Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Zombies!


"Jerry falls in love with a stripper he meets at a carnival. Little does he know that she is the sister of a gypsy fortune teller whose predictions he had scoffed at earlier. The gypsy turns him into a zombie and he goes on a killing spree."
It's 10:21 I'm about to go to bed and I digest garbage like this as a bedtime snack. I'm old and classless.
Goodnight world wherever you are.

Wednesday's Digressions




  • I knew a man once who bought a house and two fire trucks for 100 dollars each . Another man he knew had helped set up the auction for a county and pestered him to bid on the items- as he did everyone to get the participation numbers up. He moved the house onto some land for his handicapped sister to live in then made a killing selling it after her death. He sold one fire truck for a lot more than 100 dollars and donated the other to the VFD near his lake house.


  • I would have kept at least one of the fire trucks- to make my children happy of course.


  • Can you imagine? Woo- hoo, honk honk, look at me I'm a fireman! I mean- ahem, the kids would get a big kick out of it and you could teach them about fire safety and stuff.


  • Remember when Limp Bizkit mattered? Hee- hee well, they did nail their cover of Behind Blue Eyes though.


  • Don't care for any Limp Biz today? You simply can't turn down the crying Indian PSA from the 70s. Iron Eyes Cody makes us think twice about tossing fast food garbage in this classic blast from the past.


  • Turdbomb is gone- R.I.P. I got about 300 buck out of her postmortem- she serves even in death.


  • Spellcheck hi lights Turdbomb- that's crazy.


  • Tidbit is offered as an alternative.

Final Words Spoken Final Insults Heard By Saddam



Saddam] God is Great. Palestine is Arab






[Voices] May God's blessings be upon Muhammad and his household.






[Voices] And may God hasten their appearance and curse their enemies.






[Voices] Muqtada [Al-Sadr]...Muqtada...Muqtada.






[Saddam] Muqtuda? (laughs) Are you men? Is this the bravery of Arabs?






[Voice] Long live Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr.






[Voice] To hell.






[Saddam] The hell that is Iraq? ((Arabic: جحينب هو عراق Ghihyneb hew A'raq)






[Voice] You have destroyed us, killed all of us, our nation is ruined.






[Saddam] I helped you survive. Iraq is nothing without me!






[Voice] Please do not. The man is being executed. Please no, I beg you to stop.






[Saddam] (Recites Shahada) There is no God but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. There is no God but Allah and I testify that Muhammad...

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

James "The Rev." Sullivan


drummer for Avenged Sevenfold found dead today- he was 28. In this video and the above pic (far left) he doesn't look healthy at all- I'll guess cardiac related exacerbated by drug abuse.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Monday's Missives






  • "Mike Church is a Los Angeles private detective who specialises in finding missing persons. He takes on the case of a mystery woman who he calls Grace. She is suffering from amnesia and have no memories of her own. She keeps having nightmares involving the murder of a pianist Margaret, by her husband Roman Strauss in the late 1940's. In an attempt to solve the mystery about these nightmares, Church seeks the help of Madson who is an antiques dealer with the gift of hypnosis. The hypnosis sessions will soon begin to reveal some surprises.' IMDB


  • Watched the movie Dead Again by accident- absolutely would not have touched it with a ten foot pole if I'd read the above synopsis and had not just stumbled upon it one lazy day. Pretty good, interesting, cute little movie.


  • I have seen chaparrals aka roadrunner birds catch a small snake and bash its head against a rock to kill it to eat it and another catch a small lizard and try to impress a female- just like in the documentaries. He would bash it against the gravel and hold it up to her and when she would turn away he would more emphatically whack it against some rocks and hold it up for her approval.


  • The things we do for love.


  • It wouldn't do for energy drinks to be free to me- I would be a freak.


  • In Iraq it was two Red Bulls and two Hydroxycut before each mission. I think I got shot once- and didn't know it. I healed like a super hero because I was so jacked on caffeine and ephedrine. KBR guys had mountains of Red Bull- literally.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Friday Getting Ready For Work Would Rather Take One To The Gut Missives



  • Dug my car out of the snow for the second time- in my life.
  • Couldn't find the pic I wanted- so here's a cheezbrgr I made and ate with my own little hands.
  • Last rites are interesting although not a component of my spirituality.
  • 7- the number of cars in the ditch last night on way to work.
  • An old friend is a patient at the nursing home I'm working- Oh my God. It was sad but, I went and spent a good bit of time with her this morning. A freak infection a few months ago and she'll never walk again any distance or work etc.
  • She was so happy to see me although it was initially a shock for me to see her that way. She's very sick and in bad shape.
  • Yes, it could be us- I guess.
  • I love Hal Ketchum and here's one of his best. For some reason when you search this song Kenny Rogers The Gambler comes up- yikes. I would rather be poked in the eye with a stick.
  • Hope your Christmas was good- whatever good is for you. For me it would be everybody getting along, (in PJs preferably) a fireplace, a pup, games, hot chocolate and coffee and the air thick with every type of love God dreamed up for man and memories that would carry us through to next year or our death- whichever comes first..

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Snowy Thursday Missives






  • What happened to Rick Trevino? Couldn't get away from that guy in the 90s. I saw him live at Gruene Hall. I met Mary there- her dad was from Russia and mom from Mexico. When I first visited their house I thought they were having a family reunion- Russian and Mexican influences though, they simply could not help themselves getting together and being wild every weekend.


  • She had skinny legs, ginormous curly hair and only drank DR. Pepper.


  • My two best friends from those days have been dead for years.


  • Snow is only OK now- I'm officially old. Yes, I took my children out for a little while but, made no arguments when they got cold. The dog loved it but, I've heard Healers do.


  • An old, disabled man who trained coon and wolf dogs when I was a boy in Decatur told me,"Never buy a dog that stands there flat footed and pisses- they're dumb and aren't worth owning."


  • His name was Jesse.


  • I've never looked at a dog urinating the same as other people I bet since.

Had This Here

before but, if there's a better way to start your morning (as music goes) than listening to Josh Abbott singing Taste- let me know in the comments. If that doesn't blow your skirt up, try some Eli Young When It Rains.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Sadly Funny



So funny-because it's true. So sad because it's true.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Monday's Missives




    You're welcome- sorry, simply couldn't resist.



  • The military has been developing a new bomb called MOP for Massive Ordnance Penetrator. It has an explosive warhead weighing 5300 pounds and is designed to penetrate deep, reinforced facilities. The Pentagon is really pushing to have it ready by 2010 August.



  • I predict an explodey September 2010 for someone.



  • Jay Leno has built a jet car he calls the EcoJet. It runs on non food source biofuel and burns 9 gallons of fuel per hour at idle. It has a turbine engine which is the same as the USCG Dolphin helicopter, an adapted transmission from a C5 Corvette and is geared to go 250 mph.



  • I knew a woman once who got drunk and somehow ended up running over her own head when she fell out of her car.



  • Wasn't there a starlet from back in the day known for wearing long, flowing scarves who was killed when one of them got caught in one of the back wheels of a convertible and she got drug out of the car?

  • Or, am I making that one up?


  • Still think Holes bass player has the hots for me and I still don't think anyone who has actually listened to any of their music could hate it- Ladies and gentlemen- Courtney Love and Hole performing Malibu.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Sea Shepherd Society Kooks Get Cool Boat




and just as cool Maori chant music to rock out the Japanese whalers during this seasons nuisanceapalooza fest.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

I Am Prepared Now... And I am Fine Again


Mentioned here recently being sick- dear God, it was no fun and it came out of nowhere- no known exposure to someone with a stomach virus but, with my job- who knows? It did coincide with being in a patients home that absolutely nauseated me and I had to work up some strength before entering and eat real big before going to their home but not too close so I'd be reminded of why I was hogging out so I'd be OK without eating for 12 hours. When they offered I needed to be able to honestly say,"Oh, no thanks I just pigged out on Chinese" (or whatever). You have to be ready for this because the poorer they are, the more they love, respect and want to take care of you. So they always want to feed you or give you things.




The patient dies this night- catching me off guard, I was sure she had a couple more days and I'm never wrong on this. Everyone from the trailer park comes and says their goodbyes with bloodshot eyes through a fog of cheap beer and cigarette smell. They all also fall against me, sobbing, thanking me profusely for taking care of their Boo Boo (everyone there had a nickname). They're close enough I smell rotted teeth, stale cigarettes and cheap cologne and their tears and dirt literally stain my scrubs with mud. I've never been hugged by a midget - before this night. One offers to sell me a pup- "Her mom and dad have papers!" the owner proudly proclaims. For some reason I hand her a 50 dollar bill for a pup I didn't know then would cost me much more in wormer meds and late night nursing trying to coax the dang thing to live for my children who love it like no other animal we've ever had. The worms were the stuff of X Files or Fringe television shows- 7-8 inches long, smooth- non segmented and smelled fishy. They're also firm feeling and appear lifeless when expelled (even before meds).

I was caught so off guard in this situation I'd brought them a television that night since there's went out during my previous shift. The idea being the patient who was cognizant enough to watch television during my previous shift would have a diversion and the nurse on the other shift would would have something to do when not doing direct care. I left it with the decedents spouse- he can use it more than me and anyway, in his culture it will be currency as good as gold, worth a half a months rent or more.




My head spins as I count drugs with the RN who pronounces the death. She's pretty, funny and sweet- and the type you would have picked even out of scrubs as a nurse- she's just nursely. Family is already arguing over the decedents possessions. There's screaming and shoving. Someone says,"I'll take this." while picking up some yard sale reject. "Like hell, you will!" hisses another through through gritted teeth, while grabbing the object away. The father keeps repeating,"We're not talking about this here and now- wait until morning- wait until after her funeral anyway." Good man, good man he's using my broken record method of conflict mediation I've developed and coached him on when he asked me ,"What will I do when...?" An even tone and hanging onto something that sounds like we'll work something out but, not too committal or provocative will tone the situation down and prevent bloodshed- yes it's happened.




Me and pup drive home in the floaty way you get sometimes just before you get real sick. My stomach burns like there's a Bic lighter right in the middle of my stomach, bend too far and the flame touches the walls of the stomach or the esophagus sending a back draft of flames up the throat which will lead to the inevitable emptying of the meager contents of my inflamed stomach. I feel a little better when Terry Gross says, "I'm Terry Gross and you're listening to Fresh Air" in her breathless way.


At about 3 the next morning my guts are bubbling like the Le Brae tar pits and I race to the bathroom. When I stand up I say,"Man, that looks gross,' And then, raaaaah- the contents of my stomach empty. I dig through the medicine cabinet for any and everything that may help from over the counter meds to old narcotics. Then I have dreams about living with cave dwellers, ballerinas and snakes- always the snakes when I'm crazy. I awaken 16 hours later in such a sweat I can blow it off my mustache and I'm instantly chilled under the ceiling fan.


My muscles ache from disuse and joints hurt from dehydration.
My toes literally hurt from bending them so much when I yakked the night before.

I've been asked,"Who cares for nurses when they're sick?" The answer is really no one because everyone feels too over awed- like there's nothing they can do- even when they try, so it's very lonely.


I'm tired again and need to eat (I've lost 10 or 15 pounds- pants fall down when I put them on)




Would say, more about this later but, I'm not kidding anyone- even myself.




Want to forget. Listen to this and this. with me and we'll be better.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Original Lawn Mower Man Needs Your Help


"Danny "Sparkie" Johnson is 62 years old, and for the last 10 years he's earned spare money by going up and down the street near the California group home in which he lives, mowing lawns for friends and neighbors for $5 or $10 a pop. Johnson has cerebral palsy and mentally is still a child, but his lawn mowing keeps him busy and has allowed him to make friends in the neighborhood. But at least one person in the neighborhood is less than friendly -- whoever stole Johnson's lawnmower while he was on a break last week. Did we mention that the $200 mower was brand new, bought with Johnson's longtime mowing savings? And that Johnson then came home and cried? OK, now that everybody is sufficiently bummed out by the world's saddest holiday tale, the good news is that anyone taken with the Christmas spirit who wants to help Sparkie out can call facility manager Regina Olandez at 818-366-6791. Whatever happens, here's hoping Sparkie is back in business as soon as possible." From asylum for all mankind
I just spoke with Regina by phone- I hope this story is and stays legit. Who wouldn't want to help? A mans lawnmower- well, that's like your woman- no other man should touch her at all but, to steal her away while taking a break from working in the hot Cali sun? That's just a low down dirty dog trick, probably against the Geneva Convention and I aim to help this man out just a little- in the spirit of the season and all. Sparkie- you sit tight my friend the check is in the mail. You'll be mowing the land of fruits and nuts again in no time, brother.
Danny Johnson
15951 Simonds Street
Grenada Hills CA
91344

Notable Quotable

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

Benjamin Franklin

Monday, December 14, 2009

Monday's Missives




  • At a church I was part of once the preacher knew I was pretty good at designing landscapes and flowerbeds, easily talked into doing stuff and generally- saying no impaired so he had me at a disadvantage when he hinted about how terrible the flowerbeds looked. Needless to say after a quick sketch, about 300 dollars worth of supplies and plants and many hours under a hot Texas sun later (nearly all after the night shift at work) there was a couple of pretty decent looking flowerbeds with the plants chosen for long lasting color, ease of maintenance and in the case of one plant it was chosen because being mentioned in the Bible. I overheard a woman voicing her concerns about how expensive the work must have been. "Oh, Kevin took care of all of it- he did all the work and paid for it." Well, that's alright I guess- it's pretty but, I feel the church should have been consulted." came the reply. Found out later she wasn't the only one this bothered.


  • Really- I'm not kidding.


  • And people are shocked when their churches don't grow and they in fact lose members.


  • Still looking for an aquarium for my children.


  • My oldest sometimes rides in vehicles with kids I really don't know. I work to keep this to a minimum without ruining him socially but, this makes me nervous. He understands a lot of kids are bad drivers and kill themselves and others often and I hope this helps him make good decisions when I'm not there.


  • Recently 2 kids from his school were involved in an accident miles away from school- with each other!


  • Spiritual pain is a condition encountered as a person who is dying is not right with their maker as they say or has issues with family that triangulate in a religious way. This can cause a death to drag on for weeks literally when others in the same condition physically would have slipped away peacefully long ago.


  • It's also called, running from the Devil.
  • A good business would be collating content from a persons blog, put a cover on it and convert it to book form for the owner. It would be easy to figure out, cheap to do and I bet a lot of people would use the service.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Friday's Dispatch






  • Story of the worlds smallest mum. She and her "trainee priest" hubby have two other children.
  • I'm sure since Clint Eastwood had something to do with it the movie Invictus will be great but, those are some terrible accents affected by Freeman and Damon.
  • Getting over (trying anyway) being sick. I went to bed at about 9 last night and slept until 1 this afternoon after sleeping nearly all day yesterday.
  • I was pretty sure I was going to die.
  • I'm tired again and the room is spinning- I think I'll go lie down.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Wednesday's Digressions

One of the images you get when you Google Abe Vigoda.




  • On a comment board somewhere dirtypants428 sez,"my first car was a plymouth reliant. I also like spaghetti ".



  • You go boy- you rawk!



  • The bread served in chow halls in Iraq was trucked frozen from bakeries in Kuwait- terrible unless you toasted it then- it was just awful.



  • But, you could upgrade it to bad with copious amounts of mayo, tomatoes, bacon and cheese. Oh, and black pepper.



  • BLTs- one of natures most perfect foods.



  • Once everyone on the whole base basically got sick at the same time. It was then put out it was some sort of stomach virus and guys were treated for dehydration as they fell out right and left and the aid station was overflowing with sick troops.



  • Ommm- Gods gonna get you Uncle Sam for lies like that.



  • As this article illustrates most victims families who watch the murderer die when executed report their pain not relieved by the death. Some people are surprised when they learn families report only partial relief, or none at the death of a family members murderer and that some are even adamantly opposed to the state killing them. I would have been more than shocked if in their heart of hearts people felt any lasting relief, healing, closure or whatever you want to call it at the condemned persons death. In my opinion it could only bring anguish in light of the peaceful, relatively painless almost benign way the prisoner dies at the hand of the state compared to what the victim suffered. They simply go to sleep. For some, there would be the sense that for the murderer it's all over and the family will suffer until their own deaths reliving their loved ones murder every day. For some, it's that there's one more death associated with the crime that solves nothing etc. I just think people haven't really searched their own feelings, have a good grasp of what really makes humans tick or count the cost in many other ways when they not only support the death penalty but, celebrate it during an execution.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Monday's Missives




  • You're a middle eastern zoo owner, what do you do when your original Zebras die (by starvation)? Why, you shave a couple of donkeys and paint them of course!



  • My dad loved Frankie Valley type falsetto high pitched singing.



  • I don't care anything about celebrities- I think it's a false waste of time and energy to assume we know anything about them and have favorites etc. but, it still bothers me to think of Heath Ledger and I'm not sure why although I have an idea. Watched The Dark Knight last night- very good, not great. Found it and Flags Of Our Fathers at a pawn shop like new for 2.50 each.



  • Left a patients home recently who was drowning in his own juices after a lifetime of smoking and his family was surprised. On the way home a woman who was texting while driving nearly hit me head on and a when I was just nearly home a steel gray (the same exact color as the rain/fog and pavement) minivan came out of the fog with its headlights off- I nearly turned into it, it just seemed to appear out of nowhere.



  • We are crazy.



  • All of that happened within about 11 minutes.



  • Stalin's grandson has sued a Russian newspaper for libel after an article about just a few of the atrocities he was responsible for and the defense of the paper was no slam dunk. There's a new nationalistic fervor brewing up around Stalin including replacing his name and image over sites where they had been removed after the fall.



  • This is bound to end well.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Recent News Missives For A Chilly Saturday



    None of them French



  • The "party crashers" should be billed for the millions of dollars I guarantee the investigation into their shenanigans and the policy changes that will be made as a result will cost.


  • Wonder how many secret service careers will be affected/ruined by these idiots?


  • President Obama attended a ceremony to honor an Air Force unit that operates F22 Raptors. His staff had an F22 replaced as a backdrop with an F15 due to the fact his administration opposed the F22 program.


  • Good grief- we're in trouble.


  • Can't turn on the tube or pull up a news browser without being assaulted by the Tiger Woods crash/wife assault/adultery, non story. Why? Who on earth cares?


  • Big news? Kinda sorta anyway- President Obama is sending 35,000 troops to Afghanistan. Bringing the total to a little over 100,000.


  • How many do some sources estimate would be required to subdue the insurgency? And I'm nearly certain I've read somewhere the new Army COIN manual itself calls for the same number but, I couldn't find the source.


  • 600,000


  • That war is lost and we might as well get used to that natural fact.


  • The world is cuckoo: recently Ireland was outraged their World Cup hopes were dashed by a French handball- it's a wonder they didn't go into a full on land war and might have if the French president hadn't apologised directly to the Irish PM.


  • Do not be surprised if the offending French soccer player is not killed before this is all over. Oh, and I do mean killed, as in literally by gunshot, car bomb etc.


  • Funny diplomatic exchange regarding a VIP box for the French President.


  • Headline: "Paris museum workers strike". Is there any operation those people can't/won't strike?
  • Mood: Curmudgeon-ie

Friday, December 4, 2009

Friday's Dispatch







  • I don't like qualifying statements or explaining how/why I say the the things I say. People shouldn't try to be the mind readers readers we all try to be and read so much into simple statements made by others. Anyway, people will believe what they want to believe.



  • Zac loves the water- anywhere and anytime. He points it out as we drive down the road and pass a lake or drive across a river,"Dad, look water!" He went to Mineral Wells State Park when he was 6 weeks old and played in the lake. Never ceases to impress: times like that always seem 100 years ago and like yesterday in the same breath.



  • I need to get the 4 wheeler running again.



  • A waitress friend once got scolded by a customer when she wrote "H2o" on her order pad. "Dangit, girl I don't want no H2o or whatever that is- water, I want plain water and ain't payin' for nothin' else!"



  • He wasn't kidding.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Music Video Extra Vaganza- O Rama



A really great one from one of my favorite bands Finger Eleven called One Thing. The lead singer has said in an interview it really doesn't have any specific meaning but, everyone I know who listens to them can tell you what it means to them.








One Thing"


Restless tonight


Cause I wasted the light


Between both these times


I drew a really thin line


It’s nothing I planned


And not that I can


But you should be mine


Across that line


[Chorus:]

If I traded it all


If I gave it all away for one thing


Just for one thing


If I sorted it out


If I knew all about this one thing


Wouldn’t that be something


I promise I might


Not walk on by


Maybe next time


But not this time


Even though I know


I don’t want to know


Yeah I guess I know


I just hate how it sounds


[Chorus x2]


Even though I know


I don’t want to know


Yeah I guess I know


I just hate how it sounds


Even though I know


I don’t want to know


Yeah I guess I know


I just hate how it sounds

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Z Man And His Old Ride


When he was about one.

International MRAP


I don't know if this would be a better truck for our troops but, man it's cool looking.


Monday, November 30, 2009

Monday's Missives

Remember Cowboys Of Moo Mesa? Epic cartoon.






  • The fellas just a little thirsty- give him a break world. I give him an A for effort regardless.




  • I told Zachary I loved him the other day. He said politely, "Thank you, daddy."




  • Where did he learn to be so noncommital?



  • How to characterize the power of an IED? I was over a mile away when 3 of our soldiers were killed by one that struck their HUMMWV and it rattled my teeth and shook the ground around me.



  • Balloon boy is OK. Why are we so wrapped up in things such as that? Millions of people must have followed that drama.



  • On this day in history (October 16):456Magister militum Ricimer defeated Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and became master of the Western Roman Empire.



  • Good for him- I knew he could do it.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Friday's Dispatch




  • "Just because we have (since Bush time) fiddled with the unemployment stats so that it doesn't look as bad as it is, doesn't make the reality go away. The U6 alone puts us up about double the unemployment rate. They say 9, reality says 22. Also, the only thing keeping our dollar afloat is China's inability to crawl out from under it. Also, the reason we are so mad at Iran has nothing to do with nukes (they did tell us about Qum) but with the oil exchange based on euros instead of dollars they want. The same as Iraq. We are so screwed. "



  • From the comments of HULU user review section. I can't understand a thing that guy's saying but, think he might be on to something if he worked on mastering writing the English language.

  • Greatest band you've never heard- The Perishers performing Sway. I can't help it if I like mushy music sometimes. Honestly- as in, it doesn't happen very often.



  • Why does it seem like in movies all visualizations of our future involve everyone dressing like flamboyantly gay people of today?



  • Parodies of old patriotic posters can be great- even if I don't agree with them they can be very telling of our past and present political thought environment.



  • When my oldest son was in the hospital was the sickest time I've faced mentally in a long time. I didn't sleep, I didn't eat- I uncharacteristically for me in difficult situations- worried.



  • Although I did pray a lot.



  • I still encourage Zac to sit up with me and watch TV or read or whatever until he and then I go to to sleep in the recliner. Agony after a couple of hours but, worth it and the opportunities to do so won't last forever.



  • Or, I guess they could last for years longer- it would just look ridiculous for me to have someone in my lap bigger than myself.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

My Dad


Now, you know where I get my devilish good looks.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Monday's Missives



    Americas future in healthcare?


  • Today, I can't get the funeral dirge from the web ad for the Halo ODST troopers funeral out of my mind.



  • I sneeze like a crazy man- one of the few really over the top, negative, attention getting things I do in my life. I mean really, it's not cute- it's loud and obnoxious and I probably sound mental when I do it but, I can't help it- it hurts to stifle them.



  • New favorite shows that are really coming around: Parks And Recreation and Community. Yes, they are goofy- that would be why you'll find them under comedy.



  • When I work nights it's great to wake up several hours before I have to go back that night and simply lie around and eat or whatever and then nap a little but, if I sleep all day I nearly always feel terrible that night.



  • Fans of President Obama hate Sarah Palin for all the same reasons they adore him.



  • Odd.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Thoughts In The Key Of V







  • Was the original V series politically/socially driven?



  • There's been some debate whether the remake of the V series of the 80s is a veiled reference to the President Obama presidency- I watched the pilot the other night. The references are unavoidably pertaining to his administration's policies and his star appeal popularity. As a matter of fact, you simply cannot argue it and I think it odd some people deny that it's driven by current events. However, it never got to the point so, I don't know where they're going with it in relation to the series.



  • The pilot stars Alan Tudyk an El Paso Texas native who played Hoban Washburne on Firefly- the best sci fi evar. So it has promise anyway. Don't recognize the name? Maybe this will jog your memory- only the most epic line in the history of, mm- epicity! "We will rule over all this land! And we will call it... this land!" Well, it's greater when he does it.



  • Amiright?

Friday, November 20, 2009

Confucious Say

Even the greatest of whales is helpless in middle of desert.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday's Digressions






  • I'm responsible for some gold on another blog which always gets favorable comments- well mostly but, I can't bring myself to own up to any of them so I post anonymously.



  • Now, if I did put my ID with them I would get accused of plagiarizing.



  • I can never seem to win- for losing.


  • People who lived near the major who committed the murders on Fort Hood are saying he was mistreated for his faith. After duty hours he would change into clothes associated with Afghan men and attend prayer at his Mosque. I find this a bit odd since he was born in the US and his ancestry is Palestinian. His appearance reportedly led to verbal taunting and vandalizing of his property. Another thought: what would happen to me if I wore a clown suit in some backwater neighborhood in Lebanon? or, short, tight cut off jeans and a string tank top? His actions while working in DC have been properly referred to as, "making himself a lightning rod for trouble."


  • Would you buy a one ounce gold coin for 50.00 dollars? Would you accept it if someone gave it to you?


  • 2012 looks sadly- sucky. I'll assuredly catch it on DVD though.


  • The pond at the end of the road looks spooky at night and the wetlands in the bottom behind it even worse. I'm going to take my oldest son down there and dare him to walk through the wetlands with me some night.


  • Yes, I dare my child to do things.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Don't Forget Where You Heard About This When You Accept The Position!


Help wanted: a government dog-sledder


The federal government has an opening for a one-of-a-kind job running kennels and mushing into the wilderness in Denali National Park in Alaska.


Anchorage - In the world of dog mushing, there aren't many jobs with a steady paycheck. Professional mushers live off the bounty of their race earnings, dog-breeding skills and marketing savvy. Within a federal government that employs 19.7 million people, there is one -- exactly one -- dog-mushing job. And it's open.The National Park Service is looking for a new kennels manager at Denali National Park and Preserve, a job that in addition to running Denali's 31-animal dog kennel includes mushing into one of America's great swaths of wilderness. The pay range -- between $33,477 and $66,542 a year, plus a generous cost-of-living adjustment -- is more than many mushers earn in a race season. As part of the federal bureaucracy, though, there's more to it than mushing and caring for dogs."Our candidate must be a strong leader with supervisory skills and will be relied upon to provide all manner of services as a park ranger -- from rescuing visitors and patrolling the park wilderness to presenting educational programs and community outreach," Philip Hooge, Denali's deputy superintendent, said in a news release.

Karen Fortier, a Connecticut native who held the post for nearly 10 years, calls it "a great job." It changes markedly depending on the season. As much as 70% of the winter is spent mushing thousands of miles in the Denali backcountry -- ferrying supplies, taking researchers to various parts of the park, hauling firewood and patrolling. Those trips can last weeks. "There's really nothing that quite compares to being out on the trail in the middle of winter," Fortier said. "It's beautiful, it's completely silent, and by March you have the long daylight too. "But it's physically demanding. We're breaking our own trail, and we end up doing a lot of snowshoeing in front of the team at times."

Summer is tourist season, which means three daily hourlong interpretive programs for hundreds of visitors a day. This summer, more than 50,000 tourists stopped by. But in every season, the kennel must be managed. Dogs must be fed, bred and trained; poop must be scooped; vaccinations must be administered."And just like with any federal or government job, there's that whole level of paperwork," Fortier said. "You think it's going to be this glory job, but so much is managing the operation behind the scenes."Fortier had a second daughter a year ago, and the time away from her family became too great. Despite the sacrifices, the successful applicant to replace her can rest assured that nobody else in the country has the same job. "It's a lot more than a mushing job, for sure," Fortier said. "A real mixed bag."
Don't forget me- I'll be your snow bunny!

Nightmare Team

Zombie Wilt Chamberlain leads the Nightmare Team to victory! Ha, get it? See he's dead and instead of the Dream Team it's the Nightmare Team because he's a zombie. Oh, forget it- I don't even know why I try.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Monday's Missives

Not a real aircraft- prop for the terrible movie Stealth- it should however enter mass production due to its coolness alone.



  • Two of my idols in an old newsreel. Really bums me I never got to see either Fred Gwynn (Herman Munster) or Al Lewis (grandpa) live in any context and especially to have a chance to meet them.





  • I met one child legend and hero though and actually had a bit of a conversation with him- a great catcher and general human being Jim Sundberg. He is still with the Rangers as a senior executive vice president of public relations and personally visits wounded warriors on Texas bases.





  • A giant of a man although he isn't as tall as his baseball cards say in his personal stats.





  • Some great old photos of an area ranch here.




  • The world is a small place. I remind myself of this often and in my area and profession I get outside reminders frequently. While chatting with a nurse from another agency with whom I share common friends and associates she brought out the name of someone so random I know I had give myself away when I nearly choked on my tongue at the memory she caused to surface but, since she did only give the first name when she asked if I knew her I had plausible deniability,"Hmmm not sure- I've probably met her somewhere along the line..."

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sunday's Sundry Missives





  • Check this painting out by rolling your cursor across the image. Not a great work of art by any means but, kind of interesting- although don't get too torqued up if you're not a religious person and miss the point. Found the little gem here.


  • Story about the above 2 million dollar Bugatti turned Jon boat here. Too disturbing for a weak kneed sissy such as myself but, try to work your way through it if you dare. Oh, wow! PS- Look here for video of the Bugatti going into the drink.


  • Too sad for words.

  • Regardless of where I'm at or what's going on if I'm in the shower- the door to the house will locked.

  • The first thing I said when I saw a picture of the Fort Hood murderer was,"He doesn't look too sharp." "What do you mean?" I was asked. "He doesn't look very bright- he looks like a dimwit." That exchange was the first thing I thought of when it came out he was a very mediocre student in medical school.

  • Snap judgments: another one of my superpowers that must be used for good and not evil.

  • My insurance agent is smokin' hot and I don't mean she was tragically set on fire by some moron burning their trash or she huffs Marlboro 100 cigarettes like there's no tomorrow for her lunch break.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Saturday's Summary






  • I have a funny feeling if you've seen the trailer for Men Who Stare At Goats you've seen all there is worth watching.




  • "Don't bother me- I'm busy!" The last thing Zac said to me.



  • Watched part of a speech by President Obama and in it he referred to the Medal Of Honor as the Congressional Medal Of Honor- no biggy I guess, just would have thought if he didn't know any better a proofreader, fact checker or somebody would have caught that goof.



  • Everybody is being so quick to dismiss the role Major Hasan's religion played in the murders he committed on Fort Hood. OK- I get it but, they would not have occurred were it not for his religion.


  • So...



  • When Zac is sick it's all Barney all the time. God forgive me but, I do not like Barney.



  • I dig Bob The Builder though and could watch it anytime.



  • I've got a bad feeling I'm going to buy a motorcycle.


  • HBO's new series The Pacific looks great! It's from the creators of Band Of Brothers.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday's Dispatch





  • Windy days get on my nerves and in fact I sometimes have to turn off ceiling fans.


  • Zac was asked,"What did you do today?" when he was picked up from day care- "I went to school" "Oh, yeah- what did you learn, baby?" "That I don't listen" "Why?" "Because I hit Albert"


  • This morning it was,"I'm hungry. I want a sandwich."


  • Did I mention he's two?


  • President Obama rendered a very good salute when he was present for the arrival of troop caskets at Dover.


  • People sometimes assume a general would always want more troops- no matter what. This is not true- more bodies equal more supplies and maintenance issues, more troops to cause political trouble if not kept busy and monitored with good leadership and all the problems associated with excess troops in a theater is exponential- twice the troops are more than twice the headache to maintain. Also, excess troops drain reserves for contingency plans involving other theaters.


  • I've never heard anyone mention the number one reason why Afghanistan would be unwinnable (if it is)- it's because they haven't been beaten by an outside, modern army. You are not dealing with sophisticated pragmatists who understand things will be better with time and effort. These people are primitive, tribalistic and stuck literally in a medieval mindset and way of life. A misplaced sense of pride has and always will keep them from moving forward even though they had a brutal, oppressive regime removed and a chance at a real future handed to them on a silver platter. Even though in this situation it isn't even necessay to have to mark something in the win/loss column (the Taliban were targeted not the people or even a legitimate government) most Afghan men do not want to be associated with being the first generation to lose.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Post Veterans Day Disgrace To The Human Race


Ommmmm, Gods gonna get you for this one- you Jack O Lantern. Our country shamefully screws up a lot of stuff- I know but, one thing the feds take very seriously when it comes to their attention is military service fakery. Story of this gooberhead here at TSG. This is sickening and with the support enjoyed by our troops of the American public I'll bet way more prevalent than we would ever guess.

Thursday's Thoughts





  • War can be a beautiful thing.


  • The fact swine flu vax doses have been allocated for prisoners in Guantanamo Bay has some in the public and congress in an uproar. My thoughts: The vaccine will be voluntary for the approximately 200 detainees and I predict no more than 25% of them will accept. No more than a third of Americas 300 million people take the normal influenza vaccine anyway- will this one be that much different? Like it or not, they are prisoners- therefore in a very high risk group for communicable diseases.


  • You don't hear much in the press without some digging about the antics of the low risk profile detainees released from Guantanamo- wonder why?


  • Can't get that Ozzy Osborne song Perry Mason out of my mind after hearing just a line or two of it earlier.


  • Lots of headlines recently about docs travelling to China and other places to study nontraditional and eastern medicinal remedies such as acupuncture- ridiculous. For one reason everyone in the medical field (I thought anyway) knows that stuff specifically acupuncture doesn't work- there has been literally millions of dollars spent on studies demonstrating that- so why the interest? The American public is so silly they're clamoring for the stuff and there's not only money to be made- they are already losing tons of it to non physicians or physicians from Asia. It's all reasonably low risk and insurance will be paying for it more and more as gullible Americans with nothing better to do than fret over something, then believe they were made better by having some goober push hat pins into their bodies or wave magic crystals over their body energy aura or whatever.


  • This is turning into a rant.


  • I don't like to be a ranter.


  • I'll quit.


  • For now.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I Rant I Rave- You Read: The Wednesday Edition





  • I have watched a lot of horror movies in my life and if I've learned nothing else- when a monster such as the proposed health care reform bill is created someone, somewhere down the line will have to step and kill it- or it will devour everyone in sight.


  • "Save money"? Are you kidding? When I heard The President say that- all respect for him on this issue vanished- he didn't misspeak nor was he misinformed, he had to know that was a lie.


  • "No matter what they're talking about when a politician speaks he's talking about spending money." "No matter what they're talking about when a politician speaks he's lying." These are very good, always pertinent truisms but, he took both to a new level in that speech.


  • What does a politician mean when he says save money anyway? Is it the same as when you and I say it? No absolutely not, ever- they always mean spending less than originally planned (if that even). If health care costs are expected to rise 5% per year, the bureaucrat wanting to make his administration look good will find a way to shave 2% off of spending, subtract the difference then say in press conference,"To all the naysayers-we've saved the American taxpayer 20 teen gajillion dollars this year alone in health care costs since the health care reform act passed. Blah, blah blah..." All the while spending continues to grow until it's some big monster no one knows what to do with- then what?


  • They'll figure out a way to blame those who were opposed in the first place.


  • What happens when they spend less? Automatically increased rationing of health care- which not really all that bad of a concept in it's purest form (it's necessarily necessary- already part of the reason we actually have docs) but, everyone involved has been adamant it won't happen. It happens and has ever since the first x ray machine was manufactured, there were room for only so many patients, it was far enough away for a doc to have to decide whether it was necessary and docs stopped accepting chickens for their services and demanded cash. The only change? It will and it has to only get worse.


  • All the major players pushing for this have used terms like "obscene profits" when talking about the profit margins of the insurance industry. Now that it's clear their margins really aren't all that great compared to other industries, will the message of the activistic politicians change?


  • My insurance company (both health and dental) will have to carry us for a quite a few more years before they break even and we're quite healthy people.


  • Doctors will get out of the field and will be replaced by lesser qualified individuals- it has to happen since we know it already does- primarily over government reimbursement issues, astronomical costs and narrow margins.


  • Healthcare Reform Explained As A Summer Picnic from the youchoobs.


  • A very interesting counterpoint of successful plans which specifically talks about Germany's plan- a public option that (supposedly) is not tax funded.


  • Regardless of plan- one big, huge, insurmountable problem if you're enamored of the English, the Germans or France's system. We are not Brits, Germans or French.


  • John Stossel's take on the issue. Sick In America.


  • A lot of the reason politicians push for things like this is to buy votes, another- guilt over their own wealth- both should bother us to no end but, we don't really care.


  • 70-80% of Americans are reportedly happy (I bet it's really more) with their current insurance status. Where else would that level of satisfaction be risked to upend a system?


  • 800 billion dollars a year is wasted on unnecessary medical procedures in the US, driven primarily by fear of lawsuits. If you could rid the system of this and fraud for government reimbursement plans already in place ( you can do neither) more sweeping reform would be affordable and welcome in my book.


  • Just a few short generations from now people will look back in amazement while face palming and head wagging over a health care system in shambles and a country drowning in debt and say,"They weren't smart enough to see this coming?"

  • Anyway, let me finish with this, which should solve this issue, help settle all our differences and bring us together as one- united as a race of sentient, compassionate humans not rich, poor or black or white just- people helping people as I always say.

Sad Picture

As I recall the symbolism behind this picture is this young mans only desire was to come home and have his daughter on his chest. The first day I was home my daughter stayed on my chest essentially from noon until two am the next morning.

I thank God for that day.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Warm And Center Of Attention=Cats Dream

We had a Siamese cat when I was growing up named Dean, he lived to be 19 years old. He would sleep on the TV to stay warm- he was kind of the grumpy old codger of catdom. I do not know how many times someone would stop by the TV and say,"Oh look at this cat, it looks so real." and touch him causing him to bolt up hissing and spitting and swatting at the hapless stranger as he slid off the back of the TV while his victim would retreat clutching their chest sure they were about to die of a heart attack.


Not actual cat.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Monday's Missives

My new set of wheels to replace Turdbomb.



  • Greatest headline I've seen in a while- Police: Homeless man hid stolen ferret in pants. Suspect faces theft, battery charges for dangerously wielding animal. AP


  • "A former “Jerry Springer Show” producer, Bobby Goldstein, told In Touch magazine that he had a pilot, “Jon - Kate = Jon + Octomom” in the works and that Gosselin was onboard. According to a press release In Touch obtained, Goldstein’s show would follow Gosselin as “he contemplates what hooking up with Octomom could really be like.” msnbc the scoop


  • NOOOOOOOOooooooo!


  • I'm literally clawing my eyes out for reading that and hitting myself in the head with a coffee cup in hope of inducing a memory erasing traumatic brain injury.


  • We are doomed.


  • Finally took the tent down- want to figure out something semi permanent we can sleep in whenever the mood strikes.


  • A heavy duty tipi maybe?


  • The neighbors love me- that might challenge their patience though.


  • Six cinnamon rolls and about eleven cups of coffee- it's what's for breakfast.


  • Zac is starting gymnastics tonight, it's the type that requires parental involvement.


  • Groan.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Fort Hood Murders My Thoughts

SGT Anthony Sills of Texas National Guard' 36 Infantry Division consoling his wife after the Ft. Hood murders.



  • Although I was not there and can't really know what happened during the major who committed the murders at Ft. Hoods career (family claims he was harassed over being Muslim) I have been in the guard, regular army,peacetime,wartime, overseas in peace, a non combat job skill and combat job skill, been in several formal military schools, taught at a military academy as a guest instructor, served in several US states etc. etc. and one thing that always stood out- and I've considered it way before this event- teasing guys about their religion if not off limits is rare and self limiting if it happens.

  • Another thought: I would be more than surprised I would be shocked if in the hyper sensitive environment of the Army under its equal opportunity mandated environment and the Army wide fear of reprisals over harassment if there was a lot of harassment over that guys religion.
  • Specifically since his religion happens to be Islam.
  • Also, reports have come from a cousin to the killer that he was harassed over his race by being called a "camel jockey"- being harassed over ones race in the Army? Uh,uh- sorry didn't happen- to an extent it would trigger some kind of mental break anyway. Even the allegation of same will end with everyone in the chain being sentenced to interminable cultural sensitivity training, poor reflection in evaluation reports and proven abuses? Everyone associated will be punished by article 15 and if they're not lucky a discharge from service. Would a lawyer make a joke about a bomb under a judges car? A doctor joke in any thing approaching a public manner about poisoning his difficult patients? Don't think these are appropriate analogies? You don't understand modern military thought environment then- harassment especially harassment over race and religion is not tolerated.

  • If there's anything to his families claim- we'll hear about it from others he served with- that's the way it always is they don't have to break ranks there is always someone interested in doing the right thing and if nothing else a disgruntled troop who heard or witnessed something.

  • Many people will be more than happy to accept the assertion that he was "mortified" over his impending deployment to Afghanistan as the reason for these murders- come on, he is a psychiatrist what did he have to fear either in a personal safety aspect or in regards to some kind of shock to his religious sensibilities? The air conditioner in his office wouldn't blow cold enough or someone, somewhere might find out there's a Muslim serving as a doctor on the base where he is deployed?

  • The first talking head I saw discussing these murders began prattling on about PTSD in the first sentence he uttered. Ridiculous.

  • DFW local news as events unfolded.

  • The Soldiers Dome where the shootings happened is directly across the street from my old 1 Cavalry Division unit and when first built was a place for guys to drink and eat while watching sports, it was later converted to an SRC- Soldiers Readiness Center.

  • Howze Theater another location mentioned often in the newscasts about the murders was the first place I saw Platoon.

  • That guy wasn't wrapped too tight to begin with and the Army would have been the best hope he had to prevent a break (very good counselling, structured environment with good pay etc.).

  • Anyway, he didn't need an excuse with his mental problems and twisted worldview.

  • It's my opinion that if in the medical field mentally ill people will be more drawn to psychiatry, psychology and associated mental health disciplines. It kind of just makes sense but, is also demonstrable I bet- if you dug through news archives.

  • People are asking,"How did he kill so many people, why didn't someone shoot him- it's a military base." On a military base not everyone is armed at all times and even if you have a weapon for a class, a range or mobilising for deployment the troops will not have rounds for their weapons until they're needed and issued.

  • Sources reported a gunfight between another shooter and a SWAT team at a separate location simultaneous to the SRC murders- how does that happen, even in the fog of these developing situations?

  • "He said: "Ford Hood is perceived as being even safer than normal because of its size and scale." excerpted from an interview of a British major who had been stationed at Hood- his analysis is wrong though. Look at Fort Hood the same as any other city of 100,000 people except, a younger on average population, higher density of males per capita, sense of anonymity, a whole lot of people bringing all kinds of bad habits with them from their backgrounds, a lot of alcohol and drug abuse etc. The sense of safety on the post is deceptive.

  • I wonder what his case will do to the death penalty debate? Will opponents keep silent because they know the public desire for vengeance and how it will galvanize attitudes? You'll hear less from opponents than you might think at first glance I think.

  • I assure you- he will have his dance with the ole Grim Reaper at the sharp end of a needle.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Thursday's Thoughts







Your armored Hey Now for the day- beautiful huh? M2/M3 Bradley Fighting vehicles. The one in number 2 picture is firing a TOW missile.
  • I'm so tired my skin hurts. My patient expired as I was getting ready to walk out the door. A sad case- too young, not supported well by family, died with issues, I spent a lot of time with him and we did guy stuff like watching football. Man, he would hate to see me leave.
  • I'm delirious with tirednicity.
  • Thinking about the much maligned Bradley Fighting Vehicle the US uses for infantry support and armored recon duties. Most people probably don't care but, there's a lot of misinformation about it, even a movie Pentagon Wars starring Kelsey Grammer that rags on the early models and development thereof. Not really sure what drives the people so adamantly opposed to it but, they'll make it look like a too costly death trap that doesn't have the capability to perform its mission. This is odd, very odd- it's the best vehicle of its type in the world and it's good for the money for that matter- although yes, FMC doesn't give them away. It's very reliable and provides very good protection and fighting ability to its crew. Not sure what's going on there- politics?
  • Here's a video of my beloved Bradley in action in Iraq.
  • Bonus footage of insurgents being engaged.
  • I'm going to embed myself after I soak in a hot shower.
  • Good night.

Well, It IS A Long Way From His Heart As They Say



My favorite nephews arm- pre whip stitch. Chicks dig scars though don't they? Let's hope that's true anyway.