Tuesday, August 28, 2007

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.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Perspective


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


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

Friday, August 24, 2007

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.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

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.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

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.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Friday, August 17, 2007

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!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Obama = Osama

As I've stated previously, my little brother is currently serving in Afghanistan as a member of the 82ND AirBorn Division.

Today, he emailed me an update, kinda, in response to Barrack Obamas latest assinine remark.(Damn, this Barrack clown is really making points lately, isnt he?)
"We've got to get the job done there," he said of Afghanistan. "And that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there."


My brother sends me this message:
he's a stupid ****!

osama was sighted about 30 mins from here just the other day. by a place call Naray thats right "OSAMA" there has been raids going on for the past couple of days. 6 F-15's...10 A-10's not to mention a shit load of special forces choppers all at one time. hav'nt heard if we got that fucker or not...but we are all looking at the news....

OBAMA IS OSAMA...NOT TOO POPULAR WITH THE TROOPS.....!!!


There.
Ya heard it.
And from a point of view actually on the ground in this war.
A point of view offering a bit more moral authority than the junior Senator neophyte who thinks he a big dog,now.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Moby Dick Gets Away

It's all over the place.
The Earth shattering, presses stopping,Bush-damaging resignation of Karl Rove, the White Whale of The Beltway.

To tell ya the truth, I'm not even sure who/what Rove is/was.
The Democrats hated him.
Wanted him gone. Frog-Marched. Arrested. Convicted. Rove was unique in that while calling him stupid, disastrous, incompetent and whatever other evil can be ascribed to a political enemy ,they really wanted him to leave.
I been in politics. The last thing you want is an opposing strategist so stupid and incompetent that he whips your ass repeatedly.
I think, reading tween the lines, Rove must have been brilliant or else his political enemies wouldn't have tried so damn hard, by hook or crook, to get rid of him.
Rove himself said it best:

"I'm Moby Dick and we've got three or four members of Congress who are trying to cast themselves in the part of Captain Ahab," Rove said.

How flattering.

Eventually, even the GOP turned on him after the marginal losses of 06. They should be thanking him. He led them to the three-branch majority status in the first place. It's wasn't his fault they blew their own opportunities.
One thing about the life of a political strategist: Your only as good as your last election. Doesn't matter what you did for years previous. Just ask James Carville.

What this whole thing means to me is that Bush has given up his presidency.
He can't wake in the morning unless Rove is there telling him the proper way to do it. The ship of the Bush Presidency is now rudderless. George will just limp it along into any safe harbor, unable to navigate the waters of Washington.
Don't get me wrong.
I don't believe for a moment Rove was asked to leave. I think it's the other way around. Rove wanted out, and Bush, with no more fight left in him, saw no reason to ask him to stay.
Bush won't face the voters again.He has no more political intiatives left. And no base remaining to fall back on.
He's a lame duck who can't swim.

Now, the Democrats have their opportunity to pretty much frame this administration with unfettered abandon. That is, if they can find a way to lasso the minority, and unruly, GOP into compliance.

The best quote,though, came from this veteran bright light who's clearly been around a while and seen it all:

"Karl Rove was an architect of a political strategy that has left the country more divided, the special interests more powerful, and the American people more shut out from their government than any time in memory," Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said.

Wow!
Brilliant Barack. Just brilliant. You never miss a chance to say nothing, do you.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Fall Classes for Men

Fall Classes for Men at
THE
ADULT LEARNING CENTER


REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED
by Friday, June 21, 2007

NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL
OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WI LL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM.


Class 1
How To Fill Up The Ice Cube Trays--Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 weeks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM .

Class 2
The Toilet Paper Roll--Does It Change Itself?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12:00 for 2 hours.

Class 3
Is It Possible To Urinate Using The Technique Of Lifting The Seat and Avoiding The Floor, Walls and Nearby Bathtub?--Group Practice.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 4
Fundamental Differences Between The Laundry Hamper and The Floor--Pictures and Explanatory Graphics.
Meets Saturdays at 2:00 PM for 3 weeks.

Class 5
D inner Dishes--Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Kitchen Sink?
Examples on Video.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning
at 7:00 PM

Class 6
Loss Of Identity--Losing The Remote To Your Significant Other.
Help Line Support and Support Groups.
Meets 4 Weeks, Friday and Sunday 7:00 PM

Class 7
Learning How To Find Things--Starting With Looking In The Right Places And Not Turning The House Upside Down While Screaming.
Open Forum .
Monday at 8:00 PM, 2 hours.

Class 8
Health Watch--Bringing Her Flowers Is Not Harmful To Your Health.
Graphics and Audio Tapes.
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 9
Real Men Ask For Directions When Lost--Real Life Testimonials.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM Location to be determined.

Class 10
Is It Genetically Impossible To Sit Quietly While She Parallel Parks?
Driving Simulations.
4 weeks, Saturday's noon, 2 hours.

Class 11
Learning to Live--Basic Differences Between Mother and Wife.
Online Classes and role-playing .
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, location to be determined

Class 12
How to be the Ideal Shopping Companion
Relaxation Exercises, Meditation and Breathing Techniques.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM.

Class 13
How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy--Remembering Birthdays, Anniversaries and Other Important Dates and Calling When You're Going To Be Late.
Cerebral Shock Therapy Sessions and Full Lobotomies Offered.
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 14
The Stove/Oven--What It Is and How It Is Used.
Live Demonstration.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM, location to be determined.

Upon completion of any of the above courses, diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Gratuitous Annabella




'cause I ain't got nothin else.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Shame Where Shame Belongs

Barry Bonds is about to break Hank Aaron's Home Run record. That's cool. Good for Barry Bonds.
Even if Barry is known to be a jerk of the highest order, you can't fault a guy for rising to the top of his profession, and giving him all due respect is the American Way. I mean, hey, if it was me smashing those baseballs through the air, I would be hard to live with, too. I can already be a jerk without a reason.But, give me a reason to brag and swagger, well, who knows how many friends I'd have left?

Unfortunately for Barry, he's catching a bucket of shit for being the best bat in baseball.
And it ain't right.
Lots of folks out there are dissing the American Way when they dis Barry's achievements and his use of steroids to enhance his competitive edge. It's not his fault.
Yeah, you heard me.
I said: "It's not his fault."

Major League Baseball, and it's commissars, were digging every minute of it when Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and the like were setting batting records, surpassing Roger Maris' mark, and the fans started coming out in droves to see the big guys do their thing.
After a depressing down period following a players strike,suddenly baseball was on the daily front page. Talked about in the shop. Debated at the water coolers. Cheered in the living rooms. Baseball was big again.
The sluggers were bigger than ever.
Ticket sales ballooned.
Viewership, and revenue, sky-rocketed.

And steroids were everywhere.
The commissars knew it, but looked the other way.
In other words: they allowed it, and all but encouraged it.
Whatever rule Major League Baseball had about steroids,(from my understanding, they had none) it was obviously not enforced.
The rules, either in reality, or in practice, did not rule out steroid use.
Players were free to indulge, and did. And since each player is competing against every other player for contract terms, headlines, endorsements and just plain success, a level playing field requires each player to seek out whatever edge he could attain.
So Barry,Mark,Sammy, and nearly every other slugger started shooting up.
Can you really blame them?
Don't fault a man for playing by the rules laid out before him.
Barry Bonds played by the rules. Every Home Run is his. He earned them.
Now,give the man his due.

And heap the shame were it belongs: On the commissars of Major League Baseball.
Not Barry Bonds.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Midnight


First Obama is the 'peace candidate' who supposedly had secret intelligence while serving in the Illinois statehouse to correctly declare Iraq WMD-Free, but for some reason couldn't share this information with the rest of the world's leaders and intelligence agencies.

Now, he's the blustering bad dog who wants to wage war against an ally.
OOPS!
Sorry,but the lighter stuff really does float in this cesspool, if only for a while.

It's Midnight, Cinderella.
Time to let the grownups take the dance floor.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

אױ װײ

Jews fighting Jews over money.

No, not a bad joke, but a sad state of affairs.

Many lessons must be learned by all who read this.
I've said it before, in so many words, and this further reinforces it:

Never, ever trust in somebody else for your sustenance.

Never trust the government to provide for you.

Never trust the government to negotiate 'reparations', or whatever label you apply to what you think is yours, on your behalf.

Be prepared for your own old age. Becoming less of a burden on others is indeed a virtue.

Israeli statehood obviously sucks as hard for some Jews as it does for most Palestinians.

If you're an old Jew, move to the Netherlands. Yeah, those wooden shoes might be a tad uncomfy, but at least you'll eat better. ($4k a month! damn...)