Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Shepard Smith, polishing up his CV

Last week, Shepard Smith was interviewing Torture Apologist & Justifier Cliff May, and he lost it. I'm surprised Faux news has not let him go already. Video here. "We are America, we don't f*cking torture!"

Last night, John Stewart interviewed the same tool, and had a HEATED discussion. Brief video here. Full video here. Here (part 2) and here (part 3), [contains profanity, turn it down if kids are around]. The third part, is the best part.

Some people, just seem to polarize the room it seems.

Balzheimers

I laugh every time I see this.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Acesulfame Potassium = Evil

Do you love the sweet taste of Sierra Mist? That "sugar free" diet soda or snack bar or other "food stuff" tastes so yummy, but you don't know why? Check the label for Acesulfame Potassium. 200 times sweeter than sugar to human taste buds. Human livers and spleens and endocrine systems DON'T know what to do with the stuff, and it actually makes you (or at least it used to make me) more hungry, crave more sweets, more intake, more, more, more! I now avoid it like the plague.

Acesulfame K, in liquid form sweeter than aspartame or sucralose. Undigestible. Can't be processed by the liver, as far as we know. Yeah, it's really good for you. If you want to be hypoglycemic or aggravate a diabetic condition, consume it in Cone Head like quantities.

Not Center Right Anymore

I caught a few minutes of Hardball last night, when I heard the following:
"MATTHEWS: Michael, I‘ve been convinced in recent reflections that this country is generally right of center, except during crisis, in which we‘re a bit left of center. "

I disagree with Chris Matthews, in that fundamentally, this is NOT a center right country. It used to be, but its center left now. Lack of a government oversight, stupidity and greed running wildly unchecked, no one being punished, and an absentee and incompetent Executive have all soured the "center righters". During times of crisis, it is even more left. Rescue me!

Texas secessionists better not ask for ANY federal aid in fighting a pandemic on their southern border. They don't need Big Government helping them! They're Texans! Not hypocrites... right? Send those Tamiflu injections back to the CDC, or, only give them to registered Democrats around Austin and in the border counties.

"biggest tent of all is the Tent of Freedom"

"What the hell does that mean?!?!" - Rick (not dirty) Sanchez

Tip of the hat to Matt T for this gem.

Palin / DeMint, '12

Corneveaux-esque

The Western Phoenix Sky this morning and early afternoon is downright Corneveaux-esque. Beautiful streaming clouds on a baby blue background. Too bad Jason is feeling so swine-flu-ish and can't capture it digitally.

Good news on a busy Tuesday

my son just called me, to let me know he's gainfully employed as a research scientist in Charleston. It's welcomed news to this father, that for more than 2 decades Dr. Desert Flower and I have been supporting and encouraging and guiding him as parents do, and he's made it through school, obtained a degree, and has secured gainful employment (relevant to that degree), without any spontaneous fertility experiences, expulsions, life threatening maladies / injuries, or justice system convictions - Happy Day! He'll be working in a research laboratory, not asking someone if they want whipped cream on their latte, or "fries with that", or hauling balloons as a drug mule up from Baja - not that there's anything wrong with the food related service industries, it's just refreshing that he's doing interesting scientific work that he's excited about.

The Dr. and I head to the College of Charleston graduation ceremony next week, and then 2 relaxing (hopefully) days at the beach thereafter.

Sexist? No, just partisan.

I've noticed a reoccurring phenomenon over the last year. If someone criticizes Sarah Palin (her belief that the earth is 6000 years old, that every sperm is sacred, that she's proud of being a red neck, that teens who get pregnant have no choice but to carry their child to term, that gays threaten marriage, that she can see Russia, that she reads 'all' the newspapers and magazines) then the criticizer is "sexist" or "elitist" or "out of touch with average Americans". If someone points out the ridiculousness of Michelle Bachmann (her statements that FEMA re-education camps are being built, that the liberals are coming to git yer guns, that the Obama administration wants us to move to the Euro or some UN currency) then those persons are enemies of freedom, socialists, liberal elite, etc. If Condalezza Rice's lack of spine and integrity are noted, then it is racist.

But if you attack Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Madeline Albright, Mary Landrieu, Claire McCaskill, Jeanne Shaheen then you are an upstanding American, fighting the liberal elite, not putting up with an 'uppity woman' who is being 'a bitch' and who 'doesn't know her place'.

The double standard is remarkable, stark, hypocritical, ridiculous, but all to prevalent in America today.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Teabaggerstan

Teabaggerstan. I hope it comes to be.
Tip of the hat to Matt for this one.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Best High Quality Italian Meal Deal in America for Two People

Last night, for Dr. Desert Flower's 31st birthday, we went to Maggianos in Scottsdale, and ordered the "Family Style" menu. Yes, they're a chain, but a damn delicious, high quality, customer-centric service chain. For $29 it is all you can eat (looking at the menu at the link provided, you see all those "choose 2" notes). This does not mean it's an opportunity to gorge, but rather, to chose 2 foods from each group, sample each as much as you desire, and they happily package the rest to take home in doggy bags. We have 9 doggy bags (two paper grocery bags, plus 1/2 a bottle of Chianti in a third bag) that will be lunches and dinners for the next 3 days.

For 2 people, it is a massive feast, and a fridge of left-overs. For 3 people, it is a moderate feast, and a few left-overs. For 4 or more, it's a wonderful meal served family style with as much as you want, and perhaps a few items that could not be finished to take home. We've got stuffed mushrooms, caesar & spinach salads, gnocchi, rigatoni, chicken picatta, lobster fettuccine and tiramisu awaiting us. MMMMM... did Pavlov ring a bell somewhere?

Monday, April 20, 2009

Despicable Obama in Latin America!

Obama shakes hands with a Latin American Dog! Despicable! I can't believe this Marxist-Socialist-Nazi-Communist-Celvandilme-Druid-le'matya t'hy'la-Bestia Amicus!!!!

It does appear though... that maybe he has them eating out of the palm of his hand....

Tip o-the-hat to my buddy Matt for this one. =)

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

In Teabagging News...

I chuckle (being a little sophomoric deep down inside) each time I hear about "tea bagging" lately. Since I do not earn more than $250K a year or more, I know my taxes are not going up, and I have no reason to "go to the streets" or to publicly express any misplaced desire to dip or rub anything into liquid, or someone's face, or... wherever. I did a few google searches that had amusing results:

the basic: teabagging
the more detailed: teabagging someone
the misguided: teabagging republicans
TDS's version: teabagging + jolly green giant

The radio and television are rife with references to "teabags" and "tea bagging" today. I'm enjoying my pomegranate white tea, from Fresh & Easy.

Derivative markets explained

Derivative markets.... An understandable explanation, in less than 5 minutes:

Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Kansas City. In order to increase sales, she decides to allow her loyal customers - most of whom are unemployed alcoholics - to drink now but pay later. She keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers loans).

Word gets around about Heidi's drink now pay later marketing strategy and as a result, increasing numbers of customers flood into Heidi's bar and soon she has the largest sale volume for any bar in Kansas City.

By providing her customers' freedom from immediate payment demands, Heidi gets no resistance when she substantially increases her prices for wine and beer, the most consumed beverages. Her sales volume increases massively.

A young and dynamic vice-president at the local bank recognizes these customer debts as valuable future assets and increases Heidi's borrowing limit.

He sees no reason for undue concern since he has the debts of the alcoholics as collateral. At the bank's corporate headquarters, expert traders transform these customer loans into DRINKBONDS, ALKIBONDS and PUKEBONDS. These securities are then traded on security markets worldwide.

Naive investors don't really understand the securities being sold to them as AAA secured bonds are really the debts of unemployed alcoholics, since the bond rating agencies are paid by the banks selling these bonds, of course they're AAA rated, and no one in the Federal Government is providing close scrutiny. Nevertheless, their prices continuously climb, and the securities become the top-selling items for some of the nation's leading brokerage houses.

One day, although the bond prices are still climbing, a risk manager at the bank (subsequently fired due his negativity), decides that the time has come to demand payment on the debts incurred by the drinkers at Heidi's bar. A 50 to 1 debt ratio is not healthy (he learned when getting his MBA), but alot of good that did him now that he's assistant manager at a Wendys.

Heidi demands payment from her alcoholic patrons, but being unemployed they cannot pay back their drinking debts. Therefore, Heidi cannot fulfill her loan obligations and claims bankruptcy.

DRINKBOND and ALKIBOND drop in price by 90%. PUKEBOND performs better, stabilizing in price after dropping by 80%. The decreased bond asset value destroys the banks liquidity and prevents it from issuing new loans..

The suppliers of Heidi's bar, having granted her generous payment extensions and having invested in the securities are faced with writing off her debt and losing over 80% on her bonds. Her wine supplier claims bankruptcy, her beer supplier is taken over by a competitor, who immediately closes the local plant and lays off 50 workers.

The bank and brokerage houses are saved by the Government following dramatic round-the-clock negotiations by leaders from both political parties. The funds required for this bailout are obtained by a tax levied on employed middle-class non-drinkers.

This summarizes the current situation, pretty accurately. No?

Monday, April 13, 2009

Mahler revives Faith For Phoenix Symphony

Last Saturday, Dr. Desert Flower and I went to the Phoenix Symphony to hear Wagner, Golijov & Mahler. I honestly was not enthusiastic after attending a DVORÁK / MENDELSSOHN performance last month that was really quite lack-luster, figuring Saturday night would be more of the same. The Wagner piece was ok. The Osvaldo Golijov works, accompanied by soprano Jessica Rivera, and was inspiring, but there was a Very Heavy Breather sitting beside me, who's Every Exhale grated upon my consciousness.

After intermission, I selected seats in row 19 (we were in row 21), and Mahler's Symphony No.4 began. Wow! Acoustically powerful, dramatically presented, enthusiastically played, beautifully presented. Maybe it was a combination of the removal of the Heavy Breather, or that row 19 didn't have a balcony overhanging it to mute the range of perceptible dynamics (though just 2 rows, should not have had THAT strong of an effect), I don't know. Prior to the Golijov piece, I was on the fence about ever going to the Phoenix Symphony ever again. After hearing the Mahler dynamically performed, we will certainly be getting tickets for next year.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Invigorating: the ecclesiastic "full moon" first swim!

In honor of the first full moon after the vernal equinox, and because I soaked up an excess of solar radiation today after reading Thomas Rick's Fiasco poolside today, I jumped in the pool this afternoon for the first time this year. Air temp, 80F, water temp, 72F. Invigorating! Like the south shore of Lake Michigan in June! If the wind had not been blowing so much - turbulent forced convection cooling being WAY more effective than conduction- I would've swam longer, but 5 minutes was enough.

Oh, and the pool heater got washed off by the first substantial steady rain yesterday since I installed it a month ago. All dark and shiny black today - and I thought long term maintenance on the heater would've been a pain! Silly me. Mother Nature cleaned off all the blown desert dust for me.

Backyard of Hummingbirds

On Friday afternoon, I was doing yoga in the backyard next to the pool, when I saw a small Anna's hummingbird flying erratically. Sort of pivoting in mid air, about 4 feet off the ground, darting a few inches forward, then backing up, pivoting about 60 degrees, and darting forward again, 4 or 5 times. I looked closer, and saw the sunlight glinting off 2 gnats, that the hummingbird quickly swallowed, on after another. Hummingbirds need protein too!

After polishing off what was a small swarm of gnats, she flew over the mammoth spanish lavender that is taking over part of the back yard in front of the thriving lemon tree we planted 18 months ago, and precisely drank from a dozen blossoms (washing the gnats down, I assume). I've seen hummingbirds pluck tiny spiders off of webs before, but had never known they cold polish off a swarm of gnats at a single hovering.

I've noticed the females hummingbirds this year are as feisty, pugnacious, and territorial as the males have always been. There's also been an increase in the the visitation frequency, as many of the renters have not watered their flowering succulents, where the owners used to (from a visual survey of the backyards visible from my patio's roof). I haven't seen Archie around this year, but there's no shortage of females in area if he does return, and wants to sample some cross-species strange feather.

Friday, April 10, 2009

40 pages to make all Americans so very proud

This 40 page ICRC report on Guantánamo Bay prisoner torture by US Military and CIA personnel makes me so very proud as an American. To think that just 10 years ago everyone was so worked up over Monica's blue dress, and how terrible that was! My my, as a nation, we've come such a long way forward. Thanks W, Dick Cheney, John Woo, and David Addington! What an awesome legacy! And I wonder, what kind of award would Al Qaeda give for "recruiter of the year"?

Now granted, about 1/2 of what is in the report, is unpleasant, not nice, and mean, and perhaps not "torture". 'Forced Shaving', 'Use of Handcuffs and Shackles', 'Loud Music', 'Lack of Exercise', 'Lack of access to religious materials', and some 'Threats' are sort of 'status quo' when you're a prisoner, anywhere in the world. The beatings, the suffocation, sleep deprivation, and total solitary confinement for months, are physically and mentally torturous. Having medical personnel there to monitor vital signs when suffocating prisoners by water, or having them stand on their one remaining leg for days and monitoring the swelling in the leg... that's sadistic, unproductive, misguided, and evil - illustrative of the men who ordered it, and authored bogus legal briefs allowing it.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Rebuilding After Katrina? Not so much

[from an email I sent, 12Oct06, back when I used to use Gmail to inefficiently blog, 13 months after Katrina destroyed most of New Orleans]

Greetings

the Re-New-ed Orleans is a juxtaposed place. To try and explain what
I mean, you can look at the 2nd map here:
http://www.bananacourtyard.com/map.htm
...and page all the way down to the large map. On the large map,
you'll see a orange line. That line designates a recommended bike
route starting out near the river on Esplande Ave at the edge of the
French Quarter, heading NW towards Lake Pontchartrain, and touring the
city. It approximates the 12 mile bike ride I took Tuesday morning.

Now, open (in a new window, to compare and contrast) this 1849 map of
the city: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/new_orleans_1849.jpg

...and note the water level during "inundation" (4ft, 9ft, 6ft, etc).
The 1849 map predicted the water marks on the houses along the bike
route I took. The French Quarter was untouched by flood waters - the
French and Spanish knowing not to build on the swamp low-lands. The
high ground in the Metairie - Country Clubs and cemeteries, and
palatial mansions with lots of immigrant labor repairing their homes
and NOPD cruisers on every corner protecting the wealth - also
relatively untouched. However, most of Lakeview, Carrollton,
Broadmoor neighborhoods are DEVASTATED. I stopped and talked to an
Orkin man refilling his tanks with a garden hose in Lakeview, at one
of the only houses that looked inhabited, and asked him "is the city
about 50% back?". "Not hardly, more like 20% at best, 0% in some
areas", as he pointed to the green algae stain a foot below the roof
line on the surrounding houses. There are entire neighborhoods where
nearly every tiny front lawn or drive way has a FEMA trailer parked in
it, PVC now piped to carry away sewage and Digital TV dishes mounted
on tree trunks and fence posts, and then there are neighborhoods where
there's not a single soul to be seen... replaced by piles of stereo
equipment, carpets, beds, couches near the curb, broken out windows,
large Xs on the front doors or garages, denoting how many people
living or deceased were found in each house and on what day. Seeing
it made me think of 1980s downtown Hammond of Akron Ohio, with broken
out windows and boarded up businesses.... but multiplied by about 10X.
After I got to 6 closed Walgreens and Eckards, I stopped counting.
Working gas stations are rare. The few eateries that are open have
contractor vans and pick-ups lined up for blocks along the curbsides -
most of the vehicles are brand spanking new, shiny trucks. There's
alot of money to be made fixing up (gutting, rebuilding, or
demolishing) houses for those homeowners who can afford it.

Inside the downtown areas (French Quarter, and Warehouse District,
where our hotel is, near the convention center) - 50% of the
businesses and store fronts are boarded up. Those that are open, are
staffed 1 shift. At the convention center, T noted the Starbucks
closed at 4pm. The bike place I rented my bike from (Micheal's,
highly recommended, very nice people there, immediately next door to
my buddy Rick's recommended bar "DBA" ) is
closed on Wednesdays. The trolley that's supposed to take tourists
from the Convention Center to the French Quarter runs less than once
an hour... so it's a "lively downtown that's functioning at 50%" at
best.

I am sick and tired of beggars asking me for money. Play a trombone,
be a mime, do a magic trick, tell a fortune, entertain me and I'll
give you a dollar... but ask me or money as you walk your tiny dog??
or demand from me that I "give me a dollar man!" and the beggar gets a
scornful "Désolé, je ne parle pas anglais" and if that does not deter them, a "Mordre moi!" .
The exception is last night, along the "Moon Walk" on the right bank
of the river, a very old man who looked like he had not eaten in
several days, asked feebly "if you can spare some change.. anything"
... and T and I had just ordered 2 coffees and 2 beignets [which
come in plates of 3 beignets per plate... oooof... too much after a
full dinner of crab casserole for T and raspberry and pecan
encrusted duck with a demi glazed reduction at Tommy's.. mmmm..
delicious!]... and I said to the haggard and gaunt old man "Sir, I
have no change, but I do have these beignets if you'd like" .. and the
joy and gratitude that washed over that old man's face "I Love
beignets!" he exclaimed, and thanked us profusely, as we walked up
river back to the hotel.

There's a "Riverwalk" mall, that is reminiscent of the Greenville
Mall, or of any mall you can think of where 1/2 the stores and 1/2 the
food places in the food court are boarded up.. many plaquards saying
"safe to reopen for business after Katrina, 29-11-05" and such.. but
very few open businesses at prime lunchtime.. deserted... and at
930pm... bedarkened and to-be-avoided by tourists full of crab and
duck and beignets, or anyone coming out of the IMAX or Aquarium...
stay on the well lit paths with lots of people around.

Bourbon Street... or as my first impression cruising down it on my
rented bike Tuesday afternoon made me think to call it... "Larry
Flint's Hustler show club avenue" is alive and well. Lots of drunks,
lots of too loud music blaring into the streets, lots of open
containers, lots of 'exotic dancers' parading on balconies showing off
their balconies. I do not believe I have ever seen such a
concentration of dive bars, and strip clubs, interspersed with walk-up
drink vendors, anywhere in the world.

One block south/east, and parallel to Bourbon, is Royale street.
Never have I seen so many art galleries, and jewelry stores, and art
galleries, and rare gift shops, and art galleries, and cafes... 50% of
them boarded up. One block south/east of Royale is Chartre street...
it's a misc gab bag of various strip clubs, restaurants, etc, about
50% boarded up. And one more block south/east is Decatur... 3.99
souvenir T shirts, or 5 for $20, head shops, costume shops, leather
shops, bars (New Orleans Bubba Gump's is there, but I am glad
my son doesn't work there).. again, about 50% boarded up.

Around Jackson Square where Shrub spoke after Katrina, are lots of
beggars and homeless people and tourists. Cafe du Monde is diagonally
across the corner from Jackson Square, with a toilette area there that
has been used by toute le monde (all the world) - quite nasty, but the
public rest rooms are out of order apparently.

So... if you are thinking about visiting New Orleans... bring alot
of money (food is expensive, cabs are expensive, hotels are
expensive), good walking shoes (to walk past the 50% of the closed
businesses), sun screen (it's going to be 85 today), lightweight
breathable clothing, and a good map of the streets (link provided
above).

I did see DBA (going there tonight), the George Rodriguez studio and
all his blue dogs, Cafe du Monde, Wicked Orleans leather shop (Friday
the 13th sale tomorrow! lol), the Garden District, lots of cemeteries,
the Mississippi, the Bohemian Frenchmen Street district, drank a mint
julep (not a good drink for me, but try on for yourself), ate mediocre
and overpriced etouffe and alligator at La Mulates (not recommended),
listened to Entergy say again and again on the news that they won't be
able to restore service to the whole city (14 months after the
hurricane) without getting $525 million from the state and city, heard
how Bell South is providing their customers with Cingular wireless
because they can't run land-lines, seen many businesses that don't
take credit cards (as they have no land line) and accept cash or have
an ATM machine inside instead.... and got thanked again and again by
locals for 'coming to Nawlins'.

New Orleans... once had nearly 1 million people.. now reduced down to
about the size of Terre Haute... all the hoopla about "Rebuilding New
Orleans" is just that, hoopla. Casinos, hotels, and bars are back.
Everything else, is running at 20 to 50% of pre-Katrina levels.

Time to go lay out at the pool for a while, before meeting T for lunch!

A bientot!
Joe

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Lemmings, Get Yer Guns!

I am sick and tired of hearing the hysterical, baseless, maniacal, misguided, insidious fear mongering about how "Obama is going to take our guns!" It's utter bull sh*t, designed to "excite the base". Candidate Obama had no plans to take people's guns. President Obama, and his administration have no plans to take people's guns or to mark their ammunition with a federal law.

I've owned fire arms for more than 30 years, having been certified as a marksman, pro-marksman, and finally as a sharp shooter by the NRA back in 1978 back at Boy Scout camp - I spent the entire week of camp at the shooting range. I have no fear that the firearms I and my relatives and friends own will be "taken" by the Feds, but then again I have an IQ over 130. I do NOT understand how millions of Americans can be so gullible as to fall for the hysteria that the NRA and right wing-nut websites and AM radio have whipped up.

I was in the Glendale AZ Cabela's 2 weeks ago, and I was astounded to see the rows and rows of shelves nearly empty of every type of ammunition, and the 100 foot long gun counter crowded with citizens desperate to buy a weapon. I overheard 3 different conversations of misinformed men telling their wives, buddies, or son how "Obama wants to laser etch all ammo, we won't be able to afford it!" or "Obama wants to make it illegal to own a gun" or "Washington ain't gonna get my gun!". As I was out-numbered about 400 to 1, I held my tongue.

If anyone has FACTUAL evidence that PROVES the ATF, the Obama Administration, Congress, or anyone else is planning in causing all ammunition to be laser etched, or taking away legally purchased fire arms, or any of the other hyped hysteria about fire arms in America, PLEASE, put a link to a non-partisan, factual website here in the comments section so I can stand corrected.

Big Lizard In My Backyard - Springtime 09

Unaffected by Crisco & Chilli Powder, the striped lizards have returned, to sun themselves on the fence wall early in the morning. Had I let the pest control guys spray last year, all (or most) of these cool fauna would not be visiting / residing in / feasting within the bounty that is my yard this year. I've seen lizards in my front yard as well, amongst the cacti and rocks and milkweed.

Sometimes I wish I could walk up, and cling directly to sheer faced walls as easily as these critters do!

No scorpions observed yet, but there's no shortage of giant mutant crickets (their main food source). Consultations with the Orkin pest control guy who was spraying a neighbor's home 2 doors down last year indicated that he'd seen one scorpion in the neighborhood, the year the subdivision was built (from former farm land), and none thereafter. You get some of the best information from pest control guys - as I did in October 2006, after Katrina hit New Orleans in the abandoned northern quadrant of the city (post coming tomorrow on that).

Ice, Ice, Lately



The ice plants Dr Desert Flower planted last year poolside are going nuts this year. Daily, they open and close with heat & UV stimulus. Very beautiful, subtly fragrant, and pretty cool too.

MS, ND, MT & AK hold outs


46 states, the District of Columbia, and several territories have hit JustJoeP, but Mississippi, North Dakota, Montana, and Alaska have found no reason to visit here. Not sure if that is population density, apathy, random chance, lack of local IP addresses, or a combination of those and other variables.

Hypocrisy Recycled

Hypocrisy for both Democrats and Republicans - Daily Show had this poignant bit of video from 2005 & 2009, on the "Reconciliation" process.

Vocal, Proud Hypocrites Judd Gregg, Nancy Pelosi, are featured here. Advance to the 5 minute mark in the video. The last 20 seconds of the piece is not worth watching

Hitler... too!

Dr Zaius has some excellent graphics, here today. I saw the "Hitler did it too" on MSNBC last night (funny, Fox isn't covering it) and was disgusted.

Baraknophobia - Obey

The Daily Show was gorgeously accurate once again last night. The summary Stewart articulates, contrasting the 8 years of Bush dictatorial practices to the Obama Democracy is beautiful! Quotes include:

"Only now, with 'potato day', has tyranny come to our shores"

"Chief among those speaking crazy to power, Minnesota Republican and free range cougar, Michele Bachmann" : "There is a strong chance that young people will be put into mandatory service, and the real concern is that there are provisions for what I would call re-education camps for young people, where the young people have to go and get trained in a philosophy that the government puts forward."

"See now, you're in the minority. It's supposed to taste like a sh*t taco."

"Why do you hate America? Watch what you say. Love it or leave it. Suck on my truck nuts."

"A tyrant stifles dissent. In a tyranny, all are required to worship at the feet of the flawless dear leader."

"You've got a mid-term election coming in 20 months. Pace your rage. The stress is not good for you. Because we don't want the suppleness of your organs damaged, because Obama's mandatory organ donat...." (oops!) LMAO!




Saturday, April 4, 2009

Spring Loaded Center Punch Packs Potent Point Power

Never use a spring loaded center punch when trying to drill a small hole in a shower door. The shower door handle was loose. The little rubber gasket that went around the edge and separated the extruded magnesium handle from the safety glass acrylic door was all crumpled down, so I drilled 3 tiny 1/16th holes in the magnesium handle, no problem. Then, I tried to drill through the glass, so the screws would be in shear, and the handle would stop coming off in our hands each time we opened the shower door. Even with cutting fluid, the drill bit made no progress.

So I thought, shortsightedly, 'why not use a center punch to make a starter divot, where the 1/16th drill bit could then grab?' The center punch had worked marvelously on the magnesium handle, three times. As the CLICK of the first center punch sounded, the entire door shattered and my right hand went through it. "Safety glass" means just several small blood gushing cuts, and not a large artery opening gash.

A new 69" by 40-1/2" custom shower door costs "only" $479 from Home Depot. Kohler now owns the whole world it seems.

Spring loaded center punches and safety glass don't mix. Now I know, if I am ever trapped in my car and the door won't open (as they refused to do in August of 1986 when I took my dad's 1978 Delta 88 sky borne and sheared two NIPSCO poles, just before it exploded in a spectacular fire ball) , the center punch I keep in the center counsel storage compartment will be handy to shatter the windshield or side windows, if need be.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

GOP Still Doesn't Get It

Somehow, on my work email, I got signed up for Michael Steel's RNC newsletter. I am not sure how or why I got enrolled, but the paranoid emailings and hand wringing comes to my work inbox daily, and I find it quite amusing. At 630am Eastern Time today, Steele sends out This Survey. The questions are so classically slanted, Colbert could be asking them (eg "Bush, Great President, or Greatest President?").

Paranoid:
8. Should we do everything we can to block Democrats who are trying to shut down conservative talk radio with the so-called "fairness doctrine"?
I hate to burst Talk Radio's bubble, but Democrats are not trying to shut them down. Sorry, false boogie man. Next.

Hypocritical:
10. Should Republicans unite in opposition to judicial nominees who bring a personal, left-wing agenda on social issues to their jobs as judges?
No no, they should bring personal, right-wing agendas instead, Scalia, Thomas, Alito....

Misguided & Misleading
2. Should we stop Democrat leaders from cutting funding from our intelligence agencies or bringing back Clinton-era restrictions on inter-agency communications?
LMAO! Yes, that's EXACTLY what Democrats want. No agency should EVER talk to another agency. No one should EVER share any information... wait.. wait.. that was the BUSH Administration!!

Ignorant of current events
3. Do you support the use of air strikes against any country that offers safe harbor or aid to individuals or organizations committed to further attacks on America?
There's been almost 100 air strikes into Pakistan in 2009 alone, most of those while Obama is in office. So what is the RNC trying to mislead their members into believing here?

4. Should Republicans unite in support of full funding for border and port security when Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid try to make cuts in these areas?
LMAO more! Yes RNC, Democrats don't want secure ports. They want to actually kneel down, and orally service jihadists when they enter this country. Give me a f*ckin break!

You're encouraged to fill out the survey yourself. Pretend to be a loyal RNC right wing faithful extremist, or a more centrist middle ground person, or whatever perspective you want to bring to the table. From a Darwinian standpoint, the more fundamentalist ideologues that respond, the sooner the GOP may de-evolve into a local, regional, mostly white party. The centrist view points I tried to express when I filled it out incognito were actually working against that extremist endpoint.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Petfinder

I had no idea such a site existed, until today.
http://www.petfinder.com/
It looks quite useful. 15 years ago, we used to cruise shelters 2 or 3 times a week in Bloomington, looking for a cat to adopt. This is so much better. Modern Technology, ain't it grand?

Lemon Aid

The Daily Show had a GREAT piece on Lemon Aid Monday night. Excellent contrasts were drawn to the 700Billion Paulson handed out, no strings attached. President Obama as a car spokesman. Jokes about the Sebring being what would happen if an Edsel had sex with a Pinto (no disrespect), 3am phone calls, the Canada's Zamborghini, Mexico's Cinquo de Caro (EZ Pass, we don't need no stinkin' EZ pass!), a team up with Jackie Chan graphic, and other hilarity. Useless over-inflated financial tool Neel Kashkari, Paulson's unaccountable cashier, is also skewered.