Clear as Crystal

McCotter is... somewhere

2011-07-07T12:24:00.002-04:00

I love this series of videos. It shows what happens when you really want to meet people like Rep. McCotter and can't. I've met my state reps and senators regularly. They have coffee hours you can find them. Not so with someone you send to D.C. it would seem. In fact, until Thad came out about wanting to run for President, I've never seen him in public. Seems he's gotten over that issue. Perhaps he watched the King's Speech?

The world is just too F-d up

2011-05-16T19:49:00.002-04:00

You know, the world is just too crazy not to blog about it. Ten years ago headlines like these would make people fall from their chair or nominate Darwin awards. Now we're so jaded we just don't give a frack.

For example:

Teen raped by church leader forced to stand in front of congregation and apologize. - Say WHAT?

World wide war amendment is tucked into National Defense Authorization Act. - Did Cheney come back?

John Bolton's car

Pakistan will have US troops deploy if their nuclear stockpiles are threatened from extremists.- Remember the movie 'War Games'? I'll bet the WHOPPER never had this one as a scenario.

Sadly this is just a fast run at things I've seen this evening. I could probably keep this all day.

Makes you wonder what we'll be like in another 10 years. Will we be completely uncaring?

As they dug through the waste of ages past...

2010-12-13T14:41:00.003-05:00

Here's one of those sci-fi related plotlines that I've been tossing around for some time. You watched Wall-E right? You know how they had those city high piles of waste and they couldn't clean it fast enough? Well that wouldn't happen. Why? Because, at some point the scale tips and the waste becomes a resource.

Kinda like here in Sweden. A town of 80,000 powers itself completely on the waste it makes. Biogas is cool that way. It's all going to decompose anyway, so why not make fuel of it?

I have visions of the people of the next 100 yrs actually working in reverse and slowly eating up those massive landfills to fuel their power plants. Sure, it's nothing compared to the power of the Sun but like I said, at some point the scale tips. People will be digging down to the bottom of the 1960s and 70s... pulling up plastic for oil, metal for minerals... So much easier than digging down deep in the earth for it or going to the asteroids.

You know why they don't start with that stuff here? Capitalism. Nobody wants to be the first person to lose money on it. The 2nd and 3rd person might break even. Then finally someone gets the costs down to where the choosy American bites. Sadly, then we employ the Chinese to build all the parts.... sigh.

Education - the way to win or lose the future

2010-12-13T10:40:00.002-05:00

I've been saying this one for years. Much like Detroit fell fast because of poor education, I think whole countries can become backward hicks if you let education fall apart. If you slack on that responsibility then all you have in one generation is a bunch of people on welfare or working low pay jobs.

As you can see here, it's just the tip of the iceberg of Chinese dominance in this area. You pump out hundreds of millions of honor students and our kids will be wanting to go there for college. They'll be exporting their specialists all over the globe. Too soon to tell if everyone in Africa will speak Chinese as a second language but I'm just throwing that out there so you're not surprised.

So as John Boehner cries about the kids and their future, his party votes to cut education spending even further. I think one missle defense system could go unfunded to pay for something this important, don't you?

I'll find a reason!

2010-12-02T23:14:00.003-05:00

Poor old crotchety John McCain. He's mavericky... and he's basically against gays. For months and months he would give reasons on why he didn't want gays open in the military. Then he points to the study being done... Give it time! he'd say. We have to know what might happen!

Then John's wife says she's against Don't Ask, Don't Tell. A day later, she's backpedalling that she supports John.

Then the study is done. The polls say people are for it! John's still against it. It's flawed! It would be a bad time during war! (he's running low on excuses)

Give it up John. We know the future scares you. That bimbo they pushed on you during the election, another minority to be scared of. Beaten by a black man for office. Even more.

Why is the world so scary John? Because it's not the same. You're old and you want easy answers. There are none. So just give up, admit that you know nothing about this whole thing and let the nation move forward to a bit more equality. M'kay?

Pleeeease

2010-11-29T21:51:00.002-05:00

Oh please. This guy is too much. Rep. Barton wants to be the head of the House Energy and Commerce Panel. He says he wants to be General Patton and shoot down the Obama Administration. Seriously?? He has to make some primitive 10th grade slideshow about how rugged and daring he is? Is this how they do it in the GOP? Bang on their chests to earn a chairman's role?

If you recall, he was the guy that apologized to BP because we were being too hard on them. Uh huh, you wreck the coastline of several states but don't come down hard on them. Sheesh.

In other news, a Christian woman is sentenced to death... for something she said. Yeah, it's Pakistan but you'd think we were dealing with the Middle ages here. Perhaps we are. This is what we deal with in this section of the world. A backwards, unlearned crowd that still behave like witch trials are every day news. Where science is barely knowing washing your hands is a good thing. Can we ever 'win' with these people and show them what a democracy is? They are barely more than feudal. It's like going back in time and trying to convince the South that slavery is bad. They wouldn't get it.

Honestly, we're better off throwing billions of dollars at these countries with the caveat that they promise to just build modern schools. Perhaps in a generation we can talk to these people again. Give them some pride but also give them some smarts.

We simply need more time.

Why does the GOP hate our planet?

2010-11-08T22:57:00.002-05:00

I don't quite understand why the forces of the militant-right all hate the Environmental Protection Agency. They hate the sheer idea of climate change. They hate having anyone regulate them in regards to pollution, to even recommending that they use lower wattage light bulbs. You don't have to look far there's evidence all around. Just do a Google search on 'hates EPA' and you'll find more than your fair share of crap.

See the short answer is they are fed by lobbyists. There is a ton of money being fed to these animals to destroy the planet because if we spent any time regulating businesses for pollution, they would lose money. Better to wave that big flag of 'Your jobs will go away' and make people fear change. Don't use good lightbulbs, don't change your buying habits... wreck the planet.

It's the America way!

It's gonna be Obama's fault

2010-11-07T19:14:00.002-05:00

It honestly doesn't matter what Obama does in the next two years. The Republicans already know the only hold part of a hand... they can't push their agenda with just the House.

Oh yeah! Right! The GOP didn't take over the world this month... only our House of Representatives!! Obama has his veto. The Senate is still a morass for legislation. Nothing's going through there. Of course the new talking point will be that Obama isn't 'cooperating'. If nothing gets done, and it won't, then Obama will be the hyper-partisan.

The next two years really comes down to framing your argument. That and a race to show the people that you're doing the best for them. Obama will be running around building cred by adding jobs, to push for tax cuts for the middle class only, to expand on the health care bill through explaining what is going into effect,etc.

The GOP on the other hand will take the business route. They will give every cut and expansion they can for Big Oil and Wall Street. Sure! Go ahead and screw the environment again, we're in charge! And along the way keep shoving bills that looks like they are for the people but are probably 66% filled with giveaways to their friends.

Meanwhile, the Teabaggers will become the biggest pain in the ass in government. They will start going off message with the GOP. They will make promises they can't keep as well as expect harsh new ways that their conservative overlords won't want. At some point they will tip over and the GOP will start pushing them back out. Assuming of course they don't need the seats they hold or they can swap them out for main-line folks.

Back to the Gripe

2010-11-04T10:20:00.002-04:00

Looks like I need to dust this old blog off after all. With all that's happening in politics I think it's better to have a place I can post links and rant all I want to without polluting the 'happy-face, front lawn' feel of Facebook. I'll admit that's one thing I hate about FB in that if you want to post a viewpoint and then back it up with some data, it's already too late because the 'Feed' absorbs you. If people want to look at your page for what you've said, they still have to piece together everything. For some things, only a blog will do.

I'm kinda cranky. For some reason the electorate is upset with Washington and instead of giving the people trying to fix things more time, they sent a clear message by electing the drunk driver responsible for the car wreck that is our economy. I can kind of understand how if you're mad you want to tear down the establishment but seriously, did you look at the people you've put in power? Ever hear of the Stockholm syndrome. A little like that. We like our Wall Street/Big money captors and we want them to fix our problem. Granted they're at the source of that but nevermind.

Here's a little bit about the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:

Twenty-four hours after Speaker-to-be Boehner and President Obama talked about the need to work together, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is taking a different tack. In a speech to be delivered at 11:00 am ET in DC, NBC’s Ken Strickland reports, McConnell will defend his statement that defeating President Obama in 2012 is his top priority -- a comment that drew criticism from Democrats, especially with unemployment near 10%. "Some have said it was indelicate of me to suggest that our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term in office," McConnell is expected to say, according to excerpts of today’s speech. "But the fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won't veto any of these things."

Now I don't know about you but is this the ghost of bipartisanship that the GOP was waving at us during the election. Not in the slightest. And what do these comments mean anyway: end bailouts? We haven't had any in months. Cut spending? I'd love to finally know what they're referring to since they can't name one thing they'd cut. Shrink government? I think that's code for 'Say goodbye to Medicare, Social Security and any other social program that helps the middle class'.

So I think you can understand my crankiness. It's still the same old bullshit but from a different color team. I'm going to predict the following things in the next two years:

1) No cooperation between parties. The GOP will keep floating impossible demands and they will get killed in the Senate or White House. Blame will be stuck to Obama in hopes to drag him down.

2) Some nutball in the party will float impeachment because of SOMETHING. The Birthers, Obama's connection to some skeleton group like ACORN, whatever. This will backfire though on the rest of the GOP because they want to be seen as good guys and have Obama be the bad. This will make the electorate very angry... AGAIN.

3) Big Oil will go bonkers with off shore drilling and try again to get into the reserves in Alaska. Nobody will stop them. Gas prices will again rise on the threat of seagull bird shit or some other hokey.

4) At the end of the next two years, no piece of original legislation will be passed by the GOP and their answer of 'cut taxes and spending' will mean nothing. If there is any change in the economy it will be because Wall Street is laughing at the gridlock as well as the Afghan War winding down will give us more money back to the budget.

Stick with me over the next 9 months. You'll see I'll not be far from the truth.

On anger and deficit

2010-09-20T22:26:00.002-04:00

I honestly don't get some people. The Tea Party just cracks me up. Heck, the whole ultra-right does. People who lather on about the Laffer curve and the blind belief that the rich will somehow make more jobs if we promise to not tax them more. It's a load of crap. Had this been the case then we'd be hip deep in jobs after ten years. Somehow that just didn't happen.

Wall Street is pissed off. Heaven forbid someone would tell them they couldn't have uber-sized bonuses every year. No matter that they lost everyone's pension and 401 investments... give us our damn money! I didn't go to an Ivy League school to be told I 'should be lucky to just have a job'. Not like the rest of us, of course.

And of course they're going to hold back. Don't trust these Democrats. They want reform. They want to fix Wall Street so Main Street can have a chance again. No, no. Have you talked to a senior citizen? Hell, someone in their 50s. They are scared to death. My mother-in-law is just scraping by so she can get to her social security because she's got one foot in unemployment. Her work is something they can outsource in a heartbeat. She works from home. I pray that she can make it.

So let's keep the fires burning! Let's tear down everything Obama has done for the people. It's not what you wanted! You wanted lower taxes, revenues and smaller deficit. You didn't think you wanted that a decade ago. You wanted to pay less and care less about where the money came from. Tear down that health care bill... who needs guarantees of coverage anyway? The GOP will provide! Maybe a health savings account?? I'm sure you have money left someplace you haven't used to pay off your credit card with.

Yeah, they don't know. They've got nothing. Gay bashing and immigration isn't winning votes. Let's fuel more anger about over spending. Blame the new landlord for paying for the upgrades that the last guy pocketed. Do you blame your spouse for charging more on the credit cards so she can keep you fed? Of course not. We gotta build first.

If none of this makes sense, then pour on more gasoline on that fire, baby. I'm sure the next guy will helping the middle class. Yup.

Futurewatch

2010-05-01T17:49:00.002-04:00

And so it happen, at the start of the 21st century, that the world governments declared that oil drilling and the uses of petroleum based products were too dangerous to the world's ecology. A key turning point to this decision came as a large undersea oil drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico caused one of the largest ecological disasters in the modern era. Millions of gallons of oil flowed for weeks into the Gulf due to a oil platform fire. Proper security measures were not followed with this platform and the company, British Petroleum, was unable to stop the flow from the ocean floor.

For weeks the U.S. government fought to stop this flow as nearby coastlines were ravaged by oil slicks. Finally with the use of undersea technology and high-tech explosives they were able to cause the hole to collapse and stop, unfortunately not before the ecological damage took it's toll.

Ironically the United States had only just before this incident opened up more offshore areas for drilling. The backlash from the event cause world governments to impose harsh restrictions on oil companies, something that had not been done for decades. With this blow, it started the largest switch to renewable energy the world had seen.

Ever since we have depended on world energy sources that would not negatively impact the planet. Our past is riddled with instances such as these and unfortunately the human race had to learn the hard way on how to get along with the world.

2010-04-08T08:29:00.001-04:00

Manufactured division. Don't listen to the media for your ideas... just live from your heart.

2010-04-07T15:44:00.001-04:00

Sometimes its nice having a place other than Facebook to post.

Stuff to chew on

2010-02-22T21:33:00.001-05:00

That wacky Muammar Gaddafi is back in the news again. At least he wants to be. I've always found his moves to be the most odd and crazy. This time he's mad because Switzerland blacklisted him and his family so he's finally get his revenge. LOL

And over here...

“Look, enough already,” Mr. Walken, (telling his agent) “I want to play a nice guy with a wife and a family and a dog and a house."

Really?? I thought you loved being the crazy villian. Shrug. I like him in quirky roles too. Remember that bit part he did in American Sweethearts? I loved that F-U attitude he had. Of course, that describes pretty much all his roles too.

And over here...

I gotta admit I like this new turn for NASA. Instead of being the old dog in charge of doing all the dirty work getting things to orbit, they're pushing the commercial sector now. I'm all for this. Why not? Let the market find the best of breed and the cheaper model and they can do all the unglamorous roles. Leave the deep space and robotic probe stuff for NASA. Let NASA work on human spaceflight in extreme conditions. Let them work on telescopes and hard science. Money should be put where there is no profit but the data for the future is really important. Yeah, this is a good turn for all of us.

And finally here...

Peak Tuna. Does it really take a catchy, two-word phrase before people wake up and realize so many of our resources on this world are limited? We can't ALL have X or Y or even Z. As the Chinese middle-class explodes, we really need to show them that yeah, we screwed up and we can't 'Have it all'. We need to learn limits.

Hey Google

2010-02-12T16:22:00.001-05:00

Stop following me, ok? You know too much already! haha

Morning Thoughts

2009-10-26T09:32:00.002-04:00

Forgot about me, didn't ya? Yeah, haha!

Top stories:

Pilots overshoot airport. They claim they weren't sleeping. Doing drugs? Probably not. My guess is they were 'getting busy' and just lost track of time. And we're not talking Scrabble here folks!

Financial institution backlash: Yes, they are giving themselves big bonuses. Nobody is going to stop them. You know why? They were promised back at the beginning of TARP if they took on big risks to save our economy, merge with crappy failing banks, and take on bad debt the government would look the other way. Save us and we'll pay you back. I just sayin'. I'm willing to bet that Obama was handed the 'contract with Wall St.' when he walked in the door and got a nice stomach ache.

Michigan budget vs. education: Livonia and several other schools are handed a monster cut to their budget in the current school year. No way will they be able to balance this budget now. Granholm shows up to talk to the Livonia Superintendent last week. My take? It's all part of the Lansing politic scene to spill ink on the right side of the aisle. Granholm knows this cut isn't going to stick so we're put in the middle of the road while they play chicken. It will be uncomfortable before it gets any better.

A sign of hope?

2009-06-16T22:00:00.001-04:00

It seems a little understated, the news from Iran these days. You would think this would be front page news every place. Iran recently conducted their election and ran over some bumps in the road.
The opposition candidate, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, is the last Prime Minister of Iran before they dismissed the role back in 1989. He's no stranger to government and is a reformer. Obviously many in Iran are followers of his as he promised reform to the justice system, freedom of expression, and moving to privatization faster.
Had the people of Iran been against such a vision, they would have been applauding in the streets when Ahmadinejad declared victory. But that wasn't the case. They've been in the streets and visibly upset. Complaints of voter fraud are growing. The protests have grown so large, the clerics are even considering a limited recount. Granted, this is still a problem as they think some of the votes have been destroyed. But this still gives me hope.
It looks like the Iranians aren't the evil terrorists we make them all out to be. The people of that country could be just as normal as the rest of us with just a corrupt government and religious structure lording over them. To me, this demonstration for reform could be just the sign we need to show us that Iran is getting ready for change.
I honestly don't think this would have happened during the Bush years. We were too busy rattling sabres to listen to the needs of the Iranians. When we as Americans showed that we wanted something different, I'm betting they heard that bell and decided that they too could change.
I would recommend keeping an eye on Iran for the next several weeks. We'll get to see if we end up with another Iraq, a country led by dictators, or if we get some real change and new dialogue.
Keep your fingers crossed!

Don't Forget

2009-06-04T20:51:00.001-04:00

Real freedom isn't easy. We'll remember even if they can't.

No repairmen for NASA any more.

2009-05-25T21:39:00.002-04:00

I think this article is really telling in the lack of vision that has been forced on NASA for the last decade. The Space Shuttle is retiring and it's something that does need doing. They've been around for decades and no matter the upgrades and repairs, I don't think I would want to be the one riding an airplane that was that old anyway. (I know many are)

The successor to the Space Shuttle isn't much of a shuttle. They decided to focus entirely on a capsule design like Apollo. It's functional for Moon landings. It's something to take men to and fro, to land for exploration. It's not a cargo ship.

The change in direction shows how we're moving forward. Yes, I like this part. However, I question the design in such that we have no shuttle bus, no repair vessel to fix expensive satellites.

Perhaps this is an attempt to throw this to the private sector? Make AT&T or Boeing make their own shuttle if they want to repair things. Otherwise just accept losses and keep going. I'm not sure.

Looking at the Orion design, to me it doesn't take much imagination to make this thing into a repair vessel. A docking bay and container portion could be added to it if it's not going to the Moon. Unlike a shuttle, you can have something that doesn't land like a plane. Just leave the additional parts in orbit (or park at the ISS) and then land your capsule.

Anyway, I think its a bit of a waste to lose something we're the only country capable of doing and just walk away from it. Maybe a country not in such financial straights would be able to do both. Shrug. It's a shame that we can't do all the things we wish. Space holds all the future anyone could want.

Who Would Jesus Torture

2009-05-03T22:02:00.002-04:00

One of the things that bothers me the most about religion is the hypocracy. I've neever been a religious person obviously. I'm not much of a church goer either. But I know people who are.
I live near many. I work with them. They're pretty much good people, all.

I honestly can't, however, understand how they can condone torture.

How can you, as a Christian, say it was okay to torture terrorists for information? Doesn't that violate some rule that says you're using the Devil's ways to help yourself? We probably would all agree that torture is unreliable. And if you believe these Muslims to be so evil, how could you trust their words even while being tortured?

Sorry, I just don't think Jesus would be all for that.

If God couldn't save the people at the World Trade Center without having you torture someone for information, then aren't they really just meant to die?

Now I don't believe any of that poppycock but it's of the sort that religious folks would go for. It's either God's will to have people die or God's will to do something others won't like.

I think it's just easier my way. Stick to my morals treat all humans the same way. Turn the other cheek and bring justice according to the laws that all nations agree upon. How can you look yourself in the mirror otherwise?

I'm shaving my head!

2009-04-01T09:48:00.002-04:00

I've decided to shave my head for charity. Yes, if my friends can raise $25,000 for a charity of my choice I'll do the deed.

Do you doubt it? Just wait and see!

Solar to light the way

2009-03-28T10:48:00.002-04:00

I had one of those flashforward moments this morning when musing. Solar power is the complete answer for the world. It really is. How simple of us to be using dirty coal and oil we dig front the ground when for millenia the human race has been staring daily at the biggest source of energy for light-years around. What powers plants? What keeps us from freezing in the cold vacuum of space? Yes, our sun.

One day our descendants will look back at us and think we were such cavemen. 'How ever did they survive just burning dirty coal rocks and filthy oil?' We'll be like troglodytes to them. In their world, everything is powered by the sun. Long ago, they started covering their homes with solar panels. Their factories and big buildings too. They lined up mirrors in the desert and pointed them at towers to focus the power. Scientists found thousands of ways to make solar panels now and then, suddenly, they didn't need panels at all! With the help of nano construction, they found they could make every day items into solar power generators. Paint was put on buildings and connected to the grid. The cars we drove were given solar paint and this helped charge their batteries sitting outside. Some crazy fool even developed a way to put it in the roads we laid. Suddenly everything we built could be connected to the grid to slowly charge us up.

Never was there a lack for energy at that point. The wars of oil and power were over. With this much energy, we could turn seas into drinking water. We could power great pumps to avert floods, we could move mountains... all from the power that had been shining down on us since time began.

Piece by piece, we figure this stuff out. What a beautiful world.

Net Romance - Why do we love some of them?

2009-03-23T19:00:00.002-04:00

I was reading this article today about 'Boy Photoshops Girl.' A rather attractive couple fell for each other and started making creative pictures of both of them. The problem was they live on either side of the Atlantic. There seems to be quite a following for them as he's quite a wiz with photoshop and shows off his talent in this romance. And I'll admit, they are quite good. The two of them finally did meet, per the article, and have taken their online romance into the real world.

The author mentions a certain about of skepticism from readers that don't believe. The pictures are a little too good, the couple quite good looking... I felt much of this reading it. But I think it comes down simply to their looks. Because, my dear reader, I've known many of these couples.

Their story never gets told, never gets related on a big news site. Many people that fall in love overseas with someone and it's a mixed bag on how it works out. Probably more than not work out at least for the short run. If you're going to keep a long distance relationship going for a long time, then it's got something special, right?

But if this couple in the article were plain looking or even ugly, would you keep reading? Would you take the time to look at the guys' work if you knew he was a model? What if they were average looking and disabled in some way? The questions go on.

I think basically we're all a little shallow and we're happy to believe in a Prince Charming/Cinderella story if the characters are shiny perfection but when we slowly bog down in the mundane we tend to lose interest. Would the TV show 'Wife Swap' be any good if the wives were plain and average? It's a counterpoint from the opposite side, but still applies.
We want to see something beyond us in some fashion to keep our interest. If it resembles the stuff we experience every day... it's too much a mirror.

Americans learn nothing

2009-03-08T22:50:00.003-04:00

Are we a country of memory deficient folk? Don't we remember any thing? I speak of war.
We didn't like war. We made dozens of Oscar winning movies about the horrors of Vietnam. Yet what do we do not even a generation later? Start two wars at once. We know nothing.

While Obama works to finish up one of them and set some dates, we're still plowing headlong into Afghanistan.

Why Afghanistan? Honestly, who really cares? The Russians did this same thing once before and look where that got them.

I just think it's so dishonorable to these folks that are there to just ignore them and not even mention this thing on TV. We're too busy worrying our 401ks to think about these folks.

Shrug. Guess I'll go back to watching Dancing with the American idols. I don't have to give them more thought than this. I'm an American afterall.

Twitter me this, Batman

2009-02-26T12:47:00.001-05:00

I've been trying. Twitter is one of those catchy things people are doing and I'm never one to poo on the parade until after I've given it a try.

I think the problem I have with it is the whole concept behind these online tools: we think our thoughts and words are worth something. Like perhaps if Shakespeare had had a blog he would have let slip some great one-liners that would have summed to another classic.

Here we are spouting on about what we do in our days, the gum we scrape from our shoes, the thoughts we have standing in line waiting for a latte... it's all bunk. We ALL do that people! We're just normal sheeple going about our lives. We ALL have moments of brilliance that are lost when the light changes and we speed off. I know I do. I'll come up with the most witty thing and forget it when the music changes on the radio.

It's the sum of the human race and now that storage is cheap, cheap, cheapo, we want to save everything. Every silly thought we've ever had. Did you know that Google processes 20 petabytes a day? That it would take about 5 exabytes to store all the words ever made by humans? (Exabyte is 1000 petabytes, Petabyte is 1000 terabytes)

The thing that really bugs me about Twitter was how many congresscritters were Twittering during Obama's address. Really?? Didn't you have something important to do... like maybe listen???They were just showing us their real thoughts you know and honestly, they were borrrring.

I'm going to keep on trying with Twitter myself a bit longer. Tweets seem to think it's something important and I'm going to dig deeper until I find it or jump off the cliff.

Linktastic!

2009-02-25T15:24:00.002-05:00

I think the 80s is making it's comeback again. Beat machines... red pleather... yeah baby, we're back! This video even has breakdancers and a zebra?
Madonna gloves and more leather, zebra strips!

Thinks aren't like they were in the old days. We've come a long way. In this great world of everyone losing their jobs, we know things are a little messed up. We just have to accept who we are now. Most of us really like a good party , while some others make bad decisions.

But any way you dice it, we mostly just a bunch of loons.

Thursday

2009-02-19T13:49:00.002-05:00

Hello, and welcome back. I'd like to start by personally thanking whomever is dropping by every week or so to read. My counter is still functioning so I know someone is coming by. :-)

I read a great post today on The Seminal. It was made by a southern Presbyterian pastor about how the conservative right really wishes it had America back. You've no doubt seen this theme many times. People always talk about the way things used to be, how much better it was in the old days. Many of us realists will browse through history of the last 100 years or so and point out that the past was damn hard for a lot of people and today is so much better. But this isn't the case for many. They cling to the past in thinking that people were somehow better to each other. That the days when you knew everyone in town and could count on them going to your church was something that made them feel secure. When women were 'in their place' and minorities kept to their own. It was a better world. Because, of course, you weren't challenged daily to confront your own views and see if they were unjust to others. You accepted what you were told (typically at church) and you all nodded your heads. What could be better? Everyone in agreement.

Today we are bombarded by thousands of voices. Everyone gets a chance at the microphone because there are more microphones. Now their story is told. The poor and the meek actually did want to have fair treatment. They wanted to have access to the same freedoms but were afraid to speak. Not everyone wanted to go to your church and wow, there are actually other churches out there believing different things.

This is the hardest thing to accept in today's world: your views of black and white aren't always correct. Our views of reason in this current day are founded on hundreds and thousands of years of history before us that sculpted opinion. Your views toward other nations and other peoples aren't necessarily your own but what's mostly been handed to you from the teachers in your life.

This post by the pastor was good at illustrating that there is an undercurrent of grief at this sense of loss. People don't understand that they even have it. They simply know that change is coming at them very fast and they don't know how to voice it. For them we need to put on the kid gloves. We need to understand that being 'conservative' only means that they aren't prepared to face the change coming at them as quickly as some of the rest of us can.

I try to remind myself of these things when I deal with others. They really don't long for the days of slavery or of zero women's rights. What they long for was a time that was easier to understand and allowed them to go from day to day without always questioning who they are. Compassion and sympathy are the tools we need to utilize. Now, having the patience and energy to do so... that's another story.

Not as similiar

2009-02-16T10:17:00.002-05:00

I have to admit, what Hugo Chavez is doing in Venezuela now is what I expect Bush to do before he left. Hugo is turning cartwheels because they just voted down the term limits there and he can run again in 2012. I honestly thought Bush would have tried something like that.

I half expected him to find a national emergency to suspend the election. I also expected Bush to meet an untimely end at the hand of his shooting-happy Vice President. None of it did.

I supposed it has a little something to do with popularity. Last number I saw was he was over 65%. Why? Because he's actually catering to the poor. Sure, he's a dictator in the making but he's helping funnel oil money into health care and such. Easy way to land some votes if you think about it.

Now maybe I'm giving Bush too much credit. I thought when he meant to rob us blind and keep us locked into wars, I thought he was going to just keep doing it. Perhaps even he had a limit? Or maybe they planned to do what they could in the time they were given. Or possibly it all came down to the fact they couldn't sell the nation into being a bunch of goose-stepping patriots that would blindly follow them into a world war. Shrug.

Either way, it's a portait of two outcomes. Hugo is wooing his base and staying in power while George got voted one of the worst presidents (41st) by historians.

Shell game

2009-02-15T22:19:00.002-05:00

I have to agree with Digby on this one. You just have to wonder how these guys can sleep at night after pouring trillions of our dollars into Iraq and their cronies and then having the nerve to whine about us spending billions on ourselves.

Oh please! Don't spend money on the poor! Don't try to improve our roads! I don't use them! Of course not, they never use anything we build nor do they benefit from our country doing better. Nooooooo.

Let's just rob the stupid country blind for years and see how that gets us and then blame Democrats and 'flaming-liberals'. Slap labels on them like 'unpatriotic' and such just to make it seem like they should never disagree while you're robbing them blind.

It's a marvel anyone even listens to them any more. Why bother? They don't care about us anymore. Maybe they should just go buy a cheap island someplace and wave their flags in the mirror. Thanks for the help.

Baldwin - Shatner

2009-02-11T10:20:00.001-05:00

Is is just me or is Alec Baldwin trying to steal 'campy and goofy' away from William Shatner?

You decide...

New treatment for CF patients

2009-02-05T09:23:00.002-05:00

The University of Michigan has come up with a new treatment for super-resistant infections that kill many cystic fibrosis patients. A fine oil-water emulsion has been shown to kill microbes that would have required must higher doses of traditional antibiotics.

Score another point for UofM! This treatment is in Phase 3 trials and could be available to patients within 5 years! Woohoo!

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/548756/

Not ready for prime time

2009-02-03T13:02:00.001-05:00

For awhile I've been watching the effects of the European Union on the countries there. What started off as an economic group is slowly working toward a new government that rules over all of them.
The people in Europe are so diverse still. After centuries they have clung to their individual cultures and I don't fault them at all. Nationalism has always been big there and needs to be if they don't want to fade away in the shadow of a neighbor over the next hill.
I can see the benefit to easier trade between nations, I get that. But what I see coming from this is a slow creep of an 'overlord' of economy dictating terms to nations without allowing for them to have their own ways to resolve issues. Union strikes? Embargoes? How does this all work between governments if they are all tied together this way?
As this article shows, when the going gets tough, the tough get going and they might just want to leave entirely. This is where the cultural identity comes into play. All governments aren't created equal in Europe. Heck, Italians want to ban foreign food! Doesn't this treat on the feet of an economic union?
IMHO, they still aren't ready. As long as a global recession can crack and fragment nations like this, this group of nations isn't ready to bind together to treat each other as equal.

Alba 1 - O'Rielly 0

2009-01-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

I just love this one. If you thought Jessica Alba was 'just another pretty face' then think again!
After some traded barbs with Bill O'Reilly, Alba mentioned something about 'being Sweden about it'. Well of course the media spins it and thinks that she's slipping about Switzerland instead. Here was her response:

“I want to clear some things up that have been bothering me lately,” Alba blogged on MySpace Celebrity. “Last week, Mr. Bill O'Reilly and some really classy sites (i.e.TMZ) insinuated I was dumb by claiming Sweden was a neutral country. I appreciate the fact that he is a news anchor and that gossip sites are inundated with intelligent reporting, but seriously people... it's so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during WWII was Switzerland.”

Woohoo! Pretty face AND stayed awake in history class. Good job Jessica! Point to you! Sweden was indeed considered neutral during the war.

Goodbye 2008

2008-12-31T23:40:00.003-05:00

2008. A year I honestly can't say enough to cover the range of emotion it brought. It was such a losing year for so many people. But hey, don't they all have their ups and downs?

Sure there was a ton of downs. But we're still here, aren't we?

My kids aren't letting me dwell on the bad this year. We're playing and I'm finishing this bottle of champagne myself. They've opened a grocery store with plastic food.

So yes, I was talking about the year. Let's just be done with it. Bush will be gone in days. I'll be on a new account at work. So much change and yes, for the better. I'm willing to let it all go and just start from scratch.

I wish you all a great year. Don't listen to anything they all say about the year.. it's your year to make it what you want. Good luck.

Happy New year.

End of the year thoughts

2008-12-27T21:56:00.002-05:00

Some random thoughts to end my 2008:

1) The Middle East will always be a place of violence until the people there stop being influenced by other nations. And a fat chance of that.

2) This is stupid.

3) Dr. Octopus tried this and you know how that turned out. Another stupid.

4) The U.K. is out of control. A giant nanny-state of police observation and over-protectionism. When will they be stopped??? At some point, this society will collapse.

5) This is one remote place. I guess I could be in worse situations. Scroll out... you'll see.

Just another dork

2008-12-18T11:55:00.001-05:00

I'm a geek. I've always been one. No surprise since I grew up that way and didn't know how to communicate some other way. And like most Americans, I grew up on the movies. What geek didn't see 'Breakfast Club' or 'Revenge of the Nerds'? Even those crazy movies like 'Meatballs' and 'Caddyshack' were about geeks and people that weren't understood. Truly, how many people really side with the jocks or with the cruel girls from 'Heathers'?

When I look around at the people I work with, the friends I've made, I expect to see the same managerie of strange, odd, and different. I work with people from every ethnic background, from different geographies, different everything. This is just everyday life for me.

So when I look at my government, I would expect to see just that same diversity right? Well, until 2009... I didn't. We had a saturation of old, white men and a real, tiny amount of minorities. Women are making a stronger showing now but still lacking.

It's one of the things that delighted me when I watched Obama pick his Secretaries and heads of cabinet. He really chose a diverse bunch of folks. I can't say I agree with a few of them but you know what? That's what this is all about. He's picking them as diverse as himself. I'm sure he had plenty of people to interview and perhaps he picked the thinkers and the dreamers to his ticket. I'd like to think so anyway.

To quote Amanda Bynes in 'Sydney White'.. 'I'm a dork'. And maybe Barack is one too. ;-)

Cheap gas prize

2008-12-10T18:50:00.002-05:00

Does anyone else feel like cheap gas is the booby prize for mismanaging the world's biggest economy into the toilet?

Does anyone else feel like cheap gas is Big Oil's way of saying 'Fuck You and thanks for the fish!'?
They raped us pretty bad and this is how they thank us by turning off the 'oh it's high demand' excuse and letting gas come back down to the price we had before Bush.

Yeah, here's your booby prize. Just don't look at your retirement savings again.

Just like you and me

2008-12-01T09:48:00.003-05:00

I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting pictures like this but I think it makes a point.

Here are two lovely young women. They lived in the UK.

They look just like anyone else. Quite beautiful in fact. I would have crossed a road to talk to them. If I were younger, I would have begged for a phone number.

Unfortunately, Lucinda, on the right, died at 19 from CF. Her sister, Jodi, died at 22. Both were fun loving girls, according to this article, that loved life and knew their time here would be short. Just not this short.

I feel for their family. You never know how much time you have on this planet. CFers have even less. We're working for a cure... but just not fast enough.

Justfied to be wrong

2008-11-26T14:56:00.002-05:00

As we approach the holidays someone always has to resurrect the argument about whether people can say 'Merry Christmas'. Large efforts are organized to put the 'Christ' back in Christmas, etc. It's really a big deal for them. As they see it, someone is squashing their religious beliefs and that's wrong. And sure, it is wrong. But not in this way.

Our country was built on the rights we give our citizens. The government isn't allowed to impose a religion or to force it's beliefs on citizens. So I really can't stop you from celebrating Christmas on your own or wishing me that. It's your prerogative.

One thing that's common forgotten by some provincial folk is that not everyone is a Christian. Wishing these folks Merry Christmas is a nice saying but isn't right for them. If you know what your friend celebrates, do you wish them something else? I don't go around wishing my countrymen a good Canadian holiday. Unless I know they're of a certain decent, I wouldn't tell people to enjoy a Scandanvian holiday. But are you denied that right? Nope.

Similar to this argument are Thanksgiving day celebrations. The Pilgrims and Indians never sat down like we always drew with crayons. It's mostly fiction. So are we right in having reenactments of this event if it never happened? Kinda like having an annual party to dress up like Christopher Columbus discovering Atlantis. When you know something is wrong, do you just keep on doing it?

So if you want to go around wishing people a Merry Christmas, it's your right: religious and speech and all that. But if you don't know who you're talking to, do you care if you're wrong? That one is up to you.

Jumping the Shark

2008-11-12T11:15:00.003-05:00

Okay, I hate to say it but I think 'Heroes' has finally jumped the shark.

I've really lost track of where they are going with this season of the show. The first season was very well done and had a nice spiral plot that came to a conclusion. Then came season two.

Where do you begin? All sorts of backstory. New characters. Old characters who suddenly change their views. It all doesn't make much sense.

Oh I understand them wanting to flesh out the Villians and explain more of what's going on, but when you throw this mysterious formula out there and add to that how the Villians 'created' a lot of the heroes but they just didn't work the way they planned? Huh? Now a magical eclipse that created them? What? I thought that was a figurative device.

Yeah, I'm stubborn enough to see where this goes but I'll agree with a lot of people now on this one, they've just jumped the darn shark.

Been thinking about CF

2008-11-11T12:31:00.003-05:00

One of those things in my family's lives that we frequently forget about is Cystic Fibrosis. We try to live a normal life and pretend it's not there. Oh we're very good about the routine and watching for problems, but we try to live our lives as they were meant to be. We deal with school, work, and hobbies. We see family and relatives when we can. But always in the background is this genetic timebomb.

I try to support and raise money for research. There is so much I could do. Events, fundraising, public awareness... and so much more. But there's always a limit. My daughter's routines usually sap us of 2-3 hrs in a day. We double up and multi-task, but this is devoted time we can't skip or take on the road easily.

They say this is the best time to be with this disease as there are advances every year that expand and better their lives. But for many, the time is already over. They hang on the best they can but they know a lung transplant (or two) won't happen for them. They watch slowly as they get worse, their health declines, and they accept that they were here just a little too soon.

I wish I could do more but the awareness is about all I can squeeze in beyond the fundraising.
So, if you would, watch this video. I plan to keep adding more as time goes on. Hopefully the word keeps spreading and generous folks will contribute when they can. (The event in the video already happened and raised an amazing $425,000... way to go 'Pipeline to a Cure')

(video had expired)

President Barack Obama... thank you!

2008-11-04T23:24:00.002-05:00

After eight long years, we now have a new President. Please welcome to the White House, President Barack Obama. Huzzah! Huzzah!

Please start as soon as you can to correct this crazy chaos we're stuck in now. Thank you!

Today - Hopefully

2008-11-04T13:54:00.001-05:00

Hat tip to http://www.patrickmoberg.com

Election Day! Go Vote You Slacker!

2008-11-04T07:36:00.002-05:00

Yes friends, today is finally the day. The day that could lead from eight long years of crap and excuses and cronies to a future where we actually try to fix things. Sure there is an outside chance that 'McSame' could win and we have 4 more years of complaining but I honestly don't think so.

I'll put out one last plea to commonsense. Stop thinking with your 'belief' mind or the 'social agenda' mind of the past. These need to be silenced. There is so much wrong with the country than worrying if Obama will steal your right to go to church. The economy has tanked. We're STILL in a war draining billions every month. We're STILL watching the oil companies make record profits. And STILL there are criminals that have lied to the country to get us into wars and have stolen our natural resources and they haven't been put behind bars.

So much is at stake this time around.

So put all those fears to rest this year. You've been primed to fear everything. It's time to stop being afraid of the future and just write it. We're Americans, dammit. Show some spine!

Exxon rapes the USA once again!!!

2008-10-30T12:55:00.003-04:00

Does this bother anyone else as this bothers me? Exxon Mobil posts a record breaking profit for the 3rd quarter.

The article says that even though production was lower than a year ago, they still made record profits. WHAT??

So you're telling me that gas prices never needed to be this high as obviously they were already raking in the profits. All the stories about high demand, soaring need in China, hurricanes were a big crock of shit. They took us to the bank, stole billions upon billions from us because we had no choice and then didn't have the nerve to leave a thank you or chocolates on our pillow.

Those freaking, tax break stealing, bastards!!

And does anyone else find it just waaaay to coincidental that gas prices are now back to levels where Bush and cronies took office? So the bloodletting is over and so is the free ride so now we return you to your regularly scheduled program? WTF?

It's just too simple. We've been robbed folks. A well placed coup to make the only people successful in this last decade being the oil companies.

So when you review the last ten years in your head and think back to those 'nutcases' that said the Iraq war was only about oil... reconsider your assessment. We were their bitch and now they're done with us. Ciao!

LOL

2008-10-24T10:09:00.001-04:00

Best of Craigslist

2008-10-23T15:00:00.002-04:00

Sometimes there are some real gems on Craigslist. Check this one out:

Dear Red States... We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us.

In case you aren't aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon,Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.
We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.
We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy b*****ds believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico. Peace out, Blue States

What the...

2008-10-17T14:48:00.000-04:00

This is rather funny. Partly because of the content but mostly because it's weird hearing Hayden swear. I think her film career will get a leg up with comedy like this ;-)

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

She was like a Vegas stripper...

2008-10-14T19:40:00.002-04:00

It reminds me of the time I went to Vegas. We went to the Spearmint Rhino. They had the best women I'd seen at a strip club. The ratio was like 2 customers to every women. Plus I was there at a shift change so it seemed like endless women.

I met the cutest girl at the very beginning of the night. She was about to go off shift so of course she was trying to sell the 'VIP room'. Now, had she been at the tail end of the evening, I would have said yes but instead I was just getting my first beer. My meager funds wouldn't have lasted.

She was a lot like that. The girl that called on the phone. She was calling from MSU and doing the typical yearly thing. But she was a little different. She barely got through the whole address and email check before we were chatting. We talked about campus and the football team. The 6-1 start was quite exciting. We had a few laughs on the cost of tuition compared to when I went there. Yeah, very close to being old guy talk but hey.

I'd even forgotten I was washing dishes. My wife came in at some point to see who I was talking to. Then I realized what I was doing. I knew where this was all going. We would eventually end this call with the usual 'can you give money'. Sad, in a way. She was a sophomore so that would have made her what, 19? It was nice to hear a young girl laugh at your jokes. She didn't even have to try that hard because hey, I am funny.

You laugh, of course. Me getting pulled into a song and dance. So I just ended it. I said abruptly, 'Oh, sorry, gotta run.' then hung up. It was over. No awkward payment plan. No apologies. It was over.

Sigh, maybe another time... another girl.

Probably what's needed

2008-10-14T09:26:00.002-04:00

I was watching the news on MSNBC and they were talking about a story of friendly fire in Iraq. Unlike every other dry story from Iraq, this one had video. The company's Sgt. had a camera running through the whole encounter. WOW.

Here was finally a view of what our soldiers are dealing with daily as we forget them over there. Here are guys doing urban patrols getting fired on. Here are guys yelling because they've been hit, calling for medics, yelling at their fellow soldiers to hang on as help is on the way.

We've been done a disservice. By not having video cameras in the field and reporters to cover war, we've forgotten just how nerve-wracking and deadly it can be. In just a couple minutes of footage, I was suddenly reminded of Iraq and the people we've forgotten there.

I'm not a religious man but if I was I would be praying we get the change we need this year so we can finally end that waste of life being in Iraq.

Thank Youuuu George!

2008-10-09T09:46:00.002-04:00

An oddly underreported story... the US debt clock that runs in Times Square has run out of digits! The board was erected to highlight the $2.7 trillion level of debt in 1989.

The clock's owners say two more zeros will be added, allowing the clock to record a quadrillion dollars of debt. Douglas Durst, son of the late Seymour Durst - the clock's inventor - hopes to replace the Manhattan clock with its lengthier replacement early next year.

When I say oddly, I searched Google and for some reason only foreign news sources, the AP and NPR seem to come up with the story.

Hmmm, another one of America's dirty secrets we're not going to make a big deal about? LOL.
Reason I thank George for this one is his drunken sailor spending for the last two terms. I know you want to point to Congress on this but George didn't learn how to use a veto pen until when... hmm, 2006? I have yet to see him veto a military budget with pork in it.

Face it kids, we're screwed. We're paying for this one so I hope you can remind your grandkids how much fun it was to go on drunken credit card binges because they'll never see it.

Special Comment by Keith

2008-10-07T13:18:00.004-04:00

I'm sure I'm the only person that thinks like Keith does but man, he sure does make me laugh. I'm glad this time around there are some in the media that question the same things I do. Kinda like, how come you keep dropping the 'g' off your words, Governor. That sort of thing. We didn't get that lucky with Bush and look where we are now.

EDIT:

Okay, this one is funnier. Tina Fey is going to lose a great character when McCain loses the election.

Funny

2008-09-29T08:56:00.001-04:00

If you had purchased $1000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.

With Enron, you would have $16.50 left of the original $1000.

With WorldCom, you would have less than $5.00 left.

If you had purchased $1000.00 of Delta Air Lines stock you would have $49.00 left.

If you had purchased United Airlines stock, you would have nothing left. B

ut, if you had purchased $1000.00 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling refund you would have $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle. This is called the 401-Keg Plan.

(no attempt has been made to verify the costs of these stocks... my name is Wally and I approve this message.)

Dueling tales of Doom!

2008-09-26T16:30:00.000-04:00

Beginning of the end?

2008-09-26T15:06:00.002-04:00

We won't go out in a bang.. but a slow gagging noise instead.

Turns out methane is starting to erupt from the frozen Arctic permafrost. It's been locked there since the last Ice Age. While we don't know how much of it is stored in Russia, for example. We do know it's a lot. And if too much escapes, we're going to have even worse greenhouse effects.

For those of you scoffing and thinkng of Al Gore, think of this. What do you get when a planet goes into runaway greenhouse effects? Venus. Our own atmosphere could just sit there and trap everything in. All that heat that slips into space could be stuck here. Perhaps it wouldn't melt us but we're sure going to end up gasping for breath.

Ick.

Death to fish

2008-09-23T13:10:00.002-04:00

I've decided that I'm a very poor pet owner when it comes to fish. I jumped into owning a fish tank with fish but didn't do the research ahead of time. It was all so cheap to buy. Wheee!

My tank looks nice. The amnonia is low. They're fed and I do water changes but it's the part where you mix fish together that I was just too footloose.

Who would have thought fighting fish would fight each other? I mean, males and females? It's kinda like a joke. Why would they fight? What kind of creature would rather fight than make babies? Silly eh?

Anyway, I've decided to take things slow and do the reading before moving on. I've got 4 living fish here and that's fine. ;-)

SNL does Palin

2008-09-16T10:36:00.002-04:00

Actually it was Tina Fey but I got more laughs from 'Hillary' in this clip. Good stuff!

(Thank god for the internet. Seeing the best of SNL is so much easier.)

Urinal of doom

2008-09-16T10:15:00.002-04:00

I've designated my urinal in the bathroom at work The Urinal of Doom. Beward all ye who enter here.

For some reason they chose urinals of very poor design. They are very shallow, almost sink-like, reaching out into the room. Trust me, guys don't need them reaching out that far. Give me back the old ones that were flat against the wall... unassuming.

These also have turbo flush powers that Aquaman would be proud of. Couple that with a motion sensor and you have a recipe for disaster. When you go to leave... leave quickly! Turbo urinal will see your back and fire a salvo!

Also, don't approach Turbo without waiting for it to finish a previous flush. This is the one that got me. I was too quick after another person finished and as I walked up I got nailed. Always fun to have to wait around in the restroom til your pants are dry so people don't think you need to wear Depends.

I'm sure the cleaning staff just loves mopping all the time since Turbo is always spitting on the floor.

So beware! Shallow scoop urinals are just waiting for you to get within their reach before they shoot!

Carry on!

More offshore drilling - Graphic

2008-09-13T21:26:00.003-04:00

Because some people just can't get it and will always be parrots for talking heads, here is a nice graph on just how much new offshore drilling would help us.

And yes, you guessed it, not that much at all.

Tell your oil lobbyist Satan is calling... he wants that soul back.

The New Palin for President!!!

2008-09-12T11:41:00.002-04:00

I'd vote for him!

Detroit Area CFF Event - Fowling!!

2008-09-10T13:44:00.003-04:00

For anyone in the Detroit Metro area, here's a little event I was trying to help get the word out on. Money raised for this event helps Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and their research.

We're slackers

2008-09-03T11:25:00.002-04:00

Two things really stood out to me in this article. The U.S. has one of the higher teen pregnancy rates in developed nations and the fact that sex education is so hit or miss in this country. Oh, a third is we're one of the only developed nations not to have paid maternity leave.

So why this sudden pride in mediocre parenting? Somehow we're supposed to take pride in how we've let our kids down in knowing about birth control? How they didn't get the life lesson that says protect yourself until you're ready to start a family?

Looking at Palin and whatever controversy there is with her, I'm in the camp that says you have a special needs child at home AND now you have to help your daughter raise her child... just stay home. Or, if you still plan to work, don't bring this family into national politics. Has anyone asked the children how they feel about all this? Popularity is great but having a camera in your face doesn't make for a great childhood.

Palin went into this job knowing she'd expose her family to the world and the GOP planners knew this would play out on the headlines. Let's muddle the waters with a 'family values' discussion so we aren't talking about the true issues in the country right now. Well played, Mr. Rove. If you can't swing over the raging feminists... shake the beehive hard enough until they go nuts and cause too much noise.

But anyway, what I really came here to say was about our nation in general. Let's stop this parade of showing our inadequacies and let's get back in the game.

Who is Sarah?

2008-09-02T09:23:00.001-04:00

Tax cuts

2008-08-28T20:08:00.002-04:00

Now here is a helpful site. It shows the estimate cut you would receive under Obama's tax plan. Granted, the scale only goes up to $500k/household so if you're making that AND reading my blog, geez man... give me a loan!

I also like how they show the difference under the McCain plan under it (IF you see a cut).
Try it out. How's your 'tax and spend' liberal doing now?

Clean energy.. we can do it

2008-08-28T15:02:00.000-04:00

Don't care what the naysayers are preaching... we can do this. Pass it on.

Survival... at Starfleet

2008-08-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

I like this one. Can't find who to credit for it though.

An understanding

2008-08-27T23:03:00.002-04:00

I think I finally understand something. I remember the old news clips of John Kennedy being shot and all the reaction throughout the country. People wailing, people crying. People dropping to the ground in shock and misery. I honestly couldn't understand though, the cult of personality that way for a political figure.

At this point, I finally get it. Barack Obama has this. He's beyond the 'guy you wanna have a beer with'. He's to that point you want him at your party. You want him at your wedding. You want him to be the guy that's on watch to keep the country safe. I don't care what you say if he has all the ability to do so, he's going to stay up all night if he has to.... for you.

Convention starts...

2008-08-25T22:44:00.003-04:00

How can you watch Michelle Obama talk and wonder if she has some secret agenda? You don't make up speeches like this and fake emotion like that.

The Obamas are real. Real people that want to work in the White House. Could you really pass on that for someone who couldn't tell you how much a gallon of gas costs?

I honestly don't know what people are thinking.

More sabres rattle

2008-08-24T19:03:00.002-04:00

Weeks ago it was all about Iran. Iran won't comply... they won't play ball...
Now it's all about Russia.

I figure most people haven't really understood the big picture on this. The western media outlets have been making the Russians out to be the big bad guys but the Georgians struck first. Somebody, most likely our shining Administration of morale values, told the Georgians we'd back them up against Russia. Wow, were they stupid. Now they've gotten pummeled and look like the poor victim.

I think this is just one more sad attempt to make the world scene that more unstable. Because you know, fear is the best weapons during an election. I believe this is mostly an eleventh hour move to make yet another Big Bad Wolf. Democrats are bad with foreign activities... they want to lose wars. You know the story. This whole stage sets up tension with Russia. We can't pick on China, because heck, that's where we buy everything from. It had to be Russia. They don't play our game and give us their oil. Yawn. Sorry, even imitating NeoCon rubbish is tiring.

I just think this is all so convienient for McCain. Try to stir up a political row with another country and make it look like he's the only guy with the guts to stand up to them. Cuz he's got guts from being a P.O.W. He'll save us! The world is scary!!! Ack!

LOL!

While we wait

2008-08-22T22:00:00.002-04:00

The land sits and waits for many things. The end of the Olympics. The announcement of Obama's VP. The conventions for each party. The end of summer. The start of school. And so on.

So while you wait, check out this list of oddities I've found for you today. Bon Appetite!

- A long collection of awesome HD pictures from the Olympics. Not all are safe for work. I could write captions for them all day long.

- When you Google for Niue, you get this helpful map.

- Um... yeah. Short.

- Because religion isn't crazy enough: Muslims are killing Christians in Nigeria because they think they prayed for their leader's death... and were successful.

- Beijing... the next best thing to being there.

Thrown under the bus

2008-08-21T14:15:00.002-04:00

Sometimes people put it together so simply and easily that everyone should understand. It's a shame they often don't.

'So I'm voting for Obama despite my many reservations about him. But whatever my reservations about Barack Obama, I have little doubt that John McCain will be an unmitigated disaster for working class America. He combines the worst and most murderous characteristics of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W.Bush all rolled up into one individual. If he gets to the White House, working class America can look forward to the worst years of our lives.'

Read the whole post here.

Viva La Vida

2008-08-19T22:10:00.002-04:00

Well impulse buys aren't usually my thing but iTunes makes life too easy when you're lazy.
I bought the new album by Coldplay. $9.99 simple and easy.

I love the title track. I might have gotten off easy just buying that one for a buck but this band overall is good enough to buy their albums. 4 or 5 of the songs are great makeout tunes, if you're looking for that sort of thing. Lovers in Japan is another good song. 42 is upbeat. Life in Technicolor is another. Most of the songs I'd give 3/5 stars. Vida la Vida is a 5 star.

So I really didn't gain a bunch of wondersongs from this purchase but like every other Coldplay album, if you like them then you really like them. Some bands you just gotta support :-)

AP mistake, our laughter

2008-08-19T10:41:00.002-04:00

The Associated Press really messed up with a typo about Sen. Lieberman. When talking about McSame's VP pick, they mistyped pick and spelled 'prick'. Too funny!

'Joe Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential prick in 2000'

Google it, it's hilarious they messed up. Tons of news sites missed it too but have started cleaning up the mess.

I don't disagree with the AP one bit!

Political Pudding goes live

2008-08-18T20:04:00.002-04:00

In a new way to give my political urges an outlet, I'm co-launching a new blog... Political Pudding.

Ogre and myself will be looking weekly at political and social issues and getting into some old-fashioned debating. Ogre and I are both moderates at heart with each of us leaning opposite directions. We've often joked we'd make a good ticket to run on. Typically we are just talking plain sense. Other times we're just spouting off at the mouth ;-)

Come on over and see what we're about and toss in your two cents!

Midsummer's

2008-08-17T17:22:00.002-04:00

I went to see a play today. Nice rendition of Midsummer's. Local players that were able to keep the crowd in stitches. It was the first Shakespeare my daughter has seen and she did great.

I still marvel how much of the Bard's work is still enjoyable. The lines are sometimes hard to understand but, like being immersed in a foreign country, you start to understand what's going on by just watching the body language.

I wonder what these plays will look like in 100 years because you know they'll still do them. At least there is some hope for the future.

It's a Trap!!

2008-08-15T14:53:00.003-04:00

Um.. uhhhh... um. I know this one is a trap. Um, I think someone told me about this one. Huh? I voted how? Oh... well, someone else did the research on that one for me... um...

Yeah, this one will bite my ass. Better let a staffer give my answer for me.

- Nice parry, John. You knew if you agreed with yourself on the voting record then you'd alienate those pro-lifers you're trying to grab for their votes. Keep dodging man! Pretend everything you said in 2000 didn't happen!!

McSame Quotables - Nations don't Invade Nations

2008-08-14T12:53:00.003-04:00

It really is quite amazing that Karl Rove lets this man speak AT ALL. It's just like Bush at the mic. You're afraid when he isn't reading from his script that he'll say something that will be tattooed to his forehead.

Unfortunately the Democrats don't play hardball enough and won't make this the attack ad of the century. 'Nations don't attack nations'.... HELLO?? Can you say invade Iraq? Afghanistan? Yeah, nobody does that any more Johnny. Remind me to bring this back up when you start talking about teaching Iran a lesson again.

Orson Scott Card - Wackjob

2008-08-12T10:35:00.002-04:00

Okay, I've read a ton of books by Orson Scott Card. He always came across as such a visionary with an insight into the future. Great science fiction. The book Ender's Game was great. I read it as a late teen but would have loved it earlier in life. It speaks to so much about childhood in general.

Well, at some point I finally went on the web and checked out his site. He's got a forum where others that love his work post. It was kinda nice.

Until Orson posted.

On the light end, he's a radical that doesn't like laws and regulations telling him what to do. I get that. Lots of 'patriots' felt the same way ever since the start of the republic.
However, on the heavy end... the guy is just nuts. I don't know if being a Mormon explains anything of his bad views.

Case in point, this Op-Ed to the Mormon Times. His radical side comes out as he complains about states telling us that gays should marry. Heaven forbid! First it was abortion and now it's gay marriage. We can't have the State teach us gays are people, the schools are doing it, then we make people that disagree as 'mentally ill'! Ack!!
He goes into a lengthy explanation on how it isn't 'normal' because they can't have children. Yeah, Orson, we kinda got that. That's not what it's about.

'How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of
law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to
change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it
down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support
marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to
marry in their turn.'

His argument centers around the government supporting the destruction of traditional marriage and how it will be our downfall. People like this just make me laugh. How you can you support having rights to do as you wish yet denying those same rights to others? Perhaps it's marriage that is the problem. The state needs marriage to delineate heirs, determine property rights, etc. What it doesn't need is a religious ceremony. It's not really required from a government point of view.

Anyway, I think Orson is just off his rocker and I've thought that way for a long time. I'm not alone. This guy did a great job of breaking him down. It's worth the laugh.

I don't know if I'll chance another book from him. I'm getting tired of looking for the hidden message now.

Tuesday crazy

2008-08-12T09:01:00.002-04:00

I finally sat down and ran through my old posts. I was curious as to how long I've been doing it (since 2005) and what I wrote about. It's good to see I was a good boy and didn't get too personal. As I've left this blog open and searchable to the web, we don't need any unnecessary secrets floating around.

I used to have a lot more time too. My job at the time gave me lots of stare at the computer screen minutes. I used to grab silly news items and post them for my readers. Wasn't I nice?
I think I kind of liked that old me... at least from a blog perspective. It was interesting to come here and read silliness. At least that's what I can tell from the comments.

It's hard to keep something fresh over the years. I think my mindset has been shown over and over again so if you don't know me by now, well... you're just not reading the private blog then hehe.

Thanks for being such a loyal reader. To show you my appreciation I now return you to our old format of fun, silly and crazy things to read.

Murphy the gnome sees the world! (Has anyone else seen the movie Amelie? It's great)

Check out the hawk that just visited my backyard.

Last one out, turn off the lights. Zombies, that means you too!

McCain confused on.. everything

2008-08-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

Waterfall on steroids

2008-08-08T10:04:00.000-04:00

This was really darn cool.

Creative

2008-08-04T22:44:00.001-04:00

Viva La Vida

Ransom: why they do what they do

2008-08-04T15:16:00.003-04:00

I was musing on this today. Ever notice how much Congress can't get things enacted unless you have certain people 'onboard' with your idea? Ever notice how whenever they actually pass something its usually got a ton of pork barrel spending attached to the bills?

Ever notice how the Republicans always vote for what is least best for the country unless there's some sort of 'oil-based incentive' in it?

Yeah. I'm talking about Big Oil folks. I think at this point we can pretty much say that Big Oil owns this country and it's government. It's the real reason that Congress doesn't put the axe to pork barrel spending. If they did, they'd never get a bill passed. Oh sure, we could pass a tax cut for oil companies or allow offshore drilling... but increase the minimum wage? Make a windfall profits tax on the biggest profit makers in history? Heck no.

This all kind of explains some of the odd behavior you see on the Hill. One day a Senator will say 'no new oil drilling' and then the next saying they'd consider it. It's because they have to play the bargain game. I'll give you (Big Oil) another prize if you let us increase Veterans benefits, give more money to repair roads, etc. It wouldn't happen otherwise.

And I'm sorry to my GOP counterparts out there but your congresscritters are all bought. Big Oil has them under their thumbs. And why not? They get promised great jobs when they leave office no matter how bad they are. Heck, you can even get away with criminal behavior and still end up on a Board of Directors someplace if you sell your soul just right.

So, in a way, I feel sorry for my fellow Democrats that rail on for real change. That absolutely cannot happen until an election where they win a super majority. And just you watch.... we'll get some bills through that have been stuck for a long time but we'll see just who has been bought out in this Party as well. Count the number who vote against penalties for the oil companies. Then you'll know.

Don't like Walmart? Vote for Obama!

2008-08-01T13:00:00.002-04:00

Some people have a real dislike, bordering on hate, for WalMart. I personally don't like them and will avoid their stores as much as I can. Not to say I hate them but I think their whole 'pay you peanuts and make you smile' thing is a little like what they do in China.

After reading this, I figure a person could help stick it to WalMart some by getting even more people to vote for Obama.

Fear the Democrats! They plan to wreck your wonderful, private company status of cheap 3rd world labor costs. Aww shucks!

Clueless? Try spiffy graphics

2008-07-30T16:01:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I think the clueless just need spiffy graphics to illustrate what they're hearing. For years people have heard about the Bush tax cuts but just thought it would be a 'tax hike' if we put them back. The people that are most vocal are usually the ones that make below $250k a year. So why all the fuss? Because we listen to talking pundits that DO make more than $250k a year.

Try this on and tell me if you'll see a tax hike with Obama. Still good? Great.

(I believe the credit for this graphic goes to the Washington Post but I couldn't find it's original location there)

The Internet Never Forgets

2008-07-29T16:35:00.003-04:00

Case in point is everything any politician says. But beyond that I was talking to someone about kids. They are growing up with a smaller and smaller sense of privacy because the world is so damn big and they want to be known in it.

They record everything. Post everything. We know ALL. (all safe for work, btw)

Which led to my quotable:

"In 20 years it won't matter because all the kids will grow up and the internet will never forget their first keg stand"

I can't wait to go into the voting booth with things like this in my mind. (NSFW in a way)

Shh, Obama's speaking

2008-07-25T13:31:00.002-04:00

I think this one bridges whichever side of the fence you are with the Presidential race. You just gotta love what kids will do.

Go, Diego, Go! Mission Complete!

Blame the Democrats!!

2008-07-25T09:25:00.001-04:00

Um... then again... numbers don't lie.

An amazing buffet

2008-07-24T22:38:00.002-04:00

Does this make you hungry? It did me!

(drag your mouse around to see what's behind you... and above you...)

One of these days, Alice..

2008-07-24T10:40:00.001-04:00

I know there's a bit of controversy in the science community about the plan to go back to the moon in the next 10 years. For some, the Moon is a wasted trip when we should be pushing on straight to Mars or the asteroids. We know what we'll find on the Moon for the most part and the other destinations will be more rewarding.

I do have to agree that there is more reward in the latter two places. Mars has an atmosphere and the sooner we can explore it, the closer we are to discovering answers to the source of life here, how to terraform, and eventually to create a new home for humans. The asteroids are rich in exotic minerals and would be a fantastic haul for them if we were to start mining there.

But there is definitely something to be said about going to the Moon. Not only is it days away instead of years but it really is a proving ground for a space faring race. If you can show that you can live on the Moon, produce your own resources and grow, then you have definitely graduated to autonomy.

The other outcome from going to the Moon is perfecting devices and techniques that we can then take with us to Mars that we know that works. For example, this article mentions how they are making a make-shift GPS system for the Moon. Obviously if you had thousands of people on the Moon you'd just put up some satellites and create a GPS system but we're not there just yet. (plus it would be expensive).

Hopefully with things like this we'll eventually turn the Moon into just another place to visit. I don't see it unlikely at all that we'll have spaceports and little domed cities before the end of the century. It really just comes down to money and drive to complete. If we can ever stop having these petty wars that drain our country's coffers... maybe we'll get some where.

100 billion?

2008-07-23T22:30:00.002-04:00

OMG, I know things are bad here but could you imagine having to print 100 Billion dollar bills?

Talk about some fracked up economy woes. I think I would be packing up and sailing off someplace or whatever.

This story was wild because people are buying the bills on eBay for around $80 as collector's items. I think I could almost want a bill like that to just frame for fun!

Long shadowy future

2008-07-22T12:38:00.002-04:00

You know, I read this and all I can think of is... awwwwwww. It makes me wonder what could possibly be appealling about being a young Republican at this time and date.

Not since Reagan has there been any appeal for young voters in the GOP. Okay, maybe Bush was someone you thought having a beer with at a NASCAR event would have been cool. But that sure turned sour, eh?

Reagan had that Hollywood charm that Ah-nold only wishes he had. Star power from a bygone age that he used on the camera to make his opponents look foolish. Mondale? Yeah right. Ronny just sounded great.

Today young GOoPers have little to cheer about. Bush talking about 'the internets', McSame talking about 'doing a Google or two'. None of them knowing a thing about email. Heck, the closest you had with modern Repubs and email was Rove and Cheney knowing enough to delete theirs.

Sorry kids, no Twitter, no Facebook fun... it's all sorta old school in Repub land. And I'll tell you why. For years the GOP has been a 'use them up and discard' mentality. People like Dick Cheney have schemed for years to be in a position of power behind a intellectually vacant President. He and Rumsfeld have been lurking around for years. Newt Gingrich and others have all been planning for a long time to cook up a full court press on all sides of the government. They were just a step away from getting the Supreme Court and would still if they got McSame into office.

These are men that have used everything in their power and used everyone up in their bid for control. They found ways to pull in the religious right with promises of social reforms. They somehow sold minorities out in getting their votes and then discarding them.

They are all controlling and have little care about technology (that isn't weapons). They don't live moment to moment on the internet. They honestly don't care for discussion at all. Look at the press secretaries for the last 2 terms... coached on idiot comments that mean nothing. 'Look away folks, we'll not give you any real answers'.

So in this environment Young Goopers are stuck. They have to start from scratch with senators and congresspeople that even know how to use a website or read email. It's a long, long ass road from there to a Senator Obama that actually has a Twitter going. (I don't care if he's writing it or not, at least he's got one).

Let's talk again in say.... 2016. See how you kids are coming, okay?

These are great

2008-07-22T10:15:00.001-04:00

A long time ago, in an art gallery far far away.....

Check these out.

Not only do I like the Tesla Roadster...

2008-07-22T10:11:00.002-04:00

but I like its battery too! Here's a good read. Their batteries have no toxic elements and are completely recyclable. How cool is that?

Take the Quiz

2008-07-18T21:37:00.002-04:00

The Average American scores about 50% on this quiz. Those aged 18-29 only get 30%.

Where do you stand? I got 83%. I think that's doing quite well keeping up on current things.

http://pewresearch.org/newsiq/

Bush gives Israel tentative ok to strike Iran

2008-07-13T16:08:00.002-04:00

"US President George W. Bush has given Israel the go-ahead to draw up a full plan of attack to take out Iran's main nuclear facilities and to present it to him for final approval, according to a senior Pentagon official who spokes to London's Sunday Times. "

This in from an Israeli news site. Of course no news on any local national sites here. Yawn. Must be a false alarm. Guess we can all go read about Brad and Angie's twins.

I WANT one of these

2008-07-13T12:28:00.002-04:00

Hello Mid-Life Crisis! This is the time guys finally can afford that car of their youth. A fast car that says 'yes, I'm old and fuck you too'. LOL.

I think I really want one of these....

I want to have a Green roadster. Go green baby! It looks hot and it's completely electric.
Yes, I would sacrifice one of two slots in my already full garage for a hot babe like this.

Mmm.

Stop Oil Speculation

2008-07-10T17:19:00.002-04:00

Tired of gas prices? Tired of how the prices on everything else is going up? Think the airlines aren't going to pass on the $20 billion extra in fuel charges they have this year? Yeah.

Well here's something you can do regardless of your political preference.

Go to StopOilSpeculationNow.com

Send your Congressperson and Senators a letter from this website telling them how they can actually do something to help us for a change. Close loopholes, stop speculation.

The nice things about what is proposed here won't hurt anybody. If you're buying commodities without the intent of taking possession of it... you're only doing it for profit, you have a limit to what you can get. Simple enough. Make your profits someplace else... oil is a required resource for us all to survive right now.

Pass it on!!

Skulls are fakes! Someone call Leonard Nimoy!

2008-07-09T09:26:00.002-04:00

I saw this article today, Art of Deception. Turns out those beautiful 'Aztec' crystal skulls are fakes. Looking at them under super microscopes shows they were made with modern tools. Meaning they were made in the 1800s and not the Pre-Columbian period Aztecs.

I remember seeing one of those skulls years ago on TV when I was a kid. They were amazingly done and I would have loved to have one. Skulls are cool! Imagine that baby sitting on your desk if you were a CEO hehe. Remember that show 'In Search Of'? I seem to recall them using the skull in the intro.

Gosh, fakes? Who would have thought. Kinda disappointing in a way because I've always hoped to find more evidence that we've forgotten more things about construction (Stonehenge) than we know.

Speaking of 'In Search Of' I was looking at the episode guide for it and found this gem 'Future Life' - Jump ahead in time to the year 2010 and see what the world may be like for our children. Now there's an episode I'd love to see. 2010 was 30 years distant... did they see us with Jetson's flying cars? I'm sure they were miles off.

China might implode on oil prices

2008-07-08T08:42:00.002-04:00

I think this guy has it right. China based her impressive manufacturing model on having satellites and doing assembly in multiple areas and then shipping everything to the market of the U.S. Ever wonder how they can make such cheap plastic crap, ship it to us and still have it be cheaper than something made here? That's how.... coupled of course with micro-sized labor costs.

So with the increase in oil costs, the Chinese can't keep hiding it from their industry through subsidies. They have to pass on some of these costs. Since the profit margin was so small (a freighter of plastic Hannah Montana dolls nets you pennies) it's going to eat into that.

They aren't immune. Hence why I agree with that guy's article. China is going to break on the back of the oil cartels and speculators just like we will. Unless of course we innovate ourselves out of this hole.

This is something I totally think we can do too. Once we set our minds to something in this country, there is little we can't do. A lot of countries populations would just sit in their paper bag and not leave. Not Americans. We have the resourcefulness to try new things. We just need to stop working against our best interests and find politicians that will give us the right incentives.

Bye bye, cheap Chinese goods! Hello Made in USA!