You Know You're Getting Older When...

Was out with an old chum from high school last night.
We do this a few times a year, especially around the holidays, always ending up in the same geography we knew 25-30 yrs ago. Usually it's dinner, followed up with a browse through Border's, a car dealer, or a movie, and usually wrapping it up at Starbucks, or some other late night overpriced coffee house.
Basically, just two teenagers turned twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, and now into our forties, doing the same 'hangin out' thing we've never stopped doing. The jokes are the same, but the conversation now tends more towards kids,wives, careers, money and "ooh,d'ja see that?" hot piece that just walked by. (OK, so maybe that hasn't changed much,either.)

This weekend, we found ourselves sipping Starbucks across the street from the former site of Mi Casita,a venue where some of the old hardcore bands used to play. Now there is a gas station in it's place.
"Hey, remember that place?"
There's a DVD out from last year. You seen it?
"Mi Casita?"
No. Punk.
"For reals?"
Yeah.
"With Mi Casita?"
No, but it features The Church pretty heavy.
"Is Ray in it?"
No,they don't hit all the bands. Just a few big ones. Black Flag is featured. 'member Des?
"No way! What's it got in it?"
It's like a documentary, tracing hardcore style from it's roots til it's end.
"Where's it say it started?"
L.A. and Hermosa, mostly.
"I gotta get that. Ha, we're like History."
Speak for yourself.


In the right place, during the right time, at the right age, I never thought we'd be History, let alone a subject for documentarians. And I never thought it was a 'movement'. Whatever it was, it was. It happened.
And it was fun.

Much Ado About Not Much

As is obvious to anybody with access to the news, Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto was assassinated today.
The general template places her in the position of martyr. In reality, she's nothing of the sort.
Descended from a long line of aristocrats and feudal lords, her 'dramatic rise to power' and subsequent campaign for democracy was all just part of the family business. If you ask me, the only thing about a lack of democracy that offended her was the fact that it left her own family out of power.
Her assassination is not all that newsworthy in it's context. Assassination is just another way of doing politics among her kind, who have ruled, or attempted to rule, Pakistan since before it's founding. And as corrupt and ineffective as her previous tenure as Prime Minister was, is it any surprise that somebody out there thought it a national duty to eliminate her for good?

She was no more in a position to add stability to a region that has never known it than the current dictatorial regime, or any member of the other ruling family of Pakistan.
Pakistan is a troubled land.
It will stay that way.

It's best we just left it alone, and let the partisans go ahead and off each other in their quest for power.
And don't cry for the Bhutto family. They still have all that ill-gotten money and the national prestige and connections to acquire more of it, and soon, another Bhutto will rise to the forefront of Pakistani politics as a champion of the nation, like a monarchy that will not die.

For God So Loved The World

To My Cheesehead Friends

Merry Christmas.

Future Packers MVP?

Ya gotta love football, and along with it some of the side stories that make the gridiron fetish fun.
As you other fetishists are aware, Cowboys QB Tony Romo has been making the rounds of the entertainment babes.
Romo has been having a good couple of seasons, and looks like the rising star the Cowboys, and their fans, think he is.
Ah, but there's two exceptions:Seems the fellow can't play straight with his love life sitting in the stands.
Romo turned in the worst performance of his career recently when his most recent love interest, Jessica Simpson, was sitting in the stands, proudly preening for the cameras with a big #9 on her fan jersey.*
Seems his previously worst performance was the day former flame Carrie Underwood was in attendance.

Fans and players from both sides of the stadium have chimed in,with fellow Cowboy Terrell Owens urging Jessica to stay away from future games.

And there is also this site urging non-Romo supporters to download their own paper mask of Jessica to wear to upcoming Cowboys games and help their team win. What can be worse than one Jessica watching Romo blow the game? How about thousands of Jessica's guaranteeing the outcome?
Ingenious,eh?

*note to Jessica: if you're gonna wear a fan jersey, wear a proper fan jersey. The only other acceptable fan option is to go shirtless with a big #9 painted right between-ah, never mind...

A Christmas Card (better than somebody else's I know)

LINK

The Fat Boat

The fastest eco boat on the planet will attempt to break the round the world speed record using fuel made from human fat.

Ever get the thought that environmental warriors are becoming plain outright silly?
So this dude gets liposuction, and uses his old fat (along with a few others' lipo fat) to help power this newfangled boat.
I'm guessing,with all the fatness in possession by Americans these days, collectively we might have just enough fat to power half the nation halfway to work for one day.
OK. Nice idea.
What about the ride home?

What isn't mentioned, of course maybe he never thought of it, is that liposuction machines and surgical centers run on electricity generated through burning fossil fuels.
I'm wondering how much carbon was created so this dude could have bragging rights to less than a 4oz of eco-friendly biofuel?

I'm giving him high marks for a cool boat design,though. Add a beer cooler, bait tank, a live well, and a few rod holders and he may have something useful as well.

The "Good Hands" People

I got the "Final" from my adjuster today. Good Hands has determined that I am totally without fault, and are pursuing the claim against Shit-For-Brain's insurance carrier. Shit-For-Brain's carrier is claiming that they are not liable. Now Mr. SFB is claiming an injury, filed a claim with Good Hands, which Good Hands has informed me that they have rejected flat out.

Good Hands says this may go to arbitration if the other side won't budge. Regardless of the outcome of arbitration, Good Hands has made their determination, and will stand by it, and me. I will not be held liable. At all. (So they tell me.)

Damage estimate to my car: $6,000. It may go higher, but Good Hands has informed me,also, that they have already written the repair shop a check to cover. Barring anything unforeseen, repairs should be completed in about two weeks.

I like my car, but was already looking forward to getting a new one with the payout if they did indeed total it. Oh well. I'll be happy just to get my own well-suited-to-me wheels back.

Memories

Cars are different now days. I still remember (vividly) a death defying stunt where I attempted to dissect a Toyota Celica using a Volvo. Impact was about 35mph, in a perfect cross 'T-Bone' trajectory. Long time ago this was, during my piss-and-vinegar days.
By the time all the glass shards and metal parts had settled throughout the four corners of the intersection, both cars had come to a rest about forty feet apart in opposite directions. (Been having mental reminders lately. And the painful cries of my victim still haunt me, again. She was OK, fared better than I, but I still can't get it out of my head.)

Totaled.
Unrecognisable.
Both of them.
This latest collision wasn't near as bad, nor near as fast (not by half), but something occurred to me later as I replayed the moment in my head through the past week.
My car didn't bounce or ricochet back.
I didn't even feel a bodily lurch forward.
It was as if I had driven my car into a giant marshmallow.
I've heard of the newer crash technology modern vehicles have. You know, those 'crumple zones' designed to give and absorb shock, and stuff like that.
But this is the first time, and hopefully the very last time, I can say I think I know first hand what they are talking about.
I like it.
And I am grateful.

Update: just spoke to my adjuster today. She says it's a borderline 'total', and her investigation pegs the other guy as being at fault. They'll know more on Monday.

And Then, Tragedy Struck...

Saturday morning.
3:30 A.M.
On my way to work,while minding my own damn business, some dude jerk asswipe shit-for-brains driving a flatbed tow truck backed out of an ally directly in front of me. Not giving me nearly enough time to stop,(or swerve, as he was still moving backwards), I braked best I could. The wheels came to a nice pleasant stop, and the car continued to slide forward. The road was covered in a fresh rain, and the accumulated oil deposits were all that stood in the way of a successful 'save'.

Fortunately, I got the "Good Hands" people on the case.

Not That I Would Care Much By Then

Apparently, somebody with more dollars than brain cells saw fit to pay way too much money for a bottle of booze.

Maybe there is some allure to drinking some really old stuff, but as for me, by the time I got to the bottom of the bottle I wouldn't know it from a bottle of Yukon Jack.

Hope For America

Where I'm Coming From

I used to involve myself with politics. I mean, really involved to the point of phone-banking, ground pounding,organizing rallies, vetting candidates... all that ridiculous stuff activists do.
I retired from such foolishness a long time ago, accepted disenchantment as my way, and refused to so much as claim a party affiliation on my voter registration.
As time went on, I became more and more convinced that this was the correct path for me.
Nothing has changed much, really.
I am still what would be called 'right-wing',am more comfortable with the libertarian vision of things, and my growing distrust of politicians (and those who shill for them) continues to do just that.
That said:
You've noticed my vocal support of Ron Paul. I am still not properly registered to cast a vote for him (but will remedy that soon).
There are a few reasons for my support. Primary among them, obviously, is that his ways of thinking is similar to mine. It's not that I expect him to win the election, or change the tragic and continuing course of American government. Some things are set on auto-pilot, and will stay their course, regardless of who is in power. Such is the way of history, and the past is littered with the corpses of once great nations, and the societies who spawned them.

I am supporting Ron Paul because in a two party system, he is the second party. Of all the dwarves who take the podium at the debates/round-up/freak show of either of the two official parties, one thing unites them all in thought: that if you vote for one of them, you are doing your part to deny another. Interest group politics is all it is.
Gays vs Traditionalists
Business vs Workers
Evangelicals vs Mormons
White vs Black
Man vs Woman
War Mongers vs Hippies
Have vs Have Nots
Wants vs Want Mores
Us vs Them

I'm tired of others trying to get theirs,have theirs, do theirs at my expense. And I'm even more tired of politicians who pander to such evils.


Ron Paul is different. He offers a vision long lost. A vision of individual liberty, and individual responsibility. Live and Let Live, just leave leave me the hell alone to prosper or fail on my own merits, as I respect the rights of others.
What is wrong with that?
And nobody is saying it, or even offering it up as a viable alternative, 'cept for this one lone voice on the national stage.

Ron Paul's voice is one that needs to be spoken, even if nobody is listening.

Let Me Make This Perfectly Clear

There is absolutely no way in hell the baptist minister nor the half-breed neophyte will be elected president.
I don't care what the polls say...
Regardless of what happens in Iowa...
Or elsewhere...
It ain't gonna happen.

Test Your Geography

How well do you know your world?

Here is a geography test.









I did pretty well out the gate, finally going down in flames during Round 8. Later attempts got me higher up the food chain. But geography has always been a favorite topic of mine and I'm a bit talented in this type of stuff.

Basically, you just click on the map.
Speed and accuracy determine your score.
Lot's of fun.

Chasing The Monster

Well, it was fun week, though I failed to bring back any meat. Still having plenty of venison left over from last year, and wanting to keep some room in the freezer for a potential wild pig hunt in February or March, I decided to spend my week scouting for the elusive trophy buck.

I've managed to bag a few respectable bucks through the years. As I've become more experienced at this game, mainly in the past 4-5 years, decent bucks have been easier to come by. By decent, I'm talking about a 3-5 year buck, with a little experience under his belt, carrying more than a few points on his head. Nothing to brag about, but respectable none-the-less. Prior to that, just about all that presented themselves to me were does. (Does are legal game in Georgia, and provide better meat anyway).
But this year, I wanted to look for what is often the easiest, but usually the most difficult, animal to place a cross hair on: the 6-8 year old, fully mature, and wiley, buck. The king of his forest. I thought I came close last year, with a large bodied, thick antlered and battle scarred beast. His rack had a good outward spread and heavy beams, but sorrowfully lacking in points. Don't know what went wrong with this one, but you could see where about 3-4 tines failed to form in what should have been a magnificent rack (but he still makes a good stew).

These mature beasts are hard to find. Besides the rarity, they don't come out of hiding very often, preferring to stay in heavy cover. Also, they lack the need to get out and about looking for breeders since the does in heat will come to them more often. This makes finding them tricky. And after locating him, heavy cover will often prevent a clear shot.
I did say these are often the easiest, didn't I?
Well, they can be. For stupid beginners. A large proportion of those that are in the record books were dropped by stupid beginners who randomly stumbled over them. I was almost one of them, a long time ago. Twice. A hair raising, heart pounding, few moments that still live vividly in my memory as if it were this morning. On one occasion, I didn't have a round in the gun. The sound of my bolt sliding alerted him, and off he went. The second time, I passed on a decent shot, expecting him to continue through the trees to provide an excellent shot. I wasn't expecting him to change directions, but he did.
Live and learn, they say.
Yeah.
The bucks lived another season.
And I learned the hard way.

I didn't get him this year,either.
Hell, I didn't even manage to find where he's hanging out at.
But I did learn one thing:
When Georgia's Governor Sonny Perdue prays for rain, they get rain. Two days worth, further hampering my efforts to scout the woods and look for sign.

Maybe next year.
Right now, I got a pig hunt to plan.

The Doctor Is 'Out' (of his mind)

About three months ago, I was carrying a 36" television (the old style). Or, I was attempting it, anyway.
The damn thing was heavier than I thought, and as a result, I tore something up, leaving me in abdominal pain for several days after.
So, I just took it as easy as I could at work, and around the house, hoping eventually things would heal up. As it was, pain came and went, some days worse than others.

Tuesday, I woke up and could barely move. Time to see the doctor (finally), thinking maybe I really tore something up and would need hernia surgery or whatever.

After a check up, the groping("cough"), pushing ("cough"), and squeezing of the giblets ("cough,cough"), and a few "does this hurt?"'s, it was decided that I did not have a noticeable hernia (yet). And that it may eventually present itself in the near future if it is indeed there.
Good news,yeah, with a caveat.

Doctor strongly suggested I take this week off, and next, to take it easy. I explained that I am already off work for two weeks vacation, and have a deer hunt planned for next. He then warned me to avoid such things as climbing trees and dragging carcasses, and I should cancel this year.

Yeah, right.
He ain't gotta a clue.

I'll still be here, though not as near.
And my presence will be light.

From Me...

To You

Yeah, it's a link.
Click It.
(with sound)

Spoke Too Soon

"Last time we had one of these, the tenant came home to a living room swamped with water, it was runnin' down the stairs and flooded out the garage."
Ok, so I guess I dodged a bullet.

Last Friday, I noticed a dark spot forming in the center of my living room cieling. I called in the manager, he took a look at it, and said he'd be by first thing Monday morning to investigate further.

Diagnosing the problem as coming from the tub, they started to cut a whole through the wall from the spare bedroom to the tub. I suggested, just possibly, it might be wiser to attack the source from it's most obvious location, like maybe through the ceiling?, just above the wet spot? (But, hey, what do I know?)

"Nah, it's probably coming from the back of the tub. We'll get to right here." (after emptying and moving the dresser first).









Nope. Guess again.
Next option, the ceiling. ( I told ya so... but what do I know?)










Hey,ah... while you're at, can you install a surround-sound system up there. I mean, since you already got some holes cut and all-
"NO!"
OK, how 'bout a central vacuum?
"NO!"
Skylight?
"NO!"
Laundry chute?
"NO!"

Ok, how bout ordering me some new carpet then? I want that blue stuff you put in next door.

"You dont need it now. But if you'd waited a another week you'd be getting new furniture to match."

I can't win.

Is There Anything Left?

For fifteen years now, and counting, the entire Democrat Party Apparatus has been defending Bill and Hillary Clinton from their list of scandals: adultery,rape, perjury, obstruction of justice, selling pardons, draft dodging, stealing White House furniture, wire tapping, securities fraud, real estate fraud, selling classified material, illegal campaign cash, abuse of power, harassment of political opponents, sexual harassment, witness tampering, falsified criminal prosecutions, and the infamous spooge blue dress... (and this is just a partial listing).

Now, Hillary, of all folks, claims she has information on Obama that is so scandalous she is too embarrassed to release it.. LINK

Is Hillary even capable of knowing a disqualifying scandal after being part of so many of them herself?
Just what the hell is left, short of screwing dogs on video*, that is so scandalous as to ruin any guy's chance of getting this party's nomination for president?


















*and even this might be seen as a resume enhancement to a certain segment of the progressive population,as long as it was consensual.


For the record: if I were a Democrat, I would vote for Obama. He smokes cigarettes. And I can sympathise with a guy like that.

What Pat Wants

Armageddon.
The answer, I think, is Armageddon.

Pat Robertson want's nothing more than Armageddon and the second coming of Christ.
This will only happen, according to his own misreading, with a dominant Jewish state in the middle east followed by the final conflict between Good and Evil, which he believes to be in the form of Islam.
He already believes the gears are in motion, and with every shot fired tween Jews and Arabs, we only get closer.
Rudy, a federal prosecutor and 'tough cop', is the one guy who can be most relied upon to continue the war on terror against Muslims, and this will lead to even more 'shooting back' by pissed off Muslims at the great Satan and its 51st state (Israel).

Robertson has stopped preaching the word of Christ and the salvation of sinners long ago. Now, he's just preaching to his own, and telling them how their politics should be.
And his politics are geared heavily toward the preservation of Israel, and it's dominion over it's neighbors, so Christ can return and kick ass on those who don't believe like Robertson does.

Unfortunately for the Jews, their eventual destruction is part of the plan.
(Which leaves me wondering, with friends like Robertson, do the Jews really need an enemy?)

Guano?

Dead Men Tell No Tales

Maybe not, but they can still enjoy a last ride at Disneyland.

Disneyland workers were recently forced to close the "Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction after a ride security camera caught a woman apparently dumping human remains, in what may be a growing trend.

Seriously, having spent the last 10 years living in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom, I've become aware of a near-religious Disney cult.
Bizarre, these people are.
They really are.

Loves Gays, Hates America

I've sat on this on for a few days now, just trying to figure what is/is not. Things just don't work this way in the real world of politics. I know, there is nothing real world in the real world of politics. But this strange bedding among stranger fellows actually is newsworthy.

Pat Robertson has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president. Pat has built his entire political being around two key issues: abortion and gays. And he has stated on national television that the attacks of 9/11 were God's punishment on American society for it's tolerance of abortion and gay rights.

Rudy Giuliani has set himself apart from any GOP politician in recent memory for his unflinching support of abortions and gay rights.

Is Pat having a change of heart?
Does he now think abortion and gays are not so bad for America after all?
Or, has he decided America is no longer worth fighting for so may as well encourage to God rain down further punishment upon it?
Is it really about winning the War on Islam Terror, like he says?
Is it about beating Hillary?

As I've stated before, I was once active in political causes closely related to his. Rubbed elbows and worked very closely with those who actually listened to his word.(I,myself, never paid that much close attention to him,though) As a result, I think I know his mind, what drives him most, what he ultimately longs for.

I think I have the answer.
And the chattering class has so far missed it.

I'll wait to see what responses I receive, if any, from my minions readership before I tell it like is, from the Holy Gospel according to Me.

(And afterwards, you can all line up and tell me my words are guano.)

Smack,Smack,Smack! (per Ben)

Who'da thunk it?

Still Not Speechless In Los Angeles

Los Angeles council votes to 'ban' the N-Word

Apparently Gook, Wetback, Wop, Redneck,Fag and Nappy-Headed Ho are still in play.

Carry on...

Some Info You Didn't Have Before,Or Rolling Out The Pork Barrel

You've heard about congressional earmarks and that infamous "Bridge To Nowhere".
Now, what has largely been hidden from taxpayers is being made public with thanks to some enterprising advocates of government transparency through technology and Google.
Using GoogleEarth, you can now look them up and pinpoint them.

Just click > here(you will need GoogleEarth installed. If you don't have it, download it at earth.google.com. It's free, easy, and fun to use for just recreational purposes as well.)

What you will see is a satellite view of the good ol' USofA, with a thousand or more 'stick pins' highlighting the various earmarks. All these are tucked away just within the latest House Defense Bill.
Click on a stick pin, and you can get further details of that particular earmark. Including such information as to how much the receiver of the largess has invested in government lobbyists (according to opensecrets.com, whose links are also included within the project's highlights)

Cool stuff,eh?

UPDATE: No Rosie On MSNBC

But an NBC spokesperson has confirmed that negotiations have fallen flat...(read the rest of the sory here)

And I was so looking forward to not seeing it.

The Bitch Is Back

Rosie O’Donnell in Talks to Join MSNBC

"America's Fastest Growing News Channel" (That's their slogan. For real! I'm not making this up) is about to ink a deal giving this soft-spoken flower of the left, and former funny girl, her own prime-time talk show.

Not sure if there is any mileage left on the "fat,angry lesbian" schtick, but maybe she'll find a few fans left from the "9/11 was an inside job" crowd. Moonbats have a habit of finding each other in the dark. And it doesn't get much darker than the low wattage of MSNBC.

Rock On, Rosie!

Feel Safer: Fly American Airlines.

Here we go again with another installment of pissed off Arabs.

Detained Arabic-speaking passengers sue American Airlines

The men, who sued in U.S. District Court in Detroit alleging racial discrimination, say airline employees grounded their Aug. 28 flight from San Diego to Chicago and detained them, believing they were security risks

I know how they feel. I am routinely detained and humiliated, along with thousands of other co-travelers, whenever I attempt air travel.

After taxiing from the gate, pilots returned the plane to the terminal. The six men were segregated and detained...

Good. I'd hate to think the pilots just ignored a crew of suspicious Arabs and continued on with takeoff.
Give these pilots medals, or bonus pay, or something. We need to encourage other pilots.

The suit was filed Thursday on behalf of David Al-Watan, Talal Cholagh, Ali Alzerej, Hassan Alzerej, Hussein Alsalih and Mohammad Al-Saedy.

Since it was guys with names like Hassan, Mohammad, Hussien, and Ali that made all this extra precaution that's treats everybody like a potential terrorist necessary, I'd say the suspicions and extra measures regarding such men, and even their friends with nice jewish names like David, are heavily justified.

I got a better idea. If we can lock up all the Japanese on the west coast as security risks, I don't think it unreasonable to forbid people with names like Hassan, Mohammad, Hussien, and Ali from ever coming near an airport, let alone actually boarding a plane.

"They treated me like a terrorist," Al-Watan, 30, said in the statement.
Well, yeah. That is the general idea, ain't it?

Maybe American Airlines can advertise a new slogan: "We Give Arabs A Hard Time."
I bet their bottom line would bloom as Arabs sought other more progressively-minded airlines to fly on, and the general public naturally, when given an informed choice, would choose the safer Arab-free skies of American Airlines.

Week To Week, It's Always The Same...

... in that I miss two out of three.

I really wish I was totally screwing the pooch with a weekly 0-3. At least I could solve my predictions problem my marking my picks, and then reversing them before turning in my card.

Thoughts On The Big Game

The Colts are better against the Patriots than I thought they would be. They'll meet again in the playoffs, and hopefully with a different result.

The Colts have more class as a team than the Patriots.

The Patriots exude too much arrogance.

Belichik is an ass.

Getting Back Into Form

This weeks football picks:
Only going with three picks again. I like to play, but lack the gambler's heart.

Washington over NY Jets by 3

Dallas over Philadelphia by 3

Now the biggie.
The biggest game of the season.
New England is given 6 points over Indianapolis.
I'm going with New England.
Belichik is gonna try to run up the score again, and this may be the Patriots's weakness if they take risky chances on big plays. Still, I doubt the Colts will be able to hold back the tide. The Patriots are just too good.
I'll be cheering for Indy, but my money is on New England.

I Just Had To Add Something

I stole this from Allen.

LINK

Who borrowed it from somebody who calls himself David.

Paul Tibbetts has died.

David has a splendid note on his mission, more eloquently stated than I could manage. So I’ll steal a portion of it:

Tibbets was responsible for much more than simply piloting the plane…

He was selected, after nearly a year of scrutiny from the brass, to effectively plan, organize, train, and execute the entire mission. He spent months selecting the right people, training them, preparing them, all from the secrecy of a “from scratch” military base in the barren desert of Utah, and had to enforce such strict security during this time that it nearly cost him his marriage. He had to coordinate the engineers, the pilots, the navs, the bombardiers, the mechanics, the janitors, the medics, and so on. He had to ensure that no one leaked a word about the project. He had to fight powerful brass and “higher ups” that didn’t know about the mission that he had been charged with, in order to secure hardware, personnel, and materials. He had to devise & test every possible scenario, dropping test bombs over & over to ensure that the “Real Thing” would detonate at precisely the right altitude. He had to select the precise date, location, and route. And, in the end, he had to lead the mission on that August day and give the order to drop the bomb. His preparation and leadership ensured that the mission was executed flawlessly.

To which I would simply add, “And he was thirty years old.”

For an adrenaline rush on the subject CLICK HERE and turn up your sound.

Yeah, it looks like I'm back to posting again.

Well...

YES! I am going through some template changes.
Generally, I'm playing around trying to find something I want to live with for a while.
The old template was just so, well... boring and old and I was tired of hearing it groan in pain everytime I opened the page.

A big blog hug to Jade for her expertise in helping me get a photo properly sized to fit the header bar. Truth is, after much failure of my own, she stepped in and saved my sanity. If you get a chance,check out her photo-art page . She's not only a professionally talented shutter operator, she's a treasure as a blog friend, as well.


The background music is just there because it's just there, and because I found a way to do it, so I did it. And besides, Echo And The Bunnymen is cool.
It may vanish. It may change. It won't stay 'as is' for long.

Anyway, the template: as is obvious, still not finished playing yet. And not really ready to blog any posts just yet,either. As for now, I'm just enjoying visiting everybody else. I'll get back to it. Maybe in the next couple days. Still recovering from Brutal Tuesday Flu and got a case of incessant heartburn that would wake the dead.

HIATUS



take care, ya'll...

Randomly Incoherent Thoughts On The Looming Debacle

Universal Healthcare.
You hear about all the time.
It's coming, whether you are ready for it or not.
Its become the new 'basic right' of the political talkers.
Even this terminology is a lie. Healthcare, paid for by somebody else, is not a right.This is an entitlement.
A right is free to all, to be guaranteed and safeguarded by The Power, and costs a third party nothing.
Test this idea yourself. Does the right to free speech guarantee a taxpayer funded newspaper on every doorstep?
Does the right to bear arms mean the government is obligated to provide guns and ammo?
I'm not opposed to universal health care. Who could be against something like that, anyway.
What I'm opposed to is government run health care dressed up in bullshit terminology.
A pig by any other name is still a pig.
And calling socialism "universal" is still socialism.

What will be the effect of socializing the health care industry?
What makes people think that the same government that couldn't keep a bridge from falling down can do medicine right?
It sounds like a stretch to compare bridges to medicine, but in my view the stretch in the other direction.
Bridges, and their construction, are science. Exact. Precise. We know for sure what it takes to keep it in the air. There's not much guess work involved. It'll either work, or not.
Medicine ain't so simple. As much art as it is science, lots of educated guesswork is involved in getting a diagnosis right. And what cures most, wont cure all.
Who ya gonna blame, who will be accountable, when a misdiagnosis is made?
When talented, and gifted, professionals decide the govt isn't worth dealing with anymore, who will pay the costs in lost lives? New medicines not discovered? New techniques not tried?
Will the government set pay scales for doctors? Most definitely. Part of government control involves price fixing. Strange ain't it? We like our baseball players to get paid monstrous salaries which leads to ever greater perfection of their craft, but haven't stopped to consider what price controls would do to the future of medicine.
Will there be price controls on how much lawyers get paid suing doctors? Somehow, I doubt that, since it will be lawyers ultimately writing, and approving, the legislation. H
How many lives have lawyers saved? How many new cancer breakthroughs are discovered in a courtroom?
Can you show me one person brought back from the brink of death by John Edwards? Given this,can you really justify his level of wealth compared to any doctor?

Will the lawmakers be served under the same health care coverage? Or will there be one system for them, and one for us, like it is now?
Can any senator rightfully, and morally, claim that he deserves better care than any one member of our military? Well, they currently do now. You really think this will change when we go to government medicine?

For me, there is only one over riding principle when deciding health care policy:
The most good, to the most people, for the longest length of time.

And there ain't no way in hell I'm going to trust this to the same people who couldn't deliver water to their own charges in the Superdome.

It's Good To Know There isn't Anything Important To Cover

First, it was three nooses hanging from an shade tree at a Louisiana school

Then, it was noose hanging inside a police department locker room.

Another one Ground Zero.

With Columbia University not to be left out,either.

The latest is a two-fer hanging from a forklift on Long Island.

All of this is national news.

Is it really racism rearing it's head in some of the nation's most liberally minded bastions: New England and a public high school.

Or maybe there is just a rash of pranksters taking advantage of a bored media to get some anonymous headlines.

This Week's Picks

Chicago BEARS! over Minnesota by 6

Green Bay over Washington by 3

New York Giants over Atlanta by 4

Dallas v New England Total Points: over 53

all four pays 12-1

Do you ever get the idea that some recognitions have lost their meaning?

If We Run Out,We Can Just Print More

First it was $5,000 for every baby born.
Now, it's free 401k money.

I refuse to sell my vote so cheaply.
When she starts talking about free houses, gasoline and groceries for middle class incomes, then I'll vote for her.

Until then, I'm sticking with Ron Paul.

Just Keep Passing The Collection Plate Right Past Me

The Catholic Diocese of Orange County recently settled four sex abuse lawsuits concerning allegations against lay teachers(not clergy) at three Orange County schools. This time, no priests or boys were involved (ain't that a switch?).
[LINK]

One case in particular jumped out at me.

The move to settle came a week before the anticipated jury trial in the case of a woman called Jane C.R. Doe. The former Mater Dei High School student said Catholic officials were partially responsible for her abuse by former assistant basketball coach Jeff Andrade. The former student alleged she had been abused for two years by Andrade, starting in 1995, when she was a minor.

This gal was freshman basketball player, who had sex with an assistant coach. Due to her age, I guess it falls under the legal definition of abuse. But was it, really?

In her deposition, she testified Andrade first accosted her in the coach's office, grabbed her, groped her and forced her to have oral sex. Later, she had sex with him at the school, in his car, in his house and in Las Vegas.

I doubt she was just randomly accosted, or forced to have sex. Flirtatious signals were sent,I'm sure. Taken advantage of, yes. But forced?
I'm not buying it.
If she didn't like screwing and blowing the coach, I'm sure she could have stopped the activities.
I've had a teenage daughter, and still do. I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. And I doubt this girl was much different.
And if my daughter came home from practice all upset, and told me what her coach tried to do, I assure you all, his testicles would be hanging from the marquis before nightfall. And I don't think I'm much different from any other Dad in this respect.

I suspect what we have here is a sexually active teen who gave it up to the coach. And a coach who was behaving way out of line, and should be in prison to say the least. Keep in mind, also, this was a basketball player. Girls who play basketball are not generally the weaker of the weaker sex. In all my observations, nobody messed with a basketball chick who didn't want to be messed with. That's just the way it was.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

So, this gal is going to receive a million dollars for bad decisions she made when she was 14 and 15. Decisions she continued to make for two years but later found a way to blame on somebody else.

To be sure...
The Church hierarchy brought much of this shit on itself, and I'm not raising a finger to defend their crimes.
And there must be reason (i.e. something to hide?), why they want to avoid trials on so many of these cases.
But there sure seems to be a bit of 'piling on' with all the piglets sucking at the teet for a payout.
And with all the covering up that appears to be going on, I don't think we're going to see the end of it anytime soon.

And is why I haven't put a dollar in the plate in over four years.

What happens when one crotchity old cat finds one fresh new shoebox?

Contentment.

Princess Diana: Ten Years Later

She's still dead.
Let it go, already.

insufferable

in·suf·fer·a·ble [in-suhf-er-uh-buhl]
adj.
not to be endured; intolerable; unbearable: their insufferable arrogance.

Sorry, It's All I Got

The Three Little Pigs - Sicilian Style:
Once upon a time there were three little pigs. The straw pig, the stick pig and the brick pig.

One day this nasty old wolf came up to the straw pig's house and said, "I'm gonna huff and puff and blow your house down." And he did !!!

So the straw pig went running over to the stick pig's house and said, "Please let me in, the wolf just blew down my house." So the stick Pig let the straw pig in.

Just then the wolf showed up and said, "I'm gonna huff and puff and blow your house down." And he did !!!

So the straw pig and the stick pig went running over to the brick pig's house and said, "Let us in, let us in, the big bad wolf just blew our houses down!"

So the brick pig let them in just as the wolf showed up.

The wolf said, "I'm gonna huff and puff and blow your house down."

The straw pig and the stick pig were so scared! But the brick pig picked up the phone and made a call.

A few minutes passed and a big, black Caddy pulls up.

Out step two massive pigs in pin striped suits and fedora hats.

These pigs come over to the wolf, grab him by the neck and beat the living shit out of him, then one of them pulled out a gun, stuck it in his mouth and fired, killing the wolf. Then they tied cement blocks around his feet, threw his sorry ass into the creek' and then they got back into their Caddy and drove off.

The straw pig and stick pig were amazed!!!

"Who the hell were those guys?" they asked.

"Those were my cousins... the Guinea Pigs.

Why Islam Never Really Caught On In Italy...

I'd say this pretty much sums it up.

Better Seen...

Alicia Silverstone is in the news lately for a sexy,nudish video/advertisement she's done for PETA. Apparently, there is some controversy over it, and it has been banned in parts of Texas.Well, not exactly banned. It appears some local stations won't air it for being too suggestive. That's Texas for you. They get kinda weird over there.

In my opinion, the nudity ain't that much, and doesn't show much either. It's just a teaser video, basically, and contains a voice over of Alicia talking about her healthy vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Don't worry, there are no pink parts on display, so this is SFW, seeing as how it was intended for network television.

I'm assuming the purpose is to convince us all to eat more broccoli and tofu or something like that.

Watch the video below, and see if it makes you crave a salad bar:




Screw the broccoli.

I want a taco.

A first grade teacher explains to her class that she is a Cheesehead.

She asks her students to raise their hands if they are Cheeseheads too.

No one really knowing what a Cheesehead was, but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like flashy fireworks.

There is, however, one exception. A girl named Kristen who has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different.

"Because I'm not a Cheesehead."

"Then", asks the teacher, "what are you?"

"Why, I'm a proud Bears Fan," boasts the little girl.

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Kristen why she is a rebel.

"Well, my mom and dad are Bears Fans, so I'm a Bears Fan too."

The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly. "What if your mom was a moron, and your dad was a moron. What would you be then?"

A pause, and a smile. "Then," says Kristen, "I'd be a Cheesehead"

Hope On The Horizon?

"Coach Lovie Smith hinted Monday that he has already decided whether to replace Rex Grossman with veteran backup Brian Griese..."

To be sure, it wasn't all Grossman, but hopefully replacing the leader of the offense will help us to actually have an offense.

The Brave One: Movie Review

Staring Jodie Foster, The Brave One is a story about a gal in New York who is victimized by a violent mugging that leaves her fiance dead, and herself almost dead.
Awaking from a coma some time later, she attempts to regain her life and ends up turning vigilante, a la Charles Bronson in Death Wish I thru XX (or however many of them he made.) In a promotional interview I read, Foster claimed it was the best movie she's done in years. Sounded like a winner to me, so I went for it.
Bad move on my part.

This film could have been so much more. Fine performances by the cast. Excellent , and wasted, performance by Miss Foster. But not put together well at all.
The first hour really sucked. It was slow and boring, waaaay too much soul searching and emoting. I almost got up and left, it was that bad. Then I remembered I spent $10.50 to see this turkey, and was determined to see it through.

At about the half-way point of the movie, with all the dramatic chickish stuff out of the way, the pace began to pick up and actually started to get interesting. Tis a pity a guy had to pay full price to see half a flick.
Eventually, Miss Foster gets around to killing some bad guys, but for some goofy- Hollywood-dramatic reason is feeling guilty about it all. I'm thinkin "Hey Lady, that thug just threatened to fuck you with a knife on the subway. What you feeling guilty about?"

Some other problems with the film:
It's rather unlikely that a gal the size of Jodie Foster's skinny character, who's never held a gun before, is going to be able to handle a 9mm with such ease.
Also, considering the level of damage done to this gal's face with a steel pipe during her beat down, she was surprisingly scar free.

I always thought Jodie Foster was better than this, but to describe The Brave One as "Death Wish with Boobs" is a disservice to Death Wish,for the ultra low class Bronson movies were far superior.

My advice: rent a real Death Wish movie.
Or,if you really have to see this film, show up an hour late. You won't be missing anything.

The Beauty In My World

Last night I took Daughter southward to San Diego to see The Smashing Pumpkins. She's a big fan, and this was a birthday present for her. Driving a hundred miles for this show was a bit much, but what the hell? If it makes me her Hero again for a night, then it's worth it.

The show was good overall, but tended to lag in the middle. The Pumpkin's music is heavily studio created and impossible to recreate live, so I wasn't expecting the perfection of sound I've come to know them for. And I was right.
But the energy level was there, along with a well synchronised light show.
Daughter was thrilled.
I was the Hero.
And all is right in the world.

Taking Stupid To The Next Level

Yeah, they don't get much stupider than this. Starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field.
As if doing stupid on film wasn't enough, Silly Sally shows us that stupid is not always curable, and managed to get herself censored in one of the world's stupidest awards ceremonies.

It's always comically sad when celebrities attempt politics. I think it's because they expend so much energy faking everything (it's called acting), that it's just hard to say anything sensible at all when somebody else isn't writing your lines for you. Dare I say: Sally's biggest achievement is that she could still pick up 30-somethings at age 60.

"And, let's face it, if the mothers ruled the war, there would be no (expletive) wars in the first place,"

Maybe she's never heard of Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi or Margaret Thatcher, the three most prominent woman rulers of the last 50yrs, all of whom have waged crushingly victorious wars, and presided over the development of nuclear arsenals during their tenures?


The important acts of some women can be seen and heard across the geo-political globe.

Others who act important should just be seen and not heard.

My Ten Favorite Movies

I picked this idea up from RW: To list my ten favorite movies.

In keeping with the idea, please note: these are my favorite movies. The ones I have copies of and actually still watch when I want to.
This is not, and is not intended to be, a list of all time greatest films. Some of these have won awards,while some were never worthy of any. These are just my personal favorites, emphasis on personal. I've left several off the list for brevity. Maybe I should do another posting about them others. Maybe. We'll see how this one goes first.


Rocky: His whole life was a million-to-one shot. You know the story.










There's Something About Mary:I generally avoid comedies, but this one is just too goddamned funny.









A Clockwork Orange: "the adventures of a young man who's principle interests are rape,ultra-violence and Beethoven". Much can be said about this cult favorite, but I especially love the poetry of it. From beginning to end, pure poetry!





The Professional/Leon:Originaly released stateside as 'The Professional', and later known as 'Leon'(I think this was the overseas title), and now they just put both titles together. Inspired by,and based on, a marginal character (The Cleaner) from the classic La Femme Nikita. It's become a Father-Daughter night favorite in my house.


Irreversible: This is pure art house. I've watched it 20 times. The film plays in reverse, opening with the last scene, leaving the viewer wondering just what brought him to this point. It takes you on a journey that is about love,brutality and revenge. And the camera doesn't blink. Not once. I'll say it again. The camera doesn't blink. I saw this in theater, and after the opening(ending) credits rolled over the screen, the audience, myself included, just sat there in stunned silence. This is a powerful film, unlike any other, and NOT for sissies or children.(French, with subtitles.)


Braveheart: You know this one, so you also know why.










Excalibur: The legend of King Arthur, done right, with all the magic and romanticism , with out over done special effects.








Rob Roy: a Scottish themed swashbuckler released at the same time as Braveheart, and unfortunately overshadowed by Mel Gibson's chest-thumping extravaganza. But bigger is not always better. In my view, this is a far better work, both dramatically and artistically.




True Romance:from Tarantino. A wild, romantic, violent ride, without apologies. True romance was never like this. Watch it, and then listen to your inner Elvis.







Unforgiven: my kind of western, where there are no white hats or black hats. Just a whole lotta grey hats.








Before Sunrise/Until Sunset: OK, it's actually two films, the sequel done nine years after the original. About two twenty-somethings who meet on a train in Europe, and spend the day getting to know each other intellectually and emotionally while killing time til the next departure. Shot on location in Vienna, 95% of the film consists of the couple strolling and conversing, baring their souls to each other with the streets of Vienna as a backdrop. That's it. Just two actors. Nobody else. And the sequel lives up to the original.

Product Testing: Diet Pepsi Max

My soft drink of choice has been Diet Pepsi for as long as I can remember.
So, naturally, my curiosity was whetted when I saw the new Diet Pepsi Max, promoting itself as 'Invigorating Cola' right on the label.

Obviously, Pepsi is trying to tap further into the energy drink market. Like we really need another kind of energy drink.

A look at the label says this stuff has twice the caffeine (69mg) as Diet Pepsi, and it's laced with ginseng extract. Well,...OK.

Pouring myself a glass over ice. I notice it tastes less like Diet Pepsi and more like Diet Coke, but even worse than that. It has that saccharine-ish after taste that those of us old enough to remember can appreciate, or, in my case, not.
Yuck.

With a wince, I drink it up, and patiently await the promised invigoration.

(Hmmm, with ginseng. The magical root that cures ills and enhances libido.)
Well, I'm not feeling any more enhanced. Not yet, anyway.
Maybe it takes a while....

-----

Nope. Still nothing.
Maybe I need another can.

Two cans down.
Still,not even an libidinous tingle.
But now I need to pee.

Running to the privy, I'm thinking "this must be where the invigoration comes in", 'cause I can't get there fast enough.
Outta my way!

-----

Whew! I'm back.
Glad I didn't get the erection yet, or I'd still be up there.

Still waiting, I do a wiki on ginseng.
Oooh, not good.

One of panax ginseng's most common side-effects is the inability to sleep. Other side-effects include nausea, diarrhea(!), euphoria, headaches,epistaxis(!) , high blood pressure, low blood pressure, mastalgia, and vaginal bleeding(who? not me. hehe).

Seriously, all I hoped for was some useful measure of invigoration, and now I find myself under threat of uncontrolable leakage from both ends...

No thanks.
This shit not only tastes funny,but I think it's bad for me as well.

Pass on it, folks.

That Ain't Right

Baltimore was robbed.

(bad call: offensive pass interference at the 2-minute warning)

Three Quarters Into The Season...

and I've heard and seen enough about Peyton Manning.

I'm On Board

"We need a new foreign policy that says we mind our own business, protect our country and defend our borders."

Ron Paul
GOP Debate
New Hampshire
September 5,2007

Put The Candles Down, And Back Away From The Car Slowly

This afternoon, while I was shooting down the highway a dove flew out from a grassy area just off the shoulder, swerved into my lane, and before I had a chance to react, made thumping contact with my windshield.
Poor thing got rear-ended at 85mph, just slightly to the right of being face to ass with my sight of vision.

Naturally, it left a large dusty, and slighly moist, smudge in it's wake.

By the time I got home, and the sun had gone down, it was clearly visible against the dim-light background, closely resembling a holographic image of the Holy Spirit.
The detail is amazing.


It looks kinda like this:

Minus the three rings,of course.

I guess in the morning I gotta get out there and clean my windshield again, before some Hispanic sees it and starts lighting candles on the hood of my car.

"It's Like Disneyland In Here!"

Last July, Bass Pro Shops
finally got around to opening a store close enough for me to get to. About an hour's drive away, in a not too nearby place called Rancho Cucamonga.

Today, I finally got around to checking it out for myself.

I've only been to one Bass Pro before, and that was a spectacular center in Springfield,Missouri, almost a decade ago. So, yeah, this latest has been a long time coming for me.
Southern California is not known for its hunting and fishing culture, so stores and attractions such as these are a rare treat. That said, I made my trek to my destination two counties over and wasn't disappointed.

Parking was a bitch, and the place was packed. Negotiating my way through the human throng, I managed to spend four glorious hours immersed in my own thoughts and fantasies; checking out the outdoor clothing, T-shirts, guns and knives, bows and crossbows, assorted gear and outdoor grills, boats ... and the never ending supply of mounted animals and fish, from the small herd of mountain goats along the wall to the flock of wild ducks up near the ceiling. Hundreds of mounts. Everywhere.

If you hunt,fish,camp or hike, or just think about doing these things, this is the place to be.

As I was checking out the crossbows, a septuagenarian couple approached me and asked if i knew where the 'camping stuff' was. After I directed them in the general direction, the woman exclaimed, almost as in shock, "It's like Disneyland in here!"
I just smiled and said "Yeah, ain't great?"

Product Endorsement

Way back it was, 1978 or there abouts, when I was required to pick up a razor on a daily basis. At this time, the razor of choice was a two-bladed thing, and I used this configuration for years. For most of it, it was the Gillette Trac 2. I'm not convinced that second blade actually ever did any of the shaving, but what the hell?
It was a decent shave.

I never did go for disposables, like Bic. They just didn't shave well, and I have a heavy infusion of that Mediterranean genetic code that makes my facial hair a measure thicker than most guys. I figured out, with help from Dad, that not all razors are created equal.
When it came to basic manly things like shaving, my Dad was all over it, making sure to teach me well, and keep me informed. (He still does. That's my Dad. Always a Dad. Even though I'm 43 now.)


In the late 90's, Gillette came out with the triple-bladed, masculine looking Mach3. Now this was a razor that could shave the fuzz off a peach. Dad sent me one in the mail the same day he tried out his, and followed up with a phone call to make sure I tried it out, and had to know how well I liked it. I was hooked. Even though I'm still not convinced that the additional two blades served any shaving purpose. But they looked cool there just the same.



Then Schick came out with that four-bladed Quattro thing. I'm convinced that this was more gimmick than technology. Not a good shave. Nope. Rough. Lot's of blood. Even Dad tossed his away.

Right about then, I'm thinking three blades is about as good as it's gonna get.
Fast forward...

Last month, Gillette sent me a free sample of their latest (though I think it's been out for a while) offering: the five-blade Fusion Shaving System.

First reaction: NO!
Ain't no way I'm dragging five sharp blades across my mug.
Well, O.K., maybe if the mood is right.

Finally, last night, I took this Fusion thing for a ride.

Not bad at all.
Smooth. No cuts. It hugs the curves and soft spots better than anything before it.
Overall, got the whole chore done in one easy pass, cutting shave time by a third.
So far, after 30 years of serious business, I think mankind has reached the pinnacle of shaving technology. And I'm still not convinced the additional four blades serve any functional purpose, unless looking cool is a function in itself.
I'll have to give this one a hearty recommendation.
Go ahead and try it.

Now, I'll just wait until the competition come up with a six-blade answer in the razor wars.

Perspective

One of these is an American icon representing success, quality, and excellence.


The other traffics in the brutal deaths of otherwise gentle animals.

Sympathy For The Devil

I've often stated my belief in the sanctity of human life. Yes, I am pro-life, and I do oppose Capital Punishment, although for some people I cannot think of a more suitable form of sanction. Some are just so bad, nothing is too severe for them.
Yeah, I've stated all this before...

That said, the case of John Evander Couey presents some angst.

Couey, as can be ascertained, is an evil, pathetic, and ugly little man, who likely hasn't had much affection shown to him in life. To lock him up in a tiny cell, removed from all outside contact for the long length of time (13 yrs, on average) it takes to humanely execute somebody according to Florida law, is not justice. He needs human contact and interaction.

Justice for a child-molester-rapist-killer kind of guy like Couey involves recognising his humanity. He needs to know we care about him. He needs to understand that he is not forgotten. He needs our compassion.

My solution: He should be housed in the general prison population, where he may receive the attention and affections of other violent inmates, who will recognize him as the human scat being he is, and treat him accordingly.
We can't bring Jessica Lunsford back, but it's not too late to do the right thing to for John Couey.
It's the compassionate thing to do.

They Just Come To Work The Sytem

On August 15th,2006, Elvira Arrelano was ordered to report for deportation, three years after she was found guilty of entering the country illegally and using a stolen Social Security number to obtain work.
(Why it took three years to deport an illegal alien criminal I don't understand. I blame the Bush administration.)

She found sanctuary in a church near Chicago and defied authorities attempts to deport her. Finally, last weekend, ICE grabbed the uppity foreign bitch and deported her ass back to her rightful place,Mexico.

Some facts:
She entered this country illegally in 1997,was captured, and deported. She re-entered, again illegally, a few days later.

Sometime in 1999, she spawned a bastard in Oregon, and eventually moved to Chicago, where she was arrested again, in 2002. Why she wasn't deported at this time makes no sense to me. (Once again: I blame Bush)

She's claiming she needs to stay in the USA to be with her American-born fatherless son, who needs care for his ADHD. Of course, this 'care' probably comes from the same pocket of the US taxpayer as his hospital delivery did, along with the subsidised housing she was using, the free school lunch program that fed him, the food stamps she was issued, and likely a welfare check as well.
Actually, it was she who separated herself from her child, refusing the final free-ride-for-two she was offered, opting instead to leave her child with friends in Chicago to be used as a political prop.

I'm getting tired of the news copy that refer to this criminally unfit mother as an 'Immigrant Rights Activist', casually leaving out reference to the illegal part of those she is activating for (mainly, herself). Now I suppose we have to refer to John Dilinger as an advocate of banking reform? Or NAMBLA as a Child Rights Advocate?

She ain't a hero.
She's a lawbreaker who has already shown disrespect for our legal system, our taxpayers, our culture (after 10 yrs, she still hasn't a rudimentary grasp of English), and motherhood.

Good riddance,Mojada.
And may your son be better off without you.
I know the rest of America will be.

Anarchy Reigns Supreme

I've deleted my blog roll, but not intentionally.
A quick attempt to restore has been made, but some of ya are missing. Fear not, I will get the list completed soon.

Also been contemplating a new layout,template,format... whatever ya wanna call it.
I'm bored of this one.
I know what I think I want to do, but not sure how to do it.
Stay tuned.

Comments, suggestions, critiques are welcome, as always.

If your link is missing, either send me a note, or be patient. I'll get to ya.
I Promise.

Order will be restored.
Maybe.

But Why Would Anybody Want It?

LINK

Eventually It Has To End

This over-extended uber-ubiquitous presidential campaign is really rather stupid and wasteful.
Seriously folks, nobody is listening except for the activists and the angry.
Oh, and the amused. That be me.
Honestly, I don't much like any of them, and not a one would do much to change my life for the better. Even my personal favorite, Ron Paul, whom I've generally neglected here, won't do anything for me. The difference with him though, is that this is the general idea of his campaign. I've neglected him here in the spirit of his promise neglect of me. A meeting of the minds, in a mindless sort of way.

A sharp contrast to Hillary, who recently decried the 'forgotten' working class, and a list of other 'forgottens'. "Hey, ah, Hillary... I kinda would like the government to forget me. Just pretend I'm not here, OK? Oh, and if you could... please pass this along to the telemarketers and those folks who keep sending credit card offers to my house. I'm really not interested in them. Or you, for that matter. Get off my TV and just. go. away."
/rant

You see, I have an excuse to be watching the circus freak show dancing before our eyes daily. It's what I do. It's what I've done. I'm the 10yr old who read the editorial pages most days. I had the funniest op-ed cartoons taped to the closet door. (Mom says I was old before I was young) I remember looking over at my dad and giggling when Gerald Ford, in a debate with Jimmy Carter, 1976, insisted that Poland and Eastern Europe were not under Soviet domination. (I was 12.)
So, yeah...
I been watching this show a long time, and remember more of it than a normally healthy guy should.

To my point.
(You knew I had to get here eventually.)

In all my years, I have never seen as big a clown as John Edwards.
Click here for this week's hypocrisy
If the campaign has to be as brutally long as this one is, I'm sure glad we have Pretty Boy John to keep the guffaws coming.
And to think there are serious commentators who take this whore seriously just makes it that much better.

And he's sooo pretty!