Spanish Blog Called 1m2 Post About Governor Palin

Y mira que no quería hablar de esta mujer, que al fin y al cabo no es una de las candidatas a la presidencia de los EEUU (aunque duela, los que mandan), pero claro, ella lo pone tan tan a huevo, que es que no me puedo resistir.
Con sus declaraciones - todo un alarde de ignorancia - está reventando la campaña electoral en su país, y haciendo las delicias de la prensa que gusta de esas salidas de tono para llenar titulares.
Ella, aunque no parece tener muchas luces, hace bien su trabajo - distraer de lo realmente importante en la campaña, y que solo se hable de su vida familiar o de sus extrañas ideas -, y quienes la han puesto ahí (los políticos de su partido, pero en primera instancia los que la votaron en su ciudad y luego en su estado, todos tenemos un precio por lo que parece) lo han hecho por algo.
Sarah Palin es una persona a la que le gusta censurar cosas que no sigan su línea de pensamiento. También gusta de matar animalicos por puro placer, aunque estén en peligro de extinción o sean especies protegidas (o que debieran serlo). Es miembro destacado de la asociación del rifle americana (de esos que piensan que si los malos tienen armas, los buenos también deben tenerlas para compensar). Es una persona muy religiosa que cree que con la oración se cura l homosexualidad (parece que ahora eso necesita cura...); es belicista, atacaría Rusia por lo de Georgia (para qué buscar vías diplomáticas si te puedes enfrentar a uno de los países más poderosos del mundo y destruir todo con las bombas atómicas de ambos, total, si te lo pide dios como lo de Irak...).
A Sarah le gustaría que en todas las escuelas se enseñara bajo la doctrina del creacionismo, pasándose por el forro toda la teoría de la evolución de las especies y escupiendo en la cara de Darwin. Para ella, los dinosaurios existían hace 4000 años (edad del mundo según esta gente, nada de millones de años, que son muchos).
En fin, que Sarah, de todos modos no es un caso aislado, y eso es lo preocupante. Si ha llegado hasta ahí es porque hay más gente que piensa de la misma forma, y le vota y apoya para que esté donde está. Si le teníais miedo a Bush, preparaos.
Sinceramente pienso que sería una involución, un retroceso total, que personas de este calibre gobernaran los países/estados.
Por cierto, ¿qué ha sido de McCain (que lo único que ha hecho en su vida es ir a combatir a Vietnam - para muchos allí eso es algo bueno, y suficiente para aspirar a la Casa Blanca - y caer prisionero, algo por lo que le llaman héroe)? Ha perdido todo el protagonismo desde que ha nombrado como nº2 a esta señora. ¿Le interesaba esto a su partido? Quizá. ¿Le hará esto ganar votos y derrotar a Obama? Sería tristísimo.
Puede que Obama sea un producto de buen marketing con un discurso vacío de película, pero sigue pareciendo mejor opción que unos pobres ignorantes belicistas.
En fin, recomiendo encarecidamente la lectura de los distintos vínculos a lo largo del post (que no me he inventado nada), pero especialmente este artículo, que resume todo lo anteriormente expuesto y cuenta alguna cosa más acerca de este fenómeno de la naturaleza llamado Sarah Palin, que ha cambiado el curso de esta campaña electoral en EEUU (y no para bien).

Aye carumba? Muy bien amigo - Google Language Tool to the rescue!

And look who did not want to talk about this woman, who after all is not one of the candidates for the presidency of the USA (though painful, those who send), but clear, she puts so much egg, which is I can not resist. With his statements - a display of ignorance - is bursting the election campaign in his country and doing the delight of the press that these outlets like tone to fill headlines. She, though it does not seem to have many lights, does his job well - to distract from what really matters in the campaign, and only talk about their family life or their strange ideas - and those who have there (policy of game, but in the first instance that voted in his hometown and then in his state, we all have a price for what seems) have done something. Sarah Palin is a person who likes to censor things that do not follow their line of thinking. He also likes to kill animals for pure pleasure, whether endangered or protected species are (or should be). Is a prominent member of the Association of American rifle (for those who think that if the weapons are bad, the good must also be taken to compensate). It is a very religious person who believes that prayer is the cure homosexuality (which seems now that needs healing is ...); warmonger, would attack Russia as Georgia (what to look for diplomatic channels if you can deal with one of the most powerful countries in the world and destroy everything with atomic bombs in both total, if you asked God, as Iraq ...). A Sarah would like to see in all schools are taught under the doctrine of creationism, by turning the lining the whole theory of the evolution of species and spitting in the face of Darwin. For her, the dinosaurs existed 4000 years ago (age of the world according to these people, nothing of millions of years, there are many). Anyway, that Sarah, anyway is not an isolated case, and that is worrying. If you've read this far is because there are more people who think the same way, and he voted for and supported wherever it is. If you teníais fear Bush, prepare. Frankly I think it would be a setback, a total setback, that people of this caliber ruled the countries / states. Indeed, what has been McCain (the only thing it has done in his life is going to fight in Vietnam - that for many there is a good thing, and enough to aspire to the White House - and falling prisoner, something so who call him a hero)? Has lost the only protagonist who has since appointed as No. 2 to this lady. Are you interested in this to his party? Maybe. You will do this and win votes to defeat Obama? It would be very sad. Obama may be a product of good marketing with a speech empty movie, but it still seems better option than some poor ignorant warmongers. Anyway, I strongly recommend reading the various links along the post (which I have not invented anything) but especially this article, which summarizes all the above and has something more about this phenomenon of nature named Sarah Palin, who has changed the course of this election campaign in the U.S. (and not for the better).

I Saw A Picture Of Danica Patrick Today

so to counteract that, I'll look at a picture of our blog Official Race Girl Erin Crocker.

Are They Our Only Real Real Hope?

Mondays Missives

JFK Nixon debate 1960

• Polls are a notoriously shaky way to gauge anything but, especially a political debate. Usually, what happens with notable exceptions in a debate is viewer belief is only strengthened in whom they already believed. What does seem to matter is how it's perceived in the following days after it has been distilled down through various media. Does that mean how a network or agency reports the candidates performance will have the final say on perception? One outlet gathered a group of undecided voters and polled them on who they perceived won- Obama was seen as the winner by twice as many polled. Would they lie? An uncommitted voter this late in the race and in this election in particular? Give me a break. Didn't happen, those folks saw a chance to help their candidate, pure and simple. Polls did suggest Obama won on issues of the economy and McCain winning on foreign policy issues. Unless one candidate or the other is absolutely destroyed though it's hard to peg a winner in these debates. And the truthfulness of this seems borne out by the outlets claiming a clear cut winner and loser- more or less liberal? - Obama hands down. More or less conservative? - McCain handed Obama his rear end on a platter but, this is what it's about- perception in the days following the debates.


• I read the other day that most phobias begin at age 13. I wonder why, is that related to puberty, or a self esteem issue as kids are trying to find their place in the world? I have only one phobia- ish thing about me that I'm aware of and it has only developed over the past couple of years. Interestingly (or oddly) I've only told one person what that is and while I don't regret it, I have a vague sense it may come back to haunt me- I have no idea why I feel that way.


• As much as I read and as big a news hound as I am, I think it's kind of weird I only have a vague idea of what Ikea is and why it is so prominent in pop culture. I think it's a furniture store.


• Ask yourself Do I need this item before you buy it, pay cash and factor into the purchase price the number of hours you'll work to pay for that item. You'll be surprised at how much extra money you have and how much less junk you'll accumulate. Actually I believe most people would be blown away by the results if they applied these axioms to their consumer habits.


• One of my friends told me in the 1980s when VHS was getting big, his family bought a top of the line VCR saying,"It was as big as a microwave and it cost something like 1200 dollars." I have a 5 speaker Phillips home theater sytem with subwoofer that plays DVDs, cds, automatically plays a slideshow with picture cds, has a jack to connect an MP3 player, USB direct connection and has Dolby digital logic surround. As I recall, I paid about 150.00 dollars for that system. Crazy, huh?

Random Post From Comments Somewhere Else

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Before I Forget (literally, as in I'm posting this then- forgetting it!)

"Troopers eventually investigated 13 issues and found four in which Wooten violated policy or broke the law or both:
• Wooten used a Taser on his stepson.
• He illegally shot a moose.
• He drank beer in his patrol car on one occasion.
• He told others his father-in-law would "eat a f'ing lead bullet" if he helped his daughter get an attorney for the divorce.
Beyond the investigation sparked by the family, trooper commanders saw cause to discipline or give written instructions to correct Wooten seven times since he joined the force, according to Grimes' letter to Wooten.
Those incidents included: a reprimand in January 2004 for negligent damage to a state vehicle; a January 2005 instruction after being accused of speeding, unsafe lane changes, following too closely and not using turn signals in his state vehicle; a June 2005 instruction regarding personal cell phone calls; an October 2005 suspension from work after getting a speeding ticket; and a November 2005 memo "to clarify duty hours, tardiness and personal business during duty time."
"Mike is not without a blemish," the union's Cyr said. But some of the problems noted by Grimes were small matters, he said. Many troopers were told to reimburse the state for personal cell phone calls, he said. Wooten had to miss work for court during the divorce, he said. " -ADN

Anchorage Daily News has more at http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html .
I really debated posting this non-issue but, I've been curious about it, so I looked into it and came away surprised that I may have been wrong, if Governor Palin had tried to influence the situation it would be much simpler to regard it as a public safety service to her state and not abusing her influence because the guy had been married to her sister. He was and might still be a danger to the public and himself. I'm at a loss to explain how he got away with what he did- if it were you or I we'd still be in jail.

One thing it did impress upon me, if this is the best they've got on her- the Governor and her supporters ought to be in good shape.

Paul Newman

"Newman served in the Navy in World War II in the Pacific theater in the spring of 1945. He was ordered to the ship as radioman/gunner in an Avenger with a draft of replacements shortly before the attack, but by a fluke of war was held back because his pilot had an ear infection. The rest of his detail died.

After the war, he completed his degree at Kenyon College, graduating in 1949. Newman later studied acting at Yale University and under Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio in New York City.
Oscar Levant wrote that Newman was initially hesitant to leave New York for Hollywood: "Too close to the cake," he reported him saying, "Also, no place to study."

Newman was one of the few actors who successfully made the transition from 1950s cinema to that of the 1960s and 1970s. His rebellious persona translated well to a subsequent generation. -wikipedia

Interesting later life Newman factoids-

"While campaigning for the Democrats in the 1968 U.S. Presidential election, Newman would rent a Jaguar on the weekends. When he found out that opponent Richard Nixon,

who was known to his naysayers as "Tricky Dick", was renting the same car during the week, Newman left a note in it saying "This clutch is tricky, so you won't have any trouble with it

Was so ashamed of his debut in the failed costume drama The Silver Chalice (1954), that he took out an ad in Variety apologizing for his performance.

Finished second in the 1979 Le Mans 24-hour race in a Porsche 935

Owned The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, a summer camp for children with cancer and other blood-related diesases (and their siblings) in Ashford, Connecticut, and also runs a fall "Discovery" program for inner city kids, also in Ashford.

Said that he burned his tuxedo on his 75th birthday because he is through with formality.

Says the sound he loves most is that of a V-8 engine."- IMDB

Paul Newman died 26 September 2008 of lung cancer surrounded by friends and family at his home in Westport Conneticut he was 83 years old.

Gaffemeister Biden On The Campaign Trail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glrnb_G34E4 talking to Katie Couric about FDRs response to stock market crash of 1929 on television, that's a great analogy for any disaster today right? The only problems I can see with the reference are FDR assumed office in 1933 and the crash was in 1929 and television wasn't commercially available until the late 30s but, other than that yeah, he's right.

After you watch it, you'll understand one of his best and most ironic lines in this clip is," Part of what a leader does to instill confidence is demonstrate that he or she knows what they’re talking about."

Craziness From MSNBC Article

"BANGOR, Maine - A television news anchor in Maine who looks a lot like Sarah Palin says she's been getting "hate mail and nasty phone calls."
Cindy Michaels from WVII-TV has long brown hair that she sometimes wears up in a style similar to Palin's, and she also wears glasses on occasion.
Michaels says some viewers recently began accusing her of trying to copy Palin's style or, worse, somehow trying to subliminally sway votes."

Bizarre, absolutely and frighteningly bizarre- anyone who actually thinks like that should be required to identify themselves to their neighbors!

Well, 300 Dollars- Maybe?

"On Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Russ Mitchell apologized for a Friday segment that estimated Cindy McCain wore a $300,000 outfit to the Republican convention: "Now, a correction. Last week, the Early Show aired an segment on an outfit Cindy McCain wore during the Republican National Convention. We estimated the total cost was more than $300,000. It turns out that dress is off-the-rack and the pearl necklace is not real. We regret the error."

Duly Noted

Obama On Gun Ownership

" Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns. "

I'm not a single issue voter but, one litmus test I could apply to any politician is their stand on Second Amendment rights and since I've been following US politics one thing has never changed and that's when a politician refers to groups of gun owners whose rights he would protect as sportsmen and hunters two things are clear- they will go after gun owners rights long and hard and they have not even a passing respect for the Constitution on this matter. It's hard to mention this issue without sounding like a general nutjob and conspiracy theorist and that's a shame but, the truth is whether a person agrees or not:

The Second Amendment is in place to defend the nation against an oppressive domestic government and provide the tools necessary to allow citizens to defend the nation against a foreign enemy.

That very simply put is a fact and if that assessment becomes or has become totally disagreeable then the amendment would need to be changed before gun rights are restricted.

Read between the lines when a politician speaks just as you you would in your personal or business life. When they say, "I support the rights of hunters..." You can bet that means when all is said and done if they had their way the only guns anybody could have are ones that seem limited to hunting use.

And good luck proving that one.

Another thought on this issue: all rights recognized in the constitution demonstrably hinge on the right to bear arms so it's not a stretch to suspect a politician will disregard other rights if he has stated goals that infringe on the Second Amendment.

Jones Soda Labelity Picturefication

This picture was taken by Kendra Myers at the Japanese Gardens in Fort Worth TX. You can got to http://www.jonessoda.com/gallery/view.php?ID=981760&search=texas&offset=40 to vote for this picture to help it get to be a Jones Soda company label.

Wednesdays Digressions

AP photo from MSNBC

• Nancy Pelosi looks at least 15 years older since debate over the bailout started. I don't know for sure if I'm right on that assessment or what it may mean if I am but, it seems true in multiple pictures I've seen. I've got a sneaking suspicion though I'm correct and this thing is keeping her up at night.


• A guy I know in Decatur has a blog called Liberally Lean at http://skattershooting.blogspot.com/ recently he said something to the effect,"Obama stopped smiling about 6 weeks ago." Man, he's right and again I don't know what it may mean but, it's true and it's obviously so.


• The school shooting in Finland was followed by the predictable headline within 24 hours Gun ban mulled in Finland in wake of school shooting. Bad situations make for bad laws is an old, applicable truism. Finland is second in the world behind the US in private gun ownership.


• I applied for a part time job the other day to get me out of the house and prevent starvation and homelessness. I got the job-flexible schedule, good pay, they gave me a set of high quality scrubs when conversationally I mentioned I would need to get some and in the breakroom was a 4 ft. stack of cases of energy drinks, bottled water and sodas. I can handle this.


• The baby spent his first day in day care and has been sick as a dog with flu symptoms, I haven't slept more than a couple of hours in the past 2 nights. I think it was too quick for incubation time- probably a coincidence.


• Cool mornings get me charged up and I feel like I can accomplish anything. Soon enough we'll be whining about how cold it is daydreaming aloud about next summer- going to the lake, getting out on the boat etc. Then we'll be whining about the heat wondering aloud what it feels like in the more northern states," Have you ever been snow skiing?" we'll say then winter will roll around...
• My spell checker has lost its mind, it just started missing obviously misspelled words and hi lighting random words and in one case turning the letters yellow instead of hi lighting the word.

New News On The Governor Palin Hacked Email Account

"Was Tennessee Democrat's son the Palin hacker? A politician’s son is being fingered for the hacking of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s personal Yahoo email account. David Kernell, the son of Democratic state Rep. Mike Kernell of Tennessee, is being questioned by authorities, including the FBI and the Secret Service, which began an official investigation following last week’s hacking. Knoxville’s Tennessean reports that Kernell refused to disclose any information regarding his 20-year-old son, who is a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. A message on a web site popular with hackers that purported to be from the hacker talked about how he reset Palin’s password to get access to the account. Personal photos as well as some of Palin’s family members’ email addresses and cell phone numbers ended up circulating on the web on sites including Gawker and Wikileaks. " -Media life web shorts

Comment On MSNBC Article

on the missile defense system proposed in Poland to defend against middle east missile attacks.

I look at a post like this and think obviously a politically liberal minded person trying to make conservative types look crazy or a spoof meant to cause some grins and giggles (I know- dream on, they are probably serious as a heart attack)

A liberal would see proof of conservative nutballery.


"It doesn't matter what the Poles think. We're AMERICANS and our Imperialistic Expansion Policy will not stop until we have control of the world. It's our manifest destiny as Americans. If the Russians object we'll fight them on their homeland too. Right through Alaska. Palin/McCain 08. "

Al Gore

• I've always liked a lot of Courtney Love's music, however I think I fell in love with her a little when I heard what happened between her and Al Gore at some fundraiser once. Gore saw her and said,"Ms. Love I just wanted you to know I love your music." Without missing a beat she said,"Oh yeah? Name one song!" I don't remember what else she might have said while he stood there stammering looking for a response after getting busted for being a big fat liar by a smack addled rock star girl but, it doesn't matter- she had me at, "Oh yeah"

Fact Of The Day From Factcheck.org

"About 47 percent of Hispanic U.S. citizens (7.6 million people) reported voting in the 2004 election. The percentage was unchanged from 2000. "

From Star Telegram On Home Invasion Robbery At Eagle Mountain Lake

"All indications are that the victims tried to comply with the demand for money," Grisham said. "It’s just that the perpetrator was not satisfied with what he was getting."
Fight breaks out
At some point, the homeowners fought back with household items including a kitchen knife and a potted plant, Grisham said.
Sherriff’s deputies were called to the home about 10:15 p.m., and the intruder was still attacking the victims when they entered, he said.
He called the altercation a "titanic fight" and described a bloody crime scene that caused deputies to fear for the couple’s lives."

The perpetrator died on the scene as deputies were restraining him Sunday night 21 September.

Mondays Missives

• Me, Z man and the dog attempted to sleep outside last night on the trampoline. Z was a little apprehensive at first but, he played with the flashlight a minute, handed it off to me, turned onto his side, sighed real big and went to sleep. All was well until some animal down near the pond started screaming bloody murder just as I was dozing off. A little while later a coyote started howling within 50-100 feet of us which startled me and set the dog off. About midnight I'd had enough wildness and we came inside.




• I know a baby is supposed to sleep on their backs with nothing in the bed that can cover their faces or wrap around their neck. I also know part of the job of a parent is to protect your children from themselves sometimes but, since Z man could first move on his own as soon as he is covered for sleep he grabs the blanket, pulls it over his own face and rolls over on his side- seems so natural for him.




• We went to the pond yesterday and started a fire camp- (daughters terminology) and listened to her read her assignment. I hope things like that mean as much to her and are as unforgettable to her as they are to me.




• She and I had a picnic there a couple of weeks ago, she still talks about it often.




• The pond had fish in it two days after the rain. I don't know how, there is nothing upstream and the guys who have stocked it before didn't put them there. There are also tiny toads there now that metamorphosed since the pond refilled everywhere. Life will find a way.




• Soon will be the time to clean out the flowerbeds for winter and figure out what to do with the leaves on the ground. A simple compost method. Get a 55 gallon barrel (metal or plastic, whatever your local junk dealer carries) preferably one with a hoop clamp at the top and cut the bottom off and place it in full sun after painting it flat black. Have a circular piece of wood, plastic or metal (the bottom piece you cut out of the barrel will work fine) cut small enough to fit down in top opening to mush down the leaves and whatever. Drill a few equally spaced holes on the side of the barrel to improve ventilation. As you put organic matter in the barrel wet it down well, place the round piece of material on top, put a cement block etc on for weight to compact for placing more matter remove when through filling to improve airflow. You'll want two of these barrels if you have a yard anywhere near an acre, large flowerbed, or trees etc. There's not a lot of mystery to this in spite of recipes and contraptions that seem determined to complicate this process. A variation of the above composter will in direct sun in North Central Texas heat the material placed in it too hot to touch and will reduce a surprising amount of matter very rapidly if watered well and stirred up occasionally. When ready to use the barrel can be rolled off the compost to allow handling there at the site or flipped completely over and placed on a handtruck to allow it to be carried to where it's needed.




• I just realized I've never seen a live comedy show. That should be corrected if Zack Galifiniakis appears in DFW.

The World Becomes Darker For A Moment

Sgt. Wesley R. Durbin of Dallas served in Iraq with both the Marines and Army.
He joined the Marines in June 2001, when he was 18 years old, shortly after graduating from Lutheran High School in Dallas. The honor student turned down a $5,000 academic scholarship that could have been repeated for up to five years at Concordia University in Nebraska. Instead, he chose to serve his country.

Army Sgt. Durbin, 26, was one of two soldiers killed Sept. 14 in Tunnis, Iraq, when a fellow soldier opened fire on the men, the Army said.
Staff Sgt. Darris J. Dawson, 24, of Pensacola, Fla., also died in the incident, of which the Army has released few details.

After serving in Iraq as a Marine, Sgt. Durbin was going to resume his college education, possibly as an English major.

"He decided he was a soldier all around, so he went back into the Army," said his wife, Brandi Durbin of Springfield, Ga. "He had wanted to go into the Army and see if it was the same experience for him as the Marines.
"He wanted to take his expertise and give it where it needed to be given," Mrs. Durbin said.
Sgt. Durbin was a fun-loving guy, his wife said.

"Everybody loved Wes the minute they met him," his wife said. "Anybody who met him – cashiers at the grocery stores, they loved him. He could make anybody smile."

Sgt. Durbin was born in Dallas. He joined the Marines with his best friend.

In spring 2004, then Marine Lance Cpl. Durbin issued a challenge to the congregation of Faith Lutheran Church in Wylie to have 150 parishioners welcome him back on Palm Sunday 2005.
It's not the average young Marine who goes off to war concerned about the people back home, said the Rev. Michael Frick, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Wylie.
"Wesley was saying, 'I want to see this church grow,' " Mr. Frick said. "That's a powerful thing."
More than 200 parishioners welcomed Lance Cpl. Durbin home from Iraq that Palm Sunday.

"Wesley was a person of great integrity and great desire to serve his country," Mr. Frick said.
Sgt. Durbin enlisted in the Army in August 2006. He met his wife-to-be in early 2007, and they married six months later.

"He was a soldier from the time he woke up to the time he went to bed," his wife said.
Sgt. Durbin volunteered in the Civil Air Patrol at Lutheran High School.

He received a Presidential Scholarship Award to attend Concordia University in Seward, Neb. The scholarship is given to students who demonstrate academic achievement and make a positive contribution to student life.

Sgt. Durbin was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga.

The viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Restland Funeral Home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Faith Lutheran Church of Plano. He will be buried with military honor at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.
In addition to his wife, Sgt. Durbin is survived by his parents, Randy and Carole Durbin of Dallas; a brother, Kenneth Durbin of Dallas; his stepdaughter, Pamara Underwood of Springfield, Ga.; and grandparents, Mary Jo Cole of Abilene and Roy and Margaret Durbin of Dallas. Sgt. Wesley R. Durbin of Dallas, with parents Carole and Randy, brother Kenneth, and the Rev. Michael Frick.- DMN obituary

Sad News In American Pop Culture

"COLUMBIA, S.C. - Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and a popular disc jockey were critically injured in a Learjet crash in South Carolina that killed four people, authorities said Saturday.

NBC News reported that Barker, who also starred in MTV reality show "Meet the Barkers", had performed Friday night at an event alongside Perry Farrell, the former Jane's Addiction singer, as well as Gavin DeGraw and Goldstein.
The killed passengers and two crew members, all from California, were identified as pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills; co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad; Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City; and Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles."- NBC news

Barker has an interesting philosophy on his incredibly large number of tattoos-"I tattooed my body so I couldn't fall back on anything. I purposely did that so I couldn't get a normal job and live a normal life. I did it so I had to play music." He claims to have spent over $30,000 on his body art."-Wikipedia

I didn't know it until looking up information for this post but, he at one time was the drummer for The Suicide Machines.

He is in critical condition at an burn center in Augusta Georgia.

Wonder What These Great Figures Think About Todays Politics?

Nothing, they are just stone representations of Washington, Jefferson, T. Roosevelt and Lincoln but, the real ones would probably not be too surprised.

Jessica Alba's Hubby Talks Politics

"This was our first trip as a family," Cash writes. "As always, we arrived at the airport way too close to our departure time so it was hectic. It's always nerve wracking for new parents to fly with their child because you never know if you're going to ruin everyone else's flight with a screaming baby. (To date, Honor has been a great baby. Rarely crying. Opting to express herself through simple Haikus or interpretive dance instead...Yeah right. My girl's got opinions. Lol.)"


Cash describes listening to Bill Clinton speak "like seeing a HOF (Hall of Fame) athlete return to their sport."

I believe the basic idea is, he tries to be polite on airplanes, he has a good baby and he digs Bill Clinton.

Right Said Fred

Cold Blooded Murder And Body Disposal In The Heartland

From a couple of months ago on the back porch-click to enlarge

Before And After Katrina Waveland Mississippi

Wednesday Digressions

• I'm frequently having dreams about a place called Sam's Independence Bar. Invariably, it starts out with a really lame commercial being filmed in it with a guy who was obviously just hanging around at the time filming started occupying different parts of the bar doing goofy moves like finger pistols- complete with blowing the smoke off the barrels and winking. The next thing I know I'm using the restroom in a potty chair on a dance floor surrounded by dozens of all the beautiful people I'm sliding it across the floor trying to get to the doors to shut them for privacy (as I shut each, the people began disappearing). Only one or two people had even noticed me, I don't know why it mattered.


• I also had a dream about being trapped in the fenced area of a car repair garage during a disaster with a police officer who had been transporting a baby to CPS after some legal problem her parents got into. He said he had been hunting that morning and shot a warthog. He continually wore me out with cop stories (which I would normally find very interesting) I helped him start an IV on the baby and he showed me how to properly perform an eye test for substance abuse with a flashlight on a bum who staggered by and then he put the baby between his legs and covered her for warmth and we all lay down on the concrete to sleep.


• Then the dog woke me up.


• None of my children have ever been afraid of the dark. I've worked with them from babyhood (is that a word?) by teaching them to turn the lights off themselves and reminding them, There's nothing in the dark, that's not there in the light. When my oldest was little I owned sixteen acres of isolated, wooded property. It was in a rectangular shape and I had made a trail around the entire boundary that crisscrossed to interesting points on the land. When he was three my boy could lead you around the entire property at night with his flashlight. I was actually more spooked than him at any given time- there was a large, deep creek and huge spooky looking trees and lots of animals we'd surprise and hear them crashing through the brush, a huge owl roosted in a couple of different trees so you never knew where he'd call out WHO WHO WHO HOOOOOOO- spooky. My children actually would ask, " What's wrong with those kids?" when children would start crying in another setting and the lights went out.


• A variation of spook was used three times in that last sentence.


• That land was isolated enough you could look around at night and not see any type of artificial light and never hear traffic however, interestingly there was a clan of hillbillies down the road who I never met but, every Friday or Saturday night I don't remember calls of,"Yee HAaaaaW", music, laughter and engines revving could be heard from around ten to exactly two am and then abruptly it would be quiet again. I never actually saw anyone there and I jogged and rode my bike down that road nearly every day and at different hours.


• I saw a baby deer on the land once. I understand often people find fawns like that and think they were abandoned and interfere when they should not, however this one was skinny and I had found a dead female the day before. I left it for a couple of hours and returned to find it covered in fireants I said to myself," Myself, I know you don't want to interfere but, maybe you should move that thing away from that ant mound at least and then watch to see if the mother returns." I nudged it with my boot to see if it would move on its own, it didn't flinch- which is the way they are programmed. I decided to pick it up and move it, when It was about an inch off the ground it made a loud noise like BWAaa-AAAH and jumped straight up about three feet in the air causing me to stagger back, trip up on some vines and fall on my keister. He ran about six feet away and lay down in the shade.


• Keister is old prison slang dating back at least to the 20s it was a kind of code word for hiding things in someones rear end to get things into the prison or moved from one area to another undetected.


• Enough loose associations for one day.

I Love You Funky Town

"FORT WORTH, Texas - A 20-year-old woman faces an aggravated assault charge after she bit her boyfriend, broke a picture frame across his face and swung at him with a sword during an argument about him not doing the dishes, police said."

First paragraph of an AP story on MSNBC.

Random Comment

from another blog after news of jury selection in Simpsons latest trial.


Anonymous said...
"in light of the fact that there were literally dozens of pieces of direct evidence which proved simpson was and is the "real killer"..the most significant evidence against him was the fact that there was zero exculpitory evidence, not one single shred of evidence to exonorate him..if i ever have the opportunity i would like to be remembered as the person who killed oj simpson."

Yikes!

Something About Me

I enjoy reading Cliffs Notes on any subject so much I won't pass a cheap one up in a bookstore or if I see one at a friends house. I have no idea how many I've read, although I don't recall ever reading one in college for course work.


Related trivia: The familiar black and yellow stripes on the cover of Cliff Notes are meant to connote emergency use as in the yellow and black striped patterns around emergency switches in aircraft.

Related flashback: I remember a high school English teacher adamantly demanding we stay away from Cliffs Notes saying something like,"If your brother or sister are in college and they suggest you use them, they aren't doing you any favors, you better stay away from them and learn the material on your own." A very strange opinion I realize now- it would be much better to recommend the use or even provide the Notes on the work being studied, peruse the Notes, discuss the work and then dig into the book. This would increase retention, understanding and enjoyment of the book dramatically.

First I've Heard From Him Since 1988

"If I had beaten the old man you'd of never heard of the kid and you wouldn't be in this mess," 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis told CBS News' Katie Couric today. "So it's all my fault and I feel that very, very strongly. So this is an important election for us. Let me tell 'ya."

He also Said,"I was the first of the Democrats to deal with this Republican attack machine."

A Random Blog Profile

If a person was already feeling beat down by life, sad and lonely, just add a rainy day and stumbling across this profile just might push them over the edge.


"We have arrived and are having a great time at our new home here in San Diego! We are so excited to show you some of the good times we are having while missing you! Dennis loves his new job and is getting use to being home a lot more! Ginger is working on "not working" it's not that hard with the beach a mile away. Micaylee gets on a bus in the morning and is off to her hi tech school. Dylan is within walking distance to his school and still can't figure out why he can't just go in the afternoon. Maggie reminds mom everyday that she wants to go to school but will go to the beach and find shells until then! And last Eddie is doing O.K. as an apartment dweller! He got fleas after about 4 days but a dose of Frontline took care of that. "

As an added bonus I'll not add the accompanied too perfect family photo.

You're welcome.

Next Blog Button- "Bedrock Dreams"

"Gold and Silver Investment: Real Wealth vs. Paper Money "

"If we go back but a short distance in history, say the early 1900s or even the 1500s for that matter, the concept of real wealth was predicated upon the ownership (or direct backing) of precious metals such as gold and silver. For example, one of the main reasons the Spanish conquistadores came to the New World was to search for precious metals, including mythical "Cities of Gold."

Gold and Silver as Economic MainstaysGold, and to a lesser extent, silver have always been the mainstays of economies and currencies dating back at least to the Greeks and Romans if not earlier. Precious metals replaced "barter" economies through a new, and often revolutionary, free trade. Monetary substitutes such as paper currencies, coins made of iron, zinc, or other "lowly" metals, and virtual or paper stocks and bonds are inevitably subject to devaluation, inflation, or even total collapse and devaluation. Precious metals, on the other hand, may vary in price from higher to lower depending upon a myriad of economic factors, but when was the last time an ounce of silver or gold was worth absolutely nothing?Many of Us Feel the PinchTo some extent, hasn't this already happened in the past 12-16 months in the United States and other countries whose economies are closely linked to ours? There are culprits galore to be had, but the current bad loan/mortgage fiasco probably deserves its role on center stage. Many of us are feeling the pinch from this savaging by unscrupulous lenders and borrowers in fundamental ways, including huge hits to our retirement accounts and investment portfolios, particularly where those portfolios were based on virtual or paper wealth such as stocks."

Authors profile:
"J.R.
Santa Fe, NM
I am a man of many interests, but one of my true passions is recreational gold mining, and the history and traditions of Western mining in general. I have 30 years' experience prospecting and placer gold mining and I am happy to have this opportunity to share my experience and knowledge with you. "

Thanks J.R. it's good to know if I decide to become a gold miner there's someone like you in this world who has my back.

I'm A Stud

Finally got a chance to read this months Popular Mechanics which has a section called 100 Skills Every Man Should Know and found I possess 96 of them and actually instead of just knowing about them I can do many of those quite well. There was even one on escaping a sinking vehicle (technically, Vehicular Water Egress) which I have special training on- I'm such a stud. Owww, I just sprained my arm from patting myself on the back. Oh, that's OK-I know first aid (#94-96) on the list.

OK I'm better.

My Steven Wright-esque Tribute From Headline This Morning

Headline this morning reads "Surgeon General warns of hidden killer". How many other kinds are there? I mean there are a lot of people killed on this planet whom I assume would have wanted to avoid their fate if only they could have seen it coming.

Steven Wrightism

"My girlfriend's so intense... She woke me up the other night and asked, "If you could tell exactly when and how you were going to die, would you want to know?" I said, "Heck no, why?" "Doesn't matter, just go back back to sleep..."

Random Quote From Another Blog

"Most wealthy people are wealthy because they know or do things that poor people don't know and won't do. If you took all the money from every American and distributed it equally, in two years most of the rich people would be rich again, and most of the poor people would be poor again. "

Mondays Missives

"Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, considers Palin "extremely responsive and smart" and says she is in charge when it comes to in-state services, such as emergencies and natural disasters where the National Guard is the first responder"

• The above not only serves to illustrate the picture well, it's a quote from the same article that detractors are using over and over and over that points out when federalized, the Governor has no authority over her states troops. It's meant to make her and her supporters somehow look bad when they compare her command role experience to Obamas experience. I doubt anyone assumed she meant to convey she commands those troops when they are federalized and deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan but, they are scared. I understand, we've all been there I suppose and when you are scared you do and say things you wouldn't otherwise. I remember I made a childish response to fear like that once- I was surrounded, the enemy was everywhere they wanted my blood. I didn't know what to do so I passed the ball off and still got massacred. Kill the man with the ball is hard.
• I think the point was she had to be the one to lay awake at night and wonder if her state had done enough to train their troops up before they are turned over to federal authority.
• She had to learn how/when/why to deploy her states troops and know after meeting them and spending time with them she'd be living with that decision.
• She had to live with the knowledge if her troops weren't adequately trained, led, equipped and in sufficient numbers and they were needed for a stateside response not only would people she was directly responsible for and knew personally suffer, she would be held accountable and would forever be remembered for this shortcoming.
• This may be a case of we'll believe whatever we want to believe but I simply cannot picture Obama standing among his troops in a flightsuit. I promise you, if he ever tried that not only would he look uncomfortably ridiculous, the perception as such by the troops would be painfully obvious and a similar op. picture would never make it to print.
• Part of the reason when someone like Palin comes out to a military exercise they wear a uniform is for safety. Flightsuits are fire resistant to an extent and she doubtless flew that day. Civilian clothes may also be inadequate for the environment as they might snag on equipment.
• If this blog were a stock and I were an analyst I'd be expecting the political component of it to peak right around early to mid November and drop sharply off back into pictures of local wildlife (including my kids) and goofy demotivational posters.
  

One Is NOT Hurricane Ike Related

I'm Gobsmacked!

"The lead singer of Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, who works as a pilot for the UK charter airline Astraeus, flew a plane back to the UK from Sharm El Sheikh. He said people had given up leave to get a crew together for the flight." BBC NEWS

Story references return to UK of passengers after XL Tours company collapsed while they were overseas.

Had no idea.

Stands Alone

"Waiting for Ike- Robert Shumake walks down the seawall as waves roll in from Hurricane Ike, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)"

You would be hard pressed to find someone who love the US and respects the flag more than I but, "Why Robert, why- are you expecting the hurricane to blow in Al Quaeda?"

more at WTOPNEWS.COM

Lone Wolf

"Riding Out Ike Ray Wilkinson sits on the porch at his home after riding out Hurricane Ike, in Surfside Beach, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2008. Wilkinson was the only person to remain in Surfside Beach during the storm. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)"

And I'm sure there's no reason to think ole Ray won't be wearing the other residents of Surfside Beach out with the above trivia for the rest of his natural life.

More at WTOPNEWS.COM

Saturday Food Thoughts

• Two most memorable recent meals and other food thoughts:
  
  
• Took a friend out to a fancy pants steak house when he came through town recently. It was so good I didn't want it to end. Garlic potatoes and foot long grilled asparagus to go with a beautiful inch and a half thick steak, I'm drooling- better stop thinking about that one.

• Made tuna salad out of lemon pepper tuna and diced apples and real mayo today. Ate with a Hamburger Helper single serve and drank a Jones Soda Cream Soda. Very simple, very good.
  
• I ate supper on the porch this evening.
  
• I've eaten meals in a bath before.
  
• One of my friends when the subject came up of weird habits said,"I like to eat supper on the toilet sometimes, not like a full meal but, a burrito or something like that."- I don't think I would have told that one brother. (maybe I shouldn't have told that one myself?)
  
• When you have baby carrots and Ranch Dressing grind peppercorns into the dressing.
  
• I decided a while back to dedicate myself to becoming a grillologist and have come a long way. While not perfected, I can cook a pretty mean steak and burger.
  
• For a good burger dice an onion, coat it in a olive oil and mix a good amount of them throughout the hamburger and form patties. Sprinkle a little sea salt, a lot of fresh ground black pepper, some Worcestershire sauce and any creole type seasoning that doesn't have salt on the patties. Saute the remaining onions with some mushrooms timing them for about the time the burgers are done.
  
  
• When someone goes on about eating some exotic or gross food in their past (baloot and calf testicles are two examples) I always think to myself they wouldn't have touched that stuff with a ten foot pole if they didn't have an audience present at the time for peer pressure.

I Had Forgotten This Strange Legacy Of The First WTC Bombing

"The victims of the 1993 World Trace Center bombings sued the Port Authority of New York an New Jersey for damages. A decision was handed down in 2006, assigning liability for the bombings to the Port Authority. The decision declared that the agency was 68 percent responsible for the bombing, and the terrorists bore only 32 percent of the responsibility. In January 2008, the Port Authority asked a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan to throw out the decision, describing the jury's verdict as "bizarre"." Wikipedia

I'm with you on this one Port Authority.

Only in America or the UK.

Using Next Blog Button

I came across a French blog earlier. At the bottom of the first page was the phrase "Message plus anciens", I'm going to be bold and translate without even using Google Language Translator.

Comments and Archive

Man, I'm so smart- I scare myself sometimes.

Caption Read

"Brad Pitt stars in Burn After Reading". I feel for you Brad, they must have kept you in that makeup chair for hours.

From Philadelphia Daily

Random Household Object

I've received more comments, questions and generalized insults on this object than probably anything else. The most frequent question? "What is that thing?" It's a candle/incense holder and I guess obviously a conversation piece but, it does look very pretty with a couple of candles going in it in a dark room. Babies love the thing because it makes a very satisfying, loud banging noise when they wack the side of it with a toy car or a block. I call it The Beast

Nutty Stuff Palin Pulled As Mayor Of Wasilla

"Despite the rocky start, Palin gained favor with Wasilla voters. She kept a jar with the names of Wasilla residents on her desk, and once a week she pulled a name from it and picked up the phone. She would ask: "How's the city doing?" Due to income generated by a 2% sales tax that was enacted prior to her election, Palin was able to cut property taxes by 75% and to eliminate personal property and business inventory taxes. She made improvements to the roads and sewers (financed through municipal bonds) and strengthened the Police Department. She also reduced spending on the town museum, prevented building of a new library and city hall, put in bike paths, and was able to get funding for storm-water treatment in order to protect the region's lakes."

Accomplishments highlighted in red from random-ish paragraph pulled from Wikipedia. I could have left it like it was but, the idea was to highlight the positives and evaluate the balance.

Evidently, girl power is awesome.

I Will Fall Slap Dab Out Of My Chair

when an Obama supporter can tell me of one of his accomplishments in the Senate or offer just one thing he intends to do if POTUS besides some vague mention of hope and change.

True In Many Ways

Very Presidential

HMMMM?

Fridays Dispatch

I understand if we love someone we find them more attractive than we would if we had no feelings for them and they will be perceived as more attractive to us than another might find them- does this extend to people we don't know but, we admire? People that admire Michelle Obama speak constantly of her beauty, detractors compare her appearance to a chimp. Palins admirers say she's hot, detractors compare her to a mousy librarian and rag on her supposed lack of fashion sense. I understand beauty is in the eye of the beholder but it seems aspects of qualifying beauty should be somewhat objective. How does the way we perceive a persons character so thoroughly affect the way we see them physically?

• When I hear the dog snoring I feel more at ease and I guess contented.
• Friends when rummaging through my laptop to check out my music have given me an unmercifully hard time over the number of soundtrack albums I have. If you think about it, the music budget for a top flight movie is going to be huge so it can attract the best composers and artists, it is used to set a tone and convey a message so it will be powerful, regardless of the genre it will be pleasing because it has to appeal to a wide audience, even if you don't remember the movie specifically, if you had a pleasant experience with it hearing the music will have a good connotation. I can think of three people by name who gave me a hard time over having that music who found different soundtracks to be some of their favorite music.
• I hate using the word genre.
• If I had any vocal or instrumental musical ability, had a little bit of rhythm, could write songs or basically any talent at all- I think I would be good in a band.
• I've had at least three friends who were in bands. One was a country singer who was so good it was unbelievable. He brought a tape to work once that had some original work which as good or better than anything on the radio and there were covers on it that honestly blew the originals away. Of course, across the board we all said,"What are you doing here? You belong in Nashville!" He said something like," You go to any of the honky tonks around here, say in a fifty mile radius, if there aren't ten guys good enough for the big time, there's fifty- there's only so much room at the top and anyway, breaking into the business is like winning the lottery- there's a lot of luck involved."
• I had another friend who looked quite a bit like Clint Black. He was in a Dairy Queen in Holiday Texas once that happened to have a bus style motorhome in front and noticed everybody who walked in would stare and point him out to other people. One lady approached him with a napkin and a pen, he said," Wait a second, I know where this is headed..." The woman acted like she didn't hear a word and said,"Mr. Black, I know you're busy but, can I please have your autograph?" He said,"I'm sorry, I know what you're..." "I'm your biggest fan, I have all your music!" was the interrupting reply as she placed the pen and paper on the table. "Look, I get this all the time I'm not Clint Black- I'm sorry." The woman snatched the pen and paper off the table and snarled, " You try to come across as so nice in all your interviews and music but you are just a hateful little man aren't you? I was your biggest fan, see if I ever buy any of your music again!" and she then stormed out without even ordering any food.
• I would have said,"Sure darlin', who should I make this out to?"

Were Were You?

I was at work in the Medical Arts building on 8th and Rosedale in Fort Worth when someone called and said,"Turn on the tv, a plane just flew into a building in New York." The first thing I thought of was the times buildings had been struck by aircraft before such as the Empire State Building in the 40s being struck by a bomber and thought, "How can that be possible with todays instruments and- it's broad daylight?" I then saw the second plane strike the north tower.

Later, when I heard all aircraft under US ground control had been grounded I took everyone up onto the roof to allow them to see a sky for the first time in their lives that didn't have a single aircraft and hope that would be the last opportunity for same we'd ever have.

It was literally the bluest blue I've ever seen.

September 11 2004 I received orders to deploy to Iraq.

I Just Face Palmed- Big

This is from the comments board on Chicago Daily Observer


Tiger Lover says-"I just looked at the voting list on http://washingtonpost.com and it shows that Obama and Biden both voted no on this. Is John Powers not checking the facts, or will the republicans do anything to hold on to the White House? And if you want women's rights set back 40 years and the polar bear vanishing go aheaad and vote for mccain/palin!"

The thrust of the article was that Obama/Biden had both voted for the Bridge to Nowhere as it's being called now. While they are the ones ridiculing Palin for being for the project. Yes, there was a time early on she reported being for the project (I think it would have been hard to be otherwise- she wanted jobs for the state ) and I've read as many as 1/3 of all jobs in Alaska are federally funded one way or another. In the end, she used the fed. funds for other projects.

As another poster there pointed out- "Tigerlover - if you check the language of Sen Coburn's amendment it would have transferred funds FROM the Ketchikan bridge(AK) to Katrina rebuilding(LA). A NO vote on this bill means fund the Bridge to Nowhere. Sen Biden and Sen Obama both voted NO on this amendment."

So essentially, they both denied extra funds going toward Katrina recovery and voted for The Bridge To Nowhere. So in other words they basically voted for the bridge twice, because they voted yes previously to fund the bridge then no to diverting that money to Katrina.

Confusing huh? Honestly, I see Obama as something of a dimwit and would not doubt for a minute he was confused and did not know for what he was voting or how.

Crazy Comments From Some Crazy Site

"Also, people, don't for a minute believe Track is destined to deploy to Iraq out of some divine intervention on the EXACT day the infidels attacked our nation...There is a deployment CEREMONY scheduled for Sept 11, in which his unit will be involved. It is very contrived and planned to evoke a weepy, patriotic response and to make Track look like a hero to for the republican cause...Anyone seeing it any other way needs to take the Pub-colored glasses off..."

"Good Luck Kid. Your mom just shipped you off to hell."

I know there are some things that should not even be dignified with a comment but, the first statement shocked me so much I have to ask, could anyone on this planet really be simple enough to think what they just proposed is even remotely possible? That deployment would have been been scheduled months before Palin knew she'd be nominated- before McCain even considered her for that matter and actually before that kid would know for certain he would be deployed. Yes, it was scheduled on that day for a "patriotic response" of the people being deployed.

The second statement? I know very little about that kid (Palins son Track) but, I'll guarantee you his time in Iraq will be remembered for the rest of his life as one of the most satisfying, thrilling, unforgettable and even fun times in his entire life.

This Morning

my son said,"Dad would you mind tossing me a knife?' while holding a peach. Um, sure I suppose I could if I didn't mind the media, multiple state and local law enforcement agencies and CPS involvement in our lives since tossing someone a knife could also be called stabbing.

No Surprise

There's been some pretty crazy accusations against Governor Palin. The outrageousness of many of the claims stem from the fact that well, there's nothing there- she's clean as a politician comes and things are having to be made up out of thin air and Obama supporters professional and otherwise had mountains of negative data to use for every likely nominee except Palin, so they're scrambling. I promise you, I would find it sadly hilarious even if I wasn't a supporter.
One claim I'd heard was in spite of having a disabled child she cut funding to special needs students. This was going around in emails. Intuitively, I knew there was absolutely no way this was possible but, didn't know she had in fact increased spending for these children.

"Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn’t cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years." -LGF

"Advocates for rural and remote schools have lobbied for years for more funding, in particular noting the higher fuel, transportation, and other costs associated with providing education in communities scattered across the vast state." Alaska Dept. Education and Early Development

Governor Palins increased general funding for rural areas will be phased in over a five year period.

Back to the special needs students issue- "A second part of the measure raises spending for students with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per student in fiscal 2008."- Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

That's a 175% increase in funding.

Wednesdays Digressions

• I love milk. I think there are few simpler things a person could do improve their health easier than drinking a couple of glasses of skim milk a day. This is especially true for women. People say, "Ugh, how can you drink skim milk- it's like milk that's been watered down." When you get accustomed to skim whole is like drinking milk that has grease added to it. It sticks to your teeth and makes you feel bad. When you make the switch you can't understand how anyone would ever drink whole milk.


• I put ice in my milk sometimes- tasty.


• My neighbors are a family of five and the mom has said she spent over 400.00 one month on milk. How is that possible?


• For a fairly healthy breakfast that will really keep you going, eat an apple and/or a banana, a cup of oatmeal and drink a glass of Carnation breakfast drink or Ovaltine in skim milk and then a large glass of ice water. If a Mountain Dew and two sausage biscuits is more your normal day starter you simply won't believe how good it will make you feel.


• http://www.gillesvidal.com/blogpano/cockpit1.htm for a 360 degree tour of an Airbus A 380.


• My lawn tractor will do 5.5 miles per hour on the road by GPS. Yeah, I'm one of those types.


• The dog worships me. I was outside earlier trying to mow ahead of the rain and he followed me every lap and if I stopped to pick up or move something he ran up to be petted and hug me that's what it seems like anyway, he pushes his side against my leg and curls around burying his face between my legs and I push back with my hand against his head and rub behind his ear. No matter how many times I have to get up with the baby at night he's right there. If people call him and I'm around he acts like he didn't hear a thing and sits right beside me. You could have done a lot better there, my loyal and faithful companion.

Obama Associate Bill Ayers Wants You To Know

“We’re not urging anyone to shoot from a crowd. But we’re also going to make it clear that when a pig gets iced, that’s a good thing, and that everyone who considers himself a revolutionary should be armed, should own a gun, should have a gun in his home.”

Statement made during Days Of Rage riots in Chicago in 1969.

The World

would be a better place if everyone tied at least once to grow some of their own food. These are from my garden, I diced them up and grilled in some burgers Saturday. Tomatoes are an excellent plant to start if you want to try to grow something easy with a high, tasty yield. If you haven't experienced it before, homegrown tomatoes are a world away from strore bought. A favorite memory for me is my children at our last house choosing different types of tomatoes to eat while out playing and having their individual favorites. I also grew blackberries for which I can't offer any recipe ideas since they were eaten as fast as they ripened.

American Awesomality

Mondays Missives

• I'm known for having a crazy good memory, so much so that it seems no matter the setting I'm constantly called on to mediate disputes over something based on my memory and If I don't remember? People will sometimes assume I just don't want to help their side because they think I should have remembered. I have to look at it like a superpower that must be used for good and not evil.


• 38-12-26- my locker combination from high school. My 25 year reunion was a couple of weeks ago.


• I have no pleasant memories of my marriage.


• I can often effectively erase an unpleasant memory so that it doesn't intrude into my thoughts ever again.


• My son asked me if there was ever a time in life you'd use non-real numbers in daily business. Um, I might have been able to answer that one bubba if I knew what non-real numbers were. It reminded me though of what kids would say when I was in school,"When am I ever going to use Algebra in my life?" I had a job once where I used fairly complex Algebra on a daily basis and not to sound too melodramatic but, peoples lives depended on my calculations.


• I remember kids by name, hobbies and things they said from school who may have only been there a short time and other people have no recall of them whatsoever.


• There was a kid who I went to school with that was born without thumbs and one who was born with only three fingers on each hand, there was also a kid who lived next door to friends in my hometown whose right hand had only one large very short finger where his middle two fingers should have been.


• People saying,"Governor Palins pregnant daughter proves what a dismal failure abstinence only education is." Seems disingenuous on many levels. 1) Do they know that child received abstinence only education or a very thorough one? They can't have any idea. 2) The logical take on this would be if it happened to this family?- it could happen to anyone. And how bad would this problem be if no one ever stressed to their children to wait for marriage?


• Another disingenuous aspect- Obamas mother was unmarried at the time of his conception. He can be president but, Palin can't be vice president because her unmarried daughter is pregnant? Bizarre.


• The really good thing for Palin supporters? If her detractors are this desperate she should be in good shape. This should be apparent regardless of your political beliefs.


• People believe all teenagers have sex. Do they base this in any way on personal experience? If a person was 15 ten years ago and going at it like a bunny every weekend it doesn't mean everyone one else was and is and if they weren't doing it but, assumed everyone else was that isn't correct thinking either. And surveys and studies? A kid may lie about nothing else but, you aren't going to get them to admit they aren't having sex if they think everyone else is having sex.


• I knew a guy once who got his girlfriend pregnant. Not news you say? Oh I'm sorry, I forgot to mention he was 11. He and the girlfriend were still together when I met him- he was 22, she was 30.


• The term eye boogers is gross, funny and wonderfully descriptive.

• The guitar pictured above was Jimi Hendrix 1965 Fender Strat which was the first one he set on fire. It had been in a guys garage since he burned it in 1967, it sold yesterday for 500,000 dollars.

From The Next Blog Button

A blog called, On The Rails- all about my railroading obsession

"I've started to add more trees to the scenery. I built some pine trees from kits, by gluing foam to wire 'trunks'. That's rather tedious as you can guess, which explains why I haven't been in a hurry to get a lot of them made. But, they look pretty good I think.Mounting them is pretty easy, I make a small hole with the tip of my trusty Xacto knife, add a drop of white glue, and stick the tree in place. If one doesn't want to stand upright, I brace it by pinching the trunk with a clothespin to hold it in place until the glue dries.I made and placed about 2 dozen trees yesterday, and placed them around my most 'scenically challenged' spot. This area has several tracks passing each other in a very narrow space, so adding anything that wouldn't interfere with passing trains is a problem. But some trial and error made sure the trains can get through the plastic forest. I also like the additional depth and interest the trees lend to this little area, which looked kinda awful previously."

So Wrong

Try This On For

an opening sentence to a newspaper article.


"FORT WORTH — A woman sitting alone in a car in Buck Sansom Park was fatally shot Wednesday night by a police officer after she shot herself in the head and then aimed her gun at an officer, police reported." Fort Worth Star Telegram.

When the writer of that piece was told in journalism school,"Get your readers attention in your opening sentence." he took the lesson to heart.