This story fascinates me on so many levels, and I have to admit I'm surprised that it is even being reported at all, but it is beginning to come out.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2590614/Barack-Obamas-lost-brother-found-in-Kenya.html
Imagineif John McCain had a half-brother living in a shack somewhere, what would be the treatment in the media. Do you suppose it would be front page news in the New York Times, and therefore every other mainstream media outlet? For weeks on end. Complete with reporters mobbing McCain shouting questions every time he showed his face. And sympathetic reports on the brother, and how he desperately needed just a little help from his evil, uncaring sibling.
Lo and behold, now that the story is starting to bubble up we get this from the Clinton News Network:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/22/bts.obama.brother/
Apparently the other reporters got it all wrong, and George is some sort of rugged individualist, sort of a conservative you might say.
I thought Dinesh D'Souza's column was right to the point.
http://townhall.com/Columnists/DineshDSouza/2008/09/08/help_obamas_half-brother_move_out_of_his_hut
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
supermajority
Here's a scary thought.
Twice in history we have had a filibuster-proof and veto-proof majority of one party in power in the White House and Congress (both Democrat). In the first, under Franklin D. Roosevelt, we as a nation were handed the New Deal, the single biggest boondogle in our political history. In the second, it was Lyndon Johnson leading the charge for the Great Society, the war on poverty, a monumental failure by any measure.
It certainly looks as though we are headed for our third such period, and the stakes could not be higher. If this happens, I think it's likely we will be looking at an economic disaster we might not be able to recover from. A lurch toward socialism, the likes of which we haven't seen since the 1930's.
We're talking government run health care, cap and trade economics, in the guise of global climate change legislation, the silencing of conservative viewpoints in the form of the "fairness doctrine", all sitting on Nancy Pelosi's desk to be voted on once Barrack Obama is in the White House. In addition I would bet on some new sort of scheme to redistribute wealth within the borders of this country.
I think conservative voters are going to stay home in droves, as McCain is not their man. However there are a couple guys he could choose as a running mate that could fire up the base in a way he cannot. Bobby Jindal first and foremost would get my vote.
He seems to be a rising star in the party, who at least says all the right things. Duncan Hunter or Tom Tancredo would be two others. I think he's already decided on Mitt Romney, which may be a good choice, but unless he speaks like he did after he dropped out of the primaries, he won't get conservatives on board.
We are living in interesting times.
Twice in history we have had a filibuster-proof and veto-proof majority of one party in power in the White House and Congress (both Democrat). In the first, under Franklin D. Roosevelt, we as a nation were handed the New Deal, the single biggest boondogle in our political history. In the second, it was Lyndon Johnson leading the charge for the Great Society, the war on poverty, a monumental failure by any measure.
It certainly looks as though we are headed for our third such period, and the stakes could not be higher. If this happens, I think it's likely we will be looking at an economic disaster we might not be able to recover from. A lurch toward socialism, the likes of which we haven't seen since the 1930's.
We're talking government run health care, cap and trade economics, in the guise of global climate change legislation, the silencing of conservative viewpoints in the form of the "fairness doctrine", all sitting on Nancy Pelosi's desk to be voted on once Barrack Obama is in the White House. In addition I would bet on some new sort of scheme to redistribute wealth within the borders of this country.
I think conservative voters are going to stay home in droves, as McCain is not their man. However there are a couple guys he could choose as a running mate that could fire up the base in a way he cannot. Bobby Jindal first and foremost would get my vote.
He seems to be a rising star in the party, who at least says all the right things. Duncan Hunter or Tom Tancredo would be two others. I think he's already decided on Mitt Romney, which may be a good choice, but unless he speaks like he did after he dropped out of the primaries, he won't get conservatives on board.
We are living in interesting times.
Keller's Folly
I exercised one of my more important rights as a citizen yesterday. A primary election in the state of Florida was held, and of course I participated. The thirty-first voter at my polling station, at 4:00pm. Pathetic. It seems that politics is going to intrude into my life on a more regular basis as we draw closer to the November elections.
My primary reason for voting yesterday (no pun intended) was to try to find a Republican to replace Ric Keller, U.S. Congressman from the 8th district, whom I have voted for regularly in the past. He has, however, gone back on a promise to not run for another term. Not unforgivable, as I don't care about term limits and such, but an indicator of your character, that you would make a conspicuous promise and then change your tune when it is politically expedient.
No, what frosted me, and lost Keller my support, was his behavior during Nancy Pelosi's dog and pony show awhile back over the funding for the war in Iraq. Now I do not care what your politics are, I believe, at the bare minimum we owe it to the folks who take on the dirty and dangerous mission of being at the tip of the spear, to not politicize their job. We are there and we must see it to a conclusion, then sort out the political consequences. Congressman Keller, on the other hand saw the wave of opposition building in the halls of the Capitol, and decided to surf it. He turned out to be on the wrong side. Apparently, his conservatism was all for show, not a matter of principal. Unfortunately for Ric Keller, mine is not.
The War in Iraq is not "like mowing your neighbors lawn...", Ric.
Unfortunately, Keller won the primary by a small margin, so what that means for me as that I will leave my ballot blank in that spot in November, even if it means electing his scumbag Democrat opponent, Grayson, whose idea of a well thought out, convincing campaign is to ask voters, "If Ric Keller can't admit to wearing a hairpiece, what else is he lying about?" I think the country might survive.
On another topic, I find it odd that the Obamessiah, chose Joe Biden as his running mate. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Biden get into a little trouble with the racism police in the past year or so, during the primary season for saying that black people finally had a "clean, articulate" black candidate to vote for."
I believe he also said that Obama was too inexperienced for the job.
Strange bedfellows indeed. He must really hate or fear Hillary Clinton to have not chosen her.
My primary reason for voting yesterday (no pun intended) was to try to find a Republican to replace Ric Keller, U.S. Congressman from the 8th district, whom I have voted for regularly in the past. He has, however, gone back on a promise to not run for another term. Not unforgivable, as I don't care about term limits and such, but an indicator of your character, that you would make a conspicuous promise and then change your tune when it is politically expedient.
No, what frosted me, and lost Keller my support, was his behavior during Nancy Pelosi's dog and pony show awhile back over the funding for the war in Iraq. Now I do not care what your politics are, I believe, at the bare minimum we owe it to the folks who take on the dirty and dangerous mission of being at the tip of the spear, to not politicize their job. We are there and we must see it to a conclusion, then sort out the political consequences. Congressman Keller, on the other hand saw the wave of opposition building in the halls of the Capitol, and decided to surf it. He turned out to be on the wrong side. Apparently, his conservatism was all for show, not a matter of principal. Unfortunately for Ric Keller, mine is not.
The War in Iraq is not "like mowing your neighbors lawn...", Ric.
Unfortunately, Keller won the primary by a small margin, so what that means for me as that I will leave my ballot blank in that spot in November, even if it means electing his scumbag Democrat opponent, Grayson, whose idea of a well thought out, convincing campaign is to ask voters, "If Ric Keller can't admit to wearing a hairpiece, what else is he lying about?" I think the country might survive.
On another topic, I find it odd that the Obamessiah, chose Joe Biden as his running mate. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Biden get into a little trouble with the racism police in the past year or so, during the primary season for saying that black people finally had a "clean, articulate" black candidate to vote for."
I believe he also said that Obama was too inexperienced for the job.
Strange bedfellows indeed. He must really hate or fear Hillary Clinton to have not chosen her.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Fay, Fay, Go Away
Just a quick note to let you know we're fine and dry. Not everyone in Central Florida has been so fortunate this week, and we're thankful that for us, at least, Fay has been a pretty ho-hum storm.
The space coast has not been so lucky. As of 6pm Wednesday, there has been 25 inches of rain at Patrick Air Force Base, with another 5-10 inches expected overnight. As if those families don't have enough to worry about in their lives. Palm Bay and Melbourne have had almost as much to follow the fires of two months ago. Hopefully this thing will get moving and leave us all alone soon!
We've had plenty of rain but little wind, almost all of it east of I-4. At least we were forced to check our batteries and start up the generator to make sure everything worked.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
R.I.P. Isaac Hayes
One bad motherf...shut your mouth!
I could be wrong but isn't that Jesse Jackson honing his hanger-onner technique at the beginning?
I could be wrong but isn't that Jesse Jackson honing his hanger-onner technique at the beginning?
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Water, Water Everywhere, and I Can't Give My Lawn a Drink
You know, as a homeowner, I don't ask for much. I obey the laws of my community. I keep my grass cut. In deference to my neighbors,I haven't painted a giant Chiefs logo on my Garage door; although it would look spiffy. I pay my taxes.
And yet, the St. Johns Water Management District, the government entity charged with controlling water use in Central Florida, has decreed that I am to water my lawn no more than twice in a week, on specific days determined by whether you live at an odd, or even numbered address. Okay despite the fact that I own the land, and do not draw from city water since I have a well and pump, I can appreciate the need to conserve. After all we just came out of a drought.
Except, I drive around the area almost daily, and I see golf courses watering daily. I see city properties watering during torrential downpours, (they do make rain switches you moronic idiots; remember when you required them on all new construction several years ago?!). And now the same St. Johns Water Management District has made a huge cash deal with a water bottling company to extract 500,000 gallons of water per day from our aquifer to be bottled and sold for drinking. Let me repeat that. FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND GALLONS PER DAY.
Now excuse me for being a rabid conservative who only thinks of himself, but does this seem fair, or even logical? I've gone along with your stupid rules for a long time, because I think it's important to manage resources to the extent we can, and after all the rules are the rules. If you don't like them, vote for someone who thinks the way you do. It's the way we're supposed to do things in the good old US of A. But this is absurd. You have sold an essential resource to the highest bidder at a time when out of the other side of your collective mouth, you're lecturing me and my fellow citizens about how in five years we're going to begin running out of water. And I might add, you're using these same scare tactics to try and shut down the business I happen to be a part of.
Well I do vote and I will use that to try to keep you under control, if not put you out of a job, But I'm going to damn well water my grass whenever the hell I want!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Independence Day
Hope your July 4th holiday was great, and that you had time to reflect on why it's celebrated. I hope you also had time to think of those who insure it goes on being celebrated and your role in that. It's especially significant to me as we prepare to elect either the dumbest president in my lifetime, or another political hack. I'll leave it up to you to decide which is which.
I re-read "On Liberty", by John Stuart Mill yesterday, and also began thumbing through "Democracy in America", by Alexis de Tocqueville, again. They dovetail nicely with some things I've been considering for a while now, the tyranny of mob rule, the tyranny of the minority, and the effect of amoralism, and ignorance, and in addition the differences between liberty and freedom.
In this post I'd like to go over "On Liberty". Mill recognized that liberty can be seen as either the freedom to act, or freedom from coercion. It is interesting to note that modern libertarianism rejects this completely, as though there is no difference at all between the two. A conservative would say that liberty is more important as the coercion of a heavy-handed government is, in fact, tyranny. A liberal would say that the freedom to act is more important as government coercion is vital to a more equal distribution of wealth among individuals thereby insuring individual freedom.
Mill, as well as John Locke and others, were in the forefront of saying that an individual has a right to do whatever he wants, so long as it does no harm to others. In Mill's case this was later called the Harm Principle. What's made me think about this so much of late is the slow erosion of our personal liberties in this country, most of which is attained from a platform of protecting someone else's freedom. Although it is liberalism, with it's underpinnings of socialism, that is responsible for much of this decay, no one party owns it completely.
I, for one, have no desire to live in a country where I am completely protected and absolved from hurting myself or others, as the liberals would have me do. "Just send us all your fortune, and we will take care of all your needs and wants, so long as you do what we say." Creepy. Nor do I wish to live in a country where corporations and individuals are permitted to extract every natural resource from the land, with no responsibility as fellow citizens of a common nation. As always the best path lies in balance and moderation.
Which brings us to morality and education. When public education was first proposed in the United States, aside from readin', writin' and 'rithmatic, it was recognized that one of its functions ought to be furthering the moral training of individuals, not in terms of religious morality (although if you go back and read opinion pieces of the era you will find The Bible was suggested as the greatest text possible with which to begin), but in terms of general ethics. The second, and in my opinion, more important idea was to teach children civics; how to be a good and responsible citizen.
This proved worthy, and one of the worst things we as citizens have done in my lifetime, is to allow civics to be shoved to the back of the line of things we expect our schools to teach our children. We are working on a second generation now of people who have no idea how our government is supposed to function. I've met many people who swear to me that the words 'separation of church and state' are written in the U.S. constitution. I've had people argue with me that the words "The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed", don't mean what they say or don't appear in an amendment. Hell, that was the argument of four Supreme Court Justices last week!
We seem to be moving in the direction of pure democracy in this country with the majority (whichever side it may be), saying to the rest, "F@*K YOU! I'm right you're wrong, Die. We will not hold together as we are if this remains the case. It may still be the United States of America, but it will not be the place of liberty and freedom that the founding fathers envisioned. We can, however, steer it back that way by electing people who share that vision and more importantly holding their feet to the fire, and, or throwing them out if they don't. The best think about this place we call home is that every vote still counts, and our elected officials still have to listen to us if we're smart enough and persistent enough to force them to.
I re-read "On Liberty", by John Stuart Mill yesterday, and also began thumbing through "Democracy in America", by Alexis de Tocqueville, again. They dovetail nicely with some things I've been considering for a while now, the tyranny of mob rule, the tyranny of the minority, and the effect of amoralism, and ignorance, and in addition the differences between liberty and freedom.
In this post I'd like to go over "On Liberty". Mill recognized that liberty can be seen as either the freedom to act, or freedom from coercion. It is interesting to note that modern libertarianism rejects this completely, as though there is no difference at all between the two. A conservative would say that liberty is more important as the coercion of a heavy-handed government is, in fact, tyranny. A liberal would say that the freedom to act is more important as government coercion is vital to a more equal distribution of wealth among individuals thereby insuring individual freedom.
Mill, as well as John Locke and others, were in the forefront of saying that an individual has a right to do whatever he wants, so long as it does no harm to others. In Mill's case this was later called the Harm Principle. What's made me think about this so much of late is the slow erosion of our personal liberties in this country, most of which is attained from a platform of protecting someone else's freedom. Although it is liberalism, with it's underpinnings of socialism, that is responsible for much of this decay, no one party owns it completely.
I, for one, have no desire to live in a country where I am completely protected and absolved from hurting myself or others, as the liberals would have me do. "Just send us all your fortune, and we will take care of all your needs and wants, so long as you do what we say." Creepy. Nor do I wish to live in a country where corporations and individuals are permitted to extract every natural resource from the land, with no responsibility as fellow citizens of a common nation. As always the best path lies in balance and moderation.
Which brings us to morality and education. When public education was first proposed in the United States, aside from readin', writin' and 'rithmatic, it was recognized that one of its functions ought to be furthering the moral training of individuals, not in terms of religious morality (although if you go back and read opinion pieces of the era you will find The Bible was suggested as the greatest text possible with which to begin), but in terms of general ethics. The second, and in my opinion, more important idea was to teach children civics; how to be a good and responsible citizen.
This proved worthy, and one of the worst things we as citizens have done in my lifetime, is to allow civics to be shoved to the back of the line of things we expect our schools to teach our children. We are working on a second generation now of people who have no idea how our government is supposed to function. I've met many people who swear to me that the words 'separation of church and state' are written in the U.S. constitution. I've had people argue with me that the words "The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed", don't mean what they say or don't appear in an amendment. Hell, that was the argument of four Supreme Court Justices last week!
We seem to be moving in the direction of pure democracy in this country with the majority (whichever side it may be), saying to the rest, "F@*K YOU! I'm right you're wrong, Die. We will not hold together as we are if this remains the case. It may still be the United States of America, but it will not be the place of liberty and freedom that the founding fathers envisioned. We can, however, steer it back that way by electing people who share that vision and more importantly holding their feet to the fire, and, or throwing them out if they don't. The best think about this place we call home is that every vote still counts, and our elected officials still have to listen to us if we're smart enough and persistent enough to force them to.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
TRIFECTA!
The Trifecta! First the Red Sox, then the Jayhawks, and now the Celtics. I expect to die soon.
If you wonder why liberalism is usually wrong, take a look at this clip from CSPAN. Instead of offering up an idea to debate and competition, It's legislated into the books, with no thought to the potention consequences, and another chip is removed from our freedom rock.
If you wonder why liberalism is usually wrong, take a look at this clip from CSPAN. Instead of offering up an idea to debate and competition, It's legislated into the books, with no thought to the potention consequences, and another chip is removed from our freedom rock.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Celtics VS Lakers
How the hell do people, especially kids, develop a love for a sports team anymore? I love my Celtics, but I'm not staying up until midnight to watch them on tv, when I can get the pertinent highlights on ESPN the next day. As a result, I missed a great comeback win earlier in the week, and a great game Sunday night.
I know it's all about the money, and the NBA can reap the largest possible audience, by screwing the east coast and waiting for west coasters to get home from work, but aren't you giving up the future for the pile 'o cash in front of your face?
It's been a real eye-opening for me this year, with so many of my favorite teams involved in playoffs and championships. I have quit watching so many of these events, simply because they are on too late at night. The NFL, and NHL are the only major sports leagues that have their championship contests on at a reasonable hour, at least for me. And I'm the only one that counts.
Anyway the C's have looked like the better team throughout this series, and are winning big in the third quarter. They could have won all five games, and even though some of their key players have been slowed or stopped by injury's, they look to be in good shape heading back to Boston for game six.
I wish they could have ended the series in game five, as Kobe is capable of taking the series over if Boston let's him, but they should wrap it up in the next game, if they continue their defensive strategy of clogging the lane, and pressuring. I was really impressed with Bryant's comparison of being down 3-1 to making the round of eight in the NCAA tournament. I don't know if he meant it, but it showed real leadership, something I would not have given him credit for, and something that could allow the Lakers to come all the way back if the Celtics are not vigilant.
I know it's all about the money, and the NBA can reap the largest possible audience, by screwing the east coast and waiting for west coasters to get home from work, but aren't you giving up the future for the pile 'o cash in front of your face?
It's been a real eye-opening for me this year, with so many of my favorite teams involved in playoffs and championships. I have quit watching so many of these events, simply because they are on too late at night. The NFL, and NHL are the only major sports leagues that have their championship contests on at a reasonable hour, at least for me. And I'm the only one that counts.
Anyway the C's have looked like the better team throughout this series, and are winning big in the third quarter. They could have won all five games, and even though some of their key players have been slowed or stopped by injury's, they look to be in good shape heading back to Boston for game six.
I wish they could have ended the series in game five, as Kobe is capable of taking the series over if Boston let's him, but they should wrap it up in the next game, if they continue their defensive strategy of clogging the lane, and pressuring. I was really impressed with Bryant's comparison of being down 3-1 to making the round of eight in the NCAA tournament. I don't know if he meant it, but it showed real leadership, something I would not have given him credit for, and something that could allow the Lakers to come all the way back if the Celtics are not vigilant.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
CELTICS VERSUS LAKERS
It seems like only yesterday that Larry, the Chief, and McHale, et al were playing the West Coast Yankees every year in the NBA finals. I don't see how these two teams can measure up to those great TEAMS of the past but it's an intriguing matchup nonetheless.
On the one hand, in the Lakers, you have far and away the best individual shooter in Kobe Bryant, and the best overall offense, and on the other, the C's are the best defensive team in the league.
In the regular season, the Celtics were dominating with 60 or so wins and the overall best record, earning them home court throughout the playoffs (which they have needed). In addition, the Celtics defeated the Lakers handilly in both meetings this year.
However the Lakers are a different team than the one Boston faced earlier. The trade in which they acquired Pao Gasol has proven to be a brilliant one, taking the pressure off Bryant, and elevating the play of the entire squad. Boston will have a much more difficult time in this series than the record would seem to support.
I think Boston's best shot at upsetting the Lakers will be to allow Kobe to score, and to prevent him from passing off to his teammates.
There isn't any way to effectively stop him anyway, when he is hot, but I don't think the Lakers can win if he's playing as an individual.
L.A. has more room for error, as their bench seems to be deeper, but Boston is not quite the gutter swill that all the handicappers seem to think they are. I wouldn't be surprised to see them win the series, as long as they play as a team, and force the Lakers to be one dimensional, which Boston has the ability to do with it's defense.
Go Celtics! Beat LA! (And wipe that smirk off Nicholson's mug!)
On the one hand, in the Lakers, you have far and away the best individual shooter in Kobe Bryant, and the best overall offense, and on the other, the C's are the best defensive team in the league.
In the regular season, the Celtics were dominating with 60 or so wins and the overall best record, earning them home court throughout the playoffs (which they have needed). In addition, the Celtics defeated the Lakers handilly in both meetings this year.
However the Lakers are a different team than the one Boston faced earlier. The trade in which they acquired Pao Gasol has proven to be a brilliant one, taking the pressure off Bryant, and elevating the play of the entire squad. Boston will have a much more difficult time in this series than the record would seem to support.
I think Boston's best shot at upsetting the Lakers will be to allow Kobe to score, and to prevent him from passing off to his teammates.
There isn't any way to effectively stop him anyway, when he is hot, but I don't think the Lakers can win if he's playing as an individual.
L.A. has more room for error, as their bench seems to be deeper, but Boston is not quite the gutter swill that all the handicappers seem to think they are. I wouldn't be surprised to see them win the series, as long as they play as a team, and force the Lakers to be one dimensional, which Boston has the ability to do with it's defense.
Go Celtics! Beat LA! (And wipe that smirk off Nicholson's mug!)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
PROGRESSIVE NATION 2008
No, it was not a Hillary Obama rally. What it was was a Mike Portnoy plan to get a group of progressive rock bands together to tour the country and have a good time. Unfortunately, I wouldn't call the lineup progressive rock. Fortunately it was a pretty good time.
The evening's festivities began with the band 3. They turned out to be enthusiastic and really good. They use 2 drummers, and the singer plays his acoustic guitar so hard, he didn't make it through a single tune without breaking at least one string.
Here is a little 3:
Next up was Between the Buried and Me. I'm not up on what all the labels for metal are, but these guys were great musicians. In fact, I really enjoyed their music right up to the part where the guy with the microphone opened his mouth. I can see why they call it 'death metal', because the vocals make you want to kill yourself.
The third band up was Opeth from Sweden. Another odd choice, and although a very polished act, they were my least favorite. Odd pacing to their songs, and more of the grunting crap.
Then Dream Theater came on and blew the place up. They were better than I expected, and I expected much. I was so impressed with how tight that band is, and the interplay between the various elements of the band was unbelievable.
The evening's festivities began with the band 3. They turned out to be enthusiastic and really good. They use 2 drummers, and the singer plays his acoustic guitar so hard, he didn't make it through a single tune without breaking at least one string.
Here is a little 3:
Next up was Between the Buried and Me. I'm not up on what all the labels for metal are, but these guys were great musicians. In fact, I really enjoyed their music right up to the part where the guy with the microphone opened his mouth. I can see why they call it 'death metal', because the vocals make you want to kill yourself.
The third band up was Opeth from Sweden. Another odd choice, and although a very polished act, they were my least favorite. Odd pacing to their songs, and more of the grunting crap.
Then Dream Theater came on and blew the place up. They were better than I expected, and I expected much. I was so impressed with how tight that band is, and the interplay between the various elements of the band was unbelievable.
Monday, May 26, 2008
From the getting old sucks department:
A couple months ago, I made plans to attend a Dream Theater concert here in Orlando at the Hard Rock Cafe on May 31st. Got the tickets and realized it's really a day long festival called "The Progressive Nation Tour".
Not even ten years ago my first thought would have been something like, cool, bonus deal, new bands to discover. Now I'm thinking,
"Great, now I have to sit through 3 other bands I don't care about, I'm going to have to spend money on food and drinks..." What the hell happened to me.
In addition, thanks to technology, I've been able to go on You-tube and see video of the other bands playing, and realized that two of the three contain fantastic musicians, but they have those singers that don't so much sing as grunt, which seems to be in vogue for metal bands. So I already have this negative attitude about the show that I'm going to conciously have to fight in order to enjoy the band I want to see.
Anyway, here's a little ditty from Dream Theater from the Train of Thought album:
A couple months ago, I made plans to attend a Dream Theater concert here in Orlando at the Hard Rock Cafe on May 31st. Got the tickets and realized it's really a day long festival called "The Progressive Nation Tour".
Not even ten years ago my first thought would have been something like, cool, bonus deal, new bands to discover. Now I'm thinking,
"Great, now I have to sit through 3 other bands I don't care about, I'm going to have to spend money on food and drinks..." What the hell happened to me.
In addition, thanks to technology, I've been able to go on You-tube and see video of the other bands playing, and realized that two of the three contain fantastic musicians, but they have those singers that don't so much sing as grunt, which seems to be in vogue for metal bands. So I already have this negative attitude about the show that I'm going to conciously have to fight in order to enjoy the band I want to see.
Anyway, here's a little ditty from Dream Theater from the Train of Thought album:
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Oh how the mighty have fallen. As bad as the past decade has been for the Evil Empire State team, they have now gone from simply pathetic, to ridiculous, and it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of gays, I mean guys.
It seems that Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees has a "magic"
golden thong he wears whenever he's in a hitting slump, much like 'Nuke' LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham. And to make matters even more unmanly, he has often left said undergarment in the lockers of teammates in similar straits. Reportedly including, Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, and Bernie Williams among others. Alex Rodriguez probably has his own collection, perhaps one for each day? They seem to get lost about October though.
Do you suppose they wash the thing before passing it around? And given that Giambi was a juicer, do you think it was a small to allow for shrinkage? The most disturbing thing for me personally is that one of the users was reported to be Robinson Cano, a member of my fantasy team. I feel dirty typing that.
As a Red Sox fan I am proud of the fact that even in our darkest moments of the past, our players never resorted to wearing lingerie.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Something that made me pause today; I stopped at the drive through ATM at the bank close to work, and as I was punching buttons, I noticed a metal plate with Braille instructions for using said ATM.
On the drivers side. Is this Ray Charles' branch of Suntrust? Or government run amok.
Speaking of government run amok, I see the democrat party is all upset with W for stating the fact that appeasement is an unviable foreign policy. He did not mention any names. And now I see dems coming out of the woodwork, using the phrase "politics stops at the waters edge." Also that we don't criticize presidents or presidential candidates on "foreign soil".
Now correct me if I am wrong but haven't we seen a steady stream of top dems including some of these very same people, hob-nobbing with some of our favorite despots world-wide, and using these glorified photo-ops to criticize the sitting president on everything from the war in Iraq to socialized medicine over the past seven and a half years? Hello John Kerry? Nancy Pelosi? Joe Biden? Charlie Rangle? Is this thing on?
Another thing that bothered me this past week was the press jumping on the Clinton campaign (Oh how rich that irony is!) for Hillary's showing among white voters in a recent primary. Racism!!
behind every tree. And yet Obama's take of the black vote was a higher percentage than the Clintonistas among whites. Can you say double standard.
Go Celtics!
On the drivers side. Is this Ray Charles' branch of Suntrust? Or government run amok.
Speaking of government run amok, I see the democrat party is all upset with W for stating the fact that appeasement is an unviable foreign policy. He did not mention any names. And now I see dems coming out of the woodwork, using the phrase "politics stops at the waters edge." Also that we don't criticize presidents or presidential candidates on "foreign soil".
Now correct me if I am wrong but haven't we seen a steady stream of top dems including some of these very same people, hob-nobbing with some of our favorite despots world-wide, and using these glorified photo-ops to criticize the sitting president on everything from the war in Iraq to socialized medicine over the past seven and a half years? Hello John Kerry? Nancy Pelosi? Joe Biden? Charlie Rangle? Is this thing on?
Another thing that bothered me this past week was the press jumping on the Clinton campaign (Oh how rich that irony is!) for Hillary's showing among white voters in a recent primary. Racism!!
behind every tree. And yet Obama's take of the black vote was a higher percentage than the Clintonistas among whites. Can you say double standard.
Go Celtics!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
It's been how long since I posted?!
Wow, sorry about that! I've gotten so involved in fantasy baseball, I've neglected my faithful readers. I'll try to do better. On the plus size I'm tied for first and settling in as the lowest of the upper tier teams. I'm going to have to make at least 1 or 2 moves to up my scoring, but I'm a little more comfortable for the long haul.
Anyway, here's a couple of clips of a brassy funk band I recently discovered. Who knew the trombone could be so cool.
Nils Landgren Funk Unit with Maceo Parker...
...and with Sweden's answer to the perky Katie Couric...
Anyway, here's a couple of clips of a brassy funk band I recently discovered. Who knew the trombone could be so cool.
Nils Landgren Funk Unit with Maceo Parker...
...and with Sweden's answer to the perky Katie Couric...
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I think I'm becoming a fantasy baseball geek. Somehow I got sucked into this vortex, and I find I'm enjoying it. It does have it's quirks though.
For instance, say you have a favorite team, like, I don't know, the Boston Red Sox. And they're playing for a win against the New York Spankmees. Now I, no I mean, you have the Yanks as your pitching staff, so you really need lots of strikeouts, and a low ERA, no walks, etc. But Boston is losing by three in the late innings. Jason Varitek hits a home run, but that's okay, he's my catcher. Now it gets interesting. What I really need is a succession of fielding errors, but no hits and no earned runs...Red Sox win!
Plus, I'm really disappointed that I didn't win my first matchup. The plan was to go undefeated and trounce the entire league. Okay 19-1 is much more realistic. Besides, I'm fully expecting Carlos N. Lee to be MVP this season.
I have found that I actually watch ESPN now and then, something I haven't done on a regular basis for a while. Got to scout those upcoming match-ups.
I now know the names of more minor league players than I've probably ever known in the preceding 44 years. I know what WHIP means, and it has nothing to do with Indiana Jones, or serious porn.
I know catchers can't hit anymore. I know I'm taking this way to seriously, but it's fun.
For instance, say you have a favorite team, like, I don't know, the Boston Red Sox. And they're playing for a win against the New York Spankmees. Now I, no I mean, you have the Yanks as your pitching staff, so you really need lots of strikeouts, and a low ERA, no walks, etc. But Boston is losing by three in the late innings. Jason Varitek hits a home run, but that's okay, he's my catcher. Now it gets interesting. What I really need is a succession of fielding errors, but no hits and no earned runs...Red Sox win!
Plus, I'm really disappointed that I didn't win my first matchup. The plan was to go undefeated and trounce the entire league. Okay 19-1 is much more realistic. Besides, I'm fully expecting Carlos N. Lee to be MVP this season.
I have found that I actually watch ESPN now and then, something I haven't done on a regular basis for a while. Got to scout those upcoming match-ups.
I now know the names of more minor league players than I've probably ever known in the preceding 44 years. I know what WHIP means, and it has nothing to do with Indiana Jones, or serious porn.
I know catchers can't hit anymore. I know I'm taking this way to seriously, but it's fun.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Photo by Nick Krug
Final: 84-66.
That ass-kicking of North Carolina was oh-so-sweet on so many levels. Proof once again that the player of the year is no match for a great team effort. Consider that Kansas held the highest scoring team in the nation without a single point for 9:03 during the first half. I've never seen a team switch off on defense the way Kansas does out of a screen. The score was 40-12 at the 15:00 minute mark of the first half.
Photo by Nick KrugNorth Carolina, to be sure, was a great team. They clawed back into the game and were within 5 points several times. Then the mighty Jayhawks pulled away again like an ubermodel from a skid-row bum.
Photo by Thad AllenderI will say it again; I've never seen a more unselfish team in college basketball, (ironic since Bill Self is their coach), outside of maybe two of the Bob Knight coached championship teams.
I will have more to say on this tomorrow, but I will leave you with a photo of the biggest loser in North Carolina on April 5, 2008. And I ain't talkin' about his kid:
Photo by Nick Krug
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Something happened to me today that made me feel great.
I was on my way home from work this afternoon, and about five minutes into a 45 minute trip, I heard this awful noise under the hood and my power steering went out. I assumed the serpentine belt had broken but there was nowhere convenient to pull over. I was getting anxious, because with no fan, my engine was beginning to overheat. Up ahead, I spied a public driveway, and immediately pulled in. It was a small, run-down, Baptist Church.
I got out of the car, popped the hood, and sure enough the belt lay twined through all the pulleys at the front of the engine. Great.
I had no tools, no cash, etc. I pulled the belt out and it wasn't broken, so I decided to try to force it back on and get to the nearest garage I could find. While I was working, an older man walked up behind me and inquired about my trouble.
I explained what I was up to and I went back to work. As I was getting more and more frustrated at my inability to accomplish anything, the man returned with a complete set of wrenches, box of rags, and a stepladder. He proceeded to explain to me an easier way to do what I was attempting, and although one of the idler pulleys was the culprit, we managed together to get that pesky belt back in place in order for me to nurse it a few more miles.
The man was the 65 year old pastor of the Church, and it is what he did next that made my day. He followed me 5 miles to an auto parts store, got me a discount on the part and a tool I needed that he didn't have, and supervised me while I replaced it. (The manager of the auto parts store was one of his neighbors.)
I cannot tell you how grateful I was for this incredible act of kindness to a complete stranger, and a scruffy one at that. Had he not been familiar with my vehicle, I would have spent at least another hour in his lot, just trying to get it on the road to find a place to get it fixed, not to mention the money I was able to save by fixing it myself. It's really humbling to have something like this happen, and I am always so up-lifted when it does.
I was on my way home from work this afternoon, and about five minutes into a 45 minute trip, I heard this awful noise under the hood and my power steering went out. I assumed the serpentine belt had broken but there was nowhere convenient to pull over. I was getting anxious, because with no fan, my engine was beginning to overheat. Up ahead, I spied a public driveway, and immediately pulled in. It was a small, run-down, Baptist Church.
I got out of the car, popped the hood, and sure enough the belt lay twined through all the pulleys at the front of the engine. Great.
I had no tools, no cash, etc. I pulled the belt out and it wasn't broken, so I decided to try to force it back on and get to the nearest garage I could find. While I was working, an older man walked up behind me and inquired about my trouble.
I explained what I was up to and I went back to work. As I was getting more and more frustrated at my inability to accomplish anything, the man returned with a complete set of wrenches, box of rags, and a stepladder. He proceeded to explain to me an easier way to do what I was attempting, and although one of the idler pulleys was the culprit, we managed together to get that pesky belt back in place in order for me to nurse it a few more miles.
The man was the 65 year old pastor of the Church, and it is what he did next that made my day. He followed me 5 miles to an auto parts store, got me a discount on the part and a tool I needed that he didn't have, and supervised me while I replaced it. (The manager of the auto parts store was one of his neighbors.)
I cannot tell you how grateful I was for this incredible act of kindness to a complete stranger, and a scruffy one at that. Had he not been familiar with my vehicle, I would have spent at least another hour in his lot, just trying to get it on the road to find a place to get it fixed, not to mention the money I was able to save by fixing it myself. It's really humbling to have something like this happen, and I am always so up-lifted when it does.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
FINALY!
Bill Self's Jayhawks managed to hold off Davidson to get to the final four in the NCAA's. It was a great game and Davidson almost pulled it off at the end, but the Hawks held them off.
That was one of the greatest defensive displays by two teams I have ever seen. I was so impressed with Davidson's ability to play the half-court style. They were awesome.
Next up; Benedict Williams and the Tar Heels of North Carolina.
It should be an awesome matchup, as both teams love to run, with the offensive side in favor of Carolina, and the Defense, Kansas.
I know what I'll be doing Saturday night at 9.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
In re-reading some more Robert Heinlein, I came across this passage in a post-script to Revolt in 2100. It struck me as brilliant.
"It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics. This is equally true whether the faith is Communism or Holy-Rollerism; indeed it is the bounden duty of the faithful to do so. The custodians of the True Faith cannot logically admit tolerance of heresy to be a virtue."
Indeed, I can see this at work among charismatic Christian evangelicals, who by taking their children out of public schools, hope to avoid the social mores increasingly being legislated into public education, and in the environmentalists, pushing global warming as fact rather than theory. In an age of instant idea exchange, the danger is greater than ever that some sweeping change in the way people see the world can take place without benefit of proof.
No parent has ever had control over what their children think, but, before the liberal wave of the 1960's, in the United States at least, you had more influence than anyone else. Since then, however, the nuclear family, the community church, and the spirit of national identity as mankind's last best hope, have been chipped away, and eroded to the point of confusion, especially among the young. Hell, even the Boy Scouts are considered a subversive organization now.
It strikes me how very much like religion, politics can be. There are certain tenets of faith that must be adhered to, or you are labeled a heretic and shunned, even by your friends.
Politician-speak is full of absolutes. All Republicans are bigoted homophobes that hate poor people and want to kill anyone with brown skin. All Democrats are bleeding-heart liberals that want the government to run everything and hate rich white straight people. Okay maybe that last part is true, but you get my drift.
Look what happened to Joe Liebermann after he stood up against those calling for an immediate pullout from Iraq. He didn't say it was a great idea to go, he simply said we need to stay and finish what we started. His reward was to lose support from the Democrat Party, and most Democrats of note endorsed his opponent in the party primary. The tenet is all wars are bad, and no war is ever worth fighting, especially under a Republican administration.
The Republicans are little better. When was the last time you heard of a Republican suggesting that maybe it would be a good idea if the Widget Corporation shouldn't be allowed to pump raw sewage into that river over there?
Looking back into history, there have always been vehement arguments about what particular direction the country would take next, but there was always some sort of balance. Right now, it seems as if the Republicans want us to just accept more of the same, and the Democrats want to rebuild the Soviet Union, right here on our own shores.
Liberals have succeeded in pulling the moral underpinnings out from our society at large, but what they've replaced these legs with is rotten wood. In a citizenry that has been taught moral relativism since birth, and that people are due respect regardless of how they think and comport themselves, how can the average voter be expected to make a rational decision with their franchise? Current thinking leaves little room for American Exceptionalism.
I still have yet to hear what change Barrack Obama intends to bring. I still have yet to hear how Hillary Clinton or Obama will pay for all their wonderful plans for a New America without bankrupting us or our children. And no-one is paying attention to anything John McCain is saying, so I don't know what that is.
I have a sinking feeling that maybe too many people in the United States are more interested in what a particular candidate is going to do for them personally, or to make them feel good, than in what a candidate is going to do for America and Her ability to remain the last best hope of mankind.
"It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics. This is equally true whether the faith is Communism or Holy-Rollerism; indeed it is the bounden duty of the faithful to do so. The custodians of the True Faith cannot logically admit tolerance of heresy to be a virtue."
Indeed, I can see this at work among charismatic Christian evangelicals, who by taking their children out of public schools, hope to avoid the social mores increasingly being legislated into public education, and in the environmentalists, pushing global warming as fact rather than theory. In an age of instant idea exchange, the danger is greater than ever that some sweeping change in the way people see the world can take place without benefit of proof.
No parent has ever had control over what their children think, but, before the liberal wave of the 1960's, in the United States at least, you had more influence than anyone else. Since then, however, the nuclear family, the community church, and the spirit of national identity as mankind's last best hope, have been chipped away, and eroded to the point of confusion, especially among the young. Hell, even the Boy Scouts are considered a subversive organization now.
It strikes me how very much like religion, politics can be. There are certain tenets of faith that must be adhered to, or you are labeled a heretic and shunned, even by your friends.
Politician-speak is full of absolutes. All Republicans are bigoted homophobes that hate poor people and want to kill anyone with brown skin. All Democrats are bleeding-heart liberals that want the government to run everything and hate rich white straight people. Okay maybe that last part is true, but you get my drift.
Look what happened to Joe Liebermann after he stood up against those calling for an immediate pullout from Iraq. He didn't say it was a great idea to go, he simply said we need to stay and finish what we started. His reward was to lose support from the Democrat Party, and most Democrats of note endorsed his opponent in the party primary. The tenet is all wars are bad, and no war is ever worth fighting, especially under a Republican administration.
The Republicans are little better. When was the last time you heard of a Republican suggesting that maybe it would be a good idea if the Widget Corporation shouldn't be allowed to pump raw sewage into that river over there?
Looking back into history, there have always been vehement arguments about what particular direction the country would take next, but there was always some sort of balance. Right now, it seems as if the Republicans want us to just accept more of the same, and the Democrats want to rebuild the Soviet Union, right here on our own shores.
Liberals have succeeded in pulling the moral underpinnings out from our society at large, but what they've replaced these legs with is rotten wood. In a citizenry that has been taught moral relativism since birth, and that people are due respect regardless of how they think and comport themselves, how can the average voter be expected to make a rational decision with their franchise? Current thinking leaves little room for American Exceptionalism.
I still have yet to hear what change Barrack Obama intends to bring. I still have yet to hear how Hillary Clinton or Obama will pay for all their wonderful plans for a New America without bankrupting us or our children. And no-one is paying attention to anything John McCain is saying, so I don't know what that is.
I have a sinking feeling that maybe too many people in the United States are more interested in what a particular candidate is going to do for them personally, or to make them feel good, than in what a candidate is going to do for America and Her ability to remain the last best hope of mankind.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Rock Chalk Jayhawk, back to the sweet sixteen.
The Hawks made it back to the round of sixteen in the NCAA tournament tonight with a smothering defeat of 8th seeded UNLV.
It was close for awhile, but never in doubt. Now, Kansas will play either a 12 or 13 seed for the right to play either Wisconsin or Georgetown for a trip to the final four.
This is Bill Self's best team as a head coach, and although there are some fine players, there are no superstars. They are very unselfish, and it seems as if someone different every time they play shoulders the load for the team. To be sure, they have weaknesses, but if Bill Self is to get over the round of eight hump it will be this year. The tournament committee has done them a favor, by making them #1 in the midwest, and the pressing style of Georgetown, and Wisconsin has not given the Jayhawks trouble at all this year. In fact, their most impressive victories this year have come against that style of defense.
With any luck at all, they will be in the final four.
Plus Duke lost tonight, so it's already been a great weekend!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Don't you hate when there's something you want to do that requires an effort on you part, and you know if you don't do it you'll wish you had, but you just don't want to do the work to get there?
I really wanted to go over to the coast to watch the shuttle go up, as it was a night launch, and those are so spectacular. But I hemmed and I hawed, and convinced myself that, because it was a weekday, I should do the responsible thing and just set my alarm and get up to watch it from the yard, so I wouldn't be tired at work on Tuesday. Well great, Mr. Conscientious, it was too cloudy inland, and we couldn't see anything at all. What a bummer. I should have just done what I knew I wanted to do.
Oh well, they're shooting up an Atlas rocket this weekend at night and those are almost as cool.
Truly something to see.
I really wanted to go over to the coast to watch the shuttle go up, as it was a night launch, and those are so spectacular. But I hemmed and I hawed, and convinced myself that, because it was a weekday, I should do the responsible thing and just set my alarm and get up to watch it from the yard, so I wouldn't be tired at work on Tuesday. Well great, Mr. Conscientious, it was too cloudy inland, and we couldn't see anything at all. What a bummer. I should have just done what I knew I wanted to do.
Oh well, they're shooting up an Atlas rocket this weekend at night and those are almost as cool.
Truly something to see.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
I'm reading Starship Troopers, by Robert A Heinlein. This passage seems particularly relevant to me during this election cycle.
"...'market value' is a fiction, merely a rough guess at the average of personal values, all of which must be quantitatively different or trade would be impossible.
This very personal relationship, 'value,' has two factors for a human being: first, what he can do with a thing, its use to him...and second, what he must do to get it, its cost to him. There is an old song which asserts 'the best things in life are free.' Not true! Utterly false! This was the tragic fallacy which brought on the decadence and collapse of the democracies of the twentieth century; those noble experiments failed because the people had been led to believe that they could simply vote for whatever they wanted ... and get it, without toil, without sweat, without tears.
Nothing of value is free. Even the breath of life is purchased at birth only through gasping effort and pain."
It frightens me to think that maybe a majority of people in this country, including all three major candidates for the presidency, think that the way to make health care more affordable is to have the government seize control of one seventh of our economy.
When the top 25% of income earners in the United States pay 86% of all federal income taxes, and the top 50% pay 97% of all federal income taxes we are perilously close to being past a point of no return to reign in taxation and spending in this nation. We cannot continue to create entitlements and programs without crippling our childrens' futures.
Right now it takes the withholdings of four taxpayers to pay for the social security benefits of one senior citizen. In fifteen to thirty years, that ratio will be down to two to one. In order just to maintain current levels of payments, a tax rate of somewhere around 70% per worker will be required! These figures are buried in the federal budget, but they are there.
Socialism sucks.
"...'market value' is a fiction, merely a rough guess at the average of personal values, all of which must be quantitatively different or trade would be impossible.
This very personal relationship, 'value,' has two factors for a human being: first, what he can do with a thing, its use to him...and second, what he must do to get it, its cost to him. There is an old song which asserts 'the best things in life are free.' Not true! Utterly false! This was the tragic fallacy which brought on the decadence and collapse of the democracies of the twentieth century; those noble experiments failed because the people had been led to believe that they could simply vote for whatever they wanted ... and get it, without toil, without sweat, without tears.
Nothing of value is free. Even the breath of life is purchased at birth only through gasping effort and pain."
It frightens me to think that maybe a majority of people in this country, including all three major candidates for the presidency, think that the way to make health care more affordable is to have the government seize control of one seventh of our economy.
When the top 25% of income earners in the United States pay 86% of all federal income taxes, and the top 50% pay 97% of all federal income taxes we are perilously close to being past a point of no return to reign in taxation and spending in this nation. We cannot continue to create entitlements and programs without crippling our childrens' futures.
Right now it takes the withholdings of four taxpayers to pay for the social security benefits of one senior citizen. In fifteen to thirty years, that ratio will be down to two to one. In order just to maintain current levels of payments, a tax rate of somewhere around 70% per worker will be required! These figures are buried in the federal budget, but they are there.
Socialism sucks.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Here are a couple clips of a really cool band from Austin, Texas.
They generally don't use amplification when they play, and their musicianship is incredible. The members rotate depending on who's in town or available to tour, and they've been around for 20 years or so. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Asylum Street Spankers:
Good Music:
Hilarious:
They generally don't use amplification when they play, and their musicianship is incredible. The members rotate depending on who's in town or available to tour, and they've been around for 20 years or so. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Asylum Street Spankers:
Good Music:
Hilarious:
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Do you suppose that we would even be mentioning Barrack Obama as a viable candidate for the Democrat nomination if He, and not Hillary Clinton had lost 11 or 12 straight primaries? It seems pretty likely he'd be getting the Huckabee treatment. In a way, I really hope Clinton wins Texas and/or Ohio in order to force someone on the donkey side to start articulating whatever small differences there are in the way they would govern. Plus it's fun to watch them beat each other about the head and shoulders.
I guess I'm resigned to McCain as the Republican nominee, and the news is not all that bad for me. He is after all about the only politician in Washington who was against the Iraq war up front, but when it was a go, he was behind it even as he was calling for more troops to make sure it was viable. He was calling for a surge before anyone else I can think of.
I think he was wrong on the amnesty bill that bore his name, and his status as a leading member of the gang of fourteen makes me think he really doesn't stand for the principles he is now trying to claim, I don't think it's always a bad thing to compromise.
And it has been hilarious to see him become entrapped in his own legislation this past week, the McCain-Feingold act, as he has run out of money, and legally cannot get help from his own party.
I think, he may stand a better chance against Clinton and
Obama than nearly everyone is giving him credit for, because there are real differences between whomever the Democrat nominee is and McCain.
I think the swooning rock concert that is Obamamania has built too quickly to sustain itself for another six months without him having to say something substantial in terms of policy or direction. He is campaigning in a similar way to Ronaldus Magnus in 1980 invoking the "need for change", however Reagan, as the campaign went on Reagan was very specific in how he would limit government. Obama's rhetoric is all about growing government, and aside from class warfare, is deliberately unspecific about how we would pay for 300 billion in new spending, when as he says we can't afford to be at war.
Hillary's negatives are so high she would have a difficult time getting enough support from independents to be elected, and even democrat's seem to be tired of the Clinton slash and burn style of politics. To paraphrase Bill Bennett, It seems the time has come at last to "sick up what was ingested in the name of power."
I guess I'm resigned to McCain as the Republican nominee, and the news is not all that bad for me. He is after all about the only politician in Washington who was against the Iraq war up front, but when it was a go, he was behind it even as he was calling for more troops to make sure it was viable. He was calling for a surge before anyone else I can think of.
I think he was wrong on the amnesty bill that bore his name, and his status as a leading member of the gang of fourteen makes me think he really doesn't stand for the principles he is now trying to claim, I don't think it's always a bad thing to compromise.
And it has been hilarious to see him become entrapped in his own legislation this past week, the McCain-Feingold act, as he has run out of money, and legally cannot get help from his own party.
I think, he may stand a better chance against Clinton and
Obama than nearly everyone is giving him credit for, because there are real differences between whomever the Democrat nominee is and McCain.
I think the swooning rock concert that is Obamamania has built too quickly to sustain itself for another six months without him having to say something substantial in terms of policy or direction. He is campaigning in a similar way to Ronaldus Magnus in 1980 invoking the "need for change", however Reagan, as the campaign went on Reagan was very specific in how he would limit government. Obama's rhetoric is all about growing government, and aside from class warfare, is deliberately unspecific about how we would pay for 300 billion in new spending, when as he says we can't afford to be at war.
Hillary's negatives are so high she would have a difficult time getting enough support from independents to be elected, and even democrat's seem to be tired of the Clinton slash and burn style of politics. To paraphrase Bill Bennett, It seems the time has come at last to "sick up what was ingested in the name of power."
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Here's a great band I found a while back called Niacin. They are a trio consisting of Dennis Chambers on drums (Chick Corea, Parliament/Funkadelic, Steely Dan), John Novello on Hammond B-3 (Chick Corea, Andy Summers, Manhattan Transfer), and Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai). Enjoy:
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I had one of those "my head is about to explode, unless I find some duct tape" moments yesterday. I was attempting to watch the news last night, and there was an amazing amount of time spent on Rogergate. Some horrible political scandal, you ask? No a private citizen being harrangued by camera-whores about performance- enhancing drugs.
To quote from William Jefferson Clinton, "No congressional investigation ever fed a hungry child." These are some of the same congressmen who shamelessly spouted a bunch of crap about how perjury wasn't important, blah, blah, and verily blah. We heard about how much it was costing the tax-payers on a daily basis to hound an innocent man. We were told that it was his own business, and we should mind ours. And this was the leader of the free world!
Thank God we elected a Democrat congress to use our money more wisely.
Now, in full disclosure, I am a baseball fan, and I am not a fan of Roger Clemens. I think he is a scum-bag for deserting my beloved Boston Red Sox. I think it's great that he might have been shooting up while a member of the Evil Empire. I hope Joe Torre supplied the needles, and George Steinbrenner bent the whole team over the table one by one and held them down. Okay, that last part might have actually happened, but you get the point. But, Strictly in legal terms, if he did do these things, he was doing them at a time when these substances were not banned by Major League Baseball. No one has accused him of using these drugs without a prescription, at least that I have heard.
I am certainly not defending Clemens, and if there is proof he did what he is accused of his records should be stricken or at least put in a seperate section of known cheaters. However, I am sick of the sideshow, and seeing these politicians of both parties pontificating in front of the media for hours just sucks.
Baseball's participants created this mess, and they need to figure out what to do about it on their own time. If they do a good job, maybe they'll gain new fans. If they don't, maybe their fan-base will erode. Just like any other business. What doesn't need to happen is a political dog and pony show. If someone broke the law, let them go through the criminal justice system like any other drug-abuser, but congress has more important things to do.
Wait a minute, congress was busy on television interfering in a sports league. That means they weren't wrecking the economy, or spending money on pork barrel projects named after Robert Byrd, or ... You know what, I think it's high time congress did something about excessive end-zone celebrations in the NFL. And what about over-tattooed, marijuana-smoking hoodlums in the NBA.
I heard there was a 13 year old in northern Virginia on a 12 and under kids soccer team. There, that ought to keep them busy.
To quote from William Jefferson Clinton, "No congressional investigation ever fed a hungry child." These are some of the same congressmen who shamelessly spouted a bunch of crap about how perjury wasn't important, blah, blah, and verily blah. We heard about how much it was costing the tax-payers on a daily basis to hound an innocent man. We were told that it was his own business, and we should mind ours. And this was the leader of the free world!
Thank God we elected a Democrat congress to use our money more wisely.
Now, in full disclosure, I am a baseball fan, and I am not a fan of Roger Clemens. I think he is a scum-bag for deserting my beloved Boston Red Sox. I think it's great that he might have been shooting up while a member of the Evil Empire. I hope Joe Torre supplied the needles, and George Steinbrenner bent the whole team over the table one by one and held them down. Okay, that last part might have actually happened, but you get the point. But, Strictly in legal terms, if he did do these things, he was doing them at a time when these substances were not banned by Major League Baseball. No one has accused him of using these drugs without a prescription, at least that I have heard.
I am certainly not defending Clemens, and if there is proof he did what he is accused of his records should be stricken or at least put in a seperate section of known cheaters. However, I am sick of the sideshow, and seeing these politicians of both parties pontificating in front of the media for hours just sucks.
Baseball's participants created this mess, and they need to figure out what to do about it on their own time. If they do a good job, maybe they'll gain new fans. If they don't, maybe their fan-base will erode. Just like any other business. What doesn't need to happen is a political dog and pony show. If someone broke the law, let them go through the criminal justice system like any other drug-abuser, but congress has more important things to do.
Wait a minute, congress was busy on television interfering in a sports league. That means they weren't wrecking the economy, or spending money on pork barrel projects named after Robert Byrd, or ... You know what, I think it's high time congress did something about excessive end-zone celebrations in the NFL. And what about over-tattooed, marijuana-smoking hoodlums in the NBA.
I heard there was a 13 year old in northern Virginia on a 12 and under kids soccer team. There, that ought to keep them busy.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
We spent the afternoon today at Cocoa Village Marina with Windreka and her crew. Dad and Sarah looked great, and seem to be enjoying thier journey. For more on their adventures, check out their blog at http://haulingforbetterweather.blogspot.com/. We spent a little time on the boat, then headed over to the pier at Cocoa Beach for some supper, before driving back to reality and Orlando.
The Captain and First Mate aboard the Windreka
Gretchen hiding behind the wheel
Good luck and good sailing!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
The NFL sucks. I can't believe Derrick Thomas did not make it into the hall of fame again this year. He makes it into the top ten finalists every year, and then is left off the list of the final five for up and down voting. What a bunch of idiots those writers are.
No one had more sacks in the nineties than Derrick Thomas. No one had more sacks in a single game in NFL history than Derrick Thomas. Andre Tippett?! Are you freaking kidding me? If I held a draft of linebackers tomorrow, the only people taking Andre Tippett ahead of DT are Patriots fans. John Elway said the player on an opposing defense he feared the most was Derrick Thomas. Pretty high praise from a guy who didn't have too many problems doing whatever he wanted on offense.
32 of his 126 sacks were against quarterbacks in the hall of fame.
25%, not bad. 17 were against Ol' Horseface, again not bad considering Elway was so elusive. He also had four against Brett Favre, and one against a rookie named Peyton Manning, and when they make the hall it will elevate that to 29%.
He also forced 45 fumbles in his career, and recovered 19, including 4 he returned for touchdowns. He intercepted one pass for a touchdown. He was in short a difference-maker. Kansas City's defense in the 90's still would have been formidable without him, but you ask any of those guys who they looked to for leadership, and DT would have been at the top of that list.
Troy Aikman named three defensive players he thought could turn a game around by themselves. Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, and that guy who can't get into the hall of fame.
The hall of fame without #58 is the hall of shame.
Remember DT here: http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/chiefs/demand/av_dttribute350_01282005.rm&proto=rtsp
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Primary day is here, I've cast my ballot, and I'm still undecided.
Every candidate I could have backed in reasonable comfort is out of the race, and I dislike intensely two of the remaining three that are still likely to get the nomination. If Ron Paul wasn't so protectionist, I probably would have voted for him.
I'm beginning to face the fact that I may not have anyone to vote for in November, which has led me to this quandary; If McCain is the nominee, I might have to hold my nose and vote for Shrillary or Barrack Obama so that when all hell breaks loose, we might get eight or twelve more years of Republicans in the White House after the Democrat president gets all of the blame. But the only hope for that is the Republicans getting their collective head out of their ass, and nominating a conservative for once.
We also had a constitutional ammendment on the ballot, purportedly to cut property taxes. It was poorly written, and I don't think it will pass, but I'm always surprised at how easily it is to flat-out lie to people to get them to vote your way. The ammendment would double the homestead exemption to the first $50,000 of your homes value, and in addition, allow for portability of the save our homes tax cap, which limits your tax increase to 3% per year, regardless of your homes value. Gretchen and I might have moved to a better house by now if our tax bill could be kept from quadrupling simply by the act of buying a slightly nicer home.
Instead we've been treated to a barrage of advertising from local and county government, telling folks how this ammendment is going to cut their police and fire protection in half, as well as cut school and garbage collection funding. Meanwhile every government entity in the state of Florida has been running budget surpluses for years by increasing millage rates to among the highest in the country, and soaking tourists (our lifeblood) for as much as they can.
Why is it that government is never asked to do with less? Vive la revolucion!
Every candidate I could have backed in reasonable comfort is out of the race, and I dislike intensely two of the remaining three that are still likely to get the nomination. If Ron Paul wasn't so protectionist, I probably would have voted for him.
I'm beginning to face the fact that I may not have anyone to vote for in November, which has led me to this quandary; If McCain is the nominee, I might have to hold my nose and vote for Shrillary or Barrack Obama so that when all hell breaks loose, we might get eight or twelve more years of Republicans in the White House after the Democrat president gets all of the blame. But the only hope for that is the Republicans getting their collective head out of their ass, and nominating a conservative for once.
We also had a constitutional ammendment on the ballot, purportedly to cut property taxes. It was poorly written, and I don't think it will pass, but I'm always surprised at how easily it is to flat-out lie to people to get them to vote your way. The ammendment would double the homestead exemption to the first $50,000 of your homes value, and in addition, allow for portability of the save our homes tax cap, which limits your tax increase to 3% per year, regardless of your homes value. Gretchen and I might have moved to a better house by now if our tax bill could be kept from quadrupling simply by the act of buying a slightly nicer home.
Instead we've been treated to a barrage of advertising from local and county government, telling folks how this ammendment is going to cut their police and fire protection in half, as well as cut school and garbage collection funding. Meanwhile every government entity in the state of Florida has been running budget surpluses for years by increasing millage rates to among the highest in the country, and soaking tourists (our lifeblood) for as much as they can.
Why is it that government is never asked to do with less? Vive la revolucion!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
...Number 8 from yesterday sure is a loooong run-on sentence.
I am looking into my crystal ball to see which teams will emerge victorious from this weekend's playoff games, and it all seems so obvious.
In the NFC game it's hard to imagine any scenario in which Eli "I won't play for your team because you suck, and if you draft me, I'll just take my neck and go home to daddy" Manning can overcome the ice pack that is Lambeau Field in January, or his own propensity to put the ball on the ground for no good reason. I don't think he can handle the pressure, and I think Brett Favre wants this title so badly he can taste it.
Now, don't get me wrong, the Giants have truly come together as a team over the last few weeks and are playing as well as they can play right now. I'm not buying all the talk that Manning has all of a sudden matured, and the other players see him as their fearless leader and have complete faith in him now. The Giants are going to have to score to win and if Green Bay gets on him early, Manning may not have the presence to do much of anything good. I mean, this is the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau freaking field, the closest thing the NFL has to a shrine outside of Canton! I don't think Eli is man enough to do it.
I do think the Giants defense is good enough to stop the Packers offense, and if they have any success against the run they could even win. The home field advantage the Packers have earned will be the deciding factor in this game.
Packers 17 Giants 12.
Now, in thinking about the Patriots vs. the Short Circuits, I have to say outside of the quarterback and one wide receiver, I think the Chargers are more athletically talented, the Patriots the better team. Unfortunately for the boys from San Diego those two players will be the difference in this game. The Chargers defense is better than the Patriots, but what they do best, getting pressure up the middle, is something the Patriots are good at stopping.
Bill Belichick versus Norv Turner?! That's a joke right? Belichick can out coach Turner in his sleep with or without video.
Tom Brady is the greatest the game has ever seen, I'm talking Montana, Ol' Horseface (Smellway), you name him. There have been great QB's, but name one who has led three such wildly different rosters to Lombardi Trophies. I might give you Terry Bradshaw, but only because he called his own plays.
Moss is the big play receiver Brady has never had, and he is making the most of it. Moss is still as athletic as ever, and if he's lost a step, he seems a little more clever.
Special teams seems to favor San Diego, but then again how do we really know? It's not like New England ever punts.
I think San Diego's best chance is to run the ball 60-70% of the time, but that only works if Phillip Rivers is able to keep them honest by passing effectively. If he's too injured, and the Pats can sell out against the run as efficiently as they did to Jacksonville, I don't think even L.T. is enough to win. The Chargers will have to gain yardage on the ground to keep New England's offense off the field and eat up the clock, I just don't think they can do it.
New England has bought into the team first mentality so well, they just don't get distracted. They take care of business.
Patriots 24 Chargers14
I am looking into my crystal ball to see which teams will emerge victorious from this weekend's playoff games, and it all seems so obvious.
In the NFC game it's hard to imagine any scenario in which Eli "I won't play for your team because you suck, and if you draft me, I'll just take my neck and go home to daddy" Manning can overcome the ice pack that is Lambeau Field in January, or his own propensity to put the ball on the ground for no good reason. I don't think he can handle the pressure, and I think Brett Favre wants this title so badly he can taste it.
Now, don't get me wrong, the Giants have truly come together as a team over the last few weeks and are playing as well as they can play right now. I'm not buying all the talk that Manning has all of a sudden matured, and the other players see him as their fearless leader and have complete faith in him now. The Giants are going to have to score to win and if Green Bay gets on him early, Manning may not have the presence to do much of anything good. I mean, this is the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau freaking field, the closest thing the NFL has to a shrine outside of Canton! I don't think Eli is man enough to do it.
I do think the Giants defense is good enough to stop the Packers offense, and if they have any success against the run they could even win. The home field advantage the Packers have earned will be the deciding factor in this game.
Packers 17 Giants 12.
Now, in thinking about the Patriots vs. the Short Circuits, I have to say outside of the quarterback and one wide receiver, I think the Chargers are more athletically talented, the Patriots the better team. Unfortunately for the boys from San Diego those two players will be the difference in this game. The Chargers defense is better than the Patriots, but what they do best, getting pressure up the middle, is something the Patriots are good at stopping.
Bill Belichick versus Norv Turner?! That's a joke right? Belichick can out coach Turner in his sleep with or without video.
Tom Brady is the greatest the game has ever seen, I'm talking Montana, Ol' Horseface (Smellway), you name him. There have been great QB's, but name one who has led three such wildly different rosters to Lombardi Trophies. I might give you Terry Bradshaw, but only because he called his own plays.
Moss is the big play receiver Brady has never had, and he is making the most of it. Moss is still as athletic as ever, and if he's lost a step, he seems a little more clever.
Special teams seems to favor San Diego, but then again how do we really know? It's not like New England ever punts.
I think San Diego's best chance is to run the ball 60-70% of the time, but that only works if Phillip Rivers is able to keep them honest by passing effectively. If he's too injured, and the Pats can sell out against the run as efficiently as they did to Jacksonville, I don't think even L.T. is enough to win. The Chargers will have to gain yardage on the ground to keep New England's offense off the field and eat up the clock, I just don't think they can do it.
New England has bought into the team first mentality so well, they just don't get distracted. They take care of business.
Patriots 24 Chargers14
Thursday, January 17, 2008
photo: http://www.chiefswarpath.com/
The top ten reasons I am rooting for the Patriots now:
1. The Chiefs have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
2. If the Chiefs can't go to the Superbowl, then the Chargers must not be permitted to.
3. Everybody hates the Patriots, ergo I must like them now.
4. How cool would a Patriots vs. Packers Superbowl be?
5. How can you not like a team with Elvis dressed as a minuteman as their logo?
6. I am from Taxachusetts.
7. I may get to hear John Kerry tell us how big a fan he is and how his favorite Patriot is Junior Bruschi.
8. If the Giants make it opposite the Patriots,I will not have to wrap duct-tape around my head to keep blood from shooting out my eyes everytime a stinking Satan Manning commercial comes on, as the pain will be mitigated by the fact that the Pats are kicking the living snot out of his wittle brudder, (whom, incidentally, I like even less than Peyton).
9. It will piss off everyone from New York.
10. It will shut up, once and for all, those annoying Miami Dolphins fans and ex-players, about the "perfect season".
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
As January 29th approaches and with it the Florida primary, I was just wondering...
...How, if Hillary Clinton is the "candidate of inevitability" on the Democrat side, she came in third!
...If, as Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton and their ilk suggest, America is such a racist nation, How did B. Obama win in Iowa, a state in which the black population is less than 3%?
...How long before the national media begin to attack Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney for their respective religious beliefs, while completely ignoring the fact that Barrack and Hillary will be holding campaign fundraisers in every church they can find?
...Is Rudy Guliani running for POTUS or President of All Things 9/11?
...I sort of like Fred Thompson, but is he human or one of those animatronic Disney things from that ride? (I think I like the fact that he said it doesn't make a difference to him if he's elected or not, but what a strange thing to say).
...Who the hell am I going to vote for!?! I like Alan Keyes, although he has no hope of winning. I don't really like any of the front-runners, although they each have their plusses. I also like Duncan Hunter, a congressman from California, except he is a Ron Paul/Pat Buchanan protectionist. The other guy I liked a lot was Tom Tancredo, but he's already dropped out!
It really seems as if the Republican party has taken a step backward in the absence of a true conservative leader. George W. Bush, as the de facto leader of his party has not been consistently conservative, and no one has stepped in to take the mantle of leadership. All the front-runners in the presidential race seem to be trying to out-maneuver each other for the honor of "Republican most likely to be confused with Nelson Rockefeller". I was too young to remember, but is it possible this is how we ended up with Jimmy Carter as president in 1976? I hope we don't have to relive those years to get another Reagan! I really don't see anyone on the R side of this campaign who can approach the Great One.
Speaking of bright young conservatives, whatever happened to J.C. Watts, Jr.?
...How, if Hillary Clinton is the "candidate of inevitability" on the Democrat side, she came in third!
...If, as Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton and their ilk suggest, America is such a racist nation, How did B. Obama win in Iowa, a state in which the black population is less than 3%?
...How long before the national media begin to attack Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney for their respective religious beliefs, while completely ignoring the fact that Barrack and Hillary will be holding campaign fundraisers in every church they can find?
...Is Rudy Guliani running for POTUS or President of All Things 9/11?
...I sort of like Fred Thompson, but is he human or one of those animatronic Disney things from that ride? (I think I like the fact that he said it doesn't make a difference to him if he's elected or not, but what a strange thing to say).
...Who the hell am I going to vote for!?! I like Alan Keyes, although he has no hope of winning. I don't really like any of the front-runners, although they each have their plusses. I also like Duncan Hunter, a congressman from California, except he is a Ron Paul/Pat Buchanan protectionist. The other guy I liked a lot was Tom Tancredo, but he's already dropped out!
It really seems as if the Republican party has taken a step backward in the absence of a true conservative leader. George W. Bush, as the de facto leader of his party has not been consistently conservative, and no one has stepped in to take the mantle of leadership. All the front-runners in the presidential race seem to be trying to out-maneuver each other for the honor of "Republican most likely to be confused with Nelson Rockefeller". I was too young to remember, but is it possible this is how we ended up with Jimmy Carter as president in 1976? I hope we don't have to relive those years to get another Reagan! I really don't see anyone on the R side of this campaign who can approach the Great One.
Speaking of bright young conservatives, whatever happened to J.C. Watts, Jr.?
Friday, January 4, 2008
Happy New Year devoted readers! Sorry about the lack of posts, but I'm a lazy bastard.
Thanks to the ipod Tim gave me, I've been listening to much more music of late. Here is a group I really like:
They play jazz, but there is much more going on here. Hiromi Uehara, the pianist and band's leader, is from Japan, but lives here now. This piece is entitled Kung Fu World Champion, and is from her second album, Brain.
Here's another little ditty called Time Out:
Thanks to the ipod Tim gave me, I've been listening to much more music of late. Here is a group I really like:
They play jazz, but there is much more going on here. Hiromi Uehara, the pianist and band's leader, is from Japan, but lives here now. This piece is entitled Kung Fu World Champion, and is from her second album, Brain.
Here's another little ditty called Time Out:
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