To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Sunday, October 31, 2004
The Knights who say...
All Hallow's Eve
Just turned the porchlight off... time for all the little ghosties to go home... the boys' Weblos den was over for munchies before they headed out to terrorize the neighborhood. Bought WAY too much candy- ended up handing it out by the fistful, just to get rid of it.
I'll post pics of the boys tomorrow. Tonight, I just want a mug of cider and a long nap.
I'll post pics of the boys tomorrow. Tonight, I just want a mug of cider and a long nap.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Football, Football, Football
Oklahoma won. Texas won. The Bengals lost.
It was a hard game. Honestly, the boys played MUCH better than the score (32-0) showed. They worked their tails off. It just wasn't their game to win. Probably didn't help that we had to wheel the cart out and take our QB off the field, and then call an ambulance. (He's ok- just bad bruising, nothing broken). That shocked them, then angered them, but they're too young to know how to channel that anger productively on the field. They'll learn.
Since one of our coaches didn't come to practice this week, he wasn't on the field with us- he was in the stands. I'm not entirely sure that was a good thing. He was loud and annoying, egging some of our "problem" parents on. "But he started it!" should never be said by a grown man. It just shouldn't.
Well, we THOUGHT the season would be over now. But we were wrong. The league president informed us after the game that he's arranging another game for us. Am I happy about that?
Ask me after my nap.
It was a hard game. Honestly, the boys played MUCH better than the score (32-0) showed. They worked their tails off. It just wasn't their game to win. Probably didn't help that we had to wheel the cart out and take our QB off the field, and then call an ambulance. (He's ok- just bad bruising, nothing broken). That shocked them, then angered them, but they're too young to know how to channel that anger productively on the field. They'll learn.
Since one of our coaches didn't come to practice this week, he wasn't on the field with us- he was in the stands. I'm not entirely sure that was a good thing. He was loud and annoying, egging some of our "problem" parents on. "But he started it!" should never be said by a grown man. It just shouldn't.
Well, we THOUGHT the season would be over now. But we were wrong. The league president informed us after the game that he's arranging another game for us. Am I happy about that?
Ask me after my nap.
Friday, October 29, 2004
God and the Election
Y'all know where I stand on God and politics. I guess Senator Harkin doesn't agree with me. I'm just trying to figure out which translation of the Bible he's reading if he comes up with "God wants Kerry to win." That sure isn't in my translation.
On a slightly different topic under the "God and Politics" umbrella... George Soros has stated that he will go to "some sort of monastery" if Bush is re-elected. As R pointed out- maybe all the libs should go to a monastery no matter who wins. A little time with God is never a bad thing.
On a slightly different topic under the "God and Politics" umbrella... George Soros has stated that he will go to "some sort of monastery" if Bush is re-elected. As R pointed out- maybe all the libs should go to a monastery no matter who wins. A little time with God is never a bad thing.
President Edwards?
Don't panic, but... that's just one of the "nightmare scenarios" concerning next week's elections.
Oh, please! Oh, please! Let this be a landslide!!!
Oh, please! Oh, please! Let this be a landslide!!!
Are Democrats Brain Damaged?
Did I get your attention? I thought so...
Researchers are trying to figure out why people lean one way or the other politically. They did fMRIs on professed Democrats and Republicans while showing them photos of John Kerry, George W. Bush, and Ralph Nader. There were distinct, reproducible responses.
This is kind of cool. Critics say that this is a "corruption of medical research." Whatever. This research has a lot of potential (for good and evil) in the marketplace. Once you figure out how people make decisions, you can alter advertising to best appeal to consumers.
The evil? That would be if someone decides that one political view is in fact brain damage. And they try to fix it.
Nah, I don't really think that would happen. I'm not a conspiracy theorist.
Researchers are trying to figure out why people lean one way or the other politically. They did fMRIs on professed Democrats and Republicans while showing them photos of John Kerry, George W. Bush, and Ralph Nader. There were distinct, reproducible responses.
This is kind of cool. Critics say that this is a "corruption of medical research." Whatever. This research has a lot of potential (for good and evil) in the marketplace. Once you figure out how people make decisions, you can alter advertising to best appeal to consumers.
The evil? That would be if someone decides that one political view is in fact brain damage. And they try to fix it.
Nah, I don't really think that would happen. I'm not a conspiracy theorist.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Interesting fact
I hadn't even thought about this, and I probably fact check this a little better than I did (I could find no reference on the Kerry web site saying that this is wrong, so...)
I was listening to the Shawn Hannity radio show, and there was an active duty soldier who said that Kerry hadn't visited a single military base during the campaign. Tells you a lot about the man, doesn't it, that he's not even trying to reach out to the military?
I was listening to the Shawn Hannity radio show, and there was an active duty soldier who said that Kerry hadn't visited a single military base during the campaign. Tells you a lot about the man, doesn't it, that he's not even trying to reach out to the military?
What the bleep are they thinking???
Drudge has the siren out. Remember that video tape that ABC was sitting on? The one the CIA authenticated yesterday? Well... ABC withheld the last 15 minutes of it... the part that said that the next attack will make us forget about 9/11 and that the attack will be pay-back for electing Bush and Cheney.
Their argument?
My question? Why do we even HAVE MSM anymore?
Their argument?
One ABC source, who demanded anonymity, said Thursday morning, the network was struggling to find a correct journalistic "balance" before airing any story on the video.
"This is not something you just throw out there while people are voting," the ABC source explained.
My question? Why do we even HAVE MSM anymore?
Missing (Parts) In Action (Some Assembly Required)
Blackfive has a post about this story about a group of amputee soldiers who participated in the Army Ten-Miler. Grab some tissues, click the link, and read as your heart fills with pride and your eyes well with tears of joy. Here's the photo from the news article:
These men exemplify why we will win the WoT. Their strength and courage are an inspiration to everyone.
These men exemplify why we will win the WoT. Their strength and courage are an inspiration to everyone.
Our Friends, the British Press
At This is London, we have this article about Piers Morgan, former Daily Mirror editor, who commented on air (accidently) about a pending terrorist attack on the US. Go read the whole thing. Not sure if he's just a hack or if he knows something we should know.
One "interesting" point- he's being replaced by "Sir Cliff Richard." This Cliff Richard? Americans probably will only know him because of his "Suddenly" duet with Olivia Newton John for the Xanadu soundtrack. You do remember Xanadu, don't you? (yeah, I realize this has NOTHING to do with a possible terrorist attack or what the media knew when, but... seeing his name just brought back some memories... I'll admit it... I loved that movie... for a day or two at least.I was 10. Give me a break.)
One "interesting" point- he's being replaced by "Sir Cliff Richard." This Cliff Richard? Americans probably will only know him because of his "Suddenly" duet with Olivia Newton John for the Xanadu soundtrack. You do remember Xanadu, don't you? (yeah, I realize this has NOTHING to do with a possible terrorist attack or what the media knew when, but... seeing his name just brought back some memories... I'll admit it... I loved that movie... for a day or two at least.I was 10. Give me a break.)
More on the Video Tape
Drudge is reporting that the CIA has authenticated the terrorist warning videotape that ABC has been sitting on. ABC is now considering the political ramifications. Whatever....
The Word of the Day: Reckless
Paul at Wizbang has a great idea... let's get our acts together... literally...
John Kerry has shown a reckless apathy toward proven fact, choosing instead to forge recklessly ahead with his attacks on the President with nothing more than rumor and inuendo.
I'm sure I'll come up with some more as the day goes on.
John Kerry has shown a reckless apathy toward proven fact, choosing instead to forge recklessly ahead with his attacks on the President with nothing more than rumor and inuendo.
I'm sure I'll come up with some more as the day goes on.
Riding the coattails
Some of President Bush's cousins are endorsing Senator Kerry. Hmmm... a wannabe actor and some of his relatives wanting to cash in on their cousin's notoriety. As citizens, they are entitled to their political opinions, and free speech is alive and well in the US. Looking over the site, it seems like they have geniune differences in political viewpoints from their distant cousin. (and some of these guys are distant cousins- it would be more powerful if they were first cousins... or maybe even if they had met him. Once. At a family reunion. Just a thought). This just really seems like an easy way to get some press.
Reagan must be rolling in his grave
Sandra Day O'Connor is praising international law and says that it's important for judges to look to that in order to do their job properly. She says we need to understand foreign law and procedures.
Uh, no... just, NO. We have laws to govern our country. We are a sovereign nation, answering to no one. That's why we have a Declaration of Independence.
Isn't she ready to retire or something?
Uh, no... just, NO. We have laws to govern our country. We are a sovereign nation, answering to no one. That's why we have a Declaration of Independence.
Isn't she ready to retire or something?
Churches and the Election
According to IRS regs, churches that are tax-exempt cannot endorse or advocate against any political candidate. OK, got that out of the way. Now we know the IRS regs.
First, we have a traveling minister who actually asked for clarification on the rules. He wanted, during a prayer service, to pray for the President's reelection. The IRS said, "uh... NO!" Makes sense to me. You can pray for his reelection all you want on your own- just can't do it from the pulpit. Not a problem. I think the better prayer in that service would be that God's will be done in the election.
On the "other side," we have two pastors who have evidently endorsed Kedwards from the pulpit, no matter how veiled one of them might have been. ("I can't tell you who to vote for, but I can tell you what my mama told me last week: 'Stay out of the bushes,'"... indeed.) There has been a complaint filed. I think it's reprehensible that this pastor obviously knew the law, and tried to get away with that.
What amazes me is that the Left doesn't seem to have a problem exploiting the Church to show off their candidates. People look up to their pastors, and, in many cases, people will believe them when they say "this is God's candidate." I can't say that the pastors who endorse Kerry are liars- I wouldn't do that. But I do think it's a poor witness to the cynical to walk in that grey area of law so publicly.
IMO, candidates should be in church to worship, not to campaign. I'm sorry, but Kerry ( or Edwards, or Kerry's daughter, or Kennedy, for that matter) wouldn't have set foot in any of those churches if it hadn't been for the election. Which is fine- they have their own churches that they worship in. If they're going to visit churches, they should sit in the back, worship, then leave. Maybe shake a few hands. If asked to speak, they should either say "thank you, but, no" or, if they get up to the pulpit, the honorable, ethical thing would be for him to say "please pray for our country, that God's will be done in the election, and keep our troops in your prayers. Thank you and God bless."
Reason # 3743685 that I could never run for public office.
First, we have a traveling minister who actually asked for clarification on the rules. He wanted, during a prayer service, to pray for the President's reelection. The IRS said, "uh... NO!" Makes sense to me. You can pray for his reelection all you want on your own- just can't do it from the pulpit. Not a problem. I think the better prayer in that service would be that God's will be done in the election.
On the "other side," we have two pastors who have evidently endorsed Kedwards from the pulpit, no matter how veiled one of them might have been. ("I can't tell you who to vote for, but I can tell you what my mama told me last week: 'Stay out of the bushes,'"... indeed.) There has been a complaint filed. I think it's reprehensible that this pastor obviously knew the law, and tried to get away with that.
What amazes me is that the Left doesn't seem to have a problem exploiting the Church to show off their candidates. People look up to their pastors, and, in many cases, people will believe them when they say "this is God's candidate." I can't say that the pastors who endorse Kerry are liars- I wouldn't do that. But I do think it's a poor witness to the cynical to walk in that grey area of law so publicly.
IMO, candidates should be in church to worship, not to campaign. I'm sorry, but Kerry ( or Edwards, or Kerry's daughter, or Kennedy, for that matter) wouldn't have set foot in any of those churches if it hadn't been for the election. Which is fine- they have their own churches that they worship in. If they're going to visit churches, they should sit in the back, worship, then leave. Maybe shake a few hands. If asked to speak, they should either say "thank you, but, no" or, if they get up to the pulpit, the honorable, ethical thing would be for him to say "please pray for our country, that God's will be done in the election, and keep our troops in your prayers. Thank you and God bless."
Reason # 3743685 that I could never run for public office.
Opportunists
Now there's a video tape supposedly from some of the insurgents in Iraq. Basically, it says,"hey! We have your missing explosives! And we know how to use them!"
Yeah, yeah... You found a bunch of coalition soldiers willing to sell out our side to help you. You got into the facililty and stole them right under our noses. You're so sneaky.
Sorry, guys... US INTEL has satellite photos of Russian convoys hauling the stuff to Syria (I'll post a link as soon as I find it- I remember seeing it yesterday). So... unless some of it fell out as they hauled @$$ across the desert, I don't think your stash is part of this stash. (Just a thought... ya think maybe this means that we knew where it was all the time, but we couldn't really do anything about it without attacking Russia AND Syria and we're just not ready for that?... yet...)
UPDATE: Here's the link for the news story about Russians being involved in this whole fiasco. I'm still looking for the photo link.
Yeah, yeah... You found a bunch of coalition soldiers willing to sell out our side to help you. You got into the facililty and stole them right under our noses. You're so sneaky.
Sorry, guys... US INTEL has satellite photos of Russian convoys hauling the stuff to Syria (I'll post a link as soon as I find it- I remember seeing it yesterday). So... unless some of it fell out as they hauled @$$ across the desert, I don't think your stash is part of this stash. (Just a thought... ya think maybe this means that we knew where it was all the time, but we couldn't really do anything about it without attacking Russia AND Syria and we're just not ready for that?... yet...)
UPDATE: Here's the link for the news story about Russians being involved in this whole fiasco. I'm still looking for the photo link.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
This is just... weird
World Net Daily has this headline: "Kerry tied to '666'?" You really need to look at the picture. It is kind of freaky. But mostly, it's just odd.
mumble... congrats...mumble
The Big Boom, revisited
Remember those missing explosives? The ones Kerry keeps harping on? And remember those allies Kerry wants to get involved with the war in Iraq?
Well... some of those allies probably moved those explosives for Saddam. With friends like those...
UPDATE: Just saw on Fox and Friends that Fox and ABC have received classified IAEA documents saying that as of January, 2003, there were only 3 tons of high explosives at that facility. Hmmmm... there's an IAEA classified document that says there were only 3 tons of high explosives there, and the memo made public says there were over 300 tons. Now WHY would they release a completely different number to the public a couple of weeks before the presidential election?
Well... some of those allies probably moved those explosives for Saddam. With friends like those...
UPDATE: Just saw on Fox and Friends that Fox and ABC have received classified IAEA documents saying that as of January, 2003, there were only 3 tons of high explosives at that facility. Hmmmm... there's an IAEA classified document that says there were only 3 tons of high explosives there, and the memo made public says there were over 300 tons. Now WHY would they release a completely different number to the public a couple of weeks before the presidential election?
Desperation
"Texans for Truth" (a 527 anti-Bush group) has a video from the early 90s of W flipping the bird. (Drudge for some reason felt the need to link to it).
My question- who the &#$^ cares???
My question- who the &#$^ cares???
Bush's October Surprise?
(got this from B4B, who got it from Capt.'s Quarters) Looks like OBL has been spotted in the Tibet-Laddakh region of India (Don't know where that is? It's amazing what we learn from current events... I mean, how many of us had ever heard of Kabul or Fallujah 4 years ago?FYI- it's the area near the Pakistani border near China.)
Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch of the imagination, but... Just imagine the total meltdown that would happen at DU if OBL just happened to fall into FBI/CIA/whoever's-on-our-side's hands this weekend... Personally, I'd see it as Divine Intervention, but that's just me.
Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch of the imagination, but... Just imagine the total meltdown that would happen at DU if OBL just happened to fall into FBI/CIA/whoever's-on-our-side's hands this weekend... Personally, I'd see it as Divine Intervention, but that's just me.
48 Hour Rule In Effect, but...
... I think this might be interesting... Drudge is reporting that ABC was holding onto a terror warning tape they got from someone in Pakistan. He's also reporting that the CIA is analyzing it. But MSNBC is saying that the CIA can't authenticate it and it's a low priority. (Evidently NBC is doing a fine job of fact checking other news organizations. Fine by me.)
So, why the 48 hour rule? Well... since the CIA might not be able to authenticate it, it might be real (and al-Q or one of their thug groups is planning something huge) or it might be an elaborate hoax (and Assam the American is a wannabe). Or, it might be authentic, but there's no way for the CIA to confirm the veracity of the threat. Yeah, we all want it to be a fake- we don't want any more attacks by those freaks. But... they do want to destroy us.
I don't know. I really don't.
So, why the 48 hour rule? Well... since the CIA might not be able to authenticate it, it might be real (and al-Q or one of their thug groups is planning something huge) or it might be an elaborate hoax (and Assam the American is a wannabe). Or, it might be authentic, but there's no way for the CIA to confirm the veracity of the threat. Yeah, we all want it to be a fake- we don't want any more attacks by those freaks. But... they do want to destroy us.
I don't know. I really don't.
Good Friends
Last night, we had small group. (FYI, a small group is a group that gets together regularly for Bible study, and, in our case, football, food, and fun.) They surprised me with a birthday cake and presents since we may not see each other again until after my birthday. We had ice cream cake and a yummy beverage (peach puree and champagne). I got some flowers (very pretty), some jewelry (a nice earrings and necklace set, and some really cool earrings - one says "what" and the other says "ever!"- R said as soon as she saw them she thought "I know who those beling to!") Then we had our study.
It was a very nice evening. I have pretty good friends.
It was a very nice evening. I have pretty good friends.
In the News...
It's been a while (ok, not very long, but still), so here are a few things I found interesting in the news. None of them are inspiring enough for their own post, but...
* A Kerry aide says that the NBC report doesn't contradict the NY Times article about the "missing" explosives in Iraq. Technically, the aide is right- the Times article never said when the 380 tons of explosives went missing. The NBC reporter imbedded with the 101st Airborne did not see any UN seals when he toured the area in April of 2003- which means the seals had already been broken and the loot was already gone. But the Kerry campaign won't believe the reports of an eye witness- they'll rely on NYT stories. (In another note, See-B.S. was planning on running the story on Nov. 1st- the day before the election. Nope, no bias, there.)
* A woman in Clearwater, FL, was caught stealing Bush/Cheney signs from her neighbor's yard. She claimed she was trying to save her neighbor from being levied a $50-a-day fine. Yeah, right. If you cared, you would have just mentioned it to him. You're so busted.
* Arafat might have cancer, but his spokesgoon says it's a gallstone. He has had gallstone problems before. Having had gallstones, I can tell you that they HURT, and that there's a simple cure- you remove the gall bladder. Any doctor worth his salt would have just taken it out the last time he had trouble. (Hubby had his removed, and he didn't even have stones- he just had "gall sludge.") It has to be more than just a couple of 1 centimeter gall stones.
* A Missouri judge has denied a mentally ill man the right to vote in this election, but has agreed to hear arguments after the election. In a nutshell, the man has schizoaffective disorder and has a court-appointed guardian. My feeling is this- if the courts have determined that he can't make legal decisions for himself and must have a guardian, then he should not be able to vote. Isn't a ballot a legal form? I mean, you can't vote until you've reached the age of majority in the same way you can't sign a contract until that time. Just my $.02.
* A NASA scientist says that the Bush administration is ignoring global warming issues. And he claims to be "moderately conservative." What is that? How can the Bush administration ignore global warming? It's not like the environmentalists are hushing it up or anything. We can't make a move without hearing how we're all gonna burn up and destroy the world if we're not careful. I think this guy is upset because the President likes to hear all sides, and he's already heard plenty from his side.
* The governor of Ohio has concerns about voter fraud. Evidently there are more people registered to vote in 4 counties than there are people who are eligible to vote in those counties. And there was a 527 voter registration push there. Go figure!
* Someone rewrote the lyrics to "Monster Mash" and made a flash animation of it, criticizing the Bush administration's logging policies. "Monster Slash" is a total Bush Bash, but it's funny. They did a good job, even if they are wrong.
* Thai lawmakers, who are notorious for their outbursts and brawls, were at it again. This time it was a food fight. Nice to know that a bunch of mature, responsible adults can behave themselves. Geez- my kids are better behaved than that, and they're 11 year old boys.
* In a display of subtle bias, (AP) reports that if the Electoral College can't reach a clear decision about the election, Bush will stay in office because the House will vote. This is a good explanation of this little used part of election code. The part that bothers me is that there is a West Virginia elector that is threatening not to vote for Bush. Why is this person an elector if they aren't loyal?
* In Evergreen Park, IL, police tasered a pregnant woman, and the fetus is weak and may not make it. If they are found to have used excessive force, will they be charged with manslaughter if the baby dies? Oh, wait... this is IL.... never mind...
* Tonight is a total lunar eclipse (8:15 CST). If it's a clear sky, go take a look. Cool stuff.
* A Kerry aide says that the NBC report doesn't contradict the NY Times article about the "missing" explosives in Iraq. Technically, the aide is right- the Times article never said when the 380 tons of explosives went missing. The NBC reporter imbedded with the 101st Airborne did not see any UN seals when he toured the area in April of 2003- which means the seals had already been broken and the loot was already gone. But the Kerry campaign won't believe the reports of an eye witness- they'll rely on NYT stories. (In another note, See-B.S. was planning on running the story on Nov. 1st- the day before the election. Nope, no bias, there.)
* A woman in Clearwater, FL, was caught stealing Bush/Cheney signs from her neighbor's yard. She claimed she was trying to save her neighbor from being levied a $50-a-day fine. Yeah, right. If you cared, you would have just mentioned it to him. You're so busted.
* Arafat might have cancer, but his spokesgoon says it's a gallstone. He has had gallstone problems before. Having had gallstones, I can tell you that they HURT, and that there's a simple cure- you remove the gall bladder. Any doctor worth his salt would have just taken it out the last time he had trouble. (Hubby had his removed, and he didn't even have stones- he just had "gall sludge.") It has to be more than just a couple of 1 centimeter gall stones.
* A Missouri judge has denied a mentally ill man the right to vote in this election, but has agreed to hear arguments after the election. In a nutshell, the man has schizoaffective disorder and has a court-appointed guardian. My feeling is this- if the courts have determined that he can't make legal decisions for himself and must have a guardian, then he should not be able to vote. Isn't a ballot a legal form? I mean, you can't vote until you've reached the age of majority in the same way you can't sign a contract until that time. Just my $.02.
* A NASA scientist says that the Bush administration is ignoring global warming issues. And he claims to be "moderately conservative." What is that? How can the Bush administration ignore global warming? It's not like the environmentalists are hushing it up or anything. We can't make a move without hearing how we're all gonna burn up and destroy the world if we're not careful. I think this guy is upset because the President likes to hear all sides, and he's already heard plenty from his side.
* The governor of Ohio has concerns about voter fraud. Evidently there are more people registered to vote in 4 counties than there are people who are eligible to vote in those counties. And there was a 527 voter registration push there. Go figure!
* Someone rewrote the lyrics to "Monster Mash" and made a flash animation of it, criticizing the Bush administration's logging policies. "Monster Slash" is a total Bush Bash, but it's funny. They did a good job, even if they are wrong.
* Thai lawmakers, who are notorious for their outbursts and brawls, were at it again. This time it was a food fight. Nice to know that a bunch of mature, responsible adults can behave themselves. Geez- my kids are better behaved than that, and they're 11 year old boys.
* In a display of subtle bias, (AP) reports that if the Electoral College can't reach a clear decision about the election, Bush will stay in office because the House will vote. This is a good explanation of this little used part of election code. The part that bothers me is that there is a West Virginia elector that is threatening not to vote for Bush. Why is this person an elector if they aren't loyal?
* In Evergreen Park, IL, police tasered a pregnant woman, and the fetus is weak and may not make it. If they are found to have used excessive force, will they be charged with manslaughter if the baby dies? Oh, wait... this is IL.... never mind...
* Tonight is a total lunar eclipse (8:15 CST). If it's a clear sky, go take a look. Cool stuff.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Time to get moving...
For my birthday (which isn't until next week- plenty of time for last minute shopping!), Hubby got me a membership to Curves. Now, before you go thinking that Hubby's just being a cad and trying to give me a non-too-subtle hint about my expanding waist-line, I asked for the membership. I need to get into shape (and that shape would be less lumpy); I need to lose weight (no, I'm not going to tell you how much); and I just need to get healthy.
Over the past year, I've had a couple of weird medical scares (blood sugar screen was off, but ended up being an aberation; back issues that will only get worse if I don't take care of it- permanently better's not really an option without Divine Intervention), and I'm getting ready to turn 35. That seems as good a place as any to make a "new start."
R's been a member of the Curves by her house for a while now, and she loves it. So, theoretically, once I get past the overly happy people and the music, I'll love it, too. (Confession time- I am SO very not a morning person, but right after the boys head out the door to school seems like the best time to work out. So, pity the poor women who will have to deal with Ms. Grumpy Butt on a regular basis.) I joined today, and I did my first workout. Watching the women as I was filling out paperwork, it didn't look hard. OK, it's not "hard" in the difficult to do sense, but it definitely a real workout. I maintained target heart rate the entire 30 minutes. That's not a bad thing.
So, here's where you come in. R and Hubby (and anyone else who knows me, for that matter) can tell you that I do not respond well to nagging or pressure. I will do the exact opposite if that's the case. But, if someone were to be just a little encouraging... a little curious about my progress... that might be the little push I need to keep going. It's either that or R will start showing up at my door and dragging me there, and that just wouldn't be pretty.
OK... time to read the member's guide... they have their own diet plan... I really need to figure this out... more later...
Over the past year, I've had a couple of weird medical scares (blood sugar screen was off, but ended up being an aberation; back issues that will only get worse if I don't take care of it- permanently better's not really an option without Divine Intervention), and I'm getting ready to turn 35. That seems as good a place as any to make a "new start."
R's been a member of the Curves by her house for a while now, and she loves it. So, theoretically, once I get past the overly happy people and the music, I'll love it, too. (Confession time- I am SO very not a morning person, but right after the boys head out the door to school seems like the best time to work out. So, pity the poor women who will have to deal with Ms. Grumpy Butt on a regular basis.) I joined today, and I did my first workout. Watching the women as I was filling out paperwork, it didn't look hard. OK, it's not "hard" in the difficult to do sense, but it definitely a real workout. I maintained target heart rate the entire 30 minutes. That's not a bad thing.
So, here's where you come in. R and Hubby (and anyone else who knows me, for that matter) can tell you that I do not respond well to nagging or pressure. I will do the exact opposite if that's the case. But, if someone were to be just a little encouraging... a little curious about my progress... that might be the little push I need to keep going. It's either that or R will start showing up at my door and dragging me there, and that just wouldn't be pretty.
OK... time to read the member's guide... they have their own diet plan... I really need to figure this out... more later...
Pizza!!!
In the "gutter" on the right side of this page, you will see links to sites where you can purchase pizzas for the US military and the IDF. Emperor Misha I began something called "Pop a Pali for a Pizza" - a very, um... unique way of honoring the IDF's courage and bravery in fighting terrorism in the own backyard. The idea is that every time the IDF sends a militant Palistinian to his maker, someone should contribute to the fund and reward the IDF for their hard work.
So.. why am I bringing this up? Well... a US airstrike in Fallujah took out one of al-Zarqawi's aides. And there is much rejoicing. I'm hoping someone will pony up the funds for a pizza for our guys and gals working their tails off in Iraq.
Just a thought... carry on...
So.. why am I bringing this up? Well... a US airstrike in Fallujah took out one of al-Zarqawi's aides. And there is much rejoicing. I'm hoping someone will pony up the funds for a pizza for our guys and gals working their tails off in Iraq.
Just a thought... carry on...
And We Thought Barney Was Bad
There's this cute children's show on Palestinian TV. It's called "Children's Club" and it's complete with songs and puppets and all the cute PBS Kids stuff that make learning fun for the little ankle biters.
The problem? Well, the little chick puppet is advocating massacre with AK-47s. Children on the show sing songs of jihad and the desire to be suicide bombers. Martyrdom is glorified.
Why can't we all just get along? Because while are kids are learning their ABCs and 123s from Bert and Ernie, Israeli kids are learning to be wary of riding on buses, and Pali kids are learning Bomb Making 101 from a puppet.
The problem? Well, the little chick puppet is advocating massacre with AK-47s. Children on the show sing songs of jihad and the desire to be suicide bombers. Martyrdom is glorified.
Why can't we all just get along? Because while are kids are learning their ABCs and 123s from Bert and Ernie, Israeli kids are learning to be wary of riding on buses, and Pali kids are learning Bomb Making 101 from a puppet.
No one believed me
... when I said that environmentalist whackos would blame President Bush for the hurricanes in Florida. They said I was just being silly.
Well, HAH! I was right.
Well, HAH! I was right.
The billboards, going up along Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando -- a week before the presidential election -- read, "Global warming equals worse hurricanes. George Bush just doesn't get it." The billboards show a photo of a hurricane swirling toward Florida.Read the whole article. I told you they figure out a way to blame him. This would be funny, if they weren't actually serious about it. Now, it's just sad.
Ew
just.... EEEEWWWWWW. 
(yeah, I know that what it looks like is about to happen didn't happen, but... I mean... ew.)
(yeah, I know that what it looks like is about to happen didn't happen, but... I mean... ew.)
Kerry and Madame Binh, Sitting in a Tree...
... planning Viet Nam Vets Against the War activities. (ok, I need to work on the rhythm.)
This election cycle's October Surprise MIGHT (48 Hour Rule in effect) brought to you by World Net Daily. (hattip to BC at the Rott, who got it from Russ who saw it on Wizbang. Got that? Good.)
The short version? There is (according to Jerome Corsi, who co-wrote Unfit for Command) 100% authenticated documentation that Vietnamese communists were manipulating and directing the anti-war group that Senator Kerry was involved with after his return from the war. (Go, read the article... I'll wait.)
Finished? OK... IF this is true... it could be big. It could break the election wide open.
Or, it will be shoved under the rug like everything else Kerry has done. (I mean, he probably received an other-than-honorable discharge, he committed treason by meeting with the enemy during wartime without permission, and he was a part of an organization that had to vote to decide if they should sanction the assassination of US government officials- and that's just the stuff that happened before he became an elected official.) Has the Main Scream Media touched on any of this? Nope. (OK- almost in their defense- his military record is almost untouchable as long as he refuses to sign Form 180, but... they should have been hammering on him to be more transparent. But that's asking too much, I guess.) IF (big IF) the MSM picks this up, it will be only to discredit it. It's what they do. (If this had been dirt on the President, they'd be all over it. Oh, well...)
It will be interesting to see where this goes, though... Very interesting, indeed.
This election cycle's October Surprise MIGHT (48 Hour Rule in effect) brought to you by World Net Daily. (hattip to BC at the Rott, who got it from Russ who saw it on Wizbang. Got that? Good.)
The short version? There is (according to Jerome Corsi, who co-wrote Unfit for Command) 100% authenticated documentation that Vietnamese communists were manipulating and directing the anti-war group that Senator Kerry was involved with after his return from the war. (Go, read the article... I'll wait.)
Finished? OK... IF this is true... it could be big. It could break the election wide open.
Or, it will be shoved under the rug like everything else Kerry has done. (I mean, he probably received an other-than-honorable discharge, he committed treason by meeting with the enemy during wartime without permission, and he was a part of an organization that had to vote to decide if they should sanction the assassination of US government officials- and that's just the stuff that happened before he became an elected official.) Has the Main Scream Media touched on any of this? Nope. (OK- almost in their defense- his military record is almost untouchable as long as he refuses to sign Form 180, but... they should have been hammering on him to be more transparent. But that's asking too much, I guess.) IF (big IF) the MSM picks this up, it will be only to discredit it. It's what they do. (If this had been dirt on the President, they'd be all over it. Oh, well...)
It will be interesting to see where this goes, though... Very interesting, indeed.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Why Does This Bug Me?
Wizbang had a link to ESPN's "10 Burning Questions with John Kerry." I'll let the goofiness of some of his answers stand on their own. That's not what's getting to me.
I searched the ESPN site, and then googled it, and I can't find a "10 Burning Questions with George W. Bush." I looked, I really did. It's not there. They never did one. Why not? I mean, I know FoxNews has the corner on the "fair and balanced" concept, but, still... can't they at least pretend to be objective?
I searched the ESPN site, and then googled it, and I can't find a "10 Burning Questions with George W. Bush." I looked, I really did. It's not there. They never did one. Why not? I mean, I know FoxNews has the corner on the "fair and balanced" concept, but, still... can't they at least pretend to be objective?
Where's the Big Boom?
The New York Times reported this morning on a HUGE stash of munitions which are now missing in Iraq- which Senator Kerry spun as an example of President Bush's incompetence. The only problem with this whole scenario? Well... they went missing over 18 months ago- BEFORE US troops invaded.
Will Senator Kerry make a retraction? Didn't think so...
Will Senator Kerry make a retraction? Didn't think so...
WIth Friends Like These...
... who need enemies? (Calm down, Alex. I'm not talking about you!)
The Guardian, London's quite-liberal newspaper- the same newspaper that encouraged its readers to send letters to voters in Ohio- published an op-ed piece in which the author called for the assassination of President Bush. Here's the quote:
I've come to realize that doing the right thing is the same on a personal level and on a national, even international, level. I am compelled by my morals and my beliefs and my conscience to do the right thing, no matter what. While I care about what others think of me, I try not to let it alter my actions. The United States must do the same way- we, as a nation, must do the right thing, fight the righteous fight, no matter what the world thinks. If they approve, that's fine. But we must be willing to go it alone, if that's what needs to be done.
Yeah, I'm upset that this guy is calling (jokingly or not) for the murder of our President. And, I think their apology was a little on the weak side. But it's not like there aren't people in our country who would say the same thing. That is pretty sad, isn't it?
The Guardian, London's quite-liberal newspaper- the same newspaper that encouraged its readers to send letters to voters in Ohio- published an op-ed piece in which the author called for the assassination of President Bush. Here's the quote:
On November 2, the entire civilised world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod's law dictates he'll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr- where are you now that we need you?The entire civilsed world, Mr. Brooker? Have you asked the Afghani people, who just had their first democratic elections? What about the majority of the Iraqi people, who, although they live in turmoil right now, no longer live in fear of tyranny?
I've come to realize that doing the right thing is the same on a personal level and on a national, even international, level. I am compelled by my morals and my beliefs and my conscience to do the right thing, no matter what. While I care about what others think of me, I try not to let it alter my actions. The United States must do the same way- we, as a nation, must do the right thing, fight the righteous fight, no matter what the world thinks. If they approve, that's fine. But we must be willing to go it alone, if that's what needs to be done.
Yeah, I'm upset that this guy is calling (jokingly or not) for the murder of our President. And, I think their apology was a little on the weak side. But it's not like there aren't people in our country who would say the same thing. That is pretty sad, isn't it?
Where's that muzzle?
Elizabeth Edwards, wife of VP candidate John Edwards, says there won't be any riots after the elections... as long as they win...
Unfortunately, she has a point. Why do I say that? Honestly, well... Republicans are more civil than Democrats. Before anyone starts harping on me, think about it. What has been happening lately? Voters intimidated while in line for early voting- it was the Dems doing the intimidation. Campaign offices broken into? It was GOP offices. When protesters get violent, it is with rare exception liberal protesters who lose their cool. It's not that I'm trying to say bad things about them. It's just the way it is.
So, yes, if Bush wins, there might be riots. That doesn't mean that she was responsible in her actions by saying that. She SHOULD have condemned all acts of violence and promoted the ideals of the election process. She SHOULD have said that the Kerry/Edwards campaign would respect the will of the people. But I guess that was just asking too much.
UPDATE: (via IMAO) Evidently Mrs. Edwards spends a lot of time at DU. Why does that not surprise me?
Unfortunately, she has a point. Why do I say that? Honestly, well... Republicans are more civil than Democrats. Before anyone starts harping on me, think about it. What has been happening lately? Voters intimidated while in line for early voting- it was the Dems doing the intimidation. Campaign offices broken into? It was GOP offices. When protesters get violent, it is with rare exception liberal protesters who lose their cool. It's not that I'm trying to say bad things about them. It's just the way it is.
So, yes, if Bush wins, there might be riots. That doesn't mean that she was responsible in her actions by saying that. She SHOULD have condemned all acts of violence and promoted the ideals of the election process. She SHOULD have said that the Kerry/Edwards campaign would respect the will of the people. But I guess that was just asking too much.
UPDATE: (via IMAO) Evidently Mrs. Edwards spends a lot of time at DU. Why does that not surprise me?
The Perfect Christmas Gift
... for the average pre-teen boy. Here's the scoop:
Burping, farting robot is Britain's top toyA robot which farts and burps has been named Britain's best toy of 2004.
Robosapien, designed by former Nasa scientist Mark Tilden, was chosen over 130 other toys.
Mr Tilden drew on his experience as a robotics physicist to design a robot for the mass market, reports the Independent.
The £79.99 robot, which also wolf whistles and grunts like a caveman, is expected to be a big hit at Christmas.
Children from 12 families from across the country spent three months testing the robot along with board games, puzzles and electronic toys.
They gave judges in the Hamley's-sponsored competition a shortlist and the judges then selected Robosapien to win the Toy for Tomorrow category and the overall prize.
In case anyone is wondering, NO, I'm not getting one of these for the boys. No. Not gonna happen. Yes, I'm mean. Get over it.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
The "Big Story"
Redstate, Wizbang, and just about everyone else is posting on the Washington Times story that was just released.
In a nutshell, Kerry claimed to meet with the UN Security Council. The Washington Times asked members of the Security Council- they deny it.
Is this a big story? Maybe, in that it shows just how much he'll lie to get into office. Will it make a difference? I really doubt it. It's a lot of preaching to the choir (we know what a weasel he is), and those not in our choir are singing a different tune, anyway. They won't listen.
Oh, well... now we need to watch the spin and see what the approval numbers do. That may be the important part of this.
In a nutshell, Kerry claimed to meet with the UN Security Council. The Washington Times asked members of the Security Council- they deny it.
Is this a big story? Maybe, in that it shows just how much he'll lie to get into office. Will it make a difference? I really doubt it. It's a lot of preaching to the choir (we know what a weasel he is), and those not in our choir are singing a different tune, anyway. They won't listen.
Oh, well... now we need to watch the spin and see what the approval numbers do. That may be the important part of this.
Sunday musings...
Haven't had much time to surf today, so... not much political to toss your way... Oh, well, it's Sunday.
It was my week to volunteer at church, which meant I was there for all three services today. Which is a lot of fun. I know I've mentioned how cool our church is, but... here's an example. The band played INXS's "Devil Inside" just before the message, which was a discussion of the reality of evil. I thought it was a great intro- it was a good juxtaposition the sanitized view of evil that modern society shows us and the biblical reality that is evil. And the pastor did a great job with the sermon, too.
When I got home (around 2:30pm), it was decided that emergency surgery on my laptop would be ticky at best, fatal at worst. (I had been given some advice on how to possibly fix a problem, but evidently it's easier on some laptops than on others). So, we made the treck, and I'm writing this from my brand new Gateway laptop. It's going to take a while to get used to it. The plan is to get everything transfered over to this, then wipe the hard drive on the HP, and sell it on E-Bay (with a disclaimer that there's something wrong with it, and we don't know for sure what). That will help offset the cost for this beast.
Came home, Hubby got the new laptop all configured just the way I needed it (need to check to see if he got the printer connection in there, too). Then I started moving in. WooHoo!!!
I just finished watching the Cards lose (again). Grrr... c'mon guys!
Do I stay up and find out what the "big breaking story" is on the WaTimes? Nah... I'll wait 'til morning.
It was my week to volunteer at church, which meant I was there for all three services today. Which is a lot of fun. I know I've mentioned how cool our church is, but... here's an example. The band played INXS's "Devil Inside" just before the message, which was a discussion of the reality of evil. I thought it was a great intro- it was a good juxtaposition the sanitized view of evil that modern society shows us and the biblical reality that is evil. And the pastor did a great job with the sermon, too.
When I got home (around 2:30pm), it was decided that emergency surgery on my laptop would be ticky at best, fatal at worst. (I had been given some advice on how to possibly fix a problem, but evidently it's easier on some laptops than on others). So, we made the treck, and I'm writing this from my brand new Gateway laptop. It's going to take a while to get used to it. The plan is to get everything transfered over to this, then wipe the hard drive on the HP, and sell it on E-Bay (with a disclaimer that there's something wrong with it, and we don't know for sure what). That will help offset the cost for this beast.
Came home, Hubby got the new laptop all configured just the way I needed it (need to check to see if he got the printer connection in there, too). Then I started moving in. WooHoo!!!
I just finished watching the Cards lose (again). Grrr... c'mon guys!
Do I stay up and find out what the "big breaking story" is on the WaTimes? Nah... I'll wait 'til morning.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
And There Was Much Rejoicing...
Today, the boys' football team won 6-0 in the first round of playoffs. I didn't get to see the game, but I've heard great things about it.
Next week they'll play in Taylor. Against the team that beat them last week. This should be interesting...
Next week they'll play in Taylor. Against the team that beat them last week. This should be interesting...
Patience? What's that?
Redstate has a little teaser on its site today. In a nutshell, they've found out about a story that will break on Monday morning that the Kerry campaign will have to respond to. Yikes! Anyone who knows me knows I HATE that- telling me that you have a secret that I can't know yet. "It's a surprise!" I HATE surprises.
C'mon, krempasky!! This is gonna drive me nuts until Monday! (ok, maybe not, but still...)
UPDATE: Powerline is reporting that it's foreign policy related. This could be interesting...
C'mon, krempasky!! This is gonna drive me nuts until Monday! (ok, maybe not, but still...)
UPDATE: Powerline is reporting that it's foreign policy related. This could be interesting...
Truth in Labeling
When a bottle says medium reddish brown the color should actually be medium reddish brown. Not light, not dark, but a nice, happy medium. Just sayin', s'all....
UPDATE: It's come to my attention that this could be a reference to the beer fermenting in the pantry. Alas, no... not the beer. IT'S the right color. My hair, on the other hand...
UPDATE 2: I'm fairly convinced this color does not occur in nature. But at least it's not pink.
UPDATE: It's come to my attention that this could be a reference to the beer fermenting in the pantry. Alas, no... not the beer. IT'S the right color. My hair, on the other hand...
UPDATE 2: I'm fairly convinced this color does not occur in nature. But at least it's not pink.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Go! Now! Pass it on!
(found via the Rott) The documentary Stolen Honor is available to watch free online. Go! Watch it! Pass it on to everyone! Make sure everyone sees what a vile traitor Kerry really was.
Ah, yes, I remember it well...
Tonight some of the parents (the ones who get along) were sitting around talking during football practice. Sometimes we talk about football... sometimes... not. Last night was when/how to have "The Talk" with your kids (uh... Hubby... that's your cue!) Tonight was a pretty random chat... and fun...
It all started when one parent commented that she'd recently gone to an Earth, Wind and Fire/ Chicago concert. (Sounds like fun... does that make me old?) This lead to a discussion of concerts we'd seen (back in the day). One of the moms grew up in Colorado, so she'd been to several concerts at RedRocks (insert jealousy here). Then, mixed in with comments about first cars and first stereos, the talk wandered to drunken adventures.
So... it got me to reminiscing about days gone by... I remembered begging my dad to let me pick an 8-track from the Columbia Music Club catalogue (I ended up with 2- the Carpenters Greatest Hits and one by KISS- the one with Beth on it, of course). That got me thinking about all the nights my dad's band would practice in our basement, and I would be lulled to sleep to the sounds of Credence Clearwater Revival. And Dad and I drving around in his VW Bug, singing at the top of our lungs to the radio (no matter what my kids say, my dad has a great voice).
Then I fast-forwarded to high school, when I went to my first concert- Night Ranger at Six Flags. My friends thought it was funny when I asked what kind of cigarettes the people near us were smoking, because the smoke smelled weird. Then there was my second concert (also Night Ranger, but this time at the Keil in St. Louis. My best friend's boyfriend bought me a ticket as a birthday present, and I asked a really cute football player to go with me.) It took me back to the two summers I worked at the Muny and got to see a bunch of concerts, all for free. Very nice...
Fast-forward again to college... not many concerts- I was counting pennies. But that's where the drunken adventures come in... kind of... Evidently, I had an impressive metabolism, since the Delta Chi fraternity used to tease me about me being their "one man kill a keg" team. Whatever! By the time I became legal, drinking wasn't a big deal for me- probably because I knew I didn't have the money to get drunk. But... watching other people get smashed was always fun...
It all just got me thinking... feeling a little nostalgic, maybe... looking back, it seems like life was so much easier, so much more... just more. But, no matter how much fun it was, remember? We couldn't wait... to grow up... to turn 21... to get out of college... get married... have "real lives." Now that we've got the "real life" we claimed we wanted, we're back to thinking about how great it was "back in the day."
Vicious cycle, isn't it? (hmmm... maybe I need to ask for a Night Ranger cd for Christmas... or maybe... Bay City Rollers... or maybe not)
It all started when one parent commented that she'd recently gone to an Earth, Wind and Fire/ Chicago concert. (Sounds like fun... does that make me old?) This lead to a discussion of concerts we'd seen (back in the day). One of the moms grew up in Colorado, so she'd been to several concerts at RedRocks (insert jealousy here). Then, mixed in with comments about first cars and first stereos, the talk wandered to drunken adventures.
So... it got me to reminiscing about days gone by... I remembered begging my dad to let me pick an 8-track from the Columbia Music Club catalogue (I ended up with 2- the Carpenters Greatest Hits and one by KISS- the one with Beth on it, of course). That got me thinking about all the nights my dad's band would practice in our basement, and I would be lulled to sleep to the sounds of Credence Clearwater Revival. And Dad and I drving around in his VW Bug, singing at the top of our lungs to the radio (no matter what my kids say, my dad has a great voice).
Then I fast-forwarded to high school, when I went to my first concert- Night Ranger at Six Flags. My friends thought it was funny when I asked what kind of cigarettes the people near us were smoking, because the smoke smelled weird. Then there was my second concert (also Night Ranger, but this time at the Keil in St. Louis. My best friend's boyfriend bought me a ticket as a birthday present, and I asked a really cute football player to go with me.) It took me back to the two summers I worked at the Muny and got to see a bunch of concerts, all for free. Very nice...
Fast-forward again to college... not many concerts- I was counting pennies. But that's where the drunken adventures come in... kind of... Evidently, I had an impressive metabolism, since the Delta Chi fraternity used to tease me about me being their "one man kill a keg" team. Whatever! By the time I became legal, drinking wasn't a big deal for me- probably because I knew I didn't have the money to get drunk. But... watching other people get smashed was always fun...
It all just got me thinking... feeling a little nostalgic, maybe... looking back, it seems like life was so much easier, so much more... just more. But, no matter how much fun it was, remember? We couldn't wait... to grow up... to turn 21... to get out of college... get married... have "real lives." Now that we've got the "real life" we claimed we wanted, we're back to thinking about how great it was "back in the day."
Vicious cycle, isn't it? (hmmm... maybe I need to ask for a Night Ranger cd for Christmas... or maybe... Bay City Rollers... or maybe not)
Thursday, October 21, 2004
WooHoo!
The Cards are going to the World Series!!! Three out of four people in this house are happy about it. The fourth will come around eventually.
Election Fatigue on Steroids
Is anyone else completely ready for this to be over? Anyone else tired of me whining about how much I want the elections to be over?
In the news today, we find the Kerry campaign harping on Vice President Cheney, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for having flu shots after the President said that "only high risk people should get the shot." Maybe the Kerry campaign should do their homework. Vice President Cheney's heart condition puts him in the high risk category (same as President Clinton, and I don't hear anyone whining when HE got the shot.) Secretary Snow is 65 years old, which puts him in the high risk category, and Senator Frist is a practicing physician, so he's on the list. (Yes, he still practices medicine on the weekends in free/low income clinics in the D.C. area as well as in his own state.)
Also making headlines today is Senator Kerry's goose hunting trip in Ohio this morning. Let's get one thing clear- he wasn't really hunting geese (although he did supposedly bag one)- he's hunting conservative votes. I don't think it's going to work. The NRA has already said, "Nice try, but you're still an anti-gun whacko." (OK, so that's my interpretation of what they said. But I was close!)
In a "huh?" moment, one has to wonder if Senators Kerry and Edwards actually talk to each other once in a while. Senator Edwards, speaking in Hibbing, Minn., said that they would allow snowmobiles in nearby Voyaguers National Park. That't very interesting because Kerry has been vocal about his support of restrictions on snowmobiles in national parks. Guys, there's this neat new invention called the telephone- maybe you should use it every now and then.
Then there was yet another example of Teresa Heinz Kerry doing her famous "Open mouth, insert Docle&Gabbana pump, size 8." As if the snippy "I don't know if she's ever had a real job" wasn't enough, she dug the hole a little deeper by then insinuating that the only real jobs are jobs outside the home. Ms. Heinz Kerry may not realize this, but the most real job a woman will have is raising her children. You can't call in sick, and if you are a slacker, the results will be there for all to see for years to come. Not only is it a real job, but I believe "mom" is the most important job I'll ever have.
And, finally from the Kerry camp, he's comtemplating stealing it if he can't win it outright. OK, so maybe that's a BIT of an exageration, but not much. Rumor has it he'll claim victory even if he's down in the exit polls. The only problem with that is, IF (oh, please be the case!) he's down by several points, he'll look like a spoiled brat who didn't get his way. BUT, if it is close, it might sway some squishier-spined judges into agreeing to all forms of mischief. Paging, SCOTUS! Don't make any plans for Nov. 3rd- you might be busy.
And here we have an example of "whose side are you on, anyway?" I really don't want to call Pat Robertson a liar... I mean, he's a man of God and all that. But, still... it seems a little... odd... that President Bush wouldn't think there would be casualties in Iraq. The only thing I can think of is that the President thought Robertson was over-reacting, and he was trying to ease his mind about the number of casualties Robertson was talking about. I think the President is just lucky that many people think Rev. Robertson is a bit of a kook. (I'm not saying I think he's a kook- just that there are plenty of people who do. Now Paul and Jan Crouch... yeah, I think they're kinda kooky...)
Now for my token "it has nothing to do with the election" news items:
The Red Sox are going to the World Series. OK, everyone, raise your hand if you're shocked. Hey, you! In the back! You were surprised and you know it!
And, finally, in Pennsylvania, a guy took a shot at a mouse- and hit his girlfriend. WHO tries to shoot a mouse???
In the news today, we find the Kerry campaign harping on Vice President Cheney, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for having flu shots after the President said that "only high risk people should get the shot." Maybe the Kerry campaign should do their homework. Vice President Cheney's heart condition puts him in the high risk category (same as President Clinton, and I don't hear anyone whining when HE got the shot.) Secretary Snow is 65 years old, which puts him in the high risk category, and Senator Frist is a practicing physician, so he's on the list. (Yes, he still practices medicine on the weekends in free/low income clinics in the D.C. area as well as in his own state.)
Also making headlines today is Senator Kerry's goose hunting trip in Ohio this morning. Let's get one thing clear- he wasn't really hunting geese (although he did supposedly bag one)- he's hunting conservative votes. I don't think it's going to work. The NRA has already said, "Nice try, but you're still an anti-gun whacko." (OK, so that's my interpretation of what they said. But I was close!)
In a "huh?" moment, one has to wonder if Senators Kerry and Edwards actually talk to each other once in a while. Senator Edwards, speaking in Hibbing, Minn., said that they would allow snowmobiles in nearby Voyaguers National Park. That't very interesting because Kerry has been vocal about his support of restrictions on snowmobiles in national parks. Guys, there's this neat new invention called the telephone- maybe you should use it every now and then.
Then there was yet another example of Teresa Heinz Kerry doing her famous "Open mouth, insert Docle&Gabbana pump, size 8." As if the snippy "I don't know if she's ever had a real job" wasn't enough, she dug the hole a little deeper by then insinuating that the only real jobs are jobs outside the home. Ms. Heinz Kerry may not realize this, but the most real job a woman will have is raising her children. You can't call in sick, and if you are a slacker, the results will be there for all to see for years to come. Not only is it a real job, but I believe "mom" is the most important job I'll ever have.
And, finally from the Kerry camp, he's comtemplating stealing it if he can't win it outright. OK, so maybe that's a BIT of an exageration, but not much. Rumor has it he'll claim victory even if he's down in the exit polls. The only problem with that is, IF (oh, please be the case!) he's down by several points, he'll look like a spoiled brat who didn't get his way. BUT, if it is close, it might sway some squishier-spined judges into agreeing to all forms of mischief. Paging, SCOTUS! Don't make any plans for Nov. 3rd- you might be busy.
And here we have an example of "whose side are you on, anyway?" I really don't want to call Pat Robertson a liar... I mean, he's a man of God and all that. But, still... it seems a little... odd... that President Bush wouldn't think there would be casualties in Iraq. The only thing I can think of is that the President thought Robertson was over-reacting, and he was trying to ease his mind about the number of casualties Robertson was talking about. I think the President is just lucky that many people think Rev. Robertson is a bit of a kook. (I'm not saying I think he's a kook- just that there are plenty of people who do. Now Paul and Jan Crouch... yeah, I think they're kinda kooky...)
Now for my token "it has nothing to do with the election" news items:
The Red Sox are going to the World Series. OK, everyone, raise your hand if you're shocked. Hey, you! In the back! You were surprised and you know it!
And, finally, in Pennsylvania, a guy took a shot at a mouse- and hit his girlfriend. WHO tries to shoot a mouse???
Spreading the Tall Tales
Dana Reeve (Christopher Reeve's widow) will join John Kerry for a campaign stop today. I guess I'm ok with that. (Well, I'm not ok with the timing- she hasn't even had a chance to grieve.) I agree with her that more research is needed to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. I just don't agree with the use of new lines of embryonic stem cells to do it. There is a lot of good news coming from the research being done on adult stem cells (including fat cells), and the research so far with embryonic cells have been discouraging.
My problem with this article is something that AP wrote in the piece which is almost guaranteed to be a lie. Here's the statement:
Kerry has been spreading this tale since Reeve's passing two weeks ago. No MSM has bothered to question him on this. It might seem like such a little thing- but it's just one more example of how this campaign will do anything, say anything to get elected. It's pathetic that only bloggers fact check this guy.
My problem with this article is something that AP wrote in the piece which is almost guaranteed to be a lie. Here's the statement:
Kerry knew the "Superman" actor for about 15 years through family and activist connections. Reeve left him a long telephone message the day before he died, thanking him for campaigning on behalf of medical research.What's my problem with this? Well, the day before Reeve passed away, he had a heart attack and went into a coma. "So? He could have sent the message before the heart attack, right?" I hear you ask. Probably not. He was fighting a systemic infection, and was probably on high power antibiotics and pain medication. He would have been in no condition to make that phone call.
Kerry has been spreading this tale since Reeve's passing two weeks ago. No MSM has bothered to question him on this. It might seem like such a little thing- but it's just one more example of how this campaign will do anything, say anything to get elected. It's pathetic that only bloggers fact check this guy.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
What do you mean, "playoffs"?
Got a phone call from the boys' football coach the other day... seems that we made the playoffs. So, our season isn't quite over yet.We had pretty much counted ourselves out, but, NO! We get to play more!
Granted, we're playing one of the best teams in the area on Saturday, and we haven't been playing our best as of late. But, hey! Things can change, right?
Granted, we're playing one of the best teams in the area on Saturday, and we haven't been playing our best as of late. But, hey! Things can change, right?
Is It Supposed to Smell Like That?
Today, we brewed some beer. In three weeks, the Spiced Ale gets bottled, and the Maple Porter goes to secondary fermentation. Two weeks after that, the porter gets bottled. Hopefully, just in time for Christmas, both bottles will be ready to drink.
Is it all worth it? Probably. It's fun to see it through from start to finish, and we've made some tasty brews in the past. I'll post an update as we go through the stages of brewing.
Hmmm... that begs the question... what next? I'm thinking something fruity for spring... Just a thought...
Now let's all say a quick prayer that this batch doesn't explode in the pantry like the last one did...
Is it all worth it? Probably. It's fun to see it through from start to finish, and we've made some tasty brews in the past. I'll post an update as we go through the stages of brewing.
Hmmm... that begs the question... what next? I'm thinking something fruity for spring... Just a thought...
Now let's all say a quick prayer that this batch doesn't explode in the pantry like the last one did...
What's the big deal?
Hubby and I went to see Team America yesterday. I'm sorry, but... I just don't see what the big deal was. Maybe you have to be a fan of South Park to truly "get it." Or maybe I'm too old... nah, that's not it.
It was pretty obvious from the very beginning that they were going to push the limit. I didn't even TRY to count the number of times the "f" word was used (since it's in a song that's played several times, well...) The puppet sex scene- it wasn't needed. Kinda funny (and I was told that the one part I wasn't sure was even possible actually is. Thanks, Nat- not sure I even wanted to know that.) And then there was the... the... well, the barf scene. I really thought that Hubby was gonna lose it.
There were good parts. I really liked Kim Jong Il. He was hillarious. And having a bunch of Hollywood celebrities get blown to bits is always a good thing (I was personally partial to the guys who got mauled by "panthers"- black house cats.) And Michael Moore... well... he doesn't have that level of conviction in real life, but it was still great to see him come to such an end...
But all of that was overshadowed by sexual references (not even inuendo) and foul language. It's not that I didn't get it- I got all the jokes. I just think that I'm not part of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's target demographic. And that's fine with me. Makes me a little concerned for the future of society, but... eh... they'll grow up someday, too...
It was pretty obvious from the very beginning that they were going to push the limit. I didn't even TRY to count the number of times the "f" word was used (since it's in a song that's played several times, well...) The puppet sex scene- it wasn't needed. Kinda funny (and I was told that the one part I wasn't sure was even possible actually is. Thanks, Nat- not sure I even wanted to know that.) And then there was the... the... well, the barf scene. I really thought that Hubby was gonna lose it.
There were good parts. I really liked Kim Jong Il. He was hillarious. And having a bunch of Hollywood celebrities get blown to bits is always a good thing (I was personally partial to the guys who got mauled by "panthers"- black house cats.) And Michael Moore... well... he doesn't have that level of conviction in real life, but it was still great to see him come to such an end...
But all of that was overshadowed by sexual references (not even inuendo) and foul language. It's not that I didn't get it- I got all the jokes. I just think that I'm not part of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's target demographic. And that's fine with me. Makes me a little concerned for the future of society, but... eh... they'll grow up someday, too...
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Shortage? What shortage?
Looks like it's pretty easy to get a flu shot- if you work on Capitol Hill. All you have to do is tell the Capitol Hill doctor that you're in a risk group, and he'll give you a shot, no questions asked.
I understand the logic that says it would be easy for them to catch the flu because of the sheer number of people they meet each day. But, still... if they're young and healthy, it means feeling bad for a few days. If someone who really needs the shot and doesn't get it because of these guys, then that person might die. Someone like my mom.
No matter who you are... if you're young and in good health, don't get the flu shot. If you're on the list, then get the shot. Just because you're a government official doesn't make you a special case. Get over yourself.
I understand the logic that says it would be easy for them to catch the flu because of the sheer number of people they meet each day. But, still... if they're young and healthy, it means feeling bad for a few days. If someone who really needs the shot and doesn't get it because of these guys, then that person might die. Someone like my mom.
No matter who you are... if you're young and in good health, don't get the flu shot. If you're on the list, then get the shot. Just because you're a government official doesn't make you a special case. Get over yourself.
Monday, October 18, 2004
From the wire
Blah... blah... blah...
Anyone tired of politics yet? 15 days, folks... then hopefully it's over (for a month or two). In order to keep a little sanity here, I'm trying to find non-political things to look at, and I've found some interesting stuff...
If you're watching FoxNews today, I'm sure you know that early voting has begun in Florida. I guess it doesn't matter that 31 states offer early voting, and that several of those states began voting a while back.
It seems that some outdoorsmen are thinking about supporting Kerry... due to Bush's environmental policies. Makes me wonder if they've ever actually read up on his policy, or just what's in the MSM concerning it.
Kerry might need those few hunters because the Fraternal Order of Police is definitely not backing him. And they're getting a little tired of him claiming to have the support of the majority of the law enforcement community, when it's actually less than one quarter who have endorced him.
Kerry's tax pledge is going up in smoke already. That didn't take long. His "no new taxes unless you make over $200 K" is more like "we're gonna getcha if you make more than $90K." Obviously, he wasn't a math major.
ACT is circulating a racially charged get-out-the-vote flier in Missouri. As if there aren't enough race problems there.
Also in Missouri, you really can vote after you've passed away. It's one thing to joke about it... but it really does happen. I love St. Louis, but... they definitely have enough issues for the subscription rate.
One last election item, then we'll move on: Rumor has it that V.P. Dick Cheney will fake a heart attack (to get the sympathy vote moving) and then drop out. Bush will then appoint McCain as his running mate, thus guaranteeing the win. Oh, please, please, please tell me that this isn't true!!! I love Cheney, and I really can't stand McCain. (Yeah, I know it's just a rumor on a Democrat web site, but still... ew...)
One bit of world news, and then we'll have some science/tech/animal fun... Our friends the Aussies told the UN "no" when asked to provide troops to defend the mission in Baghdad. They're a little busy actually liberating the country to don the powder blue. Sorry about that, Kofi.
On the tech front, churches are installing cell-phone jammers (let's hope our pastor doesn't hear about this one!) Lockheed Martin might be in trouble if it's true that they turned in design drawings that were done backwards for the Genesis probe that crashed in the desert recently (this is in addition to the Mars Polar Lander that crashed and the Climate orbiter which was lost because they gave navigation measurements in English units instead of metric). The International Aeronautical Federation plans on launching 50 nanosatellites (the size of soda cans) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik.
In Earth Sciences today, we find out that a frozen woolly mammoth will be on display during the 2005 World's Fair in Japan. (OK, I'll admit it- if I had the money, I'd try to get there to see that.) And, at Mount St. Helens, a "fin" on the lava lobe seems to be splitting. (what that means, I have no idea- I just like St. Helens' news whenever I get any!)
Off to the animal world we go... interesting stuff... a jumbo flying squid was caught off the coast of Alaska. (still doesn't make me want calamari). The great white shark that had been tagged in the waters near Cape Cod has lost it's tracking device, and researchers are asking for you to return it if you find the tracking tag (I mean, come on! It looks likes a ping pong ball on the end of a cigar- it shouldn't be too difficult to find it in the middle of the ocean.) And, in a story so weird I couldn't have made it up if I tried, a bull moose was trapped in electric wires 50 feet in the air.
OK... back to politics for just one more tidbit... I'm not even gonna comment on it... I'm just going to let the headline do the talking... this is possibly the best argument that you can use on some people to persuade them to become Republicans... More Republicans Satisfied with Sex Lives than Democrats.
That is all... for now!
Anyone tired of politics yet? 15 days, folks... then hopefully it's over (for a month or two). In order to keep a little sanity here, I'm trying to find non-political things to look at, and I've found some interesting stuff...
If you're watching FoxNews today, I'm sure you know that early voting has begun in Florida. I guess it doesn't matter that 31 states offer early voting, and that several of those states began voting a while back.
It seems that some outdoorsmen are thinking about supporting Kerry... due to Bush's environmental policies. Makes me wonder if they've ever actually read up on his policy, or just what's in the MSM concerning it.
Kerry might need those few hunters because the Fraternal Order of Police is definitely not backing him. And they're getting a little tired of him claiming to have the support of the majority of the law enforcement community, when it's actually less than one quarter who have endorced him.
Kerry's tax pledge is going up in smoke already. That didn't take long. His "no new taxes unless you make over $200 K" is more like "we're gonna getcha if you make more than $90K." Obviously, he wasn't a math major.
ACT is circulating a racially charged get-out-the-vote flier in Missouri. As if there aren't enough race problems there.
Also in Missouri, you really can vote after you've passed away. It's one thing to joke about it... but it really does happen. I love St. Louis, but... they definitely have enough issues for the subscription rate.
One last election item, then we'll move on: Rumor has it that V.P. Dick Cheney will fake a heart attack (to get the sympathy vote moving) and then drop out. Bush will then appoint McCain as his running mate, thus guaranteeing the win. Oh, please, please, please tell me that this isn't true!!! I love Cheney, and I really can't stand McCain. (Yeah, I know it's just a rumor on a Democrat web site, but still... ew...)
One bit of world news, and then we'll have some science/tech/animal fun... Our friends the Aussies told the UN "no" when asked to provide troops to defend the mission in Baghdad. They're a little busy actually liberating the country to don the powder blue. Sorry about that, Kofi.
On the tech front, churches are installing cell-phone jammers (let's hope our pastor doesn't hear about this one!) Lockheed Martin might be in trouble if it's true that they turned in design drawings that were done backwards for the Genesis probe that crashed in the desert recently (this is in addition to the Mars Polar Lander that crashed and the Climate orbiter which was lost because they gave navigation measurements in English units instead of metric). The International Aeronautical Federation plans on launching 50 nanosatellites (the size of soda cans) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik.
In Earth Sciences today, we find out that a frozen woolly mammoth will be on display during the 2005 World's Fair in Japan. (OK, I'll admit it- if I had the money, I'd try to get there to see that.) And, at Mount St. Helens, a "fin" on the lava lobe seems to be splitting. (what that means, I have no idea- I just like St. Helens' news whenever I get any!)
Off to the animal world we go... interesting stuff... a jumbo flying squid was caught off the coast of Alaska. (still doesn't make me want calamari). The great white shark that had been tagged in the waters near Cape Cod has lost it's tracking device, and researchers are asking for you to return it if you find the tracking tag (I mean, come on! It looks likes a ping pong ball on the end of a cigar- it shouldn't be too difficult to find it in the middle of the ocean.) And, in a story so weird I couldn't have made it up if I tried, a bull moose was trapped in electric wires 50 feet in the air.
OK... back to politics for just one more tidbit... I'm not even gonna comment on it... I'm just going to let the headline do the talking... this is possibly the best argument that you can use on some people to persuade them to become Republicans... More Republicans Satisfied with Sex Lives than Democrats.
That is all... for now!
Miss me?
Yeah, I know... it was only one day... but I can dream, can't I? Maybe one day people will have my blog bookmarked and check it daily, and, if I skip a day without warning, they'll be like "Oh, no! What happened?" Or not. 
So, yesterday was Hubby's b-day. (Happy belated B-day!!!) Since he still wasn't feeling well (still isn't, for that matter), it was a low-key day. We went out to lunch (yesterday was the last day for Olive Garden's endless pasta bowl, in case you were wondering), and then just hung out and watched football. Hubby asked me to make tamales as his birthday dinner, so I got off pretty easy on that one (woohoo!) Since he parents were here, we HAD to play a game of Trivial Pursuit (we won).
This morning, they were supposed to play golf, but he's just not ready to do that (with his vertigo, I'm sure that swinging a golf club just wouldn't be fun). And T2 is home from school again today (headache and stomach ache and really tired- no idea what's up with him. So, Hubby's parents and brother headed north earlier than expected. Less than 24 hours after arriving, they're off again.
Can I take a nap now?
So, yesterday was Hubby's b-day. (Happy belated B-day!!!) Since he still wasn't feeling well (still isn't, for that matter), it was a low-key day. We went out to lunch (yesterday was the last day for Olive Garden's endless pasta bowl, in case you were wondering), and then just hung out and watched football. Hubby asked me to make tamales as his birthday dinner, so I got off pretty easy on that one (woohoo!) Since he parents were here, we HAD to play a game of Trivial Pursuit (we won).
This morning, they were supposed to play golf, but he's just not ready to do that (with his vertigo, I'm sure that swinging a golf club just wouldn't be fun). And T2 is home from school again today (headache and stomach ache and really tired- no idea what's up with him. So, Hubby's parents and brother headed north earlier than expected. Less than 24 hours after arriving, they're off again.
Can I take a nap now?
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Just one of those days...
Consider this post part rant, part pity party, part info sharing. You have been warned.
Day started early. The boys' football game was at 9am, which meant that we had to leave the house at about 7:30. So I was up about 5:30am. Yikes!
It was a tough game. Our opponents had a great passing game, and they were fast. Or defense did the best they could, but it wasn't enough (memo to the offensive line- block something already!) We lost our last regular season game 12-0. By the end of the game, none of the players could sit on the bench because of the injured players we had sprawled on it (sprained ankle, helmet to the shin, and some sort of hip injury- none of them serious, but still... I told the coaches to tell the kids that no one else could get hurt because I was out of ice packs!)
After the game, it was time for "Team Appreciation Day"- homecoming, basically. The plan was for the cheerleaders to line up along one 45 yard line, the players to line up on the other 45, then they'd pair up on the 50 and walk toward the stands (think The Stroll). The girls had water bottles filled with candy to give the boys, and I bought some carnations for the boys to give to the girls. Geez- you'd think I was asking them to kiss the girls or something. It was ridiculous. And the girls weren't much better. Honestly, I have no idea why we even do this. In the e-mail that is sent to the team moms, we were reminded how much the kids enjoy this and look forward to it. They lie. They dread this. They hate it. But they survived.
So, that fiasco behind us, we load up and head out. We have things to do. Things that never got done.
I page Hubby (he had to work and missed the game). He calls right back, and I tell him that we lost. "Oh, bummer. Hey, the nurse wants you to come get me and take me to the emergency room." WHAT??? Uh... k... Hang up with him, call R and ask her to meet us at the ER to hand off the kids. Pick up Hubby at work- he's so dizzy that he can barely stand. Head off to the ER, R takes the kids, and I grab a wheelchair. Wheel Hubby in, sign him in, and we spend Saturday afternoon in the ER. (FYI- the people who work at the Round Rock ER are really nice. At least that's been our experience. Your mileage may vary.) They drew blood, put in an IV, and gave Hubby some meds to take care of the vertigo. Blood work came back normal, so they think he has a virus that has settled in his ear. Since it's a virus, they can only treat the symptoms. So he'll be bumping into walls like a drunken sailor until his body beats this on its own. The dr seemed to think it would be a quick turn around. (But then felt the need to tell us what else it could have been- no, he didn't have a stroke, and I'm thinking the odds are pretty slim that it was a tumor. But we're supposed to watch for all manners of weirdness, just in case.) Fours hours later, we're off to pick up the boys and head home.
On top of all this, my neck has been sore all day (and off and on for the last week or so). I'm not sure if it's just tension (this football season has been a little stressful) or just some sort of inflamation, or (worst case scenario) my back issues have climbed up to my neck (which would totally stink). When we got home, instead of diving into everything I was supposed to be doing, I took a muscle relaxer and some pain meds and took a nap.
Now, what was I supposed to be doing? Hmmm... shopping for birthday presents for Hubby- his b-day is tomorrow. And cleaning the house- his parents and brother will be arriving tomorrow morning. So... I got none of it done. Sorry, Dear! I'll get your gifts later! I promise.
I'm sure I'll post something tomorrow. Just not much. You have been warned.
Day started early. The boys' football game was at 9am, which meant that we had to leave the house at about 7:30. So I was up about 5:30am. Yikes!
It was a tough game. Our opponents had a great passing game, and they were fast. Or defense did the best they could, but it wasn't enough (memo to the offensive line- block something already!) We lost our last regular season game 12-0. By the end of the game, none of the players could sit on the bench because of the injured players we had sprawled on it (sprained ankle, helmet to the shin, and some sort of hip injury- none of them serious, but still... I told the coaches to tell the kids that no one else could get hurt because I was out of ice packs!)
After the game, it was time for "Team Appreciation Day"- homecoming, basically. The plan was for the cheerleaders to line up along one 45 yard line, the players to line up on the other 45, then they'd pair up on the 50 and walk toward the stands (think The Stroll). The girls had water bottles filled with candy to give the boys, and I bought some carnations for the boys to give to the girls. Geez- you'd think I was asking them to kiss the girls or something. It was ridiculous. And the girls weren't much better. Honestly, I have no idea why we even do this. In the e-mail that is sent to the team moms, we were reminded how much the kids enjoy this and look forward to it. They lie. They dread this. They hate it. But they survived.
So, that fiasco behind us, we load up and head out. We have things to do. Things that never got done.
I page Hubby (he had to work and missed the game). He calls right back, and I tell him that we lost. "Oh, bummer. Hey, the nurse wants you to come get me and take me to the emergency room." WHAT??? Uh... k... Hang up with him, call R and ask her to meet us at the ER to hand off the kids. Pick up Hubby at work- he's so dizzy that he can barely stand. Head off to the ER, R takes the kids, and I grab a wheelchair. Wheel Hubby in, sign him in, and we spend Saturday afternoon in the ER. (FYI- the people who work at the Round Rock ER are really nice. At least that's been our experience. Your mileage may vary.) They drew blood, put in an IV, and gave Hubby some meds to take care of the vertigo. Blood work came back normal, so they think he has a virus that has settled in his ear. Since it's a virus, they can only treat the symptoms. So he'll be bumping into walls like a drunken sailor until his body beats this on its own. The dr seemed to think it would be a quick turn around. (But then felt the need to tell us what else it could have been- no, he didn't have a stroke, and I'm thinking the odds are pretty slim that it was a tumor. But we're supposed to watch for all manners of weirdness, just in case.) Fours hours later, we're off to pick up the boys and head home.
On top of all this, my neck has been sore all day (and off and on for the last week or so). I'm not sure if it's just tension (this football season has been a little stressful) or just some sort of inflamation, or (worst case scenario) my back issues have climbed up to my neck (which would totally stink). When we got home, instead of diving into everything I was supposed to be doing, I took a muscle relaxer and some pain meds and took a nap.
Now, what was I supposed to be doing? Hmmm... shopping for birthday presents for Hubby- his b-day is tomorrow. And cleaning the house- his parents and brother will be arriving tomorrow morning. So... I got none of it done. Sorry, Dear! I'll get your gifts later! I promise.
I'm sure I'll post something tomorrow. Just not much. You have been warned.
Just gotta say something
I need to vent about something. The more I think about it, the more perturbed I get.
This morning, before the football game, one of the parents made a crass comment. About me. And he's not a close enough friend of mine to be making jokes like that. I wouldn't consider him a friend at all, for that matter.
At the time, he was too far away from me for me to do anything (I was on the field, near the stands, and he was in the stands, about 10 feet above me). And, I was "in uniform" (wearing my "coach's" shirt, officially representing the team). And there were kids around. So, I didn't do anything but glare at him. In all honesty, I was too stunned. I was shocked.
In hindsight, though, part of me wishes I was close enough to have been able to deck him. Granted, I probably wouldn't have, but still... I'm getting sick of all the snarkiness from the parents, and that was the last straw.
One more time, from the heart- GROW THE HELL UP!
OK... I feel a little better now.
This morning, before the football game, one of the parents made a crass comment. About me. And he's not a close enough friend of mine to be making jokes like that. I wouldn't consider him a friend at all, for that matter.
At the time, he was too far away from me for me to do anything (I was on the field, near the stands, and he was in the stands, about 10 feet above me). And, I was "in uniform" (wearing my "coach's" shirt, officially representing the team). And there were kids around. So, I didn't do anything but glare at him. In all honesty, I was too stunned. I was shocked.
In hindsight, though, part of me wishes I was close enough to have been able to deck him. Granted, I probably wouldn't have, but still... I'm getting sick of all the snarkiness from the parents, and that was the last straw.
One more time, from the heart- GROW THE HELL UP!
OK... I feel a little better now.
Friday, October 15, 2004
Belonephobia (Adventures in Parenting... a continuing series)
Belonephobia... evidently it's genetic... but I digress...
Yesterday, T1 and T2 return from a grand adventure in the woods near our house. T2 walks in and loudly proclaims, "Mom, I got cut by some rusty barbed wire. And T2 got cut with something, but he can't remember what. Will we need a shot?" Hmmm... "I'll call the doctor in the morning and find out."
The call goes in to the doctor (great guy- love his staff). The nurse calls back- yeah, they need to get a tetanus shot. Lovely. Hubby calls and offers to meet us at the office. I don't think it's necessary, but ok. I was wrong.
T1 goes first. He's a trooper. He thinks it's funny that he's taller than the nurse practioner. He really shouldn't make fun of women holding needles. But he'll figure that out in time, I'm sure. Stood there nice and straight and took it like a man. Or an 11 year old boy. You know what I mean. All we heard out of him was "Ow!" That's it. Cool.
Then it was T2's turn. From what I could tell, the nurse practioner was going to use a needle the size of a fire hose on him. It had to be that big, based on the way he was acting. I mean, it's just a little shot, right?
We now pause for some background. When I was a kid, I was terrified of needles- I have no idea why. Seemed like a good idea at the time, I guess. I would squirm and fight and try to negotiate my way out of getting a shot. Any shot. Anywhere. They were evil and I wanted nothing to do with them. Yes, I had to be restrained a time or two. Looking back, man, it was embarassing. When I got to college and turned 18, I decided I'd had enough. I went to a blood drive on campus, and they stuck a HUGE needle in my arm and siphoned off a unit. Just to make sure I was really over it, I went back two months later. Then I became a VIP donor the entire time I was in college (that's 4x a year). I still don't like needles, but I no longer cringe in fear, either.
Back to the story. Like I said, it must be genetic, because T2 started fighting and stalling and trying to do everything in his power to get out of that shot. It ended up taking almost 10 minutes AND hubby and I holding him still before he got the shot. And, yeah, all we got out of him then was "ow!"
He does this to varying degrees every time he gets a shot or has blood drawn. The only time he DIDN'T pitch a fit was when he almost ripped off his toenail and we had to go to the ER for the nice doctor to finish the job. He was awesome when they stuck three needles in his toe. But he can't handle it in his arm.
Hey! That's it! Every time he needs an injection, he can ask them to give it to him in his big toe!
Yesterday, T1 and T2 return from a grand adventure in the woods near our house. T2 walks in and loudly proclaims, "Mom, I got cut by some rusty barbed wire. And T2 got cut with something, but he can't remember what. Will we need a shot?" Hmmm... "I'll call the doctor in the morning and find out."
The call goes in to the doctor (great guy- love his staff). The nurse calls back- yeah, they need to get a tetanus shot. Lovely. Hubby calls and offers to meet us at the office. I don't think it's necessary, but ok. I was wrong.
T1 goes first. He's a trooper. He thinks it's funny that he's taller than the nurse practioner. He really shouldn't make fun of women holding needles. But he'll figure that out in time, I'm sure. Stood there nice and straight and took it like a man. Or an 11 year old boy. You know what I mean. All we heard out of him was "Ow!" That's it. Cool.
Then it was T2's turn. From what I could tell, the nurse practioner was going to use a needle the size of a fire hose on him. It had to be that big, based on the way he was acting. I mean, it's just a little shot, right?
We now pause for some background. When I was a kid, I was terrified of needles- I have no idea why. Seemed like a good idea at the time, I guess. I would squirm and fight and try to negotiate my way out of getting a shot. Any shot. Anywhere. They were evil and I wanted nothing to do with them. Yes, I had to be restrained a time or two. Looking back, man, it was embarassing. When I got to college and turned 18, I decided I'd had enough. I went to a blood drive on campus, and they stuck a HUGE needle in my arm and siphoned off a unit. Just to make sure I was really over it, I went back two months later. Then I became a VIP donor the entire time I was in college (that's 4x a year). I still don't like needles, but I no longer cringe in fear, either.
Back to the story. Like I said, it must be genetic, because T2 started fighting and stalling and trying to do everything in his power to get out of that shot. It ended up taking almost 10 minutes AND hubby and I holding him still before he got the shot. And, yeah, all we got out of him then was "ow!"
He does this to varying degrees every time he gets a shot or has blood drawn. The only time he DIDN'T pitch a fit was when he almost ripped off his toenail and we had to go to the ER for the nice doctor to finish the job. He was awesome when they stuck three needles in his toe. But he can't handle it in his arm.
Hey! That's it! Every time he needs an injection, he can ask them to give it to him in his big toe!
Adult Beverage Survey part 3
Well... I'm going down the list from Whiskey Girl, but I've altered the lineup (you thought I was going to say the "p" word, didn't you?). I mean, you have to start out with wine, and that might take 2 or 3 years just to get through the whites. (If you want to check out a wine blog, go here.) So, let's see... "she ain't into wine and roses..." (yeah right)... "beer just makes her turn up her nose..." (uh... see here and here- and, oh, yeah... we're brewing winter ales next week)... "she can't stand the thought of sipping champagne"... (nah... not gonna go there... if I'm gonna drink champagne, it should be Cristal- all there is to it)... so, that takes us to "No Cuervo Gold Margarita- just ain't enough good burn in tequila"....
I gotta admit... I'm not a huge tequila fan. One of the only times I've been truly trashed was due in part to Cuervo 1800, so... I'd love to try some Cabo Wabo, but that ain't cheap. Then again, almost always, the more it cost, the better it tastes...
So, what's your favorite tequila? Convince me that to-kill-ya shots are not evil. (No drink recipes-that's for another survey.)
I gotta admit... I'm not a huge tequila fan. One of the only times I've been truly trashed was due in part to Cuervo 1800, so... I'd love to try some Cabo Wabo, but that ain't cheap. Then again, almost always, the more it cost, the better it tastes...
So, what's your favorite tequila? Convince me that to-kill-ya shots are not evil. (No drink recipes-that's for another survey.)
A Political Observation
It’s funny watching Democrats respond to “attacks.” This morning on FoxNews, the spokespeople for both campaigns were interviewed during a discussion of Mary Cheney and the Kerry campaign’s use of her name in the debates. The Republican spokesperson explained their opinion that family member should be kept out of it, and the Democratic response? “They’re just hiding behind this because Bush lost the debate.” Later, in a discussion of the new Swift Boat ads, a Democratic spokesman said, “They’re just a tool of the Bush campaign.” Ralph Nader still on the ballot? “He’s just a tool of the Bush campaign.” (Evidently the GOP has a big toolbox.)Economic news looks good? “We need to question the timing of the announcement.” When asked what Kerry would do about X, they respond “Bush has a failed policy.”
It’s just a pity that they won’t stick THAT person in front of a microphone.
Idiots on Parade
Found this article about some protesters outside an arena where Michael Moore was speaking. No, they weren't protesting Michael Moore... they were protesting President Bush. (hmmm... isn't the point of a protest to raise awareness and influence people? And isn't what they did kind of like preaching to the choir?) Anyway, this article shows just how desperately some of these people need a ClueBat™ upside the head in a bad way.
Shake them up? Get them to think a bit? Yeah, they’re thinking. They’re thinking that you’re a freak!
Sorry, John, but I think they’re just trying to spare your feelings. They really disowned you because you’re an idiot and they don’t want you to be associated in any way with their gene pool.
A righteous path? Moore-on wouldn’t know a righteous path if it bit him. He’s a money-grubbing lying opportunist who would probably sell his mother for a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Well, Pete, it’s a good thing he doesn’t agree with you.
Nope. He’s done nothing at all. Leading the coalition that has freed 50 million people is nothing. Really.
So, what you’re saying is that these children, who did nothing wrong, don’t deserve to grow up at all because two grown-ups couldn’t keep their pants zipped, or when that didn’t work, wouldn’t do the right thing and take responsibility for their actions. Lovely.
That’s because most women are more intelligent than you, Lauren.
Can these people not come up with any new arguments? Halliburton is so… 4 years ago. No one complained when Clinton’s Administration gave Halliburton a no-bid contract- it’s only when a Republican does it that they question their motives. And, if we went to war for oil, why does it cost me $30 to fill up at the pump? Oh, yeah, one more thing, Hussein was the one making money off the slaughter of innocent people- or are you saying that the mass graves in Iraq are pure fabrication?
That’s some quality stuff this guy is smoking. Military regime? I didn’t know we were installing puppet governments. I didn’t know we made a habit of that. Oh, wait! I know- he’s confusing us with the Soviet Union. But, no, that can’t be right- he probably thought it was a good idea when THEY did it.
If you take the time to look, you’ll find that the Left’s protesters tend to be… eccentric… uninformed… paranoid… selfish even. It’s easy to mock them- they practically do it themselves. But you almost feel sorry for them- many have been duped and brainwashed by the Elite Left who want nothing more than to advance their very flawed ideology. Do you really think that the Average Joe protesting the war in Iraq knows the details? Or the woman who rallies for women’s rights- do you think she realizes that there is no Constitutional right to abortion? (The right cited is the right to privacy, not some ambiguous “women’s rights”. Are there “men’s rights”, too?) The Left uses emotional triggers to rally the sheeple to their cause. The Right counters with fact and logic. Unfortunately, logic can’t break through the fog when emotions run high.
Tempe, Ariz. (CNSNews.com) - An anti-war protestor and homeless rights advocate bragged on Wednesday about how he had recently been arrested for making a bomb threat in Tempe.
"I just did a fake bomb threat with the Tempe Police Department three days ago," John Cross claimed to CNSNews.com outside the arena where left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore was appearing.
"[The bomb threat] was a protest of how they treat the homeless and less fortunate and how Bush is cutting down on all the social services," Cross said. "I didn't mean to scare anyone, I just wanted to shake them up so they that they could think a little bit," he said.
Shake them up? Get them to think a bit? Yeah, they’re thinking. They’re thinking that you’re a freak!
Cross said police "sent me to the mental ward" for making the bomb threat.[ya think? why didn’t they leave him there?-ed.] He also said his family has disowned him because of his drug abuse and radical activism. "Because I partake in smoking marijuana, [my family] believes that I am a drug addict, and they all tell me that I am a drug addict and they are not friends with drug addicts, Cross said.
Sorry, John, but I think they’re just trying to spare your feelings. They really disowned you because you’re an idiot and they don’t want you to be associated in any way with their gene pool.
Cross praised Michael Moore as "a great guy" with "great ideas," and said he hoped to meet him. "He has really inspired me a lot. Michael Moore is on a righteous path," he added.
A righteous path? Moore-on wouldn’t know a righteous path if it bit him. He’s a money-grubbing lying opportunist who would probably sell his mother for a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Other protestors on hand for the third and final presidential debate between President Bush and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry focused most of their ire on Bush and the Iraq war.
Peter Goldammer wore a T-shirt with a likeness of Bush that read, "He is not my president."
Well, Pete, it’s a good thing he doesn’t agree with you.
"He cheated in the election, so technically he is not anybody else's president either," said Goldammer outside the debate site at University of Arizona. "He has pretty much done nothing good, basically done nothing in general. Starting a war on the basis of lies is pretty pathetic. He represents us as a country and he is not doing [a] good job at all," he added.
Nope. He’s done nothing at all. Leading the coalition that has freed 50 million people is nothing. Really.
Lauren McKinney, a student at University of Arizona, said she was out to show her support for Kerry and to support the continuation of legal abortions in the U.S. "I think [abortion is] really important because there is a lot of unwanted pregnancies and I don't think kids deserve to grow up that way," McKinney told CNSNews.com.
So, what you’re saying is that these children, who did nothing wrong, don’t deserve to grow up at all because two grown-ups couldn’t keep their pants zipped, or when that didn’t work, wouldn’t do the right thing and take responsibility for their actions. Lovely.
But McKinney did lament that Bush has the support of the "majority of women" that she knows. "The women that I talk to are definitely going to vote for Bush but it can go either way," she said.
That’s because most women are more intelligent than you, Lauren.
Kevin Keene, another protester at the debate, slammed Bush over the war in Iraq. "The Bush agenda is basically a military agenda making money for Halliburton, for the oil interests, and that's what we're against -- people making money off the slaughter of innocent people," Keene said.
Can these people not come up with any new arguments? Halliburton is so… 4 years ago. No one complained when Clinton’s Administration gave Halliburton a no-bid contract- it’s only when a Republican does it that they question their motives. And, if we went to war for oil, why does it cost me $30 to fill up at the pump? Oh, yeah, one more thing, Hussein was the one making money off the slaughter of innocent people- or are you saying that the mass graves in Iraq are pure fabrication?
"America has done that throughout its history with the Cold War and it's an agenda of fear and scare in order to build up these military regimes basically," he added.
That’s some quality stuff this guy is smoking. Military regime? I didn’t know we were installing puppet governments. I didn’t know we made a habit of that. Oh, wait! I know- he’s confusing us with the Soviet Union. But, no, that can’t be right- he probably thought it was a good idea when THEY did it.
If you take the time to look, you’ll find that the Left’s protesters tend to be… eccentric… uninformed… paranoid… selfish even. It’s easy to mock them- they practically do it themselves. But you almost feel sorry for them- many have been duped and brainwashed by the Elite Left who want nothing more than to advance their very flawed ideology. Do you really think that the Average Joe protesting the war in Iraq knows the details? Or the woman who rallies for women’s rights- do you think she realizes that there is no Constitutional right to abortion? (The right cited is the right to privacy, not some ambiguous “women’s rights”. Are there “men’s rights”, too?) The Left uses emotional triggers to rally the sheeple to their cause. The Right counters with fact and logic. Unfortunately, logic can’t break through the fog when emotions run high.
News? What news?
If you turn on the tv today (or any day in the next 3 weeks) you'd think that the only thing going on in the world is the US elections. Yeah, it's important... but it's getting old. And I love politics. (I think it's just Kedwards Fatigue, and I'll get over it.)
Ummm... 'k. The polls are looking up for the President, but... they were looking up a few weeks ago, too. Elizabeth Edwards accused Lynn Cheney of being ashamed of her daughter, Mary (in a cat fight between those two, I'd take Lynn for the TKO.) and Kerry's trying to explain his comment. Both candidates are claiming they won the last debate - a whole lot of "I'm right and he's wrong, so vote for me!" And there's a web site that asks people to donate to Ralph Nader's organization if he promises to get out of the race. Geez. Politics as usual.
So... what else is going on? Well... Fallujah is getting pounded by warplanes. A lot of military plans have been put on hold until after 11/2 to avoid the appearance of the President using potential military victories as a political ploy. But, evidently Fallujah isn't on the "do not bomb" list. Cool. (I hate to admit this, but I almost hope the Ketchup Queen was right about finding the rotting remains of OBL prior to the election... any way I can add that to my birthday list? )
Here are a couple of things you might not have seen in the news anywhere else...
Evidently E=mc2 isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, when I took physics (which, yes, you smart alecks, was after Einstein made his name in the scientific community), that equation was the be-all and end-all of scientific math. But, no! According to Physics World magazine, four electromagnetic equations by Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell are the best in the world. There is even a company that has t-shirts trumpeting his work. (In case you were wondering, Einstein's equation came in 6th. What is this world coming to?)
A Swedish geologist found a tooth. Yeah... I was as excited as you are right now just knowing that, somewhere in Scandinavia, scientists are freaking out because they found a tooth. Yeah, it's a cool tooth... but it came from a mouse. Wow. (My uncle has a degree in geology and a master's in geological engineering. When he was in college, he would take my cousins and me on fossil hunt. I was... underwhelmed. But this is also the guy who went to Washington and brought me some rock and ash from the '80 erruption of Mt. St. Helens. I guess I'm just more into dynamic geology.)
There was an astonishing discovery at the Stuttgart Zoo. That baby girl gorilla that they got from the Berlin Zoo? Well... it's a boy. Granted, I haven't spent quality time with baby gorillas, but I have spent quality time with human babies. How does someone get that wrong?
OK... off to find more coffee...
Ummm... 'k. The polls are looking up for the President, but... they were looking up a few weeks ago, too. Elizabeth Edwards accused Lynn Cheney of being ashamed of her daughter, Mary (in a cat fight between those two, I'd take Lynn for the TKO.) and Kerry's trying to explain his comment. Both candidates are claiming they won the last debate - a whole lot of "I'm right and he's wrong, so vote for me!" And there's a web site that asks people to donate to Ralph Nader's organization if he promises to get out of the race. Geez. Politics as usual.
So... what else is going on? Well... Fallujah is getting pounded by warplanes. A lot of military plans have been put on hold until after 11/2 to avoid the appearance of the President using potential military victories as a political ploy. But, evidently Fallujah isn't on the "do not bomb" list. Cool. (I hate to admit this, but I almost hope the Ketchup Queen was right about finding the rotting remains of OBL prior to the election... any way I can add that to my birthday list? )
Here are a couple of things you might not have seen in the news anywhere else...
Evidently E=mc2 isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, when I took physics (which, yes, you smart alecks, was after Einstein made his name in the scientific community), that equation was the be-all and end-all of scientific math. But, no! According to Physics World magazine, four electromagnetic equations by Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell are the best in the world. There is even a company that has t-shirts trumpeting his work. (In case you were wondering, Einstein's equation came in 6th. What is this world coming to?)
A Swedish geologist found a tooth. Yeah... I was as excited as you are right now just knowing that, somewhere in Scandinavia, scientists are freaking out because they found a tooth. Yeah, it's a cool tooth... but it came from a mouse. Wow. (My uncle has a degree in geology and a master's in geological engineering. When he was in college, he would take my cousins and me on fossil hunt. I was... underwhelmed. But this is also the guy who went to Washington and brought me some rock and ash from the '80 erruption of Mt. St. Helens. I guess I'm just more into dynamic geology.)
There was an astonishing discovery at the Stuttgart Zoo. That baby girl gorilla that they got from the Berlin Zoo? Well... it's a boy. Granted, I haven't spent quality time with baby gorillas, but I have spent quality time with human babies. How does someone get that wrong?
OK... off to find more coffee...
Thursday, October 14, 2004
News Clips
OK... let's get back into the swing of things here... Here are some of the headlines that caught my caffeine-inhanced attention this morning:
OK, let's get this one out of the way... the third and final presidential debate was last night. Lynn Cheney isn't happy with Kerry for bringing her daughter into the fray- calling it a cheap and tawdry political trick. News organizations seem to be donning the jammies and fuzzy slippers in an attempt to fact check the candidates. [I do have one question for Senator Kerry- where in the Constitution does it say that a woman has the right to an abortion? Must have missed that section.] Who won? Depends on who you ask... I think Bush won, but then again, the back of my van is covered in Bush/Cheney and other GOP stickers, so what do I know....
Other election news... a court tossed Ralph Nader off the ballot in Pennsylvania [message to Nader supporters... if you want to get your guy on the ballot, don't put the signatures of Mickey Mouse and Wiley Coyote on the petition... their voter registration forms weren't properly filled out.-ed.] The Guardian newspaper in London have paired up Londoners with voters in Clark County, Ohio write letters explaining who THEY want the voters to elect [I can't help but wonder if this will backfire... we're not too happy about being told what to do, especially by the Brits... I seem to remember a couple of wars over that...-ed] It looks like the Fraternal Order of Police is upset with Senator Kerry because he tends to skip votes that are important to law enforcement officers. [In Kerry's defense, he's managed to skip votes that impack just about everyone over the years, so it wasn't anything personal against the police. -ed.] Jesse Jackson accuses President Bush of "pursuing the Ideology of the Confederacy", which, astonishingly, is reasonably accurate (his argument is that Bush is in favor of States' rights, which tend to be anti-labor and anti-civil rights-[ok- States' right have nothing to do with civil rights or labor policy, but, hey, at least he got Confederacy v. Union right. The fact that he then said that Kerry is "pro Union" just makes it more clear that he's the wrong guy for the job.-ed.] And, finally, liberal church leaders are asking Kerry to stop politicizing religion. [Be afraid- I actually agree with them on this point. That's just... scary.- ed.]
Many of you have probably heard that the Sinclair Braoadcasting Group is planning on airing Stolen Honor prior to the election. (I mentioned it here.) Here's some more info. Sinclair Group was surprised to find out that the Kerry campaign has a media black list, and that they were pretty much threatened by a campaign spokesman. Here's a partial list of the Senators who signed a letter to the FCC asking them to investigate this whole thing. But there is one little glitch to their uproar over this- more stations want to air it. One interesting compromise that I heard this morning was that they show Stolen Honor back to back with a pro-Kerry documentary (I'm guessing Brothers in Arms or Under Fire). Sounds fair to me. But if they do that, then does the Sundance Channel need to start showing pro-Bush programming? Just wondering...
Time for the lightning round: Bill O'Reilly has been accused of sexual harrassment. [talk about things that make you go "ew!"- don't read the court documents unless you have a strong stomach and are of the age of majority.-ed.] Same sex marriages performed in Canada are valid for the New York pension system. [uh... if we can't deny them from other countries, then how is that argument that it's a states' rights issue supposed to stand? - ed.] There is court order stopping the sale of the 9/11 silver dollars. [good! There is just something wrong with profiting from a national tragedy.] Ferrari is making the Pope a new car. [woohoo! Talk about a pope-mobile!] Finally, Dr. Pepper has announced that they're going to introduce a cherry vanilla version of their popular soft drink.
One last item. Michael Moore says we're doomed if Bush is re-elected. "Doomed! Doomed, I tell you!"
OK, let's get this one out of the way... the third and final presidential debate was last night. Lynn Cheney isn't happy with Kerry for bringing her daughter into the fray- calling it a cheap and tawdry political trick. News organizations seem to be donning the jammies and fuzzy slippers in an attempt to fact check the candidates. [I do have one question for Senator Kerry- where in the Constitution does it say that a woman has the right to an abortion? Must have missed that section.] Who won? Depends on who you ask... I think Bush won, but then again, the back of my van is covered in Bush/Cheney and other GOP stickers, so what do I know....
Other election news... a court tossed Ralph Nader off the ballot in Pennsylvania [message to Nader supporters... if you want to get your guy on the ballot, don't put the signatures of Mickey Mouse and Wiley Coyote on the petition... their voter registration forms weren't properly filled out.-ed.] The Guardian newspaper in London have paired up Londoners with voters in Clark County, Ohio write letters explaining who THEY want the voters to elect [I can't help but wonder if this will backfire... we're not too happy about being told what to do, especially by the Brits... I seem to remember a couple of wars over that...-ed] It looks like the Fraternal Order of Police is upset with Senator Kerry because he tends to skip votes that are important to law enforcement officers. [In Kerry's defense, he's managed to skip votes that impack just about everyone over the years, so it wasn't anything personal against the police. -ed.] Jesse Jackson accuses President Bush of "pursuing the Ideology of the Confederacy", which, astonishingly, is reasonably accurate (his argument is that Bush is in favor of States' rights, which tend to be anti-labor and anti-civil rights-[ok- States' right have nothing to do with civil rights or labor policy, but, hey, at least he got Confederacy v. Union right. The fact that he then said that Kerry is "pro Union" just makes it more clear that he's the wrong guy for the job.-ed.] And, finally, liberal church leaders are asking Kerry to stop politicizing religion. [Be afraid- I actually agree with them on this point. That's just... scary.- ed.]
Many of you have probably heard that the Sinclair Braoadcasting Group is planning on airing Stolen Honor prior to the election. (I mentioned it here.) Here's some more info. Sinclair Group was surprised to find out that the Kerry campaign has a media black list, and that they were pretty much threatened by a campaign spokesman. Here's a partial list of the Senators who signed a letter to the FCC asking them to investigate this whole thing. But there is one little glitch to their uproar over this- more stations want to air it. One interesting compromise that I heard this morning was that they show Stolen Honor back to back with a pro-Kerry documentary (I'm guessing Brothers in Arms or Under Fire). Sounds fair to me. But if they do that, then does the Sundance Channel need to start showing pro-Bush programming? Just wondering...
Time for the lightning round: Bill O'Reilly has been accused of sexual harrassment. [talk about things that make you go "ew!"- don't read the court documents unless you have a strong stomach and are of the age of majority.-ed.] Same sex marriages performed in Canada are valid for the New York pension system. [uh... if we can't deny them from other countries, then how is that argument that it's a states' rights issue supposed to stand? - ed.] There is court order stopping the sale of the 9/11 silver dollars. [good! There is just something wrong with profiting from a national tragedy.] Ferrari is making the Pope a new car. [woohoo! Talk about a pope-mobile!] Finally, Dr. Pepper has announced that they're going to introduce a cherry vanilla version of their popular soft drink.
One last item. Michael Moore says we're doomed if Bush is re-elected. "Doomed! Doomed, I tell you!"
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Woo Hoo!
The third and final presidential debate is finally over. We can now return to our regularly scheduled tv schedule (do you have any idea how hard it was for me to watch the debate with the Cards playing on Fox???) The questions were better than they could have been- there were a few that were zingers on Kerry, and it seemed like Bush was prepared for the "trick" questions.
IMO, Bush won. Kerry rambled. He seemed distracted. And he brought up Cheney's lesbian daughter (again), and that brought him down. The one major negative moment in the debate (according to a focus group) was when he brought up Cheney's daughter.
Instapolling aside, I hope this bodes well for the Bush/Cheney campaign. Doesn't mean I'm not going to keep praying. Just means I'm feeling a bit better about it.
IMO, Bush won. Kerry rambled. He seemed distracted. And he brought up Cheney's lesbian daughter (again), and that brought him down. The one major negative moment in the debate (according to a focus group) was when he brought up Cheney's daughter.
Instapolling aside, I hope this bodes well for the Bush/Cheney campaign. Doesn't mean I'm not going to keep praying. Just means I'm feeling a bit better about it.
Stupid People...
Last week, Michael Savage mentioned a ceramic mural that was unveiled at the public library in Livermore, California. It sounds like a cool concept- a mural with pictures of several important historical figures. There's only one problem- eleven of the names are spelled wrong. On a mural. At the library.
These aren't obscure figures from history. Nope. The artist misspelled some of the Big Guns of history- Einstein, Shakespeare, Van Gogh, Michelangelo and seven others. And, now it appears that the artist isn't willing to fix the errors. Here's what she said about the mistakes:
These aren't obscure figures from history. Nope. The artist misspelled some of the Big Guns of history- Einstein, Shakespeare, Van Gogh, Michelangelo and seven others. And, now it appears that the artist isn't willing to fix the errors. Here's what she said about the mistakes:
Besides, she insists, the mural isn't really about spelling. "The people that are into humanities, and are into Blake's concept of enlightenment, they are not looking at the words," Maria Alquilar told The Associated Press. "In their mind the words register correctly."Nah, no one cares about spelling... especially at a LIBRARY.
These People Really Need a Hobby
Be warned- I'm in "a mood," and it sure ain't a good one.
A little background info to bring you up to speed. We live in a neighborhood that has a home owners' association, and there are covenant restrictions and all that fun stuff. We are required to join the association because of a clause in our deed. Whatever. They're supposed to keep people from painting their homes annoying colors and putting cars up on blocks in the front yard, right? Would be nice, except... these people take their jobs WAY too seriously.
If your lawn isn't mowed (when they think it should be)- nastygram postcard in the mailbox. Forget to bring in your trashcan after the garbage truck goes by- you've got a little over 24 hours, then there's a nastygram in the mailbox. If you go so far as to put in a decorative pond in your flower bed (not taking any lawn space for this- just pre-planned flower bed area)- you get a letter reminding you that you need to submit architectural plans and a request for approval before you can make any changes to the exterior of the home. God forbid you get your kids a portable basketball hoop- that thing needs to be hidden unless you're actually using the darn thing.
All of this leads me to today. I get a letter saying that if we don't mow, edge, trim, and dispose of the clippings within one week, they'll hire someone to do it and send us the bill. Hmmm... I seem to remember the hum of the mower just the other day... Well, the driveway isn't edged just the way they like it, and they want us to trim right up against the house. So, I'm driving by the house, looking to see what it is they're seeing that I'm not. You can't see anything wrong from the street. Behind the air conditioner, you can see where it does need to be trimmed, but you can't see behind the air conditioner from the street.
Yes, I want our house to look nice. I'd love to have a nice yard (I have a black thumb, so there's only so much I can do out there without cursing it). But these people have too much time on their hands and a much-too-elevated opinion of their lofty position in our neighborhood.
You have NO idea how much I want the lotto tickets sitting in my van to have the winning numbers on them. No idea at all. To move from this neighborhood, with its unfriendly people (with a few exceptions, but...) and the resident busy-body living across the street (they'll get their own post one of these days). To have enough land to know I have neighbors, but I can't see or hear them. I like our house... I'm just tired of the people who live around it.
Until the Lotto Ship comes in, I really just wish they'd mind their own business.
A little background info to bring you up to speed. We live in a neighborhood that has a home owners' association, and there are covenant restrictions and all that fun stuff. We are required to join the association because of a clause in our deed. Whatever. They're supposed to keep people from painting their homes annoying colors and putting cars up on blocks in the front yard, right? Would be nice, except... these people take their jobs WAY too seriously.
If your lawn isn't mowed (when they think it should be)- nastygram postcard in the mailbox. Forget to bring in your trashcan after the garbage truck goes by- you've got a little over 24 hours, then there's a nastygram in the mailbox. If you go so far as to put in a decorative pond in your flower bed (not taking any lawn space for this- just pre-planned flower bed area)- you get a letter reminding you that you need to submit architectural plans and a request for approval before you can make any changes to the exterior of the home. God forbid you get your kids a portable basketball hoop- that thing needs to be hidden unless you're actually using the darn thing.
All of this leads me to today. I get a letter saying that if we don't mow, edge, trim, and dispose of the clippings within one week, they'll hire someone to do it and send us the bill. Hmmm... I seem to remember the hum of the mower just the other day... Well, the driveway isn't edged just the way they like it, and they want us to trim right up against the house. So, I'm driving by the house, looking to see what it is they're seeing that I'm not. You can't see anything wrong from the street. Behind the air conditioner, you can see where it does need to be trimmed, but you can't see behind the air conditioner from the street.
Yes, I want our house to look nice. I'd love to have a nice yard (I have a black thumb, so there's only so much I can do out there without cursing it). But these people have too much time on their hands and a much-too-elevated opinion of their lofty position in our neighborhood.
You have NO idea how much I want the lotto tickets sitting in my van to have the winning numbers on them. No idea at all. To move from this neighborhood, with its unfriendly people (with a few exceptions, but...) and the resident busy-body living across the street (they'll get their own post one of these days). To have enough land to know I have neighbors, but I can't see or hear them. I like our house... I'm just tired of the people who live around it.
Until the Lotto Ship comes in, I really just wish they'd mind their own business.
This is just... just... beyond tasteless
A Democratic State Congressman in Tennessee is handing out flyers which say "Voting for Bush is like running in the Special Olympics... Even if you win, you're still retarded." (found at Drudge)
I could go on and on about how cruel it is to use the mentally and physically challenged as political pawns, or I could wax poetic about juvenile slime tactics, or I could profess offense for this slight. But nah... let them carry on. Let them make fun of the less fortunate. Let them vandalize signs and break into offices. It shows them for what they are. Immature, inarticulate halfwits.
With no class.
I could go on and on about how cruel it is to use the mentally and physically challenged as political pawns, or I could wax poetic about juvenile slime tactics, or I could profess offense for this slight. But nah... let them carry on. Let them make fun of the less fortunate. Let them vandalize signs and break into offices. It shows them for what they are. Immature, inarticulate halfwits.
With no class.
A Call to Prayer, Part 3
OK, it's 3 weeks until the election. Have you been praying? Here's a little something to help focus your prayers. The election is coming down to 10 swing states- Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. So, to the prayer list I wrote up earlier, add these states. There has already been allegations of voter fraud and disenfranchisement on both sides in some of these states, and we really need for this to be a fair fight.
