Friday, February 25, 2005

Update on the letters I sent Feb 08

I sent copies of a Letter I wrote to my elected officials.

UMmmmmm, nothing yet.
But I'm not giving up hope on those caring people in DC, they're busy protecting me from myself.
Thank you Wedge Donovan (new pic)

Now I have about 2 weeks to find a renter here, and then an affordable house near Castroville. The 16yr-old took it ok, we haven't told the 14 yr-old yet; she's being- well, a teenager.

But I DID get about $9,000 in wage change for the better.


Now I need a new blog name, since this is fixed in location.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Now, a tail of two trials

Elliot tells about his adventures in a Texas coutroom.

And then you have this circus.

I don't know if he's guilty or not, but he's not right.
I'm kinda late on this weeks EUrowienie bashing
But here's my contribution, from last Fridays edition of The National Review Online.

Denis Boyles Has a piece on How to Euro Speak.

In it he gives this advice:
Europeans hate the way Americans talk. They think we're loud and uncouth and they don't like our jokes, except for
Michael Moore. Plus, they resent the fact that they’ve had to learn our language because if they didn’t we wouldn’t buy their stupid metric widgets or visit their overpriced ruins.

So when the president goes to Europe to give his speech to all the EU-niks in Brussels on Tuesday, it’s important that he speak clearly — or at least clearfully. Because there are a few things he needs to say, and they can all be summed up in seven handy, easy-to-utter phrases:
  1. Get a Job <, , ,>
  2. Clean up your own mess<, , ,>
  3. Stop taking bribes<, , ,>
  4. Since you can't defend yourselves, get out of our way<, , ,>
  5. Knock-off the EUro-hypocracy<, , ,>
  6. Start a "No european left behind" program<, , ,>
  7. Jaques, Gerhard, get a better campaign issue<, , ,>
He ends this with:
"This kind of knee-jerk hatred colors the judgments of both men and their fellow citizens. If Germany and France hadn’t already demonstrated their ability to market brutal hatred during World War II, this might not matter. But to fan the flames of grotesque intolerance during a war on terror just to keep two political hacks out of their own growing unemployment lines is a bit much. If that’s worth deep-sixing the Atlantic “alliance,” that’s jake. Or maybe we could give Germany our Security Council seat (and our share of the bills) on our way out of the U.N. Let Europe pay its own way for a decade or two. If Bush makes nothing else clear when he arrives in Brussels Monday night for a “working dinner” with Chirac it should be that ultimately European anti-Americanism isn’t our problem. It’s Europe’s problem, and Euro-leaders should take the lead in solving it."

I just wish someone would listen.
Todays history lesson


I was going to say something a bout the quote by C.C.Pickering, 'Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.' , but found out it wasn't a direct reference to our FIRST unilateral foray into the mideast.

My bad--oops
Here's a Knot for Zippo

They call it a "Sailors Knot" but actually it's a Carrick Bend.


It's REALLY thundering bad here, even the dogs are scared- well the white, fat, gay thing is anyway.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

I guess if I do get that job, I'll have to remember transformer connections

Guess I'll start on the easy ones.
OK, the disability thing's taken care of- kinda.

, , , Still feel like I bought a bill of goods, though.
I guess I'm going to have to start remembering how to tie Knots again

If I'm going to be up on a pole, again.


This one's a bowline.

BUBBLE WRAP

Got frustrations at work?
Go pop some BUBBLEWRAP.

Via Ace

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Light Blogging tonite

Got some "interesting" news from a former employer who I thought was paying me disability. Seems they 'misplaced my letter of resignation, and didn't send me any information saying that the DR released me to return to work. He didn't tell me, and my nerve damage in my right elbow is still as bad as when I walked away from the truck.

I'm kinda pissed- they want me to pay it back.

Haifa-adai (that's a Gauammanian Aloha)
Happy Birthday George

Monday, February 21, 2005

Anyone remember Elian?

Ok, I see your eyes rolling, so I know you do.

Val over at Babalu Blog has a 'behind the scenes' post about Elian.

Like about 279 million Americans I was only interested because of the spokes-babe.
I ->know<- I should be interested, because Cuba is a fully functioning Communist enclave 90 miles to the south of us-the US. It just- somehow- seems - so- remote- from- anything, that it's hard to get our back up anymore, , , I guess.

For Val and the rest of the Cuban refugees, it's PERSONAL.
It made me realize/ remember they're freedom loving Cubans- not 'Mexicans from the islands'.

Go read his posts, it makes it more personal.
Ok, I'm surfing the web with the TV on for background noise

Listening to Monster Garage, as they "modify" a Model A (sob).
As that Pepto-Bismo commercial came on (stomachupset-heartburn-constipation-diarehah), I started thinking of other annoying/bad commercials.

  • That Mcdonalds rap radio commercial while I'm listening to country or talk radio, I always think of that as I go into their competition.
  • the SWBC/ SBC commercial- one is a telephone co. the other is a business services co. their phone numbers CAN't be that close. How can you OVERLOOK the "W" they're not even close in the phone book.
  • SBC again with their two dorks selling their cell phones.
Ok, they're arguing about upside-down intake gaskets, looks like it's getting interesting.

Have you got any favorite bad commercials?
Can't think of the rest
Over in the UK, they have a new TV show called Demolition

In it they ask for nominations for a building to be bulldozed to the ground.
(and rebuild in a new show next season-aren't Brit shows great?)
Well the townsfolk of Cumbernauld (Scotland?) heard about it and wanted the entire town demolished. (Registration required)
Here are the basics:

Town so ugly, residents want it demolished

JIM MCBETH

Key points
• Cumbernauld locals nominate entire town to be razed as part TV series
• Despite being location of Scottish film Gregory’s Girl, town has few fans
• Response to suggestion mixed on town's streets; Channel 4 politely declined

Key quote
"It’s a bit further than we want to go for a programme" - Channel 4 spokesman

Story in full: POOR old Cumbernauld. The town with all the popular appeal of a Moscow suburb is under fire again but this time from within, according to Channel 4.

The station is making a four-part series Demolition, in which viewers nominate an "eyesore" building they want bulldozed.

Some residents of Cumbernauld have apparently demanded Channel 4 help raze their entire town to the ground.
<, , ,>
`Criticism of Cumbernauld, created in 1956 for the Glasgow "overspill", usually comes from outsiders.

Its stark architecture has few fans and it was described as one of the worst places to live in the UK. The Idler’s Book of Crap Towns said "town-planning students visit Cumbernauld to learn what not to do".

Before that, a business magazine awarded Cumbernauld the Carbuncle Award, bestowed annually on a town deemed to be a blot on the landscape.

The town centre was described as "a rabbit warren on stilts, a sprawling, angular concrete complex that is soulless, inaccessible, like something from Eastern Europe".
<, , , >
But on the other hand-"It has not all been bad news for Cumbernauld. It was recently named as an official treasure of late 20th-century architecture by a United Nations heritage body. "


I know it's been blogged already, but who gives a cr*p about

Paris Hiltons phone info?
Everyone already knows she's a complete Ditz- if I can be that charitable.
I know this blog doesn't make alot of sense sometimes, but I'm an Einstein compared to her.

Have you read what she's messaged?
My dog could do as well- the dumb one.

She has no talent, or looks, or anything -exept- daddys money. I guess that's what it takes to be "someone" on the Left coast.

What do you call an intelligent blonde?



.




.


A Golden Retiever

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Captains Quarters Blog has a post on the new DNC chairman.

And I have My own slant.

He's saying Dean is revving up the base (moonbats). Ok, Bush isn't making his base all that happy with his "compassionat conservatism".

If a third party came out with a REAL conservative, the Republicans would have a real problem. Off hand, all I know is that Ron Paul is the only one that's voted as a conservative- with any consistancy.

Get a Zell Miller party and I'll give it a good hard look.
According to this article over at Deans World

whales are having a hard time with their love life.

"But Clark and other scientists are concerned that the growing "acoustic smog" in the world's oceans, and particularly the waters near popular migration and feeding routes, is interfering with whales' ability to communicate with songs.

"A blue whale, which lives 100 years, that was born in 1940, today has had his acoustic bubble shrunken from 1,000 miles to 100 miles because of noise pollution," said Clark. "The noise pollution is estimated to be at the industrial noise level where OSHA would require us to wear headphones."

Noise pollution is doubling every decade in an urbanized marine environment, Clark claims, mostly due to shipping traffic."


OK, I'm sure some marine engineer can explain this- since about WWII we've gone from diesal engines to turbines (much quieter) and we haven't been doing a massive amount of depth charging lately, either(besides if a Blue Whale was born in the '40s he'd be deaf, wouldn't he?). So there are more ships, they're larger, move faster, and are quieter than their forebears.

Why is this a problem now? Can't the great whales cope with change ( their brains are bigger than a passenger van)? Isn't evolution what Liberals celibrate in school?
Machias Privateer has a good sounding idea

About the proposed retirement of the aircraft carrier, John F. Kennedy CV-67.
Instead of decommisioning her, turn her into a disater recovery ship.

Sounds like a workable idea. There'd be plenty of room for humanitarian equipment.

And the tsnunami showed that it would be definetly appreciated.
Coyote Blog has an interesting post up today.

He's talking about the Robber Barons of the 19th century. El Coyote is giving an alternative (realistic) history ofCornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt and John D. Rockefeller.

He shows how instead of villifying them, the Left should be praising them- but when has reality been used as a basis of judgement by the Left?

I was learning things from his post, and it occurred to me how much things change- and how much they stay the same, just under different names.
We went looking at houses yesterday

And I can't say I'm really impresses with what we looked at.
There's not really alot for sale on the west/ southwest side of San Antonio. If you wanted to live in what would easily be described as either the "projects" or the barrio, you'd have more choices.

I don't want to live there.
We basically have it narrowed down to 3 places. Two are between Castroville and Hondo, and the other one is just north of Devine.
Bandera and Pipe Creek are too far north for both of us to drive daily.

The one at Devine is a Gov't forclosure, and basically needs to be rebuilt, but it's on almost 7 acres in good hog country- and we'd be able to shoot out in the back yard.

The two west of Castroville are in built-up areas, better for the girls; but so much for rifles- one I know is in a HOA and the other looks like its across the street from a golf course.

If we wanted to throw our money away we could get a house in Bexar Co.- but I don't want ANY of my money helping out those clowns on the S.A. city council. You step accross the Medina/ Bexar Co. line and the taxes double for the same house.

Friday, February 18, 2005

Looks like 2 out of 3 ain't bad

Two out of three of the original axis of evil are on our side in Iraq. Then there's Germany.

The Italian Parliment voted to extend funding for it's 3,000 troups in Iraq- making it #4 in the unilateral US imposition of Iraqi freedom fiasco.
I can't find any links exept this kind, where that is mentioned as an afterthought to the plight of a communist pro terrorist.

Hat-tip to Confederate Yankee for the info.

We won't even mention our ahem- freedom loving allies.
The Jawa Report has alot of good stuff

Crammed into one post about - (yes it's the title)The Religion of Peace.

It begins with a quote from Salmon Rushdie, if you remember him.

Lots of good links.
The complete truth

On the WBAM FM morning show in Chicago. The DJs play a game where they award winners great prizes. The game is called "Mate Match". The DJs call someone at work and ask if they are married or seriously involved with someone. If the contestant answers "yes", he or she is then asked 3 random yet highly personal questions.
The person is also asked to divulge the name of their partner (with phone number) for verification. If their partner answers those same three questions correctly, they both win the prize. One particular game, however, several months ago made the City of Big Shoulders drop to its knees with laughter.

Anyway, here's how it all went down:

DJ: "Hey! This is Edgar on WBAM. Have you ever
heard of 'MateMatch'?"
Contestant: (laughing) "Yes, I have."

DJ: "Great! Then you know we're giving away a trip to Orlando, Florida if you win. What is your name? First only please."

Contestant: "Brian."

DJ: "Brian, are you married or what?"
Brian: "Yes."
DJ: "Yes? Does that mean you're married or you're
what?"
Brian: (laughing nervously) "Yes, I am married."

DJ: "Thank you. Now, what is your wife's name?
First only please."

Brian: "Sara."
DJ: "Is Sara at work, Brian?"
Brian: "She is gonna kill me."

DJ: "Stay with me here, Brian! Is she at work?"
Brian: (laughing) "Yes, she's at work."
DJ: "Okay, first question - when was the last time
you had sex?"
Brian: "She is gonna kill me."
DJ: "Brian! Stay with me here!"
Brian: "About 8 o'clock this morning."
DJ: "Atta boy, Brian."

Brian: (laughing sheepishly) "Well..."

DJ: "Question #2 - How long did it last?"

Brian: "About 10 minutes."
DJ: "Wow! You really want that trip, huh? No one would ever have said that if a trip wasn't at stake."

Brian: "Yeah, that trip sure would be nice."
DJ: "Okay. Final question. Where did you have sex at 8 o'clock this morning?"

Brian: (laughing hard) "I, ummm, I, well..."
DJ: "This sounds good, Brian. Where was it at?"
Brian: "Not that it was all that great, but her mom is staying with us for a couple of weeks..."

DJ: "Uh huh..."

Brian: "...and the Mother-In-Law was in the shower at the time."

DJ: "Atta boy, Brian."
Brian: "On the kitchen table."

DJ: "Not that great?? That is more adventure than the previous hundred times I've done it. Okay folks, I will put Brian on hold, get this wife's work number and call her up. You listen to this."

( 3 minutes of commercials follow.)
DJ: "Okay audience, let's call Sarah, shall we?"(touchtones....ringing....)

Clerk: "Kinkos."
DJ: "Hey, is Sarah around there somewhere?"
Clerk: "This is she."
DJ: "Sarah, this is Edgar with WBAM. We are live on the air right now and I've been talking with Brian for a couple of hours now."

Sarah: (laughing) "A couple of hours?"

DJ: "Well, a while now. He is on the line with us. Brian knows not to give any answers away or you'll lose. Sooooooo... do you know the rules of 'MateMatch'?"

Sarah: "No."

DJ: "Good!"
Brian: (laughing)
Sarah: (laughing) "Brian, what the hell are you up to?"

Brian (laughing) "Just answer his questions honestly, okay? Be completely honest."
DJ: "Yeah yeah yeah. Sure. Now, I will ask you 3 questions, Sarah. If your answers match Brian's answers, then the both of you will be off to Orlando, Florida for 5 days on us. Disney World. Sea World. Tickets to the Magic's game. The whole deal. Get it Sarah?"
Sarah: (laughing) "Yes."
DJ: "Alright. When did you last have sex, Sarah?"Sarah: "Oh God, Brian....uh, this morning before Brian went to work."

DJ: "What time?"
Sarah: "Around 8 this morning."
DJ: "Very good. Next question. How long did it last?"

Sarah: "12, 15 minutes maybe."

DJ: "Hmmmm. That's close enough. I am sure she is trying to protect his manhood. We've got one last question, Sarah. You are one question away from a trip to Florida. Are you ready?"
Sarah: (laughing) "Yes."
DJ: "Where did you have it?"

Sarah: "OH MY GOD, BRIAN!! You didn't tell them that, did you?"
Brian: "Just tell him, honey."

DJ: "What is bothering you so much, Sarah?"
Sarah: "Well, it's just that my mom is vacationing with us and..."
DJ: Come on Sarah.....where did you have it?

Sarah: "In the ass....."
After a long pause, the DJ said, "Folks, we need to take a station break....

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Ok, a gratuitous picture of a babe a real guy wants

(I've had the hots for her for a long time, anyway)
She knows guns, in the wilderness, and a rich consrevative- UMMmmmmm.

You can see more of her here.

*Not work safe if you work at GOOGLE, PROGRESSIVE, NETSCAPE, or any other "blue" company*

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Why not just BUY them all houses?

BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES RECORD $1.4 BILLION TO HELP HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
"HUD funds will support unprecedented number of local programs"
Dash has a good Chili post up

(I wish I could get my Tracbacks working, but I guess this is just Googles way of dealing with conservative blogs.)


But anyway, You'll have to scroll down this archive untill you come to
Tuesday, February 15, 2005/
Texas Chili Contest
Remember back in the 80's when AIDS first came to light?

The Government wanted to treat it like a medical problem/ burgoning epidemic. They wanted to track the carriers and get their sexual history so they could track and treat their parteners. That's how they cured or got a handle on Small Pox, Dyptheria, Polio, and many other diseases.

The Homophile (see I know Latin words, too) community went nuts. Accusing everyone that didn't vehemently object as HOMOPHOBICS who 'just wanted to discriminate against GAYS'.

Ok fast forward to today, and see what a poll of 864 physicians and 1,339 members of the general public has to say.

The survey revealed that among the general public:

-- 63% of Americans believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

-- 60% indicated that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

-- 40% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits


Among the sample of physicians:

-- 64% believe that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population

-- 59% reported that the associated health care benefits of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the social implications

-- 41% indicated that the social implications of mandatory, federally funded HIV testing outweigh the associated health care benefits


And

According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, health experts recommend that virtually all Americans be screened routinely for the HIV AIDS virus, much as they are for cancer and other conditions. In addition, the report cited recent federally funded studies which determined that the cost of routinely testing and treating nearly all adults would be outweighed by a reduction in new infections and the opportunity to start patients on antiviral medications early in the disease progression.


Yep, like the saying goes: "What goes around comes around."

I'm just wondering how much the "Compassionat Conservative" is going to flush on that program.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Thanks to Capt Wedge Donovan

It looks like I'm on the short list for a new job.
They're looking for a guy who knows both High wire and natural gas systems. Even though it's been almost 20 years since I climbed a pole, those two words Sea Bee helped make up his mind, and being discrepency free in two consecutive RRC inspections helped a bit, too.

Not to brag, but if you can build a fully functioning airfield when the Marines are still taking an Island, you should be able to run a small towns utilities.
Introducing the USS Hostage Crisis

Yep, you heard right the Navy- in all it's infinit wisdom and PCness is going to commission an attack sub the USS Dhimy Jimmy Carter.

Wonder what Carter'll have to say about something designed specifically destroy enemys of America in his commissioning speach?
Did volenteers come over on the weekends to help build it?
Will the commissioning crew have to "donate" their planks for a Habitat Home?

Hope there's no counter-attack rabbits going after it.
I hope they take care of his boat a hell of alot better than HE did the military when he was in charge of it.