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!