Random Rambling

moving

2008-09-14T00:10:00.005-05:00

In order to use some different features and make my fancy new map fit right, Random Rambling has been renamed and moved to a new location - here

I know some of you have just updated your links .. sorry about that (poor timing is one of my super powers).

Thanks for linking me up btw and I hope y'all will keep stopping by.

Those of you linked to the MENTOR LIST will find the new and improved version here.

Rule #37

2008-09-08T00:51:00.008-05:00

I was thinking a bit about "what if": what if someone tries to take our guns?
Booze was outlawed and people found a way. Drugs are outlawed and people find a way. Are they going to do away with our tools and workbenches? If not, I'm thinking someone will find a way.

This is what people come up with as hobbies.... unite the gunnies, machinists, and engineers and you're gonna have your hands full.

Doc's Machine

Crazy ideas and beer go together like crackerjacks and little prizes.
(There's one at the bottom of each can)

Here’s a tiny bit of a LawDog story
[all 6 parts are listed here :The Ratel Saga]

…Chris and I constructed a trebuchet out of 2 X 4 timbers and a bucket of concrete which flung croquet balls an impressive distance, for all that it stood about four feet tall.

Our efforts and subsequent activities were watched with great interest by the horde of not-quite-drunk-yet engineers who were more-or-less permanently encamped at our house.

Whom, once Chris and I decided to upgrade our trebuchet, began to give us advice. And maybe some guidance. A little oversight. And a lent paw here-and-there.

Of course, they wound up taking over.

Not that we minded so much -- especially after someone fired up the arc welder….

Some folks are even growing their own ammo... lead free, vegetarian ammo.

Punkin' Chunkin'

Home grown - Made in the USA

empty suit

2008-09-02T12:25:00.002-05:00

via Moral Compass

Written by Dr. Jack Wheeler

'The O-man, Barack Hussein Obama, is an eloquently tailored empty suit. No resume, no accomplishments, no experience, no original ideas, no understanding of how the economy works, no understanding of how the world works, nothing but abstract empty rhetoric devoid of real substance.'

'nuff said ?

small state

2008-09-01T22:24:00.006-05:00

I've heard some people on the idiot box talking about how Gov. Palin is unqualified to be VP Palin due to the fact she was Gov. of a small state.

m'kay... we'll go ahead and figure they are talking about population rather than acreage.

so [via wikipedia cuz I'm too lazy to find a better source]

Delaware

Population Ranked 45th in the US
- Total 864,764 (2007 est.)
- Density 442.6/sq mi 170.87/km² (Ranked 6th in the US)
- Median income $50,152 (12th)

Alaska

Population Ranked 47th in the US
- Total 683,478 (2007 est.)
- Density 1.2/sq mi 0.46/km² (Ranked 50th in the US)
- Median income US$54,627 (6th)

ok so the part of our government which is based on the state's pop. for representation is the House. AK and DE both get 1 REP. ... count it 1 seat.. so the US government measures their population as equal.

m'kay then 864,764 - 683,478 = 181,286 and the US pop is a bit over 300million
if my math is right 181k is roughly equal to 0.06% of the nation's population.

that's um like HUGE.

oh yeah .. people in Alaska make more money per year too....

fyi Wyoming is listed at 52... behind Washington D.C (51) and Puerto Rico (27)
Wikipedia list of states & territories by pop

Classy move by Obama

2008-09-01T20:32:00.003-05:00

Families are off limits

via CNN Election Center

"This shouldn't be part of our politics."

good move

just one thing

2008-09-01T00:47:00.006-05:00

I've been pacing around the house for a couple months now with an idea just kinda bouncing around in my noggin'.

I don't know anyone .. I mean personally, (met, shook hands with, saw with my own eyes, etc), who plans to vote for Obama/Biden.

I could go on about what I think of McCain/Palin but I've got nothing new. I'd just be re-posting the same stuff. And I suspect, on my site, I'm probably preaching to the choir anyway.

So, I'm tossing out a lil' challenge. If you know someone (or know someone who does) planning to vote for Obama send 'em here. I would like to know 1 good reason, just one, to vote Obama.

Now I mean a good reason. He's a politician and if his mouth is open he's lyin. So don't spend your time typing in some poop that came out of his mouth. The only way to predict what WILL happen is to look at the record and see what HAS. I can look at any encyclopedia and find me a quick dozen politicians who didn't come through on their promises after the ballots were tallied. Don't waste my time with that crap. Look at the record and tell me something Obama's done that's good for us.

WHAT HAS HE DONE?

just one thing.

waiting.....................

oh yeah, don't gimme any junk about how a vote for Obama is a vote against Bush either.

NEWS FLASH -BUSH AIN'T RUNNIN'

I want a bona fide positive reason to vote FOR him, not some negative crap about someone else.

good discussion

2008-08-29T00:46:00.002-05:00

There's a thought provoking discussion going in the comment section over here:

Monster Hunter Nation -- politics-makes-my-brain-hurt

It's nice to see intelligent people can disagree without insulting each other.

working class politicians

2008-08-28T02:38:00.005-05:00

some nice lil tidbits from www.senate.gov

Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting stand-alone legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Congressional salaries initially were $1,500. By 1968, they had risen to $30,000. Stand-alone legislation may still be used to raise Member pay, as it was most recently in 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1991, but two other methods — including an automatic annual adjustment procedure and a commission process — are now also available.

Under the annual adjustment procedure, Members are scheduled to receive a 2.8% adjustment in January 2009. Members originally were scheduled to receive a 2.7% increase in January 2008. The increase was revised to 2.5%, resulting in a salary in 2008 of $169,300, to match the percent increase in the base pay of General Schedule (GS) employees. By law, Members may not receive an increase greater than the increase in the base pay of GS employees. Congress voted to deny the scheduled January 2007 adjustment. Members previously received a pay increase (1.9%) in January 2006, increasing their salary to the rate of $165,200.[emphasis mine]

no one ... and I mean NO ONE who makes 169k / year understands the working class American citizen.

Projected January 2009 Member Pay Increase of 2.8%
Under the formula established in the Ethics Reform Act, Members may receive a pay adjustment in January 2009 of 2.8%. This adjustment — if not revised by Congress or constrained by provisions of the Ethics Reform Act related to the pay increase for General Schedule employees — would increase salaries for Members of Congress to $174,000.

now 174,000 - 169,000 = 5,000

on a personal note, their raise will be approximately equal to my income for 6 months.

Rookie Evolution & the Buddy System

2008-08-27T14:15:00.004-05:00

I don't really have mastery of the gun hobbyist vocabulary yet so I listen more than I talk.

I walked into the local Cabela's a few months back and stood near the gun counter for a while watching and listening. I soaked up a full load of new info and decided I'd take a break to mull over some concepts and ideas, so I strolled up to the deli for a snack. A while later I had all my questions lined up and went back to the gun counter to select a victim. After about 4 questions he got tired of me and passed me off to a coworker with a higher level of newbie skills.

All in all not a bad day. I got 2 cards and some contact info for basic handgun classes, concealed carry instructors & local ranges; some good poop on eye/ear safety (you may shoot different stuff over time, but you'll always need eye and ear protection, so quality gear is a good investment); and the standard allotment of personal preference advice about caliber and ammo.

Being new to the shooter scene is a lot like being in a foreign country. It's hard to put your questions into a form people can understand when you don't have a good working vocabulary of the local lingo. It slows my learning curve that I'm not good with nomenclature; if someone says "I just bought a glock 29", I hear "I just bought a handgun". So a good bit of the info shooters send my way goes right over my head. But I'm learning. Having lotsa free time to do research helps.

Now several months later; I've been to a couple local gun shows, visited online with a couple gun-bloggers, chatted up some of the guys behind the counter at the local ranges and gun shops and managed to spend some $$. But as I'm still not part of the 'in crowd' or a bona fide regular customer, I still get that 'new kid' feeling when I walk into a serious firearm environment.

During my Army years I bounced around a lot and usually there was someone assigned to meet the newbie at the airport and show him the ropes. The buddy system works; adjusting to the new place is waaaay easier with a buddy. I didn't realize how much of a difference it makes until I showed up at a new duty station and there was no assigned buddy. Lucky for me it was west Texas and the first guy I ran into was bored and a vet. Needless to say, when it was my turn to be the assigned buddy, I took the duty seriously.

In the interest of fighting firearm ignorance, and easing first timers into the environment while minimizing the social stress, I thought about the old army buddy system. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a buddy to show you the ropes; range rules, driving directions, how to avoid range rush-hour, someone to introduce you and keep you from making too many of those embarrassing rookie mistakes?

During my web-wanderings I've run across a few bloggers who have open invites for first timers to come out and shoot. Some offering to supply everything; targets, ammo, a variety of firearms, etc.

idea: lets make a list and get all the info in one place.

so

I started with the handful of volunteer bloggers and an outdated link list I found where someone had already started the same project. I sent out a few emails and the replies started coming back. I added a MENTOR section to my sidebar and replied with vague promises of future creativity and sophistication for the upcoming versions.

I was hoping for a dozen; so far I have more than half that and it's only been a couple weeks. If I can keep up with it we might have something. I suspect a great number of the anti-gunners are motivated by fear of the unknown. If we can educate them 1 at a time by making sure their initial experience is fun and informative and SAFE; we stand a chance.

I've seen people get turned off by bad initial experiences with dogs, motorcycles, sushi, and half a dozen other things. I hope we can make your first range visit a good one.

it figures .....

2008-08-26T13:34:00.002-05:00

if you page down you can see a really super happy sugar coated yummy review of the Apple Tech support service

I called them today about a couple small issues with the latest software update and a guy named Mohamed picked up the phone ......

sigh

not allowed to be good ?

2008-08-26T10:09:00.003-05:00

from ESPN
9-year-old boy told he's too good to pitch

no kid left behind was bad enough, now you're not allowed to excel ?

Give. Me. A. Break.

Words fail me. My brain is stuck on the fact some people think this is right.

apple a day...

2008-08-24T20:29:00.002-05:00

I recently took the plunge and bought a cell phone. Not just any cell phone, I went full out and got the I-Phone. I-Phone is the Leatherman of phones imho.

**Note: at the time of my purchase the I-Phone came bundled with AT&T phone plan. No optional providers.

I got:
-watch
-alarm clock with multiple alarms
-portable internet/maps/weather
-camera
-remote email/addressbook
-ipod/music
-movies
-text
-notepad
-rollover minutes

ok, ok. Other brands will do some of that stuff too. Plus, the 'jack of all trades master of none' rule applies to things like the camera which doesn't really dazzle a true photographer; but it meets MY needs pretty well.

Blissful harmony for about 10 days. ATTN: I-Phone is not gravity or impact resistant.
Much sadness.

I-Phone #2 was not from this reality. It was from our ANTI-REALITY. Everything #1 did #2 didn't do.
Sadness x2

#3 fell someplace in the middle. I got it after a trip acrooooooosssss the metro area to the only Apple store around. It didn't cost me anything; they tested #2 and handed me #3 after about an hour.

About 3 weeks ago #3's battery went T-U (military term) and decided not to hold a charge.
sigh, additional sadness, and I picked up the land-line to call support once again.

**Note: I spout off about what I think or believe a lot. I try to keep my mouth shut when the topic is something I don't know well. I have worked tech support, in person, over the counter, over the phone, via chat, for the military, for civilians. I know a bit about good tech support and bad tech support.

So far, I can complain about the consistency of the product (I-phone).
I can complain (and did, loudly and often) about the local AT&T store that sold me the original product and accessories.
I can complain about AT&T customer service, phone support, billing, website etc.
I can complain about the line at the local Apple store and the traffic to and from said store.

However, Apple tech/phone/customer service support is FREAKIN' AWESOME!
I'm never on hold more than a few minutes. By 'few' I mean a SINGLE DIGIT number.
I always get a REAL PERSON.
I always get someone who speaks ENGLISH and if they have any accent at all its an accent FROM THE USA.
I don't get treated like I'm an idiot.
They are POLITE and RESPECTFUL.
They LISTEN.
They are KNOWLEDGEABLE.
They talk WITH you instead of AT you.
I have changed phones 3 times and have had ZERO data loss.
I could go on, but I don't want to gush at a level that destroys credibility.

btw, #4 is on site and working well.
total down time:
7/31 1150pm (2350 if you prefer) -- 15 min phone call
8/1 am -- Fed Ex shipping box delivery attempt (I was at the doc so I missed it)
8/4 am -- Fed Ex shipping box arrived
8/6 -- packed up #3 / applied label / dropped at Fed Ex shipping center
8/7 7:15 am -- email notification of #3's arrival at service center
8/7 5pm (yeah, same day) -- email notification #4 packed and issued a shipping # by Fed Ex.
8/8 #4 in hand. (no charge)
**hats off to Fed Ex, I think the package spent more time on my desk than it did in their trucks.

8 days. Including:1 Saturday, 1 Sunday and the 3 days I farted around packing up #3. that's unreal.

oh yeah, and Apple called AT&T .. got my monthy phone bill pro-rated for the outage time....

Suffice to say THIS IS THE WAY CUSTOMER SERVICE TECH SUPPORT IS MEANT TO BE DONE.

range visit

2008-08-23T20:36:00.003-05:00

Went down to the JCSSA range today. It was much closer and easier to find than I had anticipated. Which means I can go more often (if they let me join someday).

Arrived just as they were starting to finish up the competition for the day. Which means everyone had their range fix and were pretty much standing around/packing up. Ideal for the rookie to strike up conversations and soak up info.

Picked up some basic club info, read the range rules, met a few of the regulars, and got to watch a couple guys adjust the sights on some new purchases.

Today's lesson -- Binoculars are handy. Walking down range to check the target after every 3 rounds sucks bad when its 95 degrees. Sittin' in the shade is better.

things that make you go "hmmm"

2008-08-23T20:16:00.002-05:00

Obama Bi(n La)den

word association

2008-08-21T19:55:00.003-05:00

outage
phone call
[grumble]
AT&T
[curse]
[yell]
yahoo
[grumble]
internet 'service'
[grumblegrumble yell]
diconnect
[shout/stomp]

we've been playing this game for a week :(

BlogList addition

2008-08-14T08:46:00.002-05:00

I've been reading the stuff over at The Smallest Minority for a couple weeks now. I like what I see so I'm adding him to my BlogLinks.

I'm not the type of guy who jumps on a bandwagon, but if I had to pick a side I'd join that Minority. I read a lot of stuff and since I'm naturally contrary I can usually find a way to disagree or point out a flaw. After reading TSM posts my first reaction is: "Well, I can't say it any better than that".

hearing voices

2008-08-13T17:04:00.005-05:00

Digging through my RSS feeds today I read a couple posts from different places that sorta fit together, and I heard that little click in my head as the pieces fell into place.

and then I heard my Dad's voice loud and clear:

"Leave it alone son. It's not bothering you"

Now I know Dad is at least 800 miles away, but occasionally situations spark memories of my childhood and I get little verbal flashbacks. This particular memory centers around a varmint sittin' in a sunny patch, a stick and a kid [me] with no fear of getting bitten or scratched. Y'all are already laughing at me aren't ya? Dad was one to let the punishment fit the crime. He's funny that way. He figures I'm gonna get what I deserve; random varmints don't have a 3 strike justice system.

Well today I was reading this: Jovian Thunderbolt
immediately after which I read this: CowTown Cop

I can't leave that alone...... gotta poke it ........I'll need a stick.......

word for the day: SEGUE

"to make a transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption"

.... stop pokin' me DAD.

blog clock

2008-08-11T20:29:00.002-05:00

glad i numbered those... sheesh

ironic the rant about education got out of order

i pressed the publish button at 830pm central. no clue how it got listed at 513pm

some sort of blogspot master plan

Laws, Safety & Freedom - Part 2

2008-08-11T17:14:00.004-05:00

Do I think we all need formal training? Do we need driver's training or parenthood classes or firearms safety? No.

[I know half of you just heard "say again?" in your head]

What we need is a high school diploma.

If I go into the Harley dealer and throw my money on the counter, instead of asking to see a driver's license I should be able to show them my diploma.

Need a John Deere tractor? Got a diploma? yup. Sign here, come back any time Sir.

Need a Snowmobile? Chainsaw? Dynamite? Sailboat? Razor Blade? Got my diploma card right here. Sold.

OMG OMG you can't teach all that in school, there's too much to learn. shut up. I'm not done.

School (and parents) should teach how to recognize a dangerous tool when you see one. You should also get taught the ENGLISH language so you know how to READ THE F***ING INSTRUCTIONS; the one that says "Poison: do not take internally" or "Contains tobacco: May cause cancer". If you can do basic reading comprehension you should be able to buy any item you want, hazardous or not, read the label and use it at a basic level of proficiency. For advanced proficiency do some research on your own [you should learn how to do research in SCHOOL], seek out others who are proficient, to learn from, and practice.

If you are thoughtless enough to drive drunk, your ability to make decisions impacting the freedoms & rights of other citizens is suspect and as a result society has a responsibility to restrict your access to other dangerous things. Can you still buy groceries? Sure. Can you live on my street? Sure. Can you buy a car? No. You're the Mass-Transit Ranger bro. A car is a deadly weapon in the hands of a negligent driver, and you demonstrated your brain has no safety catch.

Again, we don’t need lawmakers to make more rules in an attempt to prevent stupidity from happening. We need to make the education system better. Face it friends and neighbors, stupid is gonna happen no matter what. Stupidity is a force of Nature, it’s like rain and wind.

We need less of this 'no one left behind' B.S. and a lot more 'you stay here until you learn it'. Graduating underachievers is dangerous to the public. Drivers who can't read road signs are dangerous. Parents who can't read medicine bottles are dangerous.

Laws, Safety & Freedom Part - 3

2008-08-11T17:13:00.005-05:00

I happen to believe I have the right to buy any damn thing I want to buy. If I can't spend my money as I see fit, this country ceases to be classified as FREE. I have been to lots of places all over the world and while I have seen numerous items with DANGEROUS IF IMPROPERLY USED labels, I have yet to see the EVIL product line in any store.

I also happen to believe I can use my possessions in any manner I see fit unless my actions infringe on the rights of another citizen. If, through my actions, I harm others due to thoughtlessness or negligence (or intent) THEN I lose the right to purchase/use items.

I suggest we consider 2 concepts:

1- We need be concerned with what people DO with their possessions rather than the possessions themselves. A citizen’s decisions and actions are the issue, not inanimate objects.

2- We need be concerned with entities encroaching upon our freedom rather than forcing more limits on society.

If we blend those 2 ideas together we get people who can own anything they want and can do anything they want up to a point; THE POINT where one citizen's activity intersects another's.

Enter government regulation
1-laws
2-enforcement
3-punishment

No law keeps us safe, [LawDog posted a few months back about the power of paper armor ]. We cannot force criminals to conform. Only by removing from society those who do not respect the rules of society are we kept 'safe'.

The point of all this is: The government keeps adding to the list of things that limit rights and freedom; when will YOU draw the line. There's been lots of talk about the gun nuts who will use deadly force if society tries to disarm them. That's where they are drawing the line.

When will you say "NO MORE"? Who will hear you?

Consider this thought before you draw YOUR line in the sand: The original purpose of our constitution was to ensure the limits on the government, and the freedom of the people, not the freedom of the government to limit the people.

The right to keep and bear arms was included as a failsafe. If the populace is armed, they cannot be forced by an armed government.

Our fellow citizens are the most dangerous enemy today. Apathy and Ignorance are their allies.

The care of our freedom has been entrusted to us by our forefathers. Do not squander, through apathy or ignorance, that which was so dearly purchased.

Laws, Safety & Freedom - Part 1

2008-08-11T16:34:00.004-05:00

Our laws are inconsistent.

We require seat belt use for automobiles, but our citizens are allowed to jump out of airplanes.

We require safety/proficiency training for legal use of automobiles, but we don't require any prior training for parenthood.

I think motorcycle helmets are a good safety feature. I think helmet use can save lives. The ER nurses who held me down and scrubbed the gravel out of my face think so too. I don't for a second think anyone has the right to MAKE me wear one. Do I wear one? Yes. Always? No. It is a choice I should be able to make for myself as an adult. At no point does my helmet usage adversely impact another living being. EVER. Why do people across the nation think the government needs to regulate it?

To my knowledge there's no law requiring condom use. Condom use quite frequently impacts more than one life.

If we are going to pass laws to keep people safe from EVERYTHING, wow that's a lot of laws we're going to need. Let's face it; if we legislate anything unsafe out of our lives we're going to be left with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and not much else.

I can see the reasoning behind training prior to using a firearm or a vehicle (or ANY potentially dangerous tool). I can see the reasoning behind a requirement for training. I can also see a reason to avoid making it a REQUIREMENT.

If you buy a saw and cut off your finger, that's all you. Call it incompetence or negligence or whatever you want; you did it to you. I don’t see any need for anti-saw legislation to keep you safe. I certainly don’t see a need for anti-saw legislation to keep ME safe in the event I might lose a finger someday down the road. Since they belong to me, and I’m an adult, I see it as MY responsibility to keep track of where I put MY fingers and MY saw. There’s no logical reason to pass a law just because we need to be careful.

When I bounced my face on the road, because I was too stupid to put on my helmet, my dad took me to the ER and then took me to the local cycle safety class. He had the instructor point to my face and point to the students’ helmets. Then he showed them the medical bill and told them where they could buy full face helmets. That’s education not legislation. And it works.

We cannot continue to pass legislation every time someone does something stupid or careless. Every time we do, we curb the rights of the citizens; the safe and conscientious as well as the stupid and careless. It is not government’s job to keep us safe from ourselves. This is the USA and we have the freedom to be as smart or stupid as we choose.

Instead of passing more unconstitutional laws we don’t need, let’s promote education.

movies by mulligan - Swing Vote

2008-08-11T00:23:00.002-05:00

go see it.

this movie has reawakened parts of my brain I thought lost for good.

I'll likely have several posts and a full review this week, but it's late so you get the short version for now.

murphy monday

2008-08-04T18:34:00.002-05:00

[ insert 6 pages of concise, well thought out, high quality, laboriously typed & artistically formatted word document here ]

a moment of shocked silence shattered by ear piercing screams

various profane curses upon the electric company, internet service provider, MS word's auto save feature, & battery backup manufacturer. (and multiple generations of their families)

search pantry for alcoholic beverage

nap

Doc's Machine

2008-08-02T10:48:00.004-05:00

I think this is awesome. I wish I had some sort of Artsy ability.

RAGE

Click the pic for big close ups.

There's a link to Doc's webcomic on the sidebar. It's worth a look.

fill 'er up

2008-07-31T20:03:00.002-05:00

from CW33 TV's website

Exxon Mobil sets U.S. profit record
July 31, 2008

IRVING — Record crude prices sent Exxon Mobil second-quarter earnings up nearly 14 percent -- to the biggest quarterly profit ever by any U.S. corporation.

Irving-based Exxon Mobil today reports it earned 11.68 billion dollars in the just-completed quarter,

Net income for the April-June period came to $2.22 a share, up from 10.26 billion dollars, or $1.83 a share, one year ago.

Revenue rose 40 percent.

Exxon Mobil says, excluding an aftertax charge of 290 million related to an Exxon Valdez tanker accident court settlement, earnings reached 11.97 billion dollars -- or $2.27 per share.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Copyright © 2008, KDAF

here's the Exxon Website Link

"biggest quarterly profit ever by any U.S. corporation"

I had to redo my budget due to the rising cost of GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE; AND THESE PRICKS MADE RECORD PROFITS?

WHO THE HELL THINKS THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING?

movies by mulligan - The Dark Knight

2008-07-26T18:28:00.005-05:00

The Dark Knight

Special Effects - Really good. While some action hero movies go over the top defying the laws of physics; TDK keeps the unbelievable to a minimum. The action doesn't jump around and the 2 times I was tempted to say "oh, no he didn't" were borderline. Someone less cynical probably wouldn't have noticed the G-forces involved.

Bad Guy - Exceptional. Its rare for me to actually jump in my seat. The villan comes across as bold, sinister, cerebral, and spends most of the movie at least one step ahead of the good guys, without splattering body parts and in some cases without even showing injury.

Good Guy - Well done. I think the Batman voice was a little overdone. As I grew up watching Batman and Robin on TV after school, I tend to view Batman as an intellectual hero rather than a physical hero. This movie leans more toward the physical hero style with more overpowering of bad guys than outwitting or outmanuevering. I've not followed the Dark Knight comics at all so I really don't know if this portrayal is true to the comic or not.

Sad we'll see nothing more from Heath Ledger. His Joker was extremely well done; darker than the Jack Nicholson version.

All in all.... a must see. See this movie on the biggest screen you can find. I'll buy the DVD but the movie will definitely show better in theater. Its rare to find a movie this well done and even rarer to find one with minimal language and splatter in today's world of excess shock and gore.

4 paws

bear feet

2008-07-24T14:50:00.003-05:00

Today is Bear-Feet day.

Before

Bear spends most of his time on the carpet or grass so his toenails don't get worn down naturally as much as they need. Armed with my thumbs (I suspect the only reason he keeps me around), clippers and scissors, we prepared to do battle. I do mean battle. Bear's feet are ticklish and if he doesn't manage to kick me in the groin at least once, it's an off day. He's also gifted with some sort of aggressive fuzzy hobbit-feet genes. So I have to periodically trim the foot-fuzz or he loses traction on the tile completely.

He's a good boy; it's not his fault he's fuzzy. After

He loves the attention, and doesn't exactly seem repentant after he kicks me. So he had a good time. Me? I got kicked twice and sneezed on once.... plus some idiot tried to sell me digital cable halfway through the project.

movies by mulligan - WALL-E

2008-07-24T01:51:00.007-05:00

WALL-E

Animation – really good. WALL-E was awesome. There were lots of little mannerisms and details.

Storyline – didn't thrill me. love story almost gets lost in the garbage, literally.

It's worth the price of admission and there were several genuine 'laugh out loud' moments that reach out and grab you. But the 'humanity covered the planet with trash and then left it' moral message was so pervasive it overshadowed the rest of the movie.

I think kids will like it more than I. The cuteness of the robot and the action will keep them glued to the screen and they will probably not notice the moralistic aspects that turned me off in places.

I don't think WALL-E needs a big screen. Its good enough for repeated viewing at home so DVDs will be popular.

2 paws

100% increase

2008-07-24T01:33:00.002-05:00

New Record!!

count 'em ....

2 comments on the previous post....

that's right, ~~both~~ 2 of my readers commented !!

Reason and responsibility

2008-07-19T03:24:00.004-05:00

We all want the same thing. I mean except for a few mental midgets who truly want chaos, we all want safety and security. We all want to be safe in our homes, on the freeway, and safe at work. We all want our children to be safe at school, safe at home, safe at grandma’s house, safe on the sidewalk, safe in church, etc.

Dictionary.com
- safety: freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.
- security: precautions taken to guard against crime, attack, sabotage, espionage, etc. something that secures or makes safe; protection; defense.
- responsible: having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable; capable of rational thought or action

So, what it comes down to is how you want to achieve the state of feeling safe and secure.

Medical safety
American Red Cross

“For nearly a century, the American Red Cross has prepared people to save lives through health and safety education and training. From first aid, CPR and bloodborne pathogens training to swimming and lifeguarding, HIV/AIDS education and Babysitter's Training, American Red Cross Preparedness programs help people lead safer and healthier lives.”

“Today's innovative programs also include teaching lay persons and professionals how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Last year, nearly 11 million people enrolled in American Red Cross health and safety courses."

Why have 11 MILLION people enrolled? Because the sooner first aid is available the better the chances of survival, that’s why. If the “lay person” is on site the victim need not wait for someone to arrive before help can begin.

Train more people. Equip more people. Better chance of survival.

I’m pretty sure a defibrillator used in an irresponsible fashion can harm or kill. Much like a knife or gun or automobile can maim or kill; when used carelessly by unqualified untrained people. Why has no one complained about these potentially lethal devices being placed in our schools and churches and homes? Because, when used correctly, they SAVE LIVES, that’s why. Having this equipment readily available and trained personnel nearby makes us feel safer.

Motor vehicle safety
Motorcycle helmets make me feel safer, so do seatbelts. As a society we are so enamored with these particular safe practices we force it on people by making it law. We require auto manufacturers to include airbags for more security. Do I agree helmets and belts are safer? Yes. Do I think people should be forced to be safe? No. Bungee jumping isn’t particularly safe but there is no law against it.

Train more people. Equip more people. Better chance of survival.

In a fit of road rage can I take my helmet and pummel another motorist or pedestrian? Yes. Can a carjacker get in my car and strangle me with the seatbelt? Yes. Do we prohibit people from owning helmets or buying cars with seatbelts because people who are out of control or criminal MIGHT misuse them? No.

Home safety
We require inspections to make sure our homes will meet safety standards even before we buy. We require smoke alarms and circuit breakers and gas cutoff valves. Why? For more safety and security, that’s why. Many people even have civilian security companies monitoring their homes. People pay extra money every month for additional peace of mind; more security for their home, children, even pets. Some places require additional fencing for pool safety. Some require signs posting warnings about pets. Special permits are required for exotic animals because they are potentially hazardous to others.

Litter boxes are hazardous for pregnant women. Q-tips are dangerous if you stick ‘em in your ears too far. People choke on food all over the world. Food isn’t banned by the constitution; should local governments pass laws regulating the size of the piece of steak you can put in your mouth?

Train more people. Equip more people. Better chance of survival.

Can I train my dog to viciously attack people? Yes. Do I? No. I take responsibility for my dog. He’s trained to not pee on the carpet and he’s trained to guard my property. He’s trained to not eat things on the ground because I’ve seen what poison does. He’s trained to make a racket and get my attention when someone is nearby because I don’t want anyone sneaking up on me. He’s trained to wake me up when my blood sugar makes me sleepy and sluggish. He’s trained to come get me when it’s time for my meds. He’s learning to get the phone or the remote when I can’t.

Ladies and gentlemen,
If you misuse it, intentionally or accidentally, if you don’t take the time to learn proper technique, if you are not prepared; or in criminal hands ANYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS.
Seatbelts Q-tips Dogs Water

Personal security
Let’s face it; there’s crime everywhere. Anyone who thinks otherwise probably has their shoes on the wrong feet. Statistics can be misleading at best and anyone with a goal can (ab)use stats to show just about anything. Grabbers and Toters have been hurling stats at each other since we quit using sticks and rocks.

There is a whole phone system, NATIONWIDE, in use because the police are not nearby when you are in danger. If the police were right on top of every incident no one would need to dial 911.

Having the desire to help does not magically create an ability to help. Nor does it guarantee the presence of any entity willing and able to help at the instant help is needed. Neither of my parents can swim. When I was young, I knew if I ever got into trouble in the water, my parents would be unable to help. Ask any parent of a drowned child how long it takes for tragedy to strike. Ask any EMT/Paramedic/First Responder what the window of opportunity is for ‘help’. It isn’t very big. This is why we put SIRENS AND FLASHING LIGHTS on emergency vehicles; because response time is often the difference between life and death.

The lack of immediate professional help is why we have 911, it’s why we have ADT home security systems, it’s why we have people trained in CPR in our schools, it’s why we have lifeguards at the beach, and it’s why we should be allowed to carry weapons.

Train more people. Equip more people. Better chance of survival.

If you feel secure enough with help 3 minutes away, good for you. I can’t hold my breath that long. I’ll learn the Heimlich maneuver.
If you feel secure enough with a hamster, good for you. I’ll keep my big dog.
If you feel secure enough with 911 on speed-dial and your phone on your belt, good for you. I prefer to confront people who violate my rights with an immediate response.

People take toy makers to court when children put things in their mouths. The toymaker wasn’t there when it happened
People take auto makers to court when cars malfunction. The auto maker wasn’t there when it happened.
How long until people take the police to court when a crime happens?

What separates the gun toter and the banner-grabber is the willingness to take responsibility for personal safety.

I took responsibility to learn to drive safely. I took responsibility to train my dog safely. I took responsibility to learn first aid. I took responsibility to study self defense techniques that I hope I never have to use. I took responsibility to train with my firearms. I don’t want to have to look at my family someday and say “daddy called for help, and they’re on the way” in a situation where I could say “daddy took care of it, and it’s ok”. I have a responsibility. I’m not going to pass the buck and say it is someone else’s responsibility to keep my family safe. Because it’s not.

Its about responsibility.

big weekend

2008-07-14T19:52:00.002-05:00

Saturday
I got up early and packed up some gear: pistol bag, cooler, water, gatorade, extra socks and T-shirt & some other odds and ends.

First off I had to get a pair of new tires for the truck as the old rear tires were getting more than a few age lines. I was on site when they opened for business at 8am and was 3rd in line. I was a bit disappointed with the time I lost filling out paperwork, and the fact the guy who got my truck couldn’t work the door lock. But the actual changing of the tires didn’t take very long, and I was back in the saddle before too long.

After tires, I met up with one of the local Search & Rescue teams for a few hours of tramping around in the brush with several varieties of man's best friend, looking for lost volunteers and fuzzy yellow tennis balls. It was my first visit with this particular group and they were pretty friendly. After a couple trips down, around and through the brush, we stood in the shade, rehydrated and chatted about how dogs get trained, how non profit groups are organized, gear, first aid and other fun stuff.

When ~~it got too hot~~ training was over I headed north to meet up with a couple buddies who have been wanting me to visit their local pistol range. Having buddies with similar hobbies is cool. Having buddies who share their ammo is even cooler. We took time out for some lunch, smothered and chunked for me, then packed up the buddy gear and headed out to the sticks for some target practice. Nice spot really, shady, great big fans moving the air around, not crowded at all. I figured Saturday afternoon would be busy but we were the only shooters on site. We fired my .45, buddy #1's .45, buddy #2's glock 9mm, with a few test rounds through buddy #1's .22 rifle and my 9mm beretta.

After we had killed off the evil paper horde and created a sizeable dent in buddy's stockpile of .45 rounds, we packed up the gear, visited with the nice lady at the counter a bit, examined the most recent crop of kittens under the porch and headed back to civilization for a weapons cleaning frenzy. There was some unhappiness when my bottle of Hoppes leaked in the gun bag, but no major harm done. There was much discussion of random topics, including: how slowly I shoot, the cute friendly waitress at the waffle house, whether or not one should clean a glock or watch movies with one's girlfriend (buddy #2 chose movies) and should Texas repave some of the goat paths they call roads.

All in all, a pretty good day.

Sunday
The original plan called for a trip to the Johnson Co. Shooting Sports Assoc IDSA match but I was wiped out and slept in instead.

I did get out of bed in time to meet up with buddy #1 for a cheeseburger before we packed up for a training session with another Search and Rescue group. We don’t have trailing dogs in training so after a couple runs we sat around the base camp chatting about policy, procedure, maps, gear, upcoming scheduled events and training. I’m new to the S&R world so they were trying to learn about me and I was trying to learn about them.

Another good day

I spent most of Monday sitting around the house, napping and drinking water. I’m not used to putting that many miles on my boots over the weekend like that, so I needed some recovery time.

obamination

2008-07-09T08:05:00.018-05:00

www.chicagotribune.com/news

"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set," he said Wednesday. "We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
response by MadOgre
response by Monster Hunter Nation

"Cannot continue to rely only on our military"? Say that to some service member and if you don't get your ass kicked its because he's got hearing loss from the noise at the front line.

Just what is on Obama's list of 'national security objectives'? Not stopping terrorism.

www.chicagotribune.com/video

At the very end of this video Obama states "war that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged"

So we shouldn't wage war against terrorism? I'm pretty sure war is "authorized" the instant someone hijacks an airplane with our citizens on board. If you want to say our citizens shouldn't get hijacked, I'll agree with that, but how can you say we shouldn't wage war on terrorists? You'll notice that the hijackers were able to take over planes where passengers are not allowed their personal weapons for self defense.

Why exactly do we need a 'civilian national security force'? What would this force be doing? Making sure school kids do enough volunteer work? Burning books? Enforcing dress codes? Curfews? Confiscating personal security tools?

'just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded'
As powerful as the military? why? Our military is the most powerful in the world. The only possible reason to have a CNSF of equal power is to fight the military.

As well funded? holy crap. Obama wants to DOUBLE THE MILITARY BUDGET??? Where the hell is that money going to come from?

He said he would make federal assistance conditional on school districts establishing service programs and set the goal of 50 hours of service a year for middle school and high school students.
Don't we pay taxes that are supposed to go to the school districts? He's planning on withholding that money until the children are put to work?
For college students, Obama would set the goal at 100 hours of service a year and create a $4,000 annual tax credit for college students tied to that level of service.
OK, I don't see a problem requiring some sort of public service for college students who want to receive federal funding. Working your way through college never hurt anyone. However, making 'volunteer' service quotas a graduation requirement pretty much prohibits use of the term 'volunteer'.

I have other issues with the college system. I went to college and had two roommates who were recruited by the university to fulfil minority quotas. I have serious issues when non-citizens get scholarships. I have no problem at all requiring some sort of service to our country for foreign nationals who come here and get a free education and then want to return to their native country. When my tax money goes to educate someone from another country and my neighbors can't get into the same school BECAUSE THEY ARE CITIZENS there is a problem.

today's menu

2008-07-08T15:05:00.003-05:00

BREAKFAST
stack of pancakes (3) w/ maple syrup
scrambled eggs (2) w/ cheese (american)
sausage
bacon (is there more than one serving in a package?)
OJ. (country style WITH pulp, not that strained crap)
**peel orange, place in carton, presto! OJ

bowl of hay with 'milk' (dunno how 2% of the milk still qualifies as milk)

LUNCH
~~Cheeseburger w/ Lettuce, Tomato, Bacon, Pickle, Onion, Mayo~~
** a burger less than 1/2 lb isn't a burger, its a sample.
Chili-cheese fries
Chocolate shake

yogurt

gawd I hate my doctors.

me & my afternoon ~~snack~~ sunflower seeds are gonna go visit the virtual biscuits, cookies & pie over at Brigid's

Responsible informed ownership

2008-07-08T01:42:00.004-05:00

All my platoon sergeants (well the good ones) said the same thing, “Never lose your bearing”. In my particular case, that phrase usually meant “Don’t lose your cool”. If you know a bit about reading between the lines, or maybe a bit about me, you probably realize it means: “thou shalt not physically, or verbally abuse any idiot, of superior rank or in view of anyone of superior rank”. Left to their own devices idiots frequently dig their own holes and I don’t need to point it out to anyone. Trouble is I don’t have much patience when some idiot gets in my face.

Case in point – the Army, Japan
[If you’re in a rush you can skip the story. I’ll never know.]

I park my car on my way to work. I get out of the car, (not as easy as it sounds as it was a small Japanese car and I’m not) and commence walking to the complex where I work. All is well.

Enter the stranger ---“That’s a crappy parking job”.

Stop. Turn. “Huh?” in the traditional ‘I wasn’t paying attention. Were you talking to me?” fashion.

I notice Stranger is the same rank as me. My lack of “Sir” and salute will not be a problem. All is well.

Stranger is not content with my response. “Can’t you see the lines? Where did you learn to drive?”

Now, in my world and many military places, ‘On time’ means 5 minutes early. At this point, my 5 minutes will probably be killed by the walk to the door and Stranger is holding me up here in the far end of the parking lot over what appears to be ‘parking symmetry’. Being late will terminate the current ‘All is well’ status.

Promote ‘Stranger’ to ‘Potential Idiot’ (PI).

Tune out PI’s ongoing verbal barrage.

Examine parked car. Note, car within painted parking lines in all four quadrants but by a somewhat narrower margin in the left rear.

Consider ignition key location, distance to driver’s door, probable time commitment for reentering vehicle and repositioning.

Carefully weigh desire to be on time vs. desire to appease PI.

Result: Walking faster and continuing to ignore PI will result in ‘on time arrival’. All is well.

Attempt to implement result. Path blocked by PI.

Promote Potential Idiot to Full Idiot status. (FI)

Internal self control gauge indicates “dangerous” level. All is not well.

I do not have the time to schedule this FI for an attitude adjustment.

I do not have time to fold myself in half and get back in this tuna can just so this FI will shut up about my parking skills.

Situation rapidly approaching ‘NOT GOOD’ status. Immediate Action required.

Turn. Grab rear bumper of car. Slide car the required 4 inches to the right. Release.

Note, FI has ceased verbal barrage.

Turn. Note absence of FI.

Re-initiate Plan A: “walking to work”. All is well.

Note, FI reached the door in record time.

Moral of the story: stay calm and idiots will find someone else to badger. No yelling or pummeling required.

What to do when some anti-gunner gets in your face? Be calm, cool, collected & informed (know your enemy). Never lose your bearing.

Know more than they do, know your sources & know your stats (gun grabbers love stats).Guy Smith over at Gun Facts has some good info on common myths and how to bust ‘em up. I grew up in a family of shouters so shouting is kind of a knee-jerk reaction for me in times of stress. I’m predisposed, you might say. I have learned over the years that people often (women especially) will immediately stop listening to WHAT you’re saying and focus on HOW you are saying it the moment you begin to yell. Calmly dispute their arguments and hopefully over time things will sink in. Never lose your bearing.

My personal approach I learned from an old army pal. He's used it effectively on people who come by, knock on his door and want to talk about religion. Instead of being confrontational and pointing out errors, simply ask questions. Where did you hear that? How many? Where can I find that info? If you get really good they will lead you right up to the very point you want to make, and the look on their face when they say it out loud is priceless.

Learn how the gun grabbers think. Hat-tip Artful Articulations. My arguments changed dramatically after reading this article by Sarah Thompson, M.D. http://www.vcdl.org/new/raging.htm

Our logical arguments are often lost on the grabbers and it’s frustrating when they refuse to see the light on even the simplest concepts like “criminals don’t care about the law, that’s why they are criminals”. Understanding how their minds work (or why they don’t work) helps us to know their motivations. I’ve always been inclined to lump people in the ‘too stupid to mess with’ category when their arguments don’t make sense. The fact they may have mental blocks and deep seated fears inhibiting their common sense and logic never occurred to me. Going off on someone who’s already spooked will only reinforce their fear and give them more ammo for their next encounter.

Unfortunately, scared people and misinformed people can still vote.

We have to know the law and know our politicians. Know how they vote, watch ‘em and yank ‘em up short when they try to do things we don’t want. It’s the information age; we can see it on TV or read it online or in the paper. We can use the media to help our cause.
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/opsd/

We can join together.
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com/
http://opencarry.org/index.html

"We the people". The government’s power comes from the people. It's time the government remembered it.

** it's late and proofreading is overrated anyways... if it's jumbled i'll fix it later

maybe.

Bear Toys - Flyer

2008-07-06T19:01:00.006-05:00

Kong Flyer Ours is approx. 2 years old and still flyin'. Its still flat, round and chewy; no holes or tears. Easy to pick up off the ground, easy on the gums, easy to rinse off mud and drool. Excellent substitute for a rope, tennis ball or other tug/chew-toy. In an emergency will work as a bowl. Good for dog-dog, dog-human, even human-human fun. The flyer is soft enough to not leave bruises, but it will knock off glasses and scuff paint; so, you with the thumbs ..practice your aim. Costs a bit more than the standard plastic disk, but easily makes up for it in durability. Kong toys are available at most pet stores.

Bear rating: 4 paws.

because i can

2008-07-05T22:27:00.012-05:00

Bought my first handgun a while back. Better late than never. SW1911PD

I actually put it back and walked off twice. I've been to the range with it twice and I wait not so patiently for TX to fix the open carry situation.

In the meantime, we've still got ccl.

Short Blade KA-BAR TX says I can't carry my big one if I leave home. I don't know how that works with fillet and skinning knives. I don't do any huntin' or fishin' but it makes me curious.

Next purchase, something a bit more compact for everyday under-wear. CZ-P01

baby sitter

2008-07-05T11:00:00.005-05:00

I think this has been removed from YouTube but ABCNEWS still has it.

Words cannot describe how angry I am. I cannot imagine being the parents of the baby or the teen.

hat tip: Bayou Renaissance Man found this story about kids in Britain.

how does this happen? how badly have we (civilized humanity) F'd up our society for this to happen?

1 month

2008-07-05T08:49:00.002-05:00

I'm a month old now.

I'm playing with some of the settings, adding graphics, etc. I may go in and play with the template some before I'm through... we'll see

happy 4th '08

2008-07-04T10:31:00.003-05:00

In the holiday spirit I thought I'd take a lil' break from complaining about stuff. Then I thought again. :)

I don't recall where this came from but I thought it was good enough to save. Here's hoping someday women will understand us men better. (Or maybe they'll just laugh and let us watch baseball.. it is summertime y'know)

If you think you're fat, don't ask us. We refuse to answer.

Learn to work the toilet seat. If it's up, put it down.

If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

Don't cut your hair. Ever. Long hair is always more attractive than short hair.

One of the big reasons guys fear getting married is that married women always cut their hair, and by then you're stuck with her.

Birthdays, Valentines, and anniversaries are not quests to see if we can find the perfect present yet again!

If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear. Sometimes, we're not thinking about you. Live with it.

Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as navel lint, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks.

Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

Shopping is not a sport, and no, we're never going to think of it that way.

When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really!

You have enough clothes. You have too many shoes.

Crying is blackmail.

Ask for what you want. Let's be clear on this one: Subtle hints don't work. Strong hints don't work. Really obvious hints don't work. Just say it!

No, we don't know what day it is. We never will. Mark anniversaries on the calendar.

Peeing standing up is more difficult. We're bound to miss sometimes.

Most guys own three pairs of shoes-what makes you think we'd be any good at choosing which pair, out of thirty, would look good with your dress?

Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.

Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

Foreign films are best left to foreigners.

Check your own oil.

It is neither in your best interest nor ours to take the quiz together.

No, it doesn't matter which quiz.

Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. All comments become null and void after 7 days.

If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

Let us ogle. We're going to look anyway; it's genetic.

You can either tell us to do something OR tell us how to do something, but not both.

Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

ALL men see in only 16 colors. Peach is a fruit, not a color.

If it itches, it will be scratched.

Beer is as exciting for us as handbags are for you.

If we ask what's wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you're lying, but it's just not worth the hassle.

What the heck is a doily? Why would we care ?

Continuing the lighter theme for holiday posts, here's another email keeper. Again, I neglected to note where this originated. (My brain takes a lot of unscheduled sick days)

Things I MUST remember as a dog
1. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
2. I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.
3. I will not roll my toys behind the fridge, behind the sofa or under the bed.
4. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house.
5. I will not eat the cats' food, before they eat it or after they throw it up.
6. I will stop trying to find the few remaining pieces of clean carpet in the house when I am about to get sick.
7. I will not throw up in the car.
8. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc. just because I like the way they smell.
9. "Kitty box crunchies," although they are tasty, are not food.
10. I will not eat any more Kleenex or napkins and then redeposit them in the backyard after processing.
11. The diaper pail is not a cookie jar.
12. I will not chew my human's toothbrush and not tell them.
13. I will not chew crayons or pens, especially not the red ones, or my people will think I am hemorrhaging.
14. When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when it's raining outside.
15. We do not have a doorbell. I will not bark each time I hear one on TV.
16. I will not steal my mom's underwear and dance all over the backyard with it.
17. The sofa is not a face towel. Neither are Mom & dad's laps.
18. My head does not belong in the refrigerator.
19. I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for mom's driver's license and car registration.
20. I will not play tug-of-war with dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
21. I will not eat mint flavored dental floss out of the bathroom garbage and therefore avoid having a string hanging out of my butt.
22. I will not use "roll around in the dirt" as an option after just getting a bath.
23. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is not an acceptable way of saying hello.
24. I will not hump on any person's leg just because I thought it was the right thing to do.
25. I will not fart in my owner's face while sleeping on the pillow next to their head.
26. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.
27. The toilet bowl is not a never-ending water supply and just because the water is blue, it doesn't mean it is cleaner.
28. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch when company is over.
29. Suddenly turning around and smelling my butt can quickly clear a room.
30. The cat is not a squeaky toy so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.

new blog

2008-07-03T22:36:00.002-05:00

[hat tip to LawDog]
If y'all get a chance, browse your way over to Home on the Range.
There's an extraordinary mind at work over there.

half right

2008-07-03T03:38:00.006-05:00

I don't do alot of driving anymore, but I do spend some time on the roads. My first vehicle was a 125 cc Honda motorcycle so I am hyper-sensitive when it comes to driver distractions. I think people should be paying attention when they are 'in control' of any device that can harm people. Every time I go out on the roads I see drivers who are inattentive; cell phones, french fries, eye shadow, kids, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, the list goes on. Twice I've been run into by drivers while my vehicle was stationary. Countless times I've had to dodge people who are off in their own world and neglect to check a mirror or signal.

It looks like California is cracking down on cell phone use while driving.
www.dailynews.com
I'm reading this article and thinking "Hmm, they have a good idea here. This might work." Apparently, (I haven't looked up the exact legal wordage of the thing yet) drivers are required to use hands-free devices for cell phones. Seems pretty straightforward. Additionally, some people are looking forward to insurance rates going up for repeat offenders. Again, seems like a good idea. I start to think, "Wow, someone out there has got their act together."

I'm so stupid. I hate optimism, its such a tease.

While drivers can't hold a phone to have a conversation, they still are allowed to touch it or dial to make or take a call, said Tom Marshall, spokesman for the CHP.

Text-messaging also is still allowed for drivers over 18

I want to cry.

double tragedy

2008-07-03T01:02:00.005-05:00

Chicago Police Officer Richard Francis was shot and killed.
www.chicagotribune.com

Early Wednesday morning, while on a seemingly routine assignment on patrol alone, Francis was shot and killed in a struggle with a woman who had caused a disturbance ... less than a block from his police station, police said.

This is a horrible tragedy and our hearts go out to his friends & family.
She may have fired at those police officers as well, sources said, before they fired several shots, wounding her. No charges were filed against her by Wednesday night.[emphasis added]
No charges? Are you kidding me? I can only hope this will be rectified when/if the woman is able to leave the hospital.

fix the budget

2008-07-02T10:37:00.003-05:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/31/politics/politico/main3981095.shtml

It's not just the size of Clinton’s debts that’s noteworthy. It’s also that her unpaid bills extend beyond the realm of high-priced consultants who typically let bills slide as part of the cost of doing business with powerful clientele whose success is linked to their own.[emphasis added]

Clinton also reported debts more than one month old to a slew of apolitical businesses and organizations, large and small, in the states through which this historically expensive Democratic primary campaign has raged.[emphasis added]
Historically expensive .. .hmmmm
How many people were thinking Hillary Clinton could fix our national budget problems?
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s cash-strapped presidential campaign has been putting off paying hundreds of bills for months - freeing up cash for critical media buys but also earning the campaign a reputation as something of a deadbeat in some small-business circles.
How many people were thinking Hillary Clinton would stand up for small business and the working class?
Lets rethink that m'kay?

Muslim or Christian

2008-07-01T08:40:00.010-05:00

In an attempt to try to get a handle on the Illinois view of Senator Obama I decided to root through some of the Chicago Tribune archives. This particular article seems to jump around a bit and from my viewpoint the timeline is cloudy as a result. The quotes below are taken out of order in an attempt to clarify order of dates and events.

[Note: From Meet the Candidate Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961 …. This makes him approximately 6-10 yrs of age during his stay in Indonesia]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-0703250340mar25,0,2024665.story

Although his campaign has denied that Obama was a practicing Muslim, the "Islam" issue is not likely to go away soon for the presidential candidate.[emphasis added]

[the Catholic School years]

… In fact, Obama's religious upbringing in Indonesia depended more on the conventions of the schools he attended than on any decision by him, his mother or his stepfather. When he was at a Catholic school for three years, he prayed as a Catholic.[emphasis added]

When Barack Obama was a boy here, he studied for three years at a religious school and prayed four times a day.

It was a Roman Catholic school. There, Obama was registered as student No. 203. "Yes, he prayed, because all the students here had to pray in the Catholic way--`in the name of the Father, [Son] and the Holy Spirit,'" recalled Obama's 1st-grade teacher, Israella Pareira Darmawan.[emphasis added]

Interviews with dozens of former classmates, teachers, neighbors and friends show that Obama was not a regular practicing Muslim when he was in Indonesia, despite being listed as a Muslim on the registration form for the Catholic school, Strada Asisia, where he attended 1st through 3rd grades.[emphasis added]

It seems of the 4 years in Indonesia the first 3 were spent in a Catholic school which REQUIRED students to “pray in the Catholic way”. Essentially, he was a practicing Catholic due to circumstance, not choice. The phrase “had to pray” is clearly indicative of a lack of choice. (No one goes to a party and says “we had to eat cake”.) Note the article used the phrase ‘regular practicing Muslim’ which implies he was a practicing Muslim who did not ‘regularly’ attend mosque or practice on a ‘regular’ or recurring basis.

In their first neighborhood, Obama occasionally followed his stepfather to the mosque for Friday prayers, a few neighbors said.

Here in the absence of an actual date, we can conclude ‘first neighborhood’ coincides with 1967. Note, the term “occasionally” is used here. I’ve known many practicing religious people who attend services at irregular intervals. Personally, I find regular attendance a non-factor, as determining one’s religion is based on their chosen set of beliefs. Also, “followed” is used, not “accompanied”; therefore we can deduce a young Obama was making his own decision to attend the mosque and not at the direction of a parent as he was not “with” a parent.

In simplest terms: When forced to attend Catholic services Obama worshipped as a Catholic. When free to do as he chose he attended a Muslim mosque. Granted, we’re talking about religious freedom of choice and a 6-10yr old child, but many children begin to voice interest in making their own choices at a similar age.

[4th year public school]

When he was at a public school for a year, he learned about Islam.
In late 1970, Obama's family moved to another neighborhood, and Obama enrolled in Public Elementary School Menteng No. 1, … In 1962 the Dutch handed the school over to the Indonesian government. At the time, the predominantly Muslim public school was considered one of the best in Jakarta.
"The Muslims learn about Islam, prayer and religious activity," said Hardi Priyono, the vice principal for curriculum. "And for the Christians, during the religious class, they also have a special room teaching Christianity. It's always been like that. We are a public school. We have always been a public school. [emphasis added]
When Obama attended 4th grade in 1971, Muslim children spent two hours a week studying Islam, and Christian children spent those two hours learning about the Christian religion.
Zulfan Adi, a former neighborhood playmate of Obama's who has been cited in news reports as saying Obama regularly attended Friday prayers with Soetoro, told the Tribune he was not certain about that when pressed about his recollections. He only knew Obama for a few months, during 1970, when his family moved to the neighborhood.

Here note the article is dated 2007. How accurate are memories after 30+ years? The 3 quotes included in the article don’t even agree. A teacher states ‘rarely’, neighbors say ‘occasionally’, and a former playmate uses the term ‘regularly’ until pressed about his memory. Interesting I think, the playmate who would most likely be in the best position to observe uses ‘regularly’ but gets pressured about his recollection. I’ll take media bias for 1000 Alex.

I think it’s fairly clear Muslim is the choice here, either by his family or by his own personal decision.

As the article states, the Catholic school’s records are not without flaw, and it is possible Obama is inaccurately listed as Muslim. However, if he was again listed as Muslim in the public school I doubt there was any error on the part of the Catholic record keepers pertaining to religious preference. There is no mention of a listed religious preference or mention that children were forced to attend selected services based on their enrollment documentations. Either way Muslim is the chosen religion, on paper, by Obama or by his parents. There is no mention of the school prohibiting him from attending Christian services; and one can only assume the media, while interviewing “dozens of former classmates, teachers, neighbors and friends” didn’t forget to ask about Obama voluntarily attending any Christian/Catholic services. [sarcasm rocks]

I think it safe to conclude the statement above “Obama's religious upbringing in Indonesia depended more on the conventions of the schools he attended than on any decision by him, his mother or his stepfather” to be false. Also we can see any denial by the Obama campaign to be false as well.

religious rights

2008-06-29T14:31:00.007-05:00

Teacher_to_be_fired_for_pressing_beliefs

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio, June 21 (UPI) -- An Ohio school board is firing a science teacher accused of pressing his Christian beliefs on students.

John Freshwater discussed his creationism beliefs, disregarded evolution and failed to follow the standard curriculum while teaching eighth-grade science at Mount Vernon Middle School, board officials said.

An investigation revealed he continued teaching his beliefs even after he was ordered to stop, the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Saturday.

The investigation found Freshwater said homosexuals are sinners and branded crosses into some students' arms, the board said. [emphasis added]

Freshwater's attorney, R. Kelly Hamilton, said his client's rights to practice religion were infringed and he plans to call for a hearing with the school board to fight the dismissal.

Hamilton said the allegations are "fabrications created by a couple of students … Not a single child has ever been harmed."

I’m pretty sure ‘Christian Beliefs’ don’t include injuring children. I don’t know what religion this guy is subscribing to but it’s not any form of Christianity I’ve ever seen. Since when does freedom of religion involve branding children? I am stunned that this issue already seems to be about this guy losing his job. Job my ass. He should be in jail.

If you’re told to do something by your boss and you ignore it you should be fired. I’ve fired people for it and I’ve been fired for it. That’s how employment works. I’m amazed the school board allowed him to continue teaching after the first incident.

Parents_say_teacher_branded_cross_on_son

The parents say that Freshwater used a piece of electrical equipment to etch a cross on their son in December. When they complained, the district responded by telling the teacher not to do anything similar in the future.

Administrators began cracking down on the teacher only after the parents hired a lawyer, the suit says.

So, I guess you can complain but you won’t be taken seriously unless you have enough money to hire a lawyer?

How long are we going to sit by and let lawyers attack our children when something like this happens? Lawdog talks about another lawyer attacking kids here.

Criminitly

2008-06-28T09:59:00.004-05:00

I thought I stepped in something but it turns out I was smelling this instead:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/06/06/usdom19035.htm

‘(Washington, DC, June 6, 2008) – New figures showing that US incarceration rates are climbing even higher, with racial minorities greatly overrepresented in prisons and jails, highlight the need to adopt alternative criminal justice policies, Human Rights Watch said today.’

‘The new statistics also show large racial disparities, with black males incarcerated at a per capita rate six times that of white males’

Alternative criminal justice policies? Huh?

What’s the alternative to incarcerating criminals? Not incarcerating criminals? Who thinks that’s a better plan than we’ve got now? Here’s an idea: if you think not prosecuting criminals is better than prosecuting criminals take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can; then I’ll help you hold it a while longer. Moron.

You can NOT I repeat NOT start telling Law Enforcement Officers they have a racial quota for catching bad guys. WHY? HERE’S WHY, YOU NUTJOB: First - exactly how is someone supposed to instruct the police to pick up more green people and less purple people without some freakin’ HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION screaming racism? YOU CAN’T. CAN NOT. CAN’T BE DONE. Second – it’s morally wrong to target anyone due to their ethnic group. You target them when they break the law. THAT’S WHY.

Are there more purple people in jail than green people? Maybe so. Were the criminal charges against them fabricated because the justice system is racist? HELL NO. Should we let them out because we have a racial imbalance? You can’t seriously expect anyone to fall for that tripe. They are crooks and they should be behind bars and I stopped giving a rat’s ass about their rights the second they violated someone else’s. Human rights organizations seem to want us to look at stats before we arrest a crook. Do we let a baby-rapist walk if we already have 3 this month from that ethnic group? HELL NO. Do we need to arrest more green people for blue collar crimes and more purple people for white collar crimes? Probably, but not because they are green or purple; we need to arrest them because they broke the damn law. Are there criminals out there walking free? Yes there are, but again, they are not criminals because of their race, but because they BROKE THE LAW. There are more criminals than the LEO’s can catch. The police are spread pretty freakin’ thin and a few rotten apples aside, are doing the best they can. Considering crooks are playing outside the rules it’s no surprise the Coppers are falling behind in some spots.

It occurs to me that I started taking out the trash when its full of chicken bones and other juicy leftovers instead of leaving it overnight; and my dogs stopped getting in the trash. Perhaps it’s time someone took their spare time and looked into the reason people commit crimes and tried to fix it somehow. Maybe if we stopped shipping food overseas and fed the hungry here in the USA, fewer people would steal in order to feed their families. Maybe if we stopped taxing the working class to death, fewer people would take up tax exempt professions like illegal drugs. Maybe if more people were allowed their constitutional rights to self protection there would be fewer easy victims for criminals to prey upon.

Pause for more oxygen and less blood pressure
Breathe Breathe Breathe
Ok I’m back

‘This represents an incarceration rate of 762 per 100,000 US residents,the highest such rate in the world. By contrast, the United Kingdom’s incarceration rate is 152 per 100,000 residents; the rate in Canada is 108; and in France it is 91. ‘

This is an idiotic stat. What is the number of LEO’s (handy acronym I picked up off the TV) per 100,000 residents? Maybe French police overworked even more than US police. Maybe the Brits have problems handling evidence and critters (a LawDog term I like) are walking because the defense attorneys are better than the prosecutors. Maybe they just don’t have as many idiotic BS laws to break as we do on this side of the pond. Maybe Canadian criminals flee across the border. You know what though ? THEY ARE STILL ALL CRIMINALS.

Here’s a thought: maybe, just maybe, the penalties for breaking the law here are too weak and as a result don’t act as a deterrent to lawbreakers. Maybe people here break the law during football season so they can have free cable TV.

I think we the people should do more to help the situation; instead of sitting on our collective butts and bitchin’ about all the stuff the LEO’s do wrong. Here’s a tip: the police don’t make the law. Politicians make the law. We the people elect the politicians. So in essence, we make the law. Remember that the next time you think some law is stupid or cumbersome. YOU MADE IT HAPPEN. YOU DID IT TO YOURSELF. Either by voting for the imbecile who enacted it, or by not voting for someone who opposed it.

I don’t know how many counties nationwide have similar programs, but for those of you in AZ with the volunteer bug: http://www.mcso.org/index.php?a=GetModule&mn=Posse

RIP George Carlin

2008-06-23T08:40:00.003-05:00

George Carlin 1937-2008

another great entertainer passes.

i was never able to see him in person but i will spend some time remembering all the laughter and good times shared with friends while watching him on tv.

he will be missed.

spirit of tolerance

2008-06-22T14:09:00.007-05:00

I was dinking around the internet today and stumbled across a site for quotations. www.quotationspage.com/

It’s a lazy day here today so I was sifting through a few of the more familiar names in an effort to kick start my brain when I found this tidbit:

Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population. Albert Einstein

Laws alone can not…..

Here is the law:
The Bill of Rights -- Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Where is the spirit of tolerance?

It seems more often than not people use their freedom of speech to tell other people their opinion doesn’t matter. Frankly this is a waste of time, but you have the freedom to waste as much time as you want. That’s one of the luxuries we have as U.S. citizens.

Never forget the fact EVERY citizen has the SAME right to speak. (If I had the power I would amend the law to say every LAW ABIDING citizen, but that’s another discussion.) George Genius has the same rights as Mike Moron. The SAME. Mike’s opinion might be less accurate, less intuitive, less pertinent, (or more) than George’s. These factors are totally irrelevant to the right to voice said opinion. Each has the right to speak. Being stupid or smart is an individual choice left up to the speaker.

It seems more and more people think being offended by what another says or does entitles them to something other than being offended. (Here we exempt libel and slander from today’s discussion as those are personal attacks and not general comments.)

Here are a few tips for all you offended people:

1- If you don’t like what’s on TV, change the channel until you do. There is no law in this country that forces you to watch TV programs with content you find objectionable. If you are so offended you lose the ability to work the clicker go find something else to do with your time.

2- If you don’t like a slogan or poster in someone’s place of business, don’t read it or don’t go there again. They have the right to post information they like without getting your approval. EVER. Just as you have the right to not do business with them. I’m sure someone will say what about public places? Ok. If Mike or George has the right to post info on a public wall then so do you. Go right ahead and put up whatever you want. Just don’t cover up theirs as this constitutes a violation of their freedoms.

3- If you don’t like how someone is dressed, too bad.

4- If you don’t like what people do on their own property, too bad.

I could go on, but by now even you offended people should see the pattern.

If you don’t like it, fine. You have the right to not like whatever you choose. Your not liking it, in no way constitutes me being required to stop. You see, MY LIKING IS JUST AS VALID AS YOUR NOT LIKING.

So.
If I want to put a flag out on my lawn I’m gonna. If said flag happens to offend you; stay off my lawn. Incidentally my big fuzzy dog gets offended when people walk on the grass where he poops. I’ll let you discuss that with him if you want. If you persist and need further persuasion to let me have my freedom, you should remember: on my dirt I can carry anything I want, loaded, in a holster, in plain view, on my hip.

If you are late for your arrival at your next destination; I am in no way required to drive above the speed limit to accommodate your poor planning. No amount of noise from your vehicle’s horn is capable of convincing me I need to break the law.

If you walk within 6 feet of me while I am walking my dog and I have not given you permission to pet him you have invaded his/our personal space and you get what you deserve.

If you walk up and stand in my campfire and get burnt, that’s on you. It’s not my fault you don’t look where you step.

At no point did I say “you should not do” any of the above (although that would be my recommendation). You have the freedom to step in dog poop, honk your car horn, attempt to pet a werewolf, test my aim or walk through fire if you choose.

In summary: you have the right to speak. You speaking should in no way restrict MY right to speak. While you are out exercising your right to free speech, never forget to be tolerant of mine.

We should also remember the wording of the first amendment. It reads “Congress shall make no law …” not ‘the people have rights’. The Bill of Rights is not merely a list of our freedoms; it is a list of freedoms the FEDERAL government is expressly not allowed to violate. It is not ‘giving the people permission’ it is ‘restricting the federal government’s power’.

from The Preamble to The Bill of Rights:
The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

Essentially meaning: a number of states will only adopt the constitution if the federal government is limited in this fashion from infringing these rights of the people.

The fact we continue to elect politicians who seem to think offended people have more rights and we keep letting them draft more and more legislation to limit our freedoms offends me.

movies by mulligan

2008-06-17T09:05:00.003-05:00

Kung Fu Panda

Animation – pretty good. Not ’knock your socks off’ awesome, but definitely a notch or two above ‘good enough’.

Storyline – ok. Standard, bumbling village idiot becomes the village hero plot.

Although the movie is worth the price of admission and I didn’t spend half of it thinking, ‘yawn, get this thing moving’ most of the truly funny stuff was pre-shown in the trailers so not much was a surprise. I did go into it with the misperception KFP was a genuine ‘comedy’ and while somewhat disappointed to learn otherwise, KFP still had the audience laughing and applauding and I left the theater warm and fuzzy.

There are enough scenes of animated stuffed animal craziness to keep some of the younger kiddies occupied but they will need popcorn to fill the handful of gaps where grown-up plot takes over.

Normally during any kind of animated show I spend half the movie trying to identify the various voice talents. Not the case with this one, which for me is awesome, as I got to actually enjoy the movie without my brain getting in the way. I thought the kung fu master as a tortoise was particularly good, and you actually get to see him in action; the Yoda type of action that makes you sit back and think, “SWEEEET!!”. The villain was fuzzy, scary, mean and kicks butt enough to make you root for (and worry about) the hero.

All in all worth seeing again, although I doubt it requires a big screen. KFP will probably do well as a home view DVD down the road.

give 'till it hurts

2008-06-15T02:33:00.005-05:00

Okie dokie

Normally If I have no personal experience with something I don’t shoot off my mouth about it. Today I’m gonna set that rule aside and holler at some of you so-called parents.

If you give your kid everything you are a friggin’ idiot.

Now that y’all are good and mad I will explain. The problem lies primarily with the term give; and secondly with the term everything. I have no problems with a kid who has everything; it’s the method of acquisition.

Everywhere I go I see kids who are dependent on someone to give them things. Not a problem by itself, kids by definition should be dependent on parents as a primary source of food, shelter, emotional support and other basic needs.

A BWM is not a basic need. A 3000 dollar poodle is not a basic need (and by the way is also not a fashion accessory). Pepsi is not a basic need. A ride to school ‘cuz it’s rainy or cold is not a basic need. You are thinking I’m sadistic; I’m thinking buy the kid a dam jacket.

People who don’t have to work for things and I mean work, sweat, think, strain, for more than one day, will not, repeat, will not place appropriate value on anything. There is a mountain of difference between a kid who thinks ‘mommy will get me another one’ and a kid who thinks ‘I worked all summer for that’. Kids who get up before school to check their trap-lines for gas money will have a whole different outlook than kids who thinks cars come from blowing out all 16 candles on the cake. A kid who has daddy-taxi for 18 years will be disappointed when they are late for class their first day of college, ‘cuz I’m sorry but there’s no drop off service at any of the universities I’ve attended.

A friend of mine mentioned the warm fuzzy feeling she gets from giving things. That selfless giving which makes her enjoy life. I think giving is good, giving until the recipient becomes dependent is bad. If your teenage driver doesn’t know why people are mad about 4 dollar gas you’re wrong. If you are gonna give them something just ‘cuz it’s Tuesday at least pick something they need vs. something they want (that’s what birthdays are for). If your kid has rotten teeth quit giving them candy and give them a toothbrush. See how warm and fuzzy you feel when the ungrateful lil’ tyke screams about not having candy. I heard a teenager yell at their parent once about a purchase she was being denied, “Just buy it!!! What’s wrong with you!!??” That’s probably not uncommon really, but the stunned look of disbelief on her lil’ face when momma explained there was no money for it because she had spent it already was priceless. Sad, but priceless.

I think there are lots of issues with raising kids in the world we live in today. Perhaps this is not the most important but I find the idea that children do not know the price of a dollar astounding. I’m not talking about knowing what a dollar will buy, but the concept of how much effort goes into earning that dollar. You have to spend money to make money is lost on them. You have to spend money for gas, oil, tires, clothes, insurance, license plates, soap, shampoo, breakfast, the list goes on. … all before you can earn just one dollar.

So stop just giving them everything. Use their childhood years to teach them things they will need when they are out on their own. Teach them the length of a workday. Teach them the high cost of luxuries. Teach them how much of their hard earned money goes to pay taxes. Teach them how to budget. Don’t shield them from experiences they will need when they leave the nest and venture out on their own.

Maybe if more people know what a dollar costs more people would fight when someone takes it away.

a moment of silence

2008-06-14T07:35:00.004-05:00

CNN - Guitarist Bo Diddley dead at 79

I am saddened by his passing, but I will continue to enjoy his music. Hopefully, his wonderful sound will continue to influence other great musicians for many years to come.

weather

2008-06-12T01:14:00.003-05:00

An old army buddy of mine once said, "I wasn't born here in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could”. Which pretty much sums up my situation here as well. I’m an import. He says a lot of stuff, if you want you can check his journal/blog you-know-jack

I was raised in the northern midwest about 30 miles from the Mississippi River. I made some phone calls this week to catch up with the family and friends who got left behind when I moved out and they’re having some nasty weather up there; floods, tornadoes, rain, wind, etc. There are towns with no power and some mass evacuations in my old stomping grounds this week.

Everything seems pretty much under control and my blood pressure is going down to just over normal. Its hard to be 900 miles away and not be able to help out. Also its not every day you can fish from the courthouse lawn.

Then I see this:
CNN Weather

Now I’m gonna be up all night waiting not so patiently for the phone to ring or maybe for the news to release some names. Since I’m not gonna get any sleep I’m looking at the bookshelf for something I haven’t read over and over. Behold, the KJV Bible. Seems the one book gramma told me to read remains half done. Kids are like that. GranKids are worse cuz they’re like that AND hopped up on sugar coated goodies.

People talk about God’s divine plan; I’m thinking there’s gotta be a better target to drop a tornado on than a Boy Scout camp. I know there’s a lot to keep track of when you are listening to prayers and all, but why not take out a meth lab or something?

I realize 4 people died, I’m not trying to be flippant, they could be people I know. All I’m wondering is who’s running the show up there and if people have to die why not drop a tornado on a prison?

Perhaps someday I’ll know why, or be able to ask in person. In the meantime, I need to dust off this book and research how to build an ark ……..

bashin' obama

2008-06-09T21:14:00.013-05:00

I recently received another ‘Obama anti-American’ email. While I personally believe Senator Obama is slightly less patriotic than sushi, and I pray the level of political acumen displayed in Illinois will not become pandemic, I think bashers should have their facts straight lest they lose their credibility and thereby reduce their bashing effectiveness. Bash accurately or not at all.

This most recent email, like most, cites an incident during a democratic party get together in Iowa hosted by Senator Tom Harkin (see ‘sushi’ above—that’s a ‘dig’ not a ‘bash’, and as such needs not be supported as a bash).

There are 2 popular themes to these emails
1- The U.S. flag lapel pin issue; Senator Obama's patriotism is called into question due to his stated choice to not wear the U.S. flag as a lapel pin. It is my understanding there is no rule in effect at this time, with the exception of location (section j), pertaining to non-service related U.S. flag lapel pin protocols. ABC News video: Senator Obama addresses the lapel pin issue.

2- The pledge of allegiance issue, or more accurately the national anthem issue; Senator Obama's patriotism again called into question as he is seen to not place his hand over his heart during the 'Star-Spangled Banner'. Time magazine photo Many emails in my inbox portray this photo as being taken during the pledge of allegiance. After tracking down a video of the event I discovered (to the horror of my poor ears) it is in fact taken during a rather ‘original’ rendition of the national anthem.

ABC News video of event

--we can only hope this is an off day for the singer …. Holy Crap…..--

In a quote from ABC News article Senator Obama states:

"I was taught by my grandfather that you put your hand over your heart during the pledge, but during the Star Spangled Banner, you sing!"

Two things immediately jump to mind:

The first is his grandfather was in error. This is somewhat excusable since his grandfather appears to have been a Kenyan in service to the British.
From Early Years
“Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British.”

-CITE-
36 USC Sec. 301 01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
TITLE 36 - PATRIOTIC AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES, CEREMONIES, AND
ORGANIZATIONS
Subtitle I - Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies
Part A - Observances and Ceremonies
CHAPTER 3 - NATIONAL ANTHEM, MOTTO, FLORAL EMBLEM1A\1\ MARCH, AND
TREE

-HEAD-
Sec. 301. National anthem

-STATUTE-
(a) Designation. - The composition consisting of the words and
music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.
(b) Conduct During Playing. - During a rendition of the national
anthem -
(1) when the flag is displayed -
(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at
attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;
(B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with
their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder,
the hand being over the heart; and
(C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at
the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until
the last note; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face
toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the
flag were displayed.

-SOURCE-
http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/36C3.txt
(Pub. L. 105-225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1263.)

The second is none of his co-workers has clued the poor ignorant bastard in to the fact he’s wrong. Maybe they don’t know. They should. They get paid a crapload of money to know this stuff.

ignorance of the law is no excuse

2008-06-07T11:04:00.008-05:00

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum52/11621.html

Found a neat article about open carry. There are several good issues here, not least of which is the list of inaccuracies shown by the corrections posted with it. Read the whole thing, not just the little tidbit I picked out.

“But there are times when the response is more severe. Deveraux has been stopped several times by police, most memorably in December when he was walking around his neighborhood.

An officer pulled up and pointed his gun at Deveraux, warning he would shoot to kill. In the end, eight officers arrived, cuffed Deveraux and took his gun before Deveraux convinced them they had no legal reason to detain him.”

Interesting.

First let’s state prior to this discussion I applaud the police for responding with alacrity and in this case erring on the side of caution and safety. I’m sure they are doing a difficult job as well as they can.

Second the above incident is not the main subject of the article and as such not many details are provided.

That said I’ll go into some other aspects of the incident. The first issue that leaps to my mind is ignorance of the law.

Detained, threatened at gunpoint, surrounded, cuffed, and his property seized by the police for the crime of walking around his neighborhood. All because the police received a complaint by someone (I don’t for an instant believe the police just ‘happened by’ in a residential neighborhood without someone calling them) and didn’t bother to check out the legalities of the local open carry law. We’ll gloss over the fact that at least 8 officers didn’t already know the local open carry law prior to the incident.

I’m pretty sure I could find a few other articles involving law abiding citizens being accosted at gunpoint and forced to surrender their possessions in disregard for the law. I won’t bother, the Google search would have more results than I care to sort through.

Has anyone ever been stopped by a police officer inquiring as to what you’re doing? Of course you have. Has anyone ever been informed by a police officer of a violation of some facet of the local ‘thou shalt not do that in this town?’ Of course you have. Has anyone ever tried to use the ‘I’m sorry officer, I didn’t know there was a law against that’ defense argument? Of course you have. Did it work? Of course not, and it shouldn’t. We as citizens have a responsibility to know the law. (Ok ok, granted, the law has become so horribly complicated no one can ‘know’ it. That’s another topic for another day.) I don’t think using the ‘sorry sir, we didn’t know that was legal’ argument is any better.

Hmm. Cuffing pedestrians who might be breaking the law and THEN looking up the law. Neat-o. I wonder where that sort of trend will take us. Perhaps the police will be stopping everyone and demanding their papers next. LawDog, David & PawPaw all said it better than I can.

Sad, considering all the citizens who gave their lives in WWII to rescue the world from this sort of behavior.

Quite frankly folks, I don't know how I would react if I were confronted with a situation where the gov'mint or one of its reps, through their own ignorance, was demanding the surrender of my sidearm. Here's a related link if anyone is interested in raising the awareness of the local PD to avoid unnecessary confrontation Open Carry Forum. I was planning to look into it a bit deeper but my blood sugar is high and I'm losing focus so that's all you get for now.

'health' care

2008-06-07T00:04:00.006-05:00

From the biography of Jonas Salk M.D.
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/sal0bio-1

“1947, Salk accepted an appointment to the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. While working there, with the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, Salk saw an opportunity to develop a vaccine against polio, and devoted himself to this work for the next eight years.

In 1955 Salk's years of research paid off. Human trials of the polio vaccine effectively protected the subject from the polio virus. When news of the discovery was made public on April 12, 1955, Salk was hailed as a miracle worker. He further endeared himself to the public by refusing to patent the vaccine. He had no desire to profit personally from the discovery, but merely wished to see the vaccine disseminated as widely as possible. “

No desire to profit personally
Take a moment and let that sink in

From Edward Jenner and the Discovery of Vaccination http://www.sc.edu/library/spcoll/nathist/jenner.html

"Edward Jenner (1749-1823), after training in London and a period as an army surgeon, spent his whole career as a country doctor in his native county of Gloucestershire in the West of England. His research was based on careful case-studies and clinical observation more than a hundred years before scientists could explain the viruses themselves."

A country doctor
Take another moment, grab a sandwich, we're just getting started

It took Salk less than 10 years to develop a vaccine for polio …… 10 years.
Jenner lived and worked in the 18th century.

No giant mega corps, no telethons to raise money and these guys found cures; CURES, not treatments, CURES. These guys, and others like them, worked on the side part time in primitive conditions, with limited funding, university backing at most.

Has anyone out there seen a CURE on the market lately? Hell no. all we see is treatment. Anyone think for a minute that the mega medicine corps doing the research today want a cure? There’s not enough money in curing things. No repeat customers to bill. Just treat the symptoms and people have to come back over and over. Keep them alive and kicking but sick enough to be dependent on the drugs.

Prescription Addiction. We’re prisoners of the health care system. We can’t live without our ‘maintenance meds’. We have to keep going back for more drugs.

Here’s the kicker. Each drug they convince us we need has some sort of side effect which,
(wait for it)
REQUIRES MORE MEDS !!

I’m not one for conspiracy theories really. But with all the money and all the technology and all the secrecy, one has to stop to consider the fact that all we see are new illnesses and costly treatment solutions. How long do we put up with it before it becomes ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ for the crime of being sick?

Our elected and soon to be elected officials have various opinions about solutions to the health care system. Frankly my friends, I don’t have a solution. There's so much wrong with it now I don’t know if I can even pick a specific aspect of health care that is broken, wrong or missing and say “this is the thing to fix”. I hear politicians saying 'we need to fix it', 'it needs to change', or 'it’s broken'. All good, all correct, all valid points in my opinion, but what do we DO to fix it? There’s no way to make the drug companies not love profits. There’s no way to make doctors not need patients; that’s where the money comes from to buy white coats, pay nurses and buy tongue depressors, not to mention all that insurance they have to pay for now. It’s simple economics really. Unless someone can put the CARE back in HEALTH CARE we won’t have HEALTH either. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

… wait ….. big business, mega corps, volume sales, return customers, profit margin……..it IS economics.

No wonder there’s no cure to be found. All the healers are dead and gone, replaced by businessmen. No wonder politicians think they know enough about it to fix it. Its business not medicine; do you think for a second if it was medicine a politician who’s never been involved in medicine EVER, AT ALL, could fix it?

I’ve heard people say ‘put the gov’mint in charge of the health care’. .. ugh, I’ve been a patient in the VA system for a while now and well.. um .. gee .. wow.. how should I put this .. ah .. they suck bad. So if that’s an indication of what’s to come then we’re in trouble.

From what I’ve seen our legislative branch can’t agree on diddley unless it involves a raise, more vacation time or the pointing of fingers at the other party. Who in their right mind thinks the gov’mint, as is, can pour piss out of a boot? Put them in charge of health care? Get real. Look at all the other stuff the gov’mint is in charge of and tell me all that stuff doesn’t need fixin’ already.

OK .. granted .. its soooo bad now we could put businessmen in charge of it to make it better, maybe, than it is now. Regulate prices and make it available for more citizens and stuff like that yeah ok. BUT, until we can address the QUALITY of the care it won’t be FIXED. If you want to settle for better than horrible instead of good, great or awesome go ahead. Personally, I think this is the USA and our stuff won't be FIXED until it's the by gods best in the world and then we should make it better.

day one

2008-06-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

I’ve been toying with the idea of a blog for some time now. With all the time I’ve been spending on the computer digging through websites trying to keep a tenuous grip on what’s happening out in the world, and since I believe a well informed public (voters) is essential for effective government here in the USA., I’ve talked myself into kicking off this blog experiment. Hopefully I can contribute something useful.

For many years I tried to keep my ideas and opinions to myself, believing most people to be uninterested (why bother) or at least as (or more) observant, intelligent and educated as I am (they've already reached the same conclusion or had the same observation, so again, why bother). Usually if I voice an idea someone looks at me with utter disbelief and proceeds to tell me I’m crazy.

Today’s random thought:
We the People, in order to accomplish anything, must know something about it.

Today’s reality check:
It seems the media no longer reports just the facts (if they ever did), letting the reader draw conclusions or form opinions. We’re now being spoon-fed opinions by the media and expected to swallow them whole. Since I don’t trust big business (the media) to be completely impartial I’ve got to sift through a lot of information to find the cold hard facts.

Today’s rant:
Research takes time and effort but it’s got to be done. As a US citizen I have the right to vote and I have the right to be heard. Everyone knows and talks about our rights. We seem to overlook the fact that we have RESPONSIBILITIES as well. We have the responsibility to make informed choices on our ballot. We have the responsibility to be heard. We have the responsibility to monitor our elected officials and we have the responsibility to fix things that are broken.

Anyway... on this little search for truth, justice, etc. I ran across a few blogs that have been helpful along the way (links to some on the sidebar). Often when browsing these sites I find myself reading things I’ve previously only heard in my own head (sounds a lot better when they write it than when I think it though). I see people voicing ideas and opinions and inviting others to do so in an open forum environment while conducting themselves with class, honor and dignity (a standard I hope to achieve one day).