprise that the current winner is someone who appears to have accomplished only one thing that could possible put him anywhere near contention: winning one election (the Senate doesn't count as he got private divorce records released about his opponent so the last minute replacement Republican candidate, Alan Keyes, had no time to mount a real campaign, or any real chance).

My first real notice of this was when I discovered that Le Duc Tho, who co-led the North Vietnamese Military, was a winner (he refused, as his country wasn't communist yet, oops, I mean "wasn't at peace.") Of course, as an American, it struck me funny that the loser of the Cold War, Mikhail Gorbachev, won it in 1990, and that Yasser Arafat co-winning in 1994 with two men (and their country) he spent his entire life trying to wipe from the Earth is a joke.

2001 was a banner year for the Nobel award: The UN and its Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Guess the oil-for-food scandal didn't get in the way of the peacemaking. Obviously, given my political and philosophical stance, it's no surprise that I laughed at both Jimmy Carter and Al Gore's wins.

Sandwiched in between these are many that really have worked for peace, often by working for democracy in horrible, despotic situations at great personal sacrifice, like several of those that lost to our current President. Hmmm.

This is a different joke that those crazy choices above, though. It's an insult to those that have truly worked for Peace all their lives, those that have died for the cause, no matter even if sometimes it was horribly misguided and skewed from a leftish, utopian-hoping unrealistic perspective. So I say, shame on the Nobel Peace Prize committee. Shame on you.

This is amazing: if it doesn't work, don't try to replicate it, Congress! Colossal duh.

The kinds of reform built into the proposed legislation have been tried in a bunch of states and costs (premiums, expenses, etc.) have skyrocketed, resulting in FEWER insured citizens. Duh.

Global Warming Junk Science

This from the American Thinker, on how the UN IPCC are a bunch of liars, which for folks like me is not at all a news flash.

Again I say, having seen more chaotic weather around the world: our planet is ever-changing, chaotic, tumultuous, and unfair. Understand that and you may find some inner peace about chaos, as well as some understanding that if we TRIED TO KILL THE PLANET it would laugh at us. Ok, that's wrong. It wouldn't notice.

The earth has been hotter than this, it's been colder that this. Now go do something more constructive, and meaningful with your life than buying a hybrid, which does absolutely nothing to help anything but automotive sales figures and your fragile ego.

October 1st

Wow, it's been a month since I've made the time to post, unbelievable! Today our First Lady speechified about the "sacrifice" she made to help sell the IOC on Chicago, having flown in a private jet and wined and dined, meanwhile soldiers are dying in Afghanistan. Can you say "perspective?" Apparently not, nor can we say cronyism.

I am not the only one wondering what friends of the Chicago political machine (both in the White House and not) have real estate that will be purchased to make way for the Olympic buildings should the bid come to fruition.

Heard of NAMBLA? You will, if the Safe Schools sicko goes the way of Van Jones. Amazing, this crowd and the people they view as experts and leaders. Yes, I called him a sicko, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he's gay, most gays, like most straights, aren't sickos: he is.

Good question about Facebook groups and surveys: why is it only offensive if it's anti-Obama? Much like the Joker Posters, already discussed: when Bush was defamed, it's patriots expressing themselves, but when Obama is defamed, it's racist anti-Presidential and therefore Anti-american (nazi-ism, according to Ms. Pelosi, who probably couldn't name one belief of the Nationalist Socialist Party, other than eradicating Jews from the planet. Here's a hint: national health care as a way to control the population).

"Oraganizing for America" should make you sick

This from blogger/radio mom Dana Loesch should make you sick, and this is from our President, after all, it's his "grassroots" organization. Disgusting. Repugnant.

Les Paul, RIP

Today, we mourn the passing of Les Paul. That's enough for today.

Hey, I'm a busy person in real life, ok?

I'm posting today to say that I wanted to make sure it hadn't been a month since I posted.

Enjoyed a Nature show last night so I didn't have to watch the Obama Commercial. Man, do people turn their brains off. Seriously, people I know, love, and respect are in favor of government run Health Care. Wow. Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, all work so well, after all. Very efficient. And the military is famous for keeping costs down: $1000 hammers, anyone? Of course FEMA is a gold standard, so I must be the crazy one.

I clearly missed the email advising Obama supporters to publicize their support on sites like Facebook, as those poll results keep showing up. If I was more confrontational I'd be all over that, but someone has to play nice. For now.

Don't forget to check out Mars during August, it's the closest it's been to Earth in recorded history.

cool stuff, not so cool stuff, all in one day

This is cool, a volcano erupting as seen by the space station. I love science, in case you haven't noticed.

Cap and trade bill sucks, so just say "No" You don't need a link (cause nobody reads this but me, right?)

Man commits highway suicide. Can't imagine either his pain to do that or the driver's pain having hit him. A little angry that he was ok with ruining someone else's life (really, how do you get over running someone over on the highway?) so he could end his.

However, I think the bear sightings in Warren County are pretty cool. You go, nature.

Gahhhh, busy busy.

Haven't been around the blog, not that anyone notices. Lots going on in the world, figure some out for yourselves, okay?

Apparently Jim Brown thinks blacks like Tiger Woods owe something to the community now that they're rich. Great, except Tiger isn't black. He called himself cablanasian or something back in the day. Is Jim Brown thinking Jim Crowish and 1/16th makes you black? Whatever, dude, it's 2009.

Nationalized Health Care

Apparently, the Brits are aware of problems our President and his health care cronies aren't. I ask: do we want the people running Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security/IRS/ in charge of your doctor?

How's that Change working out for ya?

Obama taps more big donors...reads the headline. Did you catch the "more?" Glad to see he's bringing change to the way Washington works. Only crooked career politicians do stuff like this and BHO is about change, right? None of the old DC methods. No lobbyists...oops. Suckers.

Cal Thomas, (no relation) has wise words. Freedom must be renewed, as those that crave control and power are vigilant about reaching for both, and it is a fact of human nature that we love to give control (and responsibility) away.

Forever ago....

I can't believe how long it's been since I've written here. Too much to do, too little time to write about it.

We mourn the loss of Char Philpott, Tim's mom. His blog about her is why I started this, actually. A fine lady who is missed already and will continue to be by those that loved her.

Kenny Rankin, a favorite singer of mine passed away as well recently. Silver Morning eternally for him, no doubt.

I sign off in a hurry to get out of the office, so I'll check back in later.

Car Tax! Monkey Fossil! Joe Biden!

Let's see, I have to agree with the #1 radio host in the country that greater fuel efficiency will lead to higher gas taxes are revenues to the government drop as a result of mandated greater fuel efficiency. Make no mistake, this is not about the environment or oil, it's about control.

Not sure if I agree with the stated conclusions, but a cool fossil find nonetheless.

It wasn't today, but Joe Biden retains his crown as the comic gift that keeps on giving.

Capitalism for Dummies

An idiot caller on a talk radio show inspired me to write this. Chrysler and GM will come up, I promise.

Capitalism is what happens naturally between free people, it is not an "economic system." Bartering? Trading? Examples of capitalism, my friends. The manifesto's line about "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need?" That would be not natural and qualifies as an imposed "economic system."

If I have a skill that earns me money, that's bartering: I "trade" my skills, knowledge, and experience for currency. I can be a farmer that grows corn who trades my corn (the resulting product of my skills and efforts) to a blacksmith for making a plow, or or I can sell the corn to hungry non-farmers and use the coin to pay the blacksmith. No difference.

If I'm a crappy blacksmith, I won't stay in business very long. That's capitalism at work, no intervention necessary, no imposed system required. Maybe, though, there's only one blacksmith, so I'm screwed. Or maybe I learn smithy, or have a child of mine learn it, or gather some friends and find a better blacksmith to entice to our community. That's capitalism and freedom all wrapped up together. Maybe I have two available blacksmiths, one that works fast and cheap, and one that works slower but better and more expensively. I get to choose which meets my needs: do I save up for a better product or do I need it now, and don't have as much cash? My choice.

The idiot caller (who claimed to be writing a book about this on a $50,000 grant) seemed to think that wages should be capped ($100,000.00) by taxing anything above his pathetic notion of too much income at 90%. Idiot. He didn't seem to think it fair that one person working "just as hard" as someone else should get paid less than anyone else. Idiot. Never mind that silly notion that some types of work are actually WORTH MORE TO HUMANITY, idiot. Let's see, I used to sweep, mop, clean the bathrooms, and stock the coolers at the family bar. Monkey work, no skills necessary. Should I have been paid the same as a teacher? Never mind the Master's required by most districts these days? I worked "just as hard," right. WRONG. How 'bout the doctor's excessive wages? Surely, unless you are an idiot, the time, money, qualifications, experience, dedication, skill to become a doctor that is worth more than me sweeping a bar and should be rewarded as such?

Idiot.

Now, it seems to me that the Dealership closings point out a sad aspect of our modern, messed up version of free markets and capitalism. Dealers that are profitable are being forced to close. The market isn't determining their worth or viability. What is, then? Where does the buck stop in this? Hmm. The reasons the car makers were in trouble are well known, right? Excessive costs took away profitability. They are in debt up past any eyeballs on the tallest member of the board, mostly becoming pension and health benefit providers that make cars to pay for it. In steps the Federal Government with loans and gifts that have strings attached: strings that will them that they have to do certain things for the money. Now we know who decided viable dealerships would be forced to close, don't we?

When you hear the talking news heads say "Chrysler closed nearly 900 dealerships," or GM did the same, substitute "The Federal Government" for the manufacturers' names. That's where the buck stops.

Polar Ice is Nice, but changes all the time.

These pictures are awesome, and I wonder if Algore has seen them. Seems the North Pole is pretty shifty.
It's from this meterologist's blog. He isn't afraid to tell it like it is. So much for consensus.

Chris Matthews is a Hack

Unbelievable.

When has he ever asked a Democrat, sorry, badgered a Democrat about anything, ever?

I believe that evolution and faith are totally compatible, but the science isn't settled for many. Like someone pointed out, the APA used to classify homosexuality as a mental illness: after all, it was "settled science." Google carbon dating and you'll see the whackos on display as well as the science.

But alert minds know that what we know might not be right, right?

Another day in May!

Politics not as usual: the President and prayer day. For someone so acutely aware of impressions and image, I'm surprised.

Ok, it's a great day to be alive like every other, and whether the new Prez wants to have a big Prayer Day like Bush did or not does not affect my life a bit. There are certainly more substantive policy-type things that thinking people can disagree about, right? Perspective, people, perspective.

This is stunning: Oklahoma says, "Back off, federal government and observe the Constitution." There are a few (20) things that the Federal Gov't is supposed to do, as enumerated by the Constitution, and the rest are up to the states and the people. I am actually glad some State Legislators are showing some chutzpa!

Hugh Jackman Buys Breakfast

This is pretty cool: don't know why Tempe fans got the treat, but Hugh Jackman has always seemed a decent Aussie, and continues to show it. Peanuts to him, goodwill to his fans.

Truth doesn't need marketing.

So, advertising/marketing is what the global warming liars need? How about a conscience?

Vice President Calm in Face of Swine Flu

If I was a late night comic, I couldn't ask for a better Vice President

So, maybe journalism isn't totally dead: AP writer Calvin Woodward actually shows the Pres's "errors" and so far still has his job.

Flu data isn't painting the emergecy scenario that our news (and some politicians,* ahem*) are.

Welcome, public!

Ok, I have all of 8 Twitter followers, 9 maybe (it's 8: #9 dumped me), at least three I don't actually know (but that's how Twitter works, natch) and if you are one that has wandered over here, Welcome!

You are the first eyes other than mine to see this, it's been something of an outlet for me, a little blogging therapy? Not really. It's just that I don't have such a high opinion of myself that I think any(or every)body needs (or wants) to know what my feeble mind is producing!

So. Read. Write. I'm here for you :)

Wednesday

There's too much to write about, but let it be known that I have stuff to say! :)

Planes over NYC, GM on the rocks, Swine Flu, teleprompter screwups, and I'm too tired to link it all. You're web savvy, look it up!

Fiction Family is enjoyable, however.

Blogs,bloggin, blogger, twit, tweet, twitter

I have the greatest thing to say! Don't you all want to hear it? I have to tell you what I just did/thought/ate/drank/said/read!!!!!!!!!!

and the funny thing is, no one will read this cause I haven't told anyone I'm doing it. I had a conversation today about blogs, twitter, facebook, etc., and it was rightly pointed out that it's amazingly egomaniacal (my words) to think that anyone cares about what you (or, in this instance, I) have to say about anything. Although I totally get that and agree, it is a part of that creative impulse that so many now are tapping into in a written way, maybe the way diaries and letters used to fulfill. For me, it's about the desire to write that I've always ignored for lack of effort, mostly: now it's so easy, why not?

This would be more satisfying if it were public, but I admit I'm too aware of the self-aggrandizing nature of this medium to not be embarrassed that I'm doing it.

That makes me double-weird, I think.

Tweeting

Yes, I'm all a Twitter! I joined to follow my Talent Agency and got sucked in, just like that black hole Facebook.

Ok, ABC seems to be all over the CIA stuff even if nobody seems to care that our national security is being compromised. Props to ABC.

Liked a song I heard at the end of Private Practice last night (I was reading, mostly, while the lovely and talented Mrs. watched) and I think it was Carry The Weight by Denison Witmer but I'm not sure yet. Nope. When She's Near by Fiction Family

It's a beautiful day in Cincinnati, Ohio. Life is good. Still looking for additional income streams, and I know that this blog isn't one of them. We shall see, we shall see.

More Earth Day fun

This, this, and this from Rush Limbaugh, well, via him, I should say, he's the conduit not the originator. Read it yourself, I'm not Sparknotes or Cliff.

Earth Day!

Ethanol not all it was advertised.

Thank God for the Earth, and thanks to the Earth for petroleum and the products ingenious humans have created with it! This product of nature frees me to work where I work doing the job I have chosen, and those plastic grocery bags kept me from buying a Diaper Genie, are my luchbox, gross garbage (like a week-old bird carcass) picker-upper, and will be recycled!

Richer countries pollute less. So, if we've exported production and the pollution that goes with it, we need to export capitalism to increase the standard of living in those countries so they pollute less, I guess.

Lunchtime blogging continues

Janet, Janet, you aren't exactly raising our international image, there, are you?

Totally not related to Janet Napolitano, is Judge Napolitano's book about race in America. He made an interesting point today on an interview with local AM talker Brian Thomas (no relation, either): when you define a group as non-persons (like Dred Scott or unborn babies) you can do whatever you want with them. Ouch. The founders came from the mindset that slaves weren't people. We, as a nation have changed so much that now we have fetuses in utero, not babies. Take that, Margaret Sanger...oh wait, she believed some people weren't persons, too, didn't she?

The bloom is off the Rose

Poor Mr. Gibbs can't get away with anything these days. So, where is 100 million a lot and 8 billion not? Washington. Here's an AP story (!) pointing out how little that 100 million is, comparatively.

As told on 55wkrc this morning, China is breaking ground on a state-of-the-art nuclear power plant using good ol' American technology while VP Biden is visiting windmills. You can make up your own punchline.

That's enough for this lunchtime.

dang that global warming!

Sometimes it snows in April.

Alright, I need to know how to make this blog an income stream. Or anything a secondary income stream. Just sayin', you know?

Bored at Work, unfortunately.

Alright, I'm bored. Bored with work, bored with taxes, politics, tea, tea parties, fat, fire ants, food, chocolate, Facebook, email, cars, grey skies.

Waaaaaaaaaaah.

On the other hand, BO is the gift that keeps on giving: No Jesus, yes I'm a potential right wing terrorist, and all this deficit spending is a rock upon which we will build a new economy on five pillars of a plan.

That, the coverage of tax day protests was interesting. And Crappy!

Don't get me started on the dog. I know, I know, all the Presidential pets are stupid news, but jeesh. It's not like there are pirates amuck or anything. That reminds me of a funny bit a juggler/performer at the Renaissance Festival did this past season. He was bemused at the Pirate weekend they had had and the new (Disney-movie inspired) love of all things pirate. He likened it to if, in the future festivals 400 years from now, they had Jihad week, or served Talibran Flakes, as pirates were the terrorists of the period! I wish I could remember all his jokes!

Camille Paglia, the New World Order, and me.

Camille Paglia has had my respect for years, most memorably from an issue of Interview magazine in which she and Tim Allen conversed amusingly. Her most recent column is entertaining, and while I obviously not an atheist like she is, and am not politically liberal, either, she's thoughtful and principled, and not subject to groupthink.

I don't like Barack Obama's stances on most of the issues of the day, and I think he pulled the greatest political bait and switch of the modern era, sounding conservative while appealing to his base, then showing he's a statist. However, while he has embarrassed me with his naive bumbling, especially on this trip to Europe, etc., this is not acceptable, and I am outraged. You should be, too.

Politics is funny.

T-shirts.

Now go read something! Like this. It seems not all of the world holds our new President in the highest of esteem.

That's all I got.

Monday, monday...

Should anyone be surprised by the latest polls? Not I, said the fly.

Audition today as a much older man for another hospital spot, this time Indianapolis. Good rate, my usual two-week paycheck for one day's work, if I get it, less agency fee. As they say, it's good work if you can get it!

Exciting sports-filled weekend, so, yes, my head is sunburned. Ben's the winner, 3 soccer games Saturday, 1 Sunday: Trevor's a distant second with 1 baseball and 1 soccer Sunday: Gretchen had a lazy weekend with 1 lacrosse game Saturday to get the festivities in motion.

Prayers for those in Italy

I've finished Twilight and am on to The Conscience of a Conservative. I've read more not as a teacher, and am enjoying that.

Thinking about going public!

I truly am: I'm not being mean or controversial here, my liberal friends are friends first, political opposites second, and it' getting to much like, well, you remember the line from Fame from the orchestra teacher about the electronic music?

Char Philpott is improving, for those that know me and know her, so Yay! We Fall Down, We Get Up.

I love science. Of course, they had to tip to the GWA (global warming alarmists, i just coined an acronym), but truth will out.

A workmate brought me Barry Goldwater's "The Conscience of a Conservative" I can't wait to read it.

That's all I got!

Hold on to Your Wallet

Seriously, hold on to your wallet, cause they're coming for you.

I still can't imagine that the excellent people that I know who decided they were for "change" wanted this. This is exactly what I, and many others foresaw, folks, so if this stuff is a surprise to you, well, you are a sucker.

That's all I got.

Did You Know?

You seen this, right? I attended a conference last Friday, EdTech stuff,and the creator of the video I hope you just spent 8-ish minutes with was one of the featured speakers. We (he and the attendees) asked a ton of questions. We answered almost none, but that will happen. Gotta ask if you want an answer. He's good at wondering where we should be to prepare students for what is and will be rather than what was.

A funny, but true, moment was asked about Youtube in schools. More content has been added to youtube in the past 6 months than to ABC CBS and NBC since the third of them came along in 1948. Yet, it is blocked by schools. Did you know the Vatican has a YouTube channel now? So You Tube is okay with the Pope, but not American Public Schools and (probably) the Taliban. Funny.

Don't rent a car with Dollar!

They suck at customer service. I'm angry, but won't bore you with the details. Let's just say that they'd rather have 22 bucks than a return customer.

Ok, I need to check the last time the President fired a CEO of a company. In America I mean.

Hope you like cars like this.

Books

I need Mark Levin's new book, Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, plus I've gotten a recommendation for The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World both of which are accessible reads about why the Constitution is what it is and how it's being intentionally dismantled by folk that disagree with it.

Off to Florida

Well, nobody reads this, as I haven't made it public, but I'll be in Florida for work for a few days and won't be posting here! It is, as I've told everyone, the first kidless trip for the lovely and talented Mrs. T and I, so trust me when I say I won't be online. By the pool with a book on Saturday, sure, but online? Nope.

Missed the Speech last night. Apparetntly, I missed nothing. ZZZZZZZZZ

Picket Congress, not AIG execs.

This really makes me mad. Seriously. I don't know how to describe my wrath at those that would foment this type of behavior for political gain. Shame on you, Washington DC.

George Washington would have several current members of both Congress and the Executive Branch executed.

Life in the Thomas Lane

Another whirlwind weekend. The thing I want to write about here is a choral workshop I attended, and I know that labels me as a major geek (which I prefer to nerd). Alice Parker and I agree on so many things about choral music, and I didn't know it until Saturday.

Music should be joy. Not joyful, as somber, plaintive, contemplative music exists, too, but it should bring joy nonetheless.

Words are the meaning and you have to let the words help you create and communicate the music of the meaning. Even in Latin or Greek. I have thoroughly enjoyed and felt the words "et sepultus est" and "lux eterna" to the point of a tear in my eye.

That's why I'm a choir geek, but I'll be just as involved singing We Fall Down tomorrow night as well.

Gaffes? I think not.

Poor Dan Quayle. I mean that. In this yahoo "story" he is again accused of mis-spelling potato by waiting for a student to add a "e" on the end. Further, the blogger confirms her version using his own words about the repercussions, but, smarter people recognize, he did not confirm the gaffe.

Why? Well, anyone who isn't a biased idiot knows that the word was on a card VP Qualye was using to test the students, provided by the teacher for the photo-op spelling contest, and the card was wrong. That, and the reporter was "there to see him screw something up." And the kid was bussed in from a different school.

Now, I happen to see a world of difference between wanting not embarassing a teacher by questioning the card (which in robotic photo-op fashion, never occured to Quayle, he just went through the motions) or wishing to embarrass a Vice President and calling your own bad bowling "like the Special Olympics." Off the cuff comments are a window into your psyche, like when Bush was caught calling an asshole reporter an asshole. That wasn't a gaffe, either.

Soon, they'll want to determine your pay, too. Scared yet?

Dude, where is my country?

The Prez was on Leno last night, and it didn't go well, unless you are a total Kool-Aid drinking Obamite.

Funny thing is, I was more taken with the whining and reality that he his in over his head to a frightening degree. Poor Geitner has his hands full. Really, no kidding? Get over it. You. are. the. President. On a late-night talk show. Embarassing.

Now, the meat of what he said was frightening. I am scared that the President thinks he knows how much people should get paid, which I thought was between me and my employer! To drum up this anti-capitalist, anti-compensation, class envy is appalling, and I have to wonder why. There are obvious answers, of course: he thinks capitalism is evil (unless it means over a million in his book sales) and he wants to demonize those that make a lot of money in the financial market so he can win the PR battle when his agenda includes taking them over in the name of "oversight" and "regulatory control." He and his ilk (Dodd, Reid, Pelosi, Frank) want to distract from the real criminals in all of this: CONGRESS.

That's right. Congress caused the banks to make the bad loans, so banks figured out a way to make money off the bad loans they were strong-armed into making. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac crashed, taking a lot of financial institutions with them, so the gov't HAD to ACT NOW. Emergency decisions being what they are, no body knew what was in the bill, but they passed it anyway (including then-Sen. B.H. Obama) giving the Fed Chair SOLE AUTHORITY over the Tarp payouts, and his guy in NY that was in charge of the financial sector stuff (Tim Geitner, as it turns out) didn't do his job and make sure the $ wasn't wasted. Now, these exact people are crying foul and blaming AIG. Bastards.

Our whiner in chief, who inherited everything and is apparently responsible for nothing but rainbows and unicorns, had the audacity to say that the blaming needs to stop. Look in the mirror, dude.

The sad upshot is that real people that negotiated compensation packages with their company are now receiving threats, the NYC AG wants to know their names, Barney Frank wants them hauled in front of Congress, when they did NOTHING WRONG. Bastards.

Hilarious News Day if you're Conservative

Duke coach thinks the President shouldn't be filling out NCAA brakets. Did Bush, and if he did, was it a news story?

Nancy Pelosi publicly calls immigration enforcement "un-American."

The Pres's teleprompter has a blog.

Sen. Dodd admits he's the reason AIG execs got their bonuses, sort of.

Laughter is the best medicine.

AIG, St. Pat, etc....you get the idea!

Well, it's the day after St. Patrick's Day!

I hope everyone was safe in their fun yesterday. I heard a guy got tazed in Mt. Lookout Square!

Hap's features large in the Enquirer's Video about the day!

Alright, the death of American journalism continues in the way the AIG bonus flap is being covered. So, Chris Dodd includes a specific "they get their bonuses" provision in Feb. and in March gets to complain that they shouldn't get to keep their bonuses, yet not one MSM "journalists" calls him out? What a joke. At least the WSJ gets it.

As a caller to a local radio show sagely pointed out: Let's say this was GE. If I am a salesman for GE aircraft engines and had the best year of my career last year, shouldn't I get my bonus even if the parent company lost money that year????????

AIG is a massive concern, and it used the money to make good on it's obligations, which it incurred insuring other institutions crap deals. Argue all you want about whether or not AIG should have insured those crap deals, but the Senate and House (and Mr. Geitner) knew all of this when the deal was inked, so they should be egg-faced and hounded by the media for their part in it, not given mic time to whine and complain they want to tax the bonuses. Seriously, that's absolute lunatic ravings. In a sane world these Congresspeople would be in an asylum.

Even funnier. At least I didn't vote for this pack of incompetents. Yep, I said it. They are so far over their collective heads, it'd be hilarious if it wasn't so expensive, expensive, expensive.

Insomniatic

Well, it's insomnia time. It happens occasionally, not sure why: sometimes stress, sometimes I don't have a clue. The brain just won't shut down.

After mindless websearching, I thought a post here might help. Still reading Tim's blog about his mom, Char P., and hoping that it gives him some peace. She's not going anywhere gently! Good on her, as they say.

Finally got the dvd of the Christ Hospital Commercials, and it was wrong and didn't work completely. Bummer. At least one was right! That's a job for tomorrow. It's on FB, but if you're here, you've been there, as I did put this site in my Facebook: I'm anxious to see if anyone notices, or reads this! Let me know if you got this far.

I might have to start labeling these. That could be fun for the feeble minded.

Happy St. Pat's!

Well, Hap's is on the top of this list.

Duh. We bought Hap's when I was 10. I'm 43. Sorry, but other than Crowley's, where we used to gather for the stealing of the statue (and the kids were left to roam Mt. Adams and get dog poop on their shoes), Hap's is the oldest, most authentic place left in town. If you don't know about the stealing of the statue, well, you're just a poser.

Cead Mille Failte, and Erin Go Braugh, or for the ridiculously authentic, "Éirinn go brách."

Oh Yes, Happy Anniversary, Linda and John Rathbone!

I'll post up some links later, but the White House has attacked individual commentators and citizens like a child on the playground. Jim Kramer, Sean Hannity (mostly during the campaign), and former VP Cheney.

Grow up, you're the leaders of the free world. Seriously, if this takes up your energy, what aren't you doing that you should be?

Ah, the weekend....

Van's ac is shot, and of course that's a 36,000 mile warranty item. Nice. Just what I wanted was a potential 1500 dollar bill on a 6,000 dollar van. Thanks to Dirk, is should be a lot less. To think I knew of a Thing in Dayton for $1500, and all it needed is a 25 dollar brake line. Good luck to whoever bought it! Sorry, but the next van is Honda or Toyota.

Trevor's nine. Tempus Fugit and all that rot. Still the smilingest kid around, thank goodness!

Tomorrow is St. Patty's day! No big deal, to me, these days, but have fun and be safe everybody!

Politically, the tea party was a big hit locally, unless you are a Ch. 9 reporter. Sucks to be you, dude, but the sympathy is non-existant!

Back to the day job.... :)

The end chunk from Ann Coulter's week of March 9th online column (www.anncoulter.com). I did excise stuff that Ann thinks is funny that some of whoever might actually find this blog of mine might not. You know me, I avoid confontation! :) I find her hilarious, just like there must be people that find Bill Maher funny. She sells more books, though, nyah nyah.

"According to their tax returns, in 2006 and 2007, the Obamas gave 5.8 percent and 6.1 percent of their income to charity. I guess Michelle Obama has to draw the line someplace with all this "giving back" stuff. The Bidens gave 0.15 percent and 0.31 percent of the income to charity.

No wonder Obama doesn't see what the big fuss is over his decision to limit tax deductions for charitable giving. At least that part of Obama's tax plan won't affect his supporters.

Meanwhile, in 1991, 1992 and 1993, George W. Bush had incomes of $179,591, $212,313 and $610,772. His charitable contributions those years were $28,236, $31,914 and $31,292. During his presidency, Bush gave away more than 10 percent of his income each year.

For purposes of comparison, in 2005, Barack Obama made $1.7 million -- more than twice President Bush's 2005 income of $735,180 -- but they both gave about the same amount to charity.

That same year, the heartless Halliburton employee Vice President Dick Cheney gave 77 percent of his income to charity. The following year, in 2006, Bush gave more to charity than Obama on an income one-third smaller than Obama's. Maybe when Obama talks about "change" he's referring to his charitable contributions.

As the great liberal intellectual Bertrand Russell explained while scoffing at the idea that he would give his money to charity: "I'm afraid you've got it wrong. (We) are socialists. We don't pretend to be Christians."

COPYRIGHT 2009 ANN COULTER
DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106"

Sorry, but she rocks.

I feel so bad for the police officers that:

1. Found the monster that killed Esme Kenney (and others) because she was a neighbor of and knew Esme and recognized her iPod and watch when he emptied his pockets.
2. Found her body with his k-9 partner because they had encountered the monster in a sexual assault call, shaving and bleaching himself in a bathroom, still in the building of the assault!

The emotional toil of police work is touched on in the myriad cop dramas, but we owe them our thanks. They see people at their worst and have to go home to their families without being jaded, and knowing the worst that people can experience.

They are the first to admit that whatever they feel is nothing compared to the victims' families. Pray for them all.

I am angry that this creep was walking around my city, however. What the fix is, I haven't determined, but there needs to be one. I'll ponder that, as many are, I'm sure.

Pray for our city.

Someone knew this freak. People knew him. Why did no one drop a dime on this monster? What "culture" protects a convicted murderer and sex offender? Please tell me he was in hiding, operating on the fringes, avoiding contact, and I'll take a breath, but this monster is evil to the core, a calculating killer from the first murder at the age of 18. If anyone knew him and didn't speak, they have a share in as many as 4 lives lost. Shame.

the exact opposite of science

In my continuing quest to make everyone think like I do, here are some links that say very closely why I, for instance, think that the idea the whatever measured warming the Earth has displayed is caused by humans is the exact opposite of science.

These aren't short readings, but you've got time, right?

Seven Warning Signs of Bogus Science Robert L. Park, Ph.D

Seeing The Unseen Pt1 Pt2

Magic

Working in a factory in the 90's, I had a lot of time on my head (my hands were occupied with the job, after all) and it was divided between fascinating conversations with my co-workers, cd's and radio through headphones so as not to disturb each other. That was a good idea, as many of the guys musical tastes ran more heavy+metal than mine, although I did come to be able to recognize many Metallica songs for future Name That Tune use.

During baseball season, the Reds got some of my time, but it was then that I discovered Talk Radio. A big deal, really, as I was a dedicated music listener. The first show to get my attention was Dr. Dean Edell and he appealed to my sense of science, facts, and truth. He re-installed that mode of thinking that the scientific method teaches and changed the way I processed a lot of information.
Next was Rush Limbaugh. I had made cracks to my sister about her devotion to his ideas, like many that never actually listened to his show. It took a while, as he says, to get what he does on his show, but I got it. I say to myself that Bill Clinton made me realize I wasn't a Democrat, and Rush made me realize I was conservative.

With time on my brain to think and talk, I realized that the decisions we all make, daily, in total, are more wise than the folks we elect, no matter how good or evil the elected may be. The "marketplace" decides what is best for literally millions of reasons, not 100 Senators or how ever many Representatives, (okay, it's 435) or Governors, etc. Is it perfect? Nope. The betamax was better, but the reasons it failed aren't as simple as this discussion has time for, so let's leave that alone. Now, all of the discussions weren't so productive: one co-worker held the idea that homosexuality was natural, absolutely natural, but that didn't make it acceptable. It's a mental disorder, he said, like, say, kleptomania, which is a natural disorder, and therefore, like kleptomania, not okay. Hmm.

I digress. It is clear to me that we aren't all aware of Occam's razor (often stated "Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simplest one is to be preferred"), or the realities of the scientific method, or the toxicology theorem that "the dose makes the poison" and that we are susceptible to misinformation. The colon cleanse complaint from my previous post is based on my developed bull-shit detector. Another story, if you will allow me: I worked with a very smart woman who was concerned with artificial sweeteners, and after some talk had brought in an article about how bad they are. I dutifully read the article and took notes in the margins, which led me to give this smart woman, older and more experienced than I, a lesson in rhetoric. The article was a classic persuasive ad, eventually leading the reader to the one artificial sweetener that is safe, stevia, which you could buy from the author's company. Now, you are saying to yourself, "well, duh," but she fell for it until I pointed out the stragtegies she fell victim to in her desire for a safe sweetener that wasn't sugar (which, by the way, is safer in your coffee anyway, if you only use a little, right? Just like butter is safer than margarine as it turns out).

Healthy skepticism, or a learned b-s detector says, "can I trust this information?" loudly. I saw a t-shirt in Disney's Animal Kingdom that showed a cartoon Earth with the caption "Hotter than I Should Be." My response was "how do you know?" Who knows the "right" temperature for the planet, much less how to measure it? Was the temerature "right" in the 1840's? 1920's 1974? 247 B.C.? This same thought process says, "why does my colon need cleansing? I've never heard a doctor say this," and realizes that if I'm being sold something, I better beware. If it's true for cars, appliances, groceries and pharmaceuticals, isn't it moreso for Omnibus Spending Bills and carbon credits (the modern version of selling indugences)?

I live that we are free in this country to be idiots, or not be idiots, but I hope most of us realize that not is a better stance.

Is anyone else sick of the colon cleanse crap? Oh, and a quote from James Madison

Ok, two things:

Is anyone else sick of the colon cleanse crap?

Seriously, I have never, ever, heard a doctor say "Your colon might have residue like spackle, you need to cleanse it." Never. Ever. And, I've noticed that none of the ads mention doctors much either. I have seen video of colons on the news, etc, and they have all looked pretty clean.

How? Well, the doctors prescribe stuff like this and it does the job, just fine. Ask Dave Barry, and prepare to laugh out loud. Now, these preps are drugs, and dangerous for people with certain conditions, apparently. I learned something!

*Update* I did the barest of research and found several sites that debunk this crap (notice how that word keeps coming up?). Essentially, you ingest fiber and a clay-like substance that creates the mess which you, uhm, evacuate later. It causes the goo, then claims to have removed the goo.

Now, a less crappy topic.

James Madison said this, and it sounds way too familiar, From Federalist Paper 63: 'There are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career, and to suspend the blow meditated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice, and truth can regain their authority over the public mind?'"

Unfortunately, Congress isn't temperate or respectable.

Well, it's Wednesday. I got a lead on a paying gig last night, Sir Topham Hatt, of all things. I am unfortunately carrying the correct physique for the part, but I can't do the travel required. Oh, I'm still sending the photo and resume, duh! Even if I can't do it, one thing might lead to another.... It'd be nice to get paid for the last thing I did:

I thought it might be fun to combine the classic "here's some news I found" + commentary with the other classic, "this is what's going on in my life" blog formats. Funnier still is that I have told exactly one person about this blog, because, frankly, I can't imagine anyone is interested! The first thing to blog about is my weight! I need to lose the rough equivalent of an 11 year old.

We shall see. As I become more proficient at this, I might start telling people. I got positive feedback when I facebookstatusblogged the Prez's 1st joint session speech. I tried to keep it funny but true.

Talk radio inspires me to read the Constitutional Congress arguments for our federalized form of government, as well as read up on the Federalist Papers to see why they set it up the way they did.

I'll be in the extreme minority if I read all that, unfortunately.

The Esme Kenney killing is one of a streak for this damaged creature, and the Enquirer asks what everyone is asking: Why was he on the streets?

Esme is not the only victim to pray for: "Cincinnati police say they are looking at Kirkland in connection with the homicides of 45-year-old Mary Jo Newton and 14-year-old Casonya "Sharee" Crawford, whose burned bodies were found in secluded areas of Avondale in May and June of 2006."

Look, I know that crime happens, and we all hate it, but this city needs to do something to prevent crime not just report it. I don't know the answer, but these were three innocents, no drug ties, no crime ties, no "wrong place in the wrong time," just innocents.

A Killer On The Loose

Why was this man, no, wait, sorry, I don't think he has shown himself to be wholly human, on the streets? Cincinnati Enquirer The world is less one beautiful future. Rest in peace, Esme Kenney.

Well, I've entered the blogosphere, now that it's heyday has passed... as usual, I'm late to the party!

My prayers go out to the Philpott family as Char struggles with her treatment: it's mostly to follow that blog that I have created this, but I know I'll start letting the scary insides of my skull out... I'll try to keep it all bunnies and unicorns, though, I promise!