A Warded Neuron

A Birthday today, remembered.

2010-05-28T02:03:00.004-06:00

Mark would have been eighteen today. But that will never happen. Mark is dead. I have to accept that. It still seems dreamlike that he could be so, is no longer among us. I still expect him to enter the room at odd moments, and when I catch myself, I cry.

My son my son, oh I miss you so. Your mother speaks of her dream, where you came up behind her, and hugged her, giving her the comfort of your embrace. I am so envious of her, that she has once more been able to touch you; hold your hand, and hug you. To feel you hug her back, not a little boy’s hug, but with the wide-shouldered strength of the man you had just so recently become. Oh Mark, I was so so proud of you.

Each night I go to sleep hoping that you will come to me in my dreams, that I could hold my son in my arms again, and in the dream at least, have the experience having you with me one more time..

I miss you boy. I miss your voice, your words, your smile. I miss you so.

You would have been eighteen today.

I love you son.

Midstream Media Defames the Pope

2010-04-05T18:22:00.004-06:00

Over the last month the Midstream media has, in accordance with it's established gutter standards in news reporting, been fanning the flames of controversy with stories that the current Pope helped to hide priestly child molesters from justice.

More specifically, the former Principal of St.Johns School for the Deaf, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a Father Laurence Murphy.

The New York Times, AP, etc. have inflamed public outrage to the point where thousands have signed petitions in England against a future visit from the pontiff, and caused various legal types to ponder publicly, whether legal action could be taken against the head of the Catholic Church.

Now the Priest who sat as the ecclesiastical judge in the Murphy case has come forward, complaining that not only has he been widely misquoted and falsely quoted in the New York Times and over 100 other publications, but that the accused molestor died in 1998 just before the case could come to trial, and had never been referred to the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at all.

Writing in the Catholic Anchor, Father Thomas Brundage, JCL, says he was never once contacted by any of the news organizations who so widely misquoted him, and that he would have gone all the way to the Pope at the time, John Paul II, in appealing any instructions to refrain from Judging the case against Father Lawrence Murphy.

Now dear reader, you know most of the people in our media could not be bothered, obviously, to follow the link to Father Brundage's story, nor trusted to believe him. -After all he was only an eyewitness at the center of the events of the day. Far far better to take a juicy story that attacks the present Pope and run with it.

(ADDED ON APRIL 6TH)

The New York Times antipathy or possibly, antagonistic attitude towards the Church is no secret. One example I remember, was in the mid 1990's when the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic Men's Fraternal society, had to threaten legal action before the NYT would publish a Paid-for full-page KofC advertisement in the paper.

Earth Hour

2010-03-27T00:51:00.004-06:00

The taxpayers in the City of Edmonton should be happy to know the idiots in the city administration are blowing tax dollars advertising the hell out of Saturday's Earth Hour.

Yup, they're exhorting the ignorant masses to shut off all their lights Saturday night for an hour to help curb greenhouse gas emissions and thus do a bit to save the planet.

It's all B.S. so I'm going to protest in my own way. I've set up some hi-power halogen spotlights on my house for this event so that I can consume extra electricity to help take up the slack in demand from all the soft-headed types who're planning on shutting their lights off.

How do you make yourself feel good doing nothing about climate change? Earth Hour!!!!

To hell with that shit. My lights are ON.

The Ungrateful Profs

2010-03-25T22:37:00.004-06:00

The pinko socialists who've dominated Saskatchewan's indoctrina- er, I mean, educational system for upteen years, are showing their asses to the world again. Only a bunch of old hippie has beens (or their heirs) could a come up with a zinger like this.

A Four-Year scholarship program for the children of Dead Soldiers has gained the support of colleges and Universities across Canada except at the University of Regina. Sixteen Professors who enjoy life on the public tit, who are allowed the freedom to teach whatever anti-west swill they please because of the freedoms earned by our military, have signed a letter protesting the University's decision to honor the scholarship because they feel it glorifies militarism.

What a bunch of sorry short-sighted out-of-touch ivory-tower fucks.

I wonder how long they'd last if they were trying to teach their pie-in-the-sky worldview under a Taliban regime?

Art imitates life

2010-03-21T20:06:00.004-06:00

I've enjoyed Scott Kurtz's work for years. His Webcomic, PvP (Player vs. Player) is about the staff at a small magazine dedicated to computer gaming. The current story line is about how two of the staffers decide to make love on the boss's new D&D gaming table and get caught.

I laughed; thought, "c'mon Scott, no one would actually do that..." and then remembered how, twenty-two years ago my then brand-new bride and I were almost caught doing the same thing late at night in a basement office at the second radio station I'd ever worked at, CFOK radio.

Zombie Bite Calculator

2010-03-08T14:40:00.003-07:00

Politically incorrect doesn't' even come close to describing the Oatmeal. Damn. I really liked the "How Twilight works" and "How everything goes to hell in a Zombie Apocalypse."

Moose in my back yard

2010-03-03T14:35:00.006-07:00

Woke up last Monday morning to the sight of two moose in the back yard. The neighbors told us about all the wildlife we'd be seeing when we moved out here a year ago, but this is only the second time we've seen Moose. Our place is only a few miles outside of Edmonton City limits.

One wag asked me why I hadn't shot the Male, as I would be able to 'get away with it' with my Metis status. I had to tell ol' 'Hunts at Safeway' that I'm too damned citified to do all the bloody, heavy work involved in gutting and dressing a moose all by my lonesome. As for the shot, I'm as proud of my marksmanship as the next guy, maybe moreso, but there's a safety issue because of all the houses just the other side of the trees behind the Moose, and probably a violation of local ordinances to boot.

Besides which, I don't consider myself a subsistence hunter at present.

Saving Local Television

2009-11-29T17:49:00.006-07:00

The actual issue is an attempt to make viewers pay for something that they've never had to pay for before. Local TV signals.

As broadcasters catch up with digital and high-definition technologies, the old style analog television transmissions will disappear.

The current campaign by Canadian television broadcasters asking viewers to demand the CRTC force Satellite and Cable Companies to pay for local stations' content is pure misdirection. The Broadcasters would have you believe that the issue is fairness; a need to make the cable companies pay for the use of the local stations they carry.

Bullshit. That's just a strawman.

First off, Despite their protestations to the contrary, if the broadcasters succeed in forcing the cable and Satellite providers to pay for the use of local stations, the costs will be passed directly to the consumers.
Secondly, the Parent companies of the local tv stations, companies like like Canwest Global and Quebecor, own a significant portion of the Cable and Satellite Providers own part of or in some cases all of the specialty channels that consumers are paying the cable companies to access. Asking consumers to pay again is almost like asking them to pay twice for the same damn thing.
Third, the cable and satellite companies include the local tv stations in the basic access packages they force every customer to buy before we can get access to the specialty channels we REALLY want to watch. I suspect that were some of the local stations to go under, the basic packages would remain largely unchanged, just carrying more of the alphabet networks' different regional feeds.
It's a changing marketplace. If local tv stations and their parent companies can't keep up and adjust to the new technologies, it's not fair to have the government (in the guise of new CRTC regulation) force consumers to keep the dinosaurs alive.

As a consumer, I gave up on local TV over a decade ago. There are perhaps twelve specialty channels I wanted when I ordered my satellite TV system. But I am forced to pay for hundreds of signals I NEVER WATCH in order the get the few I am interested in. Were the satellite and Cable companies serious about providing content choice they'd let us order the specific specialty channels we want to see.

The last thing I need is another bullshit charge added to my bill.

Lies Lies Lies.

2009-10-13T13:06:00.008-06:00

I didn't think the Nobel Prize committee could cheapen their awards any more than they did after giving it to Al Gore for making a so-called documentary whose most accurate fact was that the earth has a climate.

That was until this past week when they gave the Peace Prize to Barrack Obama for all his accomplishments.

What accomplishments? The deadline for submitting entries was only one week after he assumed office. Obama doesn't even qualify (hmmm, again?) for the Peace Prize according to the criteria the applicants are supposed to meet. Not that following neither the spirit nor the letter of the law has been a big concern for Obama's supporters but geeze whiz, this just looks stupid.

With regards to the Peace Prize, and according to Alfred Nobel's will, the Peace Prize was for:

“

during the preceding year [...] shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.^[1]

”

Poseur.

Zombie UPdate

2009-10-05T23:38:00.003-06:00

I see the DeadJournal is updating again! Cool!

Speaking of Zombies, #1 son and I saw Zombie Land opening day. Take it in the spirit it was intended, and your only complaint will be that the movie is too short. Bill Murray's cameo alone made it worth the price of admission.

We also saw Pandorum this week, and I think it (inadvertently) falls into the 'zombie movie' genre too. Way more suspenseful than Zombie Land, it does a far far better job of playing with your fear of the unknown than, say, Event Horizon. (Which is still a classic!)

Marketing 101

2009-09-17T16:52:00.004-06:00

Here's a few logos I'd like to see more of in popular culture:

Here's why:

Where did Spink go?

2009-09-17T16:26:00.004-06:00

Just throwing this out there:

The blogger Spink, and his blogs, "spink about it" and "101 people who are messing up Canada" are now missing in action. Known for his right-of-centre viewpoint (can you say, "common-sense point of view?") his material is worth reading, if only to counter the CBC-promoted myth that there is no legitimate every-man Canadian viewpoint on the right side of the political spectrum too.

Spink's 101 people list and the reason they're listed should be read by every Junior-High social studies student in the country.

A quick google search and I find only a post on the Daily Gleaner from april 21st, 2009,

"With that said, I am walking away from blogging at least for now."

Oh Spink. Say it isn't so...

Swine Influsteria part 2

2009-09-17T16:17:00.007-06:00

I was right to worry.

Tamiflu strains o f the swine flu have now appeared here, in Alberta. Bloomberg is reporting that it isn't as easily spread as the original strain, but...

Swine InFlusteria

2009-09-11T10:25:00.006-06:00

At first I thought the stupidest things tick me off. But I think this may be serious.

One of my favorite web cartoonists, PVP author Scott Kurtz posted on his site Thursday that he and other guests have come down with the Flu after shaking thousands of hands at PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle this week. There has been at least one confirmed case of swine flu at that event.

On his website, Scott said,

"So when I took a turn for the worse yesterday, and then Kris and Mike started to feel sick, I took a trip to the clinic and tested positive for the flu. The doctor doesn’t think it’s the swine flu but either way the treatment is the same: Tamaflu, bed rest, fluids and NO FLYING."

Not the first time I've heard that. That's what's bugging me. Overuse.

Now I'm glad Scott's getting treatment. I really like his stuff. I can see using using Tamaflu for the weak, sickly, very young and very old. But On the surface, Scott Kurtz appears to be a young, healthy guy who's been successfully losing weight and working at improving his health.

Damn near every time the subject of the flu has come up in the news this year the doctors have been using Tamaflu. Fucking overuse if you ask me. Especially for a strain of Flu that this year has had only a fraction of the lethality of our regular flu seasons in the past. The medical profession appears to be determined to ruin the effectiveness of Tamaflu through overuse just like they've done with damn near every antibiotic in the past half century.

A Fake Crisis

2009-09-03T22:43:00.006-06:00

Came across this gem of information after SondraK pointed the way:

The Obamunists are claiming that there's 12 or 24 or even 40 million Americans who desperately need socialized medical coverage. They're using these numbers to justify the creation of what will surely be the latest (if not the biggest) real life exercise that proves socialism doesn't work.

But While channel surfing this week, I heard Glen Beck, give a much more realistic breakdown of the actual number of un-covered Amercians. He also pointed out that if Obama really wanted to get them coverage it would be cheaper to simply buy them coverage than to set up a nationalized government health care system [complete with the requisite perpetually self-bloating civil service bureaucracy to run it, like Canada has.] (my words)

Here's the breakdown, according to Karl Rove in today's Wall Street Journal:

So, buying them coverage (5 million uncovered Americans) at say, $100 to $500 per month each, works out to between six and thirty billion a year. Damn.

That's gotta be cheaper than building a whole new Health Care bureaucracy complete with waiting lists and all the other weaknesses of rationed health care.

Zombie blog update

2009-08-30T01:41:00.004-06:00

Just a little bit of sleuthing, and I've found that the contributors to the zombie blog, 'the dead journal' are all members of the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association. The PFOA has a very good website, with information, news, forums and the kind of information you should read if you're concerned at all about gun safety and activism.

I also found this poster:

My guess is the blog is a promotional thing for this event. That said, if you haven't checked it out, do so. It's a pretty damn good read.

Obama seeks Power to Rule the Internet

2009-08-29T16:01:00.005-06:00

Earlier this month, Fox news reported that anyone who went to the USG's Cash for clunkers website was inadvertently granting the US Government all rights to access your computer for any reason, now and in the future.

Today Cnet reports that a recently revised Senate Bill S.773 would grant the president sweeping powers in the event of a 'cyber emergency.' Going far beyond protecting utilities and other government type services this bill could give the President control of private I.T. companies hiring practices, require hiring of specially certified government approved 'supervisors' (can you say, "Political Officer" tovarisch?) and force private I.T. companies to take orders from the government to do whatever the President deems necessary to combat the 'cyber-emergency.'

This of course reminds me of how Adolf Hitler and other dictators in history have used real (and staged) emergencies to grant themselves extraordinary powers that were ultimately abused to circumvent their nation's checks and balances, and ultimately cement their position and power.

The U.S. has had strong presidents who were given extraordinary powers during times of crisis. I'm think of Abraham Lincoln, and more recently George W Bush. Yes, W. As disappointing as George was in the latter part of his administration I still include him with Lincoln, as men with sufficient integrity and character to give up those powers when the crisis ended.

Sadly, I fear Obama has not shown yet that he has the integrity and character to match those examples.

(thanks to www.daybydaycartoon.com for the opening image)

Zombies?

2009-08-28T15:07:00.002-06:00

Came across this while browsing David Markowitz's "Blog o Stuff." The Blog is called the Dead Journal, and is a series of daily posts beginning just this past August 19th. The anonymous blogger appears to be relating his family's survival during what appears to be a terrorist-caused zombie attack.

Sounds goofy unless you're into zombie movies and such. As my 17 year old son and I have been avidly playing Valve's "Left 4 Dead" online for the past three months, this weblog is merely fuel for the fire... (grin)

Ted is dead

2009-08-28T12:35:00.007-06:00

Ted is dead. I couldn't write anything about it until now, as I was already sick to death of the oh-so-predictable outpouring of flattery from the media about what such a loss this is to the United States and to blah blah blah blah...

I've already written some less than nice things in the past about this apostate Catholic, unwanted member of the Knights of Columbus, and of course, much-too-long serving Democratic U.S. senator for Massachusetts. I didn't want to be too negative but this thought, however, has been with me all day:

"I can see him now, standing in front of the Pearly Gates
being asked if he knew how many full-term babies died
with surgical scissors jammed into the backs of their skulls,
because he (Ted) had championed the legality of
Partial Birth Abortions?"

So I don't want to slam him any more than I already have, he's not having too good a time right now as it is...

Like his better brothers, I'm chosing to remember this Kennedy as he was when he was younger, and still full of promise. Before he proved himself a hypocrite he did publicly take a pro-life, pro-family stance. I particularly liked this 1971 letter, in which he responded to a pro-abortionist:

“While the deep concern of a woman bearing an unwanted child merits consideration and sympathy, it is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized — the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old.

On the question of the individual’s freedom of choice there are easily available birth control methods and information which women may employ to prevent or postpone pregnancy. But once life has begun, no matter at what stage of growth, it is my belief that termination should not be decided merely by desire.

I share the confidence of those who feel that America is willing to care for its unwanted as well as wanted children, protecting particularly those who cannot protect themselves. i also share the opinions of those who do not accept abortion as a response to our society’s problems — an inadequate welfare system, unsatisfactory job training programs, and insufficient financial support for all its citizens.

When history looks back to this era it should recognize this generation as one which cared about human beings enough to halt the practice of war, to provide a decent living for every family, and to fulfill its responsibility to its children from the very moment of conception.

Sincerely,
Edward M. Kennedy

Bye Ted. You could have been Good.

Spread it around

2009-08-08T09:34:00.003-06:00

Found this while surfing. Spread it around.

Guess who knows how to make Cars WITHOUT Obama

2009-07-24T16:06:00.004-06:00

From Day-One I've doubted that Obama's Trillion dollar bailout was little more than a Trillion Dollar National Socialization scheme that would give the Government greater and greater control over more and more aspects of American Society.
Here's an example, FORD, the only big three auto manufacturer to reject a government takeove- I mean, bailout, posted a 2.3 Billion dollar profit in the 2nd Quarter of this year.

My Grandfather owned the FIRST Oldsmobile dealership in my hometown, and I've been a GM buyer since my first car. But to buy my next car from Government Motors? No way.

101 People Screwing up Canada

2009-06-12T16:10:00.004-06:00

Kudos to SPINK for creating the list, "101 People who are Screwing up Canada, and 10 who aren't."

Like Spink, I had read Bernard Goldberg's "100 people who are Screwing up America," picking it up on sale for $2 or $4 after Chapters/Indigo dumped it's copies into the discount bins (probably for not being Anti-American enough -it didn't quite fit in with the other books on the 'Anti-American Table' that usually has a prominent place in my local Chapters). I found the Goldberg book hugely entertaining. I'm really pleased Spink was able to compile his own list, and amply justify his choices, without turning it into one of those lame, 'Canadian-Version' sort of things we wince at and have come to expect from the CBC and the rest of the 'government-sponsored Canadian-Culture industry.

Unlike Spink, I didn't think to make a Canadian list. It was a good idea, that was well executed and worth your time to read.

State Interference in Church Blatant attempt to Circumvent U.S. Constitution

2009-03-13T18:18:00.002-06:00

Doubtless encouraged by the Obamanation's so far successful efforts to ignore the constitution, other dark forces were prompted this month to try to sneak past the U.S. Constitution's separation of Church and State provisions. I haven't heard bugger all about this in the International midstream media, I first had to read it on Michael Savage's website, and then later on the Knights of Columbus website.

I'm referring to the Connecticut state legislature's raised bill 1098, which would have stripped the Catholic Church's bishops and priests (and only the Catholic Church's) of all authority over the administration of their parishes and dioceses, and arbitrarily hand that authority over to elected boards. In effect, the nationalization of the Catholic Church in Connecticut. Such a bill wouldn't stand up to an HONEST constitutional challenge because of it's blatant violation of the 1st amendment prohibiting the passing of any law regarding state control of any church.

Note I emphasized the word honest. Anything is possible in today's Obamanation. I recall from my history lessons (which I doubt are taught anywhere in North America anymore) how the Soviet Union's constitution had many provisons guaranteeing personal freedoms, yet that State pretty well ignored them all. I also remember how Adolf Hitler took over control of Germany's churches as a part of his planned consolidation of his control over German society, prior to WWII. Now in Barrack Obama's America, the Obamanation, a trial balloon for state control over the Church.

Thankfully, the legislature abandoned this flawed legislation after it's attempt to sneak it onto the books was exposed and protest rallies organized.
Earlier this week, 5,000 people showed up at the legislature to protest the proposed bill.

Ironic isn't it, that the ACLU has been silent on this matter. Naw, not really. It's common knowlege that they're a pack of Christian-hating hypocritcal bastards anyway.

The great Bailout Swindle

2009-03-06T22:47:00.005-07:00

One of my favorite authors, Dr. Jerry Pournelle, made an interesting observation last week. He was musing about how Pretender Barrack Obama's Trillion-dollar bailout related to the actual losses in the sub-prime mortgage crisis. They don't appear to be very closely related at all.

Consider:" Assume 3 million real estate loans in default. Assume an average of $3000 a month for payments. That's nine billion dollars a month. Call it ten billion a month. That adds up to $120 billion a year, a healthy sum, but had that been paid, there would have been no collapse due to "toxic" mortgages and mortgage based securities. "

Assuming the government took over ownership of the affected homes and rented them back to their former owners the net cost could be as low as 70 billion a year. That's a far far cry from Obama's Trillion dollar political-pork solution.

Why wasn't this idea used?

Read the rest.

Debt and Stimulation - or destruction?

2009-02-09T09:12:00.006-07:00

Many people have commented on the oh-so-ludicrous Barrack Obama "Ruin the Economy" spending bill. It's my own opinion that Barrack, a self-confessed Marxist, intends to use the impending fiscal crisis, which he helped create, to transform the greatest free market economy in the world into a marxist-style command economy. Yes, I know, every nation that has tried marxism has failed miserably, spreading misery, corruption, and destitution far and wide. Someone should tell Barry.

Please note that I also said 'impending crisis'. If you think we're already in the crisis, you ain't seen nuthin yet. The Obama must first discredit the current system, thus his plan to create an even bigger Fiscal Crisis than we're currently looking at. The biggist spending bill in American history, Obama's stimulus bill is 93% pork and only 7% stimulus. That's right, only seven percent. This is more money than any country has ever borrowed before, yet his worship the President says it's NECESSARY, and has been pushing for it's quick passage in order to prevent detailed critical review.

Sadly, Pork-barrel politics as usual reigns in Washington and the politicos don't see the landmine they're so happily stepping on.

The only hope for America is a taxpayers revolt, I think. Will it happen? CNN reports that the phone lines to the Capitol are jammed with voters calling in to complain.

Allriiight Already

2009-01-20T12:41:00.003-07:00

Unless you live in a shoe you probably couldn't escape the news about Obama's coronation today. ...or yesterday. ...or on Sunday. ...even in Canada.

I was in classes all day yesterday, and as I took a short break for supper before going on to work, I turned on the Tv. If you were watching CBC's newsworld you'd swear there was no news yesterday because it was mostly wall to wall CBC reporting about the preparations for Obama's inauguration. The CBC's obsession with Obama was of course predictable, he's a marxist-leaning politician who consorts with unrepentant terrorists. While I'm not surprised that the CBC's reporters are living up to there low-water 21st century standard, "How did you feel When you heard about the news?" I was surprised by the CBC radio One host who held a online poll to come up with the best Canadian songs to put on a 'gift CD for Obama.'

Can we get back real life now?

The Best description of the Vietnam War I've read yet.

2009-01-15T00:55:00.002-07:00

Found this on Dr. Jerry Pournelle's website, Chaos Manor. He was commenting on a book review where he suggests the reviewer missed the point of the book. lol. I've had those days. I'm pasting his entire comment on this subject below.
Jerry is one of my favorite authors; take the time to check out his entire website.

Scientific War and History

Those interested in modern warfare might want to read

http://blog.wired.com/defense/
2009/01/how-tech-change.html which is a review of a book I haven't read and probably won't read, although it's possible that the reviewer simply didn't understand it, despite the reviewer's extensive and impressive credentials (and apparent access to the author). As an example, the reviewer says "...it identifies some important distinctions and helps explain things like the failure of Vietnam - Robert MacNamara’s pervasive quantification didn’t do much, in the end, to convince the Viet Cong that they were facing defeat."

This tells me that the reviewer hasn't a clue as to what happened in Viet Nam, or even why we were there. Viet Nam was a campaign of attrition in the Cold War. The United State decided early on that the proper strategy for the Cold War was containment: that if the USSR were left to stew in its own juices and not allowed to expand, so that war could not feed war, the corruption and mismanagement that inevitably accompanied a command economy would bring about collapse, while our free enterprise economy would bring about economic growth. The essence of containment was that the enemy had to be contained. The USSR already had North Viet Nam, obtained when the French withdrew from their protectorate and Viet Nam (an artificial entity in the first place) was partitioned. Kennedy and then Johnson decided that Containment was the proper strategy, and committed the US to the defense of the South. That wasn't done well, but it was done, and after the Viet Cong committed suicide in the Tet Offensive the war became one of attrition against the North.

By 1972 the war was won. In Spring of 1972 the North sent 150,000 men, all equipped with imported modern weapons including tanks and trucks, into the south in a straight up invasion without any pretense that this was any kind of "insurgency". Colonel Harry Summers put it this way:

"On 29 March 1972 North Vietnam launched what was to become known as the Eastertide Offensive. Leaving two divisions in Laos and one as a strategic reserve, North Vietnam committed some 12 divisions -- a total of about 150,000 men -- to the attack on South Vietnam. Supported by tanks, heavy artillery, and mobile antiaircraft units, they had some initial success. But they had severely miscalculated both the fighting ability of the South Vietnamese Army and the ability of the United States to react... By July 1972 the North Vietnamese had reverted to the tactical defensive."

North Viet Nam took about 100,000 casualties in 1972. The total number of US killed in that year was 641. The Second Viet Nam War had been won decisively.

In 1975 the Third Viet Nam War began, and this time the US did not provide support. The USSR had rebuilt the army destroyed in 1972 and presented the North with a brand new modern armored army, while the United States Congress voted to support the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam with 20 cartridges and two hand grenades per man. Viet Nam accordingly fell; but to characterize this as saying that MacNamara had not convinced the Viet Cong that they were facing defeat is at best absurd. By 1975 the Viet Cong no longer existed. The only insurgency in South Viet Nam was North Viet Nam regulars infiltrated into the South who were able to take advantage of the Sanctuary Areas of Laos, Cambodia, and the DMZ; and the only reason North Viet Nam won in 1975 was that the Congress of the United States, inspired by Watergate, would not support our ally; and the reasons North Viet Nam invaded were (1) they had a new army equipped by their allies, and (2) they had good reason to believe that the United States would not respond in 1975 as we responded in 1972.

There are many lessons to be learned from the Viet Nam experience, but in my judgment anyone who sums up that war with statements like "...it identifies some important distinctions and helps explain things like the failure of Vietnam - Robert MacNamara’s pervasive quantification didn’t do much, in the end, to convince the Viet Cong that they were facing defeat," probably doesn't have a lot to teach us.

===========================

do not call lists

2009-01-13T13:20:00.004-07:00

Since joining the CRTC's federal do not call list last September, the number of calls I receive has increased. The big difference however is they are all originating from the United States, where the CRTC has no jurisdiction.

I am especially offended by they way they try to pretend that I am already a customer or am somehow already associated with them, and their telemarketing call is a legitimate form of contact. They all include a notice to press a number (like zero) if you do not want to be contacted again. I have done this, and yet the calls persist. Clearly, pressing the indicated number to be automatically removed from their call list does not guarantee they'll stop calling you.

It's frustrating, so now I never push the number. The bastards are going to phone anyway. Instead, I push the number to speak to a live agent. If they can call and interrupt my day, one of their employees is damn well going to get his/her day interrupted back. Like Today. I just received a call from OHIO and I pressed the number to speak to a live agent.

Then when the live person comes on, I say I'm on the do-not-call list, and tell them to FUCK OFF.

The cathartic effect on my emotional state is amazing. I mean, how often can you tell someone to fuck off and it has a chance of bettering our society? It's my deepest heartfelt hope that the unlucky employee I spoke with will quit their job and the telemarketer will have trouble filling the position.

(happy grin)

Two images.

2009-01-07T23:15:00.005-07:00

Two things on my mind tonight that I saw, and to pass on.

First, a series of Chicago P.D. mug shots. The people in these pictures aren't there because of their good works either. lol. Ann Coulter was right.

CHICAGO P.D. MUGSHOTS

++++++++++

Secondly, I've been thinking about the incredibly biased anti-Israel coverage the mid-stream media is giving the ongoing Palestinian Rocket Attacks on southern Israeli residential neighborhoods.

Oh, did the way I phrased that piss you off? Good.

Almost universally, the mid-stream media is characterizing the Palestinians as victims, and the Israeli Military as the bullies. They appear to be accepting at face value Palestinian claims that Israel is committing acts of genocidal atrocities and war-crimes against civilians. Despite an abundance of video available on the internet proving that Hamas is using it's civilian population to hide their incessant rocket and mortar attacks on Israel's citizenry, the media news reports all seem to delight in emphasizing the contrasting imagery of High-tech Israeli military vs. injured Palestinian women and children.

Despite repeated Isreali efforts to promote a peace process, -any peace process, certain elements among the Palestinians have pretty well always acted to provoke an armed response. Then, in 2006, the Palestinians elected to power Hamas, a radical offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Even the Muslim-Friendly Washington Post admits Hamas "favors the creation of a Palestinian nation on land that now includes Israel..."

That's a nice way of saying Hamas wants to wipe them out.

During the election Hamas made no bones about this, and the Palestinian voters voted for them. I'm now emotionally at the point of wondering if they deserve what they get.

There, I said it. Our fucking media won't.

UFOs and Women

2009-01-06T17:05:00.005-07:00

I've comments by numerous UFO enthusiasts who suggested that we will be able to easily communicate with alien visitors to Earth; that regardless of biology we will all just be people underneath. I've long known this cannot possibly be true. I've been married twenty-one years.

A man riding his Harley, was riding along a California beach, when suddenly the sky clouded above his head, and in a booming voice, the Lord said,' Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish.'

The biker pulled over and said, 'Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want.'

The Lord said, 'Your request is materialistic, think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking; the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help mankind.'

The biker thought about it for a long time.

Finally, he said, 'Lord, I wish that I and all men could understand women; I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, why she snaps and complains when I try to help, and how I can make a Woman truly happy.'

The Lord replied, 'You want two lanes or four on that bridge?

I got today's joke from my wife, after I checked an email account I don't use very often. Found an email my wife sent me last month.

Gotta be photoshopped...

2009-01-01T12:24:00.007-07:00

Found this photo of a Space Shuttle ferry flight on the net today. It has to be photoshopped. Click image for full size.

lol.
Reminds me of this toon from User Friendly.

----------------------------------------------------------

update: Yes, it is. Here's the link to the original image.

Your Chance to Tell the Gov't What to do

2008-12-22T12:39:00.005-07:00

Finance minister Jim Flaherty is asking Canadians what they'd like to see in the new budget the Conservative government will bring down at the end of January. He's had a web-based survey placed on the Finance Canada website.

The Government actually asking Canadians what they want?

After I got over my shock, and initial impulse to suggest they engage in an anatomical impossibility, I took full advantage of this opportunity to present the "Off the top of his head, Hamm172 economic recovery plan."

instead of giving billions to the unrepentant automotive manufacturers and their unions to continue to squander in unprofitable activities I suggested a 100% tax credit for Canadians and businesses who make capital purchases of items partially or wholly manufactured in Canada.
That led me to then suggest a complete dropping of the 5 year depreciation rules and allow for businesses to write off capital purchases in the year of the purchase, like many other countries that we compete with do.
Divert the Billion dollars a year we annually piss down the CBC's drain to economic stimulus (like futher tax relief) and raise some more dough by selling off the CBC.
Cut the GST to 0%.
Fire all the civil servants in Indian Affairs (or whatever they call that dept. nowadays) and just divide the tax money squandered on their salaries and benefits (9 billion including money actually supposed to go to the first nations people) amongst the first nations people directly, without the gov't middlemen... Aboriginal Canadians are just like everyone else, they'll spend most of it in the economy just like you would.

Whups, battery on laptop dying. Quick get the the website and put in your two bits too!!!!

Boy that Global Warming Sure Sucks, eh?

2008-12-19T12:40:00.003-07:00

Today's photo entry:

Dumbass Parents of the Year Award...

2008-12-17T11:31:00.006-07:00

...goes to Heath and Deborah Campbell of Hunterdon County, N.J. who are upset the local ShopRite refused to put their son's name on a Birthday cake. They also have two daughters, one whose middle name is "Aryan Nation" and the other who's middle name is "Hitler".

Apparently the ShopRite has also in the past refused to decorate the Campbell's family birthday cakes with swastikas and other similiar stuff.

Surely hanging these monikers on their poor kids is a form of child abuse, don'tcha think?

What should the Government do?

2008-12-09T18:30:00.008-07:00

OK, today the federal government admitted it’s a recession. So now what?

Over lunch today my friend Richard wanted to talk about what the government should be doing to fight off the worst effects of the newly acknowledged recession in Canada

I jokingly told him that while the “American Way” now seems to be a tendency to sue, the quintessential ‘Canadian Way,’ now seems to be a kneejerk reaction that “the government needs to do something.”

Governments can only act with money extorted from the economies that support them; any and all government actions bear a cost to their supporting economies. This is not only the direct monetary price, but also the wider de-energizing effect on everyone else who must continue to function in the economy that has been stripped of those dollars. Since I became a taxpayer I’ve had a selfish interest in curbing government spending. You and I bear the cost EVERY time an elected lawmaker feels the need to justify his or her existence to the electorate by the questionable accomplishment of passing some new law or regulation. Each time this happens I am quite personally offended and you should be too.

This ‘Canadian way’ has given us bloated government ministries that consume ridiculous portions of the funds they’ve been entrusted to administer. I give you as an example the fact that size and cost of the civilian civil service that supports the Canadian Armed Forces rivals the size and cost of the military itself. Our military infrastructure is nearly half a century obsolete, our Navy is virtually nonexistent, and our Jet fighters thirty years old. Or how about Indian and Northern Affairs (or whatever the hell Politically Correct designation it’s called by this year) which has a budget that is nearly the equal to Canada’s military? My parents have chosen to live in a ‘First Nations’ community and I’ve seen the squalor in which many people there must live. Yet the department’s salaries, pensions, and other benefits are the envy of the private sector. A third example is the relatively new bureaucracy which was created to consum- I mean, administer the GST. Yes, it does in fact consume a ridiculously large portion of the tax that it administers.

One major factor that has saved the North American nations from collapsing under suffocating levels of taxation to support their growing welfare states is the lucky geographical accident that blessed both Canada and the United States with unbelievably abundant natural wealth. Naturally our society’s various Green organizations, (themselves philosophically huge supporters of government intervention and regulation) have been perversely acting against their own self-interest by working to bar access to those natural resources for most of the last 40 years.

I've said all this to point out that I fear the cost of Government action. It's a stretch for me to be willing to consider it, so that's why I feel odd directing attention at something Financial Post editor Diane Francis wrote today.

Diane Francis thinks she knows what the government should be doing, and I'd suggest that her column in today's Financial Post is worth a look.

Today I heard her in a radio interview and to my surprise, this fiscally conservative writer was advocating massive public/private partnerships to re-finance the stalled half-dozen or so refinery projects in the Alberta Industrial Heartland near Edmonton. She also wanted to include all the recently suspended new Oilsands projects in Northern Alberta. The suspension of these projects, which would have created billions of dollars of new wealth for the economy, was forced by the nearly worldwide credit drought kicked off of course, by Frannie Mae & Freddy Mac-enabled Subprime Mortgage debacle. This is the time, she said, for the Prime Minister to act.

I’ve been reading Diane’s columns on and off ever since 1990, when I had to suffer through a two-year involuntary subscription to McLeans magazine, (no- don’t ask). She’s about as good an example of common-sense, fiscal conservative thought that Eastern Canada can provide, and I think her idea is worth consideration. It certainly seems better than NDP leader Jack Layton’s vague plan to engage in a huge nation-wide Rooseveltesque road and bridges make-work program and the no-doubt additional new bureaucracy to support it.

The PM speaks.

2008-12-03T17:23:00.003-07:00

Prime Minister Harper addressed the nation this evening, calling the hopeful and oh-so-socialist Lib/NDP/Bloc troika "undemocratic" for their attempt to circumvent the last election and steal power. He also listed out most of the measures the government is taking to stimulate the economy, throwing back into the opposition's faces their claims that the government was 'doing nothing.'

I also find it VERY interesting that despite two days of upward movement on the American Stock exchanges Canada's TSX has continued to drop, more on Tuesday than in any single day since black Monday, in October of 1987.

Did Not Vote for Coalition Government

2008-12-03T12:12:00.007-07:00

I never voted for this. Neither did you.

The last federal election campaign was run by all three major federal parties on their individual party platforms, none of which included forming a coalition of the losers to steal power from the winner. As I recall, The Conservatives and Liberals were both hoping to form the government, and the NDP wanted to become the official opposition.

No, we didn’t vote for this. Small wonder that so many Canadians are incensed by this undemocratic attempt to seize power.

Yesterday a radio station poll by talk-radio station 630 CHED showed virtually no support for the Liberal/NDP/Bloc Quebecois troika of usurpers. Small wonder, CHED broadcasts in the Conservative western province of Alberta; but the brand new Nationwide facebook group, “Canadians Against A Coalition Government" has gathered 50,000 members in only a few days.

Nope. No mention of a coalition, nor are such staggering ‘frankensteins’ a part of Canadian Parliamentary tradition. Nor does Canadian Parliamentary tradition include the seizure of power from a minority government without an election. In fact, past governments have been soundly punished by the electorate at the polls for ‘exceeding their mandates’ when they chose to sharply deviate from the campaign platforms which won them their elections.

Today I listened to an NDP MP claim his Liberal/NDP/Bloc troika has the support of over 60% of the voters. Lies! The voters they claim as theirs did not vote for a coalition.

Yes, a majority of voters did not vote for the Conservatives. But by that same logic, AN EVEN LARGER MAJORITY DID NOT VOTE LIBERAL, and a larger yet majority did not vote for the NDP or Bloc Quebecois. By comparison, the largest block of voters voted for the Conservatives to lead the country. If they are defeated in a non-confidence vote in Parliament there should be an election. That’s the Canadian way.

I sincerely hope our Liberal-appointed Governor General, Monique Jean, does the right thing when Prime Minister Stephen Harper asks her to dissolve parliament and announce a new election. Let the last election's loser run on platform of Coalition government. Then we voters can punish the Liberals and NDP for this attempt to bypass the democratic process, as they so obviously deserve.

A Post Election thought

2008-11-05T10:44:00.010-07:00

The useful idiots are happy today.

Early this morning a young friend of mine was crowing 'yes we can, yes we can, yes we can!' I asked him what, beyond electing Obama, did that mean? The guy could only give me general platitudes about change, but could not tell me what what that would be.

Let the forced-collectivization of America begin.

Thanks to 'Sword at the Ready' for finding the toon. Click it for an explanation of the book Obama is holding.

Obama's First Four Years

2008-11-03T11:18:00.011-07:00

A close friend told me on the weekend that Obama is reminding him more and more of Neville Chamberlain. I've expressed similar thoughts in conversations with others about Obama, and sadly, have had to explain who Neville Chamberlain was. (For those victims of the education system, the guy on the left side of the above photo is Neville Chamberlain.) The legions of hoodwinked voters who will cast for Barrack Obama tomorrow would not do so had not the U.S. education system failed to teach them the lessons of history...
...and those who do not know the errors of history, are doomed to repeat them.

I cannot help but wonder if the socialist educrats who appear to dominate the education system have intended this all along.

I had intended to write a future history about what America might look like after four years of OBAMA Rule -but Ralph Peters at the New York Post has already done so:

Looking back on the four years of his first administration, President Obama can be proud: He made the US welcome among the family of nations again; he reduced our reliance on military force; and he gave us peace by reaching sensible accommodations with our enemies.

The lies told about him in the 2008 election were exposed as sheer bigotry. Far from being "soft on radical Islam," President Obama was the first world leader to welcome Jewish refugees after Iran's nuclear destruction of Israel's major cities (his only caveat - a fair one - was the refusal to accept Zionist military officers and their families, in light of Israel's excessive retaliation).

He also demonstrated his resolve in the face of extremism when he overruled the obstructionist advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ordered our military to cross the border into Pakistan in force. The subsequent debacle, as Pakistan cut off supply routes to Afghanistan and threatened a nuclear response, was entirely the fault of our generals on the ground, not of the administration. Fortunately, President Obama's willingness to talk to our enemies rescued the situation. After laying down their arms, our troops were allowed to evacuate Pakistan and Afghanistan in peace. The Taliban's return to power in Kabul did not...

Please, click the link to read the rest.

What Obama really thinks...

2008-10-16T10:31:00.006-06:00

...based on what he's written.

“

k From Dreams of My Father:'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'

From Dreams of My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'

From Dreams of My Father:'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From Dreams of My Father:'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'

From Audacity of Hope:'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'j

”

Thanks to Roger at Curmudgeonly & Skeptical for pointing out those passages.

Conservatives Win Election - Media spins it as a Loss.

2008-10-15T14:16:00.006-06:00

The Canadian election is over, and despite a largely hostile midstream media, the Stephen Harper Conservatives have won the election with a larger minority than they had last time. The Liberals lost over 20 seats and the Socialist New Democrats only gained a couple. We saw through the fuddle duddle of the Liberals"Green Shift" Carbon tax. The voters didn't shift to the Left either, as Jack Layton failed miserably in his hope to make up the new official opposition. Clearly the largest shift among the voters was to the right.

It was a hostile media, and last nights election coverage was no different. As I was traveling after the polls closed, I had to switch between a Chorus talk-Radio station and CBC Radio One. Commentators on both stations immediately seized the opportunity to interpret the results as a Conservative Party loss, because they were about 12 seats short of a majority Parliament.

I don't give a crap if the commentators on Chorus or any privately owned radio station were blatant in their biases, but still angers me that my taxes support the largely Left-of-Lenin CBC. Through out the campaign CBC radio's news reports characterized Prime Minister Harper as 'tired' or harried, while lavishly devoting airtime and (implied) praise for Jack Layton's New Democrats, and to a lesser extent, the Liberals and the Green Party.

I'm just glad it's over. Certainly Stephan Dion must be too. The video below has nothing to do with the election. Maybe next time, instead of an election we could just sign up the party leaders as contestants on this game show from Japan. I'd pay to see that...

Fearing Obama

2008-10-10T15:19:00.003-06:00

U.S. Presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama's father is a muslim, so was his stepfather. Barack claims to be a Christian, but in Islam, the religion of the father determines the religion of the son.
The penalty for converting away from Islam is death.

So why do Muslims in America and around the world love Barack Obama? I think he's a cuckold, and if he has any religion at all, a Muslim.

Youtube/Google Censorship?

2008-09-30T13:30:00.006-06:00

On the weekend I posted a youtube video that proved in detail how the Democrats were directly responsible for blocking an attempt by the Bush administration and another separate attempt by Senator John McCain to rein in the Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac insanity, back in the early part of this century. Complete with news paper clippings showing how Obama and his current advisors benefited personally in amounts of tens of millions of dollars from Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac, the video showed the Democrats implemented legislation in the 90's FORCING BANKS TO GIVE SUBPRIME LOANS to unsuitable customers on pain of Federal Penalties.

The video has been pulled. Reportedly, it's been deleted by youtube twice now. You fuckers.

Hmmmm.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Added note: Here's a replacement link. A 'Thank you very much' goes to Roger at http://curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com/.

Note to Olympic committee: Go Fuck Yourself

2008-09-29T23:44:00.010-06:00

Ya, I couldn't believe it either.

The Olympic committee for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics has trademarked part of the Canadian National Anthem, because according to chairman John Furlong, the phrase, "...with glowing hearts..." "...embodies the emotions every athlete will feel — no matter where they are from or what flag they stand under — when they have the honour to represent their own country on the world's grandest international stage in 2010,"

My National Anthem? Doesn't that belong to the whole country? What's next, trademarking snow???

Yo John. Fuck right off.

The National Anthem is over 100 years old and in public domain. This socialist dirtbag had the nerve to suggest it was ok, the VNOC had no intention of charging hockey fans with copywrite infringement for singing the National Anthem. Meanwhile they have already sued many Vancouver area businesses for using the word OLYMPIC.

Hmmm. The Olympic games are over 100 years old too. The concept of an Olympic Games is thousands of years old. Does that put them in the public domain too??

Hey y'all. I'm thinking of changing my blog's name to 'The With Glowing Hearts OLYMPIC blog.' Whatcha think?

Naw. Too gay.

China's Space/Time Warp News Agency

2008-09-26T18:45:00.005-06:00

Hahhahahahahah!!!!

Aw man, this is rich.

Earlier this week, Communist China's official government news agency, Xinhua, published news reports about a manned orbital launch and spacewalk, including orbit-to-ground conversations, before the rocket took off.

FAIL!!!!!!

Xinhua's breathless account of the launch included fictional ground-to-orbit dialogue like:

“First-level measurement arrangement!

“After this order, signal lights were all switched on. Various data show up on rows of screens, hundreds of technicians staring at the screens, without missing any slightest changes . . .

“One minute to go! . . .

“The firm voice of the controller broke the silence of the whole ship. Now, the target is captured 12 seconds ahead of the predicted time . . .

Of course this is all in keeping with China's preoccupation with putting on a good false front for the world to see. Most recently, we remember some of the fast ones they tried to pull in the Olympics.

Somebody in Xinhua is going to be sent to the slave labor factory for this boner.

Btw, the actual mission was apparently a success, with the astronauts returning safely, earlier today.

What Caused the Economic Crisis

2008-09-26T18:01:00.008-06:00

In my professional role as a personal financial advisor I have been asked many times about the subprime mortgage debacle and the current financial crisis. I really can only pass on to them what I've read about it in the news and on the net; investment banking is not my area of expertise. But I have noticed some things...

If you're not an internet news junkie (guilty) and rely only on midstream media like the network news and major newspapers, it's damn hard to get a straight story. Today's news is full of midstream media obfuscation apparently aimed at hiding the Dem's preeminent role in creating the conditions that made the crisis possible, and the sabotage of two major legislative attempts in the last eight years to reign in the insane lending practices that fed the crisis.

Some things are clear.

Ordinary citizens are forced to produce reports like that one, because the midstream media has no interest in telling the truth if it damages their biases;
The taxpayers will be on the hook for billions, whether the administration's bailout package goes ahead or not;
There are many many Bank executives leaving the scene of the crime with millions and millions of dollars;
Except for conservative talk radio, Nobody is suggesting these Bastards go to jail;
More than a few of those guys are now close advisors to Barrack Obama, some of whom have received TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae;
The media cares more that John Mcain's campaign manager's company received 15 thousand dollars a month in fees from Freddie Mac, than that Obama's Financial advisors received TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

NOTE TO DISCERNING AMERICAN CITIZENS: YOUTUBE HAS REPORTEDLY DELETED THIS VIDEO TWICE. FUCKERS. HERE'S A NEW LINK

Lying Pinko fails to frame police officer

2008-09-25T16:31:00.010-06:00

Score one for the good guys. The Denver DA has decided not to charge a Denver police officer after code pink activist Alicia Forrest complained about police brutality outside the DNC convention last August. I'd seen the internet video and read the arguments. It looked bad, but other journalists present at the event say the videographer and Rocky Mountain News (the publisher of the video) cut the imagery in a deliberate manner to make the police look bad. (click here to read the background which the media left out)

Did you read that last link? Did You? Read it dammit.

Having worked as a reporter, and trained as a cameraman, it's clear to me the videographer was standing next to that Forrest woman while she attempted to taunt and provoke the police. He only turned when the officer raised his voice and shoved her back. I won't suggest it was deliberate, but they deliberately cut from the published video the scenes where Forrest got up, said she was ok, and then went back to taunting the police.

It was an emotionally charged event, this cow was taunting the officers, used the F-word, and she grabbed the Police Officer's baton. Uh-Uhh, you never, ever, grab a Police officer's baton; that's like grabbing at his gun.

She should have been charged with more than just interfering in a lawful arrest. Think about the wasted time, taxpayer's dollars, and emotional distress this code pinko cow cost the state and the police officer involved. I've seen many outraged responses on the net in regards to this news item, but all pretty well assumed that this Forrest woman had a perfect right to grab the Officer's Baton and repeatedly ignore lawful requests to move back.

Large Hadron Collider - webcam

2008-09-15T10:45:00.005-06:00

(Photo of the LHC during construction.)

Too much bs has been written by the world's luddites and chicken littles about CERN labs large hadron collider. It makes for a cool photo and smashing "the world's going to end" headlines but really, it's just another big cyclotron where they're smashing protons. Scientists are hoping for insight into our universe's conditions just after the Big Bang, but there's no shortage of alarmists out there trying to claim it'll create a black hole, and suck up the world.

Well the thing's been powered up and they've been running tests since the 10th of September. We're still here. A word of thanks to Dr. Jerry Pournelle for the link to the webcam at the LHC, you can even watch the ongoing tests for yourself.

This decade has fewest 90 deg days

2008-08-13T12:36:00.005-06:00

The Chicago Tribune reports that locally, the first decade of the 21st century has had fewer 90 degree days than any decade since the 1930s. Some one whack David Suzuki and Al Gore upside the head for us, plz?

Here's the Tom Skilling Quote:

By Tom Skilling

August 13, 2008

August is the wettest and often the muggiest month of the year. Yet, summer heat continues in short supply, continuing a trend that has dominated much of the 21st Century's opening decade. There have been only 162 days 90 degrees or warmer at Midway Airport over the period from 2000 to 2008. That's by far the fewest 90-degree temperatures in the opening nine years of any decade on record here since 1930. This summer's highest reading to date has been just 91 degrees. That's unusual. Since 1928, only one year—2000—has failed to record a higher warm-season temperature by Aug. 13.

Neat.

2008-07-29T12:12:00.003-06:00

Thanks to the MadOgre for posting a link to Matt Harding's video. He said watching it made him feel better, (grin). Near as I can tell, it's a guy who likes to travel, who just started filming himself dancing in different places. Ogre was right, I felt better afterwards.

...And then I found this on Harding's site:

Magnetic Movie from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

ok. That was neat.

Minnesotans for Global Warming

2008-07-14T15:56:00.006-06:00

I've never gotten around to acting on my impulse to create a line of bumper stickers supporting Global Warming. So Kudos to these guys for actually acting on a good idea and creating something like this.
Even though Elmer and Daryl initially come across as we say in Canada, like a couple of hosers, a review of their protest site, http://www.MR4GW.com shows they're articulate and willing to research their views. I understand and endorse what they're trying to say here whole heartedly. I've also copied the soundtrack and added it to my mp3 collection ;)

Thanks to the Terpsboy, Rodger Schlong at http://curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com/2008/07/laughing-and-scratching-at-global.html

Stephane Dion & the Liberal's Green Shaft

2008-07-08T20:20:00.007-06:00

As far as Western Canada is concerned, Stephan Dion has failed the Litmus test as only a true eastern liberal could: he's proposed a massive Carbon Tax grab that will screw Albertans, but only lightly touch his core voters in Ontario and Quebec. He says his tax will be 'revenue neutral.' Sound familiar? It sure does to some of the few Alberta Liberals (yes, there are some) I know. They're still defending Dion, but oh man, they're not happy about it.

Dion is in Edmonton shilling for his “Green Shift” carbon tax plan, and met yesterday with our Mayor before moving on to a love-in with the midstream media and party faithful. I'll admit, Mayor Stephen Mandel, about as tax-and-spend as any mayor we've had in the last 20 years, went up a few notches in my estimation when he commented to the media, “A tax is a tax is a tax.”

Today's Edmonton Sun described Dion's 'Green Shift' as a tax “ that would Punish Polluters and Reward green businesses and consumers. Don't we already have laws to punish polluters? If an evil company is polluting, they're supposed to be shut down or forced to mend their ways- not pay an extra tax and continue polluting. Surely that is not what Stephan Dion intends.

It appears instead, that Dion and his liberals mean to punish legitimate businesses that are operating in a lawful manner with a new tax that will only be passed on to their customers and their employees. Higher Corporate Taxes are ALWAYS passed on to the customer through higher prices, and as we learned during Pierre Trudeau's NEP-induced recession in Alberta, through shut downs and canceled projects that can only hurt the employees of our resource sector...

The liberals, with their lefty “tax-the-corporations” obsession seem eternally unable to understand that no legitimate business pays taxes. Hopefully you already know this. All corporations pass the cost of their taxes on in the price they charge their customers- ultimately you and me. As consumers we pay all the levied corporate taxes in Canada, and our personal income taxes, and sales taxes too.

For a moment I could not help but wonder if Dion is truly so simple-minded as to believe a new 15 BILLION dollar carbon tax can be revenue neutral. Remember, that estimate is by the same folks who initially told us their gun registry would only cost a few tens of millions of dollars. Surely Dion and his fellow elitists know this, I think they just don't give a shit about the actual impact on the people, and are more concerned about making it sound good in the best Ontario-soccer-mom-pleasing way possible: Punish the evil corporations that burn coal and oil and cause global warming.

That's right, boil away the fluff in his 'green shift' plan and you see he means the evil corporations that burn coal and oil and gas to provide Albertas with electricity and heat, and the base chemical feed stocks for our manufacturing sector.

How would that be revenue neutral?

He intends to provide for tax credits and deductions for companies and individuals who mend their ways and reduce their so-called carbon footprint.

Hmmm. That sounds fine for consumers in Ontario and Quebec, with their massive hydro-electric dams and nuclear power plants,b ut Alberta has only coal-fired electrical power plants. Coal-fired electrical power plants that are running at near full capacity. Obviously unlike the good voters in the East, the evil customers of the evil Albertan corporations won't benefit from Dion's tax credits.

What is the likelihood for hydro dams and nuclear power in Alberta, anyway? Not good. The soccer-moms and other cute-&-fuzzy-bunny types are currently doing their best to kill a planned nuclear power plant destined for the sparsely populated Peace country. Also, back in the late 1980s when future premier Ralph Klein mused about a possible hydro dam for the foothills west of Edmonton, the fuzzy-bunny-lefties shit themselves sideways in their rush to denounce the negative environmental impact a hydro damn would have on the bugs and ferns and stuff upstream of the dam.

Regardless, Edmonton mayor Mandel said it nicely. A tax is a attacks is a tax. Dion's green shaft is, as we feared years ago, a way to use the manufactured specter of GLOBAL WARMING as an excuse for N.E.P. 2.

What happened to Equality?

2008-07-08T13:49:00.010-06:00

I've said before, and I'll say it again. The entire notion of special rights and privileges for a select few is wrong-headed and goes against the principles on which our western democracies are based. Years of empirical evidence prove when a society condones discrimination, that resentments, unrest, evil, and injustices abound.

Every school child should be taught what's on the following video, but of course, they are not. I certainly wasn't. I'm not aware of any curriculum that does today. As a Parent who home-schooled teens for five of the last seven years I looked, too.

Thanks to the MadOgre at www.madorgre.com for pointing this gem out for me. George pointed out:

"This is one of the reasons I want to do away with Racial Classes. No more Hyphenated Americans. No Blacks, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans... and of course no more categories based on sexual preferences. No more racial check boxes on any official forms. We are all Americans. There is only one question. Are you a Citizen, yes or no? If you are a citizen, you can vote, you have rights. If you are not a Citizen or are either a Guest or you are illegal... " (7.7.2008)

I have to say that I really like the way the MadOgre thinks.

BTW, I am not Caucasian.

reelect carter?

2008-07-03T15:36:00.003-06:00

Heh, found this one today. A while ago now, the worst American President (yes, even worse than Slick Willie) endorsed Barrack Hussein Obama. Here, the Newsobserver.com has pointed out some similarities between the two, and the similar challenges in foreign and domestic politics of Carter's era and today...

http://videos.newsobserver.com/index.php?a=player&id=1950747

He'll be facing an economic and political landscape that would tax the wisdom of Solomon, yet the man is still largely a cipher. Unlike Obama, Jimmy Carter had been willing to put his life on the line by serving in his country's military. If elected, Obama only has a couple hundred days of congressional service, where his record is now best known for fence sitting by voting "Present" instead of Yea or Nay on many issues. The "Yes We Can" man seems awfully weak to me.

Braggart and Thief

2008-06-20T16:36:00.005-06:00

One overhears things. I heard this yesterday afternoon on Edmonton's LRT.

This dumb shit was bragging to his friends how he'd stolen a certain thing from a white kid, and was going to sell it to another guy for $50 bucks.

His friends asked, ''Aren't you ashamed?" "Don't you feel guilty?"

"Fuck no, I took it from a white kid. A white kid. I'm gangsta."

Someone said something about jail. His reply was laughed, " I'll phone you from there."

What a moron. Wish I knew what he'd taken. I'd give his fucking photo to the cops.

Eskimo Football

2008-06-20T00:39:00.005-06:00

That title ought to confuse the hell out any Non-Canadian browsing through here. I volunteered for a Charity fundraiser at a CFL Football game in Edmonton today. We were selling beer (with part of the proceeds going to charity) and this Saskatchewan Rough Rider fan walked up in the damnedest outfit. I wish I'd gotten a better photo. He had a sort of Mexican-wrestler/combo gimp mask, big Cow Horns, a green suit and a cape. I tell you the Saskatchewan fans are always entertaining when they come here for a game. They're great sports, even though their team lost to Edmonton, 37-7.

This made me chuckle.

2008-06-05T15:49:00.004-06:00

The humor is in it's truth. I am really enjoying the airing of American Left's schizoid mentality during this election year.

Something's Wrong Here

2008-05-26T01:00:00.008-06:00

I don't know how to state it more clearly. If you're going to emigrate to the Western nations leave your historic ethnic animosities in the old country. Otherwise be prepared for an anti-immigrant backlash.

Somebody organized about 20 dickheads to go into the Ankara cafe here in Edmonton yesterday and break up the joint, beating patrons with clubs, knives and stones.

According to the news story angry Kurdish Turks in the area were quick to blame the violence on ethnic tensions with their fellow Turkish immigrants who oppose Kurdish independence from Turkey. But the Cafe's owner says the fight began earlier in the day, when two of the cafe's patrons got into a heated argument. One of the arguers went and called a bunch of friends to help him win the argument.

Regardless, It's the kind of shit you hear about that happens elsewhere, like France.

I've said before I don't have a problem with immigration. Our nation was built by immigrants. But for most of our history immigration meant that the people who came here adopted the ways and mores of their new culture. They tried to fit in. Those with the inclination were free to honor their cultural traditions at home, but they sure as hell didn't try to force the rest of the country to change to accommodate them.

I really don't give a damn about multiculturalism or showing tolerance for other people's way of life it it means changing my culture's way of life. It may be considered normal in Turkey to punctuate an argument in a cafe with 20 armed men, but I hope and pray it will never be considered appropriate here. The Middle East is a hell-hole of ethnic and religious violence and turmoil. If we're going to continue to allow people who want to flee it to come live here, we'd better start doing to better job of telling them to check their baggage at the border.

Carbon Tax?

2008-05-26T00:33:00.002-06:00

The Left wing Pembina institute released results of a poll today, claiming Canadians are warming to the idea of a Carbon Tax. When asked if it was a good thing that B.C. citizens are now paying a Carbon tax on fossil fuels, nearly 60% of other Canadians said, 'Yes'.

When told that the government of British Columbia had recently introduced "a carbon tax on fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," 72 per cent of those surveyed in the poll said that this was a positive step versus 23 per cent who thought that it was a negative step.

But it's all in the question. It's all good to ask if you approve of OTHER people paying taxes, but the McAllister Opinion Research Survey failed to ask Canadians if they'd be willing to pay a Carbon Tax themselves. I know what my response would be.

No f*cking way.

Both evidence and scientific opinion against human-caused global warming is growing, as nearly two decades of research have failed to prove it's our fault. In fact, it's finally beginning to be admitted that records purported to show a warming trend were either falsified or interpreted incorrectly. Some of the chicken littles are now voicing concerns about global cooling.

Yet the organs of big government are still acting as though human-caused climate change is going to kill us all, if we don't give up our way of life. This is looking more and more as if like-minded big-government supporters are just trying to use this as an excuse to raise taxes. Canada needs to follow the Swiss example; no tax increases without direct approval from the voters.

Ted Kennedy's Brain Tumor

2008-05-23T13:44:00.007-06:00

Growing up in the 60's and 70's even the Canadian school system couldn't say enough complimentary things about the glorious Kennedy brothers. I grew up believing Americans were fools for not electing more Kennedys to the White House.

Later, as Catholic, I realized what a hypocrite the surviving Kennedy brother was. In a speech in 1983 he said "I am an American and a Catholic; I love my country and treasure my faith."

Yet he publicly opposed the Catholic Church; supported abortion on demand, the homosexual agenda, and the "secular humanism as a state-faith" movement of the American Left. Perhaps he treasured his faith, but from his actions it appears he treasured it as a tool to sell his political agenda. Perhaps he treasured his faith, but as a Catholic and Knight of Columbus he failed miserably. Worse, his very public example has led other Catholics astray too.

I heard today about Ted Kennedy's Brain Tumor. I'm not proud of my first thoughts in response to the news. As Christians we're supposed to love our enemies, and try to see everyone as Jesus would see them. Okay Ted, I'll pray for you.

I'm not proud of my first response, but I feel the need to voice it.

"Good bye asshole."

Chain Email: Fear of MUSLIMS

2008-05-12T13:51:00.008-06:00

No matter how cute, religious, serious or threatening they are, I never forward chain letters. I rarely read them, and despite what I'm writing here today, will continue to not do so. I am especially offended by the assumption that I am either credulous or superstitious enough to believe their threats of dire consequences for not forwarding them. Are you one of those people who originate these things? Fuck you then.

This post was prompted today by a chain email I received from a co-worker, called "IKE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. This email is worth reading despite the fact that the original author of the email incorrectly assumed the entire UK school system had dropped the Jewish holocaust and Crusades from it's curriculum. Sadly, such pressures are mounting in the Western world, out of a misguided desire not to offend Muslim students. News stories from last year tell of a Government-backed report indicating that some schools in the United Kingdom have in fact done so. I have no doubt that there are many cute and fuzzy-bunny minded teachers here too who have personally chosen not to teach these potentially controversial subjects.

This is frightening on several levels.

Most notably, Muslim children who are taught a distorted or outright false view of history at home or in the mosque are not taught the truth at school. Ours is a society of immigrants, which successfully assimilated or acculturated all creeds who came here. Now in the interests of multicultural sensitivity, newcomers to our society are allowed to bring all their old hatreds from the old world to the new world, UNCHALLENGED. As Barry Rubin points out in the New York Post, these soft-headed non-thinkers are condemning Muslim children to continued slavery to the radical Islamists who dominate their culture.

As for the email "Ike Knew what he was Doing," the text is reprinted below. I've only posted two photos, trust me, they're pretty gruesome.

It is a matter of history that when Supreme
Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight
Eisenhower, found the victims of the death camps,
he ordered all possible photographs to be taken,
and for the German people from surrounding
villages to be ushered through the camps and even
made to bury the dead.

He did this because he said in words to this
effect: 'Get it all on record now - get the films
- get the witnesses - because somewhere down the
track of history some bastard will get up and say
that this never happened.'

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is
for good men to do nothing'
Edmund Burke

This week, the UK removed The Holocaust from its
school curriculum because it 'offended' the Muslim
population which claims it never occurred.

This is a frightening portent of the fear that is
gripping the world and how easily each country is
giving in to it.

These photos were taken in Germany by J. Chanslor,
an Army Master Sergeant who served in
World War II from 1942 until 1945.

Source: Photos courtesy of John Michael Chanslor.
It is now more than 60 years after the Second
World War in Europe ended.

This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in
memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians,
10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who
were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and
humiliated with the German and Russian peoples
looking the other way!
Now, more than ever, with Iran, among others,
claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth,' it is
imperative to make sure the world never forgets.

This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people
worldwide!

Be a link in the memorial chain and help
distribute this around the world.

Don't just delete this. It will only take a minute
to pass this along. Let's cover the world and
remember because we
cannot let it ever happen again.

Bad to the Bone

2008-05-12T13:14:00.003-06:00

The Mrs. went back to work today, to a new job of being in charge of all the flowers in town. Her first day of work she had to wash some road graffiti off the street. The words "bad to the bone," and a giant penis.
Lovely.
What kind of twinkled-up mentality thinks that'd be a nice addition to their street?
"Heh heh, I drew a penis on the road... heh heh..."
I'm sure that's not the sort of roadside beautification she thought she'd be working with. Reminds me of why I went to school.

More Liberal Hypocrisy

2008-04-26T09:24:00.002-06:00

After mishandling and misappropriating Billions of dollars during the last decade, the Liberal Party's feigned outrage over a million dollars in alleged tory over-spending during the last election sounds pathetic, sad, and self-serving.

Thank God.

That's the best the they could do after two years of a Conservative minority government. Oh, they're trying their best, arranging for the media to video armored police teams bursting into the Conservative Party offices like Robert Mugabe's storm troopers in Zimbabwe. CBC Radio-One treated Canadians to a political panel of leftist university professors who happily chortled about how even though there was little of substance to the allegations, the widely televised imagery of the raid would stick in voters minds, and the Conservative government must fall.

So what happened? Apparently some Conservative Party candidates hadn't spent their entire budgets during the election, and they used their unused funds to buy National advertisements. Although the election act sets a limit on Party spending, Clause 422(2) says money allocated to individual candidates doesn't count towards that limit. Regardless of what the act says, The Liberals say it should count.

Well, when it comes to mismanagement of taxpayer dollars they're the experts.

What's funny is that Liberal Member of Parliament Marlene Jennings and nearly 100 other Liberals and NDP candidates had election expenses that fall in the same grey area. In Jennings case, she says her expenses shouldn't count because even though they were for advertising materials for the election, they were incurred before the election was officially called.

Hahahahahaha. Talk about things that make you go hmmmmm.

Earth day again, blech.

2008-04-22T10:04:00.008-06:00

That's right. Humbug. Please don't misunderstand me, I believe polluting the enviroment is bad, but that is not what earth day is about anymore.

This preoccupation with 'saving the earth' is just so much bs. Our 'leaders' see it as an apple pie issue with which to distract the masses; the Suzuki's of our society see it as a gateway to vast amounts of government grant money to 'study' the issue; and much of the enviromental movement seems to be a front for both those who think humanity is a destructive virus on the planet earth, and those who think it's a perfect way to force the the re-distribution of wealth and the dismantling of our economy.

This is a picture of my pickup truck, two days ago. It's got a V8. Yesterday I saw my first Robin of the spring, and it's still snowing. Ain't global warming a bitch? Too bad though, as there are records from history to prove that prior to the little ice age of the 1500s there was a warming period where world temperatures rose way above their current levels. Far from a period of doom and drought, it was a time of enhanced rainfall and long lush crop growing seasons. (I've posted links before, and I only have a few minutes to write this) So, this earth day I'm praying for global warming.

That's all, gotta run. I'm going outside to drive around in my truck and do my part for climate change.

Geek Chart

2008-04-17T13:11:00.004-06:00

Who thinks up this stuff? I laughed my ass off.
Thanx to Drogar Truthhammer (Patrick) at Absolute Power for passing this one on to me.

There were Eighteen Synagogues in Tehran Once...

2008-04-17T10:45:00.003-06:00

Oh my. I had thought there was only one, but there were until recently eighteen synagogues in Tehran and thirty-five in Iran in total.

Until recently. This week there's only eleven.

In a story that has not been picked up by midstream media, AKI News service says 7 ancient synagogues were recently burnt to the ground in what officials describe as an "attempt to renew" an ancient quarter of the city. According to the news story

"The synagogues were in the Oudlajan suburb of Tehran, where many Iranian Jews used to live... A group of residents of Oudjalan have also sent a letter to the mayor of Tehran asking him to suspend the renovation work being carried out in the suburb."

As I said today in an earlier comment on this blog, I am astounded that Tehran had more than one Jewish Synagogue. This bit of news along with the AKI story also have made me wonder at a few things:

At my readiness to believe there was only 1 Synagogue in Iran. This blog is primarily my thoughts and attitudes towards what I see in the world around me. I think I'll be checking my assumptions more carefully in the future.
Much of the conservative blogosphere have already picked up this story and run with it. Dhimmi Watch, Gateway Pundit, small dead animals, to name a few. Why have the news services of the midstream media not carried this story? Are western news services so thin on the ground in Tehran that they couldn't confirm the story? A quick check of google shows the BBC ran a brief story today at 9:28 am this morning that life in Iran for Jews isn't so bad. I've gone 6 pages into the google search but...
Will Tehran allow it's Jewish inhabitants to rebuild? I'm still doubtful. After two hours of internet searches I'm still faced with a lack of further information. But...

I get 216 news links from google searching for "christian persecution muslim". Most are stories either about Muslim Persecution of Christians or calls by religous and civil leaders for an end to persecution. I saw a couple of stories about Hindu destruction of Mosques and Christian churches. But most are about Muslim persecution of Christians or Jews in Dar Islam. Like this one: "Although Christian persecution of Muslims belongs to history, "Muslim persecution of Christians and other religious minorities remains a present evil..."

That's Socialism!

2008-04-04T16:14:00.004-06:00

lol. I wish I wish those liberal MFCSers like Larry Pogemiller actually understood what's wrong with this attitude.

Nice find. thx Roger.

Live Leak succumbs to threats, then Rallies for Free Speech

2008-04-01T14:36:00.006-06:00

Succumbs to threats? Yes, internet video site Live Leak's employees and their families lives and well being were threatened last week, and in response Live leak pulled the Geert Wilders short film 'Fitna. In 17 minutes or so, Fitna attempts to wake the viewer up to the threat that radical Islam poses to the Western Societies by chronicling many many of the acts of barbarism, violence and intimidation by those who claim to act in Islams name.
Acts of terrorism, murder, and incitement to hatred are interspersed with quotes from the Koran that appear to support them.

Small wonder that Live Leak was threatened.

Little Green Footballs posted what looks like part of of a press release from Live leak:

On the 28th of March LiveLeak.com was left with no other choice but to remove the film “fitna” from our servers following serious threats to our staff and their families. Since that time we have worked constantly on upgrading all security measures thus offering better protection for our staff and families. With these measures in place we have decided to once more make this video live on our site. We will not be pressured into censoring material which is legal and within our rules. We apologise for the removal and the delay in getting it back, but when you run a website you don’t consider that some people would be insecure enough to threaten our lives simply because they do not like the content of a video we neither produced nor endorsed but merely hosted.

After reading the post on Little Green Footballs I tried to find Fitna on the Live Leak site, but found only a place-holder claiming that Geert Wilder himself has pulled the video and will be reposting it following some editing. If you want to see the video, goto the Little Green Footballs link, or click on the picture.

Is it hate speech? I don't believe so. There's no narration. Just video and audio of horrible things that have been said and have actually happened. If it's hate speech, it's only because of the hateful things the people in the video are saying in support of Islam. CAIR must be shitting their pants trying to snuff this one.

I don't say this lightly. I am constitutionally inclined to support freedom of religion. My family and culture benefited from it when the English conquered Quebec and chose not to assimilate the French Catholics out of existence. I am a member of the Knights of Columbus, who proudly promoted freedom of religion in the United States during the dark years of the anti-Catholic Know-Nothings and Nativist's movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But...

But I have a problem extending the gift of the freedom of religion to any cult that would deny freedom of religion to others. That principle is also why I don't believe in allowing Communists to participate in democracy, and why I oppose Socialist Monopolies like the Canadian Wheat Board. One time I was in a heated discussion with a Muslim member of a gaming club I belong to, and he kept falling back on outrage and anger. He left when I cribbed a quote from blogger Jack Rich, saying that I'll be more accepting of Islam when it's as easy and safe to open a New Synagogue in Mecca or Tehran as it is to open a new Mosque in Rome or New York.

Every one should see this video. Especially all those lame so-called moderate Muslim apologists the western media keeps digging up to tell us Islam is a religion of peace.
http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/040208.jpg

I get a drunk driver arrested

2008-03-11T16:35:00.006-06:00

I got a drunk driver arrested yesterday in Edmonton. I saw this guy stopped at a red light get out to put on a coat, -he could barely stand upright. Ok, I thought, maybe he's merely disabled, but then when the light turned green and he pulled away he bounced off the curb on the other side of the street.

I called 911 and directed the Police to his location, describing the vehicle and driver. Within a few minutes two patrol cars intercepted him; and I continued on my errand.

When I returned 30 minutes or so later he was in the back seat of one of the police cars, and his truck was being towed. The arresting officer said they had him on a lot more than just the drunk driving, and that he'd definitely be going to jail.

Good.

When I saw him weaving and bouncing his truck off the curb I knew he could kill somebody. Besides the satisfaction of maybe saving a life, my auto insurance is too pricey already, in part because of having to cover for the mistakes of drunks like this asshole.

Barrack Hussein Obama: scary.

2008-03-10T01:12:00.002-06:00

In his book Tunnel in the Sky, Robert Heinlein once wrote something to the effect that anyone who lives their life as if the world was the way they wished it, instead of in accordance to the way it actually was, shouldn't be allowed to graduate into adulthood, or be trusted to look after themselves, or vote or some such thing.

I'm reminded of this almost every time I hear this guy speak. This guy is living in a dream world. Here's what's wrong in 52 seconds:

Reporter Rebecca Aguilar Fired for Ambush Reporting Incident

2008-03-08T18:16:00.010-07:00

I had misgivings about working as a reporter when I entered the field in 1984. Mostly it was because I didn't want myself to be associated with reporters of a type like Rebecca Aguilar. A recent recipient of the Broadcast Journalist of the Year award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Aguilar was fired by her Dallas-FortWorth Fox affiliate last week, apparently for conducting an "ambush interview" of a 78 year old burglary victim trying to climb into his car outside of a Dallas Gun shop.

If you did not watch the video, 78 year old James Walton allegedly shot and killed, on two occasions, thieves who'd climbed this 8 foot security fence and broke into his salvage business. Police had confiscated Walton's shotgun, and Walton had earlier in the day told Aguilar that he was going out to buy another one.

I've always been disappointed in the way competition among broadcast journalists can lead a reporter to treat victims of crime or disaster in this way. In a small way, Aguilar has my sympathy. But only a small amount.

From the TV interview, it's clear he didn't expect to see her there, and she badgered him with the tasteless questions we've come to expect from sewage journalism. You know the sort of questions I mean, like "How did it feel to see your house burn down?" or "How did you feel when you heard your husband's plane went down?"

The guy was clearly upset at her and the camera crew and she had the nerve to ask, "Are those tears of remorse?" Holy Shit lady, the guy was buying a new gun for pete's sake. Her liberal gun-guilt was sickeningly obvious as she tried to turn the blame back onto the Burglary victim for having the audacity to defend himself. I rather like James Walton for how he answered her, "It's a shotgun, and I'd hate to have to use it already..." or "...do you think I invited them into my building?"

Good for you James Walton, I hope the bastards never try to rob you again.

You didn't have to do your story that way, so Good for you too, Rebecca Aguilar. I read your complaints about how you're now professionally marked for life in the Google age. Now you can experience something too few liberals ever get to experience: accountability for one's actions.

Good luck on your new career, whatever it is.

Prince Harry

2008-02-29T09:31:00.009-07:00

(Nice picture eh? He looks like my Brother in Law.)

News that Matt Drudge has forced England's Prince Harry to abandon his 14 week tour of duty in Afghanistan four weeks short is interesting and disappointing at the same time.

Interesting in that the Prince got his wish (in part at least) to serve in his regiment as more than a REMF. One acquaintance of mine, a retired U.S. Marine, said it bluntly, "...he's living like just any ordinary grunt. He's been in some fights, he's engaged the enemy, he's seen the elephant.. .And that means that people in the UK are going to hate him for having a pair of balls the size of coconuts and showing the London Liberals what a Real Man looks like. It's been a long time since their was a real man in the Royal Family. Bravo, Harry."

The Prince has long chafed against the fame and attention that's part of being a Royal; He's expressed before a wish to be ordinary. These past 10 weeks of living like a grunt with his messmates in Afghanistan's Helmand province must have been gratifying. Nice going Matt, you disappointed a Prince.

Interesting, in that in exchange for unprecedented access to the Prince, the MoD managed to broker a deal to get the British press to cooperate this long in keeping the news of his deployment confidential.

When the news leaked, the MoD was quick to order an end to Harry's deployment out of security concerns. Most of the 88 British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 have died in Helmand, where British forces began fighting with the NATO-led coalition two years ago. Security for the prince will be higher when he returns home too, as now the Islamist death threats against him will be portraying him as a killer of Muslims.

Good for you Harry, I'm glad you had your chance to give em hell.

Maxim Blows it - forced to apologize to Black Crowes

2008-02-28T21:09:00.004-07:00

Maxim magazine has had to apologize to the Black Crowes for writing a review of a New CD without listening to the cd. The Crowes first new studio Album in eight years, Warpaint, will be released Tuesday; Maxim had been provided only with samples for preview purposes. The March issue of Maxim panned Warpaint, giving it 2 and half stars out of five, saying the Black Crowes "sound pretty much like they always have: Pretty Boozy, competent, and in Slavish debt to the Stones, Allmans, and the Faces."

While I agree about the intellectual dishonesty on Maxim's part, is the review so bad? I've always thought the best thing about the Black Crowes was their consistent ability to infuse their bluesy Rock sound with a level of Soul that the Stones, Allmans and Faces could handily achieve, but did so all too rarely.

Pretty Boozy, Competent, and in slavish debt to the Stones, Allmans, and the Faces.

F*ckin Eh. Looks like I'm buying Warpaint on Tuesday.

===========

ps: review of Warpaint from Rolling Stone.
Rolling Stone's review

Dark day.

2008-01-22T16:21:00.001-07:00

Two blows to my psyche in less than 5 minutes today.

The first, when I learned that one of my favorite authors, Dr. Jerry Pournelle is being treated for some kind of growth in his head. Malignant? There's not enough information yet, but further tests are scheduled. I now gladly buy the first issue hard cover edition of anything J.E. Pournelle and/or Larry Niven will writes. I've enjoyed his work more than any other writer, which include the creation of a future history that includes "The Mote in God's Eye," and "Falkenberg's Mercenary Legion." Here's a publisher-provided link to two free copies of his books, one of which is an early Falkenberg title.
Don't know if it matters to you Jerry, but you're in my prayers.

---------

I was very sad to see that Fred Thompson has surrendered in face of the midstream media's campaign of silence. Not that they'd necessarily choose him, but I've yet to talk to an American conservative who didn't like him. The media tried real hard to either ignore his campaign or put it down. They characterized him as lazy or stupid, but I believe they thought he was another republican in the Reagan mold, and that scared them bad. Anybody that scares the liberal press has to be good for America.

I like what roger suggested, when he was speculating about a possible last ditch campaign effort for Fred Thompson:

"I'm Fred Thompson. You may not even know I'm running for president, because there's been a media blackout of my campaign. Why? The media elite see me as the closest thing to Ronald Reagan, and that scares the hell out of them. Here's what I believe ... ___Insert here______. Here's what I don't belive. ___Insert man made global warming_____

If you want a pandering pimp for president, then you want McCain or Huckabee. If you want a leader, it's me. Here's where I stand, then. If I don't win the Florida primary, I'll have to quit unless I receive $40 million dollars in campaigh contributions immediately. Otherwise, I won't have to say "go fuck yourselves"; you'll have already done it.

Thank you, good night, and God bless America.
"

Chinese Gov't Offals Beat Blogger to Death

2008-01-16T13:11:00.001-07:00

A Chinese Blogger was beaten to death in the street by local Government Officials after he tried to record a Villager's protest on his cell-phone. Wei Wenhua, a 41 year old Construction company manager and blogger reportedly happened upon a violent clash between villagers and a group of Municipal Inspectors who were attempting to dump trash in their village. That the 50 government inspectors felt justified in beating Wenhua to death for attempting to document their illegal activity is indicative of the barbaric attitude China's Government-Culture has towards the rights of the individual or the ancient Western concept that laws should apply to everybody -even members of the ruling power stucture.

The Chinese Government is particularly sensitive to losing face at this time, as they want to show a civilized facade to the world in time for Beijing's 2008 Olympics. The Government has responded to the killing by arresting 24 municipal inspectors whilst investigating more than 100 others in relation to the incident. CNN reports the killing has sparked outrage in China, “with thousands expressing anger in Chinese Internet chat rooms, often the only outlet for public criticism of the government.”

When I first heard about this killing, I expected the protest to be about the land privatization movement in China. Added to the government's troubles, is the Unrest that has also been growing in China over what villagers and farmers see as unfair land management policies. Under the Communist system of collectivization of farmland, peasant farmers have been assigned plots to work on. They don't own the land, and can be re-assigned at the government's whim. Earlier this week I heard a CBC Radio news story about how Land Developers with close connections to the Communist Party were arranging to have the peasant farmers booted off prime land near growing urban areas without compensation. The Developers then profited hugely from developing the land.

Nothing is wrong about making a huge profit in an honest manner, but in this case it's blatant Government Corruption and Theft. This is what growing numbers of Chinese villagers and farmers are angry about. They are pressing the government to allow them to own the land they farm, and be compensated if it is appropriated.

Fat chance.

Tribute to Her Father

2008-01-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

I hope someday my kids will think half as well of me as Ann did of her father. That was really well said Ann.
Her Father, John V. Coulter died last Friday morning.

Hillary

2007-12-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

I knew she was corrupt. But this is as if she thinks she's untouchable. Now it's emerged that since she's been in the Senate, she's procured over a Billion Dollars in government backed financing for her corporate supporters... 64% of whom, have in turn contributed millions to her campaign.

We're sleepwalking into War

2007-12-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

(image by www.filibuster.com)

One of my favorite authors, Dr. Jerry Pournelle has pointedly asked people to read this. It's a warning to each and every one of us that we're losing a war by default, and that our society's opponents know they're at war with us, and are doing everything they can to keep the majority of us from realizing this.

He's referring to a recent speech. The speech's author begins by talking about a book, The Troublesome Young Men, which tells of the days leading up to World War II. There was a group of younger conservatives who were attempting to oppose the appeasement policies that British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was following in his attempts to deal with the coming Nazi threat. These men recognized that Chamberlain's ilk were so deeply desiring to avoid war, that they refused to recognize the reality of Hitler's proven ambitions, or that policies of appeasement would eventually lead to a war even greater than was feared possible. For their efforts these young Tories were severely punished and isolated by Chamberlain and his Conservatives.

There are frightening parallels to today. After six years of a "War on Terror" neither the sponsors nor the funders of many of the acts of terror since have been called to account.

"We need first of all to recognize this is a real war. Our enemies are peaceful when they're weak, are ruthless when they're strong, demand mercy when they're losing, show no mercy when they're winning. They understand exactly what this is, and anybody who reads Sun Tzu will understand exactly what we're living through. This is a total war. One side is going to win. One side is going to lose. You'll be able to tell who won and who lost by who's still standing. Most of Islam is not in this war, but most of Islam isn't going to stop this war. They're just going to sit to one side and tell you how sorry they are that this happened."

Read the speech. The rest of it will bother you too, I hope.

The Nanny State's Revenge

2007-12-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

I've called Canada a borderline police state before, but it was to make a point, and more tongue in cheek than meant. I'll take that back now. We are becoming a police state and the "People Who Are Supposed to Protect Us" are degenerating into armed thugs who intimidate and persecute the families of those the State disagrees with.

This is Katie. Her Father refused to renew his gun license as a protest, and the Canadian government has stolen their home in reprisal. He's worked and paid his taxes and his bills all his life. He's a productive member of our society.

Katey's father is Bruce Montague, who has been fighting the Liberal Party's Billion Dollar confiscatory Anti-Gun law, C-68 for years. On September 14th 2004, in a as blatant abuse of power as I've ever heard of before, the Ontario governnment seized his house.

Part of the foundation for this was laid in 1982. The elite who rule over us would have a harder time justifying confiscation of private property (firearms or homes) if it weren't for former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I've ranted before about how Pierre Trudeau's Charter of Rights illegally omitts the right to own property. I'll do it again. As an elitist and former communist, he knew property rights for ordinary citizens couldn't be allowed under the socialist state he was trying to impose on us.
Yet for nearly a thousand years since the MAGNA CARTA the crown has acknowleged the property rights of it's subjects; it also says:

"neither We, nor our Heirs, shall procure or do anything whereby Liberties contained in this Charter shall be infringed or broken; and if anything be procured by any person contrary to the premises, it shall be had of no force nor effect."

After acknowledging the supremacy of the Magna Carta, Trudeau's Charter omits the right to own property. We need to get the people of Canada to realize they've been robbed. Otherwise it's inevitable that more Canadian Patriots like Bruce Montague will feel the heavy hand of police state thuggery.

(thx to the MadOgre for the heads up)

Chinese Trojans on your HardDrive?

2007-12-04T01:14:00.000-07:00

The Taipei Times has published reports about 500gb Seagate Harddrives being sold with trojan viruses that upload any data stored on them to Beijing. The affected drives are reportedly Maxtor Basics 500 GB sold as part of a portable HD system, manufactured in Thailand, and sold in Taiwan. The news story did not mention any such compromised HDs sold outside of Taiwan.
I have long been concerned that policy makers in the West appear to be oblivious to the threat Communist China poses to both our security and economic well being. Like the Soviets and the Nazis before them, China's rulers see themselves not only as the center of Human history, but also the future dominant political and economic power on earth.

Chinese espionage in the west has only been sporadically covered in the midstream media; Hell, they gave the Clintons a complete pass on their questionable connections.

Format format format those cheap new hard drives...

Thx to Dr. Jerry Pournelle for the link.

Gun Control Affects Crime

2007-11-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

...but not how you might think.

This should be shown in Schools. Thanks Roger, for the link. Here in Canada it seems that the RCMP want ordinary citizens to be helpless.

Stuff you almost Never See in the Papers

2007-11-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

I was shopping with my mother and sister a couple of weeks ago, when I walked past this Edmonton Journal headline: CANADIANS ROUT TALIBAN. I've been reading about the coalition (and Canada's) successes against the Taliban in Afghanistan from non-traditional news sources for quite sometime, but this midsteam media headline was a surprise. The Liberal Journal seems to usually print only stories that seem to me to be designed to damage morale and sway Canadian public opinion against participation in the recovery and rebuilding of Afghanistan. No doubt the regular editor at the Journal was sick or something, and this story was printed.

Maybe it's catching. Today's Sun carried on the GLOBAL watch page the headline: AMBUSH ENDS BADLY FOR TALIBAN. The Sun news wire reported that a Nato-led force was ambushed yesterday in southern Afghanistan but suffered no losses. The story reported that the Taliban lost "dozens of insurgents" and attempted to hide in a residential area. I'm usually skeptical of what appears to be "newsrelease" reporting, but we can be reasonably certain there weren't any coalition casualties- that would have been reported in the midstream media for sure.

Meanwhile, another milestone was ignored by the midstream media: the 10,000th act of Islamic-based terrorism since 9/11.

I've had the opportunity to meet a few people who claim to be moderate muslims; Muslim by choice. Some are very likeable guys, Veterans of honorable service with the U.S. military. But when the topic turns to issues like this, they get very hot and very angry.
My response is that either they've been lied to, or we've been been lied to about what Islam really is. But I'll buy into their viewpoint only after it's as Safe to open a Jewish Synagogue in Tehran or Medina as it is to open a Mosque in Edmonton or New York.

Who knows, that day may come.

Ordinary Sunni Iraqi's have been banding together in revolt against the Al-Qaida terrorists in Iraq. Baghdad's largest Sunni Cleric's group, The Association of Muslim Scholars, has condemed the actions of these ordinary citizens who've acted to protect themselves by doing things like capturing suicide bombers and holding them until the authorities arrived. Associated Press reported Yesterday that after accusing the Association of Muslim Scholars of actively supporting Al-Qaida, the Iraqi government seized control of their headquarters.

Quote:

"The association has always justified killing and assassinations carried out by al-Qaida," the head of the Sunni Endowments, Ahmed Abdul-Ghafoor al-Samarraie, told reporters at the mosque, built by Saddam Hussein to commemorate the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Al-Samarraie said the association had opposed the Sunni revolt against al-Qaida, which began last year in Anbar province and is spreading throughout the Sunni heartland. He said the association opposed any group formed "to purge their neighborhoods of al-Qaida elements." AP

registration = confiscation

2007-11-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

I was really surprised to read that this happened in America. It's the kind of shit I'd have expected to read about here in Canada.

During the hurricane Katrina emergency, when looting and lawlessness became rampant, the police were ordered to begin seizing firearms from law abiding citizens. Geezus, what about the fucking criminals???????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taU9d26wT4

Comment (November 10th) by the MadOgre:
FACT: Democrats are gun grabbers. As for your reference to the New Orleans confiscations: You are right. It did happen under a Republican President's watch. But it also ended under the same and it was ordered by Democrats in charge at the local level. As soon as something happened, PRESTO – the Democrats ordered the guns seized. Look at similar mass disasters in other areas where the Republicans are in charge... oh, say... ANY of the other last major floods in the last 20 years. They did not stick their hands out demanding FEMA give them money. They did not throw a hissy fit and start seizing guns. They just simply rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

Thanks George.

On November 11th...

2007-11-02T00:36:00.000-06:00

Take 2 minutes. Please.

Pounder, Thanks for reminding me.
The musician is Terry Kelly.

Poliltical Issues hinge on Bullshit

2007-10-30T11:18:00.000-06:00

Sadly, this is funny because it's so damn true.

"If it wasn't for the media, there'd be a lot less Bullshit in these elections"

The Onion

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters

Call Centre Outsourcing

2007-10-29T11:22:00.000-06:00

hmmm. Notice that more and more services are outsourcing their call-centre services?

A good friend of mine who was feeling depressed just told me he called a suicide hotline.

He was put through to a 'call center' in Pakistan.

He explained that he was feeling suicidal.

They were very excited at this news and wanted to know if he could drive a truck or fly an airplane....

bowling for morons

2007-10-06T11:10:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I've been this bored and stupid in my past too.

I said what I said

2007-09-24T19:32:00.000-06:00

I've experienced this too, but to a much lesser extent. Thanks to my buddy Gerry for showing me this one.

CBC bias - today's Stats Canada Income story

2007-09-24T19:12:00.000-06:00

Further to the Stats Canada post below, I found it interesting to hear the midstream media's interpretation. Were they concerned that our economy is not producing prosperity at anywhere near the level of our nearest neighbors? Well, at least they mentioned it.

Tax-payer funded CBC predictably made the most about who pays what taxes. Apparently it's Nationally newsworthy that somewhere in Canada, in the 2.8 Million Plus range, there were about 100 people who's business losses or other expenses exceeded their incomes, and they paid no tax.

Oh My GAwd. What a disaster.

On CBC Radio One the news story at the top of the 6 oclock hour emphasized how much richer than the rest of the taxpayers the top 5% are, and that the top 1 percent nearly doubled their incomes over last year. The 95-percenters apparently barely made any gains. I could hear the triumphant emotion in his voice as the CBC reporter hit what he thought was the high point of this story: that the rich are paying a larger precentage of taxes than they were a few years ago.

Top 5% of income

2007-09-24T10:48:00.000-06:00

Pity the poor Canadians.
Not poor- as in broke. Poor because their economy labors under the bloated burden of a high-tax regime needed to support it's struggling welfare state. That's a mouthful eh?
Well Statistics Canada just released figures showing that the top 5% of earners here, lag way way way behind the top 5% in the United States.
In Canada, get this, you're officially rich if you make more than $89,000 per year. Gimme a break.
By comparison, in the more lightly tax-burdened U.S., the top 5% starts at $165,000.

Don't expect any huge improvement in that comparison in the years to come either. As I've remarked earlier, Canadians have been thoroughly brainwashed into thinking of Government as the Mother of All Solutions. If the voters don't catch on to this whole 'cause and effect' thing, the nation will end up taxing itself into penury trying to pay for new and better government solutions to whatever ails us.

Random News

2007-09-13T23:05:00.000-06:00

Two news stories caught my attention this morning; the first wasn't really news but the 2nd made me laugh.

1st, the Sun Newspapers thought it was news when bureaucrats in the Federal Government released a paper proving the last Liberal Government knew the Kyoto accord would not be implementable. This is news?????? Shit. Tomorrow they'll probably announce the discovery of Mars.

2nd, RCMP have arrested a 36 year old Nigerian refugee in Winnipeg for conning a Senior Citizen out of $30,000 with the Nigerian Inheritance Email Con. Not only does Winnipeg suck, (it has the highest sales records in 2006 for 7-Eleven Slurpys) but it's also the home of one of the only people in North America who hadn't heard about the Nigerian Email scam.
Toluwalade Alonge Owolabi of Toronto was arrested in Winnipeg when he went to the victim's house to pick up more money. The victim, who has remained unnamed, had already wired $30,000 to a Bank in Ghana. The money was supposed to help pay for the release of a 1.5 million dollar inheritance.
Guess what?
No inheritance and no refunds. Ghanan officials refuse to cooperate in the return of the victims money. No kidding. This is Africa, it's probably already been stolen by the aforementioned officials.
Will Owolabi be convicted? Will he actually serve time? Will his refugee claim be denied? Will he be deported? Frankly it's too much to hope that some Magoo Judge in the Canadian Injustice system won't let this dickhead go on his own recognizance.
It's also pollyannish to hope this is the only guy behind all the Nigerian email scams.

Do us a favour if you will; Should you see Toluwalade Alonge Owolabi wandering the streets please kick him in the nuts and tell him to emigrate to China for the good of our society, hmmm?

Today's New Car Joke. Thx Roger.

2007-09-13T10:15:00.000-06:00

Found this at Roger's site. What a neat playground he's got.

Bill and I bought a new car and returned to the dealer the next day because we couldn't get the radio to work. The salesman explained that the radio was voice activated. "Nelson," the salesman said to the radio. The radio replied, "Ricky or Willie?" "Willie!" he continued and "On The Road Again" came from the speakers. Then he said, "Ray Charles!", and in an instant "Georgia On My Mind" replaced Willie Nelson. We drove away happily, and for the next few days, every time we'd say, "Beethoven," We'd get beautiful classical music, and if we said, "Beatles," we'd get one of their awesome songs. Yesterday, a couple ran a red light and nearly creamed our car but we swerved in time to avoid them, yelling, "Ass Holes!" Immediately the French National Anthem began to play, sung by Hillary and Bill Clinton, backed up by Michael Moore & The Dixie Chicks, with Nancy Pelosi on drums.

A Top Ten List:

2007-08-26T20:22:00.000-06:00

What not to put in a Love Letter. I'm shamefacedly stealing this from here. I don't know if it was written by Dan, Wilford or Avanoo, but it's worth repeating.

(Image by John Cox)

Last night, for the first time in years, I read through some old love letters, which spanned ten years – from junior high school through college.

Strangely, I remember many of my letters being profound and funny. I remember wondering, after I’d written them, how any of the recipients could possibly resist me. Now, years later, I don’t know how any of those girls put up with me.

I’ve used lessons from those old love letters to construct an important top ten list – the top ten things NOT to write in a love letter. Given my history, I plead with you to take my advice at your own risk. Here it goes:

1. Wordplay isn’t play when it makes you nauseous: “I am so in love with u! Not with the letter u. But with u!”

2. Your past relationships usually aren’t a turn-on for your present fling. “My last girlfriend was a basket case… but you seem very mentally stable.”

3. Don’t write poetry when you’re not a poet. “Pecan pie. Why oh why. Did I choose you for dessert. I would have rather crossed the desert. If not for your doughy boobs.”

4. Don’t spell important words wrong. “When I look into you’re eyes… I see a reflection of myself.”

5. Don’t write anything that comes off as self-absorbed: “When I look into you’re eyes… I see a reflection of myself.”

6. Don’t put your (roommate’s) cologne on a handwritten letter to a girl who is allergic to that cologne: “Were you trying to kill me?”

7. Don’t write stuff that puts your sexuality into question (unless that’s what you want): “I’ve seen other guys in the locker room, and…”

8. Don’t talk about fifteen kids: “Sometimes I think I want to have fifteen kids with you!”

9. Don’t belittle demons. “I know your anorexia thing sucks, but it’s really not that big a deal.”

10. Don’t quote the wrong Shakespeare line: “Draw thy tool. My naked weapon is out.”

A final thought: I am so sorry to the girls who had to endure my love letters. This list is a consolation… so that the lessons from my mistakes can be heeded by others and, perhaps, put to good use!

Some of the comments were good too. See the original at Avanoo.

Michelle's Waitress' guide for TIPs.

2007-08-15T10:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Son#1 and I went for lunch at the restaurant in Fort Saskatchewan where Daughter#1 works. It's a nicer restaurant than the Boston Pizza she used to work at, but she says the tips aren't as good. She is waitressing this summer to make extra money for college, which she leaves for in two more weeks. The food was great.
While we were there, four 30-something french guys took a table. They were mostly dressed well, but this morning my daughter said they were dirty-mouthed and lewd. She said she was worried at the time that I'd overhear them and go over and make a scene.

Damn right I'd have gone over there and made a scene. Good thing I didn't hear those f*ckers. On top of that they spent $80 and only tipped her two bucks.

That led to a discussion this morning about how customers tip. Here's a summation of what she said.

My Daughter's rules (expectations) for Tips:

Old guys alone tip pretty good. They tend to flirt. But it's kind of sad sometimes, having to put up with the way the worse ones undress you with their eyes.
Old guys in groups tip well too.
Old couples don't. Not sure if the old ladies are jealous or what.
Yet a group of little old ladies together will tip well if you joke around and get on well with them.
Middle aged guys who're alone are usually cheap.
Middle aged guys in groups are pretty good, unless they're french. Then the tips suck and you still have to put up with the stares and dirty suggestions.
Oilpatch labourers like Pipeliners are 50-50 unless they're regulars. Then they tip great.
Pregnant women are poor tippers. We try to be extra nice to them because we know they don't always feel well, But so far they've usually been miserable and often complain. They shouldn't be let out of their house.
Teens and student boys don't know they're supposed to tip, and so usually don't.
High school girls and female students in groups tip well too.
It's always fun to have your friends come in because you know you're gonna get a good tip.
Co-workers tips suck, but waitresses from other restaurants tip ok.
I really like big groups of drunk people. They usually tip great.
Dealing with families with little kids is hard on a waitress. The kids want what they want, the parents want you to listen to them, and the parents are usually so tired by the trial of chasing their kids that they lose patience with the waitress and tend not to tip.
Try to get the customers to compliment the food. If the Chef comes out and thanks the customer for complimenting his efforts, the tips are always good.

By the way, if you're in one of her cheap categories and do tip well, good for you. But stereotypes don't arise without a reason, so you're an exception ok?

NASA kills Global Warming Movement

2007-08-13T16:34:00.000-06:00

A month ago the title for this blog entry would have been wistful thinking, today it is merely jumping the gun. I nearly wrote something about this story last week, but held off, as I was curious to see first if the midstream media would pick it up, or ignore it. Sadly, after a week, I only see editorials and opinion pieces like these from the National Post, Digital Journal, the Sun newspapers, and Investors.com.

If you're reading this, you probably already know that in late July or early August NASA quietly tried to correct faulty temperature data that supported the Human-caused Global Warming fraud. Al Gore used this data in his propaganda film, 'An Inconvenient Truth,' which purported to prove 7 of the 10 hottest years in the last 100 were after 1995. A Y2K bug in the data was discovered by Canadian researcher Steve McIntyre who published his findings on his website, www.climateaudit.org. McIntyre's website was subsequently crashed by pro-kyoto activists. (In 2003, McIntyre, along with economist Ross McKitrick demolished the IPCC's infamous hockeystick graph that suposedly proved there was a huge spike in global temperatures in the late 20th century.) The new data shows that five of the hottest 10 years were before World War II, and only 3 years in the last 10 were among the warmest: 1998, 1999, and 2000. But the warmest year was 1934.

Another scandal the global warming hysterics would like to ignore is that many of the weather stations utilized by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (G.I.S.S.) for their pro-global warming data are not scientifically reliable. Veteran meteorologist Anthony Watts has been traveling the continent examining these weather stations for himself; and guess what? So far many of the 227 sites he's examined so far have been incorrectly sited next to urban heat bubbles like waste treatment plants.

It's comes as absolutely no surprise to me that when contacted directly about this, the director of the G.I.S.S. and global warming hysteric James Hansen said he is not concerned about the long-term reliability of his institutes temperature readings.

I guess he's taken a page from global warming's high priest, Al Gore, who has publicly stated that it's ok to mislead the public in order to further the global warming cause.

Another attempt to Stifle Debate

2007-08-11T00:22:00.000-06:00

Roy Jones' attack on Gibbons Town Councilor James Rollison’s judgement for writing a letter to the editor questioning the science behind today's global warming hysteria is a typical response of the climate change lobby. It’s exactly the sort of thing the climate change hysterics do whenever dissenting opinions are raised:

-marginalize the global warming dissenter;
-misrepresent what the global warming dissenter said;
-and attempt to stifle debate by claiming the matter is settled.

First, Roy questioned James Rollison's acceptance of climatologist Dr. Tim Ball as an authority on the climate. A discerning reader might find it odd that Jones so blithely dismisses the credentials of a Climatologist, and favors two enviromental activists: Retired geneticist David Suzuki and Mamologist Tim Flannery. I’ll be perfectly happy to accept at face value the rantings of Dr. Suzuki or Tim Flannery if we’re debating the genetics of fruit flies or habits of Kangaroos and other Australian marsupials. I'll also grant Suzuki credibility in the subject of being a media celebrity. The subject here however, is climate change.

This is exactly the kind of frippery the UN Panel on climate change relied upon to pad their list of scientists who supposedly supported their re-written ICC report: Yes, their signatures were on the report, but it’s old news now that most were not climatologists. How many were biologists, sociologists, and political scientists? Dr. Ball’s name was on that list, at first without his knowledge, and later against his will.

Roy Jones wants you to disregard this climatologist’s learned opinion because he “has a history of being a climate change denier.” That doesn't change the fact that Dr. Ball is a climatologist who is speaking out on issues within his professional area of expertise.

In his effort to discredit Dr. Ball's credibility before your readers, Roy Jones misrepresented him as a climate change denier. Dr. Tim Ball doesn’t deny climate change is occurring. Any elementary school child knows the climate has changed over time. They learn very early about the ice ages, and that the climate during the age of the Dinosaurs differed from the climate today. Roy Jones was falsely putting words into Dr. Balls mouth.

Secondly, Dr. Ball’s position is that there is little or no scientific evidence that human activities are causing climate change. It’s a historical fact that the IPCC has not yet, after several years of alarmist reports, ever produced any scientific proof that humanity is causing climate change. The best they have so far are computer models that cannot even mimic historical changes when programmed with the climate data from the recent past.

Finally, earlier this summer bloggers discovered that NASA’s climate data contained a y2k error, and that the agency had quietly corrected years of bad data. Global Warming hysterics can no longer claim that 9 of the 10 warmest years of the twentieth century were after 1995. 4 of the top ten hottest years were in the 1930s, and only 3 of the hottest years were in the last ten. The data can be seen for yourself at this NASA website:

NASA’s New Figures: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/Fig.D.txt
NASA covers up evidence that it’s data collection was faulty:
http://www.dailytech.com/New+Scandal+Erupts+over+NOAA+Climate+Data/article8347.htm
NASA quietly corrects faulty data that supported Global Warming: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2007/08/09/did-media-or-nasa-withhold-climate-history-data-changes-public

Don’t hold your breath waiting for the national media to carry this story either.

Seen today at the foot of the Alaska Highway

2007-08-06T00:48:00.000-06:00

This old guy passed me and Son#2 about 250 miles North West of Edmonton this afternoon.

He had an ear to ear grin and looked like he was at least 80 years old.

Crown wimps out - No Dangerous Offender Status for Whitmore

2007-07-24T11:31:00.000-06:00

Last summer, After a week-long manhunt and 10 hour standoff, police captured a long-term habitual pedophile with two boys he'd abducted.
They caught him with the boys.
In the Act.
Well, kidnapping if not actually buggering them. They've got the boys testimony of the way he abducted them, threatened their lives, confined them unlawfully, and raped them.

So why the hell did crown prosecutor Anthony Gerein accept a plea-bargain that keeps Pedophile Peter Whitmore from being declared a dangerous offender?

That's right. Whitmore struck a deal so that in exchange for pleading guilty, he'll get a so-called Life Sentence and a chance for parole after 7 years... -and no Dangerous Offender Designation.

Who screwed up? What's wrong with the evidence? Is Gerein just incompetent, or does he actually believe his pollyannish statement to the press that Whitmore's life sentence "essentially achieves the same goal"??!!!????
Every junior high social studies student knows that a Canadian "life sentence" is NEVER that long, and that the dangerous offender status was introduced in part because of that.

A news story on CTV's website has a list of Whitmore's past history of repeat offenses:

For his sex crimes against five boys, aged 11 to 13, he was sentenced to 16 months in addition to six months' time served, and three years probation. He was released on July 29, 1994, after serving two-thirds of his sentence, with strict orders to avoid contact with children under 14.

Within nine days, he was on the prowl again, this time in Guelph, Ont., where he posed as a worker in child protective services and managed to trick a mother into turning over her eight-year-old girl. He took her to Toronto, where he forced her to perform sexual acts on him before sending her home in a taxi.

Another victim was a boy, 9, who lived next door to Whitmore in Keswick, Ont., and was talked into a sleepover. "(The victim) would say no or stop, it would stop, but then Peter Whitmore would offer money and ask to do it again,'' the court document states. "That occurred a few times over the course of the one night in question.''

For those two crimes, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference, Whitmore was sentenced to 56 months in prison and prohibited from contact with young children.

Even his cellmate at Millhaven Institution, near Kingston, Ont., was disturbed by some of Whitmore's behaviour.

"I know he needs help,'' reported the inmate. "He would stand six inches from TV and stare at kids. He would even touch the screen where the kid's private parts were. I remember one time when he told me that women were nothing but trouble.''

Back then, he'd admitted to prison psychologist Bruce Malcolm that he'd had 10 or 11 "what he considered 'relationships' with boys mainly under the age of 12.'' He didn't co-operate with treatment programs in any serious way. Malcolm found Whitmore a high risk to reoffend.

Hear that Gerein? "A High Risk to Reoffend."

Whitmore's lawyer, Merv Shaw, said that Whitmore would have a glimmer of hope "he might get out."

Apparently this is ok with Crown Prosecutor Gerein.

More Muslim Extremists

2007-07-15T16:07:00.000-06:00

Saw this today on "Exposing Islam."

One bomber in this news story was described as a father of two. Repeatedly, (aside from being Muslim Immigrants or the children of Muslim Immigrants) these fanatics appear as otherwise regular citizens. Britains Prime Minister, ~~Mr. Bean~~ Gordon Brown has ordered a review of the recruitment process for Britain's national health service.
I'll wager money there are many influental people in Her Majesty's government who will insist they not pay special attention to Muslims or Middleastern applicants.

Unbelievably, there are still people in the west who think this is a religion of Peace.

This might be fun - Edmonton Soaring Club

2007-07-12T20:37:00.000-06:00

Passing through Chipman today, I spied some of the guys from the Edmonton Soaring club enjoying the sunny Alberta sunshine. I stopped to talk with them and take a few photos. These pics were edited with the free online picture editor at http://snipshot.com/