Friday, December 31, 2004
see you next year
It's been mostly a pretty good year for those of us that have survived it. Pretty damn decent if a critter brought up from infancy with a load of shit programmed into it's head hasn't tried to bomb, shoot, or otherwise render you into fungus food. Damn nice if the 17 hurricanes missed and the tsunami went elsewhere.
Let's look on the bright side. If you're reading this, the above doesn't count. All three of my loyal readers have families, and hopefully they are still intact. Meself, well, this year I've only had to bury one old friend. Blood family hasn't reported in for many years, by now it's probably for the better.
On the very bright side, Ms. Heinz-Kerry isn't First Lady! Whew! Gawd, I sweated that possible nightmare. Do you have any idea who would have been prez? The fact that that nightmare didn't occur is reason enough for a celebration this eve of the new year. Lots of probs with GWB, lots of time to fuss and get things done better. No more politics tonight.
* * * * * *
Two hours from this typing will mark the first kiss from the mother of my children. 29 years ago. I sure miss the kids. Haven't seen either of the survivors since July 22, 1985. Last week I had 3rd-hand news my first-born got a PhD in chem from Cornell. In years past I got the same stuff with him being an undergrad at some uni somewhere in Washington state. Trust me, the various 'people searches' are about as useful as praying for rain in the Atacama. Finding number 2 son, the only one I've heard from (5 years ago) has been a true exercize in futility. If a young male reads this, whatever you do before asking the love of your life to marry you, check out HER mother. You are marrying her probably more than likely closer than your sweet young thang. My example of disaster is on the high side of the bell curve but should be shown as a lecture series in "what not to do". 'nuff
* * * * * *
Retired Rustbucket from service this afternoon. It's been parked between the shop and house since 2 Mondays past, collecting debris from the series of 'canes, minor stuff too old to occupy the 40, and the 12 gallon trash bag of household waste dating back before Halloween. The old booger lit up like a trooper and undoubtably woke up a few drunks in adjacent counties that started early. I spent the next 2 hours having a fine time talking with an old buddy at the transfer station. Good times can be had at the dump if you know the right people. I've a comment, amusing observation, but it's political. para 1 states no.
One hour from now will be the official New Year in NYC. I've a bag of good stuff to present with my comments, some already written. Some are amusing, one is something most of us wanted to know about, and another is the start of a posting that's been in the can since before I started this blog.
Right now, I'm going to put on my boots, pick up the flashlight, and hike over to where Grace Fitzgerald and I used to sit in the evening time after Jacob Arthur Bauer was born.
Let's look on the bright side. If you're reading this, the above doesn't count. All three of my loyal readers have families, and hopefully they are still intact. Meself, well, this year I've only had to bury one old friend. Blood family hasn't reported in for many years, by now it's probably for the better.
On the very bright side, Ms. Heinz-Kerry isn't First Lady! Whew! Gawd, I sweated that possible nightmare. Do you have any idea who would have been prez? The fact that that nightmare didn't occur is reason enough for a celebration this eve of the new year. Lots of probs with GWB, lots of time to fuss and get things done better. No more politics tonight.
* * * * * *
Two hours from this typing will mark the first kiss from the mother of my children. 29 years ago. I sure miss the kids. Haven't seen either of the survivors since July 22, 1985. Last week I had 3rd-hand news my first-born got a PhD in chem from Cornell. In years past I got the same stuff with him being an undergrad at some uni somewhere in Washington state. Trust me, the various 'people searches' are about as useful as praying for rain in the Atacama. Finding number 2 son, the only one I've heard from (5 years ago) has been a true exercize in futility. If a young male reads this, whatever you do before asking the love of your life to marry you, check out HER mother. You are marrying her probably more than likely closer than your sweet young thang. My example of disaster is on the high side of the bell curve but should be shown as a lecture series in "what not to do". 'nuff
* * * * * *
Retired Rustbucket from service this afternoon. It's been parked between the shop and house since 2 Mondays past, collecting debris from the series of 'canes, minor stuff too old to occupy the 40, and the 12 gallon trash bag of household waste dating back before Halloween. The old booger lit up like a trooper and undoubtably woke up a few drunks in adjacent counties that started early. I spent the next 2 hours having a fine time talking with an old buddy at the transfer station. Good times can be had at the dump if you know the right people. I've a comment, amusing observation, but it's political. para 1 states no.
One hour from now will be the official New Year in NYC. I've a bag of good stuff to present with my comments, some already written. Some are amusing, one is something most of us wanted to know about, and another is the start of a posting that's been in the can since before I started this blog.
Right now, I'm going to put on my boots, pick up the flashlight, and hike over to where Grace Fitzgerald and I used to sit in the evening time after Jacob Arthur Bauer was born.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
will this go anywhere?
In light of the article linked earlier, I wonder what will happen to this?
Discovery of compound could enhance cancer treatments with fewer side effects
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The discovery of a new compound by Michigan State University researchers could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments for different types of cancers – potentially with fewer side effects.
The discovery of the compound – known as SP-4-84 – was made by an MSU team led by Jetze Tepe, an assistant professor of chemistry, and is detailed in the December issue of the journal Chemistry & Biology.
The researchers believe that the compound, when used in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and camptothecin, can make the anti-cancer drugs much more effective.
“This may potentially mean that one could use less than one-tenth of the current drug dosage and still get the same therapeutic results – but fewer side effects – or use the same drug dosage which is now much more effective in its treatment,” Tepe said.
Even though this new compound is in the earliest stage of development, this is potentially good news for the millions of Americans diagnosed with cancer every year. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than a half-million Americans die of cancer every year, second only to heart disease." (snip)
You might want to read the rest, it's very promising. Only one of the four friends of mine in recent times survived chemo, the other three were buried bald and wasted from the side effects. After you read it, pay attention to the scads of malpractice shysters advertizing on your teevee and next time out, admire the roadside billboards touting their "services". You might want to see how many of your legislators are involved in the status quo as well.
Discovery of compound could enhance cancer treatments with fewer side effects
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The discovery of a new compound by Michigan State University researchers could lead to improved chemotherapy treatments for different types of cancers – potentially with fewer side effects.
The discovery of the compound – known as SP-4-84 – was made by an MSU team led by Jetze Tepe, an assistant professor of chemistry, and is detailed in the December issue of the journal Chemistry & Biology.
The researchers believe that the compound, when used in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and camptothecin, can make the anti-cancer drugs much more effective.
“This may potentially mean that one could use less than one-tenth of the current drug dosage and still get the same therapeutic results – but fewer side effects – or use the same drug dosage which is now much more effective in its treatment,” Tepe said.
Even though this new compound is in the earliest stage of development, this is potentially good news for the millions of Americans diagnosed with cancer every year. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than a half-million Americans die of cancer every year, second only to heart disease." (snip)
You might want to read the rest, it's very promising. Only one of the four friends of mine in recent times survived chemo, the other three were buried bald and wasted from the side effects. After you read it, pay attention to the scads of malpractice shysters advertizing on your teevee and next time out, admire the roadside billboards touting their "services". You might want to see how many of your legislators are involved in the status quo as well.
tgio
Miss me? I didn't think so! I'd have liked to have missed me for the last week or so. It seems each time I get into town I wind up shortly thereafter with a case of whatever all those snortin', hacking, coughing folk in the stores have. Woke up Saturday morning with a throat so sore I had a hard time swallowing my own spit. Didn't help that it had started raining the previous day, cold and miserable with me out in it, even colder and constant rain all Saturday and most of Sunday with the highs for both days never making it out of the 30's. After a few days of running most of two rolls of Angel Soft under my nose, felt good enough yesterday to haul out the chainsaw and whack up the limbs overhanging the drive and stacking them in the firewood rack. My poor old garden cart, which I'd built out of some old signboards and scraps back in '87, had finally pretty-much become compost. It got hauled down to the shop for a rebuild after deciding bringing wood in the house armload by armload wasn't much fun, that's this evening's job. Goody! I get to play with power tools again! ...probably be a good idea to rip an old tee shirt into bandages and find a jug of alcohol ahead of time...
The choice of tackling the driveway tree was mostly due to the first expected shipment from the oh-so-unreliable UPS in several years here rather than a drop-ship to wherever they usually drop-ship my stuff to be lost forever. I wanted to be able to hear the van when it possibly rumbled down the road and perhaps attempt diverting the driver to turn down my lane for a change. He did, had a nice talk with him on future shipments, opened my package and found a green bottle inside. Can't wait for the remains of my case of the snots to wear off so it can be properly savored...
* * * * * *
Back on October 18 and October 23 , I was ranting about lawyers and our medical "system" being rendered less effective. However, I doubt if there is any way to repair it even with serious tort reform that includes a looser-pays policy until the welfare mentality of the majority (yes, I meant majority) of the population changes. It won't. People are used to it. Lawyers love it. Insurance companies just raise rates, doesn't bother them a fig. Docs bitch but I doubt they really care a lot as the cost is just passed along and their only real howl is the demonization they wind up wearing with the endless misery of having to practice the very-expensive-for-the-patient defensive medicine to cut down on the inevitable malpractice shit.
Love them or hate them, this latest misery for the pharmaceutical companies is really going to cost us and not just in the wallet.
Fear about painkillers hobbles key research
By Rob Stein
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — The spate of bad news about painkillers has dealt a major setback to what had been a highly promising effort to use the drugs to prevent a host of leading killers, including many types of cancer, Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Since concerns emerged that drugs such as Vioxx and Celebrex might cause heart attacks and strokes, researchers testing the drugs in dozens of studies have been frantically scouring whatever data they have gathered for signs of danger, urgently debating whether the trials should continue, and quickly informing participants of possible risks.
Several large studies have shut down fully or partially, including trials for preventing colon cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer's and, just last week, two large international studies evaluating Celebrex to cut the risk of getting breast cancer or suffering a recurrence. Other studies have been temporarily suspended.
Overall, the startling new concerns about the drugs' safety have cast a pall over what had been one of the most exciting fields of biomedical research: trying to gain new insights into the underlying cause of a wide spectrum of illnesses.
"It's definitely been a big setback," said Dr. Raymond DuBois of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn. "It's really disappointing, because there had been a lot of enthusiasm in this area, and a lot of trials were under way. I think this is going to slow things down considerably. It's really unfortunate." (snip)
* * * * * *
And, for no discernable reason other than I like it,
The choice of tackling the driveway tree was mostly due to the first expected shipment from the oh-so-unreliable UPS in several years here rather than a drop-ship to wherever they usually drop-ship my stuff to be lost forever. I wanted to be able to hear the van when it possibly rumbled down the road and perhaps attempt diverting the driver to turn down my lane for a change. He did, had a nice talk with him on future shipments, opened my package and found a green bottle inside. Can't wait for the remains of my case of the snots to wear off so it can be properly savored...
* * * * * *
Back on October 18 and October 23 , I was ranting about lawyers and our medical "system" being rendered less effective. However, I doubt if there is any way to repair it even with serious tort reform that includes a looser-pays policy until the welfare mentality of the majority (yes, I meant majority) of the population changes. It won't. People are used to it. Lawyers love it. Insurance companies just raise rates, doesn't bother them a fig. Docs bitch but I doubt they really care a lot as the cost is just passed along and their only real howl is the demonization they wind up wearing with the endless misery of having to practice the very-expensive-for-the-patient defensive medicine to cut down on the inevitable malpractice shit.
Love them or hate them, this latest misery for the pharmaceutical companies is really going to cost us and not just in the wallet.
Fear about painkillers hobbles key research
By Rob Stein
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — The spate of bad news about painkillers has dealt a major setback to what had been a highly promising effort to use the drugs to prevent a host of leading killers, including many types of cancer, Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Since concerns emerged that drugs such as Vioxx and Celebrex might cause heart attacks and strokes, researchers testing the drugs in dozens of studies have been frantically scouring whatever data they have gathered for signs of danger, urgently debating whether the trials should continue, and quickly informing participants of possible risks.
Several large studies have shut down fully or partially, including trials for preventing colon cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer's and, just last week, two large international studies evaluating Celebrex to cut the risk of getting breast cancer or suffering a recurrence. Other studies have been temporarily suspended.
Overall, the startling new concerns about the drugs' safety have cast a pall over what had been one of the most exciting fields of biomedical research: trying to gain new insights into the underlying cause of a wide spectrum of illnesses.
"It's definitely been a big setback," said Dr. Raymond DuBois of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn. "It's really disappointing, because there had been a lot of enthusiasm in this area, and a lot of trials were under way. I think this is going to slow things down considerably. It's really unfortunate." (snip)
* * * * * *
And, for no discernable reason other than I like it,
Friday, December 24, 2004
24
17 years of serious empty. Been doing solo long before. Anna has an invite for me to meet crew and feed. It's possible if I can find drugs to keep me from shaking I'll show up. Been solo for an awful long time. Probably a classic case for the drug supposed to be good for fearful folk.
I'd rather a kiss.
I'd rather a kiss.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
holiday grumpiness
Not even winter yet and tomorrow night my closest reporting station says it's going to be 18. ..which means it's gonna be 13-15 down here in the holler. I want some Global Warming. Besides, if ya'll can get the icecaps to melt for me maybe I can have some beachfront property. ..with my own nude beach. This is the United State of Bauer, get to make my own rules! Been looking at a replacement flag for this country as the old one, "Entropy Estates" has pretty-much disintegrated as it should. USOB has lots of possibilities. Any thoughts?
Got a case of the Christmas blues. Get them every year and I usually just fade out from Thanksgiving until New Years. This part of the year has so many happy times and memories but the folk I used to share them with are no longer available.
Back in 1977, myself and a co-worker were tapped to haul a minor fortune worth of broadcast video gear down to the VA Hospital in St. Pete to videotape a 3 day seminar on aging and the VA system. Even back then our first socialized medical system was kinda screwed up.
Anyway, the set-up, lighting and notes were all arranged the evening before the talking heads were to appear and my bud and I went out for a proper expense account feed and "entertainment" so we would be lookin' and feelin' our finest for what we expected to be a truly dull experience. Once the gear and cues are set, the name of the game with taping talking heads is mostly staying awake, especially since most of the agenda was to be a bunch of administrators with pie charts explaining the huge new load of WW II and Korean War vets retiring to Florida and how to handle them. How wrong we were. One of the speakers was Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and what she had to say has stayed with me to this day. Of course I'm no longer a 27 year old newly-wed with nearly all my relatives and friends around, been on the other side of the timeline long enough to get pretty damn tired of folk I love winding up in boxes.
I've decided to reserve the good thing/bad thing that's got me a bit blue, don't know if my friend would appreciate the tellin' even if it is actually a good thing. Maybe next December. Some things just have a "right" time and this is one of them.
Part of that VA seminar was devoted to the reasons why folk tend to move to alledged retirement climates. After 60-70 years of Bronx or Detroit winters, parts are pretty easy. It's nice to think that one can sell the old house and move to "paradise". Leave all those old neighbors and pesty relatives back up in the snow country, get some time where life is easy. Yeah. Where most everything costs a heck of a lot more, predation on one's funds is an art form, and the summers mandate living indoors under the constant flow of Mr. Carrier's breathing fluid. Outside is soup, laced either with 10^18th bloodsuckers, or a regularly refreshed fog of Malathion.
That was the good part. The less than good begins with what seems inevitable after many retirees settle in. First, more often than not they will be living in an abode that has no character; nothing like their old home. Often one or both won't be in the finest health and the new services can be pretty damn impersonal. Things that they used to enjoy are not available or require a lot of time and travel to find even if it was just that Greek restarant they used to get together with their friends once a month or so. The worst is the estrangement of their lifelong friends. They are way back up there in Ohio or Toronto. They can't visit and neither can the retirees like they did for all of their lives. The "natives" are usually not even native to the US and the actual natives are probably so substantially different in outlook that new friendships often won't form. So often the new residents preface much of their communication after finding out paradise isn't what it's cracked-up to be with "we didn't do it like this in ____________". That doesn't engender much love with the locals.
There's lots more of the same ilk. I've been a ham radio operator, present call sign WA6YFP, for ~40 years, greeted many new folk to the Hurricane State, watched and, on occasion, helped some settle in for the "golden years". Many have done just fine and the reasons were always clear. So many others spent most waking hours bitching about how horrible things were down here that I removed my antennas and stowed the gear 6 years ago. Wasn't much fun listening to the bitchin'. Even less when they would endlessly visit to bitch live and in person. Enough of this crap.
If you have family and friends, do what you can to keep them close. Life can get pretty damn empty when there are no more. Best thing to do if you're slap-out of the above is to become a muslim, strap on a bomb, splash yourself and a bunch of folk that love life and others, then collect your "reward" of the 72 raisins (and the supple young boys. Can't forget them).
Yeah. I'm a bit crabby. 22 degrees I'm told for the night so Cookie Monster the Swamp Ho and her granddaughter Rima the Crippler, will be in tonight to shred trash, shed parasites and hair, pee on the floor (Rima), and give me general grief. Bronson has already moved under the tub.
Got a case of the Christmas blues. Get them every year and I usually just fade out from Thanksgiving until New Years. This part of the year has so many happy times and memories but the folk I used to share them with are no longer available.
Back in 1977, myself and a co-worker were tapped to haul a minor fortune worth of broadcast video gear down to the VA Hospital in St. Pete to videotape a 3 day seminar on aging and the VA system. Even back then our first socialized medical system was kinda screwed up.
Anyway, the set-up, lighting and notes were all arranged the evening before the talking heads were to appear and my bud and I went out for a proper expense account feed and "entertainment" so we would be lookin' and feelin' our finest for what we expected to be a truly dull experience. Once the gear and cues are set, the name of the game with taping talking heads is mostly staying awake, especially since most of the agenda was to be a bunch of administrators with pie charts explaining the huge new load of WW II and Korean War vets retiring to Florida and how to handle them. How wrong we were. One of the speakers was Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and what she had to say has stayed with me to this day. Of course I'm no longer a 27 year old newly-wed with nearly all my relatives and friends around, been on the other side of the timeline long enough to get pretty damn tired of folk I love winding up in boxes.
I've decided to reserve the good thing/bad thing that's got me a bit blue, don't know if my friend would appreciate the tellin' even if it is actually a good thing. Maybe next December. Some things just have a "right" time and this is one of them.
Part of that VA seminar was devoted to the reasons why folk tend to move to alledged retirement climates. After 60-70 years of Bronx or Detroit winters, parts are pretty easy. It's nice to think that one can sell the old house and move to "paradise". Leave all those old neighbors and pesty relatives back up in the snow country, get some time where life is easy. Yeah. Where most everything costs a heck of a lot more, predation on one's funds is an art form, and the summers mandate living indoors under the constant flow of Mr. Carrier's breathing fluid. Outside is soup, laced either with 10^18th bloodsuckers, or a regularly refreshed fog of Malathion.
That was the good part. The less than good begins with what seems inevitable after many retirees settle in. First, more often than not they will be living in an abode that has no character; nothing like their old home. Often one or both won't be in the finest health and the new services can be pretty damn impersonal. Things that they used to enjoy are not available or require a lot of time and travel to find even if it was just that Greek restarant they used to get together with their friends once a month or so. The worst is the estrangement of their lifelong friends. They are way back up there in Ohio or Toronto. They can't visit and neither can the retirees like they did for all of their lives. The "natives" are usually not even native to the US and the actual natives are probably so substantially different in outlook that new friendships often won't form. So often the new residents preface much of their communication after finding out paradise isn't what it's cracked-up to be with "we didn't do it like this in ____________". That doesn't engender much love with the locals.
There's lots more of the same ilk. I've been a ham radio operator, present call sign WA6YFP, for ~40 years, greeted many new folk to the Hurricane State, watched and, on occasion, helped some settle in for the "golden years". Many have done just fine and the reasons were always clear. So many others spent most waking hours bitching about how horrible things were down here that I removed my antennas and stowed the gear 6 years ago. Wasn't much fun listening to the bitchin'. Even less when they would endlessly visit to bitch live and in person. Enough of this crap.
If you have family and friends, do what you can to keep them close. Life can get pretty damn empty when there are no more. Best thing to do if you're slap-out of the above is to become a muslim, strap on a bomb, splash yourself and a bunch of folk that love life and others, then collect your "reward" of the 72 raisins (and the supple young boys. Can't forget them).
Yeah. I'm a bit crabby. 22 degrees I'm told for the night so Cookie Monster the Swamp Ho and her granddaughter Rima the Crippler, will be in tonight to shred trash, shed parasites and hair, pee on the floor (Rima), and give me general grief. Bronson has already moved under the tub.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
frosty the swamp rev.
It appears the weathercritter may be right tonight. Ya'll up there where you've already had your boots full of slush, ignore me! Less than a week ago it was in the mid 80's, skeeters were getting in their last big feed, and tonight I wouldn't be suprised if the dawn low will be around 17. Since I haven't repaired or re-skinned the greenhouses, lots of greenery got brought in and the outside unprotected plumbing is drained. That wind whistling down here from the Great Plains this afternoon kept the outside fixin's going at a brisk rate. Tonight I'll evict the summer spiders from my boots. May need them tomorrow.
* * * * * *
Today's "Day by Day" is a cute cartoon kinda illustrating my thoughts the other day about Humvee armor!
I should have gone to the milblogs for information about the armor situation. As to be expected, lots of good (and bad) stuff over at the Mudville Gazette.
Up Your Armor III
"Joe Galloway (of "We Were Soldiers" fame) gives a great overview of the realities behind the recurring "armor shortage" story. Galloway (disclaimer: we've never met) is a reporter whose views I disagree with frequently and respect tremendously, but his report on the background reinforces several of the concepts introduced here and here last week. Excerpts follow, but as always, read the whole thing."
* * * * * *
I can't find a way to link directly to the below c&p from Mickey Kaus and I'm not a huge fan of his but this was kinda cute:
"Even if the latest allegations about Marc Rich--that he helped broker Saddam's oil-for-food deals--prove accurate, that won't be the main reason Clinton's pardon of the fugitive financier was scandalous. Saddam could presumably always get someone to broker his lucrative schemes--if not Rich, then another high-level operater. The Marc Rich pardon was scandalous mainly because it taught a generation of young Americans that you could buy your way out of punishment. ... But buy with what? ... Here's an instance where the convenient case for public figure privacy in matters of sex--made most conveniently by Clinton himself, but also by Jeffrey Toobin,*** Andrew Sullivan, etc.--completely breaks down. It turns out to be fairly important whether Clinton was or wasn't not having sexual relations with Denise Rich, Marc's glamorous ex-wife, who lobbied for the pardon. It's hard to explain Clinton's gross error any other way. (Lord knows I've tried!) ... Someday some historian will focus on this interpersonal causal chain and win a National Book Award for his provocative thesis--as Philip Weiss memorably put it, "Follow the nookie." But if reporters had been more irresponsible in reporting on Clinton's personal life--and less cowed by the Stephanopouloses and Carvilles--actual voters would have had this highly relevant information in real time when they made their decision in 1992. ... P.S.: Do Democrats really want to elect the woman who let all this happen under her nose? Just asking! ...
*** When defending Clinton, Toobin ludicrously declared that a politician's sex life "tells you absolutely nothing about their performance" in office. Marc Rich might disagree. ... 12:21 P.M."
You'll have to click on the link and scroll down to catch all the link and accent goodness in the article. Quite amusing actually.
* * * * * *
Well, it appears amongst other peccadillos, Bernard Kerik seems to have had his knob polished by a couple of other gals whilst being married. Don't know why that should be a problem, Saint JFK got some good stuff and Saint Billy-Bob had no chrome on his bumper hitch at all. Hell, from just the admitted files it's a wonder Chelsea was conceived. Must have been a off night. But then we have to think about Hillary. She's the first white trash that has occupied the White House in my lifetime (got too damn close to having rich white trash with the Heinz-Kerry critter). Hillary has such a wonderful opinion of others.
"You know, I'm going to start thanking the woman who cleans the restroom in the building I work in. I'm going to start thinking of her as a human being"
This is from Peggy Noonan's book, "The Case Against Hillary Clinton", page 55.
Yeah. She's a real contender. I was on the "internet" for the first time (darpanet) in 1971. Had it been as functional in '92 or '96, even 2000, can you imagine the changes? 2004 is the first time NOBODY can hide. 2008 is gonna be golden.
I hope I'm still alive!
* * * * * *
Today's "Day by Day" is a cute cartoon kinda illustrating my thoughts the other day about Humvee armor!
I should have gone to the milblogs for information about the armor situation. As to be expected, lots of good (and bad) stuff over at the Mudville Gazette.
Up Your Armor III
"Joe Galloway (of "We Were Soldiers" fame) gives a great overview of the realities behind the recurring "armor shortage" story. Galloway (disclaimer: we've never met) is a reporter whose views I disagree with frequently and respect tremendously, but his report on the background reinforces several of the concepts introduced here and here last week. Excerpts follow, but as always, read the whole thing."
* * * * * *
I can't find a way to link directly to the below c&p from Mickey Kaus and I'm not a huge fan of his but this was kinda cute:
"Even if the latest allegations about Marc Rich--that he helped broker Saddam's oil-for-food deals--prove accurate, that won't be the main reason Clinton's pardon of the fugitive financier was scandalous. Saddam could presumably always get someone to broker his lucrative schemes--if not Rich, then another high-level operater. The Marc Rich pardon was scandalous mainly because it taught a generation of young Americans that you could buy your way out of punishment. ... But buy with what? ... Here's an instance where the convenient case for public figure privacy in matters of sex--made most conveniently by Clinton himself, but also by Jeffrey Toobin,*** Andrew Sullivan, etc.--completely breaks down. It turns out to be fairly important whether Clinton was or wasn't not having sexual relations with Denise Rich, Marc's glamorous ex-wife, who lobbied for the pardon. It's hard to explain Clinton's gross error any other way. (Lord knows I've tried!) ... Someday some historian will focus on this interpersonal causal chain and win a National Book Award for his provocative thesis--as Philip Weiss memorably put it, "Follow the nookie." But if reporters had been more irresponsible in reporting on Clinton's personal life--and less cowed by the Stephanopouloses and Carvilles--actual voters would have had this highly relevant information in real time when they made their decision in 1992. ... P.S.: Do Democrats really want to elect the woman who let all this happen under her nose? Just asking! ...
*** When defending Clinton, Toobin ludicrously declared that a politician's sex life "tells you absolutely nothing about their performance" in office. Marc Rich might disagree. ... 12:21 P.M."
You'll have to click on the link and scroll down to catch all the link and accent goodness in the article. Quite amusing actually.
* * * * * *
Well, it appears amongst other peccadillos, Bernard Kerik seems to have had his knob polished by a couple of other gals whilst being married. Don't know why that should be a problem, Saint JFK got some good stuff and Saint Billy-Bob had no chrome on his bumper hitch at all. Hell, from just the admitted files it's a wonder Chelsea was conceived. Must have been a off night. But then we have to think about Hillary. She's the first white trash that has occupied the White House in my lifetime (got too damn close to having rich white trash with the Heinz-Kerry critter). Hillary has such a wonderful opinion of others.
"You know, I'm going to start thanking the woman who cleans the restroom in the building I work in. I'm going to start thinking of her as a human being"
This is from Peggy Noonan's book, "The Case Against Hillary Clinton", page 55.
Yeah. She's a real contender. I was on the "internet" for the first time (darpanet) in 1971. Had it been as functional in '92 or '96, even 2000, can you imagine the changes? 2004 is the first time NOBODY can hide. 2008 is gonna be golden.
I hope I'm still alive!
Sunday, December 12, 2004
tuck it in for the day
Excellent day! Spent some time with my new (almost) neighbors, got a bag of details finished, and did some rigging for the first (and very late) really cold snap. It has been below freezing 5 times so far this year but with no killing freeze. It's supposed to be 22 degrees Wednesday morning according to my local reporting station in Cross City which means it will probably be between 17-19 down here in the swamp. With 27 years of paying attention, I'm rarely off. Gonna be a three dawg night!
I've got a raft of fusses mostly put together, one of them referenced and cross-referenced and runs about 56 MB. Not likely to be published soon. Another that is all original from me, only ~15 MB but I need food-and-kibble money for it, a couple of non-gruntled thoughts that old farts like me tend to grouse about, and a shorty about AIDs. I've got to quit reading African news. ...and Hollywood news.
Speaking of sex, did you read this post? The decision is no longer mine!
Two months from today plus or minus a bit. Due about Valentine's day. They will be weaned most likely by the first week in April and all but one or two will be free to those that pass my test. If you are interested, let me know. There's a web site with Cookie's last litter here plus a lot of random un-coordinated stuff.
* * * * * *
Rant level = 2 (calm, but the 95 has been dusted and re-oiled)
By now it is extremely unlikely you've not read or seen what the MSM has had to say about the "under-armored" Hummers. It's enlightening to check the specs on the HMMWV:
Description and Specifications
"The HMMWV (High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) is a light, highly mobile, diesel-powered, four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. Based on the M998 chassis, using common components and kits, the HMMWV can be configured to become a troop carrier, armament carrier, S250 shelter carrier, ambulance, TOW missile carrier, and a Scout vehicle.
The M998 is the baseline vehicle for the M998 series of 1 1/4-ton trucks, which are known as the HMMWV vehicles. The HMMWV vehicles include 11 variants. " (snip)
The Hummer was not designed to be a heavily armored vehicle, indeed as a 1 1/4 ton machine, it wouldn't take much to turn it into a very Low-Mobility, No-purpose Stuck-all-the-time Vehicle.
Take a look at this terrorist training clip and consider the level of armor that could conceivably be of use:
Humvee Attack in Iraq (1.26 MB wmv)
Here's another. (3.55 MB wmv)
A primer on Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) / Booby Traps.
70 ton M1A1's seem to have had a few problems. Not many, they are really tough. Their job is a wee bit different than that of the Hummers. Stack up enough boom and trigger it under anything and bad things happen. Body armor is next I suppose. (just self expressing total disgust with MSM coverage of our <5% of the world's population truly attempting to do something to prevent the rest becoming an overpopulated 5th century)
I've got a raft of fusses mostly put together, one of them referenced and cross-referenced and runs about 56 MB. Not likely to be published soon. Another that is all original from me, only ~15 MB but I need food-and-kibble money for it, a couple of non-gruntled thoughts that old farts like me tend to grouse about, and a shorty about AIDs. I've got to quit reading African news. ...and Hollywood news.
Speaking of sex, did you read this post? The decision is no longer mine!
Two months from today plus or minus a bit. Due about Valentine's day. They will be weaned most likely by the first week in April and all but one or two will be free to those that pass my test. If you are interested, let me know. There's a web site with Cookie's last litter here plus a lot of random un-coordinated stuff.
* * * * * *
Rant level = 2 (calm, but the 95 has been dusted and re-oiled)
By now it is extremely unlikely you've not read or seen what the MSM has had to say about the "under-armored" Hummers. It's enlightening to check the specs on the HMMWV:
Description and Specifications
"The HMMWV (High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) is a light, highly mobile, diesel-powered, four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. Based on the M998 chassis, using common components and kits, the HMMWV can be configured to become a troop carrier, armament carrier, S250 shelter carrier, ambulance, TOW missile carrier, and a Scout vehicle.
The M998 is the baseline vehicle for the M998 series of 1 1/4-ton trucks, which are known as the HMMWV vehicles. The HMMWV vehicles include 11 variants. " (snip)
The Hummer was not designed to be a heavily armored vehicle, indeed as a 1 1/4 ton machine, it wouldn't take much to turn it into a very Low-Mobility, No-purpose Stuck-all-the-time Vehicle.
Take a look at this terrorist training clip and consider the level of armor that could conceivably be of use:
Humvee Attack in Iraq (1.26 MB wmv)
Here's another. (3.55 MB wmv)
A primer on Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) / Booby Traps.
70 ton M1A1's seem to have had a few problems. Not many, they are really tough. Their job is a wee bit different than that of the Hummers. Stack up enough boom and trigger it under anything and bad things happen. Body armor is next I suppose. (just self expressing total disgust with MSM coverage of our <5% of the world's population truly attempting to do something to prevent the rest becoming an overpopulated 5th century)
Saturday, December 11, 2004
trust us, we're from the gummit
When I first read Bernard Kerik's background, he sounded like he would probably be an excellent choice for Director of Homeland Security; tough street kid, son of a whore, rose out of it into some pretty amazing accomplishments, and sounds like he might eat nails with his morning Wheaties.
For some reason, I figured he wouldn't make the cut. 20 years ago I had to acquire an advanced security clearance and the raft of information required took me 2 months to compile, a lot of it extremely personal and a lot just very difficult to dig up. My 35 years on the planet at the time had been quite varied but didn't include too much jail time, no felony convictions, and I hadn't slept with a lot of other people's wives but it still took 13 months for the FBI and the head-shrinkers to decide to clear me.
After reading his decision to withdraw, it dawned on me that for GWB to find successful appointments, he needs to start looking for pre-pubescent virgin women-of-color that were raised in a remote ice cave by atheist lesbian nuns who disagree with all of his policies as a matter of course. If we really need a Department of Homeland Security (a job that should belong to the FBI), someone like Kerik seems ideal even if he had employed an "undocumented worker" (read: illegal alien). Hell, 4,000 a day pour over the Arizona border alone and they gotta eat as well! Homeland security my ass.
I've pretty-much the same feelings about the need for a new Director of National Intelligence. Without going back and looking, there are somewhere around 16 or so intelligence agencies serving functions as diverse as the DEA to strategic defence, battlefield ops to the SEC (poor Martha! ;o) with a lot of them having very different requirements. Obviously it sounds like a good idea for them to share information in the interest of overall national security and from past perusals, some seem duplicated to their mutual detriment (which is, unfortunately, the way bureaucracies grow best) and none will willingly cede their "power". Adding more layers of bureaucracy always seems to be the way our government sees fit to "improve" life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Knee-jerking another department into existence on the recommendation of that joke of a September 11 Commission strikes me as not well considered. Did you read their report? I didn't have the urge to read the whole 585 pages and just satisfied myself with the 35 page Executive Summary after listening to the hearings on the radio. With total partisan asshats like Richard Ben-Veniste, Max Cleland (sorry Max but that's what you've become), and God help us, Janet Reno's hod carrier, Jamie Gorelick, on the commission, the entire proceedings were a farce. I especially enjoyed listening to folk like former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright waffle wonderfully when asked pointed questions (to be equally wonderfully defended by Ben-Veniste) and the as-it-turned-out total crap out of the face of former National Security Advisor Sandy (it's in my pants or I lost it or something) Berger. "Tune it tomorrow, same time, same station for more of the Richard Ben-Veniste Blame Bush Show..." sheesh.
I thought it was particularly ironic that Jamie Gorelick, author of the infamous "walled off" document could even be considered for the commission. Like Berger, Gorelick was just protecting Clinton, her purpose was to distance him from the BCCI scandal and to a large degree from what appears to be the absolute treason of trading major American weapon technology to the Chinese in exchange for campaign funding.
...got a suggestion for Director of Homeland Security. Oliver North.
For some reason, I figured he wouldn't make the cut. 20 years ago I had to acquire an advanced security clearance and the raft of information required took me 2 months to compile, a lot of it extremely personal and a lot just very difficult to dig up. My 35 years on the planet at the time had been quite varied but didn't include too much jail time, no felony convictions, and I hadn't slept with a lot of other people's wives but it still took 13 months for the FBI and the head-shrinkers to decide to clear me.
After reading his decision to withdraw, it dawned on me that for GWB to find successful appointments, he needs to start looking for pre-pubescent virgin women-of-color that were raised in a remote ice cave by atheist lesbian nuns who disagree with all of his policies as a matter of course. If we really need a Department of Homeland Security (a job that should belong to the FBI), someone like Kerik seems ideal even if he had employed an "undocumented worker" (read: illegal alien). Hell, 4,000 a day pour over the Arizona border alone and they gotta eat as well! Homeland security my ass.
I've pretty-much the same feelings about the need for a new Director of National Intelligence. Without going back and looking, there are somewhere around 16 or so intelligence agencies serving functions as diverse as the DEA to strategic defence, battlefield ops to the SEC (poor Martha! ;o) with a lot of them having very different requirements. Obviously it sounds like a good idea for them to share information in the interest of overall national security and from past perusals, some seem duplicated to their mutual detriment (which is, unfortunately, the way bureaucracies grow best) and none will willingly cede their "power". Adding more layers of bureaucracy always seems to be the way our government sees fit to "improve" life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Knee-jerking another department into existence on the recommendation of that joke of a September 11 Commission strikes me as not well considered. Did you read their report? I didn't have the urge to read the whole 585 pages and just satisfied myself with the 35 page Executive Summary after listening to the hearings on the radio. With total partisan asshats like Richard Ben-Veniste, Max Cleland (sorry Max but that's what you've become), and God help us, Janet Reno's hod carrier, Jamie Gorelick, on the commission, the entire proceedings were a farce. I especially enjoyed listening to folk like former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright waffle wonderfully when asked pointed questions (to be equally wonderfully defended by Ben-Veniste) and the as-it-turned-out total crap out of the face of former National Security Advisor Sandy (it's in my pants or I lost it or something) Berger. "Tune it tomorrow, same time, same station for more of the Richard Ben-Veniste Blame Bush Show..." sheesh.
I thought it was particularly ironic that Jamie Gorelick, author of the infamous "walled off" document could even be considered for the commission. Like Berger, Gorelick was just protecting Clinton, her purpose was to distance him from the BCCI scandal and to a large degree from what appears to be the absolute treason of trading major American weapon technology to the Chinese in exchange for campaign funding.
...got a suggestion for Director of Homeland Security. Oliver North.
Humorgate (the smell of recycled hay)
Well, it appears C
isn't going to release the Memogate docs anytime soon so we'll just have to get along with "The Case of the Misbegotten Memos" and the "Memogate report introduction".
Whatever you do, don't click here.
isn't going to release the Memogate docs anytime soon so we'll just have to get along with "The Case of the Misbegotten Memos" and the "Memogate report introduction".
Whatever you do, don't click here.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
dawg posting
First of all, it turned out that yesterday's malaise (and today's slowness) was the result of tick spit. I've gotten sloppy about checking recently since the "season" is mostly over but the hike through a bit of dense brush Tuesday evening left me with some hitchhikers in difficult to observe places. It's equally possible that rough-housing with the critters below might have been the source.
It's been two years since Cookie has gone into heat and I'd pretty-much figured the old clock had run out of sand on that function. Nice for me, unlike back then when she was lookin' fer lovin', I no longer had to confine her. Ever confine a GSD gal with whoopie on her mind? A'in't no fence high enough (or buried deep enough), concrete and titanium is barely adequate! Sweet, gentle Cookie becomes a bloodthirsty beast and knows more body slams than the entire WWF!
The Taz Devil. I'm between her and her "love" interest!
Good old Goldberg. I call him Goldfarb. He's about as bright as a box of rocks but he's a good dude. Belongs to a horse farm up the road but spends most of his time down here.
Another shot. He's a bit of a lens louse and had relinquished the inevitable stick to Rima for the "pose". They spend a lot of time sharing the stick, running around, and proving to me Rima is also about as bright as a box of rocks.
And, the hussy herself expressing her true interests. He's not paying attention as she's most of a week left before she's fertile.
I'm debating on confining her. It would be an interesting cross, probably quite beautiful and probably very good tempered. Since it will also probably be her last litter, the thought has been to breed her with a class one shep I'm familiar with or just pass entirely. The last option will be met by physical discomfort as tending a girl shep with hormone induced rabies is difficult!
It's been two years since Cookie has gone into heat and I'd pretty-much figured the old clock had run out of sand on that function. Nice for me, unlike back then when she was lookin' fer lovin', I no longer had to confine her. Ever confine a GSD gal with whoopie on her mind? A'in't no fence high enough (or buried deep enough), concrete and titanium is barely adequate! Sweet, gentle Cookie becomes a bloodthirsty beast and knows more body slams than the entire WWF!
The Taz Devil. I'm between her and her "love" interest!
Good old Goldberg. I call him Goldfarb. He's about as bright as a box of rocks but he's a good dude. Belongs to a horse farm up the road but spends most of his time down here.
Another shot. He's a bit of a lens louse and had relinquished the inevitable stick to Rima for the "pose". They spend a lot of time sharing the stick, running around, and proving to me Rima is also about as bright as a box of rocks.
And, the hussy herself expressing her true interests. He's not paying attention as she's most of a week left before she's fertile.
I'm debating on confining her. It would be an interesting cross, probably quite beautiful and probably very good tempered. Since it will also probably be her last litter, the thought has been to breed her with a class one shep I'm familiar with or just pass entirely. The last option will be met by physical discomfort as tending a girl shep with hormone induced rabies is difficult!
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
it's never too late for Monday
Woke up this morning with a plugged-up nose, sore throat, a toothache, and my left eye hanging out on my cheek. Plus I'd bit my lip during supper last night and various parts of me were protesting about yesterday afternoon's chainsaw action. Paying the price for one day that worked pretty good I suppose..
Got out of the rack to turn on the Bunn and see if that lost snot pill could be found in the boxes of "stuff" I packed up when I took the medicine cabinets down for the re-painting job not done yet. Found it, took it (kinda melty-looking) and went to go pour water into the Bunn. Most of it wound up on the kitchen counter. Seems my homemade gasket gave up the ghost. Yep. Monday. Thoughts turned to "alternative" refreshments but fought the urge, too much to do even if it appears the world is gonna suck today.
Eventually the snot pill kicked in and the left eye slowly reeled back into it's socket where it pointed in a direction somewhat random and definately not the same as it's twin. One of the reasons I hate anti-histamines, the other being they make me itch. Especially the back of my knees. Could be worse I suppose..
Today had been perfectly planned (HAH!). Rustbucket got pre-flighted yesterday, which mostly means I open the hood and check to see if most of the stuff that makes it work are still there, re-fill the various containers that need refilling (all of them), and check to see there is a bit of air in all four tires. Got the big Coleman cooler out, made a bunch of ice, balanced my checkbook (HAH!), all ready to brave the highway and 14 (28 counting on the return) traffic lights in town. My mouth was ready for supper tonight. Lamb chops with rice pilaf, fresh broccoli, maybe Hollandaise if energetic. One doesn't drive with a wandering eye. That 2 page shopping list has fresh snot pills on it now, won't fix the wandering eye but they WILL reel one off of the cheek.
Too late to go in today as it would be dark before getting back. Rustbucket has a little problem with headlights. They work OK as long as the sun is up. Rarely after it goes down. The switches in the steering column are kinda wore-out and the wiring harness got used for nesting material by a mama rat many years ago. I don't think it's up to factory standards anymore.
81 degrees, gotta go limp outside with my gimp (yeah, didn't mention that, not important) knee and do SOMETHING for a while. Got some good pictures to edit and some fun (for me) stuff to write later! If the above "stuff" were to be taken seriously, I'd probably join the Chinese who commit suicide every 15 seconds. There's a whole bunch of very good homebrew in the pantry, a lady that needs kissin', a big stack of fun projects that need doing, and, "tomorrow is another day!"
And, maybe a kid or so to enjoy watching grow up again. This is cute, my boys were really into transformers. Opens in Quicktime.
Citroen C4
Got out of the rack to turn on the Bunn and see if that lost snot pill could be found in the boxes of "stuff" I packed up when I took the medicine cabinets down for the re-painting job not done yet. Found it, took it (kinda melty-looking) and went to go pour water into the Bunn. Most of it wound up on the kitchen counter. Seems my homemade gasket gave up the ghost. Yep. Monday. Thoughts turned to "alternative" refreshments but fought the urge, too much to do even if it appears the world is gonna suck today.
Eventually the snot pill kicked in and the left eye slowly reeled back into it's socket where it pointed in a direction somewhat random and definately not the same as it's twin. One of the reasons I hate anti-histamines, the other being they make me itch. Especially the back of my knees. Could be worse I suppose..
Today had been perfectly planned (HAH!). Rustbucket got pre-flighted yesterday, which mostly means I open the hood and check to see if most of the stuff that makes it work are still there, re-fill the various containers that need refilling (all of them), and check to see there is a bit of air in all four tires. Got the big Coleman cooler out, made a bunch of ice, balanced my checkbook (HAH!), all ready to brave the highway and 14 (28 counting on the return) traffic lights in town. My mouth was ready for supper tonight. Lamb chops with rice pilaf, fresh broccoli, maybe Hollandaise if energetic. One doesn't drive with a wandering eye. That 2 page shopping list has fresh snot pills on it now, won't fix the wandering eye but they WILL reel one off of the cheek.
Too late to go in today as it would be dark before getting back. Rustbucket has a little problem with headlights. They work OK as long as the sun is up. Rarely after it goes down. The switches in the steering column are kinda wore-out and the wiring harness got used for nesting material by a mama rat many years ago. I don't think it's up to factory standards anymore.
81 degrees, gotta go limp outside with my gimp (yeah, didn't mention that, not important) knee and do SOMETHING for a while. Got some good pictures to edit and some fun (for me) stuff to write later! If the above "stuff" were to be taken seriously, I'd probably join the Chinese who commit suicide every 15 seconds. There's a whole bunch of very good homebrew in the pantry, a lady that needs kissin', a big stack of fun projects that need doing, and, "tomorrow is another day!"
And, maybe a kid or so to enjoy watching grow up again. This is cute, my boys were really into transformers. Opens in Quicktime.
Citroen C4
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Odd thoughts on a Tuesday morning
Sunset over the swamp.
Today is the 63rd anniversary of the second-worst attack on the United States. Just pausing for the causes of the worst.
It's just a "what-if" of what would have happened if GHW Bush had not violated his "no new taxes" pledge. A lot of conservatives were also pretty put out that we'd stopped shy of going into Baghdad and rooting out the bastard while we were at it although that was not permitted under the UN rules at the time. The UN loves dictators and butchers as has been shown for virtually its entire existance.
Ross Perot probably would have not ran or if he had, it's very doubtful he would have gotten his 18.87% of the popular vote. He was anathema to the liberals and it's a pretty fair bet those votes would have gone to Bush 41 giving him a 56% to 44% win over Clinton discounting the fringies.
What would GHWB have done after the '93 bombing of the World Trade Center? Would he have had Reagan's nads and opened a can of whupass like Ronnie did when Kadafy's monkeys did that German nightclub? Do you recall the Frogs (as usual) refused to allow our aircraft overflight permission? Do you also recall Reagan's action gave Mad Dog Muamar a bad case of shut-the-f**k up until recently when he saw Saddam being drug out of his spider-hole? Would the 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 5 U. S. military personnel, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 and injured 200 U.S. military personnel, the 1998 bombing of the U.S. embassies in Africa, which killed 224 and injured 5,000, and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 sailors happened? Would the World Trade Center Towers have gone down?
I found this old newspaper clipping in my collection, thought it worth scanning and posting. Kadafy had just received a spanking!
Friday, December 03, 2004
in pain!
At various times in various posts and forums, I express my swamp-type appreciation for remarkable women with the silliness of "I want to have her babies". I think one of my first postings on this blog had something like that.
Well, I just read Ann Coulter's latest.
After enjoying that as much as most anything in the last few years, I'd like to share a cigaret with her and ask "was it as good for you as it was for me?"
OK. Shoot me. I won't mind. Go read it. That gal has never had blanks in her pistol!
Well, I just read Ann Coulter's latest.
After enjoying that as much as most anything in the last few years, I'd like to share a cigaret with her and ask "was it as good for you as it was for me?"
OK. Shoot me. I won't mind. Go read it. That gal has never had blanks in her pistol!
misc stuff
It'll probably freeze tonight unless the cloud cover returns but the weathercritter is saying back to the 80's by Monday. That probably means rain and I wonder how that will affect Jimmy moving his new 32' x 80' trailer down a long dirt road with lots of 90 degree turns that day. One culvert he has to cross has exactly one inch of margin.
Nothing much interesting down here today. I'm stuck on a design problem. Dull as dishwater but it needs to be resolved. The check valve in the greywater system got blocked and gave me an hour's entertainment cleaning it out and mopping up the mess, decided to test the chimney draft, filled the house with smoke as usual, and continued to load Rustbucket with all the true scrap from the shop. Tomorrow is housecleaning (HAH!) day and it seems like a good idea to make a dump run as I'm nearly outa Bugler anyway.
* * * * * *
Rather sketchy but it's a start (from Fox).
National Sales Tax Promoted as Fairer System
This article references H.R. 25, Fair Tax Act of 2003 (132 pages) which I've linked earlier but Robert Longley has a good "first read" with informative links.
There is a competing bill, H.R. 4168, Individual Tax Freedom Act of 2004 that I have not read in it's entirety (86 pages of "stuff", slow to absorb for this old critter).
I can certainly understand why most folk won't bother to read the proposals; dry, miserable legalese isn't my taste in lit either, but the alternative is the godawful spin the MSM puts on it when it is mentioned at all. The downside of the proposals are the virtual elimination for our wonderful leaders to buy votes with our money and the abject horror of thousands of million-dollar lawyer/lobbyists in Foggy Bottom, a.k.a., Washington, D.C. (Miasma Central) on the bread line!
* * * * * *
Since we've lawyered and taxed ourselves out of being a producing country, let's buy lots more Chinese crap at Wal*Mart. The Chinese need the bucks to continue developing all the goodies Clinton gave them.
China tests ballistic missile submarine
And whilst we're fiddling with nukes, I havent forgotten you anon!
UN Needs More Power to Find Any Iran Nukes -Envoys
Reuters - By Louis Charbonneau
" Several military sites that inspectors would like to visit are technically off-limits to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog. It only has clear rights to go to facilities declared to it as nuclear sites.
Access to other sites is possible, but must be negotiated and can be highly problematic.
Last December, Iran signed the IAEA's Additional Protocol, granting it more authority to conduct short-notice, intrusive inspections. Although the protocol has not been ratified, Tehran has been acting as if it was in force.
"If a country has a strategy for hiding its nuclear program, then the Additional Protocol is of little use," a U.N. diplomat said, adding that the IAEA would not have been able to prove Libya had a nuclear arms program if Muammar Gaddafi had not confessed and handed over the bomb designs. " (snip)
Why not later on this evening?
An attack on an American city by terrorists armed with a small nuclear device is an even bet within a decade, some experts say
SF Gate - Sunday, November 21, 2004
Want to blow up your neighborhood with a 10 kiloton nuke? It's fun! National Geographic had a better version up a bunch of years ago but I couldn't find it today.
* * * * * * *
Would you like to know how your congresscritters scored with the ACLU?
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
* * * * * *
Yesterday's pooch when the weather was better.
Nyerlathotep (Tep). RIP old friend.
Nothing much interesting down here today. I'm stuck on a design problem. Dull as dishwater but it needs to be resolved. The check valve in the greywater system got blocked and gave me an hour's entertainment cleaning it out and mopping up the mess, decided to test the chimney draft, filled the house with smoke as usual, and continued to load Rustbucket with all the true scrap from the shop. Tomorrow is housecleaning (HAH!) day and it seems like a good idea to make a dump run as I'm nearly outa Bugler anyway.
* * * * * *
Rather sketchy but it's a start (from Fox).
National Sales Tax Promoted as Fairer System
This article references H.R. 25, Fair Tax Act of 2003 (132 pages) which I've linked earlier but Robert Longley has a good "first read" with informative links.
There is a competing bill, H.R. 4168, Individual Tax Freedom Act of 2004 that I have not read in it's entirety (86 pages of "stuff", slow to absorb for this old critter).
I can certainly understand why most folk won't bother to read the proposals; dry, miserable legalese isn't my taste in lit either, but the alternative is the godawful spin the MSM puts on it when it is mentioned at all. The downside of the proposals are the virtual elimination for our wonderful leaders to buy votes with our money and the abject horror of thousands of million-dollar lawyer/lobbyists in Foggy Bottom, a.k.a., Washington, D.C. (Miasma Central) on the bread line!
* * * * * *
Since we've lawyered and taxed ourselves out of being a producing country, let's buy lots more Chinese crap at Wal*Mart. The Chinese need the bucks to continue developing all the goodies Clinton gave them.
China tests ballistic missile submarine
And whilst we're fiddling with nukes, I havent forgotten you anon!
UN Needs More Power to Find Any Iran Nukes -Envoys
Reuters - By Louis Charbonneau
" Several military sites that inspectors would like to visit are technically off-limits to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog. It only has clear rights to go to facilities declared to it as nuclear sites.
Access to other sites is possible, but must be negotiated and can be highly problematic.
Last December, Iran signed the IAEA's Additional Protocol, granting it more authority to conduct short-notice, intrusive inspections. Although the protocol has not been ratified, Tehran has been acting as if it was in force.
"If a country has a strategy for hiding its nuclear program, then the Additional Protocol is of little use," a U.N. diplomat said, adding that the IAEA would not have been able to prove Libya had a nuclear arms program if Muammar Gaddafi had not confessed and handed over the bomb designs. " (snip)
Why not later on this evening?
An attack on an American city by terrorists armed with a small nuclear device is an even bet within a decade, some experts say
SF Gate - Sunday, November 21, 2004
Want to blow up your neighborhood with a 10 kiloton nuke? It's fun! National Geographic had a better version up a bunch of years ago but I couldn't find it today.
* * * * * * *
Would you like to know how your congresscritters scored with the ACLU?
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
* * * * * *
Yesterday's pooch when the weather was better.
Nyerlathotep (Tep). RIP old friend.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
oil for what? (UN crap)
It's been a very interesting afternoon. Lots of changes are probable around my swamp in the next few months but not enough information to cast them into the infinite Google maw just yet.
Of course if you've been reading these notes for just a bit, you know I have a real desire to move the U.N. to Fangataufa. There's so much ammo beyond the fact that >80% of the tin-pots and outright moonbats in that org hate the U.S. to get it out of here that additional linkage goodness seems excessive. Got some recent stuff anyway.
WSJ - Kofi Annan Must Go
By NORM COLEMAN
December 1, 2004; Page A10
"It's time for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.
Over the past seven months, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, has conducted an exhaustive, bipartisan investigation into the scandal surrounding the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. That noble program was established by the U.N. to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people, then languishing under Saddam Hussein's ironfisted rule, as well as the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq by the U.N. after the first Gulf War. While sanctions were designed to instigate the removal of Saddam from power, or at least render him impotent, the Oil-for-Food program was designed to support the Iraqi people with food and other humanitarian aid under the watchful eye of the U.N.
Our Investigative Subcommittee has gathered overwhelming evidence that Saddam turned this program on its head. Rather than erode his grip on power, the program was manipulated by Saddam to line his own pockets and actually strengthen his position at the expense of the Iraqi people. At our hearing on Nov. 15, we presented evidence that Saddam accumulated more than $21 billion through abuses of the Oil-for-Food program and U.N. sanctions. We continue to amass evidence that he used the overt support of prominent members of the U.N., such as France and Russia, along with numerous foreign officials, companies and possibly even senior U.N. officials, to exploit the program to his advantage. We have obtained evidence that indicates that Saddam doled out lucrative oil allotments to foreign officials, sympathetic journalists and even one senior U.N. official, in order to undermine international support for sanctions. In addition, we are gathering evidence that Saddam gave hundreds of thousands -- maybe even millions -- of Oil-for-Food dollars to terrorists and terrorist organizations. All of this occurred under the supposedly vigilant eye of the U.N." (snip, read it all)
Sen. Coleman is chairman of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Emmett Tyrrell is having lunch. It's not pretty.
Kofi Jr.
So what's new?
Annan's Son Took Payments Through 2004
Can I get a pardon?
Americans' Role Eyed in U.N. Oil Scandal
By BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ
"Dec. 1, 2004 — Former American fugitive Marc Rich was a middleman for several of Iraq's suspect oil deals in February 2001, just one month after his pardon from President Clinton, according to oil industry shipping records obtained by ABC News.
And a U.S. criminal investigation is looking into whether Rich, as well as several other prominent oil traders, made illegal payments to Iraq in order to obtain the lucrative oil contracts." (snip)
.....hmmmmmmm....
"U.N. Out of U.S. " ad clip. This one opens with a choice, not directly.
Of course if you've been reading these notes for just a bit, you know I have a real desire to move the U.N. to Fangataufa. There's so much ammo beyond the fact that >80% of the tin-pots and outright moonbats in that org hate the U.S. to get it out of here that additional linkage goodness seems excessive. Got some recent stuff anyway.
WSJ - Kofi Annan Must Go
By NORM COLEMAN
December 1, 2004; Page A10
"It's time for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.
Over the past seven months, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, has conducted an exhaustive, bipartisan investigation into the scandal surrounding the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. That noble program was established by the U.N. to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people, then languishing under Saddam Hussein's ironfisted rule, as well as the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq by the U.N. after the first Gulf War. While sanctions were designed to instigate the removal of Saddam from power, or at least render him impotent, the Oil-for-Food program was designed to support the Iraqi people with food and other humanitarian aid under the watchful eye of the U.N.
Our Investigative Subcommittee has gathered overwhelming evidence that Saddam turned this program on its head. Rather than erode his grip on power, the program was manipulated by Saddam to line his own pockets and actually strengthen his position at the expense of the Iraqi people. At our hearing on Nov. 15, we presented evidence that Saddam accumulated more than $21 billion through abuses of the Oil-for-Food program and U.N. sanctions. We continue to amass evidence that he used the overt support of prominent members of the U.N., such as France and Russia, along with numerous foreign officials, companies and possibly even senior U.N. officials, to exploit the program to his advantage. We have obtained evidence that indicates that Saddam doled out lucrative oil allotments to foreign officials, sympathetic journalists and even one senior U.N. official, in order to undermine international support for sanctions. In addition, we are gathering evidence that Saddam gave hundreds of thousands -- maybe even millions -- of Oil-for-Food dollars to terrorists and terrorist organizations. All of this occurred under the supposedly vigilant eye of the U.N." (snip, read it all)
Sen. Coleman is chairman of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Emmett Tyrrell is having lunch. It's not pretty.
Kofi Jr.
So what's new?
Annan's Son Took Payments Through 2004
Can I get a pardon?
Americans' Role Eyed in U.N. Oil Scandal
By BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ
"Dec. 1, 2004 — Former American fugitive Marc Rich was a middleman for several of Iraq's suspect oil deals in February 2001, just one month after his pardon from President Clinton, according to oil industry shipping records obtained by ABC News.
And a U.S. criminal investigation is looking into whether Rich, as well as several other prominent oil traders, made illegal payments to Iraq in order to obtain the lucrative oil contracts." (snip)
.....hmmmmmmm....
"U.N. Out of U.S. " ad clip. This one opens with a choice, not directly.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
hasenpheffer^3
I've had a soapbox I'd like to get on but for some reason, just can't get in gear with it so far this week. Lucky you! Just too much to do and too disorganized. One step forward, two steps back.
From LittleGreenFootballs:
11/28/2004: The Election's Over; Bush Won
The Miami Herald counted ballots in three Florida counties, and discovered (surprise!) that Bush really did win by a large margin in traditionally Democratic areas: No flaw is found in Bush’s state win. (Hat tip: Bubbaman.)
LAKE BUTLER - Since George W. Bush captured Florida and the White House again, critics have fixed their sights on northern pockets of the Sunshine State and asked: How did the Republicans win so heavily in counties stocked with Democrats?
Some wondered whether Florida’s tally was corrupt, with one Internet site writing: “George W. Bush’s vote tallies, especially in the key state of Florida, are so statistically stunning that they border on the unbelievable.”
Last week, The Herald went to see for itself whether Bush’s steamroll through North Florida was legitimate. Picking three counties that fit the conspiracy theory profile — staunchly Democratic by registration, whoppingly GOP by voting — two reporters counted more than 17,000 ballots over three days.
The conclusion: No conspiracy.
The newspaper’s count of optical scan ballots in Suwannee, Lafayette and Union counties showed Bush whipping Sen. John Kerry in a swath of Florida where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3-1.
----------
Well, I live in Suwanee county and I am a registered democrat but before you come at me with the pitchforks and torches, there's a reason. We have closed primaries in Florida and, like altogether too many other places, we've got "good 'ol boy" local politics. For years and years I was registered as independent and couldn't select which dem was gonna run for commish, etc. as there were rarely any alternatives. However, once voting season closes, I take my registration card out of my wallet. You know how your mama always told you to wear clean underwear in case you got into an accident? I'd be awful embarrassed if my body turned up dead with THAT on it. Oh, the humanity!
* * * * * *
I've "enjoyed" an allergy to cow's milk and milk products all my life. Every now and then I have to have a pizza or a cheese omelette and it swats me down something fierce. Takes a couple of days for the fluid in the chest to drain and the heart rate to approach normal but sometimes I gotta have it! Wonder if anything will ever come of this?
Millions Who Suffer From Nut And Milk Allergies Could Benefit From Stanford Researcher’s Successful Tests Of New Vaccines In Dogs
arf
* * * * * *
...and "the drill". Arrrggghhh...
No drilling, no filling in painless dentistry
* * * * * *
Have you watched any of the film made by Theo van Gogh, Submission? There is also a very suprising article written by Pat Sajak on this subject over on Human Events. A good read.
* * * * * *
Feeling a bit overweight after Thanksgiving? Robert Mugabe has a "deal" for you! Judging from what I've been reading over the years, it's not unlikely a fat, succulent tourist just might become a main course.
From LittleGreenFootballs:
11/28/2004: The Election's Over; Bush Won
The Miami Herald counted ballots in three Florida counties, and discovered (surprise!) that Bush really did win by a large margin in traditionally Democratic areas: No flaw is found in Bush’s state win. (Hat tip: Bubbaman.)
LAKE BUTLER - Since George W. Bush captured Florida and the White House again, critics have fixed their sights on northern pockets of the Sunshine State and asked: How did the Republicans win so heavily in counties stocked with Democrats?
Some wondered whether Florida’s tally was corrupt, with one Internet site writing: “George W. Bush’s vote tallies, especially in the key state of Florida, are so statistically stunning that they border on the unbelievable.”
Last week, The Herald went to see for itself whether Bush’s steamroll through North Florida was legitimate. Picking three counties that fit the conspiracy theory profile — staunchly Democratic by registration, whoppingly GOP by voting — two reporters counted more than 17,000 ballots over three days.
The conclusion: No conspiracy.
The newspaper’s count of optical scan ballots in Suwannee, Lafayette and Union counties showed Bush whipping Sen. John Kerry in a swath of Florida where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3-1.
----------
Well, I live in Suwanee county and I am a registered democrat but before you come at me with the pitchforks and torches, there's a reason. We have closed primaries in Florida and, like altogether too many other places, we've got "good 'ol boy" local politics. For years and years I was registered as independent and couldn't select which dem was gonna run for commish, etc. as there were rarely any alternatives. However, once voting season closes, I take my registration card out of my wallet. You know how your mama always told you to wear clean underwear in case you got into an accident? I'd be awful embarrassed if my body turned up dead with THAT on it. Oh, the humanity!
* * * * * *
I've "enjoyed" an allergy to cow's milk and milk products all my life. Every now and then I have to have a pizza or a cheese omelette and it swats me down something fierce. Takes a couple of days for the fluid in the chest to drain and the heart rate to approach normal but sometimes I gotta have it! Wonder if anything will ever come of this?
Millions Who Suffer From Nut And Milk Allergies Could Benefit From Stanford Researcher’s Successful Tests Of New Vaccines In Dogs
arf
* * * * * *
...and "the drill". Arrrggghhh...
No drilling, no filling in painless dentistry
* * * * * *
Have you watched any of the film made by Theo van Gogh, Submission? There is also a very suprising article written by Pat Sajak on this subject over on Human Events. A good read.
* * * * * *
Feeling a bit overweight after Thanksgiving? Robert Mugabe has a "deal" for you! Judging from what I've been reading over the years, it's not unlikely a fat, succulent tourist just might become a main course.
