Friday, December 26, 2008
Entertainment at Gunpoint
If you're wondering why the "singer" on the right is constantly looking off to the side it's because they're holding her parents at gunpoint until she finishes the song.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wrapping up the Experiment
I took the last dose Friday. I can't say that I'll miss the icky drink but when added to ice-cold water it wasn't all that bad. Not good by any stretch of the imagination but not bad.
It could be the sickness floating around my family but 11:00 came and I was drooping, only to have a restless kind of sleep. ARG! I'm guessing that the energy boost I had this past week was more from the herbs I was swallowing than from any kind of lack of toxins in my system.
As for the sizable packages the first ingredient in Step #3 is Epsom salts, a well known gentle laxative.
Would I do it again? Maybe in a few years after I have time to accumulate sufficient toxins. Until then I can only cross my fingers and hope that I'll get a big bag of chia seeds for Christmas from the local health store. YUM!
It could be the sickness floating around my family but 11:00 came and I was drooping, only to have a restless kind of sleep. ARG! I'm guessing that the energy boost I had this past week was more from the herbs I was swallowing than from any kind of lack of toxins in my system.
As for the sizable packages the first ingredient in Step #3 is Epsom salts, a well known gentle laxative.
Would I do it again? Maybe in a few years after I have time to accumulate sufficient toxins. Until then I can only cross my fingers and hope that I'll get a big bag of chia seeds for Christmas from the local health store. YUM!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Hitting Home
We take a break from colon-related posts for something completely different. A Christmas post.
Years ago I bought the CD "City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time." Normally I don't wade through Contemporary Christian music stuff but this album is a project by Derri Dougherty and Steve Hindalong, the two guys behind The Choir, one of the most respected and innovative Christian alternative bands out there. Good stuff (lotta meat and astounding music) in them there Choir albums.
In 1991 these two got together and pulled together some of Christian music's luminaries and some of their less-successful but artistically inclined friends and made "At The Foot Of the Cross : Clouds, Rain, Fire", a worship album that contemplates the sacrifice of Christ. Yes, a "worship" album. But as I would have hoped from these creative trailblazers this is not a "raise your hands and let the emotions flow" kind of pablum. It's a bit dark, the lyrics are poetic and problematic in that they don't give you easy answers and above all it is very liturgical right down to Latin being worked into the music bridges. The song "When the Sun Fades" had a crazy, weird sound that made me sit up and take notice not only of the instrument known as the bass guitar but also the immense talents of Tim Chandler, the more-often-than-not bassist for The Choir and a demented genius in the minds of many. Both albums are available for download here and proceeds help the band members buy guitar picks. You can't just pick out one or two songs, the album needs to be swallowed whole and as such the album didn't do too well, much like their Choir albums.
They followed up with a second album (The Seven Last Words of Christ) that did even less well and have yet to complete part three but insist that they will one day "get Christ out of the tomb." They also started their "City on a Hill" series which was similar in focus and, for me, had similar mediocre results as the second "Foot" album: One or two very good songs and the rest just meh.
For some reason I bought their "City on a Hill" Christmas album a few years back, probably out of some feeling of wanting to financially support these artists. I listened to it once or twice and enjoyed the many original Christmas songs but it was all pretty "meh", even the song by Terry Taylor, one of my favorite songwriters.
This year I picked up the CD to give me something to listen to while wrapping presents and it just started to click. Not all of it but a lot of it. The one that really cinched things is "Child of Love", written by Steve Hindalong and two guys who are probably in some (then) trendy Contemporary Christian band, Matthew West and Mark Lee. It's sung by Sara Groves who is an artist who has dared to achieve some level of popularity while retaining her faith and artistic integrity. Here's the song:
The song might have affected me the way it does because we have a six month old. I can't imagine being Mary and holding this little baby and knowing that He was "made for all mankind / But you will always be mine." My wife and I kid (well, I kid but I think she's serious) and hold Tessa close and say "MY baby!" Here is Mary, holding HER baby and loving him only the way a mother can love her baby but knowing that while for that night he may be resting in her arms "someday You will save the world." Did she know, holding that cute little baby in her arms, the horrors He would endure for our sake on the cross? When Jesus was on the cross did Mary look up and remember him as HER baby in her arms?
Forget "Breath of Heaven"... this is the meaning of Christmas.
Years ago I bought the CD "City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time." Normally I don't wade through Contemporary Christian music stuff but this album is a project by Derri Dougherty and Steve Hindalong, the two guys behind The Choir, one of the most respected and innovative Christian alternative bands out there. Good stuff (lotta meat and astounding music) in them there Choir albums.
In 1991 these two got together and pulled together some of Christian music's luminaries and some of their less-successful but artistically inclined friends and made "At The Foot Of the Cross : Clouds, Rain, Fire", a worship album that contemplates the sacrifice of Christ. Yes, a "worship" album. But as I would have hoped from these creative trailblazers this is not a "raise your hands and let the emotions flow" kind of pablum. It's a bit dark, the lyrics are poetic and problematic in that they don't give you easy answers and above all it is very liturgical right down to Latin being worked into the music bridges. The song "When the Sun Fades" had a crazy, weird sound that made me sit up and take notice not only of the instrument known as the bass guitar but also the immense talents of Tim Chandler, the more-often-than-not bassist for The Choir and a demented genius in the minds of many. Both albums are available for download here and proceeds help the band members buy guitar picks. You can't just pick out one or two songs, the album needs to be swallowed whole and as such the album didn't do too well, much like their Choir albums.
They followed up with a second album (The Seven Last Words of Christ) that did even less well and have yet to complete part three but insist that they will one day "get Christ out of the tomb." They also started their "City on a Hill" series which was similar in focus and, for me, had similar mediocre results as the second "Foot" album: One or two very good songs and the rest just meh.
For some reason I bought their "City on a Hill" Christmas album a few years back, probably out of some feeling of wanting to financially support these artists. I listened to it once or twice and enjoyed the many original Christmas songs but it was all pretty "meh", even the song by Terry Taylor, one of my favorite songwriters.
This year I picked up the CD to give me something to listen to while wrapping presents and it just started to click. Not all of it but a lot of it. The one that really cinched things is "Child of Love", written by Steve Hindalong and two guys who are probably in some (then) trendy Contemporary Christian band, Matthew West and Mark Lee. It's sung by Sara Groves who is an artist who has dared to achieve some level of popularity while retaining her faith and artistic integrity. Here's the song:
The song might have affected me the way it does because we have a six month old. I can't imagine being Mary and holding this little baby and knowing that He was "made for all mankind / But you will always be mine." My wife and I kid (well, I kid but I think she's serious) and hold Tessa close and say "MY baby!" Here is Mary, holding HER baby and loving him only the way a mother can love her baby but knowing that while for that night he may be resting in her arms "someday You will save the world." Did she know, holding that cute little baby in her arms, the horrors He would endure for our sake on the cross? When Jesus was on the cross did Mary look up and remember him as HER baby in her arms?
Forget "Breath of Heaven"... this is the meaning of Christmas.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Yet Another Experiment Update
Only two more doses to go!
It was another big day at the office, if you know what I mean and I think you do.
The other effect has been one that I only recently noticed and can only attribute it to the herbal cleansing. Normally at night I start to really drag around eleven. If I'm up and doing something then all is well but as soon as my body goes horizontal it's game over. For the last week, however, I've not been tired at eleven. Or 11:30. Or even midnight. I've had to force myself to go to sleep and even then it's kind of like holding a cork underwater. I wake up with ease at my usual time and even though I have less sleep I'm not tired during the day. Again, this is unexpected and a cause/effect that I've only recently put together so I doubt it's psychosomatic. I wonder if it will continue after I stop taking the pills as the "toxins" build up in me.
Also my darling wife has informed me that my breath smells like catnip. I don't see a problem in this.
Oh, one other thing... I can now see through formica. Wood, steel, plaster... all opaque but formica is as clear as glass. I can't wait until I start to see dead people.
It was another big day at the office, if you know what I mean and I think you do.
The other effect has been one that I only recently noticed and can only attribute it to the herbal cleansing. Normally at night I start to really drag around eleven. If I'm up and doing something then all is well but as soon as my body goes horizontal it's game over. For the last week, however, I've not been tired at eleven. Or 11:30. Or even midnight. I've had to force myself to go to sleep and even then it's kind of like holding a cork underwater. I wake up with ease at my usual time and even though I have less sleep I'm not tired during the day. Again, this is unexpected and a cause/effect that I've only recently put together so I doubt it's psychosomatic. I wonder if it will continue after I stop taking the pills as the "toxins" build up in me.
Also my darling wife has informed me that my breath smells like catnip. I don't see a problem in this.
Oh, one other thing... I can now see through formica. Wood, steel, plaster... all opaque but formica is as clear as glass. I can't wait until I start to see dead people.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Experiment and other stuff
Six days down, four to go. I'm finding that counting down helps, like in that book "How To Eat Fried Worms." I almost forgot to take my "Cleanse" dose last night and like in the book I woke up the neighbors at five to midnight and made them watch me take it. It was another big day this morning at the ol' outbox. Otherwise I've grown accustom to filling my belly with chia seeds, sparking a revoltingly humorous dream by my wife. The only changes I've noticed is (perhaps) a slight decrease in appetite (probably from drinking step 2) and I've been having a more difficult time falling asleep at night. But then again it could just be because I'm all excited about Christmas!
In the meantime, enjoy this song!
In the meantime, enjoy this song!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Non-Colon News
A poll that occurred in the spring is just seeing the light of day. It's interesting that talk radio listeners are among the most informed, compared to, say, Leno viewers or New Yorker readers.
Percent that could name that Democrats controlled the House of Representatives:
1 - Hannity & Colmes: 84 percent
2 - Rush Limbaugh: 83 percent
3 - NPR: 73 percent
4 - Colbert Report: 73 percent
5 - The New Yorker/Atlantic: 71 percent (correctly identified Democrats as the majority in the House)
6 - O’Reilly Factor: 70 percent
7 - NewsHour: 66 percent
8 - Daily Show: 65 percent
9 - C-SPAN: 63 percent
10 - CNN: 59 percent
11 - Letterman/Leno: 51 percent
12 - National Enquirer: 44 percent
Percent that could name Condoleezza Rice as the U.S. Secretary of State
1 Hannity & Colmes: 73 percent
2 NPR: 72 percent
3 Rush Limbaugh: 71 percent
4 The New Yorker/Atlantic: 71 percent
5 Colbert Report: 65 percent
6 O’Reilly Factor: 60 percent
8 C-SPAN: 59 percent
9 NewsHour: 52 percent
10 Daily Show: 48 percent
11 Letterman/Leno: 42 percent
12 CNN: 48 percent
13 National Enquirer: 32 percent
Percent that could name Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister of Great Britain
1 The New Yorker/Atlantic: 59 percent
2 NPR: 57percent
3 Hannity & Colmes: 49 percent
4 Colbert Report:49 percent
5 NewsHour: 47 percent
6 Rush Limbaugh: 41 percent
7 O’Reilly Factor: 41 percent
8 Daily Show: 36 percent
9 C-SPAN: 35 percent
11 Letterman/Leno: 31 percent
12 CNN: 29 percent
13 National Enquirer: 22 percent
Full(er) story here
Percent that could name that Democrats controlled the House of Representatives:
1 - Hannity & Colmes: 84 percent
2 - Rush Limbaugh: 83 percent
3 - NPR: 73 percent
4 - Colbert Report: 73 percent
5 - The New Yorker/Atlantic: 71 percent (correctly identified Democrats as the majority in the House)
6 - O’Reilly Factor: 70 percent
7 - NewsHour: 66 percent
8 - Daily Show: 65 percent
9 - C-SPAN: 63 percent
10 - CNN: 59 percent
11 - Letterman/Leno: 51 percent
12 - National Enquirer: 44 percent
Percent that could name Condoleezza Rice as the U.S. Secretary of State
1 Hannity & Colmes: 73 percent
2 NPR: 72 percent
3 Rush Limbaugh: 71 percent
4 The New Yorker/Atlantic: 71 percent
5 Colbert Report: 65 percent
6 O’Reilly Factor: 60 percent
8 C-SPAN: 59 percent
9 NewsHour: 52 percent
10 Daily Show: 48 percent
11 Letterman/Leno: 42 percent
12 CNN: 48 percent
13 National Enquirer: 32 percent
Percent that could name Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister of Great Britain
1 The New Yorker/Atlantic: 59 percent
2 NPR: 57percent
3 Hannity & Colmes: 49 percent
4 Colbert Report:49 percent
5 NewsHour: 47 percent
6 Rush Limbaugh: 41 percent
7 O’Reilly Factor: 41 percent
8 Daily Show: 36 percent
9 C-SPAN: 35 percent
11 Letterman/Leno: 31 percent
12 CNN: 29 percent
13 National Enquirer: 22 percent
Full(er) story here
A Grand Experiment -Update
It's gotten easier to drink the herbal swill that is step 2. I've noticed that after I choke it down (it works best if you chug it in three giant gulps, though the last gulp is always very textured) I feel a bit bloaty and gurgly so either the stuff is working or it's just my second stomach working on the cud.
Also not sure what I was expecting... a giant leap in energy? The ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound? The ability to not get upset when my kids all go hyper-freako-wild because it's ALMOST CHRISTMAS? Unfortunately none of these things happened. I did have, um, a lot of work in my outbox Saturday morning but nothing unusual since. Except the antlers. I don't normally grow them until AFTER Christmas.
Also not sure what I was expecting... a giant leap in energy? The ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound? The ability to not get upset when my kids all go hyper-freako-wild because it's ALMOST CHRISTMAS? Unfortunately none of these things happened. I did have, um, a lot of work in my outbox Saturday morning but nothing unusual since. Except the antlers. I don't normally grow them until AFTER Christmas.
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Grand Experiment - Day 1
I've been wanting to try one of those colon cleansing products for years. Yeah, I know it's probably a bunch of quackery and I've even read some interesting documentation to that end but still the lure remains. Last year I saw that Wal-Mart actually sells one such cleansing product but my intelligent wife pointed out that they probably have this one based on it's low price, not it's effectiveness.
And so it was last week that we found ourselves in the natural food co-op (we just happened to find ourselves hiding next to a bin of organic fair trade steel cut oats). I think we were drunk on Alfalfa juice and stumbled in there or were lured in by hippies with a promise of a free tofurkey or maybe it was because of the food allergies that run rampant through my household.
In any case it wasn't long before I was standing in front of the dozen or so brands of cleansers. I immediately decided against the Heavy Metal Detox because, frankly, I still like the stuff provided it's done with some artistic integrity and has a strong melody. Picking up box after box (and yes, there is such a product named Colon Blow and it's not the cereal on that old Saturday Night Live commercial) I chose one called Perfect Cleanse. I have no reason why I picked that one as they were all priced about the same and all promised similar results. Maybe it was the two "doctors" on the box that look like they are greasy hucksters with egos giant enough to stamp their mugs on their product.
The regimen is that you take three "Purify" pills thirty minutes before dinner with an 8 oz glass of water. Done. The ingredients in these pills read like a potion from Harry Potter: Milk thistle seed extract, cilantro (aye ca rumba!), Yarrow flower extract, broccoli extract, and dandelion root extract, just to name a few. The box doesn't say but I'm pretty certain I just fulfilled my daily FDA vegetable requirements.
Thirty minutes after dinner is the "Capture" step. This involves mixing some powder (scoop included... thank you greasy hucksters for not making me scrounge around for a scoop) with 8 oz of water and then drinking it. Easier said than done. While not as bad as cognac (which tastes like it was fermented inside a colon) this stuff could easily have been ground up yard clippings. Flax seed, pea hull fiber, alfalfa whole leaf and CHIA SEED! Yes, CHA CHA CHA CHIA! I managed to get this down by repeating the mantra "It's for your health, only nine more to go, it's for your health..."
Before bed is the "Remove" step where you remove your colon and run it under lukewarm water for five minutes. Or you take three more pills, this time with Fenugreek seed extract, Bishop's weed, Fennel seed, Ginger root and other tasty tidbits. No fasting. No instructions to change your normal diet. No warnings to stay away from open flames. Nine more days of this and I should be as clean as a whistle, ready to pack myself full of Christmas cookies, blood pudding, Christmas goose, and Tiny Tim's hat.
Twelve hours later and all systems are normal. Except that I his this herby "Capture-step" smell in my nose. I certainly hope it's just in my nose and that I'm not stinking like a steaming compost pile on a hot August day. I think I'll go ask Brent Augustus to smell me.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Awwww... that's, er, what?
My family received our first Christmas card! Well, actually it was just to me and it was from a record company the supplies a lot of the music that I review, SPV USA. They have a lot of different branches and their progressive-rock division frequently sends me unsolicited CDs. How nice of them!
Opening the envelope I see that it's a politically correct "Happy Holidays" card. Well, that's to be expected. It's a nice picture of a SPV USA Christmas ornament. Opening it up there are three boxes with artwork for new/recent albums by Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Symphony X, and Iced Earth. Plus it's illegibly signed by their staff!
Turning the card over I see a complete listing of their artist roster and a list up albums coming in 2009. I tell ya, I've never received a Christmas card, er, holiday card, bearing names such as Sepultura and Nashville em, kitty.
I can hardly wait to get a card from Metal Blade complete with Cannibal Corpse artwork!
Opening the envelope I see that it's a politically correct "Happy Holidays" card. Well, that's to be expected. It's a nice picture of a SPV USA Christmas ornament. Opening it up there are three boxes with artwork for new/recent albums by Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Symphony X, and Iced Earth. Plus it's illegibly signed by their staff!
Turning the card over I see a complete listing of their artist roster and a list up albums coming in 2009. I tell ya, I've never received a Christmas card, er, holiday card, bearing names such as Sepultura and Nashville em, kitty.
I can hardly wait to get a card from Metal Blade complete with Cannibal Corpse artwork!
Monday, December 8, 2008
I am unable to think
Thus... videos! The Sufjan Stevens Christmas albums are some of the best Christmas music I've heard in ages. The original songs are fun and capture the hope and feeling of Christmastime as a child. His versions of classic songs are unique but very reverent. Good stuff!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Um... Ice Cream
I have nothing to say but that last video is blocking my links... durned big video and incompatability with Firefox!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Nanny State Strikes Again
I was just at the friendly neighborhood Walmart and figured that I had better start stocking up on those evil incandescent light bulbs. Earlier in the year I had hope that common sense might prevail and that the idiots in congress would reverse or delay their schemes to make everyone use flourescent bulbs by the year 2011. You know, those bulbs that contain mercury but that's not an issue just as long that 2011-restriction-bill gets passed, just as long as you consider a broken bulb hazardous and clear the building. You know, those bulbs that are getting cheaper but will suddenly have a disposal tax attached by the Obama administration to ensure proper disposal of all that hazardous mercury. At the very least I figure the gracious members of congress will allow us to purchase incandescent light bulbs as long as we pay some kind of carbon tax to offset all the damage we are surely doing to the environment. At least I hope so because at the moment there isn't anyone making those little 40W decorative bulbs that we use in the hallway or the dining room or the girls bedroom.
However 40W is no longer 40W. When I went to stock up on some 97cent boxes of incandescent bulbs I found that good ol' Walmart was making sure I was doing the right thing. So was GE. 40W bulbs, which are already pretty dim, are now 34W. 60W bulbs are 52W. 75W bulbs are 67W and 100W bulbs are 90W. The 50-100-150 are still (for the time being, 50-100-150).
I thought the point of using a light bulb was to (steady now) have light. If I wanted to have less than a 60W brightness I'd go and use a 40W. Now if I want 60W I have to (gasp) "waste" more electricity and use a 67W bulb. Which is exactly what I'm doing.
It's called the Law of Unintended Consequences and it affects just about everything government does. They intend to force us use less electricity but the end result will be us (or at least me) using MORE! I'd give more examples but right now I've got to go flip on every light in the house. Heck, I might even rip off the end of an extension chord and plug one end into the wall and leave the other on the ground so those electrons can just spill freely all over the place. After all, it's America and it's supposed to be my choice of what I do with the money that I have earned.
However 40W is no longer 40W. When I went to stock up on some 97cent boxes of incandescent bulbs I found that good ol' Walmart was making sure I was doing the right thing. So was GE. 40W bulbs, which are already pretty dim, are now 34W. 60W bulbs are 52W. 75W bulbs are 67W and 100W bulbs are 90W. The 50-100-150 are still (for the time being, 50-100-150).
I thought the point of using a light bulb was to (steady now) have light. If I wanted to have less than a 60W brightness I'd go and use a 40W. Now if I want 60W I have to (gasp) "waste" more electricity and use a 67W bulb. Which is exactly what I'm doing.
It's called the Law of Unintended Consequences and it affects just about everything government does. They intend to force us use less electricity but the end result will be us (or at least me) using MORE! I'd give more examples but right now I've got to go flip on every light in the house. Heck, I might even rip off the end of an extension chord and plug one end into the wall and leave the other on the ground so those electrons can just spill freely all over the place. After all, it's America and it's supposed to be my choice of what I do with the money that I have earned.
For a bit of added levity, here's a scan of some toilet paper I picked up at the same place. Yep, I'm just FLUSHING money down the drain. Be sure to tip your waitress!
The look on her face says "THIS BABY JUST SCREAMED FOR FOUR STRAIGHT HOURS. GO AHEAD... MAKE MY DAY."
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Everybody Loves Mail
One of the great things about writing CD reviews is being sent music from record companies, music that I would have never known about. Most of the time it's stuff that doesn't strike any inner chords but every now and then one resonates big time. Frost* is one such band.
Their first album, Milliontown, was a glorious mix of progressive rock. Yeah... that prog rock stuff. Except this isn't the self-indulgant stuff of today or the mellotron-drenched stuff of the 70s. Frost* is the creation of Jem Godfrey, some big time British pop producer who's done work with Atomic Kitten and various Walt Disney projects. Because of this pop music background he is able to make songs with instant appeal, songs that hook you on the very first listen, songs that nearly sound normal. However he's also able to add an amazing amount of depth to his music, making those "nearly normal" songs slowly reveal their nuances with each listen. In a nutshell it's the kind of music I love: well-written glossy rock/pop with enough intelligent progressive to keep you interested but not so many that you feel like you're doing calculus with each listen.
So Milliontown was a couple of years ago and there was nothing else I could find out on this band. A search for the band name brings up a Swedish dance-music duo or some other such rot. I figured Milliontown was just an amazing one-off project, never to be repeated (Toy Matinee, anyone?). Yesterday I opened a package and received a jolt of electricity through my brain... a new and completely unexpected album by Frost*!
It's currently spinning now for the first time and those immediate-gratification hooks are digging deep. It's like a surprise mini-birthday party for my brain!
Hear some samples here and surely you'll think I'm a dolt. But a happy dolt!
Also enclosed in the package was a massive 3-CD + 1 DVD retrospective set from Ayreon. I wished I liked this guy's music but despite trying to get into his past three albums I get nothin'. I mightily enjoyed his Stream of Passion project but his regular stuff... meh. What am I missing?
Fox Guarding the Chickens
Rent-controls began in New York City as a temporary emergency response to the Second World War.
Agriculture subsidies likewise were intended to be a temporary fix.
Back when it was newly built the parking fee at War Memorial Colesium (of twenty-five cents) was only going to last until it paid for the cost of paving the lot.
And how about that temporary 1% restaurant tax ten or so years ago that was going to go away just as soon as it paid for the convention center expansion of the Colesium (not the roof raising)?
When some politician says a tax or program is going to be temporary the only thing you can be certain of is that they are lying. Once they get that money coming in it takes a major effort to detox their system.
Agriculture subsidies likewise were intended to be a temporary fix.
Back when it was newly built the parking fee at War Memorial Colesium (of twenty-five cents) was only going to last until it paid for the cost of paving the lot.
And how about that temporary 1% restaurant tax ten or so years ago that was going to go away just as soon as it paid for the convention center expansion of the Colesium (not the roof raising)?
When some politician says a tax or program is going to be temporary the only thing you can be certain of is that they are lying. Once they get that money coming in it takes a major effort to detox their system.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Nothing New Under The Sun
From Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg, a difficult but eye-opening and rewarding read:
"Jacob Maged, a forty-nine year old immigrant dry cleaner was jailed for three months for charging thirty-five cents to press a suit when the government insisted that all loyal Americans charged at least forty cents. Because one of the central goals of the early New Deal was to create artificial scarcity in order to drive prices up, the Agriculture Adjustment Administration ordered that six million pigs be slaughtered. Bountiful crops were left to rot. Many white farmers were paid not to work their land (which meant that many black tenant farmers went hungry). All of these policies were enforced by a militarized government.
"Meanwhile, under [General Hugh] Johnson's watchful eye, policement would break down doors with axes to make sure tailors weren't working at night and - literally - yank newsboys from the street because they didn't work for big corporations."
Sounds like eeeevil Republicans, right? Nope, it happened in the mid 1930's under FDR's New Deal, an administration that was much admired by Hitler.
A little bit later this same administration put over 100,000 Americans into concentration camps just because they were Japanese. Nice fellas.
"Jacob Maged, a forty-nine year old immigrant dry cleaner was jailed for three months for charging thirty-five cents to press a suit when the government insisted that all loyal Americans charged at least forty cents. Because one of the central goals of the early New Deal was to create artificial scarcity in order to drive prices up, the Agriculture Adjustment Administration ordered that six million pigs be slaughtered. Bountiful crops were left to rot. Many white farmers were paid not to work their land (which meant that many black tenant farmers went hungry). All of these policies were enforced by a militarized government.
"Meanwhile, under [General Hugh] Johnson's watchful eye, policement would break down doors with axes to make sure tailors weren't working at night and - literally - yank newsboys from the street because they didn't work for big corporations."
Sounds like eeeevil Republicans, right? Nope, it happened in the mid 1930's under FDR's New Deal, an administration that was much admired by Hitler.
A little bit later this same administration put over 100,000 Americans into concentration camps just because they were Japanese. Nice fellas.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Shadow of Things to Come
Obama invented a new office, "The Office of the President Elect", but apparently he's not even officially the President Elect until the electoral college votes are cast in early December.
Even more disturbing is how he vandalized the official Presidential seal.
To quote:
Even more disturbing is how he vandalized the official Presidential seal.
To quote:
The seal did include the American bald eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, but the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” was changed to “Vero Possumus,” a rough translation of the Obama campaign slogan, “Yes we can.”
Obama’s seal also removed the shield over the eagle’s breast, representing the president’s oath to defend the Constitution, and replaced it with the letter “O,” presumably for Obama, and the image of the rising sun.
Why defend something as paltry as the little ol' Constitution when we have the Great and Mighty Obama to look out for us?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
NOVA Tomfoolery
There's an episode of NOVA on right now where they have found a miniature adult skull (and fragments of twelve more miniature skeletons) in Indonesia (the country of Obama's citizenship) at a level estimated to be 700,000 years old (based on circular reasoning).
The average person would say, huh, a three foot tall adult. Bertha, that there is a midget!
But these scientists are saying "HOLD THE PRESSES! We've gots us a new human species and need to rethink all of evolution!"
Scientists... gotta love 'em!
The average person would say, huh, a three foot tall adult. Bertha, that there is a midget!
But these scientists are saying "HOLD THE PRESSES! We've gots us a new human species and need to rethink all of evolution!"
Scientists... gotta love 'em!
Shafted
Many wondered if Mrs. Clinton campaigned so hard for Obama because of some kind of deal for him to repay her $13 MILLION debt she incurred while running against him. After all, he gets that kind of money in an hour from Winnie the Pooh.
But so far she has been disappointed because Obama has left her hangin' in the wind.
First his half-brother, then his aunt, then Mrs. Clinton... and soon the American people (even the lady who expect him to put gas in their car).
But so far she has been disappointed because Obama has left her hangin' in the wind.
First his half-brother, then his aunt, then Mrs. Clinton... and soon the American people (even the lady who expect him to put gas in their car).
Friday, November 7, 2008
Mindless Distraction
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. | |
| The Inland North | |
| Philadelphia | |
| The South | |
| The Northeast | |
| The West | |
| Boston | |
| North Central | |
| What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Now I'll Vacillate Over To Being Positive
In the wake of the recent election one has to wonder, has America gone completely left-wacko socialist?
No.
Consider that Obama went against his first campaign promise to limit financing to $84 million. It took $650 million (plus all the free positive media attention including over 50 magazine covers including six times on Time) to get him 62,000,000 votes and it only took McCain the limited $84 million to get his 62,000,000 votes in spite of constant negative media. Is anyone asking how much Michelle Obama's outfit cost last night? Also of note is how very early on McCain started pulling his punches, hamstringing his election team by placing such glaring issues as Obamas close ties with Rev. Wright in the "forbidden" zone. It's not playing dirty politics if you are telling the truth.
To get these votes Obama also had to publicly repudiate all of his past (ultra liberal) positions on guns, abortion, illegal immigration, school vouchers, past associations. He had to move to the center to get these votes. The same can be said for many of the Democrat Senators and Congresspeoples who received the vote. On a side note, no one will ever know just how many of these 62,000,000 votes came from ACORN-induced voters. Take those out of the equation and it's possible that McCain won the popular vote.
Finally McCain isn't exactly someone voters got excited about. One poll stated that adding the very conservative Palin increased his numbers by 13%. I know at my house we were very humdrum about McCain until he added Palin to the ticket.
Add all these up, plus the overwhelming support for traditional marriage, and it's actually fairly encouraging.
I've been reading a bit of the book Liberal Fascism, not exactly breezy reading, but in a chapter on Woodrow Wilson and his ideas were just as socialistic as Obamas. For instance it was a crime during WWI to criticize the government EVEN IN YOUR OWN HOME. Publications were shut down if they even hinted that the government was making a mistake and woah to the man who refused to buy enough Liberty Bonds.
But even with all those oppressive rules they could not change the hearts of the people, the hearts that voted in droves (popular vote, not electoral college) for McCain despite such towering odds. Even when the oppression begins and taxes go up for everyone (sure, income taxes may stay the same or even drop a bit but there will be Carbon taxes to crank up the prices of electricity and gas) and those who stand against el presidente get investigated (not uncommon during the Clinton years as well) the truth will remain in the hearts of America and that truth will eventually make things right again.
* Thanks to Glenn Beck for providing much of the meat of this post.
No.
Consider that Obama went against his first campaign promise to limit financing to $84 million. It took $650 million (plus all the free positive media attention including over 50 magazine covers including six times on Time) to get him 62,000,000 votes and it only took McCain the limited $84 million to get his 62,000,000 votes in spite of constant negative media. Is anyone asking how much Michelle Obama's outfit cost last night? Also of note is how very early on McCain started pulling his punches, hamstringing his election team by placing such glaring issues as Obamas close ties with Rev. Wright in the "forbidden" zone. It's not playing dirty politics if you are telling the truth.
To get these votes Obama also had to publicly repudiate all of his past (ultra liberal) positions on guns, abortion, illegal immigration, school vouchers, past associations. He had to move to the center to get these votes. The same can be said for many of the Democrat Senators and Congresspeoples who received the vote. On a side note, no one will ever know just how many of these 62,000,000 votes came from ACORN-induced voters. Take those out of the equation and it's possible that McCain won the popular vote.
Finally McCain isn't exactly someone voters got excited about. One poll stated that adding the very conservative Palin increased his numbers by 13%. I know at my house we were very humdrum about McCain until he added Palin to the ticket.
Add all these up, plus the overwhelming support for traditional marriage, and it's actually fairly encouraging.
I've been reading a bit of the book Liberal Fascism, not exactly breezy reading, but in a chapter on Woodrow Wilson and his ideas were just as socialistic as Obamas. For instance it was a crime during WWI to criticize the government EVEN IN YOUR OWN HOME. Publications were shut down if they even hinted that the government was making a mistake and woah to the man who refused to buy enough Liberty Bonds.
But even with all those oppressive rules they could not change the hearts of the people, the hearts that voted in droves (popular vote, not electoral college) for McCain despite such towering odds. Even when the oppression begins and taxes go up for everyone (sure, income taxes may stay the same or even drop a bit but there will be Carbon taxes to crank up the prices of electricity and gas) and those who stand against el presidente get investigated (not uncommon during the Clinton years as well) the truth will remain in the hearts of America and that truth will eventually make things right again.
* Thanks to Glenn Beck for providing much of the meat of this post.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Bend Over!
Less than 24 hours after the election Obama is already saying, "Well, maybe I can't deliver on everything I promised."
From here I learned that Obama sez that we can expect the following glorious future!
Remember this?
You've been hoodwinked, lady!
The good news is that all that doom and gloom reporting on the economy is suddenly all roses now that a Democrat has been elected.
From here I learned that Obama sez that we can expect the following glorious future!
- The deficit will be more than $1 trillion a year for several years
- The country needs a massive new fiscal stimulus
- The housing market will continue to decline through at least 2010
- Interest rates and taxes will eventually have to rise (after the economy stabilizes)
- Weak corporations have to be allowed to fail [we agree!]
- Millions of homeowners will lose their house
- Unemployment will probably rise to 10%
- The government simply cannot "bail the country out" -- not because it lacks the will, but because it lacks the power
Remember this?
You've been hoodwinked, lady!
The good news is that all that doom and gloom reporting on the economy is suddenly all roses now that a Democrat has been elected.
Call It What You Will
For quite a few years I use my lunch on Wednesdays to read a chapter of a Biblical commentary (the other days of the week I use my lunch to gamble and force bums to fight but that's another post). I'm not bragging (if I read a chapter every day then maybe), just setting the basis for this tale.
I am about halfway through a giant study on the book of John by James Montgomery Boice. Giant in that it spans five books and weighs in at close to 2000 pages and about 300 chapters. Being in the middle this is obviously an undertaking undertook many years ago.
So today I opened up yonder book to chapter 135, John 11:4:
When he heard this Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
In the very first paragraph he mentions mankind's desire to know the future and that only God knows the future, specifically mentioning elections results as one of the things humans want to know.
The author then goes on to state that there are at least three reasons God lets us know that he knows the future: to let us know that His is God, to warn the ungodly of future judgement and to encourage his church.
I find it highly unlikely that it's coincidence that this encouraging chapter should be the one I read the day after this frightful election. In order for this to happen He would have had to orchestrate things years ago so that this chapter would fall on this particular day, just so I could have a morale boost. And if He's willing to go to such lengths just for a pick-me-up imagine what He'll do to watch over His children, even if they are under a tyrannical king.
I am about halfway through a giant study on the book of John by James Montgomery Boice. Giant in that it spans five books and weighs in at close to 2000 pages and about 300 chapters. Being in the middle this is obviously an undertaking undertook many years ago.
So today I opened up yonder book to chapter 135, John 11:4:
When he heard this Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
In the very first paragraph he mentions mankind's desire to know the future and that only God knows the future, specifically mentioning elections results as one of the things humans want to know.
The author then goes on to state that there are at least three reasons God lets us know that he knows the future: to let us know that His is God, to warn the ungodly of future judgement and to encourage his church.
I find it highly unlikely that it's coincidence that this encouraging chapter should be the one I read the day after this frightful election. In order for this to happen He would have had to orchestrate things years ago so that this chapter would fall on this particular day, just so I could have a morale boost. And if He's willing to go to such lengths just for a pick-me-up imagine what He'll do to watch over His children, even if they are under a tyrannical king.
Election Results
All the judges were retained, even the bad ones and all the code-blue conservative school board members were defeated. So bright spots include Mitch Daniels and Souder... yeah for our district having the most liberal of the Republican congressmen from Indiana! But at least he was in Ben Stein's eXpelled!
Also neither Senate nor House was able to get a supermajority so keep chanting GRIDLOCK GRIDLOCK GRIDLOCK!
This just in... I'm an enemy of the state.
Also neither Senate nor House was able to get a supermajority so keep chanting GRIDLOCK GRIDLOCK GRIDLOCK!
This just in... I'm an enemy of the state.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
I Smell A Racism !
Of course I'm talking about the 53% of those honkies who refuse to vote for a man strictly because of the color of his skin.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Trying to keep things brief
Vote for Obama and all your troubles will be over (24 seconds). You won't have to worry about gas in your car because everyone will be forced to take crappy public transporation.
Bigger and Morer Information on the Indiana Supremes from Big Doofus.
You can find general information on these justices and judges here:
http://www.in.gov/judiciary/retention/
You can find information on what some of the Supreme Court Justices believe about abortion and the Indiana Constitution here:
http://indianalawblog.com/archives/2005/11/ind_courts_supr_7.html
Note Justice Dickson in his concurring opinion on the case Clinic for Women v. Carl Brizzi in 2005:
I would affirm the trial court's dismissal of the complaint, thus reaching the same out-come as the majority opinion, but for different reasons. The majority leaves open the question of whether Article 1, Section 1, of the Indiana Constitution should be interpreted to provide protec-tion for a right to abortion. I prefer this Court to address that question and to explicitly declare that the Indiana Constitution does not protect any alleged right to abortion. In addition, because the challenged statutory pre-abortion requirements not only discourage harm to fetal life, but also protect the health of pregnant women, particularly in light of the risks to women from post-abortion psychological harm, I am convinced that these requirements not only are a proper exer-cise of legislative power but also are in direct harmony with and furtherance of core values of Article 1, Section 1, of the Indiana Constitution, which declares the inalienable right of "life" and the institution of government for the "peace, safety, and well-being" of the people.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
OH NO YOU DON'T
I was going to vote early over lunch. Since I work one block away from the city-county building I thought it would be quick and easy. Surely that slowly snaking line is for some rock concert. No? It's for voting? The average wait is two hours? They only have two machines set up? Where are all the thousands of other voting machines just waiting to be delivered for Tuesday? Not here, eh? Could they be brought here, perhaps a row of ten voting machines? Oh. Yes, I know that you're the government and wasting people's time is one of the best things you do but... what? Do I want to get in that line right now so that in three months when Obama is in office and my kids need antibiotics under his new health care system I'll be only one week away from seeing a physician? Um...
I've long had this idea that if you vote in the primaries you should be handed a FAST PASS ticket that allows you to move to the front of the line during November elections. If you vote during off-year elections you also get a danish.
NOTE: I voted today (10/31) and they had ten or twelve voting machines. The earlier report of two was based on a statement by a coworker who had supposedly been over for a look. BTW, you can vote tomorrow and until noon on Monday at the City County building but be sure to bring a book and a Disguise-A-Hammock.
I've long had this idea that if you vote in the primaries you should be handed a FAST PASS ticket that allows you to move to the front of the line during November elections. If you vote during off-year elections you also get a danish.
NOTE: I voted today (10/31) and they had ten or twelve voting machines. The earlier report of two was based on a statement by a coworker who had supposedly been over for a look. BTW, you can vote tomorrow and until noon on Monday at the City County building but be sure to bring a book and a Disguise-A-Hammock.
We Don't Even Get Cake.
You have to pinch yourself – a Marxisant radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it’s considered impolite to say so. Melanie Phillips
Click for larger image
BREAKING NEWS
The public schools my sons attend will be taking a break from shoving unproven environmental dogma down their throats to have two half days for parent teacher conferences. Today all the parents have to wake up their kids and the bus drivers have to dump all those carbon atoms into the atmosphere so that the kids was make the reverse trip three hours later. In the afternoon are a half day of parent teacher conferences. Tomorrow they do the same thing except my elementary school son will be watching a movie for his three hours and there are no conferences for my middle school son.
Leaving alone the hypocrisy of the enviro-stance, the governmental waste is sickening and common sense is tossed to the wolves. Why not have the kids (gasp) go for a full day of school today, a full REGULAR day where they might learn something, and then have all day off tomorrow for a full day of conferences.
In addition to kids having an extra day of book larnin' and not having all those durned pollutants from automobiles working taxpayers, em, working parents have the added bonus of only having disruption to their work schedule and having to find babysitting for one day instead of two.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Moron Judges And Ballots
I mean MORE ON judges.
There isn't much out there but there is a bit. So here's what I've got... judge for yourself (I'm crackin' myself up here!)
School Board
Jon Olinger is certified Code Blue, meaning he was and is against the wasteful proposed $500,000,000 the school board tried to ram down our throats by spending over $400,000 on an outside consultant to teach them how to make this bitter medicine slide easily down the throats of the voters. His main opponment, Becky Hill, is spending $20,000 to get elected to this $2,000 per year job. Olinger is spending $5,000. Construction contacts, anyone?
Evert Mol and Don Schaab - two solid Code Blue school board candidates.
John Pierce - A major code yellow proponent. Vote for this guy and you'd better start warming up your check writing hand.
State Judges/Justices
Randall Shepard, Thomas Fisher, and Brent Dickson where appointed by Republican Governor Robert Orr. Carr Darden and Theodore Boehm were appointed by Democrat Evan Bayh. Darden is a member of the left-leaning NAACP. I could find nothing else on decisions or non-legalesque memberships.
Local Judges
A bit more meat here.
Dan Heath - ruled in favor of the city that they had the right to take private property in order to build, um, other private property that would generate greater income (taxes). In this case it was for the Harrison Square hotel. Nice hotel we've got... Of course like everyone else he's running unopposed so we can't vote him out but at least you can withhold your vote if you wish.
"Druley argued in court the city could not take his land for the benefit of a for-profit hotel, but Allen Superior Judge Dan Heath and the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in the city’s favor. The State Supreme Court decided not to hear the case in early 2001, and Druley decided to sell for an undisclosed price. The property’s assessed value is about $908,000, according to county records." more
Stanley Levine - I found a handful of articles on him ruling that the health dept did not have to disclose which child care center had found e.coli. Meh.
John Surbeck - This guy needs to be thrown out on his occipital lobe.
"A Wisconsin man will serve eight years in prison for molesting a 5-year-old girl and soliciting a 13-year-old girl. In May, Ryan Smigelski, 18, was brought back to Indiana to face charges of child molesting and child solicitation. Allen Superior Court Judge John F. Surbeck gave Smigelski a 10-year sentence for one molestation count, with four years suspended. A separate, two-year sentence on another molestation charge will be served concurrently with the first. Smigelski also received a two-year sentence for child solicitation."
"A man will spend two years in jail on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor. Allen Superior Court Judge John F. Surbeck sentenced Mario A. Borroel to two years on the misconduct charge Monday. A separate charge of criminal deviate conduct was dismissed after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Borroel was arrested after being accused of molesting a 15-year-old boy who reportedly drank himself to sleep at a motel party in August."
Molest a child and get six years. The child gets a lifetime of mental anguish.
Fran Gull - seems pretty on the ball from what little I could find. She gets my vote!
Stephen Sims - another one for the dumpster.
"The 15-year-old boy who molested a 7-year-old girl at Franke Park Day Camp will spend an indeterminate amount of time on probation. In a brief hearing Friday, Allen Superior Judge Stephen Sims said he read the teen’s psychological-sexual report, and he did not believe Jean-Paul Lepley Herber would likely commit the crime again. He also said the teen’s parents scored above average on a test designed to determine their parenting ability." more
On the last page there is a question only a lawyer could craft:
"Should the assessing duties of the elected township assessor in the township be transferred to the county assessor?"
Here I'm torn. Mitch Daniels is in favor of combining these offices, stating that it would reduce cost (at least of those price executive positions) and create greater consistency in assessing. For smaller counties this was done automatically but since we're big in the britches we get to vote.
On the other hand I like nothing more than to see two government agencies duke it out, getting little work done because government is at it's best when it's not doing anything.
But unless I hear more I'll vote for this one. That infighting still costs taxpayer money.
There isn't much out there but there is a bit. So here's what I've got... judge for yourself (I'm crackin' myself up here!)
School Board
Jon Olinger is certified Code Blue, meaning he was and is against the wasteful proposed $500,000,000 the school board tried to ram down our throats by spending over $400,000 on an outside consultant to teach them how to make this bitter medicine slide easily down the throats of the voters. His main opponment, Becky Hill, is spending $20,000 to get elected to this $2,000 per year job. Olinger is spending $5,000. Construction contacts, anyone?
Evert Mol and Don Schaab - two solid Code Blue school board candidates.
John Pierce - A major code yellow proponent. Vote for this guy and you'd better start warming up your check writing hand.
State Judges/Justices
Randall Shepard, Thomas Fisher, and Brent Dickson where appointed by Republican Governor Robert Orr. Carr Darden and Theodore Boehm were appointed by Democrat Evan Bayh. Darden is a member of the left-leaning NAACP. I could find nothing else on decisions or non-legalesque memberships.
Local Judges
A bit more meat here.
Dan Heath - ruled in favor of the city that they had the right to take private property in order to build, um, other private property that would generate greater income (taxes). In this case it was for the Harrison Square hotel. Nice hotel we've got... Of course like everyone else he's running unopposed so we can't vote him out but at least you can withhold your vote if you wish.
"Druley argued in court the city could not take his land for the benefit of a for-profit hotel, but Allen Superior Judge Dan Heath and the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in the city’s favor. The State Supreme Court decided not to hear the case in early 2001, and Druley decided to sell for an undisclosed price. The property’s assessed value is about $908,000, according to county records." more
Stanley Levine - I found a handful of articles on him ruling that the health dept did not have to disclose which child care center had found e.coli. Meh.
John Surbeck - This guy needs to be thrown out on his occipital lobe.
"A Wisconsin man will serve eight years in prison for molesting a 5-year-old girl and soliciting a 13-year-old girl. In May, Ryan Smigelski, 18, was brought back to Indiana to face charges of child molesting and child solicitation. Allen Superior Court Judge John F. Surbeck gave Smigelski a 10-year sentence for one molestation count, with four years suspended. A separate, two-year sentence on another molestation charge will be served concurrently with the first. Smigelski also received a two-year sentence for child solicitation."
"A man will spend two years in jail on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor. Allen Superior Court Judge John F. Surbeck sentenced Mario A. Borroel to two years on the misconduct charge Monday. A separate charge of criminal deviate conduct was dismissed after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Borroel was arrested after being accused of molesting a 15-year-old boy who reportedly drank himself to sleep at a motel party in August."
Molest a child and get six years. The child gets a lifetime of mental anguish.
Fran Gull - seems pretty on the ball from what little I could find. She gets my vote!
Stephen Sims - another one for the dumpster.
"The 15-year-old boy who molested a 7-year-old girl at Franke Park Day Camp will spend an indeterminate amount of time on probation. In a brief hearing Friday, Allen Superior Judge Stephen Sims said he read the teen’s psychological-sexual report, and he did not believe Jean-Paul Lepley Herber would likely commit the crime again. He also said the teen’s parents scored above average on a test designed to determine their parenting ability." more
On the last page there is a question only a lawyer could craft:
"Should the assessing duties of the elected township assessor in the township be transferred to the county assessor?"
Here I'm torn. Mitch Daniels is in favor of combining these offices, stating that it would reduce cost (at least of those price executive positions) and create greater consistency in assessing. For smaller counties this was done automatically but since we're big in the britches we get to vote.
On the other hand I like nothing more than to see two government agencies duke it out, getting little work done because government is at it's best when it's not doing anything.
But unless I hear more I'll vote for this one. That infighting still costs taxpayer money.
Allen County - See Your Ballot Early
If you live in Allen County Indiana you can see your ballot early.
First go here or here to find out your precinct number.
Then click this to find out the ballot style number. Mine is 32! WHOO HOO!
Then find your ballot style here.
Easy as pie!
Hey, if anyone knows if Justice Randall T. Shepard, Justice Theodore Boehm, Justice Brent Dickson, Judge Carr Darden or Judge Thomas Fisher should or should not be retained in office, drop me a line! Also if you have information on if you have info on if the "assessing duties of the elected township assessor in the township be transferred to the county assessor" I'd love to know.
First go here or here to find out your precinct number.
Then click this to find out the ballot style number. Mine is 32! WHOO HOO!
Then find your ballot style here.
Easy as pie!
Hey, if anyone knows if Justice Randall T. Shepard, Justice Theodore Boehm, Justice Brent Dickson, Judge Carr Darden or Judge Thomas Fisher should or should not be retained in office, drop me a line! Also if you have information on if you have info on if the "assessing duties of the elected township assessor in the township be transferred to the county assessor" I'd love to know.
Monday, October 27, 2008
In a few days I may get to slow down
But right now I'm pretty riled. This is an awesome interview! I would love to see more liberals being asked the kinds of tough questions they put to conservatives.
all of us are DOOOMED
I just signed up here to get my converter box coupons from the government. They will be mailed out on November 14. It's going to take this government agency THREE WEEKS to mail out two coupons, something that should be a no-brainer process. I don't even want to know what this is costing us (your $40 coupon actually costs $75 to mail out and reimburse the seller) or how much cheaper this could be handled by some coupon processor in Des Moines.
And people want to turn our health care system over to the imbeciles?!?!?
History You May Not Know
It was Bobby Kennedy and JFK who bugged Dr. Martin Luther King, not the Republicans.
Segregation was supported mostly by Southern Democrats in office, not the Republicans.
Social Security is not an invention of FDR but rather Otto Von Bismark, a late 1800s German socialist pioneer, who devised it as a way to pacify the public so that he could politically enslave people... and that they would be enslaved by their own choice.
Just throwin' out facts.
Segregation was supported mostly by Southern Democrats in office, not the Republicans.
Social Security is not an invention of FDR but rather Otto Von Bismark, a late 1800s German socialist pioneer, who devised it as a way to pacify the public so that he could politically enslave people... and that they would be enslaved by their own choice.
Just throwin' out facts.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Pickin' at the Associated Press
Headline: Obama criticizes McCain on tone of their campaign
[That's because the can't truthfully criticize the content of McCain's ads]
[That's because the can't truthfully criticize the content of McCain's ads]
WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he can't imagine saying about an opponent some of the things that his Republican rival, John McCain, has been saying about him.
In an interview aired Thursday on CBS' "The Early Show," Obama points to recent charges on the campaign trail that he is "socialistic" and that he "pals around with terrorists."
[Both true... here's one of 'em from the jackarses mouth]
Obama says that the campaign for the White House has been tough — but he adds that he believes there is no equivalence between what his campaign has been doing and what the McCain campaign has been doing. [Because the McCain campaign isn't involved in wholesale voter fraud?]
For his part, McCain has said that his TV ads and automated phone calls about Obama's tax policies and his past relationship with a '60s-era radical have been completely accurate.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Just One More
For my two readers, I'll stop after this because who has time to spend reading web sites all day unless you're at work? Mark Souder has increasingly been raising my dander. He got into office on term limits and had since passed his own proposed quota. He may be from Grabill but he's been infected with Washington D.C. Not only did he vote for the superflous recent bailout bill but in the last session he only voted for 55% of the amendments that would have stopped pork. Things like $150,000 for the American Ballet Theatre in New York City for educational activities, $1,500,000 for the South Carolina Historically Black Colleges and Universities Science and Technology Initiative, $1,200,000 for projects related to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Route, $231,000 for the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission, $300,000 for the Houston Zoo, $2,000,000 for the "Paint Shield for Protecting People from Microbial Threats" and many others (full list here).
We vote thieves into office and wonder why they rob the bank.
We vote thieves into office and wonder why they rob the bank.
Brace Yourselves : I'm In Full Kook Mode
If Obama wins and the liberals get a supermajority in the Senate and the House it will be a very different world one year from now. Sure, I may believe in the loch ness monster but I'm not overreacting now. Such a political environment would put the most liberal Senator in all of congress as the President, the #3 liberal guy as Vice President, and Nancy Pelosi (no slouch herself when it comes to liberalism) will be running the House.
Then Joe Biden says this:
"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John F. Kennedy... Watch, we're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate, and he's going to need help, and the kind of help he's going to need, he's going to need you, not financially to help him, we're going to need you to use your influence, your influence within the community to stand with him. Because it's not going to be apparent initially, it's not going to be apparent that we're right. Gird your loins. We're going to win with your weapon. God willing, we're going to win but this is not going to be an easy ride."
That is just plain scary.
How quickly did the whole Freddie and Fannie crumble? How fast did the stock market sink? Americans don't fully understand the liberties they lost under Bush's anti-terrorist policies or this recent banking scheme. Big and bad things happen, people panic and want something done NOW! They don't what what, unfortunately, just that SOMETHING is done.
So imagine if Iran starts packing nuclear warheads on their missiles or world finances crumble. Obama has already stated his view on America and the liberals are on record for their disdain and disregard of the United States Constitution.
Sure, call me a whacko or conspiracy theorist but one or two years from now the U.S. could be merging into a U.N.-type world body. I'm not saying that the dollar would be gone (it took Europe many years to agree on a monetary policy destined to fail: the euro) but the groundwork will be laid that would take an enormous effort to reverse.
What would be less popular with Americans that would drag down the polls. "We, your representatives, have decided to dissolve the United States and merge into the ObamaNation because we know better than you." I predict that the sheeple would get angry but would receive another stimulus check and when it came time to vote out these thieves they will have forgotten all about the problem.
Then Joe Biden says this:
"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John F. Kennedy... Watch, we're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate, and he's going to need help, and the kind of help he's going to need, he's going to need you, not financially to help him, we're going to need you to use your influence, your influence within the community to stand with him. Because it's not going to be apparent initially, it's not going to be apparent that we're right. Gird your loins. We're going to win with your weapon. God willing, we're going to win but this is not going to be an easy ride."
That is just plain scary.
How quickly did the whole Freddie and Fannie crumble? How fast did the stock market sink? Americans don't fully understand the liberties they lost under Bush's anti-terrorist policies or this recent banking scheme. Big and bad things happen, people panic and want something done NOW! They don't what what, unfortunately, just that SOMETHING is done.
So imagine if Iran starts packing nuclear warheads on their missiles or world finances crumble. Obama has already stated his view on America and the liberals are on record for their disdain and disregard of the United States Constitution.
Sure, call me a whacko or conspiracy theorist but one or two years from now the U.S. could be merging into a U.N.-type world body. I'm not saying that the dollar would be gone (it took Europe many years to agree on a monetary policy destined to fail: the euro) but the groundwork will be laid that would take an enormous effort to reverse.
What would be less popular with Americans that would drag down the polls. "We, your representatives, have decided to dissolve the United States and merge into the ObamaNation because we know better than you." I predict that the sheeple would get angry but would receive another stimulus check and when it came time to vote out these thieves they will have forgotten all about the problem.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
My Head Is About To Explode
Under Clinton's reign an edict was issued that attempted to "level the playing field" of home ownership, forcing banks to lend to those with bad credit. Banks that did not meet certain low-income lending quotas would be fined. Barack Obama was one of those who bullied banks in the Chicago area to make sure banks were making enough of these ultra-risky loans.
Freddie and Fannie began buying up shares of these ultra-risky loans while padding their employment ranks with liberals, many of them ex-Clintonites who flocked there after Clinton left office. It is well documented that Freddie and Fannie contributed boatloads of cash to liberal political figures, Obama being the second from the top of the list despite only being on the take for three years.
Noticing the dangerous condition of Freddie and Fannie George Bush attempted to regulate or stop the problem ELEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES BETWEEN 2001 and 2007 and ANOTHER 18 TIMES IN 2008 BEFORE THE CRASH. But since Freddie and Fannie had become a piggybank for the liberals each attempt was rebuffed.
So now that the house of cards has toppled, a house of cards constructed out of liberal quotas, it's the liberals who are saying this is all Bush's fault and that they have the moral high ground to fix this problem and that you should vote for Obama because McCain (who also warned about Freddie and Fannie multiple times) = Bush and Bush is responsible for our economic problems. And the sheeple of America are buying it.
Freddie and Fannie began buying up shares of these ultra-risky loans while padding their employment ranks with liberals, many of them ex-Clintonites who flocked there after Clinton left office. It is well documented that Freddie and Fannie contributed boatloads of cash to liberal political figures, Obama being the second from the top of the list despite only being on the take for three years.
Noticing the dangerous condition of Freddie and Fannie George Bush attempted to regulate or stop the problem ELEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES BETWEEN 2001 and 2007 and ANOTHER 18 TIMES IN 2008 BEFORE THE CRASH. But since Freddie and Fannie had become a piggybank for the liberals each attempt was rebuffed.
So now that the house of cards has toppled, a house of cards constructed out of liberal quotas, it's the liberals who are saying this is all Bush's fault and that they have the moral high ground to fix this problem and that you should vote for Obama because McCain (who also warned about Freddie and Fannie multiple times) = Bush and Bush is responsible for our economic problems. And the sheeple of America are buying it.
Headlines From the Future
The first of a new series - news stories from the future if Obama gets elected and there aren't enough conservatives in Congress to keep him in check.
OBAMA INITIATIVE SAVES ENVIRONMENT
Recently passed legislation is projected to boost fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions of automobiles by tens of millions of pounds per year. Beginning in 2010 any automobile older than ten years old will be prohibited from operation on our nations streets. The public is invited to purchase cars that meet the newer emissions guidelines. Credits will be available for those unable to purchase a newer vehicle that will allow them to make use of the expanded ObamaWheels public transport system. Those wishing to receive a license for classic cars and vehicles older than ten years can purchase a carbon credit offset of $2 per mile. Older vehicles found operating without proper registration will be confiscated. As always these guidelines do not apply to the members of congress, federal employees and their families.
OBAMA INITIATIVE SAVES ENVIRONMENT
Recently passed legislation is projected to boost fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions of automobiles by tens of millions of pounds per year. Beginning in 2010 any automobile older than ten years old will be prohibited from operation on our nations streets. The public is invited to purchase cars that meet the newer emissions guidelines. Credits will be available for those unable to purchase a newer vehicle that will allow them to make use of the expanded ObamaWheels public transport system. Those wishing to receive a license for classic cars and vehicles older than ten years can purchase a carbon credit offset of $2 per mile. Older vehicles found operating without proper registration will be confiscated. As always these guidelines do not apply to the members of congress, federal employees and their families.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Rembering the Past
Do you remember when the media used to harp on greedy Corporate-pawn Republicans who outspent their blue collar everyman Democratic opponents during elections? With Obama (I'd call him Obama the Llama but that would be disrespectful to llamas) spending $3 for ever $1 McCain spends thinking people everywhere should be scratching their noggins at this lack of news coverage. Except that thinking people already know the reason.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Polls and Stuff
Lately I had been feeling a bit down because of the poll numbers showing Obama so far ahead. I mean, I know that you can twist polls any which way but they all seemed *so far* ahead as to even dispute that.
Then I read an excellent discussion on polls.
At least now I can have HOPE that there will be a CHANGE from what the polls predict to what actually happens.
That part that impressed me the most is that the sample group for the polls is mightily out of whack. Instead of asking 50% Democrats and 50% Republicans who they would vote for they instead give things a twist. For instance if Ohio had 35% of people saying they were Democrats in 2004 and 40% saying they were Democrats in 2008 then it only makes sense that this trend should continue and that the sample pool for the 2008 poll should have 46% of those questioned be Democrats. Right? So in this case, if they had 1000 people, 460 of them were self-identified as Democrats, 330 self-identified as Republicans and 200 self-identified as Independents. So the 460 Democrates vote for Obama and the 330 Republicans vote for McCain and the 200 Independents split. The results show 56% of the vote going for Obama and only 43% for McCain, or thereabouts, Obama over McCain by 13 points! Except that the very basis, the pool of participants, was stacked in favor of Obama.
A poll came out today with a headline of Voters souring on McCain, Obama stays steady. Read the article and it sounds pretty conclusive. Click on the Full Poll Results(PDF) link and skip all the way down to page 6. "If the 2008 general election for President where being held today... who would you vote for?" 42% Obama, 44% McCain. A statistical tie.
So why all these headlines of Obama being so far in the lead? Simple insurance. In the case that McCain wins the sheeple who have believed that Obama was and had been clear and away the leader will all then buy the allegation that the election was stolen.
Then I read an excellent discussion on polls.
At least now I can have HOPE that there will be a CHANGE from what the polls predict to what actually happens.
That part that impressed me the most is that the sample group for the polls is mightily out of whack. Instead of asking 50% Democrats and 50% Republicans who they would vote for they instead give things a twist. For instance if Ohio had 35% of people saying they were Democrats in 2004 and 40% saying they were Democrats in 2008 then it only makes sense that this trend should continue and that the sample pool for the 2008 poll should have 46% of those questioned be Democrats. Right? So in this case, if they had 1000 people, 460 of them were self-identified as Democrats, 330 self-identified as Republicans and 200 self-identified as Independents. So the 460 Democrates vote for Obama and the 330 Republicans vote for McCain and the 200 Independents split. The results show 56% of the vote going for Obama and only 43% for McCain, or thereabouts, Obama over McCain by 13 points! Except that the very basis, the pool of participants, was stacked in favor of Obama.
A poll came out today with a headline of Voters souring on McCain, Obama stays steady. Read the article and it sounds pretty conclusive. Click on the Full Poll Results(PDF) link and skip all the way down to page 6. "If the 2008 general election for President where being held today... who would you vote for?" 42% Obama, 44% McCain. A statistical tie.
So why all these headlines of Obama being so far in the lead? Simple insurance. In the case that McCain wins the sheeple who have believed that Obama was and had been clear and away the leader will all then buy the allegation that the election was stolen.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Rockin' Out 80s Style
Growing up I frequently saw an ad in Guitar Player magazine for Project Driver, a metal "supergroup" with Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, Tony MacAlpine - some crazy speed guitarist I'd heard lots about but never checked into, and two other guys names Tommy Aldridge and Robert Rock (there's a name for ya) whose credentials didn't mean much then and don't now.
The other day I saw this CD at the library. Was it worth the wait? Um... no.
It's typical 80s hair metal. Loads of screaming lead guitars that run through scales almost as fast as politicians run through your money, big double kick drums, bigger choruses, biggest operatic vocals... you can almost hear the even biggerest hair on these guys. Plus there's some keyboards now and then but never at the same time as the guitars 'cause, like, MacAlpine does the keys and everyone knows you can't play guitars and keyboards at the same time or do multitracking. It is quintessential 80s metal and there's an 80% chance I'll listen to the whole thing before I take it back to the library and return with ABBA's Goldest Greatest.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Persistence!
I saw this in 5th grade and it must have made some kind of impression because it's with me still..
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Pondering
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ARSENIO HALL?!?!?! One moment he was the talk show darling and WOO! WOO! WOO! and now he's, like, disappeared.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Don, Tell 'Em What They've Won!
Out congressman, and many others, just voted for the $700 BILLION bailout. In addition to the $700 Billion for which you and your children will be on the hook you also got*:
-$128 million for manufacturers of car racing tracks (Nascar states, Virginia & North Carolina)
-$10 million to small television and film producers (Los Angeles, California)
-$223 million for fishermen affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
-$6 million for children's wooden arrows (worth at least $200K to Rose City Archery, a company in Myrtle Point, Oregon)
-$192 million on excise taxes for Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum industry
-$148 million for US wool fabric producers
-$19 billion for companies that do research in the U.S. They get a two-year extension of a tax credit
-$478 million for movie and television producers. A tax incentive is intended to keep production here in the U.S. (union costs intent to keep production out of the U.S.)
-$10 million for businesses that encourage their employees to commute by bicycle
-$149 million for corporations and agriculture producers that donate food
-$49 million for groups that donate books to schools
-$33 million for corporations operating in American Samoa
-$50 million and $100 million to Midwestern states for “disaster relief,” even though crops have recovered extremely well after this year’s flooding
-$322 million for manufacturers of energy-efficient appliances will qualify for up to $250 in federal tax credits for each machine they produce over the next three years
* Not included in the $700 Billion, making this a $880 Billion dump on the American taxpayer.
If this bill was so crucial, so essential to our economy why did it take so much pork to get it passed? For those not in the know, pork money is included to convince an elected official to vote for a bill. "No sir, I won't vote for it." "What about if we give you $10 million for a Toilet Paper Roll museum in your district." "You can count on my vote."
And if this problem has been brewing for over ten years why did it have to be passed IMMEDIATELY? Because the media had worked the public into a frenzy and they had to make their giant power grab while people were panicking, despite the majority of Americans being against it. Yes, there were issues with tight credit for business owners but a much smaller bill could have remedied that.
-$128 million for manufacturers of car racing tracks (Nascar states, Virginia & North Carolina)
-$10 million to small television and film producers (Los Angeles, California)
-$223 million for fishermen affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
-$6 million for children's wooden arrows (worth at least $200K to Rose City Archery, a company in Myrtle Point, Oregon)
-$192 million on excise taxes for Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum industry
-$148 million for US wool fabric producers
-$19 billion for companies that do research in the U.S. They get a two-year extension of a tax credit
-$478 million for movie and television producers. A tax incentive is intended to keep production here in the U.S. (union costs intent to keep production out of the U.S.)
-$10 million for businesses that encourage their employees to commute by bicycle
-$149 million for corporations and agriculture producers that donate food
-$49 million for groups that donate books to schools
-$33 million for corporations operating in American Samoa
-$50 million and $100 million to Midwestern states for “disaster relief,” even though crops have recovered extremely well after this year’s flooding
-$322 million for manufacturers of energy-efficient appliances will qualify for up to $250 in federal tax credits for each machine they produce over the next three years
* Not included in the $700 Billion, making this a $880 Billion dump on the American taxpayer.
If this bill was so crucial, so essential to our economy why did it take so much pork to get it passed? For those not in the know, pork money is included to convince an elected official to vote for a bill. "No sir, I won't vote for it." "What about if we give you $10 million for a Toilet Paper Roll museum in your district." "You can count on my vote."
And if this problem has been brewing for over ten years why did it have to be passed IMMEDIATELY? Because the media had worked the public into a frenzy and they had to make their giant power grab while people were panicking, despite the majority of Americans being against it. Yes, there were issues with tight credit for business owners but a much smaller bill could have remedied that.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Long But Informative (and a little bit boring)
Right from the horses mouths in 2004 - Republicans calling for oversight and reform on Freddie and Fannie while the Democrats stonehall and dish out the hate.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Heartfelt Gratitude
On behalf of my generation and those to come I would like to thank the Baby Boomer generation for the current fiscal train wreck. Congratulations! You've run this great country into the ground!
GOODNESS GRACIOUS
Kevin Gilbert
Goodness Gracious is there nothing left to say?
When the ones that get to keep looking
are the ones that look away
It's pabulum for the sleepers
in the cult of brighter days
Goodness Gracious at the mercy of the crooks
We're broke and stroking vegetables
and there's way too many cooks
In every pot a pink slip, In every mouth a hook
Goodness Gracious I'm not listening anymore
Cause the spooks are in the White House
and they've justified a war
So wake me when they notify
we're gonna fight some more
Goodness Gracious not many people care
Concern is getting scarcer
true compassion really rare
I can see it on our faces. I can feel it in the air
Goodness Gracious me.
Goodness Gracious my generation's lost
They burned down all our bridges
before we had a chance to cross
Is it the winter of our discontent or just an early frost?
Goodness Gracious of apathy I sing
The baby boomers had it all and wasted everything
Now recess is almost over
and they won't get off the swing
Goodness Gracious we came in at the end
No sex that isn't dangerous*, no money left to spend
We're the cleanup crew for parties
we were too young to attend
Goodness Gracious me.
Goodness Gracious my grandma used to say
The world's a scary place now,
things were different in her day
What horrors will be commonplace
when my hair starts to grey?
* Except within a monogamous marriage. :)
GOODNESS GRACIOUS
Kevin Gilbert
Goodness Gracious is there nothing left to say?
When the ones that get to keep looking
are the ones that look away
It's pabulum for the sleepers
in the cult of brighter days
Goodness Gracious at the mercy of the crooks
We're broke and stroking vegetables
and there's way too many cooks
In every pot a pink slip, In every mouth a hook
Goodness Gracious I'm not listening anymore
Cause the spooks are in the White House
and they've justified a war
So wake me when they notify
we're gonna fight some more
Goodness Gracious not many people care
Concern is getting scarcer
true compassion really rare
I can see it on our faces. I can feel it in the air
Goodness Gracious me.
Goodness Gracious my generation's lost
They burned down all our bridges
before we had a chance to cross
Is it the winter of our discontent or just an early frost?
Goodness Gracious of apathy I sing
The baby boomers had it all and wasted everything
Now recess is almost over
and they won't get off the swing
Goodness Gracious we came in at the end
No sex that isn't dangerous*, no money left to spend
We're the cleanup crew for parties
we were too young to attend
Goodness Gracious me.
Goodness Gracious my grandma used to say
The world's a scary place now,
things were different in her day
What horrors will be commonplace
when my hair starts to grey?
* Except within a monogamous marriage. :)
Friday, September 26, 2008
WIFEY - READ NO FURTHER
That's because she's tired of hearing me rant about Daylight Savings Time. But I'll keep this short.
Last night I checked online to see when this silly national mind game would end because, well, it's dark when I get ready for work. Turns out it ends the first weekend in November and starts up again the first weekend in March. Because I'm just a stupid midwestern conservative I started counting on my fingers and realized that it's NOT Daylight Savings Time a mere FOUR MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR! Regardless of the studies that have proven that DST does not save any energy this flip-flop is just plain stupid. Why don't they just make DST the new time and have a special name for the four months during the winter, something like Wasting Daylight Like Whitetrash Winning The Lottery Time?
Aside from that I'm pretty bummed about the situation with banks failing and the stock market. Thank you, Mr. Clinton and thank you greedy politicians who have sold out the very people you were elected to represent. There's a special place in Hades for you where you will be strapped to a chair and forced to watch Celine Dion do metal covers 24/7. See how far you make it through this... I got just past the one minute mark before my right eardrum began to bleed.
Last night I checked online to see when this silly national mind game would end because, well, it's dark when I get ready for work. Turns out it ends the first weekend in November and starts up again the first weekend in March. Because I'm just a stupid midwestern conservative I started counting on my fingers and realized that it's NOT Daylight Savings Time a mere FOUR MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR! Regardless of the studies that have proven that DST does not save any energy this flip-flop is just plain stupid. Why don't they just make DST the new time and have a special name for the four months during the winter, something like Wasting Daylight Like Whitetrash Winning The Lottery Time?
Aside from that I'm pretty bummed about the situation with banks failing and the stock market. Thank you, Mr. Clinton and thank you greedy politicians who have sold out the very people you were elected to represent. There's a special place in Hades for you where you will be strapped to a chair and forced to watch Celine Dion do metal covers 24/7. See how far you make it through this... I got just past the one minute mark before my right eardrum began to bleed.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Clean Your House in Just 19 Minutes!
That's what the article said! "With a plan of attack, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day." I've often thought that these Yahoo News articles have been written by clueless recent college exiles and this no exception. They went through the kitchen, the bathroom, bedroom, and a combined family room, living room, and foyer (the last three can be cleaned in a combined six minutes).
Here's what was listed for just the kitchen:
Kitchen, 4 1/2 minutes daily
* Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
* Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
* Wipe down the counters (one minute).
* Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).
Here's how it would go in most homes in America:
* Empty the dishwasher from last night or two days ago (4 minutes)
* Load the dishwasher from the pile of dishes in the sink (9 minutes)
* Hand wash any pots or pans or the overflow of dishes that won't fit into the dishwasher (5 minutes)
* - or if you do not have a dishwasher do 'em by hand, dry and put away - (18 minutes, um, where is the time savings?)
* Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
* Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
* Clear clutter and various children art projects off the counter (3 minutes)
* Put food away that was left on the counter by children (1.5 minutes)
* Put food away that was left on the counter by spouse (1 minute)
* Wipe down the counters (one minute).
* Pick up toys on the kitchen floor left by children (2 minutes)
* Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (three minutes).
* Clean up mess made by children in the other room during the 31 minutes you spent cleaning the kitchen (31 minutes)
* Repeat above step over and over again until children leave for college (18 years)
Love the earth... DRILL FOR OIL!
Just a few facts from the U.S. Minerals Management Service that you may not be aware of. I know I wasn't.
It was an off shore oil spill near California in 1969 that spurred the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Air Acts. Since that time these two agencies have done their best to hamstring American businesses and the economy. Also since that time we've gone from carburetors to fuel injection, one phone per home to personal cell phones that are essentially powerful handheld computers, three TV channels to hundreds (plus video on demand).
In essence, a lot has changed in the last forty years and so has drilling technology. Spills are, for the most part, a thing of the past. Only 852 barrels of oil have spilled in the Southern California offshore area in the past 40 years (that's about 21 barrels per year). It should also be noted that when Katrina and Rita did their damage, tearing apart 115 Gulf platforms there were NO MAJOR SPILLS. No oil reached the shoreline. That's advanced technology for ya!
This isn't to say that spills don't happen. On average U.S. oil companies (who are immensely more ecologically responsible than just about any other nation on the planet) spill 6,555 barrels of oil per year from offshore drilling. WHAT?!?! NEARLY 300,000 GALLONS ARE SPILLED?!?!? Yep. Now guess how much oil naturally oozes from the ocean floor in per year in the drillable regions surrounding the United States. Guess again. How about 620,500 barrels. How about nearly 26 MILLION GALLONS! How about 2.5 Exxon Valdez spills EACH YEAR?!?!? Naturally.
This natural spillage, however does not happen in areas where we have offshore drilling equipment because these efforts to remove oil from the ground eases the natural pressure and thus, no leakage. Which is to say that if we drilled MORE we would have LESS mucky oil spilling into the environment.
Love the earth... DRILL FOR OIL!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
WARNING: Boring Music Theory Post
If you’ll indulge a theory… Every now and then I’ve had someone who, after hearing a favorite odd album of mine a number of times will really start to like it. They suddenly get it and it's no longer strange. My theory is that music in general is something people are conditioned to. You hear a song for the first time on the radio and it’s just wallpaper- it barely registers. You hear it again and maybe you recognize the chorus melody. After ten times of hearing the song you really like it and after one hundred times you really hate it.
But it’s the passive radio listening that exposes people over and over to the music they come to like. Instead of waiting for the music to come to me (which describes all non-music freaks) I go searching for it. If you took a lot of the tripe that I listen to and put it on the radio the same number of times as, say, your average Blink 182 song it would have the same effect.
That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Doctoral thesis forthcoming.
But it’s the passive radio listening that exposes people over and over to the music they come to like. Instead of waiting for the music to come to me (which describes all non-music freaks) I go searching for it. If you took a lot of the tripe that I listen to and put it on the radio the same number of times as, say, your average Blink 182 song it would have the same effect.
That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Doctoral thesis forthcoming.
Obama's Mamma
With all this talk about Gov. Palin's daughter being pregnant why isn't anyone bringing up the fact that Obama's mama was also unmarried and 17 when she was pregnant with him?
The Perfect Storm
Finding time for, er, marital benefits when there is an infant and other children in the house is like the perfect storm. Is the baby asleep? Yes. Is she indicating that she's going to wake up anytime soon? Shhh.... don't jinx by even asking. Are the kids asleep? Check. Have you been so surrounded by kids clamoring for your attention and climbing on you all day that if even a feather touches you you'll go into sensory overload? No? Are you so tired you can barely speak? No? Am I? I think I'm conscious. Okay, let's go sailing! Oh wait... the captain slipped on the deck and fell off the boat.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hacker Exudes Forth
The deadbeat who hacked into Sarah Palin's e-mail has come forward in their own rubber-spined way, anonymously posting how they did it. The deadbeat is supposedly a college student in Tennessee whose father is a Democratic state representative. No charges have yet been brought.
In his own words:
"I read though the emails… ALL OF THEM… before I posted, and what I concluded was anticlimactic, there was nothing there, nothing incriminating, nothing that would derail her campaign as I had hoped, all I saw was personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor…. And pictures of her family. Earlier it was just some prank to me, I really wanted to get something incriminating which I was sure there would be, just like all of you anon out there that you think there was some missed opportunity of glory, well there WAS NOTHING, I read everything, every little blackberry confirmation… all the pictures, and there was nothing."
Surely there must be SOME dirt on this woman, they thought. Everyone lives a double life, right? No, deadbeat, there really ARE some people who live by their principles and are 100% authentic. Sarah Palin, it seems, is bulletproof and her genuinness is shedding a powerful beam of contrasting light on Obama. Plus I think she'd be able to take him in a cage match.
Info comes from http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/palin-e-mail-ha.html
In his own words:
"I read though the emails… ALL OF THEM… before I posted, and what I concluded was anticlimactic, there was nothing there, nothing incriminating, nothing that would derail her campaign as I had hoped, all I saw was personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor…. And pictures of her family. Earlier it was just some prank to me, I really wanted to get something incriminating which I was sure there would be, just like all of you anon out there that you think there was some missed opportunity of glory, well there WAS NOTHING, I read everything, every little blackberry confirmation… all the pictures, and there was nothing."
Surely there must be SOME dirt on this woman, they thought. Everyone lives a double life, right? No, deadbeat, there really ARE some people who live by their principles and are 100% authentic. Sarah Palin, it seems, is bulletproof and her genuinness is shedding a powerful beam of contrasting light on Obama. Plus I think she'd be able to take him in a cage match.
Info comes from http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/palin-e-mail-ha.html
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Sick of it all
Yeah... another politician rant. I won't go into how the price of oil has plummeted and yet in Fort Wayne the price of gas shot UP to $4.15. Normally I'm one to stand up for oil companies being able to have profits (they are, after all, the ones who take the risk of exploration and building refineries) but lately even I'm suspecting price gouging. That said, I'm (surprise) building a database to track the price of oil vs. price of gas. Details eventually.
But have you noticed when Enron went down they pulled the executives in front of congress and grilled them and pretty much filleted them with razor-sharp knives? Where are the congressional investigations for Freddie and Fannie and the housing fiasco? There will be none because (surprise again) it's the politician's faults. And congressmen have been on the take.
In the past twenty years John McCain has received a total of $21,000 from Freddie and Fannie. Yep, $1050 per year. That rascal!
In the past three years Obama has received a total of $126,000 from Freddie and Fannie. Yep, $42,000 per year. Twice in one year than McCain received over a twenty year period.
It's time for CHANGE! I HOPE the American people wake up.
But have you noticed when Enron went down they pulled the executives in front of congress and grilled them and pretty much filleted them with razor-sharp knives? Where are the congressional investigations for Freddie and Fannie and the housing fiasco? There will be none because (surprise again) it's the politician's faults. And congressmen have been on the take.
In the past twenty years John McCain has received a total of $21,000 from Freddie and Fannie. Yep, $1050 per year. That rascal!
In the past three years Obama has received a total of $126,000 from Freddie and Fannie. Yep, $42,000 per year. Twice in one year than McCain received over a twenty year period.
It's time for CHANGE! I HOPE the American people wake up.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Web Spam
I don't normally forward spam, let alone post it here, but this I kinda like.
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms.......
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good .
While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms.......
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good .
While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Done
When we bought the house I knew it was going to half to be done... create storm windows for thirteen single-paned mini-windows that were above nearly every window on the first floor. I didn't know it was going to take me four years to do it. One the first year, three on year two, five on year three and four on year four (there WILL be a test). Each year I would start in with the idea that "This will be done in NO TIME!" and then remember...Rip the 2X4's to width, cut grooves for the glass, measure the openings, cut four pieces with the chop saw, sand the pieces, assemble three but leave the top piece off, measure for the glass, order the glass, primer the frame, clean the insides of the glass (double paned) to impossibly clean because once assembled there ain't no opening it back up to clean, put on the top piece, caulk outside of both panes of glass, wait for it to dry, clean up any caulk messes, climb ladder to opening to clean and remove loose caulk, replace with new caulk, when dried clean up window and paint, carry the storm window up and make sure it fits, trim off a bit of the storm window, carry it back up, carry it back down, trim again, paint the storm window, when dried clean the mini-window and the inside part of the storm window because once assembled there ain't no opening it back up, apply caulk on the inside of the mini-window, insert storm, tap into place, fill any openings with caulk, when dried paint the exterior.
Shoof! I'm tired just thinking about it! But at least it's done and we no longer have to have shrink-wrap plastic on the inside! Too bad I trapped a kitten inside a storm window but hey, it's almost like an ant-farm.