How come these liberals that believe in taxing the rich, don't believe in paying taxes? The tax code is complex, but if you get something, and it wasn't a gift or inheritance, it might just occur to you that you should pay taxes on it.
In the past we couldn't confirm people to cabinet posts because they forgot a few hundred dollars in payroll taxes on a housekeeper, but now it's okay to "forget" tens, or even hundreds of thousands, of dollars in taxes? This is just the epitome of Democrat thinking; someone else should pay for what I want to do!
Oh, if it's not clear, this is a rant, and these people really piss me off!
In this case, a pox on only one of their houses. The house occupied by the Hypocrite Party.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wait for it...
The Republicans name Michael Steele chair of the party. He is a rare creature, a black Republican. Now we will find out if the election of Obama means we are post-racial.
I guarantee you a year ago this man would be labeled an "Uncle Tom", an inauthentic American black and disgrace to African-Americans. The smart money says all of those epithets will still be used, but we can hope that he will be treated better. Read the opinion columns tomorrow and find out.
I guarantee you a year ago this man would be labeled an "Uncle Tom", an inauthentic American black and disgrace to African-Americans. The smart money says all of those epithets will still be used, but we can hope that he will be treated better. Read the opinion columns tomorrow and find out.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I'm a Murderer!
At the insistence of J.R., I was perusing the PETA website and investigated the "Living in Harmony with Wildlife" resource. And now I know I'm not living in harmony with wildlife, see their recommendation below:
"Deny mice and rats access to food in your home—this is the best way to discourage them from taking up residence. Store all food in airtight, rodent-proof containers. If you must trap an occasional rodent, use a cruelty-free live trap made for this purpose. If the trap is plastic, make sure it has air holes, and check it frequently, at least every hour. "
I have had several mice take up residence in my home, and I found that the "sticky traps" and others don't work. And who the hell is going to check a live mouse trap every hour all night long?! The only trap that works in my experience is the good old snap trap with cheese bait. Granted I am not catching a live mouse to release and get back in my home again, but I think it is more merciful than having it starve to death in some live trap, if I forget to check for it for a day or week or whatever.
"Deny mice and rats access to food in your home—this is the best way to discourage them from taking up residence. Store all food in airtight, rodent-proof containers. If you must trap an occasional rodent, use a cruelty-free live trap made for this purpose. If the trap is plastic, make sure it has air holes, and check it frequently, at least every hour. "
I have had several mice take up residence in my home, and I found that the "sticky traps" and others don't work. And who the hell is going to check a live mouse trap every hour all night long?! The only trap that works in my experience is the good old snap trap with cheese bait. Granted I am not catching a live mouse to release and get back in my home again, but I think it is more merciful than having it starve to death in some live trap, if I forget to check for it for a day or week or whatever.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sad news
Apparently not everyone is taking P.E.T.A.'s Sea Kitten campaign seriously. If you go to SeaKittens.com today you will see that the sponsor is Omaha Steaks!
The irony is just too juicy.
The irony is just too juicy.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Texas State Board of Education
The chairman of the Texas board of education apparently believes that the earth is only several thousands of years old. How do these people get elected? There is really no way you can rationally believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old in this day and age. Everything from tree rings to ice cores to radiocarbon dating indicates that the earth is very old.
Here's the link to the article if anyone is interested.. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/education/22texas.html
Here's the link to the article if anyone is interested.. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/education/22texas.html
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
President Obama
I watched President Obama take the oath of office, and the inaugural address. I thought the address was excellent. The President made a fine speech which should be reassuring to the majority of Americans. (The left and the right are probably both crapping their collective pants, which suits me just fine.)
Notice how I take the high road and ignore Cousin Mark's comment.
Notice how I take the high road and ignore Cousin Mark's comment.
Today's the Big Day!
Our long national nightmare is over!!!
Ha-ha. Just kidding J.R., but I couldn't resist.
Ha-ha. Just kidding J.R., but I couldn't resist.
Monday, January 19, 2009
More Sea Kittens
The PETA site has a cute children's book about Sea Kittens! The book totally changed my mind. We are wrong to eat fish. Snakes should be called "ground puppies" so people quit killing them.
Man, these people are out of their simple little minds!
Man, these people are out of their simple little minds!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Mmmm, sea kitten
How do you like your sea kitten, fried, grilled or blackened?
P.E.T.A. is back in the news for being the stupidest group of people on the planet. They are asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to change the name of fish to "sea kittens". I guess that would also change the agency name to the U.S. Sea Kittens and Wildlife Service.
I am continually amazed that these people apparently don't realize how stupid they seem to people that live in the real world.
P.E.T.A. is back in the news for being the stupidest group of people on the planet. They are asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to change the name of fish to "sea kittens". I guess that would also change the agency name to the U.S. Sea Kittens and Wildlife Service.
I am continually amazed that these people apparently don't realize how stupid they seem to people that live in the real world.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
damn
Today I am 50. I can remember when I thought someone 50 was old, boy was I wrong.
It is amazing how recently I was in high school and college. I look at my friends and they don't really look that old either. My sister Nancy tells me that 50 is the new 40, which sounds like some more of the baby boomer narcissism, but I don't feel any different than I did in my 30's.
I am reminded of a Bob Seger line, one of my favorites; "I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Perhaps youthful innocence, or ignorance, is not all bad. In a discussion with Carol Taylor the other day she mentioned that someone said, I believe Ghandi's son, that the older he got the less he knows for certain about more things. So that now he really only knows three things for certain, and thinks enlightenment will come when he only knows one thing for certain. I'm not sure what that one thing is, perhaps that death comes once to each of us.
If you know me you know I am a man of few words (only when writing) but I don't have any deep thoughts on the subject of age. We are born, we age, we die. It seems like a simple, elegant progression to me.
It is amazing how recently I was in high school and college. I look at my friends and they don't really look that old either. My sister Nancy tells me that 50 is the new 40, which sounds like some more of the baby boomer narcissism, but I don't feel any different than I did in my 30's.
I am reminded of a Bob Seger line, one of my favorites; "I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Perhaps youthful innocence, or ignorance, is not all bad. In a discussion with Carol Taylor the other day she mentioned that someone said, I believe Ghandi's son, that the older he got the less he knows for certain about more things. So that now he really only knows three things for certain, and thinks enlightenment will come when he only knows one thing for certain. I'm not sure what that one thing is, perhaps that death comes once to each of us.
If you know me you know I am a man of few words (only when writing) but I don't have any deep thoughts on the subject of age. We are born, we age, we die. It seems like a simple, elegant progression to me.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Sen. Kennedy-NY
I find it amusing that the people who hated on Gov. Palin so badly think appointing Caroline Kennedy as Senator is a good idea. There are some major differences of course, such as, Palin has some actual experience in government, she has thought out some policies and she has oratorical skills. Kennedy brings nothing to the table except her name.
All I can say is the lefties in Manhattan deserve what they get.
All I can say is the lefties in Manhattan deserve what they get.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Stupid lead
NASA's 400-page report says space shuttle crew's seat restraints, suits, didn't work as designedThis is the FoxNews lead for a story about NASA's findings in the Columbia crash. The point being if the the seat restraints, suits and helmets had operated as designed the astronauts would be...dead as opposed to what actually happened which is they died.
N.Y. Times sued
I love this story. The lobbyist, who the Times implied had an affair with Sen. McCain, is suing the rag for defamation asking $27 million in damages. That is some amount more than the company is actually worth today.
Not only can they not sell papers but now they're being sued like "The National Enquirer" for rumor mongering. They couldn't be bothered to report the actual affair of candidate John Edwards, but they printed an article that was totally without facts. Reading it was embarrassing due to the lack of actual sourcing.
The lesson, to me, is when journalist adopt an agenda instead of just reporting they will get hurt.
Not only can they not sell papers but now they're being sued like "The National Enquirer" for rumor mongering. They couldn't be bothered to report the actual affair of candidate John Edwards, but they printed an article that was totally without facts. Reading it was embarrassing due to the lack of actual sourcing.
The lesson, to me, is when journalist adopt an agenda instead of just reporting they will get hurt.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Warming? Then why am I freezing my ass off?
Yesterday, it was 82 degrees (a record high for December 14) this morning it was 23 degrees (something like the second lowest temperature on record for December 15.) A swing of almost 60 degrees in about 14 hours!
And we are to believe that the Earth is in peril because global temperatures climbed 2 degrees over a decade, and now are on the way back down.
The AP writes, "...2008 is on pace to be a slightly cooler year in a steadily rising temperature trend line. Experts say it's thanks to a La Nina weather variation. While skeptics are already using it as evidence of some kind of cooling trend, it actually illustrates how fast the world is warming." Up is down, in is out, lambs are lying down with wolves! This is the kind of thing that makes it hard to take the global warming nuts seriously. Of course the AP story had the ubiquitous reference to Al Gore, Panicker in Chief (see also ManBearPig.)
And we are to believe that the Earth is in peril because global temperatures climbed 2 degrees over a decade, and now are on the way back down.
The AP writes, "...2008 is on pace to be a slightly cooler year in a steadily rising temperature trend line. Experts say it's thanks to a La Nina weather variation. While skeptics are already using it as evidence of some kind of cooling trend, it actually illustrates how fast the world is warming." Up is down, in is out, lambs are lying down with wolves! This is the kind of thing that makes it hard to take the global warming nuts seriously. Of course the AP story had the ubiquitous reference to Al Gore, Panicker in Chief (see also ManBearPig.)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Farewell Ray
My friend Ray Ellis passed away a week ago. There was a memorial celebration of his life yesterday which appears to have been well attended by his family and friends. I didn’t make it to the celebration, but my thoughts were very much there.
I have only known Ray for 44 or 45 years, he died at the age of 49. Losing him is like losing a member of the family. If you grew up in a small town you know what I mean, and if you didn’t you will probably never understand. But I will try and convey the closeness that occurs in a small town, and a small school.
Our graduating class, Ray was in my class, had 35 members, give or take one. Of those 35, at least 20 of us went to school together for 12 years, and the others were with us for over six of those years. This forms a bond that is not much different than being brothers and sisters. You may not always get along, but you have to be forgiving of each other, because tomorrow you’re right back together. There was very little dating within the group, we dated up or down a class or two (the one exception I can think of produced a marriage that has lasted nearly 30 years now.) Maybe it was just too weird to date someone that close.
Being a member of a group like that means that you might not see each other for years, but when you do it’s like seeing a missing family member. It’s not awkward. You just catch up, and pick up where you left off. These are people that I would gladly do anything for, and I think they would for me. I may have secrets, but not from this group, as they know me as well, or better, than I know myself.
This closeness extends to everyone, though not quite as tightly, that you attended school with, up a couple of grades and down a couple of grades. It is a feeling of comfort which is hard to explain, but a joy to experience.
Sadly, Ray is not the first of our number to die. At least six that I can think of are already gone. Two were killed in auto accidents, and one was murdered, within two years of our graduation.
Farewell Ray, I will miss you and your wonderful sense of humor.
I have only known Ray for 44 or 45 years, he died at the age of 49. Losing him is like losing a member of the family. If you grew up in a small town you know what I mean, and if you didn’t you will probably never understand. But I will try and convey the closeness that occurs in a small town, and a small school.
Our graduating class, Ray was in my class, had 35 members, give or take one. Of those 35, at least 20 of us went to school together for 12 years, and the others were with us for over six of those years. This forms a bond that is not much different than being brothers and sisters. You may not always get along, but you have to be forgiving of each other, because tomorrow you’re right back together. There was very little dating within the group, we dated up or down a class or two (the one exception I can think of produced a marriage that has lasted nearly 30 years now.) Maybe it was just too weird to date someone that close.
Being a member of a group like that means that you might not see each other for years, but when you do it’s like seeing a missing family member. It’s not awkward. You just catch up, and pick up where you left off. These are people that I would gladly do anything for, and I think they would for me. I may have secrets, but not from this group, as they know me as well, or better, than I know myself.
This closeness extends to everyone, though not quite as tightly, that you attended school with, up a couple of grades and down a couple of grades. It is a feeling of comfort which is hard to explain, but a joy to experience.
Sadly, Ray is not the first of our number to die. At least six that I can think of are already gone. Two were killed in auto accidents, and one was murdered, within two years of our graduation.
Farewell Ray, I will miss you and your wonderful sense of humor.
Friday, December 5, 2008
$25 Oil
Analysts predict that oil may drop to $25 in 2009 with gasoline below $1. Of course, back in July analysts were predicting that oil would be near $200 and gasoline at around $6 by this time. So, I'm not going to make a lot of plans based on this prediction.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. As we gather with friends and family to give thanks for our good lives, remember that by dint of living in these United States of America we are blessed beyond the imaginings of most people in the world.
I am thankful for my family, my friends, my health and my freedom. These are things that we tend to take for granted, but they are the true blessings of life.
I am thankful for my family, my friends, my health and my freedom. These are things that we tend to take for granted, but they are the true blessings of life.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Girls in the White House
How sweet is it that Barbara and Jenna showed Malia and Sasha how to jump on the beds at the White House? I think this is one of those really cool stories that, unfortunately, we don't hear enough of.
Gov. Palin pardons a turkey
Gov. Palin gives the traditional pardon to a turkey (a stupid tradition in and of itself.) Meanwhile, in the background, a worker continues with the process of beheading and bleeding turkeys in an abattoir.
The New York Times editorial staff reliably wets their pants over what a horrible person she is (they are such an entertaining group of panty waists.) I guess bleeding hearts think that food magically appears on the supermarket shelves and no animals are harmed in the process.
Mark Steyn sees the Governor's act of pardoning a turkey, and then allowing viewers to see others being slaughtered, as an allegory for government bailouts that pick and choose winners and losers. Ann Althouse, my favorite blogger, writes, "Deal with it, you candy-asses."
The New York Times editorial staff reliably wets their pants over what a horrible person she is (they are such an entertaining group of panty waists.) I guess bleeding hearts think that food magically appears on the supermarket shelves and no animals are harmed in the process.
Mark Steyn sees the Governor's act of pardoning a turkey, and then allowing viewers to see others being slaughtered, as an allegory for government bailouts that pick and choose winners and losers. Ann Althouse, my favorite blogger, writes, "Deal with it, you candy-asses."
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