Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-30

  • I'm thinking caps should come with instructions on how to wear them. Now, if only those that wear their caps crooked could read... #
  • There is a TiVo app for BlackBerry. Now, The Wife can keep the remote and I can still schedule shows. No, it don't take much to please me. #
  • There are only 10 cars in the Sears parking lot. They must have heard we were coming. #

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Andy Williams and the Health Care Bear

Well, here's Mr. Williams' house. I hope I have better luck now than I did all those years ago. And thank you for coming along, Mr. Hope. The boss says I need to have you with me. I don't think I'm the "hope" he was talking about. I thank you for coming along anyway. Here goes. Knock! Knock! Why, if it isn't Bob Hope and ... You! What are you doing here! Oh, don't tell me. You want a cookie. Well, you're not going to get one! Not now... Oh, no, Mr. Williams. I'm not begging for a cookie. The president hired me to ask you for your health care. My health care? I'm 81 years old! Why would I give up my health care? The president sent me to ask for it. He wants to take over everyone's health care. Can the president have your health care, Mr. Williams? Please? No! Absolutely not. In fact, you get away from my door right now and don't ever come back! Not you ... not the president ... no one is going to take my health care. Not now. Not ever! NEVER! SLAM! THUNK! You know, if enough people do that, the president's health care plan will need end-of-life counseling.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-28

  • Anger in France and Poland after Polanski arrest http://bit.ly/43vU8a And all he did was anally rape a 13-year old girl http://bit.ly/3eBuWn #
  • Bear Invasion! Aspen Sees Tenfold Increase in Bear Sightings http://bit.ly/X4IGk Yogi, Boo-Boo go on rampage #
  • Bill Clinton Says Right-Wing Conspiracy Now After Obama http://bit.ly/4SU4Y Remember the right lying about Clinton and Lewinski? #
  • Man unhurt after sneaking into bear exhibit at zoo http://bit.ly/10fePj Obviously, he didn't do it right. #
  • Cadillac crashes in Vancouver cemetery http://bit.ly/CK3sU Over 400 bodies recovered at scene #
  • White House Near Choosing U.S. Location to Hold Gitmo Detainees http://bit.ly/1a6lVN As long as it's in a state that voted for Obama... #
  • Twitter Website Could Be Worth $1 Billion http://bit.ly/l8hWk Apparently, my 2 cents worth are worth exactly that #
  • Man sues BofA for "1,784 billion, trillion dollars" http://bit.ly/2XelyK Claims bank makes it impossible to balance his checkbook #
  • Sci-fi movie, Sony ad prompt Nigerian image angst http://bit.ly/3QuX0l Will use money raised from scams to hire a lawyer and sue Sony #

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Frank J. Fleming's amazingly consistent smile

You've seen, I'm sure, the video montage showing Barack Obama's amazingly consistent smile. And, as Harvey said, it's amazing. Or creepy. Or something. But, Frank J. Fleming of IMAO.US has a similar talent, as this video shows... [YouTube link] Amazing. Or creepy. Or something.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-25

  • Obama surprised by Iran nuke plant http://bit.ly/ua15B If CIA had known, would Pelosi have called them liars? #
  • 20 years ago, I sat through Hurricane Hugo at a football game. Tonight, I'm thinking it's too wet to stay for a game. http://sml.vg/3Kj1jx #
  • Obama: 'Iran is on notice' regarding nuclear efforts http://tinyurl.com/yej9zzh If Iran doesn't play nice, Obama will frown at them #

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-24

  • The biggest problem with using a BlackBerry is that sending emails to "6rank;" doesn't work well. #
  • When the media reports on Obama, it reminds me of the cheerleaders addressing the pep squad. #

The problem isn't what we did, it's that you found out what we did

I'm sure you know about the video of school children being taught a song that praises Barack Obama. It's been reported by several news outlets. So, what do authorities of B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, NJ, say? School superintendent says the problem was ... that someone videotaped it:
Superintendent Christopher Manno said in a written statement Thursday that the taping itself was out of order, but failed to address whether the the lesson was approved. "The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized," he wrote in a note to parents and the media.
Read that again. He doesn't say anything about public school students -- that's a school funded by your tax dollars, both New Jersey state taxes as well as federal funds from the Department of Education -- being taught to sing the praises of Dear Leader. No, the problem is that someone taped it. You see, now there's evidence of it. Think about it. If someone told you about this story, would you believe it? You might think it's one of Harvey's Fake News stories. You'd be saying, "Heh. That's a good one, Harvey. It's almost like something that would happen." Only, it happened. They can't deny it. Because it was videotaped. And is on the YouTube. And that's how the left is: "The problem isn't what we did, it's that you found out what we did." Maybe that's the way to handle things. That's how they are handling the ACORN scandal: officials looking into charges over videotaping of illegal ACORN activity instead of the illegal ACORN activity. I wonder how far this attitude could go. Or how well it would have worked in the past...
  • Ted Kennedy: The problem isn't that Mary Jo Kopechne died, it's that you found out about it.
  • Richard Nixon: The problem isn't that I tried to cover up my staff's involvement with the break-in at the Watergate, it's that you found out about it.
  • Jeffrey Dahmer: The problem isn't that I murdered 17 people and ate parts of some of them, it's that you found out about it.
  • That guy getting the ticket on the Interstate last week: The problem isn't that I was traveling 25 miles an hour over the posted limit, it's that you found out about it.
  • The guy that spit in your food at the Waffle House: The problem isn't that I spit in your food, it's that you found out about it.
I wonder how many other ways this attitude could be used to excuse things?

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Near-miss

I was almost first one at the wreck the other day. We were in southeast Georgia, for a couple of events. The Little Princess had a wedding shower near Jesup last Saturday. The Wife went. I didn't. (That's another story all by itself.) And Saturday night, they had Grandma's 96th birthday party in Jesup. The Wife and I went. Some others didn't. (That's another story all by itself.) Between the two events, though, we nearly had another event. We had left Grandma's and were on the way back to the hotel. We got to a major intersection, and I decided to turn left, rather than go straight. Years ago, it wouldn't have mattered which way I went, since one city street was pretty much like another. But, over the years, they widened a couple of streets, re-routing some thru-traffic, and I decided to take that street. That meant turning left. So, I moved into the turn lane, and the truck behind me went straight through the intersection. Only, they didn't make it all the way through. Seems that an SUV ran a red light. The truck behind us (which had the green) hit it, causing both vehicles to flip around 180°. No one was hurt, it appears. Which was fortunate. The SUV driver had a small child (looked about four years old) in the front seat (and, yes, I think that's illegal in Georgia). Thankfully, though, the child seemed okay, just a little scared. Jesup Police got to the scene quickly. They actually beat the wrecker there -- which doesn't always happen. (That's another story all by itself.) Right after it happened, we realized that if we hadn't moved to the left-turn lane, we would have been in the intersection when the SUV ran the red light. And that would have made for a bad day for me. The Wife's day would have been worse, since the SUV would have hit on her side. But, it was in the cards for us to live long enough to celebrate Grandma's 96th birthday. But who knows what might happen tomorrow?

Obama loves the little children, all the children of the world...

Have you seen the video of the school children being taught to sing a song praising the leader of their country? No, not in North Korea. No, not in Mao's China. No, not in Saddam's Iraq. No, not in Hitler's Germany. But in the United States, in this day and time... [YouTube link] I wish this was a joke. The good news? It is. If you voted for Obama. Because if you voted for Obama, the joke's on you. UPDATE: Fox News and CBS News are on the story. As, now, are overseas news outlets.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-22

  • Wife said "Me and the girls are meeting for lunch. Want to join us?" She didn't tell me it was a "Talk About True Blood" lunch. #
  • Douglas Adams was right. Deadlines make the most lovely sound as they "whoosh" by. #

Friday, September 18, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-18

  • To Pelosi, political violence makes her think of Milk. To me, I think of MLK. Wonder why that is. #
  • Wolf Blitzer bombs on Jeopardy http://bit.ly/2R0L0 Not only does he not know the answers, he doesn't know the questions. #

You made Nancy cry

Yesterday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi answered a question from a reporter about whether anti-government rhetoric posed a threat of domestic violence. And, in her answer, she choked back tears: [YouTube link] After watching that video, I had a few thoughts: Pelosi thinks San Francisco is typical. If I thought most of America would act like San Franciscans, I'd cry too. When Pelosi thinks of a violent political event, she thinks of Milk. I think of MLK. Reporters think anti-government rhetoric is a threat only if the government is run by liberals. Reporters don't remember the anti-government rhetoric or the violent anti-government protests of the 1960s. You right-wingers made Nancy Pelosi cry. I am so proud.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-17

  • Rachel Marsden says the ACORN investigators broke the law http://bit.ly/SH6It Glad to hear the Canadians are weighing in on this. #
  • Who do ACORN investigators James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles think they are? 60 Minutes? Only CBS can do video stings like that! #tcot #

The Constitution of the United States

On this day in 1787, in Philadelphia, the greatest document written in the last several centuries was completed. What began as a rewrite of the Articles of Confederation became the Constitution of the United States. It's a document that guarantees our liberties. It lays out the duties and responsibilities of the three branches of our federal government, and it establishes the relationship between the states. And, as amended, it establishes the rights guaranteed to the individuals on which the government may not infringe. I am of the camp that feels that not enough people have read the Constitution -- including many who have sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. At the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, delegate Benjamin Franklin (the dude on the $100 bill, for you on the left) was asked, "What have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?" To which Franklin replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Go read the Constitution. Then make it your mission to help us keep a republic.

The answer to what happened to Charles Johnson

There's an old southern punchline coming up. You may or may not think it's worth wading through this to get to it... I may be reading things wrong, but it seems that many bloggers, blog commenters, Twitterers, and so on, are wondering what happened to Charles Johnson. Little Green Footballs made a big splash in 2004 when they gained attention for giving exposure to the fake Texas Air Guard memos. You remember? The scandal that brought down Dan Rather. Charles Johnson and Little Green Footballs was the darling of conservatives after that. Sure, the blog was big ... or big for a blog in 2004 ... before that, but that story gave blogs, not just LGF, lots of attention. Over the last few years, though, many -- not a majority, but a lot -- online conservatives have come to have, shall we say, less than kind things to say about Mr. Johnson. What do they not like? His rabid anti-creationist stance. His seemingly rapid willingness to ban users. His attacks on other conservatives. His condescending attitude towards those who disagree with him. His ... okay, you get the idea. They think he's a jerk. They compare him to Kos or HuffPo. Which is the conservative equivalent of when liberals compare you to Hitler. But are they right? Yes, much of the time, the criticism is justified. But so what? Let's take the whole banning thing first. Blogs ain't cheap. Heck, I spend way too much money on my little blog and don't make any money on it. Or not much. Less than I spend. And I have a little piss-ant blog. Bigger blogs, like Instapundit, IMAO, Michelle Malkin ... or Little Green Footballs ... cost a lot of money to run. And a lot of time and effort. Heck, if you put your money, sweat, and time into something, you'd feel like you can do what you want with it. And Charles Johnson does. So, why do conservatives get upset about that? We didn't mind when Ronald Reagan said he was paying for the microphone and wasn't going to let others determine how it was used. Why should we mind when Charles Johnson does the same thing? Because he acts like a jerk about it? So what? I've been accused of acting like a jerk. I usually respond with "I'm not acting." What about the attacks on conservatives? Actually, that's nothing new for him. Many of LGF's posts from February 7, 2001 to September 11, 2001 are gone. At least, from what I remember of the posts during that time period. You may not be aware of this, but before the 9/11 attacks, LGF attacked George W. Bush (whom he called by the Molly Ivins-inspired nickname of "shrub."). Not many of those anti-Bush posts remain, but a few are still around: After 9/11, Johnson became a overall supporter of Bush's efforts. Then, there's the whole creation vs evolution thing. Johnson has no respect whatsoever for anyone who believes in creationism, or intelligent design. Many of those banned from LGF cite that topic at the reason. The thing is, not all conservatives believe in evolution, and not all conservatives believe in creationism or intelligent design. Religion is a touchy subject. It makes some people crazy. Some fly planes into buildings on account of it. And some who don't believe in God lump all religious people into the same group, forgetting that it wasn't a bunch of Methodists that flew those planes into buildings. Or Baptists. Or Jews. Or Mormons, Or... well, you get the point. Some atheists and agnostics, though, simply see religion as an area where we don't agree, but don't fight. Johnson, though, has been trashing creationists for some time. It's not a new development: So, those that have been suddenly surprised by the attitudes of Mr. Johnson really shouldn't be surprised. Those that have seen a "long, slow slide" by Mr. Johnson shouldn't be surprised. None of what they are complaining about is new. Those that jumped on the Charles Johnson bandwagon in 2004 (or in September 2001), didn't seem to understand what they were getting into. They didn't read his old stuff. They were all laughing and joking and getting along and never noticed what all was being said or done. You know. Like many Americans with Barack Obama. Now, this is not to say that people should just accept that Charles Johnson is just that way and everything's hunky dory. And that's the punchline... What happened to Charles Johnson? Nothing. He's always been that way. (See? I warned you it might not be worth the wait.)

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-16

  • All you folks picking on poor old Jimmy Carter... he knows racism. Read this: http://bit.ly/DcWtg #tcot #
  • How many race cards are in this deck? #
  • So, ABC knows all about Obama's off-the-record "jackass" remark but knows nothing about ACORN videos? http://bit.ly/A0BQz Why is that? #
  • The ACORN woman who said she killed her abusive husband? I see a Lifetime movie in her future. #
  • When someone does something stupid, call a him an Obama voter. He will get all red-faced and start sputtering. It's hilarious! #
  • If you've thought about drinking Tropical Citrus Vitamin Water while eating an Eskimo Pie, you need to stop thinking that. Seriously. #
  • The ozone hole is smaller http://bit.ly/shf1J Will Congress authorize an ozone hole bailout? #
  • Is any surprised that President Peanut defends President ACORN? #tcot #

Defending Jimmy Carter

Our 39th president made the news again recently. Former president Jimmy Carter, already famous for having an unemployment rate almost as high as Barack Obama's, blamed racism for opposition to Obama. I've met Jimmy Carter. Sure, I've only met him twice, but that's probably more than you've met him. I remember when he was governor of my state. I remember when he was president of my country -- which many of you may not. For what it's worth, I do not think Jimmy Carter was lying. Hold on there, conservatives. Hear me out... I did not say Carter was right. I said he wasn't lying. There's a difference. For instance, if Tweety Bird sees Sylvester and says "I tawt I taw a puddy tat," he'd be wrong. Sylvester isn't a "puddy" ... he's a "tom." Tweety isn't lying; he's simply mistaken. Tweety says "puddy tat" because that's what he knows. And it's the same with Jimmy Carter. He knows racism. His campaign used subtle racist tactics against former governor Carl Sanders in the 1970 gubernatorial race in Georgia. So, I don't think Carter is lying. He's projecting. Politically, there's not a lot of difference between Carter and Obama. Because they are so close on the issues, I believe Carter truly supports Obama's initiatives. And... That means that if Carter opposed Obama, it could only be for one reason: racism. So, he thinks that conservatives oppose Obama because of racism. Like some guy named Frank J. Fleming said, liberals can't imagine any other reason for opposing Obama. One other thing: Obama and Carter aren't completely alike. Obama will stand in front of the United States Congress and lie to America about his health care plan. I really don't think Carter is a liar, though. He's simply wrong. Being wrong doesn't make someone bad. Tweety Bird, for instance, was mistaken about the type of "tat" that Sylverster was. Of course, Tweety Bird is a cartoon. Jimmy Carter is merely cartoonish.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Boycott

A McClatchy Newspapers report out of Washington says that many people have decided they won't visit South Carolina on account of what Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) said:
State and local tourism officials are being flooded by emails and calls from people across the country, saying they won't vacation in South Carolina because they're upset by GOP Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst at President Barack Obama. The officials said that a number of the out-of-state e-mailers have said they've taken beach trips for years in Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and other South Carolina resort areas, but don't plan to return.
Now, though I take pride in my Georgia roots, my family is actually not from Georgia; they're from South Carolina. They didn't move to Georgia until the late 1790s, 20 years after the Revolutionary War; my ancestors fought against the British as members of the South Carolina militia. So I do have a connection with the Palmetto State. So, I'm going to weigh in on the whole "Boycott South Carolina" thing. I'm going to agree with Michelle Malkin that most of the threats are from those that wouldn't go to South Carolina anyway. I wonder how many are already on record for boycotting South Carolina on account of the "Confederate Flag" (which, if you know your history, was never actually used by the Confederacy -- the design is the Confederate Navy Jack while the colors are from the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia -- nor is it the Stars and Bars). I also wonder how many have actually been to South Carolina -- other than to drive through on their way to haul drugs from Florida. And I wouldn't mind one little bit if Democrats or liberals had nothing whatsoever to do with South Carolina. Or Georgia. Or Alabama. Or Florida. Or Tennessee. Or any of 45 other states. Imagine all the good that could come out of such a boycott.

Thoughts for 2009-09-15

  • So, will TBS be running Road House, Ghost and Dirty Dancing all weekend? #
  • So, a jackass called a jackass a jackass? Just so I'm clear on what happened. http://bit.ly/9ebJc #
  • Hell has officially frozen over: Obama and I did the same thing: http://bit.ly/tb9Qq and http://bit.ly/sgcDR I stand by it, though. #
  • SEALs got one! http://bit.ly/E2wwH #
  • The good news is: The last time an economy was this bad, people threw the Democrats out and elected Ronald Reagan #tcot #
  • If we could get liberals to boycott Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and 46 other states, things would get a lot better. #
  • Congress: Thou shalt not call a liar a liar if that liar be president http://bit.ly/iNtnY #
  • Will the House of Representatives rebuke Obama for calling Kanye West a jackass? #tcot #

Monday, September 14, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-14

  • If Glenn Reynolds blogged in Spanish, would his posts say "Jeh"? #
  • Maybe they'll come up with an award for Kanye West. Let me suggest Jackass of the Year. #
  • Boy, how silly are we going to look if it turns out the birthers are right? #
  • Headline: Obama, Clinton eat Italian after Obama's NY speech http:/bit/ly/N9DyO The Italian's family had no comment #

Life

Why are birthdays important to us? That's a silly question. My birthday (in July, by the way) is important to me because I get presents and 24 hours of adulation. But I should get that every day. So there's something else. Because we celebrate birthdays of other people. Today, for instance, is my daughter's birthday. Sure, she's my daughter, and that alone makes her special. And maybe that's it. Seriously. Think about it. To me, she's special. To others in the family, she's special. Because she's the first grandchild -- the firstborn child of me or my sisters? That fact is true of her, but it's not what makes her special. If she had not been first-born grandchild, she'd be just as special as she is. No, what makes her special is ... her. Just being her. If you have children, think about them for a second. What makes them special? Nothing and everything. There's no one thing you can say makes them special. There are silly things you can cite, but they aren't what make that special person special. If that one thing went away, wouldn't they still be special? My children still would be special. Maybe it's that difficult-to-describe bond between a parent and a child. It takes a lot to break that bond. These special people -- children, siblings, parents, spouses, and other family -- are why we do things. Some, we've lost, but we remember the good times with them. Because they're special. They bring joy to our lives. They are the reason we care about the things we care about. The reason we do the things we do. They are our life.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-13

  • Attorney for Army captain suing over Obama's eligibility claims to have Obama's Kenya birth certificate http://bit.ly/296tHv #

Friday, September 11, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-11

  • SunTrust Bank in Columbus lowered the U.S. flag, but didn't properly lower the state flag. Yes, I told them. http://sml.vg/lfXFXB #
  • White House tells CNN "You lie!" http://bit.ly/leyEv #
  • Remember 9/11 by painting a house http://bit.ly/3F9kUv #
  • Is anybody really surprised that with Obama in the White House, 9/11 is no longer Patriot Day? http://bit.ly/2eitO #tcot #
  • If all the crooks and incompetents associated with the administration lost their jobs ... can you say President Shinseki? #
  • Under Bush, every 2 weeks, Al Qaeda's no. 2 died; under Obama, every 2 weeks, the world's oldest person dies http://bit.ly/3LG04o #

9/11

We should not forget ... [Direct YouTube link]

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-10

  • Rep. Joe Wilson did not apologize for calling Obama a liar. He apologized for doing it where he did. And that's okay. #
  • Obama's speech could have been disastrous if Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) hadn't informed the president his pants were on fire. #tcot #
  • How happy is Mark Sanford that he's not the South Carolina Republican everyone's talking about? #
  • So, when do the Palin/Wilson 2012 bumper stickers start showing up? #
  • It's wrong to yell "You lie!" at a Democrat president. It's okay to boo a Republican president, though http://tinyurl.com/l55f9x #
  • The upside of the Joe Wilson controversy is Obama and other Democrats will be met with chants of "You lie!" That oughta be fun. #tcot #

WordPress and the worm

There's a worm going around that attacks WordPress blogs:
This particular worm, like many before it, is clever: it registers a user, uses a security bug (fixed earlier in the year) to allow evaluated code to be executed through the permalink structure, makes itself an admin, then uses JavaScript to hide itself when you look at users page, attempts to clean up after itself, then goes quiet so you never notice while it inserts hidden spam and malware into your old posts.
The way to prevent it is, according to WordPress, upgrade to version 2.8.4 of their software. Actually, version 2.8.3 is not susceptible to the worm. Not this one. But, if you have a WordPress blog running version older than 2.8.3, you are susceptible. And you could be infected. If you have a WordPress blog, and it's hosted at wordpress.com, then you're okay. This is only for WordPress installations on other hosts, and only for versions prior to 2.8.3 of WordPress. Within the last few hours, I found two blogs running older versions of WordPress that had been hit. Here's how to find out if your WordPress blog has been hit...

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

I'm from the government and I'm here to help you

The government has taken over the auto industry, banking, and is looking to take over health care. But has the government done enough? I don't think they have. The government needs to do more. Just like there are people in this country who don't have health care, there are people in this country who are going hungry. Sure, there are food stamps. But there's Medicare and Medicaid for health care assistance, but that's not enough. Just like we need the government to take over health care, we need the government to take over the food industry. We need to raise taxes to pay for a "public option" for restaurants. My vision is for the Obama King restaurant to offer healthy choices for your dining experience. Like tofu. And salads. Lots and lots of salads. And no fried foods. Certainly no meat. A complete vegan menu, consisting of ... plant parts. But do call ahead to avoid the lines. It'll take a year or two for McDonald's, Hardee's, Wendy's, and all the little Mom and Pop restaurants to go out of business as people move to the public option. But, soon enough, the Obama King restaurants will be everywhere. Sure, you might have to wait a while, even if you call ahead. That is, after you are placed on hold for an hour or two, but your call will be answered in the order in which it was received. Speaking of phones, it would be bad for you to have a cell phone when there are plenty of others who don't have a cell phone. We need a public option. The government can provide cellular service. O-Mobile would be available to everyone. But cell phones aren't the only technology area where Americans have a gap. Not everyone has a computer. Sure, lots do, but many Americans don't have a computer. And the government can help, by offering a public option. After a while, there will be no more PCs or Macs. No debate between Windows, OS X, or Linux. Most Americans will own government computers that run one OS: O-S (the Obama System). However, having a government issued computer doesn't mean as much if you don't have Internet access. AT&T, Knology, MediaCom, and the other ISPs don't get the job done. Many people don't have Internet access. A government-run public option would solve that. ObamaNet would allow everyone to be on the Internet. There are just a few of the many, many ways the government can solve your problems by taking control of your life. I mean, if you were really competent to do things for yourself, you wouldn't have elected Obama and the Democrats to power, would you?

Thoughts for 2009-09-09

  • At HuffPo, writer Geoffrey Dunn complains about Palin hiring (wait for it) a writer http://tinyurl.com/nbjzgg TOTUS has not commented #tcot #
  • RT @bhdonovan: To err is human. To really f**k sh*t up, you need government intervention. #tcot #
  • Should I play 999 on the lottery today? Or, in honor if the Beatles, should I wait till tomorrow, since that's the one after 9-09? #
  • I wouldn't mind liberals living in their own little fantasy world if it didn't intrude on my reality. #tcot #

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Get Back

When this little blog launched back in December 2004, It was a Blogger blog. You know, the URL contained blogspot: http://basils.blogspot.com/. I decided to get my own domain name: basilsblog.net was what I chose to use. At the time, there was no capability of having my own domain name on a Blogger blog. And, I wanted some additional functionality I couldn't get from Blogger ... at the time. So, I moved to TypePad, which is based on MovableType. And, it allowed me to have my own domain name. But, TypePad and Network Solutions, who I've used for years, don't play well together. That is, http://www.basilsblog.net/ works with TypePad, but http://basilsblog.net/ does not. Since Network Solutions has been around longer than TypePad (or SixApart, who owns TypePad), I figure that the problem lay with TypePad, since other hosts don't have that issue. So, I decided to go elsewhere. That's when I settled on WordPress. I hosted the blog myself for a bit, then decided I didn't want to be bothered with all the issues that arise with self-hosting. I proved I could, and decided I didn't like it. So, I moved to a hosting service. A couple, actually. No matter what I decide to do, there are issues. Using WordPress.com for hosting (it's free) has some drawbacks. The main ones are:
  • JavaScript isn't allowed.
  • Advertising isn't allowed.
  • Limited (though professional look) templates.
Those are really the only issues with WordPress.com for hosting ... but those make that solution unacceptable to me. Others might have no problem with those issues, but I do. Paying for hosting with, say, Network Solutions has some issues, and they relate to the cost:
  • The cost. True, shared hosting is only about $10/month, which isn't bad. But, that's $120/year. That's acceptable, though.
  • Shared hosting encounters slowdowns from time to time. That's because other Websites are on the same server, hence the "shared hosting" name. Slowdowns happen enough that it's not acceptable to me.
  • Private hosting, which would eliminate the slowdowns associated with shared hosting, costs a lot more. Around 5 times as much. That's too much, considering I make very little money on this blog.
So, even though I really like WordPress, there are some things about it I don't like:
  • Security updates. It's almost as bad as Microsoft Windows. Every time you turn around, there's another security issue with WordPress, and a security update is needed. And, upgrading WordPress isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. Installing fresh is a breeze, but upgrading is a bear.
Another option is: Blogger. Yes, the very hosting platform I used to begin with. But, Blogger in 2004 isn't the same as Blogger in 2009. Blogger now allows your own domain name. That is, with a Blogger blog, I can use my own domain name now. And, for free! But, Blogger doesn't have all the bells and whistles of, say MovableType, TypePad or WordPress. But, it does have a lot of really good features. And, its servers can handle a load.
What's all this mean? There is no good solution. And, for some time, I've kicked around those different options, and it still has the same answer: there is no good solution. Then, it hit me. If, when this little blog first started, Blogger had the functionality it had today, would I have ever moved it? I'm thinking no. Blogger has some really good functionality, and I can have my own domain name for free. And that was the reason I moved in the first place. So, I'm moving it back to Blogger. There will be some issues with links breaking, but I'm slowly working those issues out. Spam filters aren't as sophisticated with Blogger as with WordPress, but they do offer registration for comments. Yeah, that's a little more troublesome overall for users wanting to leave a comment, but it sure keeps trolls away. TrackBacks and Pingbacks don't work with Blogger, but since it's owned by Google, it automatically uses Google technology to list links to the blog (called Backlinks). Not as immediate at TrackBacks or Pingbacks, but more certain; there's no TrackBack Spam. Again, not perfect. But, if Blogger had been this way all along, I'd never have left. Now, I'm back.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-05

  • Driving thru Atlanta with DragonCon, NCAA football and Braves baseball traffic is stupid. Yes, I'm stupid. #
  • Going to the Mall of Georgia with five females is stupid. Yes, I'm stupid. #
  • Madonna’s pilgrimage to Israel hits a sticky patch http://bit.ly/BGv6L Actually, it's not unusual for Madonna to have a sticky patch #

Friday, September 4, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-04

  • Unemployment at highest rate in 26 years http://bit.ly/YpKkN You asked for Hope and Change, you got it! #tcot #
  • Unemployment is at a 26-year high because of a misunderstanding. Obama was promising "hopeless change" and you just heard him wrong. #
  • Biden thinks he's president now http://bit.ly/Ap6n3 #
  • Season Pass night at Six Flags. Small lines, cooler weather, and no Deliveance-type people. Except for me. #

Job losses

The job numbers for August are out. And they don't look good. Unemployment is now at 9.7% -- the highest it's been since 1983. The "underemployment rate" -- the unemployed rate plus part-time workers who prefer a full-time position plus people who want work but have given up looking for a job -- is at 16.8 percent, a record. What does all this mean? Obviously, nearly 1 in 10 Americans are out of work. But what else does it mean? It means that the wrong people are losing their jobs. We need to fire some elected officials. I'm thinking the entire Obama administration would be a good place to start. But then, I said don't hire those rascals to begin with. But did America listen to me? No. 52% of American voters went and did something stupid. Oh, sure. They were frustrated. They didn't like how things were. But not putting any thought into a solution is a bad solution. So, we have unemployment near 10%. I think we ought to give Congress a 10% unemployment rate. That would mean 10 Senators losing their jobs. And 43 or 44 Representatives being sent packing. Some say to throw them all out. But, as a Representative said yesterday, there are downsides to doing that. Remember, that's basically what happened to put Obama in office: a desire to get rid of who was there. They seemed to forget that Bush wasn't running for a third term. Stupid Obama voters. So, which 10% of Congress should be unemployed? Oh, I have some ideas. Senators who are up for reelection in 2010: Harry Reid (D-NV) Boxer, Barbara (D-CA) Dodd, Christopher J. (D-CT) Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) Patty Murray (D-WA) Schumer, Charles E. (D-NY) Specter, Arlen (D-PA) Leahy, Patrick J. (D-VT) Lincoln, Blanche L. (D-AR) Representatives: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Barney Frank (D-MA) Steve Cohen (D-TN) Corrine Brown (D-FL) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) Maxine Waters (D-CA) Charles Rangel (D-NY) Jim Moran (D-VA) ...Oh heck, I could go on and on with Representatives. But I'd start with this group. If 10% of Congress lost their jobs ... the most useless 10% ... then unemployment might not be a bad thing after all. Imagine this group having to work for a living. Or even trying to find a job.

Rogers town hall meeting report

I visited a town hall meeting that Alabama 3rd District Congressman Mike Rogers held in Phenix City yesterday. Fortunately for me, it was from where I work, across the river in Columbus. [Direct YouTube link]

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Congressman says don't "Clean House"

At a gathering in Phenix City, Alabama on Wednesday, U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL) told voters that it would be a mistake to throw out the entire Congress and start over. The 4-term Alabama Republican said that, while it wouldn't him personally if he lost his Congressional seat as part of a massive "Cleaning House" backlash by voters, the voters of his state would ultimately suffer if they did the same to the state's two Senators. [Direct YouTube link] Earlier, Rogers blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's ego for the Cap and Trade bill that passed the House of Representatives. He said the bill would die in the Senate, and the Upper House would propose its own "more reasonable" bill.

Rogers blames Pelosi's ego for Cap and Trade

Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL) told a crowd in Phenix City, AL, that the recent Cap and Trade bill that passed the House of Representatives was pushed through because of the ego of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: [Direct YouTube link] Rogers was in Phenix City as part of his "Congress on the Corner" program he traditionally conducts across Alabama's 3rd District. Attendance was much higher than norma, Rogers said, because of the interest in health care and others issues before the Congress.

Thoughts for 2009-09-03

  • I don't know if it's Network Solutions or what. But the URLs for the blog aren't resolving properly. #
  • If the government can't pay car dealers on time for Cash For Clunkers, will Obamacare pay your doctor on time? If not, then what? #tcot #
  • ObamaCare Supporter Bites Off Finger Of Protester http://bit.ly/lL2KX Proof that if you support Obamacare, you're a cannibal! #tcot #
  • Just left a "town hall" with Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL). Mostly his supporters. Opponents were few and well-haved. Nobody lost a finger. #
  • Obamacare supporters want to eat your soul. But they'll settle for a finger. #tcot #
  • Mexican for supper. Actually, a bunch of them. It's Mariachi night at Wife's favorite Mexican restaurant. #

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Thoughts for 2009-09-02

  • POTUS to address students. But will every parent go along? http://bit.ly/1oTVQE #
  • Connecticut Democrat state legislators play solitaire during budget debate http://bit.ly/CXQ8x Most productive thing they've ever done #
  • Harry Reid says Kennedy death "going to help us" http://bit.ly/6OIDt If only he could have helped in July, 1969 #
  • If alcoholism is the nation's top health issue, will Obamacare lead to the nationalization of the liquor industry? #
  • "Shock" over hazing at U.S. Embassy in Kabul http://bit.ly/2AkeF8 Obama to announce U.S. pullout of all U.S. embassies #
  • Organized chaos isn't as much fun as it sounds. #
  • Man arrested for slapping stranger's crying child in Walmart http://bit.ly/t7Ai6 On a positive note, it worked. #
  • Booze and hookers at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul http://bit.ly/i5DhB Obama regrets naming Bender as Ambassador #
  • The Hardee's French Dip Thickburger. Proof that meat is a condiment. #

Who can take a rainbow...

A friend of mine passed this my way. I hadn't seen it before. Now, it may be my age showing, but I remember when "The Candyman" was a new song. Enjoy... [Direct YouTube link]

Fair? Balanced? Does it matter?

I've mentioned before -- I'm sure I have -- that years ago, I used to do news for a small south Georgia radio station. Not that I was any good. But I did give it my best shot. That fact that I'm not doing that for a living today says something about just how good I was. Or wasn't. Still, I learned that you try to do the news straight. There's news. And there's opinion. Sports has a bit of both. Weather, too, to be honest. But news? Just the facts. Leave opinion out of it. And try to play it straight. You don't see that anymore. Not much, anyway. But is it fair to criticize a news reporter for his story? Or her story? After all, they're human. They have opinions. But, they shouldn't let their opinions interfere with their jobs. Do they? Yes, some do. Actually, a lot do. It's rare that reporters don't. At least, on the national level. But is the criticism fair? If a reporter files a story on a topic about which you have strong feelings, are you going to say the reporter is playing it straight if the reports seems to support your opinion? Or will you say the reporter is biased if the story contradicts your opinion? Is the bias in the eye of the beholder? I believe that sometimes it is. But, I also believe that often, the reporter isn't reporting, but editorializing. Let's conduct a little experiment, shall we? Look at my recent post on a DNC-sponsored rally in Columbus, Georgia. The rally was organized by a DNC-sponsored group that calls itself a grassroots organization. Yeah, I wrote my opinion of that earlier. But, take three minutes and look at my report. Ignore the poor quality of the video and the audio. I have an old, hand-held JVC camcorder, not some fancy camera like the local TV stations have. And, I have that south Georgia accent. Plus, built-in microphone on an overtaxed MacBook. The quality of the audio and video aside, look at the content. Did I report it straight? Heck, compare it against a report I did on a July 4th Tea Party rally. Did I favor one side or the other? If you've read anything I've written, you may have picked up how I personally feel. But, looking just at the reports, did I report it fairly? Was it balanced? If I didn't report it straight, then it shows just how hard it is to keep personal bias out. Keep that in mind when you watch a real reporter. (Here's an example of what I see as a fairly balanced report from an actual reporter.) But... if I did report it straight, that brings up the question: why can't others do it, if some old, fat, gray-haired loudmouth white guy (me, not Ted Kennedy) can? Then again, does it matter? At least, does it matter whether or not I report something fair and balanced? I mean, I'm a blogger. And if you read this blog for news, then something is seriously wrong with you. Or something is seriously wrong with the state of traditional news reporting. One or the other.

DNC-organized grassroots rally

Around the country, many protests against the health care bill in Congress have been held. The Democrats have criticized the protests, calling them "astroturf" -- fake grassroots -- protests. Tuesday, in Columbus, the Democrats staged their own rally, this one in support of the health care bill: [YouTube direct link] The Columbus Tea Party is planning a protest on September 12.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Liberal speak: "organized by the DNC" is "grass roots"

All the tea parties, all the protests at the town hall meetings, protests outside the offices of Congressmen ... What does the DNC call those? "Astroturf." You know, appears to be a "grass roots" movement, but isn't. Having covered a rally by one of these conservative groups (the Columbus Georgia Tea Party), I've seen the hand-made signs and other things done on a budget. The kind of things that are done when individuals, not large organizations, are doing the work. Still, the Democrats call this fake grass roots -- "astroturfing." However, when the Democratic Party organizes a rally, it's "grass roots." Last night, the DNC sent a news release out to several in the local media. The Albany (GA) Herald got one, and reported it, including getting a response from an opponent of the proposed health care bill. A bit closer to where I am, the DNC is planning a pro-health care protest at the Columbus office of Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
As Members of Congress get ready to head back to Washington, Organizing for America (OFA), a grassroots project of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) dedicated to supporting the President’s agenda for change, will hold a rally Tuesday, September 1, 11:30 a.m. in Columbus outside of U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop’s office, 18 19th St., highlighting the strong support throughout Georgia for health insurance reform now and the importance of getting it done this year. Ga. Rep. Caroline Hugley will speak.
Yeah, you read that right. A "grass roots project of the DNC." And the tea parties are astroturf? In George Orwell's 1984, New Speak had "peace is war , love is hate, freedom is slavery..." In 2009, the Democrats declare that organized is grass roots, and individuals are astroturf. Seems Orwell was 25 years off.