Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Pot Shots


[Source: Lisa Benson - GoComics]

Boycott!

The boycott that liberals called on Chick-Fil-A last year certainly made an impact.

The Atlanta food chain released figures at the request of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- the chain is private and doesn't have to release numbers -- and here's what they showed: sales were up 14% to $4.6-billion, and the company opened 96 new stores.

Now, to be sure, the AJC is taking the approach that all this good financial news happened despite the boycott. The AJC is a liberal paper -- not as liberal as some, but way too liberal for my tastes -- and spins stories to their point of view.

Still, sales up 14%? 96 new stores providing lots of new jobs?

I wish someone would boycott me.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Comic of the Day - News!


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

Goodbye Netflix

I finally dropped Netflix.

Okay, I still have Netflix, but streaming only. I dropped the disk service.

A lot of people got all upset with Netflix a year and a half ago when they dropped the bundle package. That's where you could get streaming and disks for something like $10/month. When they did away with the bundling, the cost of streaming and disk went up $6 month. And a lot of people were really ticked off. I wasn't. I expected it. I knew streaming was the future and that disks were becoming a drain.

I kept the service because it was the only way to watch some movies. You see, not everything Netflix carries is in their streaming catalog. Some movies and TV shows are only available on disk. And, I had a lot of stuff in my DVD queue, so I kept the disk service.

A few months ago, I asked myself, I said, "Self, how many of those movies or TV shows do you really want to watch?" And the answer was, "About half."

So, the one's I didn't care to watch, I removed. Some had come available on streaming and I put those in my streaming queue. And, some were actually available on Amazon Prime (got that for shipping years ago; Amazon added some video streaming content a year or two ago), and those I added to my Amazon Instant Video Watchlist.

This past month, the DVDs in the queue got down to a small number, and I canceled the service. They continued to send DVDs in the queue until the service month was up. Well, it's up. And I no longer get DVDs from Netflix. There were five DVDs in the queue when the cancellation took effect. The fact that I don't even remember what they were means it won't be a great loss.

Still, I think I'll miss my DVDs. Of course, I also miss my Tandy 1000 computer, but wouldn't trade my MacBook Pro for it.

Now, I no longer have to walk all the way over to the TV to put a disk into the DVD player. And, if I'm sitting on the couch eating a sammich when I want to watch a movie, I no longer have to worry about getting mayonnaise on the disk.

The Roku remote could use a cleaning, though.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Fill 'er up, eh?

Photo: Canadian Space Agency
An orbiting robot gas station ran a successful test refueling of a mock satellite. That's the word from a report this past week:
Dextre, a twin-armed robot from Canada, topped off the fuel tank in the mockup, showing how satellites' life can be extended, according to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Operating on the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) module, Dextre removed safety caps and cut through retaining wires before transferring liquid ethanol to the mockup, which is about the size of a washing machine.
That's right. The Canadian Space Agency. Not NASA.

Now, I have nothing against our friends to the north. I've not spent a lot of time in Canada, but have visited. The places I went were nice. The only problem I found is they don't know how to make breakfast sausage. Every breakfast I ate there has sausage that tasted like sawdust.

And now, a country that can't even make breakfast right is able to make robot gas stations in space while the U.S. space program is canceling programs and focusing on Muslim outreach.

I'm thinking we wouldn't be in this situation if we had an American president. Or Democrats who actually loved America.

Forward!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - BS


[Source: Mike Lester - GoComics]

Get locked up for unlocking your phone

Image: Herald-Dispatch
This is a long story. Let me get to the part you might care about so you can read it and go on about your business.

The Librarian of Congress has decreed that unauthorized unlocking of a mobile phone is a criminal offense. Not jailbreaking, mind you; that's still legal. But unlocking the phone to use on another carrier.

It's no longer an issue between you and your carrier. It's now a federal offense. That's authorized because of the part of the Constitution where the Founding Fathers were concerned about AT&T losing your business to Walmart. I'm sure it's in there. Just ask any liberal.

Anyway, this could have impacted me late last year. And that's the long story I'm gonna tell you. If you stick around for it.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Cartoon of the day - Bolder


[Source: Steve Kelley - GoComics]

Train of thought

Alfred_Ely_Beach
What's the fastest-growing cause of death in New York City?

Consider this: in 2012, there were 55 deaths by this cause; if this year's pace continues, 2013 will record 116 deaths.

The cause? Subways.

No, not the sandwich shop, the transportation method.

While that's not as many people as are killed by other means, it's one of the fastest-growing causes of death, according to information in a CBS report.

When will liberals call for a ban on subways? I mean, that's the next step, right? Only, how would they do it?

Ban high-capacity trains? Require a permit to own a subway token?

That's your task: using liberal logic (?!), tell us how a liberal would handle the increase in subway deaths.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - The Dance


[Source: Lisa Benson - GoComics]

Getting your hack on

The White House wants you hackers to hack.

Yep, on June 1 and 2, they want you to participate in a National Day of Civic Hacking. They're wanting hackers to participate in all 50 states. As I write this, 27 cities are participating, including 5 in Georgia, counting Columbus (where I am).

I don't see Boise on the list, so I don't know if Frank is going to participate. I think Harvey is within 100 miles of one of them, but I don't know if he's going to participate. It's a weekend, so people that have Monday-Friday jobs will be able to play along.

Am I going to participate? I don't know. A lot, but not all, of the computer hacky types around here are goofy liberals. I might show up just to piss them off.

Anyway, if you were to participate, what would you do?

How would you "hack for a cause?"

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Sanzaru? Me o tsubutte!


[Source: Michael Ramirez - GoComics]

Not your every day, ordinary stripper fight

Two strippers in Juneau, Wisconsin got into a fight over a dollar.

Now, I know times are tough, but two strippers fighting over a dollar? It happens. I suppose.

What's unusual about this.... Notice that so far, we're talking about two strippers fighting over a dollar, and I'm saying this isn't the unusual part. I'm not an expert on stripper fights, but I suspect that two strippers fighting over a dollar is kinda rare in and of itself. No, there's more. One of the strippers is pregnant.

Now, I have no idea how pregnant the stripper is, but apparently there's a market for pregnant strippers.

Of course, it is under Obama's watch -- into its fifth year, now -- that the economy got so bad that strippers, including one with child, are fighting over a dollar. So, if you're into that kinda thing, this is how the economy is getting better. For a dollar, some guy got to watch two strippers (one pregnant) tear each other's hair out.

Forward!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Liars


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963
Because of people like Barack Obama and the Democrat Party, it will remain only a dream.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Shields


[Source: Mike Lester - GoComics]

Belief

Image: The Wearing Of The Grin © 1951 Warner Bros.
Did you hear that Megan Fox believes in leprechauns? She tells Esquire, "We should all believe in leprechauns. I'm a believer."

She also tells Esquire that believes in Big Foot, aliens, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Bell Witch (whatever the hell that is).

Now, before we all start picking on her, let's consider what a lot of other Hollywood types believe:
  • Obama is smart
  • Christians hate gays
  • America is evil
  • Guns, not bad people, are the problem
  • People who aren't them shouldn't have protection
  • They matter
So, as much as I snicker about Ms. Fox's belief in fairies and monsters, I think those kinds of silly beliefs won't bankrupt the economy.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Victim


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

Token resistance

Photo: http://monopoly.wikia.com/
I love playing Monopoly. It's really fun and really frustrating.

One of my prize possessions is one of the anniversary editions of the game that included some really cool things like wooden houses and hotels, plus extra tokens. The kids gave it to me several years ago. I got some awesome kids.

Anyway, like I was saying, I love the game. But Hasbro, who owns the game, is getting ready to do away with one of the tokens.

They can't just add a new token, like has been done over the years, they have to do away with a token. And, one of my favorites is on the chopping block.

Hasbro is taking votes for the token to keep. Currently, my favorite token, Top Hat, has the next to fewest votes. Wheelbarrow is in last place.

The tokens up for replacement are:
  • Race Car
  • Thimble
  • Shoe
  • Dog
  • Battleship
  • Top Hat
  • Iron
  • Wheelbarrow
Which makes me wonder: where are Cannon and Horse & Rider? Did they already do away with them? Was it because they have military connections? And why didn't I know about this?

Anyway, they are voting for new tokens. One of those will replace the classic token:
  • Robot
  • Diamond Ring
  • Cat
  • Helicopter
  • Guitar
Here's what they look like:
Image from https://apps.facebook.com/saveyourtoken/
But, are these really good tokens to add to the Monopoly game? Are there any better ones that could be used?

What do you think would be good tokens to add to Monopoly?

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - None for you


[Source: Glenn McCoy - GoComics]

The largest

Photo: NASA / ESA / Andrew C. Fabian / Remco C. E. van den Bosch (MPIA)
Scientists have found a really large thing in a distant galaxy. They took a year to study and recheck the data, and they're pretty convinced that this really big things exists.

The galaxy known as NGC 1277 -- though I don't think the people that live there call it that -- is about 250 million light years from Earth. In the middle of it, is a really large black hole.
The giant black hole is about 11 times as wide as the orbit of Neptune around our sun, researchers said. The mass is so far above normal that the scientists took a year to double-check and submit their research paper for publication, according to the study's lead author, Remco van den Bosch.
Now, unless you just happen to know the size of the orbit of Neptune, all you can know is that it's pretty big. My math is that Neptune's orbit is around 5.6 zillion miles. Maybe billion -- I'm not that good at math. And 11 times that is ... well, it's a lot.

And that's a black hole. The thing is huge.

But, is it the largest thing there is?

I think not. I can think of a few things that might be larger, either in size or mass.

Like what? I'm glad you asked.
  • The debt
  • Obama's ego
  • Liberal stupidity
  • The handbasket the country is going to hell in
  • Your tax bill
  • Next year's debt
What did I miss? Ideas?

Monday, January 14, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Becoming a target


[Source: Mike Lester - GoComics]

I just don't understand the liberal mindset. Maybe there's nothing to understand and, as they say, liberalism is a mental disorder.

Too late to get an iPhone now

It's over, iPhone. Pack it up. Throw in the towel. You're history.

Well, to hear teens talk, that's the story, at least according to Forbes:
"Teens are telling us Apple is done," says Tina Wells of the youth marketing agency Buzz Marketing Group. "Apple has done a great job of embracing Gen X and older [Millennials], but I don’t think they are connecting with Millennial kids. [They’re] all about Surface tablets/laptops and Galaxy."
The problem seems to be that parents are getting the newer iPhones and iPads, while giving the kids the older models. So, kids want the Samsung Galaxy S III phone or the Microsoft Surface tablet. That doesn't mean they're getting one of those, just that's what the kids want. On the other hand, Apple has cut orders for iPhone 5 parts.

If you never joined the iPhone brigade, it's too late now, if you want to be seen as one of the cool kids.

Because I always make my several-hundred-dollar purchases based on what some 14-year-old thinks.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Lost


[Source: Lisa Benson - GoComics]

It never had a chance anyway

NASA says we needn't worry about that astroid hitting Earth in 2036. That's the good news.

If you remember, in 2004, scientists discovered an astroid they named Apophis, and were concerned that it might hit Earth during one of its flybys. Now, they say that while it'll be a close encounter, it won't be a deadly one:
"With the new data provided by the Magdalena Ridge [New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology] and the Pan-STARRS [Univ. of Hawaii] optical observatories, along with very recent data provided by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, we have effectively ruled out the possibility of an Earth impact by Apophis in 2036," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL. "The impact odds as they stand now are less than one in a million, which makes us comfortable saying we can effectively rule out an Earth impact in 2036. Our interest in asteroid Apophis will essentially be for its scientific interest for the foreseeable future."

The April 13, 2029, flyby of asteroid Apophis will be one for the record books. On that date, Apophis will become the closest flyby of an asteroid of its size when it comes no closer than 19, 400 miles (31,300 kilometers) above Earth's surface.
Personally, I was never worried. After Obama's reelection, I'm thinking won't be a civilization left for Apophis to destroy.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - 3 of a Kind


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

Helping Obama

In Chapin, South Carolina, a Chapin High School (go Eagles!) English teacher took down an American flag and stomped on it.

The story doesn't identify the teacher, and it says it's not entirely clear why the teacher did it, but the students will have a permanent replacement for the rest of the year.

The suspended teacher hasn't commented on the situation. However, he should take comfort. He's now at the top of Obama's short list to be the new Secretary of Education.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - The Problem


[Source: Steve Kelley - GoComics]

Let's send a B-Ark

Now scientists think that there may be 17-billion Earth-size planets in our galaxy. That's a U.S. billion, which is 17 followed by 9 zeroes.

Now, just because a planet is Earth-size doesn't mean it will support life. Look at Venus, the nearest planet to Earth. It's just about the same size as Earth, but its average temperature is 872° F (467° C for you scientist types and Europeans), which is hot, even for someone from the south.

Still, 17-billion? That's a lot of planets. Maybe we'll find one that's habitable.

And, if we do, we need to figure out how to send a B-Ark with all the liberals on it.

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the Golgafrincham sent their useless people off into space. For those that don't know the story -- and shame on you if you don't! -- the Golgafrincham told of impending doom, and the population would be sent off into space in three giant space arks, with the A-Ark containing the leaders and achievers, the C-Ark containing people who did the actual work, and the B-Ark containing, well, the rest. Of course, the B-Ark was sent off first, and the rest of the population remained behind, rid of the nuisances.

Which means this information about there being 17-billion Earth-size planets? We can use this.

We need to come up with some story that the liberals will believe -- I don't think being eaten by a mutant Star Goat will do -- and send them off.

Maybe tell them we found a planet populated with baby seals. Or a planet with free Obamaphones and food stamps. We need to come up with something.

Keep in mind, we don't need to wait until we find another habitable planet. We just need ideas to get them to agree to all pile into a big ship we can send off into deep space.

Ideas?

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Crisis Averted


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

Instead of a helmet...

As a gag gift -- I think it was a gag gift -- Hillary Clinton received a football helmet when she returned to her job at the State Department.

She also got a football jersey, but the helmet, I suppose, represented the fact that she fell and hit her head recently. With that helmet protecting her, at least she'll stay conscious long enough to testify, I suppose.

Anyway, my first thought was of the character that Mike Meyers used to play on Saturday Night Live, Philip, the hyperactive, hypoglycemic kid ("I'm hyper hypo!"), who wore a helmet and a harness.

A helmet might not be a bad idea for members of the Obama administration. Of course, I'm thinking a leash might be better for the whole lot of them.

And a muzzle.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Crisis


[Source: Lisa Benson - GoComics]

RUR

I have always been fascinated by robots. I'd laugh at the silly robots from some of the early science fiction films I saw on TV, although I loved the Class M-3 Model B9, General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Robot from Lost In Space.

I never thought of the Tin Woodsman from The Wizard of Oz as a robot, but I suppose he was. Maybe not. The chick in Metropolis was definitely a robot, though she didn't look like it for most of the film.

The robots in a lot of Isaac Asimov's stories and novels were always lots of fun to read about.

I even liked Johnny Five from Short Circuit -- though the robot was cooler than the movie.

Of course, I had a Rock'Em Sock'Em Robots game when I was a kid.

I'm not sure what fascinated me about robots. Was it their near-human appearance that was both frightening and fascinating? Was it the idea that a robot could do work I didn't want to do? Like Rosie from The Jetsons?

Not consciously, but maybe, in the back of my mind, that was there.

There has been an advancement in robotics. No, they haven't turned a Roomba into Rosie just yet. They've made a robot that can vomit.

Seriously.

They're studying how the spray can pass along viruses or something else just as disgusting.

That's a pretty specialized use for a vomiting robot. But, it still has applications beyond the laboratory. If I had one, I'd have it sit in front of the TV and watch Obama, and then vomit in disgust, so I wouldn't have to.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Winning


[Source: Michael Ramirez - Investors.com]

It's all about winning. It's not about doing what is right. It's not about what is doing what is best for the country. It's about winning. And the other side losing.

Any questions?

A question. Or two.

Now that Current TV has been purchases by Al-Jazeera, will Current TV become more or less anti-American?

I wonder if MSNBC is up for sale?

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Cartoon of the Day - Liberty


[Source: Gary Varvel - GoComics]

Loaded for Bear RINO

So, Congress has up and passes Obama's plan. The one where they'll raise taxes on 77% of Americans.

How did your Congressman vote? Find out here.

Mine voted "no." Good Congressman.

What about those that voted "yes?" Well, I'm thinking next election, a RINO hunt may be in order.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Resolutions for 2013

I hereby resolve to:
  • be tolerant of liberals
  • not call everyone who voted for Obama a moron
  • not throw rocks at the neighbors' dogs
  • not make fun of rednecks
  • not make fun of yankees
  • not call everyone who voted for Obama an idiot
  • be a role model for the children
  • compliment people more often
  • not call everyone who voted for Obama a dumbass
  • sprout wings and fly
I shall achieve them all with equal success! Happy New Year!

Cartoon of the Day - Blame


[Source: Lisa Benson - GoComics]