What is the view of how Christians should cast their votes? Well, you may be surprised what some very well qualified Christians think.
MSNBC says 58% of SC GOP primary voters ID'd themselves as evangelicals.
So, at 3:30 this morning, I awake to hear "drip, drip, drip" in my bedroom. We'd been having a very heavy, steady rain since around 10:00 p.m. I lay there a few minutes, and thought .. this is not good (as in, I won't be able to go back to sleep with this dripping.)
Hell, I can hear the water running in the BOYS' bathroom and it would wake me up.
So, up out of bed (and it was COLD outside of the covers) and on with the lights. Now, the deficiencies of indirect lighting (required by the Homosexual Agenda) manifest themselves, as my enfeebled night vision is unable to make out from just where the water is coming. I can see that it's streaming down the brick (outside) wall from behind my new Continental travel poster.
Immediately, I prioritize - one, the dripping sound must STOP. Two, the newly framed Continental travel poster MUST not be damaged. Three, more sleep is required!
I spring into action. The Continental travel poster is removed from the wall to reveal .. nothing. No weeping picture hanger holes in the brick resembling a weeping Virgin Mary, so no new revenue opportunities have manifested themselves. The travel poster is leaned up against the armoire, and I walk to the bathroom to retrieve a bath towel from the back of the tub stall.
Not one of the lovely creme microfiber towels, of course, but a dark green one for guests.
Said towel goes into the corner, pressed up into the corner until the sound of dripping water ceases.
This has the secondary benefit of preventing water soaking into the carpet and padding.
My primary goals met, I return to bed.
The rain continues to drench the window and the courtyard above my headboard. I begin to reflect upon what must be going on above me on the flat roofed portion of the house, and that there surely is a lot of water up there pooling on the roof. Rather than reflect further on the notion of soaking wet sheet rock and ceilings falling into my bedroom sanctuary, I move into direct (albiet recumbent) action. I engage in a spiritual mind treatment to a.) have the rain come to an end, and b.) have the house be safe and secure.
Sleep returned around 4:30 this morning, right after the rain ceased.
This morning, it was sunny D - nippy, but gorgeous outside, and most of the water was already drying from the sidewalks and street. I notice, in the sun lit bedroom, that the ceiling is indeed sagging over the corner where the drip, drip, drip made one recall a television ad for a sinus medication no longer in favor.
Crap.
That's what I get for thinking again. I've been looking up at the dirty old shingles on the pitched part of the roof, and thinking .. I'd really like to replace those.
Be careful what you wish for.
After drinking some coffee, devising a clean up list for today's effort, and run over to the most hateful force for financial evil in the consumer world - Bank of America.
Trips to five banks and much teeth gnashing later, I've finally deposited the check I received Friday, and am driving home. I call my Realtor buddy, and tell her the story of bank drama, and realize she probably knows a roofer.
I had thought of calling Kevin, but that's usually only good going one way. And not me asking for assistance. She does in fact know a roofer whom she highly recommends! He'll call you in a minute!
And he does!
While MyJ and I attack the cleaning list, he's trying to find the house. He goes away, comes back with a taller ladder and goes up onto the roof to tell me ..
* the flat roof is open to the elements, and only a sheet of plastic has kept me from getting wet while I slept this last year
* the pitched roof is original to the house (38 years) and all of the flashing is either gone, or beyond repair
* the existing shingles are a color that has been discontinued and he can replace them with black or brown
* he can replace the entire roof for a very reasonable fee. Tomorrow.
Uh, okay then.
That being .. partly resolved, I begin to reflect on that I have allergy issues in my bedroom. If the flat roof (which extends the length of my bedroom) has been .. well, not very roof-y, then, isn't the underlying sheet rock and insulation kind of .. wet and moldy?
Perhaps this is my opportunity to exercise the OTHER random thought I've been holding - that I need to have the insulation in the flat roof re-done to more modern standards.
Crap.
In other household news, today, we cleaned and scrubbed and dusted. We turned the front door handle around so that the pretty part is outside and the not so pretty part isn't inside.
We cleaned out the cabinets, swamped them out where they were dirty, went to the grocery store, mopped, cleaned windows, scrubbed the entry doors on both sides, swept, basically Edgarized.
I'm thinking about color and crown molding in the front rooms and crown molding in my bedroom. Hmmm.
DJHJD
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
This is no time to be worried about time
A universe without time?
Reposted from the Houston Chronicle Science Guy blog
If you've got a few minutes of, ahem, time, it might be worth reading a fine article on physics and time that I just stumbled across. The Discover magazine article delves into the role of time in modern theoretical physics.
dali.jpg
Salvador Dali
Was Dali right?
And, my friends, time may not exist:
The trouble with time started a century ago, when Albert Einstein's special and general theories of relativity demolished the idea of time as a universal constant. One consequence is that the past, present, and future are not absolutes. Einstein's theories also opened a rift in physics because the rules of general relativity (which describe gravity and the large-scale structure of the cosmos) seem incompatible with those of quantum physics (which govern the realm of the tiny).
About four decades ago, the renowned physicist John Wheeler, then at Princeton, and the late Bryce DeWitt, then at the University of North Carolina, developed an extraordinary equation that provides a possible framework for unifying relativity and quantum mechanics. But the Wheeler-DeWitt equation has always been controversial, in part because it adds yet another, even more baffling twist to our understanding of time.
"One finds that time just disappears from the Wheeler-DeWitt equation," says Carlo Rovelli, a physicist at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseille, France. "It is an issue that many theorists have puzzled about. It may be that the best way to think about quantum reality is to give up the notion of time — that the fundamental description of the universe must be timeless."
No one has yet succeeded in using the Wheeler-DeWitt equation to integrate quantum theory with general relativity. Nevertheless, a sizable minority of physicists, Rovelli included, believe that any successful merger of the two great masterpieces of 20th-century physics will inevitably describe a universe in which, ultimately, there is no time.
Scientists already understand that time may break down at very tiny distances, specifically the Planck length. So why not at our scale, too? The question makes physicists uncomfortable. It also makes my head hurt.
Reposted from the Houston Chronicle Science Guy blog
If you've got a few minutes of, ahem, time, it might be worth reading a fine article on physics and time that I just stumbled across. The Discover magazine article delves into the role of time in modern theoretical physics.
dali.jpg
Salvador Dali
Was Dali right?
And, my friends, time may not exist:
The trouble with time started a century ago, when Albert Einstein's special and general theories of relativity demolished the idea of time as a universal constant. One consequence is that the past, present, and future are not absolutes. Einstein's theories also opened a rift in physics because the rules of general relativity (which describe gravity and the large-scale structure of the cosmos) seem incompatible with those of quantum physics (which govern the realm of the tiny).
About four decades ago, the renowned physicist John Wheeler, then at Princeton, and the late Bryce DeWitt, then at the University of North Carolina, developed an extraordinary equation that provides a possible framework for unifying relativity and quantum mechanics. But the Wheeler-DeWitt equation has always been controversial, in part because it adds yet another, even more baffling twist to our understanding of time.
"One finds that time just disappears from the Wheeler-DeWitt equation," says Carlo Rovelli, a physicist at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseille, France. "It is an issue that many theorists have puzzled about. It may be that the best way to think about quantum reality is to give up the notion of time — that the fundamental description of the universe must be timeless."
No one has yet succeeded in using the Wheeler-DeWitt equation to integrate quantum theory with general relativity. Nevertheless, a sizable minority of physicists, Rovelli included, believe that any successful merger of the two great masterpieces of 20th-century physics will inevitably describe a universe in which, ultimately, there is no time.
Scientists already understand that time may break down at very tiny distances, specifically the Planck length. So why not at our scale, too? The question makes physicists uncomfortable. It also makes my head hurt.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Why should I congratulate you because Hillary won?
It's not like you did something. She and her massive support staff did.
That having been said, I appear to have sold another car. That's two in just a month. Well, two sold and two blocked. Fun stuff!
A seminar this afternoon that gave me the finishing touches for my next email newsletter.
That having been said, I appear to have sold another car. That's two in just a month. Well, two sold and two blocked. Fun stuff!
A seminar this afternoon that gave me the finishing touches for my next email newsletter.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Something I've said for YEARS
Here's the outrage, but .. where are the pitchforks? Where are the torches?
Monday, January 07, 2008
This will also surprise no one
Your Language Arts Grade: 100%
Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).
Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz
And, I didn't cheat ONCE
You paid attention during 91% of high school!
85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz
This was fun - again
Your score on this personality test was 82%
Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural lead, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.
Personality Quiz
Take More Quizzes
Thank God!
You are 100% Smarter than a fifth grader.
You are smarter than a fifth grader. no doubt. There is no need for you to retake school. Keep on doing your brain excersise like sudokus and crossword puzzles, and you'll soon be smarter than a sixth grader! Good work!
are you smarter than a fifth grader?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz
That's, 100% smarter than a PERFECT fifth grader, after reflecting on the number of sides for a trapezoid a while.
Baaaaaaaaad news
Some of my friends say that I'm intelligent, but just haven't been willing to enlighten myself to a more conservative viewpoint.
| What kind of extremist are you? Your Result: Rational Person You consider these questions obvious straw men, designed to distract people from a meaningful investigation of facts and a serious discussion of relevant political issues. How boring. | |
| Left-Wing Extremist | |
| Right-Wing Extremist | |
| Moderate Extremist | |
| What kind of extremist are you? See All Our Quizzes | |
And here we have political me, summed up
| What is your political ideology? Your Result: Social Democrat This quiz has defined you as a Social Democrat (you may or may not be a Democratic Socialist as well). In general you are in the Liberal mindset, but wish to take it a step further. You favour the brodening of various social programs and a progressive income tax system to help alleviate social inequality. You wish to change the current social paradigm, but through gradual means. | |
| Liberal | |
| Communist/Radical Left | |
| Conservative | |
| Fascist/Radical Right | |
| Libertarian | |
| What is your political ideology? Make Your Own Quiz | |
However, this will surprise no one
You scored 0% which means you are
a hardcore liberal.
You believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all, and that it is the duty of the State to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need. Believe that people are basically good.
Conservative or Liberal
Create MySpace Quizzes
This may surprise you who think I'm Karl Marx's bastard son
You are 23% anti-capitalist!
You have some very minute anti-capitalist tendencies. You may have a small backyard garden, but the majority of your veggies come frozen in bags. You're still very much the consumer.
How Anti-Capitalist are You?
No wonder I'm so frustrated all of the time
89% Mike Gravel
89% Dennis Kucinich
83% Barack Obama
81% John Edwards
80% Chris Dodd
79% Joe Biden
76% Hillary Clinton
76% Bill Richardson
39% Rudy Giuliani
31% Ron Paul
30% John McCain
23% Mitt Romney
22% Mike Huckabee
15% Tom Tancredo
13% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
89% Dennis Kucinich
83% Barack Obama
81% John Edwards
80% Chris Dodd
79% Joe Biden
76% Hillary Clinton
76% Bill Richardson
39% Rudy Giuliani
31% Ron Paul
30% John McCain
23% Mitt Romney
22% Mike Huckabee
15% Tom Tancredo
13% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
Friday, January 04, 2008
Some things to think about while the media drools
Huckabee: The candidate for people who think George W. Bush has relied too heavily on science and reason.
Iowa Caucus results, circa 1988- Bob Dole (37%), Pat Robertson (25%), George H. W. Bush (19%), Jack Kemp (11%), and Pete DuPont (7%) (George H.W. Bush became the candidate)
1992: February 10, 1992 - Tom Harkin (76%), "Uncommitted" (12%), Paul Tsongas (4%), Bill Clinton (3%), Bob Kerrey (2%), and Jerry Brown (2%) (Bill Clinton became the candidate)
Don't count anyone out today. The front runners in Iowa aren't guaranteed to be the winners of the nomination.
Iowa Caucus results, circa 1988- Bob Dole (37%), Pat Robertson (25%), George H. W. Bush (19%), Jack Kemp (11%), and Pete DuPont (7%) (George H.W. Bush became the candidate)
1992: February 10, 1992 - Tom Harkin (76%), "Uncommitted" (12%), Paul Tsongas (4%), Bill Clinton (3%), Bob Kerrey (2%), and Jerry Brown (2%) (Bill Clinton became the candidate)
Don't count anyone out today. The front runners in Iowa aren't guaranteed to be the winners of the nomination.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
When 187 is a victory
After another tough night sleeping, I was anxious about my BG reading this morning - it was 187, which was nearly 100 points lower than the last four mornings.
Two of the closing ads from today's Iowa caucuses -
Hillary Clinton
John Edwards (this one got me a little choked up)
Speaking of John Edwards, here's an outstanding and heartfelt statement about what Plaintiff's lawyers REALLY do.
Steve informs that he got sick last night, and won't be coming until tomorrow. More as that develops.
Two of the closing ads from today's Iowa caucuses -
Hillary Clinton
John Edwards (this one got me a little choked up)
Speaking of John Edwards, here's an outstanding and heartfelt statement about what Plaintiff's lawyers REALLY do.
Steve informs that he got sick last night, and won't be coming until tomorrow. More as that develops.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
I just have to repost this
From today's Hullabaloo, written by tristero
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Click And Munch Time
by tristero
Yesterday, I saw Denzel Washington's excellent new film, The Great Debaters, the inspiring story of a debating team from a tiny black college in Texas in 1935. There is much to say about this film - including the portrayal of an emerging African-American middle-class, something that Hollywood rarely deigns to address. But I had an odd thought, after seeing it, connected to my previous post.
While watching "The Great Debaters," I was struck by how everyone is actively, intensely involved in the cultural and political concerns of the film. Of course, such a response to the racism portrayed makes disengagement by anyone, including we viewers, impossible. But the same intensity of participation is equally apparent in the scenes shot in Texas juke-joints, even in the incidental banter at a party.
The world in which "The Great Debaters" takes place is a world that has no place for slackerism. No one, not a single student, parent, sheriff, lyncher, shrugs a shoulder, and "whatevers" the situation.
And that got me imagining what a movie about the current strange American cultural moment would look like. Think about it for a second. The tube's on, they're flashing picture after picture of torture and even murder from Abu Ghraib. We cut from the tv screen to reaction shots of the couple watching the news, jaws hanging slack, absently munching from his 'n hers matching canisters of freshly-wrought Pringles.
The husband blinks twice, points the remote at the camera, we hear a click, then the sound of Jack Bauer's voice threatening some baddie who Doesn't Look Like One Of Us. But it's only for a moment, as the music swells, denoting a 6 or 7 minute break from simulated torture in order to tout the subtle advantages accrued to the viewer if she deploys a particular brand of vaginal douche on her nether regions. Another click, and the grooviest computer graphics imaginable are superimposed over grainy footage of a guy in a gorilla costume while a narrator intones, "As the computer analysis makes clear, it is impossible to tell from the gait whether the creature shown here is human or some species not known to science."
Another click and we're back to the newscast. The correspondent for the Abu Ghraib story signs off, a pensive look marring the studied vapidity of his boytoy face and we dissolve back to the newsroom, carefully decorated to create the appearance of competent reportering. "In other news, the primary race heats up. And it all comes down to haircuts. When we come back, two professional barbers will speak with our senior correspondent in Iowa on what it takes to snip and cut when the leadership of the Free World depends upon the placement of every follicle."
Click. Munch. Click. Munch, munch. Click.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
It seems that there are some new players in the old "Oil for Food" scandal over which the fundies and rockabillies have been screaming their heads off. Will they be screaming now?
Probably not.
More interesting stuff - it seems that the factual basis behind "climate change" is getting weaker, but that we're going to be hearing about it even more.
More interesting stuff - BMW is bringing their well-proven diesel to the US in 2008; now, I want one. 45 mpg highway? 27 mpg city? BRING IT!
After having read that article, I HAD to go to the BMW website and check out their gas powered 535 - holy SMOKES they have some interior fabrics/colors that are awesome.
These pictures copyright BMW USA from their website.
That's the "Cream Dakota Beige" leather and "Bamboo Anthracite" wood trim.
WOW.
The diesel won't be out until late 2008, so plenty of time to think about it.
Probably not.
More interesting stuff - it seems that the factual basis behind "climate change" is getting weaker, but that we're going to be hearing about it even more.
More interesting stuff - BMW is bringing their well-proven diesel to the US in 2008; now, I want one. 45 mpg highway? 27 mpg city? BRING IT!
After having read that article, I HAD to go to the BMW website and check out their gas powered 535 - holy SMOKES they have some interior fabrics/colors that are awesome.
These pictures copyright BMW USA from their website.
That's the "Cream Dakota Beige" leather and "Bamboo Anthracite" wood trim.
WOW.
The diesel won't be out until late 2008, so plenty of time to think about it.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Christ! It's all kinds of information about ..
Christ?
Here is a great article that goes into the "Taking the Christ out of Christmas" thing. It quotes a few references, including this discussion of whether Jesus was a real person, this discussion on the same subject, and this article discussing the "discovery" of the first church in which Christmas was celebrated on December 25.
Here is a great article that goes into the "Taking the Christ out of Christmas" thing. It quotes a few references, including this discussion of whether Jesus was a real person, this discussion on the same subject, and this article discussing the "discovery" of the first church in which Christmas was celebrated on December 25.
Saturday somnabulance
Saturday link sausage -
The 50 most loathsome people in the United States - no one left out!
A sensible, indirect funded plan to make the US almost completely energy independent by 2050, with a huge reduction in pollution.
It's nearly 11:00 a.m., and although I've fed myself and read ALL of the internet so far, I haven't gone outside and pulled down the Christmas lights yet.
Went to dinner, car shopping and EJ's with David last night. Dinner was the usual, and then we high tailed it over to Allen Samuels to check out the 2008 Chevy Malibu, which was VERY impressive. Did I mention that it's VERY impressive? WOW. Then, we trotted down to Gillman Honda to look at the new 2008 Accord.
Don't worry, David's looking, I'm just attending.
The new Accord is quite unattractive in person, especially so in lighter colors where the knobs, posts and dimples of the Quasi-Tank design come out to be seen. Both of the Accords that were out in front of the showroom had over $2100 in window tint, paint stripes, floor mats, window etching (both VIN number and a big ACCORD logo) fabric protector and so on. The little salesman was talking a mile a minute, and when David asked me my opinion about the car, I remarked that it was interesting, but that the required 10% markup with crap no rational person would want made it unattractive, and that the uncertain future value of the Malibu was perhaps a better trade off than this.
The tap dancing then began with great earnestness.
Two friends earlier in the week went to visit a friend of theirs who sells at a Honda store (which shall remain nameless, but which can be visited here) to look at the new Honda Fit. They were quoted $18,400 on a car that maxes out price-wise at $16,070 on that dealer's own website. That's an 18% price increase for .. what? A can of Scotchguard, two tape stripes, and floor mats?
EIGHTEEN PERCENT? Now, the analyst inside my head says that the new Fit is going to start depreciating at the MSRP, not the inflated price, so you're paying for .. what, exactly? 803 gallons of gas? A trip to London for the weekend with hotel and theater tickets? To drive a tiny, but well made little car that you made a poor dealer decision about?
Here's the thing that staggers me - the salesman that quoted them this absurd figure was their GOOD FRIEND. I am reminded of when Jeffrey the weird lived with me up in Inwood Forest in 1988 and was working for David McDavid Honda and would come home at night pumped up from his day, talking about "we FUCKED them on that trade in."
Uh .. okay.
So, if you're thinking of shopping for a new Honda (or any car, for that matter,) you may want to call me and ask for a referral and some advice before you go out and your brain glazes over at the pretty, shiny iPod connector and all you hear is a monthly payment amount that's 25% more than you had in mind, but you can convince yourself you can afford.
I'll save you a bunch of money.
Now, we then traipsed up to EJ's Bar & Grill, to which I had not been in attendance since late August before the smoking ban went into effect.
Jarred was there, looking very Jarred-ey. The bar wasn't at all crowded, and it was very amusing to watch the goings-on. Two YOUNG and swishy boys from Colorado sat down adjacent us, one looking like so much unbaked biscuit dough. On the other side of them was a fabulous man with HUGE biceps who was fairly deep into his cups, clearly educated and VERY funny. He and I did some cutting up (he also called Jarred his best friend, not the first .. well, not the fifth homo I've heard say that, and I have to ask myself - uh, what is your standard for best friend aside from someone who mixes a great drink and looks fabulous behind the bar?) and we turned the wit stream on the two doughboys. The inevitable "Gay Republicans are about as dumb a concept as Jewish members of the Hitler Youth" comment came to the fore, and the unbaked biscuit dough (who had a dreadful smell about him - something rotting. I guess if you don't bake rising yeast dough, it starts to spoil) was most offended. I looked at him, and belted out "don't give me that fiscal conservatism bullshit - there's not a one of them that's a fiscal conservative." He says "well, not NOW" and I cut him off with "not since 1980!"
Then, the bicep drunk man starts in with "I voted for W the first time," and I about threw in the towel. He says "well, he ran an oil company!" "Into the GROUND" says I. He retorts "I knew he wasn't good with the money" and I shout "and you voted for him ANYWAY!"
Lord.
Then, more drinks were arriving (for the doughboys and the daft bicep man) and I turned away from them to focus on talking to David.
It was somewhat amusing. It was good to see Jarred. He told me that Jason/Tristan had been unfortunately incarcerated for some time for credit card fraud. Now, I can't remember his last name to save my damned LIFE ('cause if I could, I'd look him up on Public Data.)
Jarred thought he was about to get out of the joint. Said that the last he (Jarred) had heard, Jason looked a twig from all the crack he's been doing. Very interesting.
The 50 most loathsome people in the United States - no one left out!
A sensible, indirect funded plan to make the US almost completely energy independent by 2050, with a huge reduction in pollution.
It's nearly 11:00 a.m., and although I've fed myself and read ALL of the internet so far, I haven't gone outside and pulled down the Christmas lights yet.
Went to dinner, car shopping and EJ's with David last night. Dinner was the usual, and then we high tailed it over to Allen Samuels to check out the 2008 Chevy Malibu, which was VERY impressive. Did I mention that it's VERY impressive? WOW. Then, we trotted down to Gillman Honda to look at the new 2008 Accord.
Don't worry, David's looking, I'm just attending.
The new Accord is quite unattractive in person, especially so in lighter colors where the knobs, posts and dimples of the Quasi-Tank design come out to be seen. Both of the Accords that were out in front of the showroom had over $2100 in window tint, paint stripes, floor mats, window etching (both VIN number and a big ACCORD logo) fabric protector and so on. The little salesman was talking a mile a minute, and when David asked me my opinion about the car, I remarked that it was interesting, but that the required 10% markup with crap no rational person would want made it unattractive, and that the uncertain future value of the Malibu was perhaps a better trade off than this.
The tap dancing then began with great earnestness.
Two friends earlier in the week went to visit a friend of theirs who sells at a Honda store (which shall remain nameless, but which can be visited here) to look at the new Honda Fit. They were quoted $18,400 on a car that maxes out price-wise at $16,070 on that dealer's own website. That's an 18% price increase for .. what? A can of Scotchguard, two tape stripes, and floor mats?
EIGHTEEN PERCENT? Now, the analyst inside my head says that the new Fit is going to start depreciating at the MSRP, not the inflated price, so you're paying for .. what, exactly? 803 gallons of gas? A trip to London for the weekend with hotel and theater tickets? To drive a tiny, but well made little car that you made a poor dealer decision about?
Here's the thing that staggers me - the salesman that quoted them this absurd figure was their GOOD FRIEND. I am reminded of when Jeffrey the weird lived with me up in Inwood Forest in 1988 and was working for David McDavid Honda and would come home at night pumped up from his day, talking about "we FUCKED them on that trade in."
Uh .. okay.
So, if you're thinking of shopping for a new Honda (or any car, for that matter,) you may want to call me and ask for a referral and some advice before you go out and your brain glazes over at the pretty, shiny iPod connector and all you hear is a monthly payment amount that's 25% more than you had in mind, but you can convince yourself you can afford.
I'll save you a bunch of money.
Now, we then traipsed up to EJ's Bar & Grill, to which I had not been in attendance since late August before the smoking ban went into effect.
Jarred was there, looking very Jarred-ey. The bar wasn't at all crowded, and it was very amusing to watch the goings-on. Two YOUNG and swishy boys from Colorado sat down adjacent us, one looking like so much unbaked biscuit dough. On the other side of them was a fabulous man with HUGE biceps who was fairly deep into his cups, clearly educated and VERY funny. He and I did some cutting up (he also called Jarred his best friend, not the first .. well, not the fifth homo I've heard say that, and I have to ask myself - uh, what is your standard for best friend aside from someone who mixes a great drink and looks fabulous behind the bar?) and we turned the wit stream on the two doughboys. The inevitable "Gay Republicans are about as dumb a concept as Jewish members of the Hitler Youth" comment came to the fore, and the unbaked biscuit dough (who had a dreadful smell about him - something rotting. I guess if you don't bake rising yeast dough, it starts to spoil) was most offended. I looked at him, and belted out "don't give me that fiscal conservatism bullshit - there's not a one of them that's a fiscal conservative." He says "well, not NOW" and I cut him off with "not since 1980!"
Then, the bicep drunk man starts in with "I voted for W the first time," and I about threw in the towel. He says "well, he ran an oil company!" "Into the GROUND" says I. He retorts "I knew he wasn't good with the money" and I shout "and you voted for him ANYWAY!"
Lord.
Then, more drinks were arriving (for the doughboys and the daft bicep man) and I turned away from them to focus on talking to David.
It was somewhat amusing. It was good to see Jarred. He told me that Jason/Tristan had been unfortunately incarcerated for some time for credit card fraud. Now, I can't remember his last name to save my damned LIFE ('cause if I could, I'd look him up on Public Data.)
Jarred thought he was about to get out of the joint. Said that the last he (Jarred) had heard, Jason looked a twig from all the crack he's been doing. Very interesting.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas, wrapped
Well, what Christmas highlights do I have?
I ironed the table cloth for more than an hour, and the wrinkles still didn't come fully out of it
Jeremy made sugar free ice cream from a Splenda recipe that I found, and it was terrific
We got pretty much everything cleaned up before today - there is still .. well, every room of the house needs to be scrubbed and polished before my dad comes for a visit, but it was clean enough for company today
We watched Christmas movies most of the day; my VHS player got worked out today for the first time in eons. VHS movies are annoying in their lack of quality. I thought I had Die Hard 2 and "It's a Wonderful Life," and they're gone. I wonder if I sold them years back in the great Amazon sell-off?
I'm playing my CD changer for the first time in .. well, since October of '06. I need to pull most of that out and re-organize it.
I went to 2nd, Unity and St. Martin's yesterday with Guy. It was very illuminating.
I found chargers at Bed, Bath & Beyond for ten bucks.
Everyone's gone now, and I'm alone with the kitchen cleaned, the dishes put away, and the dog sleeping on the front rug. It's 11, and I should be hitting the sack pretty quick here so that I can have a productive day at work.
I ironed the table cloth for more than an hour, and the wrinkles still didn't come fully out of it
Jeremy made sugar free ice cream from a Splenda recipe that I found, and it was terrific
We got pretty much everything cleaned up before today - there is still .. well, every room of the house needs to be scrubbed and polished before my dad comes for a visit, but it was clean enough for company today
We watched Christmas movies most of the day; my VHS player got worked out today for the first time in eons. VHS movies are annoying in their lack of quality. I thought I had Die Hard 2 and "It's a Wonderful Life," and they're gone. I wonder if I sold them years back in the great Amazon sell-off?
I'm playing my CD changer for the first time in .. well, since October of '06. I need to pull most of that out and re-organize it.
I went to 2nd, Unity and St. Martin's yesterday with Guy. It was very illuminating.
I found chargers at Bed, Bath & Beyond for ten bucks.
Everyone's gone now, and I'm alone with the kitchen cleaned, the dishes put away, and the dog sleeping on the front rug. It's 11, and I should be hitting the sack pretty quick here so that I can have a productive day at work.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
This from "Best of Craigslist"
It's awesome!
Dear Conceited Penis..
Date: 2007-11-13, 4:03PM PST
To my amazement, not only have you learned to take pictures of yourself, but you have figured out how to upload them on the computer AND post said pictures in the personal section of Craigslist! Now, having never met a miraculous penis such as yourself, who can do things without knowledge or consent of anyone, I thought I'd tell you how this works.
1. Believe it or not, you have an owner. Your owner and I are in a committed relationship where:
a. he is allowed to play with you,
b. I'm allowed to play with you, OR
c. WE together are allowed to play with you.
If for some reason you find someone else's mouth, fingers, vagina, or asshole in, on, or around you..SCREAM. Play dead, blow your emergency whistle, do something and then at the earliest convenience, tell me.
2. A conceited penis is the first place STD's run to. I'm not sure you've used the computer for anything other than begging for an STD but maybe the next time you sign on you should Wikipedia that shit. I, not having a miraculous vagina who thinks for itself, need to speak up and tell you, thats not something we, as in my vagina and myself, want.
3. With your outstanding knowledge of the human world, you should probably do right by your owner and fess up to clear his name. I will not be playing with you or him until someone comes clean and explains to me what exactly happened. I saw the response in his e-mail, did the research, put 2 and 2 together and found out that one of you posted the ad for Adult Fun with a man, woman, or both. He denies that he had anything to do with it but YOU are in the picture along with MY comforter. One of you is lying. If one of you would just be honest then I wouldn't have to put his belongings, or yours, out in the front yard. For the time being, I'm giving both of you the BOTD. Time is wasting...
4. If you decide that you can use your extraordinary abilities for something other than wreaking havoc on my life and would like to confess by either responding to this or maybe writing me a letter of confession then I would gladly give your owner a 2nd chance. He stands his ground on his innocence and as much as I'd like to believe him, I'd need to know who did it and why first. You could put the letter on my pillow and you wouldn't even have to sign your name, I'd just know.
5. I understand you penises go through an "active" phase, but you are suppose to eventually grow out of that. Considering the number of people you've been with and the amount of times you've done it, most would assume you'd be tired. You're not the 20 year old you used to be, your balls agree, just ask your knees.
Now that we have the basics covered, I'll give you a fair amount of time to do what's right. Until then, I will not amuse you in any way, I will not please you either. I will sit here and wait..probably wondering how you got a picture from that angle all by yourself. And you'll know when your time is up.
Sincerely,
JV
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
I'm not so sure...
That people know what various things mean.
I am pretty sure that most people who ask questions don't really want the answers; they want validation. They have some cockamamie scheme cooked up in their heads based on their assumptions (mostly in their favor) of how things SHOULD be, and then commence to executing said cockamamie plan without input.
Then, they think "Hey! I should ask someone REALLY smart about this." So, they dial (my) digits, and ask their .. um .. question. And, it's not really a question, it's more of a hypothetical, partially developed, with their own conclusion stuck on the ass end of it like a bright red caboose.
Hell, even the railroads did away with cabeese about thirty years ago.
But, there it lingers - tagging along like a big pimple.
Where I keep making the mistake is in .. um .. trying to reach out and gently smack these people into some sort of connection with reality and tell them just how things really are.
"Uh, no, your illegal alien boyfriend has no choices or options to stay in the country. If he gets pulled over for a burnt tail light, make sure he hasn't packed anything too big to fit on the big ICE bus."
"'If your employer pays it to you and it's not a specific expense reimbursement, yes, it goes on your W-2.' 'But, let's say it's Tuesday, and the sky is purple, and they've only been paying me that for ten months, not all year, and I have to work from home sometimes, and the Republicans win the White House again - THEN is it taxable?'"
Just as a few recent examples.
I need to practice shutting my big trap, and waiting until they stop telling me how it is, and then invite them to make an appointment.
Will I remember this (tomorrow, when this will again inevitably present itself?) I don't know.
I had a dream about being a Forum leader last night. It was pretty delicious.
So, another thing I'm not so sure of. I'm not so sure that "bisexual" anymore means that a man has sex with both men and women. I think that it has changed in meaning, just as "gay" has, and "compassionate conservative" and "tax break."
I think that "bisexual" now means "I want the world to think I'm 'normal' (i.e., heterosexual) but I really want to be a man's sex slave. In a dress."
Life was less complicated in the 1970's.
I feel like I've discovered Detroit. I grew up in Michigan, and Detroit was a place we went to go to a really big mall, or to catch an airplane. It never was a place with a history. I've been reading a lot about it lately, and it's .. um .. wow. Almost like the lost city of Atlantis.
N8 gave me a Christmas present and a card today. He's a nice man.
I haven't felt much like doing a damned thing lately. Well, this week. I have, however, structured getting the office furniture moved around, and, for my next trick, the office is going to be CLEANED. How about them apples?
I am pretty sure that most people who ask questions don't really want the answers; they want validation. They have some cockamamie scheme cooked up in their heads based on their assumptions (mostly in their favor) of how things SHOULD be, and then commence to executing said cockamamie plan without input.
Then, they think "Hey! I should ask someone REALLY smart about this." So, they dial (my) digits, and ask their .. um .. question. And, it's not really a question, it's more of a hypothetical, partially developed, with their own conclusion stuck on the ass end of it like a bright red caboose.
Hell, even the railroads did away with cabeese about thirty years ago.
But, there it lingers - tagging along like a big pimple.
Where I keep making the mistake is in .. um .. trying to reach out and gently smack these people into some sort of connection with reality and tell them just how things really are.
"Uh, no, your illegal alien boyfriend has no choices or options to stay in the country. If he gets pulled over for a burnt tail light, make sure he hasn't packed anything too big to fit on the big ICE bus."
"'If your employer pays it to you and it's not a specific expense reimbursement, yes, it goes on your W-2.' 'But, let's say it's Tuesday, and the sky is purple, and they've only been paying me that for ten months, not all year, and I have to work from home sometimes, and the Republicans win the White House again - THEN is it taxable?'"
Just as a few recent examples.
I need to practice shutting my big trap, and waiting until they stop telling me how it is, and then invite them to make an appointment.
Will I remember this (tomorrow, when this will again inevitably present itself?) I don't know.
I had a dream about being a Forum leader last night. It was pretty delicious.
So, another thing I'm not so sure of. I'm not so sure that "bisexual" anymore means that a man has sex with both men and women. I think that it has changed in meaning, just as "gay" has, and "compassionate conservative" and "tax break."
I think that "bisexual" now means "I want the world to think I'm 'normal' (i.e., heterosexual) but I really want to be a man's sex slave. In a dress."
Life was less complicated in the 1970's.
I feel like I've discovered Detroit. I grew up in Michigan, and Detroit was a place we went to go to a really big mall, or to catch an airplane. It never was a place with a history. I've been reading a lot about it lately, and it's .. um .. wow. Almost like the lost city of Atlantis.
N8 gave me a Christmas present and a card today. He's a nice man.
I haven't felt much like doing a damned thing lately. Well, this week. I have, however, structured getting the office furniture moved around, and, for my next trick, the office is going to be CLEANED. How about them apples?
Friday, December 14, 2007
It's not the freedom of religion
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
United States Constitution, Amendment I
As in, the government won't PICK one and make it the one we all abide by.
United States Constitution, Amendment I
As in, the government won't PICK one and make it the one we all abide by.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Monday, Monday ver. 1981.01
First, some linkage. Most educated people are aware that the bible is horribly inconsistent, internally conflicted and sometimes irreconcilably so - sort of like Hillary Clinton's messages - but, rarely do we see something that clearly points out just how bad it gets. I mean, Chapters 1 & 2?
The other day, my new fabulous friend Jillian was in the office and asked me a question about big fag homos who dress and behave in overt ways in public and .. that lead to a BIG conversation about sexuality, which I said was a complex interaction of self-identity, choice and genetics. And, here we have this fabulous discussion of exactly that. Brian says she's wrong for the most part, but correct about point #2. His thoughts "But most geneticists would say she's wrong, in that genetic coding isn't just a series of light switches that turn on and off. Genetic coding is fairly subtle. It's more like millions of little microswitches that, when taken as a whole, help determine the thought processes that dictate how a person responds to a situation." Which is just like my thought that it's just WAY complex, and rather individualized. Brian also points out that Dr. Ruth still says there's no such thing as a bisexual man. How does that explain .. ? What does that mean, exactly?
I was right; the front motor mount is again broken.
Phaeton hope springs eternal; this morning, someone posts that they have figured out how to replace the OnStar module with the new Tuareg Bluetooth module so that one's mobile device will work with the Phaeton's infotainment system. And, the guy in Chicago who's selling his 05 V8 Phaeton 4 seat in luxury black heliochrome with walnut wood.. he'll be posting pictures here shortly.
I need to get my act on the road.
The other day, my new fabulous friend Jillian was in the office and asked me a question about big fag homos who dress and behave in overt ways in public and .. that lead to a BIG conversation about sexuality, which I said was a complex interaction of self-identity, choice and genetics. And, here we have this fabulous discussion of exactly that. Brian says she's wrong for the most part, but correct about point #2. His thoughts "But most geneticists would say she's wrong, in that genetic coding isn't just a series of light switches that turn on and off. Genetic coding is fairly subtle. It's more like millions of little microswitches that, when taken as a whole, help determine the thought processes that dictate how a person responds to a situation." Which is just like my thought that it's just WAY complex, and rather individualized. Brian also points out that Dr. Ruth still says there's no such thing as a bisexual man. How does that explain .. ? What does that mean, exactly?
I was right; the front motor mount is again broken.
Phaeton hope springs eternal; this morning, someone posts that they have figured out how to replace the OnStar module with the new Tuareg Bluetooth module so that one's mobile device will work with the Phaeton's infotainment system. And, the guy in Chicago who's selling his 05 V8 Phaeton 4 seat in luxury black heliochrome with walnut wood.. he'll be posting pictures here shortly.
I need to get my act on the road.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Mitt Romney fields questions after his big speech yesterday:
I love this guy - I actually subscribe to his daily posts along with a few hundred or thousand other people so that he can keep on writing.
This is the most cheery discussion of the silliness of the LDS faith; nearly as nuts as Scientology.
This is the most cheery discussion of the silliness of the LDS faith; nearly as nuts as Scientology.
Cheers and Jeers: Rum and Coke FRIDAY!
by Bill in Portland Maine
Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 02:52:27 PM PST
From the GREAT STATE OF MAINE...
Mitt Romney fields questions after his big speech yesterday:
Reporter: So Joseph Smith put the golden plates in a hat?
Romney: Well, I really don’t want to get into all the nuts and bolts about...
Reporter: And he translated what was on the plates with what, again?
Romney: The Urim and Thummim.
Reporter: Can you spell that?
Romney: No. Look, the point is that religion and politics should never be...
Reporter: And the angel Macaroni told him where the plates were?
Romney: Moroni! It's the Angel Moroni! And I really don’t see why...
Reporter: Did anyone else see these gold plates?
Romney: Look, guys, this is getting way off-topic, and...
Reporter: Isn’t it odd that Joseph Smith put the plates in a hat...then read the words on the plates to a transcriber...who was writing behind a curtain...and then Smith buried the plates so there's no independent verification that they ever existed?
Romney: Oh, they exist, pal...they exist! And if you say one more goddam word about...
Reporter: Hey, you're not supposed to swear!
Romney: I know, I know. I'm sorry. I just... I just want to talk about why my faith won’t interfere with my being president, is all. So if I could just say...
Reporter: Now, your church considered blacks to be cursed during its first 150 years. So when that position was reversed recently, in 1978, was there an adjustment period where it was like, Hey, this is a little freaky...
Romney: No!
Reporter: Like, Hey, get outta my chair! Oops, I forgot, you're on our team now...
Romney: I'm not answering that!
Reporter: Governor Romney, about the Planet Kobol. As president would you have NASA send some sort of a probe to explore the surface of...
Romney: That's it! We're done here.
Reporter: Would you say your magic underw...er, sacred garments are in a twist?
Romney: God, I need a drink... Of water! Of water!
[Ker-SLAM!!]
62% of Texans think country is off on the wrong track
Source article, with links
TX-Sen: John Cornyn Fares Poorly in Statewide Poll
by KTinTX
Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 07:07:24 PM PST
(From the diaries -- kos)
I'd like to announce some really great (and even surprising) poll results regarding the Texas Senate race here in Texas. The following poll was conducted a couple weeks ago by Lake Research, a highly regarded polling firm. Analysis of each major point will be below the section.
The survey was conducted among 500 registered voters in Texas who are likely to vote in the 2008 General Election. The survey was conducted November 13-18, 2007. The margin of error for the full sample is +/- 4.4 percentage points.
* KTinTX's diary :: ::
*
1. Opinion of John Cornyn
40% favorable
22% unfavorable
24% no opinion
14% never heard of him
Cornyn has been a statewide elected official since 1990- he's been a Supreme Court Justice, Attorney General, and Senator. Given all that, only 62% of Texans know enough of Cornyn to have an opinion of him. That's pretty shocking but verifies the rumors I heard earlier this year from other polls that said about a 1/3 of the state has no idea who he is. So even though Rick Noriega, like most Texas Democrats, is not well known by the general electorate yet, Sen. Cornyn does not enjoy as large of an name ID advantage as we might think.
2. Job Approval of John Cornyn
36% favorable
41% unfavorable
23% no opinion
Cornyn continues to maintain a net negative job approval rating in stark contrast to Texas' other Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison who fairs over 20% points better. While 1/4th of voters don't know enough to have an opinion, those who do clearly aren't happy with what they see. Cornyn's base of support is weak and there is a large pool of voters who seek change.
3. Re-Elect of John Cornyn
31% vote to re-elect
16% vote to replace
53% consider someone else
Texas voters are very open to replacing Cornyn as 69% want to replace or will consider replacing him. Having a 31% re-elect number is awful for Cornyn and is probably one of the most concerning results for him in this poll.
4. Approval of Bush in Texas
20% very favorable
22% favorable
16% unfavorable
37% very unfavorable
The President has lost the support of his home state with a 53% unfavorable rating to 42% favorable among Texans. Talk about a turnaround. Bush is the personification of the Texas Republican Party. If voters are rejecting him, including 37% who deeply disapprove, the Democratic nominee can count on a larger and more passionate partisan base vote in 2008. Cornyn's continued attempts to tie himself to the President will only serve to drag him down.
5. Country Right/Wrong Track
62% Country off on the wrong track
28% Country heading in right direction
Wow. Those numbers indicate that Texans think that the country has not only gone off in a wrong direction, but that's it's jumped clearly off the tracks. Cornyn's claims that we need to stay the course in Iraq, stay the course on tax cuts causing a ballooning deficit, and stay the course on a health care system that is broken are so out of touch the only course he'll be staying on is a golf course after we retire him from office in 2008.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Peace returns to the office
I have a 5:30 appointment to go to some wine tasting thing offered by a commercial lender. And, I have said I'd attend some fashion show at 8:00 p.m. that the title rep (who's smokin' hot, but less reliable than a 1986 Hyundai Excel) wanted me to meet him at.
The wine tasting thing turns out to have been at 6:30, not 5:30, and the people there were just creepy.
The wine tasting thing turns out to have been at 6:30, not 5:30, and the people there were just creepy.
Thoughts from my friend David -
One of the things they are leaving out of this story about the sub-prime rate freeze is that the owners of the debt (sub-prime mortgages or anything tainted by sub-prime such as mortgage backed securities) are NO LONGER required to re-price these assets on a monthly or quarterly basis as has been the case. The balance sheets in question will no longer reflect market value. This will allow institutions to hold securities of unknown value on their books without any valuation reserve or write-down (Regulations on the freeze action have not been released). This is exactly what the Japanese banks did in the 90’s when they did not quickly clean up their balance sheets and deal with the problem, and many of them still have bad debt from the late 80’s on their books. SO, the result of this is that there will be a ticking time bomb in the banking / financial system AGAIN.
This action is too late to make any real impact on the housing problem. Real estate prices everywhere have already fallen and will continue to do so until there is something of a more normal relationship between real estate prices and their historic place in the proverbial “basket of goods”. Again, the last time real estate markets peaked in the middle of the decade was in the 1920’s (1925 to be exact) and they did not begin to level out until 1934 and not rise until the early 1940’s. Today’s action only moves off the inevitable day of dealing with these underwater loans and thereby creates a longer-term problem than would otherwise be the case. This freeze requires homeowners to have 3% equity in their property in order to qualify, as prices continue to decline this will be fewer and fewer. Unfortunately, the ball has already gone over the edge of the building
This action is very similar to the actions taken in the early part of the S&L disaster when the sick institutions were allowed to keep “goodwill” on their balance sheets and classify it as core capital… and we all remember where that mess ended up. Not dealing with real problems in the financial and banking systems always ends in disaster eventually. However, it allows those in power a quick fix and allow them to pass the problem on the next administration to deal with… Regan did it to old Bush and now little Bush is doing it to whomever…
Earnings at the financial institutions will appear to be significantly improved soon as they will not have to make any of those HUGE (billions of dollars) write-downs on their portfolios any time soon, but they will come.
This is just so delightful
Rubla Rhan
by Hunter
Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:51:26 PM PST
In grand New York, under Pale Male's wing
Where the subways hum, and taxis sing
There lived a man who liked his bling
And who would screw most anything.
With his wife he became bored
but yet his bald libido roared
So to the Hamptons he would soar
And charged his sex romps to the poor.
"Why not?" he cried, "I deserve to roam,
And smell the ocean's salty foam.
These funds may help the homeless, true,
But does not my d*ck need shelter too?"
Mere protocol would not deter,
the funds were easily transferred;
his mistress preened, her family purred,
and the city worked as their chauffeurs.
Courageously, he seized that day
(And other things along the way)
And his wife thought him a jerk
(And still the radios did not work.)
Still he was not happy, though:
He sought a quicker place to go,
A private place for a quick perk
Within walking distance from his work.
So a stately Terror Dome he built
On ground where previous blood was spilt
With a private room in which to snog
(And police to walk his girlfriend's dog.)
But one day thunder shook the ground;
The buildings fell, the skies profound
In tragedy, and yet in death unbound
Our Adonis soon would be renowned...
Our hero, grim, undaunted! Look!
See him rise through ash and soot!
As the city lifted voice in prayer
Rubla Rhan was quickly there.
Our hero knew, in smoke and din
That what was needed most was him
Look at him walk! He stood quite firm --
And tried to stay on past his term.
Yes, through tragedy and sordid spree
Our Romeo will always be
The inverse of a Kennedy
Who asks: What can my city do for me?
Still, there is just one more dream,
yet one more path, a greater gleam,
A place beyond the city lights
Where power peaks at lofty heights.
A place past agencies coerced,
Beyond cops and dogs and humps perverse,
And power over the city's purse
And radios, and bombs, and worse.
And so he dreams of his ascent
And thinks to himself alone, when spent,
How many more there are, content,
that I could screw as President!
by Hunter
Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:51:26 PM PST
In grand New York, under Pale Male's wing
Where the subways hum, and taxis sing
There lived a man who liked his bling
And who would screw most anything.
With his wife he became bored
but yet his bald libido roared
So to the Hamptons he would soar
And charged his sex romps to the poor.
"Why not?" he cried, "I deserve to roam,
And smell the ocean's salty foam.
These funds may help the homeless, true,
But does not my d*ck need shelter too?"
Mere protocol would not deter,
the funds were easily transferred;
his mistress preened, her family purred,
and the city worked as their chauffeurs.
Courageously, he seized that day
(And other things along the way)
And his wife thought him a jerk
(And still the radios did not work.)
Still he was not happy, though:
He sought a quicker place to go,
A private place for a quick perk
Within walking distance from his work.
So a stately Terror Dome he built
On ground where previous blood was spilt
With a private room in which to snog
(And police to walk his girlfriend's dog.)
But one day thunder shook the ground;
The buildings fell, the skies profound
In tragedy, and yet in death unbound
Our Adonis soon would be renowned...
Our hero, grim, undaunted! Look!
See him rise through ash and soot!
As the city lifted voice in prayer
Rubla Rhan was quickly there.
Our hero knew, in smoke and din
That what was needed most was him
Look at him walk! He stood quite firm --
And tried to stay on past his term.
Yes, through tragedy and sordid spree
Our Romeo will always be
The inverse of a Kennedy
Who asks: What can my city do for me?
Still, there is just one more dream,
yet one more path, a greater gleam,
A place beyond the city lights
Where power peaks at lofty heights.
A place past agencies coerced,
Beyond cops and dogs and humps perverse,
And power over the city's purse
And radios, and bombs, and worse.
And so he dreams of his ascent
And thinks to himself alone, when spent,
How many more there are, content,
that I could screw as President!
Monday, December 03, 2007
No cue cards, no teleprompters, and no second takes--legendary funnyman Sid Caesar pioneered live television sketch comedy with his 1950s sitcoms Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. This classic sketch is "Argument to Beethoven's 5th," Sid Caesar and Nanette Fabray play a married couple in a argument with pantomimed action and the dialogue is classic music.Enjoy!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
My good friend Alma writes me:
I definitely know about the social security problem.
The sad fact is that the government uses it both ways: if you’re the legitimate holder of a particular SSN, they can refuse to send your payments until you prove to their satisfaction that you’re the legitimate party, while at the same time accepting payment from anyone who uses the number. It would be very easy to flag any number being used by more than one person and insist on clarification, but it’s pretty obvious why that hasn’t happened.
Right now (although the numbers are murky) I think it’s quite likely that illegals contribute more than they take out.
It’s the whole problem of what happens with their American kids and grandkids – born here, badly educated, ill-served by the medical system, and facing an economy based on labor policies that bear a sneaking resemblance to a Ponzi scheme.
I definitely know about the social security problem.
The sad fact is that the government uses it both ways: if you’re the legitimate holder of a particular SSN, they can refuse to send your payments until you prove to their satisfaction that you’re the legitimate party, while at the same time accepting payment from anyone who uses the number. It would be very easy to flag any number being used by more than one person and insist on clarification, but it’s pretty obvious why that hasn’t happened.
Right now (although the numbers are murky) I think it’s quite likely that illegals contribute more than they take out.
It’s the whole problem of what happens with their American kids and grandkids – born here, badly educated, ill-served by the medical system, and facing an economy based on labor policies that bear a sneaking resemblance to a Ponzi scheme.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Notes to file
Note to file: Don't EVER presume that the shop vac is ready for use when you have room mates.
Note to file: Don't EVER vacuum fireplace ashes with a shop vac that does not have the air filter in place
Note to file: Don't EVER leave your laptop on the coffee table when you have room mates known to break .. well, anything .. and he says he's not tired and isn't planning on going to bed yet
Note to file: If you want to decorate for Halloween with a thick, even patina of fine dust, the best way to do that is to vacuum the fireplace ashes with a shop vac that has no air filter
Note to file: Don't EVER vacuum fireplace ashes with a shop vac that does not have the air filter in place
Note to file: Don't EVER leave your laptop on the coffee table when you have room mates known to break .. well, anything .. and he says he's not tired and isn't planning on going to bed yet
Note to file: If you want to decorate for Halloween with a thick, even patina of fine dust, the best way to do that is to vacuum the fireplace ashes with a shop vac that has no air filter
Thursday, November 29, 2007
This is so strange
Jackie went to Doggy Disney today for the weekend (Tom's place.) It's Disney for her, because he has sixteen cats and a dog, and a fenced back yard. She was so excited this morning when we pulled into his driveway. The last time she stayed there, she didn't really want to come home.
I took her over there since I'm going to Dallas tomorrow over night. Since Bram works all the time, there wasn't reliability as to her being cared for, so I asked Tom if he'd watch her.
This isn't the first time I've left her with Tom, and it's not the first time that I've been in this house without her. Coming home, and not having to walk her, and not having her greet me as I came in the door wasn't that unusual, since it was expected. However, as I've been here tonight, I've been missing her presence - REALLY missing her a lot.
This morning, I got up around the usual time, came downstairs and she was asleep on the landing as she frequently is. She didn't stir when I walked down past her. A while later, Bram came downstairs and she still wasn't stirring. I walked over to her, and looked at her and her eyes blinked open - she lifted her head and looked at me, and I told her hello - that I was just checking on her. She got up, and shook herself and we went outside.
When I took her out the back door on the leash, she was so excited. She got right into the car, and sat down on the passenger floorboard, staying there until we got to Tom's house. Down on the floorboard, she's safe - she can't be thrown off the seat or jostled around as the car goes around corners and such.
Once I started noticing how I was expecting to step around her, or have her watching me while I was in the kitchen, or snoring on the hall rug, I started to really feel how deeply I fell in love with her the first time I saw her eleven years ago this last week. She's the most angelic, loving creature - balanced, pleasant, trusting. She's developed so much since she first came to be with me - she was so skittish and afraid back then. She wanted to be loved and part of a family, but it was so hard to believe that was now true.
Now, eleven years later, she's so settled and confident about her life. She may duck a little bit when I'm in a sour mood, but she knows everything is going to be okay.
When I have traveled, I've always had dreams about her. Vivid dreams. The last two trips, I've not dreamt about her, which I've attributed to her being so engaged in the fun at Tom's place.
So, tonight, feeling so anxious about her, feeling pain in my heart about her - I'm really wondering - is something about to take her away from me?
I hope not. Her whole time with me, I've wanted to make her special. Barney the Bastard chow made it impossible, and since I've moved in here, I've had too much on my plate to pamper her the way I've wanted to.
When Barney passed, I had only a few moments of sadness and no regret. When it's her time to leave me, it's going to hurt badly.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
What's REALLY wrong with this country
"We deal in illusions, man. None of it is true. But you people sit there day after day, night after night, all ages, colors, creeds. We're all you know. You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here. You're beginning to think that the tube is reality and that your own lives are unreal. You do whatever the tube tells you. You dress like the tube. You eat like the tube. You even think like the tube. In God's name, you people are the real thing, WE are the illusion."
Howard Beale from the movie "Network," 1976
Howard Beale from the movie "Network," 1976
Say it isn't so.....
From Digby:
The Center for American Progress last June published a report on the Five Key Myths About Immigrants which have been given far too much play over recent years.
The 5 myths are as follows:
1. The US public health insurance programs are over burdened with documented and undocumented immigrants.
2. Immigrants consume large quantities of health care resources.
3. Immigrants come to the US to gain access to health care services.
4. Restricting immigrants access to the health care system will not affect American citizens.
5. Undocumented immigrants are free riders in the American health care system.
Some of the debunking offered by CAP:
"In Texas, for example, nearly seven percent of the state’s population was comprised of undocumented immigrants in 2005. The state’s health care costs for undocumented immigrants that same year were a mere $58 million. Yet state revenues collected from undocumented immigrants exceeded what the state spent on social services provided to these immigrants such as health care and education by $424.7 million.
"Immigrant contributions to social services are similar across the country. The National Research Council concluded that immigrants will pay on average $80,000 per capita more in taxes than they will use in government services over their lifetimes.
"Additionally, in March 2005, more than seven million undocumented immigrants were in the workforce yet received few public services for their labor and tax contributions. The Social Security Administration, for example, reaps an enormous benefit from the taxes paid by undocumented immigrants. It estimates that workers without valid social security numbers contribute $7 billion in Social Security tax revenues and roughly $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes annually, yet elderly immigrants rarely qualify for Medicare or long-term care services provided through Medicaid.
"In 2001, the Social Security Administration concluded that undocumented immigrants "account for a major portion of the billions of dollars paid into social security that don’t match SSA records," which payees, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, can never draw upon. As of July 2003, these payments totaled $421 billion."
The Center for American Progress last June published a report on the Five Key Myths About Immigrants which have been given far too much play over recent years.
The 5 myths are as follows:
1. The US public health insurance programs are over burdened with documented and undocumented immigrants.
2. Immigrants consume large quantities of health care resources.
3. Immigrants come to the US to gain access to health care services.
4. Restricting immigrants access to the health care system will not affect American citizens.
5. Undocumented immigrants are free riders in the American health care system.
Some of the debunking offered by CAP:
"In Texas, for example, nearly seven percent of the state’s population was comprised of undocumented immigrants in 2005. The state’s health care costs for undocumented immigrants that same year were a mere $58 million. Yet state revenues collected from undocumented immigrants exceeded what the state spent on social services provided to these immigrants such as health care and education by $424.7 million.
"Immigrant contributions to social services are similar across the country. The National Research Council concluded that immigrants will pay on average $80,000 per capita more in taxes than they will use in government services over their lifetimes.
"Additionally, in March 2005, more than seven million undocumented immigrants were in the workforce yet received few public services for their labor and tax contributions. The Social Security Administration, for example, reaps an enormous benefit from the taxes paid by undocumented immigrants. It estimates that workers without valid social security numbers contribute $7 billion in Social Security tax revenues and roughly $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes annually, yet elderly immigrants rarely qualify for Medicare or long-term care services provided through Medicaid.
"In 2001, the Social Security Administration concluded that undocumented immigrants "account for a major portion of the billions of dollars paid into social security that don’t match SSA records," which payees, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, can never draw upon. As of July 2003, these payments totaled $421 billion."
Friday, November 23, 2007
Chilly by Houston standards
All day today, the temperature has been down in the low 50s. The car heater actually started blowing heat - who knew that it could happen?
Got a slower start to the day than I had believed I would. It felt SO wonderful under the comforter with the coldish air outside. I was up until 1:00 a.m. talking to Brian, whom I had not previously met in person - I loved talking to him!! It was great. So, my planned early morning Lowe's run didn't manifest.
It worked out anyway. Seems that they had a line outside at 6:30 a.m., waiting for the 7:00 a.m. opening. I got there at 11:00, and everything on the ad circular that I wanted was right at the front door. Bing, bang, boom! YAY! Got the water filter for the refrigerator water line.
Then, off to lunch with Guy and then to KIAH to watch airplanes land in our annual airplane dork festival. It was COLD, though, and there was very little flying today. We watched KL661 land, and a Cargolux 744 take off, and then two Continental 777s land, and an Air France 777-200ER land and ran inside for cover.
On the way back, I nabbed ten poinsettia plants at the other Lowe's, and then furnace filters from ACE and some Lamberge oil and replacement bulbs for the under cabinet lights. Came home, hung up the Christmas stockings, did some other stuff like that. Had a text from JPO telling me he was going to be picking up his sofa and tables, and immediately found JUST the sofa I had been wanting offered lightly used on Craigslist.
Since then, I've watched some more "Angel" episodes, replaced the water filter in the fridge, the light bulb under the cabinets, and .. bleh. More needs doing.
Tomorrow, we're decorating the front garden (which will include trimming the crepe myrtles, etc., etc.) The ten poinsettias are going in up front, and I'm putting mini-lights in all of the shrubbery in colors that compliment the shrubbery itself.
Big yawns here in the living room.
Hopefully, all of the sneezing and allergies will abate through the drop in temperatures.
Got a slower start to the day than I had believed I would. It felt SO wonderful under the comforter with the coldish air outside. I was up until 1:00 a.m. talking to Brian, whom I had not previously met in person - I loved talking to him!! It was great. So, my planned early morning Lowe's run didn't manifest.
It worked out anyway. Seems that they had a line outside at 6:30 a.m., waiting for the 7:00 a.m. opening. I got there at 11:00, and everything on the ad circular that I wanted was right at the front door. Bing, bang, boom! YAY! Got the water filter for the refrigerator water line.
Then, off to lunch with Guy and then to KIAH to watch airplanes land in our annual airplane dork festival. It was COLD, though, and there was very little flying today. We watched KL661 land, and a Cargolux 744 take off, and then two Continental 777s land, and an Air France 777-200ER land and ran inside for cover.
On the way back, I nabbed ten poinsettia plants at the other Lowe's, and then furnace filters from ACE and some Lamberge oil and replacement bulbs for the under cabinet lights. Came home, hung up the Christmas stockings, did some other stuff like that. Had a text from JPO telling me he was going to be picking up his sofa and tables, and immediately found JUST the sofa I had been wanting offered lightly used on Craigslist.
Since then, I've watched some more "Angel" episodes, replaced the water filter in the fridge, the light bulb under the cabinets, and .. bleh. More needs doing.
Tomorrow, we're decorating the front garden (which will include trimming the crepe myrtles, etc., etc.) The ten poinsettias are going in up front, and I'm putting mini-lights in all of the shrubbery in colors that compliment the shrubbery itself.
Big yawns here in the living room.
Hopefully, all of the sneezing and allergies will abate through the drop in temperatures.
My mother LOVED Pogo
Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo!
Nora's freezin' on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!
Don't we know archaic barrel
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don't love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker 'n' too-da-loo!
Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloupe, 'lope with you!
Hunky Dory's pop is lolly gaggin' on the wagon,
Willy, folly go through!
Chollie's collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarm bung-a-loo!
Dunk us all in bowls of barley,
Hinky dinky dink an' polly voo!
Chilly Filly's name is Chollie,
Chollie Filly's jolly chilly view halloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, woof, woof!
Tizzy seas on melon collie!
Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, goof, goof!
Monday, November 19, 2007
My girl Pam is at it again
"Our world is facing problems - poverty, HIV and AIDS - a devastating pandemic, and conflict...God must be weeping looking at some of the atrocities that we commit against one another. In the face of all of that, our Church, especially the Anglican Church, at this time is almost obsessed with questions of human sexuality
...It is a perversion if you say to me that a person chooses to be homosexual. You must be crazy to choose a way of life that exposes you to a kind of hatred. It's like saying you choose to be black in a race infected society."
-- South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking to the BBC on the Anglican church's fixation on homosexuality
Thanks, Pam!
My girl Pam is at it again
"Our world is facing problems - poverty, HIV and AIDS - a devastating pandemic, and conflict...God must be weeping looking at some of the atrocities that we commit against one another. In the face of all of that, our Church, especially the Anglican Church, at this time is almost obsessed with questions of human sexuality
...It is a perversion if you say to me that a person chooses to be homosexual. You must be crazy to choose a way of life that exposes you to a kind of hatred. It's like saying you choose to be black in a race infected society."
-- South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking to the BBC on the Anglican church's fixation on homosexuality
Thanks, Pam!
Monday, Monday ver. 1332.01
"This next week, many of the people we know will be trudging across the continent in the modern day equivalent of traversing the west in a Contestoga wagon - winding through security lines, running from gate to gate, losing baggage, frustrated, tired, arriving in a state of physical and nervous exhaustion to immediately return to a family dynamic that they've left behind years ago.
How much of that stress is brought about by their anticipation of returning to family communication patterns long left behind, and how much is the actual travel experience?
Why are the same families experiencing a more pleasant return on Sunday next when the empirical experience is nearly identical?"
Me, yesterday in church.
I said it much more eloquently (I was in the zone) and more than half of those there came up to me and complimented me greatly.
It's only 8:00, and I'm tired enough (almost) to go to bed. I hardly slept last night. Nothing particularly on my mind, but my brain was whizzing away.
So, over the weekend, while occupying my mind with nonsense, I was surfing away and for some reason happened to surf into an article about the Bonneville. I read it (the article) and came to learn that the 2005 Bonneville is built on the "H" body platform which was designed in .. uh, 1986. For the 1987 Bonneville/LeSabre/Park Avenue/DeVille.
As in, the 2005 Bonneville is riding around on stampings that were tooled and designed in 1986.
It gets worse.
I mentioned to Brian what I had unearthed, and he says: "oh, that "H" platform is actually based on the X-body."
As in, Chevy Citation.
Holy crap.
Other than that, it's been a reasonable day.
How much of that stress is brought about by their anticipation of returning to family communication patterns long left behind, and how much is the actual travel experience?
Why are the same families experiencing a more pleasant return on Sunday next when the empirical experience is nearly identical?"
Me, yesterday in church.
I said it much more eloquently (I was in the zone) and more than half of those there came up to me and complimented me greatly.
It's only 8:00, and I'm tired enough (almost) to go to bed. I hardly slept last night. Nothing particularly on my mind, but my brain was whizzing away.
So, over the weekend, while occupying my mind with nonsense, I was surfing away and for some reason happened to surf into an article about the Bonneville. I read it (the article) and came to learn that the 2005 Bonneville is built on the "H" body platform which was designed in .. uh, 1986. For the 1987 Bonneville/LeSabre/Park Avenue/DeVille.
As in, the 2005 Bonneville is riding around on stampings that were tooled and designed in 1986.
It gets worse.
I mentioned to Brian what I had unearthed, and he says: "oh, that "H" platform is actually based on the X-body."
As in, Chevy Citation.
Holy crap.
Other than that, it's been a reasonable day.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
On today's calendar...
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. David Taylor CTS event (David Taylor Customer Abuse center)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tuesday planning meeting(s)
As I've moved forward here these last few weeks, I've been reflecting on what I do well, and what I enjoy doing, and what would be required to make that all come together for myself in the next year.
I've also been looking at the things I get involved in that don't support me, and that make me feel unsuccessful.
So, more from column "A" and fewer from column "B," clearly.
Two great meetings already today to advance that formula. More good stuff going on today as well.
And, I think Judy is buying the Christmas tree train. Good thing, since it's in the back seat of the car again.
This morning, my power went out for about three minutes. Again. Makes me crazy. I walked outside as soon as it went off - it was about 6:50 this morning. The neighbor's power was still on. I guess this means I probably have a breaker box issue. The power goes out about every fifth day for long enough to reset all the digital clocks.
Now, a quick update on office conditions:
* I used the suggestion of the guy from whom I bought the desk and applied Old English yesterday, as I mentioned. This morning, the vapors were still strong.
* Today, I used orange oil and the vapors were visible.
* A client came in, wearing the perfume counter from Dillard's. She closed the door.
* I have a headache.
* My furniture looks great
* Now I want the Rocketeer poster framed and on the wall PRONTO
And I need better chairs.
Nathan (from eons ago) contacted me today. I haven't heard from him since .. 2002. Or early 2003. I don't know. He's probably in the blog archive.
I'm either nuked on the vapors in here, or tired. Or both. A heavy evening in front of me still, too.
I've also been looking at the things I get involved in that don't support me, and that make me feel unsuccessful.
So, more from column "A" and fewer from column "B," clearly.
Two great meetings already today to advance that formula. More good stuff going on today as well.
And, I think Judy is buying the Christmas tree train. Good thing, since it's in the back seat of the car again.
This morning, my power went out for about three minutes. Again. Makes me crazy. I walked outside as soon as it went off - it was about 6:50 this morning. The neighbor's power was still on. I guess this means I probably have a breaker box issue. The power goes out about every fifth day for long enough to reset all the digital clocks.
Now, a quick update on office conditions:
* I used the suggestion of the guy from whom I bought the desk and applied Old English yesterday, as I mentioned. This morning, the vapors were still strong.
* Today, I used orange oil and the vapors were visible.
* A client came in, wearing the perfume counter from Dillard's. She closed the door.
* I have a headache.
* My furniture looks great
* Now I want the Rocketeer poster framed and on the wall PRONTO
And I need better chairs.
Nathan (from eons ago) contacted me today. I haven't heard from him since .. 2002. Or early 2003. I don't know. He's probably in the blog archive.
I'm either nuked on the vapors in here, or tired. Or both. A heavy evening in front of me still, too.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Monday, Monday ver. 1201.01 - Veteran's Day Edition!
We'll start with some good ol' Republican sentiment on military preparedness and weapons accumulation.
Things are crazed here today. People are carrying on like it's a party or something. I did get the desk Old English'ed and it looks fabulous, but I'm daffy on the fumes.
I had lunch with Joseph. Oh, my God. It's been eight years since I've seen him.
I've made my calls, and it's time to go pick up the mail, gas up the car and drive home. Once there, I am going to work on the front garden "patch" some, and see about cleaning the floors.
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. This is, I repeat, the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. […] Is there no other way the world may live?
–Dwight David Eisenhower, “The Chance for Peace,” speech given to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Apr. 16, 1953.
Things are crazed here today. People are carrying on like it's a party or something. I did get the desk Old English'ed and it looks fabulous, but I'm daffy on the fumes.
I had lunch with Joseph. Oh, my God. It's been eight years since I've seen him.
I've made my calls, and it's time to go pick up the mail, gas up the car and drive home. Once there, I am going to work on the front garden "patch" some, and see about cleaning the floors.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Inspiration
Last night, in the middle of a date that was so abhorrent that it reminded me of my date with the guy Madeline set me up with back in 1988, when the guy grabbed me across the front seat of his blue Cadillac and tried to mug down on me, I saw the movie "Michael Clayton."
The move was awesome. George Clooney's character is a "fixer," a jack of all trades who is an expert in many areas and can resolve nearly any situation.
I loved his haircut. And his black Mercedes S550. And his clothing. And his demeanor.
I talked to Rosita about it today, and we decided to go watch the movie together next weekend.
John informed me on Friday that Joseph is wanting to come back to work with us. Joseph.
Joseph.
Holy cow.
I just am sort of speechless.
I have to work on so many things tomorrow; it's a Federal holiday. I'm not sure who all is coming into the office tomorrow. Hopefully, there will be very little traffic.
I found a Corby Pant press online here in town this weekend - I've wanted one for YEARS. I'm going to meet up with him on Tuesday to buy it.
I actually got the dead water heater out of the attic. I got all of the Christmas, Halloween, gift wrapping and other nonsense organized into Rubbermaid tubs. I got all of the client records bagged up in sealed plastic and up into the attic, giving me a lot more room downstairs. I got Christmas set out in the dining room, which made Bram very happy. Next weekend, I'd really like to get some touch up painting done. And some carpet shampooing. And floor cleaning.
I ordered a new rechargeable flashlight for the car that's just like the one that VW equipped the Phaeton with. And, I ordered some Fabulair t-shirts, as they were on sale at 20% off the base price.
Yippie!
Busy busy week this week.
The move was awesome. George Clooney's character is a "fixer," a jack of all trades who is an expert in many areas and can resolve nearly any situation.
I loved his haircut. And his black Mercedes S550. And his clothing. And his demeanor.
I talked to Rosita about it today, and we decided to go watch the movie together next weekend.
John informed me on Friday that Joseph is wanting to come back to work with us. Joseph.
Joseph.
Holy cow.
I just am sort of speechless.
I have to work on so many things tomorrow; it's a Federal holiday. I'm not sure who all is coming into the office tomorrow. Hopefully, there will be very little traffic.
I found a Corby Pant press online here in town this weekend - I've wanted one for YEARS. I'm going to meet up with him on Tuesday to buy it.
I actually got the dead water heater out of the attic. I got all of the Christmas, Halloween, gift wrapping and other nonsense organized into Rubbermaid tubs. I got all of the client records bagged up in sealed plastic and up into the attic, giving me a lot more room downstairs. I got Christmas set out in the dining room, which made Bram very happy. Next weekend, I'd really like to get some touch up painting done. And some carpet shampooing. And floor cleaning.
I ordered a new rechargeable flashlight for the car that's just like the one that VW equipped the Phaeton with. And, I ordered some Fabulair t-shirts, as they were on sale at 20% off the base price.
Yippie!
Busy busy week this week.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
HOW THE FIGHT STARTED
I rear-ended a car this morning.
So there we are alongside the road and slowly ... the driver gets out of the car . . .
and you know how you just-get-sooo-stressed and life-stuff seems to get funny?
Yeah, well, I could NOT believe it . . . he was a DWARF!
He storms over to my car, looks up at me and says, "I AM NOT HAPPY!"
So, I look down at him and say, "Well, which one are you then?"
.. . . and that's when the fight started .
So there we are alongside the road and slowly ... the driver gets out of the car . . .
and you know how you just-get-sooo-stressed and life-stuff seems to get funny?
Yeah, well, I could NOT believe it . . . he was a DWARF!
He storms over to my car, looks up at me and says, "I AM NOT HAPPY!"
So, I look down at him and say, "Well, which one are you then?"
.. . . and that's when the fight started .
Friday, November 09, 2007
Friday linkarama
Well, the house cleaning homo had a "plumbing incident" last night at home, and has asked to come at a time that is a.) inconvenient, and b.) will mean that the house will stand dirty over the weekend, which pretty much means I'll clean it myself by then.
Two interesting links about the current financial "crisis." First, the State of New York is (possibly criminally) investigating overly inflated appraisals, mostly relating to a WaMu contract which does NOT revolve around sub-prime lending. Second, just some commentary on the idea that Citi is too big to fail, and the fallacy of that notion, with a link out to a very thoroughly researched piece that's worth reading.
I need to pack up and head into the office - many things await my focus today.
Two interesting links about the current financial "crisis." First, the State of New York is (possibly criminally) investigating overly inflated appraisals, mostly relating to a WaMu contract which does NOT revolve around sub-prime lending. Second, just some commentary on the idea that Citi is too big to fail, and the fallacy of that notion, with a link out to a very thoroughly researched piece that's worth reading.
I need to pack up and head into the office - many things await my focus today.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Watching Lewis Black
He's so funny. I went to Netflix to rate it (the new DVD) and there was a new little hyperlink that said "you have 15 unrated movies."
As in, of the movies I've rented from them, fifteen have gone unrated. By me.
So, I thought back - how did I miss that? I clicked through. Well, everything in 2007 was rated. In 2006, too. And 2005. And 2004. Whoops - missed one in 2003. Hm. Fourteen to go - how long have I been a Netflix subscriber? Let's check 2002. Holy toledo! It's the mother load of unrated movies! I found twelve. Now, it's two to go. Uh - How long have I been a Netflix subscriber? Turns out six years and two months.
Holy crap!
As in, of the movies I've rented from them, fifteen have gone unrated. By me.
So, I thought back - how did I miss that? I clicked through. Well, everything in 2007 was rated. In 2006, too. And 2005. And 2004. Whoops - missed one in 2003. Hm. Fourteen to go - how long have I been a Netflix subscriber? Let's check 2002. Holy toledo! It's the mother load of unrated movies! I found twelve. Now, it's two to go. Uh - How long have I been a Netflix subscriber? Turns out six years and two months.
Holy crap!
Hippo Hump Hay
We arise this morning to find this fabulous and delicious post on my girl "Pam's House Blend."
I be lovin' me some Pammage lately. Last night, she had posted the audio interview of Joe Solomnese by Michael Signorile on Siruis radio - give it a listen. Really, just click on the link, open that page, then click on the embedded player. Signorile, although the lispiest homo you'll hear all week, doggedly pursues actual answers to his very straight-forward questions and Solomnese squirms like bait on a hook. In fact, he's so sleazy that I threw up a little bit thinking "this faux-homo Republiturd represents GAY PEOPLE?"
And it's not just me. I sent the link to a big HRC 'mo late last night, and already this morning he had responded that he's "really concerned" and that "hearing it, when our leader can't consistently explain it is sad."
I think I'll keep my checkbook saddled the next time Homosexuals Raise Cash give me their spiel about being civil rights advocates. I don't like lobbyists anyway.
I have laundry swirling around in the machine, and have already cooked up this morning's oatmeal. A few minutes from now, I'll be headed over to the Valero to stick a few dollars' worth of $3.10 premium unleaded in the car and then off to work.
Talibangelist finances under the Senate microscope
by: pam
Wed Nov 07, 2007 at 06:00:00 AM EST
Pious preachers rail on against moral failures in society, and fixate on what consenting adults do in their bedrooms or the ability of LGBT citizens to obtain equal rights. What they don't talk about from the pulpit is what's going on with the money coming from the pews -- and out in the TV audience. Perhaps that's a little inconvenient.
It hasn't gone unnoticed by Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. He's taking a look at the books of some big-name Men of GodTM -- looking for possible financial misconduct. Go, baby.
Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by Dec. 6.
According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.
The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University.
The ministry watchdog Trinity Foundation, headed up by Ole Anthony, has been leading the charge against televangelists who rip off the flock.
"We've been working with them for two years," Anthony told CBS News. "We have furnished them with enough information to fill a small Volkswagen."
Anthony said after twenty years of working with media organizations to expose televangelists, he saw little reform. He says that's why he turned to another tactic, going straight to Grassley. He is confident that Grassley's inquiry will be different, "What we hope is that this will lead to reform in religious nonprofits."
Fun fact: homophobe Bishop Eddie Long of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church marched in Atlanta to "save marriage" with fellow homo-hater Reverend Bernice King back in 2004.
And not just conservative televangelists are under the gun. Read below the fold.
pam :: Talibangelist finances under the Senate microscope
Michael Hussey pointed to this article about ministers Randy and Paula White of the Without Wall Church, located in Tampa; its records have also been requested by the Senate, including:
* Statements for all credit cards used by the Whites since 2004 for expenses related to the ministries, including explanations for clothing and cosmetic surgery.
* A list of expenses paid by the ministries relating to homes purchased by the Whites in Tampa; San Antonio, Texas; New York City; and Malibu, Calif. The letters also call for the addresses and size of each residence.
* The year, make and model of all vehicles and aircraft purchased, leased or maintained by the ministries. Copies of flight records also are requested.
* A receipt and documentation of payment method for a Bentley convertible reportedly purchased by the Whites as a tax-exempt gift for Texas author Bishop T.D. Jakes.
* All domestic and overseas bank accounts and investments belonging to the ministries.
* Names and addresses for the publishers of all commercial-related goods relating to the ministry, such as books and audio-video recordings of sermons.
* Detailed accounting of $871,000 worth of merchandise reportedly sold to the church since 2005 by two private businesses owned by the Whites.
Hat tip, Sylvia.
I be lovin' me some Pammage lately. Last night, she had posted the audio interview of Joe Solomnese by Michael Signorile on Siruis radio - give it a listen. Really, just click on the link, open that page, then click on the embedded player. Signorile, although the lispiest homo you'll hear all week, doggedly pursues actual answers to his very straight-forward questions and Solomnese squirms like bait on a hook. In fact, he's so sleazy that I threw up a little bit thinking "this faux-homo Republiturd represents GAY PEOPLE?"
And it's not just me. I sent the link to a big HRC 'mo late last night, and already this morning he had responded that he's "really concerned" and that "hearing it, when our leader can't consistently explain it is sad."
I think I'll keep my checkbook saddled the next time Homosexuals Raise Cash give me their spiel about being civil rights advocates. I don't like lobbyists anyway.
I have laundry swirling around in the machine, and have already cooked up this morning's oatmeal. A few minutes from now, I'll be headed over to the Valero to stick a few dollars' worth of $3.10 premium unleaded in the car and then off to work.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Some important articles -
This article discusses the wild variable between the treatment meted out to the Conservatives as compared to the "Liberals," aka "mostly Conservatives" by the "Liberal Media." It's very well phrased, and makes some crystal clear points that I've been seeing for years.
I was thinking about this a few weeks back - why would the democrats WANT to achieve the presidency? This post says it so much better than I could have ever done.
Since this is important to reflect upon, and since I know most people don't like to click through and read something - here it is, reproduced for you:
Speaking of boggling - what a waste this weekend was, in terms of commercial success.
Not just for me, but for everyone at the train show. It sucked, and it sucked out loud.
At least Jeremy had the brilliant idea to photograph all of the model trains while we had them out, and so now it's a matter of using Turbolister to get them all loaded up and listed out on eBay.
I'll have to go to my room and put everything back into the closet, temporarily, while I finish that task.
We're talking about how to decorate for Lurlinemas. Do we put up a tree? Outside lights? Tschotkes (of which I have a great many, courtesy of my mother?)
Do I care? Sort of. I'd like to get even more stuff out of the attic, so I guess I care THAT much. I'm thinking of skipping the whole pagan schlock mess this year, frankly.
I did decide to mostly forego sending Christmas cards. Each year, I've sent out a raft of them, and get fewer and fewer back, as fewer and fewer people actually go through the trouble of buying, writing, addressing, posting and mailing them.
It's not yet 10:00 p.m., and I'm feeling ready for bed.
Why do we bother observing Daylight Savings Time, anyway? It's not like the "farmers," all of whom now are corporations, give a wild turkey. Most of their workers are migrants or indentured servants, it's not like they could complain.
Which leads to an interesting point Jeremy raised today - is the government's reported increase in new jobs created any way related to the huge increase in ICE raids on places of employment, in which bus loads of Hispanic workers are deported back to their home countries?
I was thinking about this a few weeks back - why would the democrats WANT to achieve the presidency? This post says it so much better than I could have ever done.
Since this is important to reflect upon, and since I know most people don't like to click through and read something - here it is, reproduced for you:
What the Next President Faces
by SusanG
Sun Nov 04, 2007 at 07:10:45 AM PDT
With a hat tip to bumblebums, who linked to this blistering analysis by Charles Pierce in the open thread, all we can say is ... preach it!
Quite honestly, I don't understand why any Democrat wants to be president this time around. It's not just the wreckage that the Avignon Presidency is going to be leaving behind, although that is considerable. (Did you see Himself yesterday? All the cheesy smirking while the Heritage Foundation unemployables cheered his nudge-nudge, wink-winking on torture? It's like being ruled by Torquemada's mall cop.) Monica Goodling's testimony back a few months as regarding the hiring practice at DOJ leads me to wonder how many home-schooled, Christianist, Patrick Henry College yahoos have been salted away within the federal bureaucracy over the past seven years, and how effective a functioning underground resistance they might be. There was a little of this during the transiton from Poppy Bush to Bill Clinton. Cleaning up the debris is going to be hard enough without a bunch of authoritarian toddlers running off at the mouth to the Washington Times, or to whatever Republican legislators may be left after the upcoming bloodbath. The first two years -- which, given the idiotic way we run elections, often are the only chance any president has to get anything done before it's time to run for president again -- are hard enough without being undermined in the government by Bible-banging Mole People. None of these people can conceive of public service as an end to itself. If they're not in it to promote the party -- or, alternatively, "Conservatism," as though that term has any meaning any more -- they're in it to "give witness" to their Personal Lord And Savior, who should be told by any Democratic politician worthy of the name to shut the hell up for a couple of years while we try to repair the damage His fans have done to our country. The first order of business for any Democratic president elected next year should be to appoint unreconstructed hardbars to head the personnel offices throughout the Executive branch whose only job will be to root these people out before they can hurt the country further. The Monica Goodlings should be sent back where they belong -- into a commercial for one of those execrable "Songs For Worship" CD's that seem to be dedicated to ruining gospel music as thoroughly as these people have ruined the Justice department.
He's right, of course. Beyond the obvious tasks of rolling back executive power, the restoration of the rule of law, and a return to at least pretending the Constitution is a guiding document, there's going to be a lot of dull, persistent clerical work for the next president. Not just the personnel matter Pierce (brilliantly) addresses, but all the quirky little policy and standard language this gang has undoubtedly slipped into bureaucratic edicts issued by every executive department and sub-department and sub-sub-department. Think the Patriot Act on a petty and more insidiously seeded scale. The mind boggles.
Speaking of boggling - what a waste this weekend was, in terms of commercial success.
Not just for me, but for everyone at the train show. It sucked, and it sucked out loud.
At least Jeremy had the brilliant idea to photograph all of the model trains while we had them out, and so now it's a matter of using Turbolister to get them all loaded up and listed out on eBay.
I'll have to go to my room and put everything back into the closet, temporarily, while I finish that task.
We're talking about how to decorate for Lurlinemas. Do we put up a tree? Outside lights? Tschotkes (of which I have a great many, courtesy of my mother?)
Do I care? Sort of. I'd like to get even more stuff out of the attic, so I guess I care THAT much. I'm thinking of skipping the whole pagan schlock mess this year, frankly.
I did decide to mostly forego sending Christmas cards. Each year, I've sent out a raft of them, and get fewer and fewer back, as fewer and fewer people actually go through the trouble of buying, writing, addressing, posting and mailing them.
It's not yet 10:00 p.m., and I'm feeling ready for bed.
Why do we bother observing Daylight Savings Time, anyway? It's not like the "farmers," all of whom now are corporations, give a wild turkey. Most of their workers are migrants or indentured servants, it's not like they could complain.
Which leads to an interesting point Jeremy raised today - is the government's reported increase in new jobs created any way related to the huge increase in ICE raids on places of employment, in which bus loads of Hispanic workers are deported back to their home countries?
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