Clinton Proposes 401(k)s, Matching Funds Oct 9 12:49 PM US/Eastern
By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press Writer
WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) - Every citizen could get a 401(k) retirement account and up to $1,000 in annual matching funds from the government under a plan offered Tuesday by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Article 1, Section 8 lists all the things government can spend money on. Passing this would be felony treason.
At a cost of $20 billion-$25 billion a year, the plan is Clinton's largest domestic proposal other than her plan for universal health insurance. The New York senator said it would be paid for by taxing estates worth more than $7 million per couple and would help narrow the gap between the rich and those who don't have enough savings for retirement. More "punish the rich" economics. $25 billion a year, paid for by taxing people who make more than $7 million. Income tax was only supposed to be paid for by 1% of the population, remember? This is yet another reason to die penniless...having spent all your money on gold, the hiding place of which is known to your children.
At the same time, Clinton said she has given up another idea for a savings incentive—giving every baby born in the United States a $5,000 account to one day pay for college or a first home. Stake out one vampire, and another one rises. This is like playing Whackamole with dumb*ss legislation.
She made that suggestion last month before the Congressional Black Caucus, saying it was just an idea and not a policy proposal. The idea was criticized by Republicans, and she told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Tuesday that it's off the table.
The campaign of her Democratic rival John Edwards suggested it was an example of Clinton setting her positions by polls. "Apparently, new polling data seems to have pressured the Clinton campaign to throw out the baby bond with the bathwater," said Edwards spokesman Chris Kofinis. John Edwards seems to think that printing up money to issue every child in this country roughly $19 grand at age 18 is a good idea. Brilliant idea, you moron. Ever hear of the national debt? Devaluing currency?
As for the retirement accounts, Clinton said during a campaign stop in small-town central Iowa, "They will begin to bring down this inequality that is eating away at our social contract." She said, "This is a major commitment to how I believe we can begin to right the balance again."
She said that for every $7 million estate that gets taxed, at least 5,000 families would receive the matching funds. There isn't supposed to BE a "balance." Nothing's promised here. You work for success, for prosperity, it isn't handed to you.
Clinton said she wants to create "American Retirement Accounts" in which everyone could put up to $5,000 annually in a 401(k) plan. The federal government would provide a tax cut to match 100 percent of the first $1,000 for anyone who makes less than $60,000 a year and 50 percent of the first $1,000 for those who make $60,000-$100,000. So despite this plan to give everyone retirement accounts, those who take care of themselves shoulder even more of a tax burden. What happens to those making more than $100k? They get nothing?
She said she would encourage employers to have direct deposit from paychecks into the accounts.
The federal and state governments already reach into my paycheck before I even get it and take about 20-30%. Then in April, I have to pay in even more. The thought of an employer being forced to take even more is simply repulsive.
Clinton said less than half the families in the United States have retirement savings accounts and those who have them aren't saving enough. She said she often meets people working even into their early 80s because they don't have enough savings.
"We don't have much of a nest egg to fall back on," she said.
Who is this "WE." She does, and I sure will. It is NOT the job of the government to redistribute the wealth of the industrious or the just plain lucky to take care of others.
Although the money would be intended mainly for retirement, she said people should also be able to use the savings to buy a house or pay for college and the government should consider letting workers use a portion for hard times like an illness or accident. So...people will be able to get this money prior to retirement? Will government have to approve each and every use for it? If not, how do we keep people from using it to buy platinum grills and coke?
Clinton said the accounts should not be used to replace any part of Social Security and that she is committed to addressing the long-term challenges of that program. Social Security payouts on a 1=1 scale AND government mandated 401ks. And somewhere I got the silly notion that buying votes was illegal...
"We have to fight and finally bury the idea of privatizing Social Security," she said. Let's not privatise it. Let's stake the damn thing out like a vampire. The system is completely untenable.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Life Of Vincent
Last night was Homecoming Night for the majority of local schools. As such, we had a groups of people moving the store in funny clothes. The guys are dressed like crap mostly, the girls to the nines.
Last night across this city, hundreds if not thousands of kids around my age were out celebrating. Opposite genders on each others arm, if not in love with each other, then very much in like, dressed in expensive finery, partying, enjoying being alive young animals.
Kinda gnaws on me. Not only did I never do that, I'm out of school now and not in a school where such things occur. I'm not ever gonna know what that's like.
Instead of being "out" I sat in the basement and loaded rifle rounds (1500 of them, to be precise) into 30cal spam cans from 11pm til 1am, while watching Saving Private Ryan.
If I hadn't been melancholy enough, my funk only deepened around 1am when I'm stacking the boxes in the workroom. I look at this big pile of boxes, 45ACP on the left, thousands upon thousands of rifle rounds on the right, and the thought flashes through my head: "Who will I be when I open these boxes?"
I buy what I shoot. I've got 2000rds per rifle right now, soon to be decreased to 1000 per with the addition of 3 new rifles. This is purely backstock. I have no intention of shooting any of it. It's there just to have. From now on, I'll buy a K or 2 per year, shoot that. I have no plans for shooting any of the stuff I have packed away.
Which means those boxes won't be opened for years.
Who will I be when I open those boxes and load up guns from the contents?
Will I be moving them into a house of my own? Will I be selling off that ammuntion for extra money? God forbid, will I be handing it over to someone? The next time I open those boxes, will it be under duress?
Each and every round is packed by hand, alternating every other round, stacked one upon another. The pile of boxes in the workroom is representative of hours and hours of my time. I'm 21 now. When will I be handling those rounds next?
Why will I be handling those rounds next?
Last night across this city, hundreds if not thousands of kids around my age were out celebrating. Opposite genders on each others arm, if not in love with each other, then very much in like, dressed in expensive finery, partying, enjoying being alive young animals.
Kinda gnaws on me. Not only did I never do that, I'm out of school now and not in a school where such things occur. I'm not ever gonna know what that's like.
Instead of being "out" I sat in the basement and loaded rifle rounds (1500 of them, to be precise) into 30cal spam cans from 11pm til 1am, while watching Saving Private Ryan.
If I hadn't been melancholy enough, my funk only deepened around 1am when I'm stacking the boxes in the workroom. I look at this big pile of boxes, 45ACP on the left, thousands upon thousands of rifle rounds on the right, and the thought flashes through my head: "Who will I be when I open these boxes?"
I buy what I shoot. I've got 2000rds per rifle right now, soon to be decreased to 1000 per with the addition of 3 new rifles. This is purely backstock. I have no intention of shooting any of it. It's there just to have. From now on, I'll buy a K or 2 per year, shoot that. I have no plans for shooting any of the stuff I have packed away.
Which means those boxes won't be opened for years.
Who will I be when I open those boxes and load up guns from the contents?
Will I be moving them into a house of my own? Will I be selling off that ammuntion for extra money? God forbid, will I be handing it over to someone? The next time I open those boxes, will it be under duress?
Each and every round is packed by hand, alternating every other round, stacked one upon another. The pile of boxes in the workroom is representative of hours and hours of my time. I'm 21 now. When will I be handling those rounds next?
Why will I be handling those rounds next?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Shooty Goodness
Took the new USPC 9mm out to the range today. I've decided to christen it the "Jim Doyle" model, because it's my concealed weapon of choice.
So, Doyle and I went out to the range. The first 30 rounds were seated, resting slow-fire, with the grip steadied on a sandbag, taking my time at 15 yards. I'd never shot the gun before, and I had a feeling it was going to frustrate me - I'm a passable pistol shot to begin with, and with a 3 1/2 inch barrel, I just KNEW I was going to be all over the place.
The first 30 rounds netted 27 on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, and the majority of them close in to the middle, in a circle about the size of a new roll of duct tape. Definitely minute of chest, and almost certainly minute of dead.
Then came 20 rounds offhand standing. I think I got about 13 out of 20 there. Low, but still on the paper, and getting higher as I adjusted to the sights. I know there's a trick to those sights...perhaps the dot covers the target as opposed to being centered under it. There's something about H&K sights.
Next I did a magazine of doubletaps, 5 of them to be exact. Still minute of chest, but not great. Netted a good group when I fired three rounds as fast as possible to finish the trip out.
I love this gun. The paddle mag release isn't nearly as bad as I thought, and it's more accurate than I am. Seriously, I usually don't do that good with full-sized guns, and this carry pistol is a full inch and 3/4 shorter. The recoil is a bit snappy for a 9mm, with a good deal of upward motion, but definitely controllable.
Lovin' it. As a matter of fact, it's on my hip right now.
So, Doyle and I went out to the range. The first 30 rounds were seated, resting slow-fire, with the grip steadied on a sandbag, taking my time at 15 yards. I'd never shot the gun before, and I had a feeling it was going to frustrate me - I'm a passable pistol shot to begin with, and with a 3 1/2 inch barrel, I just KNEW I was going to be all over the place.
The first 30 rounds netted 27 on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, and the majority of them close in to the middle, in a circle about the size of a new roll of duct tape. Definitely minute of chest, and almost certainly minute of dead.
Then came 20 rounds offhand standing. I think I got about 13 out of 20 there. Low, but still on the paper, and getting higher as I adjusted to the sights. I know there's a trick to those sights...perhaps the dot covers the target as opposed to being centered under it. There's something about H&K sights.
Next I did a magazine of doubletaps, 5 of them to be exact. Still minute of chest, but not great. Netted a good group when I fired three rounds as fast as possible to finish the trip out.
I love this gun. The paddle mag release isn't nearly as bad as I thought, and it's more accurate than I am. Seriously, I usually don't do that good with full-sized guns, and this carry pistol is a full inch and 3/4 shorter. The recoil is a bit snappy for a 9mm, with a good deal of upward motion, but definitely controllable.
Lovin' it. As a matter of fact, it's on my hip right now.
Hillary Proposes Giving Every Baby $5000
www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3668781&page=1
Clinton Floats $5,000 Baby Bond
Proposal Would Create Nest Egg for Future Costs of College or Buying a Home
Clinton's Friday remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus were not the first time that she has voiced her support for the concept of using the power of compound interest to close the country's asset gap.
While speaking to the centrist Democratic Leadership Council in 2006, she discussed the idea of giving every child born in America $500.Has Hillary even READ the Constitution?
Today was, however, the first time that she has floated the idea of giving every child born in America the larger sum of $5,000.Where is this money going to come from, exactly? Where does she think she can get off redistributing tax money in this way? With welfare, at least the redistribution is "based" on some supposed "need." This is just theft.
Asked if she had now settled on a larger "baby bond," Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said, "It's not a formal policy proposal but an idea under consideration."
Presuming that approximately 4 million children are born in the United States each year, a $500 "baby bond" would only cost roughly $2 billion per year. A $5,000 "baby bond" would cost the government $20 billion per year.Again, where is the money coming from? Maybe we can tax the rich more! I know, I know! Like the income tax, which was only supposed to be applied to 1% of the population!
The idea floated by Clinton was rebuked Friday by the Republican National Committee, which called it a "budget busting baby fund," and by Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani who called it evidence that Clinton is running a campaign "based on pandering."Finally, Rudy opens his mouth and something comes out besides fecal matter. Call the Times.
The idea, however, has strong support from those who believe that economic disparities in the United States must be addressed by focusing on assets and not solely wages.Yes, the economic disparities must be addressed by taking the assets of some people at gunpoint and giving them to everyone else. Brilliant idea.
The vice president of a Washington, D.C., think tank at the forefront of pushing the "baby bond" concept welcomed Clinton's Friday remarks.
"I'm pleased that Sen. Clinton keeps talking about 'baby bonds,' whether $500 or $5,000 at birth," said Ray Boshara, the vice president of the New America Foundation. Boshara, who has worked with Clinton's policy staff on the concept, did not see the different dollar figure floated by Clinton on Friday as reflecting a definite policy change. Rather, he saw it as an affirmation of her excitement with the concept and expects her to continue to work out the details when she develops a formal proposal.
"I think Sen. Clinton is very, very excited about accounts at birth and hasn't settled on the right combination between initial deposits and matching deposits until 18," said Boshara. "She and her staff told me in the next several months we'll work on the details. . . . When we work out the details, we'll figure out the best way to get to around $20,000 at 18 --that's what matters."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A few thoughts:
1.It is a measure of just how badly Bush & Co. have ruined the Republican party that we're actually staring down the barrel of mandatory government health care and mandatory redistribution of wealth on this scale. It's like watching two cars play chicken and wondering if someone's going to be smart enough to get the hell out of the way. I'm astounded and dismayed that not only are my countrymen so ****ing dumb that the majority of them are taking this in stride, and many of them think its a good idea.
2.Will the parents of rich kids receive $5000 dollars for their little snookums, or will there be a scale of income, with more prosperous families receiving less? That is the only way this could possibly get any worse?
3.Will they be checking citizenship before handing over my money? If not, is this a desparate ploy to pull in the criminal alien anchor-baby vote?
4.Will the money be given as a lump sum check to be invested as the parents see fit, or will it be socked away in government managed accounts? If the former, what will we do about the millions of urban parents who spend it on "rims" and gold chains and crack? If the latter, what will the mechanics be for accessing that money, either by the parents or the child?
5.There's no point in even bringing up constitutional issues here. This bitch is so far past any understanding or respect for our highest law I believe there's a good chance she'll get struck by lightening if she ever hits the "Defend the Constitution" bit of Oath Of Office. God forbid that she does.
Clinton Floats $5,000 Baby Bond
Proposal Would Create Nest Egg for Future Costs of College or Buying a Home
Clinton's Friday remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus were not the first time that she has voiced her support for the concept of using the power of compound interest to close the country's asset gap.
While speaking to the centrist Democratic Leadership Council in 2006, she discussed the idea of giving every child born in America $500.Has Hillary even READ the Constitution?
Today was, however, the first time that she has floated the idea of giving every child born in America the larger sum of $5,000.Where is this money going to come from, exactly? Where does she think she can get off redistributing tax money in this way? With welfare, at least the redistribution is "based" on some supposed "need." This is just theft.
Asked if she had now settled on a larger "baby bond," Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said, "It's not a formal policy proposal but an idea under consideration."
Presuming that approximately 4 million children are born in the United States each year, a $500 "baby bond" would only cost roughly $2 billion per year. A $5,000 "baby bond" would cost the government $20 billion per year.Again, where is the money coming from? Maybe we can tax the rich more! I know, I know! Like the income tax, which was only supposed to be applied to 1% of the population!
The idea floated by Clinton was rebuked Friday by the Republican National Committee, which called it a "budget busting baby fund," and by Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani who called it evidence that Clinton is running a campaign "based on pandering."Finally, Rudy opens his mouth and something comes out besides fecal matter. Call the Times.
The idea, however, has strong support from those who believe that economic disparities in the United States must be addressed by focusing on assets and not solely wages.Yes, the economic disparities must be addressed by taking the assets of some people at gunpoint and giving them to everyone else. Brilliant idea.
The vice president of a Washington, D.C., think tank at the forefront of pushing the "baby bond" concept welcomed Clinton's Friday remarks.
"I'm pleased that Sen. Clinton keeps talking about 'baby bonds,' whether $500 or $5,000 at birth," said Ray Boshara, the vice president of the New America Foundation. Boshara, who has worked with Clinton's policy staff on the concept, did not see the different dollar figure floated by Clinton on Friday as reflecting a definite policy change. Rather, he saw it as an affirmation of her excitement with the concept and expects her to continue to work out the details when she develops a formal proposal.
"I think Sen. Clinton is very, very excited about accounts at birth and hasn't settled on the right combination between initial deposits and matching deposits until 18," said Boshara. "She and her staff told me in the next several months we'll work on the details. . . . When we work out the details, we'll figure out the best way to get to around $20,000 at 18 --that's what matters."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A few thoughts:
1.It is a measure of just how badly Bush & Co. have ruined the Republican party that we're actually staring down the barrel of mandatory government health care and mandatory redistribution of wealth on this scale. It's like watching two cars play chicken and wondering if someone's going to be smart enough to get the hell out of the way. I'm astounded and dismayed that not only are my countrymen so ****ing dumb that the majority of them are taking this in stride, and many of them think its a good idea.
2.Will the parents of rich kids receive $5000 dollars for their little snookums, or will there be a scale of income, with more prosperous families receiving less? That is the only way this could possibly get any worse?
3.Will they be checking citizenship before handing over my money? If not, is this a desparate ploy to pull in the criminal alien anchor-baby vote?
4.Will the money be given as a lump sum check to be invested as the parents see fit, or will it be socked away in government managed accounts? If the former, what will we do about the millions of urban parents who spend it on "rims" and gold chains and crack? If the latter, what will the mechanics be for accessing that money, either by the parents or the child?
5.There's no point in even bringing up constitutional issues here. This bitch is so far past any understanding or respect for our highest law I believe there's a good chance she'll get struck by lightening if she ever hits the "Defend the Constitution" bit of Oath Of Office. God forbid that she does.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Life Of Vincent
Last Wednesday, we took one of our pet rats to the vet to have a tumor removed. Rats are much beloved by the medical research community because they get all sorts of strange and unexplainable tumors. Little Abbie got a big one.
Our vet charged us $120 for the tumor removal (which was about the same size she was), antibiotics and pain meds, and a stay at the vet's house overnight. The vet is a GREAT person.
Abbie was doing fine, and we decided to try introducing her back into the same cage as her sister Lilly. They got along well, Lilly didn't try to take Abbie's stitches out, and everything seemed great.
Then, we got complacent. We left the two of them together too long, and at about 3pm on Saturday, Lilly chewed all of Abbie's external stitches open. It was still stitched up internally, but open on the outside.
We immediately separated them, and tried to stop Abbie's leaking. She wasn't bleeding so much as leaking bloody fluid. But she still had a hole the length of her leg in her side, and that's not a good thing. We couldn't get the leaking to stop, so at 11pm, we took her to an all-night vet clinic.
$252 and 5 hours later, we brought her home. She wasn't leaking, but she was drugged to the point where every few minutes we had to run her face to make her blink, and she'd drop her head into her rat litter (pelletized paper shreds that make up the "carpet" in all our rate cages) and get her nose stuffed up and have trouble breathing, which she was too drugged to correct.
At about 8am yesterday I lay down to get some sleep. About 9:30am, my mom woke me up to tell me Abbie was trying to pull her stitches out. From about 9:30am to 3pm, I did nothing except sit on the couch with this rat and try to annoy her enough that she wasn't concentrating on her stitches. From about 9:30am to 3pm, my mom freaked out.
My dad got home sometime around 3pm, and Abbie immediately took a liking to him. (She's never shown any affection to anyone except me and mom). He lined a laundry basket with a towel, put her in there, and watched TV all afternoon. She spent all that time curled up next to his hand, apparently thinking it was her sister. He got her to eat and drink when no one else could...dad saved her life yesterday.
He sat with her until two in the morning, when he got me and had me take over. I slept from maybe 10pm until 2am this morning. I took Abbie downstairs and watched an entire disc of The Black Donnellys. At 5:15am, I got my mom up to take over for me, since that's near to the time she gets up anyway. From 5:45am to about 8:30am, I slept.
This evening I will have gone nearly 76 hours on nearly 8 hours of sleep. One more day like this, and I will have matched my personal insomniatic best. Oh yeah and, in that time, I also wrote two papers and annoyed at least 2 European liberals who want to invade Iran.
I cannot wait for tonight. When school gets out at 6:30pm, I'm going home, opening a Coke, and watching Prison Break, Kville, and CSI:Miami straight through.
By the way, have you ever tried to flirt when you're running on 4 hours of sleep in 48? It sucks, and I'm bad at it to start with
Our vet charged us $120 for the tumor removal (which was about the same size she was), antibiotics and pain meds, and a stay at the vet's house overnight. The vet is a GREAT person.
Abbie was doing fine, and we decided to try introducing her back into the same cage as her sister Lilly. They got along well, Lilly didn't try to take Abbie's stitches out, and everything seemed great.
Then, we got complacent. We left the two of them together too long, and at about 3pm on Saturday, Lilly chewed all of Abbie's external stitches open. It was still stitched up internally, but open on the outside.
We immediately separated them, and tried to stop Abbie's leaking. She wasn't bleeding so much as leaking bloody fluid. But she still had a hole the length of her leg in her side, and that's not a good thing. We couldn't get the leaking to stop, so at 11pm, we took her to an all-night vet clinic.
$252 and 5 hours later, we brought her home. She wasn't leaking, but she was drugged to the point where every few minutes we had to run her face to make her blink, and she'd drop her head into her rat litter (pelletized paper shreds that make up the "carpet" in all our rate cages) and get her nose stuffed up and have trouble breathing, which she was too drugged to correct.
At about 8am yesterday I lay down to get some sleep. About 9:30am, my mom woke me up to tell me Abbie was trying to pull her stitches out. From about 9:30am to 3pm, I did nothing except sit on the couch with this rat and try to annoy her enough that she wasn't concentrating on her stitches. From about 9:30am to 3pm, my mom freaked out.
My dad got home sometime around 3pm, and Abbie immediately took a liking to him. (She's never shown any affection to anyone except me and mom). He lined a laundry basket with a towel, put her in there, and watched TV all afternoon. She spent all that time curled up next to his hand, apparently thinking it was her sister. He got her to eat and drink when no one else could...dad saved her life yesterday.
He sat with her until two in the morning, when he got me and had me take over. I slept from maybe 10pm until 2am this morning. I took Abbie downstairs and watched an entire disc of The Black Donnellys. At 5:15am, I got my mom up to take over for me, since that's near to the time she gets up anyway. From 5:45am to about 8:30am, I slept.
This evening I will have gone nearly 76 hours on nearly 8 hours of sleep. One more day like this, and I will have matched my personal insomniatic best. Oh yeah and, in that time, I also wrote two papers and annoyed at least 2 European liberals who want to invade Iran.
I cannot wait for tonight. When school gets out at 6:30pm, I'm going home, opening a Coke, and watching Prison Break, Kville, and CSI:Miami straight through.
By the way, have you ever tried to flirt when you're running on 4 hours of sleep in 48? It sucks, and I'm bad at it to start with
Friday, September 21, 2007
Light Posting
The reason for the light posting is that to use a metaphor, all the bills came due at once. I've working, looking after recovering-from-surgery rat, writing, and staying out of the way of the counter-fitters, carpenters, and other people necessary to facillitate the installation of our new stove.
Fitting with the general theme of this house, nothing is up to code, requiring much MacGyvering of the installation.
I'm hoping to get back to some Tales From Retail and Random Reflections in the near future though
Fitting with the general theme of this house, nothing is up to code, requiring much MacGyvering of the installation.
I'm hoping to get back to some Tales From Retail and Random Reflections in the near future though
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Fall Is Here
It's safe to say that cold temperatures have joined us. In the span of 3 days, the temperature has dropped from mid eighties to mid fifties, and at night the wind is biting. The sky is overcast, and everything looks gray. I don't look forward to this and worse for the next nine months.
The USP is HOME!
Picked up my USP Compact 9mm last night. Great little gun. Fits my hand perfectly, points like my finger, and I love the safety setup on it. It probably won't be replacing my Sig220 as my nightstand gun, but it definitely joined it.
I've carried it concealed since I got up this morning. As long as I'm on my property, I'm not doing anything illegal, and I figure this is great training for when(if) I do get a CCW license. I'm getting used to it being on my hip all the time, getting used to not checking it every five seconds.
I'm not surprised to announce that I don't feel any different. I thought carrying a gun would make you feel different. It doesn't, anymore than my Spyderco did.
I've carried it concealed since I got up this morning. As long as I'm on my property, I'm not doing anything illegal, and I figure this is great training for when(if) I do get a CCW license. I'm getting used to it being on my hip all the time, getting used to not checking it every five seconds.
I'm not surprised to announce that I don't feel any different. I thought carrying a gun would make you feel different. It doesn't, anymore than my Spyderco did.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Bon Jovi - Walk Like A Man
He said 'sit down son, we gotta talk'
I said 'it’s my life, I’m gonna do what I want
I’m not gonna crawl, I'm gonna walk
Walk right out that door'
He said 'I used to be a lot like you
Theres nothing you’ve done that I didn’t do'
I laughed and said 'Dad I’m bullet proof
We’ve been through this before'
I couldn’t believe it
There was a tear in my old man’s eye
When I was leaving
He tried to say goodbye
He said
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
I’ve seen a couple of miles on a gravel road
Been taught a couple things that I didn’t know
Now I even got a kid of my own
Starting to sound a lot like me
I learned a little thing called sacrifice
Given up on dreams, lost a couple fights
All anybody wants is a better life
And something to believe
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
(guitar solo)
I couldn’t believe it
When the tears came to my eyes
It isn’t easy
Standing on the other side
I said 'sit down son, we gotta talk
Hey it’s your life, you’re gonna do what you want
I won't say crawl before you walk
Cause I heard my old man in my mind saying'
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
And when you go on without me
Walk Like A Man
Walk on
(guitar solo)
-----------------------------------------------------
Fantastic song. In an age where fathers (and men) are denigrated and derided as outmoded, stupid, lustful, and out of touch, and honor is no longer considered to be worthy of a second's thought, it's nice to hear a song about a meaningful father/son relationship that imparts some profound wisdom.
Reminds me of my dad. He told me on a car trip once:"Don't worry about making people happy. What other's think of you doesn't matter. Your mom and I, not so much. Anybody else, not at all. What matters is what you think of yourself."
May we all have the courage to walk like men.
I said 'it’s my life, I’m gonna do what I want
I’m not gonna crawl, I'm gonna walk
Walk right out that door'
He said 'I used to be a lot like you
Theres nothing you’ve done that I didn’t do'
I laughed and said 'Dad I’m bullet proof
We’ve been through this before'
I couldn’t believe it
There was a tear in my old man’s eye
When I was leaving
He tried to say goodbye
He said
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
I’ve seen a couple of miles on a gravel road
Been taught a couple things that I didn’t know
Now I even got a kid of my own
Starting to sound a lot like me
I learned a little thing called sacrifice
Given up on dreams, lost a couple fights
All anybody wants is a better life
And something to believe
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
(guitar solo)
I couldn’t believe it
When the tears came to my eyes
It isn’t easy
Standing on the other side
I said 'sit down son, we gotta talk
Hey it’s your life, you’re gonna do what you want
I won't say crawl before you walk
Cause I heard my old man in my mind saying'
Stand tall when you stumble
Stay proud when you’re humbled
The lessons you learn won't be the ones you plan
Every step up that mountain
Will be more than worth counting
But when you walk through the valley
May you Walk Like A Man
And when you go on without me
Walk Like A Man
Walk on
(guitar solo)
-----------------------------------------------------
Fantastic song. In an age where fathers (and men) are denigrated and derided as outmoded, stupid, lustful, and out of touch, and honor is no longer considered to be worthy of a second's thought, it's nice to hear a song about a meaningful father/son relationship that imparts some profound wisdom.
Reminds me of my dad. He told me on a car trip once:"Don't worry about making people happy. What other's think of you doesn't matter. Your mom and I, not so much. Anybody else, not at all. What matters is what you think of yourself."
May we all have the courage to walk like men.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Found Elsewhere On The Internet: The Liberal World-view
There is no right or wrong, just the inability to get along. Therefore you must either agree with me or be accused of causing an argument.
It takes two to make a fight, so stop fighting me.
If you don’t have anything nice to say about me, you must refrain from criticizing anything I choose to do to you.
If anything I do to you makes you angry, it proves you are a hateful person.
If you cannot accept what I do to you, it means you are closed-minded.
If you don’t give me what I want, it proves you are materialistic and selfish.
It takes two to make a fight, so stop fighting me.
If you don’t have anything nice to say about me, you must refrain from criticizing anything I choose to do to you.
If anything I do to you makes you angry, it proves you are a hateful person.
If you cannot accept what I do to you, it means you are closed-minded.
If you don’t give me what I want, it proves you are materialistic and selfish.
Great Quotes
"When a man spends his own money to buy something for himself, he is very careful about how much he spends and how he spends it. When a man spends his own money to buy something for someone else, he is still very careful about how much he spends, but somewhat less what he spends it on. When a man spends someone else's money to buy somethingfor himself, he is very careful about what he buys, but doesn't care at all how much he spends. And when a man spends someone else's money on someone else, he doesn't care how much he spends or what he spends it on. And that's government for you." --Economist and Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman
It is an ironclad law of economics that if you want more of something, subsidize it; if you want less of something, tax it. But liberals were shocked and bewildered to discover that when they subsidized illegitimacy, they got more of it. --- Ann Coulter
It is an ironclad law of economics that if you want more of something, subsidize it; if you want less of something, tax it. But liberals were shocked and bewildered to discover that when they subsidized illegitimacy, they got more of it. --- Ann Coulter
...And Rudy Does Too!
"Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it." - Rudy Giuliani
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can anyone read this and not be scared? Here is a man, who according to all polls stands an excellent chance of being our next president - saying that war is peace, freedom is slavery, the whole ******* Orwellian doublespeak dictionary.
Note to the world: 1984 WAS NOT an instruction manual.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can anyone read this and not be scared? Here is a man, who according to all polls stands an excellent chance of being our next president - saying that war is peace, freedom is slavery, the whole ******* Orwellian doublespeak dictionary.
Note to the world: 1984 WAS NOT an instruction manual.
John Edwards Likes Using Force
This:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/ap_on_el_pr/edwards_2
TIPTON, Iowa - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday that his universal health care proposal would require that Americans go to the doctor for preventive care.
Require? As in, threaten someone with death or jail if they don't comply? That kind of require?
"It requires that everybody be covered. It requires that everybody get preventive care," he told a crowd sitting in lawn chairs in front of the Cedar County Courthouse. "If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK."
If you can read this paragraph and not want to drag this man into the and kick him, you're not a real American.
He noted, for example, that women would be required to have regular mammograms in an effort to find and treat "the first trace of problem." Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, announced earlier this year that her breast cancer had returned and spread.
Edwards said his mandatory health care plan would cover preventive, chronic and long-term health care. The plan would include mental health care as well as dental and vision coverage for all Americans.
...and what do you think Democrat-endorsed, government-run-and-required psychologists will say when you answer that you own guns and don't really trust or like the government?
"The whole idea is a continuum of care, basically from birth to death," he said.
The former North Carolina senator said all presidential candidates talking about health care "ought to be asked one question: Does your plan cover every single American?"
"Because if it doesn't they should be made to explain what child, what woman, what man in America is not worthy of health care," he said. "Because in my view, everybody is worth health care."
Edwards said his plan would cost up to $120 billion a year, a cost he proposes covering by ending President Bush's tax cuts to people who make more than $200,000 per year.
$120,000,000,000 as an estimate? He's going to pay for this by wiping out the tax cuts that have rejuvinated our economy? What's he going to do when his plan runs double what he "proposes."
Edwards, who has been criticized by some for calling on Americans to be willing to give up their SUVs while driving one, acknowledged Sunday that he owns a Ford Escape hybrid SUV, purchased within the year, and a Chrysler Pacificia, which he said he has had for years.
"I think all of us have to move, have to make progress," he said. "I'm not holyier-than-thou about this. ... I'm like a lot of Americans, I see how serious this issue is and I want to address it myself and I want to help lead the nation in the right direction."
He said he would not buy another SUV in the future.
The Ford Escape, the first hybrid SUV on the market, gets an estimated 36 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
Brings to mind this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique_Drill
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/ap_on_el_pr/edwards_2
TIPTON, Iowa - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday that his universal health care proposal would require that Americans go to the doctor for preventive care.
Require? As in, threaten someone with death or jail if they don't comply? That kind of require?
"It requires that everybody be covered. It requires that everybody get preventive care," he told a crowd sitting in lawn chairs in front of the Cedar County Courthouse. "If you are going to be in the system, you can't choose not to go to the doctor for 20 years. You have to go in and be checked and make sure that you are OK."
If you can read this paragraph and not want to drag this man into the and kick him, you're not a real American.
He noted, for example, that women would be required to have regular mammograms in an effort to find and treat "the first trace of problem." Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, announced earlier this year that her breast cancer had returned and spread.
Edwards said his mandatory health care plan would cover preventive, chronic and long-term health care. The plan would include mental health care as well as dental and vision coverage for all Americans.
...and what do you think Democrat-endorsed, government-run-and-required psychologists will say when you answer that you own guns and don't really trust or like the government?
"The whole idea is a continuum of care, basically from birth to death," he said.
The former North Carolina senator said all presidential candidates talking about health care "ought to be asked one question: Does your plan cover every single American?"
"Because if it doesn't they should be made to explain what child, what woman, what man in America is not worthy of health care," he said. "Because in my view, everybody is worth health care."
Edwards said his plan would cost up to $120 billion a year, a cost he proposes covering by ending President Bush's tax cuts to people who make more than $200,000 per year.
$120,000,000,000 as an estimate? He's going to pay for this by wiping out the tax cuts that have rejuvinated our economy? What's he going to do when his plan runs double what he "proposes."
Edwards, who has been criticized by some for calling on Americans to be willing to give up their SUVs while driving one, acknowledged Sunday that he owns a Ford Escape hybrid SUV, purchased within the year, and a Chrysler Pacificia, which he said he has had for years.
"I think all of us have to move, have to make progress," he said. "I'm not holyier-than-thou about this. ... I'm like a lot of Americans, I see how serious this issue is and I want to address it myself and I want to help lead the nation in the right direction."
He said he would not buy another SUV in the future.
The Ford Escape, the first hybrid SUV on the market, gets an estimated 36 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
Brings to mind this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique_Drill
News
In the intervening time, I've:
-Worked a lot.
-Got a 100% on a writing assignment.
-Bought a USP Compact 9mm.
-Done a lot of writing.
-Watched Fred Thompson declare his candidacy. This is the first time I've ever been excited about a presidential candidate. We can only hope he wins.
-Worked a lot.
-Got a 100% on a writing assignment.
-Bought a USP Compact 9mm.
-Done a lot of writing.
-Watched Fred Thompson declare his candidacy. This is the first time I've ever been excited about a presidential candidate. We can only hope he wins.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Living For
I'm sick of living for someone else. It seems like what I want to do always takes a backseat to what is right, what is financially responsible, what is common sense, what is good, what I should do.
I wanted to buy a PTR-91...but instead I'll dump that money into stuff I should buy.
I wanted to take a year between school and college and just work...but I went to college.
I wanted to take this semester off and just work...but I'm going to school.
I wanted to ask a girl out...but I didn't, to preserve our friendship.
I want to ask another girl to go see The Kingdom...but I won't, because it'd be messy whether or not it worked.
I'm sick of always doing the right thing, the good thing, the common sense thing. I can't seem to behave like my brother, and do whatever I want, whenever I want, damn the torpedoes. But somehow, I just can't cut loose of doing the right thing, all the time. I'm sick of my own inability to let go.
I think this next line's from Lost:
"It's ok for some people, Jack. But not for you."
Grrr...It's 11:45 at night, and I'm depressed about all of this. And I know it, and it's influencing what I right. I'll feel differently in the morning. Actually I won't, I just won't admit it.
I wanted to buy a PTR-91...but instead I'll dump that money into stuff I should buy.
I wanted to take a year between school and college and just work...but I went to college.
I wanted to take this semester off and just work...but I'm going to school.
I wanted to ask a girl out...but I didn't, to preserve our friendship.
I want to ask another girl to go see The Kingdom...but I won't, because it'd be messy whether or not it worked.
I'm sick of always doing the right thing, the good thing, the common sense thing. I can't seem to behave like my brother, and do whatever I want, whenever I want, damn the torpedoes. But somehow, I just can't cut loose of doing the right thing, all the time. I'm sick of my own inability to let go.
I think this next line's from Lost:
"It's ok for some people, Jack. But not for you."
Grrr...It's 11:45 at night, and I'm depressed about all of this. And I know it, and it's influencing what I right. I'll feel differently in the morning. Actually I won't, I just won't admit it.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Gun Stuff
So on Saturday night I go to Gander Mtn. I'm looking to drop nearly a thousand dollars on a USP Compact.
The people in the gun department don't know how to use their computer system to find one for me. The guy says he'll take our information and call us when he has some time to work with the computer.
The next day, we decide to go back, but we decide to call first in case they dug up anything the night before. The man on the phone says they can't do any ordering (WTH?!). We go, and wind up talking to someone we've never met before. He says they CAN order stuff, and manages to find 5 USP Compact 9's, Variant 1 versions, for between $850-$950. He takes our information and says he'll call us if he finds any used versions.
An hour later, we get a call at home, he's order a new and a used. Not only do we have no obligation to buy, but he's waving the $25/gun shipping fee, because TPTB have decreed handguns may only be shipped overnight.
My USP should be here today or tomorrow.
Yay!
The people in the gun department don't know how to use their computer system to find one for me. The guy says he'll take our information and call us when he has some time to work with the computer.
The next day, we decide to go back, but we decide to call first in case they dug up anything the night before. The man on the phone says they can't do any ordering (WTH?!). We go, and wind up talking to someone we've never met before. He says they CAN order stuff, and manages to find 5 USP Compact 9's, Variant 1 versions, for between $850-$950. He takes our information and says he'll call us if he finds any used versions.
An hour later, we get a call at home, he's order a new and a used. Not only do we have no obligation to buy, but he's waving the $25/gun shipping fee, because TPTB have decreed handguns may only be shipped overnight.
My USP should be here today or tomorrow.
Yay!
School Again
I'm here in school again. Sitting at yet another computer.
School's not SO bad. Business class is entertaining, because the teacher is about 80% Libertarian. You know it's going to be a fun class when she says "If you trust the government to take care of you, you end up eating stale bread on the Russian Plateau."
Economics is taught by a man who doesn't speak much English.
And Business Writing looks to be fairly easy, though it incorporates all the elements that made me hate Business Writing Intro so much. Peer review...urgh. Makes me wanna take a claw hammer to my computer.
School's not SO bad. Business class is entertaining, because the teacher is about 80% Libertarian. You know it's going to be a fun class when she says "If you trust the government to take care of you, you end up eating stale bread on the Russian Plateau."
Economics is taught by a man who doesn't speak much English.
And Business Writing looks to be fairly easy, though it incorporates all the elements that made me hate Business Writing Intro so much. Peer review...urgh. Makes me wanna take a claw hammer to my computer.
Monday, August 20, 2007
So Here I Am...
Sitting in a another computer lab.
Waiting for class to start for the semester. One hour and eighteen minutes left.
I don't feel comfortable blogging my usual stuff in a public place. Don't know why, I'll probably get over it though.
I'd rather be working. There I get paid to put up with aggravation, and I occasionally have some fun. Here I pay to be aggravated, and there's never ANYTHING fun.
Yes, I'm in a foul mood about this.
Waiting for class to start for the semester. One hour and eighteen minutes left.
I don't feel comfortable blogging my usual stuff in a public place. Don't know why, I'll probably get over it though.
I'd rather be working. There I get paid to put up with aggravation, and I occasionally have some fun. Here I pay to be aggravated, and there's never ANYTHING fun.
Yes, I'm in a foul mood about this.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Shooty Goodness
Well, my mom (who's been to the range approximately 2 times) said we'd go at least once this summer, before I go back to college. Given that I go back on Monday, and work a bit in between, yesterday was the last day to go.
We loaded up the Walther .22, the CZ452, CX4, and Beretta 92, and then me, she, and my brother all rode out to the range.
Woulda been a little nicer if the people one lane over hadn't been so interested in running more lead through their XD45 than went through the last 9 John Woo movies. Mom doesn't like loud bangs, especially from 5 feet away.
But, she blew the center out of the target at 25 yards with the CZ. Moved on up to the Walther, and did passable with that. Took 2 shots with the CX4, and hit a bullseye with one shot, but didn't like that. One shot with the 92, and it was time to go.
I didn't have the advantage of someone coaching me to shoot with various .22s. I went from nothing, not even airsoft to a .40S&W carry pistol, and from there to an Honest-To-God battlerifle. It didn't take me long to become accustomed to the use of a gun, but I guess it takes other people longer. Oh well. She did quite good.
We loaded up the Walther .22, the CZ452, CX4, and Beretta 92, and then me, she, and my brother all rode out to the range.
Woulda been a little nicer if the people one lane over hadn't been so interested in running more lead through their XD45 than went through the last 9 John Woo movies. Mom doesn't like loud bangs, especially from 5 feet away.
But, she blew the center out of the target at 25 yards with the CZ. Moved on up to the Walther, and did passable with that. Took 2 shots with the CX4, and hit a bullseye with one shot, but didn't like that. One shot with the 92, and it was time to go.
I didn't have the advantage of someone coaching me to shoot with various .22s. I went from nothing, not even airsoft to a .40S&W carry pistol, and from there to an Honest-To-God battlerifle. It didn't take me long to become accustomed to the use of a gun, but I guess it takes other people longer. Oh well. She did quite good.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
I Am SO Going To See This...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMei5nctinc
Classic Michael Mann film here. Jamie Foxx, good acting, tight scripting, good camerawork, neat dialogue, great combat sequences, .308s, badguys getting their backsides handed to them...
Like a poster I saw once said: "Tell those boys with their laundry on their heads it's washday, and we're bringin' the Maytag."
Classic Michael Mann film here. Jamie Foxx, good acting, tight scripting, good camerawork, neat dialogue, great combat sequences, .308s, badguys getting their backsides handed to them...
Like a poster I saw once said: "Tell those boys with their laundry on their heads it's washday, and we're bringin' the Maytag."
Monday, August 13, 2007
What's Going On
Not a whole lot happening in Vincentdom. Lots of work. Lots of gearing up for school. Lots of running. Some shooting. The stock fell off my HDR again, I need to write ACE about fixing this. You spend +$200 on something, you expect it to work.
I finalized my financial objectives for 2008. I'm gonna have to get a start on them right after I get my USP later this month. It'll take me 1.5 years to complete 1 year's worth of financial objectives. Ah well, such is working on a deadline. Most of the stuff will probably be banned in early 2009.
I finalized my financial objectives for 2008. I'm gonna have to get a start on them right after I get my USP later this month. It'll take me 1.5 years to complete 1 year's worth of financial objectives. Ah well, such is working on a deadline. Most of the stuff will probably be banned in early 2009.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Outrage
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070804/NATION/108040062/1001
I'm not going to cut and paste because it's two pages. Paraphrased, the DemCong played fast and loose with the rules, and because they did so, they passed a bill allowing criminal aliens to collect government benefits.
WHY we're having a reasonable debate on this is beyond me.
WHY we're not trying everyone on the "criminal alien" side of this debate for capital treason charges is ALSO beyond me.
I'm not going to cut and paste because it's two pages. Paraphrased, the DemCong played fast and loose with the rules, and because they did so, they passed a bill allowing criminal aliens to collect government benefits.
WHY we're having a reasonable debate on this is beyond me.
WHY we're not trying everyone on the "criminal alien" side of this debate for capital treason charges is ALSO beyond me.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Shooty Goodness
Been out to the range twice in the past 5 days.
First time went out with just the Storm and the .22. The Storm is a fantastic rifle. Low recoil, accurate, only problem is those damned American peep sights. Hate 'em. The Commies know how to make a rifle sight.
Kept all my shots on piece of printer paper at 75 feet, grouping them nicely, even in rapid-fire.
Friday we took my Sig and my dad's 1911 out, ran 100 rounds of steelcase 45 hardball between them. The Sig was mystifying. Shot left from a sandbag. Shot beautifully accurate standing the first time, and then the second time could not get 1 out of 8 on paper. The 1911 of course performed beautifully. Standing, I fired a group at 45 feet you could cover with an index card. The first three formed a nice little "V," all the sides touching. Two vertical from that, and then a final three in a nice tight group. Lovin' it.
First time went out with just the Storm and the .22. The Storm is a fantastic rifle. Low recoil, accurate, only problem is those damned American peep sights. Hate 'em. The Commies know how to make a rifle sight.
Kept all my shots on piece of printer paper at 75 feet, grouping them nicely, even in rapid-fire.
Friday we took my Sig and my dad's 1911 out, ran 100 rounds of steelcase 45 hardball between them. The Sig was mystifying. Shot left from a sandbag. Shot beautifully accurate standing the first time, and then the second time could not get 1 out of 8 on paper. The 1911 of course performed beautifully. Standing, I fired a group at 45 feet you could cover with an index card. The first three formed a nice little "V," all the sides touching. Two vertical from that, and then a final three in a nice tight group. Lovin' it.
Gun Sales Rise After Cheshire Home Invasion
Gun Sales Rise After Cheshire Home Invasion
Security Company Says Phones Ringing Off Hook
July 26, 2007
http://www.wfsb.com/news/13763446/detail.html
NEWINGTON, Conn. - State gun sales have shot up in the daysafter the wife and two daughters of a prominent Connecticutphysician were killed, according to a local gun shop owner.
Scott Hoffman runs Hoffman's Gun Center on the Berlin Turnpike. In the past few days, following the triple homicide in Cheshire,Hoffman said that people have been rushing to his store to buyguns for themselves and their homes.
"They're scared," he said. "They're scared for their own personal safety and their family's safety, their children's safety and they want a way to protect themselves."Hoffman said that the most popular weapon for both men and women looking to defend themselves is a defense-grade shotgun.
Hoffman credited the gun's popularity to the short waiting period -it can be obtained in two weeks as opposed to waiting 90 days for a pistol permit."We sell about 8,000 guns a year, and I'd say a majority of them are for self-defense," he said.
Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Jessica Schneider reportedthat residents questioning their sense of safety following the home invasion have also been calling companies that install security systems.
Joe Mitchell of Associated Security Corp. said his company's phones have been ringing off the hook."I had 15 phone calls on my phone by 9:30 in the morning," he said.
He said that security systems aren't meant to protect valuables anymore, that many people use them to protect their lives.
------------------------------------------------
Some people GET IT!
Note how long it takes to get a gun there though. 3 months for a handgun, 2 weeks for a shotgun. There's a label for that - I call it failure. Failure by the people to elect the right politicians, failure to strongarm them out of passing bad law, and finally, failure to punish them for grievous abridgement of the human right to self-defense.
And by punish, I'm not meaning VOTING them out of office.
"In certain...extreme situations, the law is inadequate. In order to shame its inadequacy, it is necessary to act outside the law. To pursue...natural justice. This is not vengeance. Revenge is not a valid motive, it's an emotional response. No, not vengeance. Punishment."
Security Company Says Phones Ringing Off Hook
July 26, 2007
http://www.wfsb.com/news/13763446/detail.html
NEWINGTON, Conn. - State gun sales have shot up in the daysafter the wife and two daughters of a prominent Connecticutphysician were killed, according to a local gun shop owner.
Scott Hoffman runs Hoffman's Gun Center on the Berlin Turnpike. In the past few days, following the triple homicide in Cheshire,Hoffman said that people have been rushing to his store to buyguns for themselves and their homes.
"They're scared," he said. "They're scared for their own personal safety and their family's safety, their children's safety and they want a way to protect themselves."Hoffman said that the most popular weapon for both men and women looking to defend themselves is a defense-grade shotgun.
Hoffman credited the gun's popularity to the short waiting period -it can be obtained in two weeks as opposed to waiting 90 days for a pistol permit."We sell about 8,000 guns a year, and I'd say a majority of them are for self-defense," he said.
Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Jessica Schneider reportedthat residents questioning their sense of safety following the home invasion have also been calling companies that install security systems.
Joe Mitchell of Associated Security Corp. said his company's phones have been ringing off the hook."I had 15 phone calls on my phone by 9:30 in the morning," he said.
He said that security systems aren't meant to protect valuables anymore, that many people use them to protect their lives.
------------------------------------------------
Some people GET IT!
Note how long it takes to get a gun there though. 3 months for a handgun, 2 weeks for a shotgun. There's a label for that - I call it failure. Failure by the people to elect the right politicians, failure to strongarm them out of passing bad law, and finally, failure to punish them for grievous abridgement of the human right to self-defense.
And by punish, I'm not meaning VOTING them out of office.
"In certain...extreme situations, the law is inadequate. In order to shame its inadequacy, it is necessary to act outside the law. To pursue...natural justice. This is not vengeance. Revenge is not a valid motive, it's an emotional response. No, not vengeance. Punishment."
US Senators call for universal Internet filtering
US senators today made a bipartisan call for the universal implementation of filtering and monitoring technologies on the Internet in order to protect children at the end of a Senate hearing for which civil liberties groups were not invited.
Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) both argued that Internet was a dangerous place where parents alone will not be able to protect their children.
“While filtering and monitoring technologies help parents to screen out offensive content and to monitor their child’s online activities, the use of these technologies is far from universal and may not be fool-proof in keeping kids away from adult material," Sen. Inouye said. “In that context, we must evaluate our current efforts to combat child pornography and consider what further measures may be needed to stop the spread of such illegal material over high-speed broadband connections."
"Given the increasingly important role of the Internet in education and commerce, it differs from other media like TV and cable because parents cannot prevent their children from using the Internet altogether," Sen. Stevens said. "The headlines continue to tell us of children who are victimized online. While the issues are difficult, I believe Congress has an important role to play to ensure that the protections available in other parts of our society find their way to the Internet."
The measures they are calling for include directing the Federal Communications Commission to identify industry practices "that can limit the transmission of child pornography" and requiring the Federal Trade Commission to form a working group to identify blocking and filtering technologies in use and "identify, what, if anything could be done to improve the process and better enable parents to proactively protect their children online."
"In its zeal to protect kids from predators and potentially inappropriate content, Congress must not trample the First Amendment rights of Internet users," Center for Democracy and Technology said in a statement submitted to the Committee today.
They highlighted the finding of a report prepared by diverse group of people including individuals with expertise in constitutional law, law enforcement, libraries and library science, information retrieval and representation, developmental and social psychology, Internet and other information technologies, ethics, and education found that “public policy can go far beyond the creation of statutory punishment for violating some approved canon of behavior.”
"[T]he most important finding of the committee is that developing in children and youth an ethic of responsible choice and skills for appropriate behavior is foundational for all efforts to protect them—with respect to inappropriate sexually explicit material on the Internet as well as many other dangers on the Internet and in the physical world," the Thornburgh Committee concluded.
----------------------------------------------
I'd try to fisk it, but it'd wind up turning into a Guns post instead of a Government post. If you think you should be able to "filter" the internet, you should be fired from Congress and given a one way ticket to the Soviet Union or China, which ever totalitarian state fits your personality better.
Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) both argued that Internet was a dangerous place where parents alone will not be able to protect their children.
“While filtering and monitoring technologies help parents to screen out offensive content and to monitor their child’s online activities, the use of these technologies is far from universal and may not be fool-proof in keeping kids away from adult material," Sen. Inouye said. “In that context, we must evaluate our current efforts to combat child pornography and consider what further measures may be needed to stop the spread of such illegal material over high-speed broadband connections."
"Given the increasingly important role of the Internet in education and commerce, it differs from other media like TV and cable because parents cannot prevent their children from using the Internet altogether," Sen. Stevens said. "The headlines continue to tell us of children who are victimized online. While the issues are difficult, I believe Congress has an important role to play to ensure that the protections available in other parts of our society find their way to the Internet."
The measures they are calling for include directing the Federal Communications Commission to identify industry practices "that can limit the transmission of child pornography" and requiring the Federal Trade Commission to form a working group to identify blocking and filtering technologies in use and "identify, what, if anything could be done to improve the process and better enable parents to proactively protect their children online."
"In its zeal to protect kids from predators and potentially inappropriate content, Congress must not trample the First Amendment rights of Internet users," Center for Democracy and Technology said in a statement submitted to the Committee today.
They highlighted the finding of a report prepared by diverse group of people including individuals with expertise in constitutional law, law enforcement, libraries and library science, information retrieval and representation, developmental and social psychology, Internet and other information technologies, ethics, and education found that “public policy can go far beyond the creation of statutory punishment for violating some approved canon of behavior.”
"[T]he most important finding of the committee is that developing in children and youth an ethic of responsible choice and skills for appropriate behavior is foundational for all efforts to protect them—with respect to inappropriate sexually explicit material on the Internet as well as many other dangers on the Internet and in the physical world," the Thornburgh Committee concluded.
----------------------------------------------
I'd try to fisk it, but it'd wind up turning into a Guns post instead of a Government post. If you think you should be able to "filter" the internet, you should be fired from Congress and given a one way ticket to the Soviet Union or China, which ever totalitarian state fits your personality better.
Licensing Roadblocks Generate Revenue by Seizing Cars
Licensing Roadblocks Generate Revenue by Seizing Cars
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures.
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures this week. North Carolina state police have begun experimenting with short-term "safety checkpoints" that contrast with the more traditional approach used in California.
Troopers in Rocky Mount, North Carolina set up a roadblock on Riverside Drive that lasted just thirty-minutes. Joined by the city police, the troopers were able to issue $75 tickets to anyone neglecting or choosing not to wear a seatbelt. Forgetting a driver's license at home yielded $160 citations. The intention behind the short-term roadblocks was preventing motorists from using cell phones to warn friends and family to avoid the road and its inconvenience. According to police, the location of each roadblock spreads quickly.
So basically they're trolling for minor, victimless infractions. Rocky Mount NC PD, meet the 4th Amendment. And while you're at it, a discussion of the intent of the 2nd might be in order too...you know, why they wrote it, that sort of thing.
Traditional four and six hour roadblocks in California this week allowed two police departments to seize 119 vehicles likely to yield $140,000 in fines and fees. In Gardena, 1489 motorists traveling on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevards between 10am and 2pm yesterday were stopped and ordered to show their paperwork. The effort yielded 62 vehicles seized over licensing violations each of which will likely net $1200 in towing and storage fees. Officers were able to issue another 34 tickets for seatbelt and window tinting issues. No drunk drivers were identified.
The whole purpose of these checkpoints was originally to catch drunk drivers, no? I can't see where this gets called a success. They inconvenience nearly 2,000 drivers, seize dozens of vehicles over minor infractions (do they call a cab for you if they impound your vehicle, or do you walk?), and they can't even claim it was a success according to their original intent.
"We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint," Gardena Police Officer Carl Freeman told the Los Angeles Daily Breeze newspaper. "That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."
Of course those drivers got educated you self-righteous pig with delusions of adequacy. They got educated as to abuses of power, they got educated as to what it feels like to hear "Papers, please" inside American borders, and they got educated as to abridgement of their God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. Mr. Freeman (irony there is strong, isn't it), should be tossed in prison, IN uniform.
The city yesterday received a $468,445 grant of state and federal gas tax money from the California Office of Traffic Safety to conduct additional DUI roadblocks.
State and federal gas tax money. So now I'M helping to pay for unconstitutional behavior by the NC police department. Beautiful. Do they have a 5 year plan for checkpoints as well?
In the city of Bakersfield, another 1300 motorists were subjected to a search at at Chester Avenue and 40th Street allowing police to collect 57 cars. The roadblock, funded by state and federal gas tax money, lasted from 7am to 1pm. Only one suspected drunk driver was identified.
Well, at least this one was a success. 6 hours, 1300 motorists' rights abridged, one drunk driving SUSPECT caught. Notice how the police were "allowed" to collect 57 cars. I don't think there was any deniable permitting going on there.
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures.
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures this week. North Carolina state police have begun experimenting with short-term "safety checkpoints" that contrast with the more traditional approach used in California.
Troopers in Rocky Mount, North Carolina set up a roadblock on Riverside Drive that lasted just thirty-minutes. Joined by the city police, the troopers were able to issue $75 tickets to anyone neglecting or choosing not to wear a seatbelt. Forgetting a driver's license at home yielded $160 citations. The intention behind the short-term roadblocks was preventing motorists from using cell phones to warn friends and family to avoid the road and its inconvenience. According to police, the location of each roadblock spreads quickly.
So basically they're trolling for minor, victimless infractions. Rocky Mount NC PD, meet the 4th Amendment. And while you're at it, a discussion of the intent of the 2nd might be in order too...you know, why they wrote it, that sort of thing.
Traditional four and six hour roadblocks in California this week allowed two police departments to seize 119 vehicles likely to yield $140,000 in fines and fees. In Gardena, 1489 motorists traveling on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevards between 10am and 2pm yesterday were stopped and ordered to show their paperwork. The effort yielded 62 vehicles seized over licensing violations each of which will likely net $1200 in towing and storage fees. Officers were able to issue another 34 tickets for seatbelt and window tinting issues. No drunk drivers were identified.
The whole purpose of these checkpoints was originally to catch drunk drivers, no? I can't see where this gets called a success. They inconvenience nearly 2,000 drivers, seize dozens of vehicles over minor infractions (do they call a cab for you if they impound your vehicle, or do you walk?), and they can't even claim it was a success according to their original intent.
"We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint," Gardena Police Officer Carl Freeman told the Los Angeles Daily Breeze newspaper. "That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."
Of course those drivers got educated you self-righteous pig with delusions of adequacy. They got educated as to abuses of power, they got educated as to what it feels like to hear "Papers, please" inside American borders, and they got educated as to abridgement of their God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. Mr. Freeman (irony there is strong, isn't it), should be tossed in prison, IN uniform.
The city yesterday received a $468,445 grant of state and federal gas tax money from the California Office of Traffic Safety to conduct additional DUI roadblocks.
State and federal gas tax money. So now I'M helping to pay for unconstitutional behavior by the NC police department. Beautiful. Do they have a 5 year plan for checkpoints as well?
In the city of Bakersfield, another 1300 motorists were subjected to a search at at Chester Avenue and 40th Street allowing police to collect 57 cars. The roadblock, funded by state and federal gas tax money, lasted from 7am to 1pm. Only one suspected drunk driver was identified.
Well, at least this one was a success. 6 hours, 1300 motorists' rights abridged, one drunk driving SUSPECT caught. Notice how the police were "allowed" to collect 57 cars. I don't think there was any deniable permitting going on there.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
There's What Is...
The gasoline price-hike gives me hope that this time nothing will change. Deep down I know that it will, but what happened last time gives me hope.
When the price of gasoline rose quickly through the three dollar level, and into the fours, do you remember what happened?
Not a whole lot.
We had a lot of people whining and complaining on TV and on the radio, and in print. The oil companies are gouging us! Save us from eeevvvviiilll big OOOIIILLL! But nobody actually went out and did anything. Sure, Toyota is in the process of converting ALL their vehicles over to hybrid, but that’s nothing new. When gas climbed into the $4.20 range, Americans didn’t cut their driving at all. The auto manufacturers didn’t go out and invent fifteen new electric or hybrid cars. Detroit is still trying to convince the average American man that he needs a truck capable of hauling the Statue Of Liberty. The soccer moms are still rolling in their $30,000 SUVs. With the exception of a handful more Priuses on the road, nothing’s changed.
This was the public shaming of the “Bush Went To War For Oil” crowd, but nobody showed up. Too bad.
And that’s what gives me hope. When prices rose last time, NOTHING happened. I fear this time will be different.
Today the federal minimum wage gets a hike up to $5.85 per hour, an increase of $.70, or a little more than one seventh. For a full-time minimum-wage employee, if this first wage-hike were the last, they would be receiving an extra $1,456 per year. In another six months, minimum wage gets bumped up to $6.55. Another $.70 increase. Another $1,456 per year.
In exactly 365 days, business owners will be forced, upon threat of jail or violence, to pay their minimum-wage employees roughly 27% percent MORE do to exactly the SAME work they were doing yesterday. Whereas before your standard minimum wage laborer earns roughly $10,700 before taxes now, they will soon be earning nearly $14,000.
But this is a good thing, right? Right?
For the first time in history, single mothers will no longer have to choose between baby formula and electricity. Families will become self-sufficient. Poverty in America will end. No child will go to bed hungry again.
This is a good thing, right? Right?
No. Because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think should be. There’s the ideal, and then there’s reality. There’s the way it’s supposed to be done, and then there’s what actually happens.
Do you really think there are not going to be consequences for each full-time minimum wage employee being paid an extra $3000 dollars per year? Do you think that every business in American can soak up an extra $3000 loss per minimum wage employee?
This is where I fear the gas-price hike was an abnormality.
Because this time, there will be an effect following the cause.
As businesses are forced (at pain of jail or violence) to pay roughly 1/3 more for exactly the same work, since a business cannot long operate like the federal government and run at a deficit, they will have one of two choices. First, they can pass that new loss onto the customer. Prices have already been rising across the board for the past year. In order to stay in business, companies are going to have to jack their prices up EVEN further, just to make ends meet. They’re still carrying the same product, but now they’ve got an increased overhead. This will hit the retail sector especially hard, as retailers generally run on an incredibly tight budget. In order to survive financially, prices WILL have to rise. Will consumers continue paying, say, a third more for the same product? Of course not. Absolutely not. Hopefully they will, as they did during the gas price hike, or companies are going to face even MORE dire financial straits.
The second course of action is to lay off employees. Imagine, in your place of work, if all the salaries were doubled. Do you really believe all of you would be there a year from now, all earning twice as much for the same work? Of course not. Absolutely not. At some point the market will not bear the price increase and the only way to stabilize the financing is to let some of the employees go. So, in order to support the wage hikes, we’re going to lose some of our minimum wage employees, who will then be unemployed, and because of the wage hike all over, they will find far less work than before.
Meanwhile those employees who were earning MORE than minimum wage will have to pick up the slack of losing some of those minimum wage employees. The same work still has to get done, but now there are less people to do it. Would YOU stay with your current job if they eliminated a quarter of the employees and added their duties to yours, WITHOUT a corresponding increase in YOUR wages? Of course not. Absolutely not.
That’s because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think should be.
If government could tinker with wages as much as they would like, what is unreasonable about setting the minimum wage at $10 per hour? (Wait, Donkey candidate John Edwards wants to do just that!) How about $20 per hour? Why not $50? Why not just give everyone $100,000 every year? That’d be a novel solution to trying to end poverty.
Or, if we’re in the business of discussing moronic government interference, we could, as Donkey candidate Barak Huessein Obama suggests, link the minimum wage to price increases.
This is much like what will happen soon, only his idea involves a continual escalation. As retailers jack up their prices to account for the increased overhead of their employees being paid a third again as much for the same work, the buying power of the minimum wage employee will remain the same. Say they get their 27% more money – if prices rise at a similar rate, what has changed? What. Has. Changed?
This is all incredibly ironic of course, because the Democratic party has two other favorite economic drums that it likes to bang without rhythm. The first is immigration. The recently-killed amnesty bill would’ve legalized 12 million criminal aliens. These newly pardoned, newly minted citizens would thereby be eligible for the minimum wage, becoming as employable as the American citizens their employers favored them over. The whole reason there IS a problem with criminal aliens in this country is because American employers don’t have to pay them as much as non-criminals. Between paying a Mexican $3 to work the fields, or raising their wages to attract Americans, the standard farming organization would rather pay the Mexican. It’s absolutely logical business: What is financially better? Paying your employees $3, or paying your employees $9. What will keep your prices low, and you in business for longer?
The Democratic party wants to make 12 million new citizens, and immediately put them out of work.
The second hobby horse of the Democratic party is the shipping of American jobs overseas. American businesses don’t do this because they like having Pakistanis who don’t speak English running their phone-tech-support services, they do this to save money. They’d rather pay foreign wages to Americans – but American wages are cost prohibitive. So, we run into the problems outlined above: Raising prices, cutting services, firing employees, or closing the doors and turning out the lights. For the second time, a business is not like the federal government – they cannot run forever on a deficit, and when a private individual prints money like it’s going out of style it’s not called devaluing the currency, it’s called counterfeiting.
These are facts. You can raise the minimum wage, but in doing so you’re going to kill businesses, put employees out of work, and raise prices for consumers (who will respond by spending even less of their money). You can ignore the consequences and play havoc with the market over a fuzzy, feel-good idea, but eventually that train will run you over.
Because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think there should be. There’s the ideal, and then there’s reality. There’s the way it’s supposed to be done, and then there’s what actually happens.
There’s what IS, and then there’s what others think should be.
When the price of gasoline rose quickly through the three dollar level, and into the fours, do you remember what happened?
Not a whole lot.
We had a lot of people whining and complaining on TV and on the radio, and in print. The oil companies are gouging us! Save us from eeevvvviiilll big OOOIIILLL! But nobody actually went out and did anything. Sure, Toyota is in the process of converting ALL their vehicles over to hybrid, but that’s nothing new. When gas climbed into the $4.20 range, Americans didn’t cut their driving at all. The auto manufacturers didn’t go out and invent fifteen new electric or hybrid cars. Detroit is still trying to convince the average American man that he needs a truck capable of hauling the Statue Of Liberty. The soccer moms are still rolling in their $30,000 SUVs. With the exception of a handful more Priuses on the road, nothing’s changed.
This was the public shaming of the “Bush Went To War For Oil” crowd, but nobody showed up. Too bad.
And that’s what gives me hope. When prices rose last time, NOTHING happened. I fear this time will be different.
Today the federal minimum wage gets a hike up to $5.85 per hour, an increase of $.70, or a little more than one seventh. For a full-time minimum-wage employee, if this first wage-hike were the last, they would be receiving an extra $1,456 per year. In another six months, minimum wage gets bumped up to $6.55. Another $.70 increase. Another $1,456 per year.
In exactly 365 days, business owners will be forced, upon threat of jail or violence, to pay their minimum-wage employees roughly 27% percent MORE do to exactly the SAME work they were doing yesterday. Whereas before your standard minimum wage laborer earns roughly $10,700 before taxes now, they will soon be earning nearly $14,000.
But this is a good thing, right? Right?
For the first time in history, single mothers will no longer have to choose between baby formula and electricity. Families will become self-sufficient. Poverty in America will end. No child will go to bed hungry again.
This is a good thing, right? Right?
No. Because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think should be. There’s the ideal, and then there’s reality. There’s the way it’s supposed to be done, and then there’s what actually happens.
Do you really think there are not going to be consequences for each full-time minimum wage employee being paid an extra $3000 dollars per year? Do you think that every business in American can soak up an extra $3000 loss per minimum wage employee?
This is where I fear the gas-price hike was an abnormality.
Because this time, there will be an effect following the cause.
As businesses are forced (at pain of jail or violence) to pay roughly 1/3 more for exactly the same work, since a business cannot long operate like the federal government and run at a deficit, they will have one of two choices. First, they can pass that new loss onto the customer. Prices have already been rising across the board for the past year. In order to stay in business, companies are going to have to jack their prices up EVEN further, just to make ends meet. They’re still carrying the same product, but now they’ve got an increased overhead. This will hit the retail sector especially hard, as retailers generally run on an incredibly tight budget. In order to survive financially, prices WILL have to rise. Will consumers continue paying, say, a third more for the same product? Of course not. Absolutely not. Hopefully they will, as they did during the gas price hike, or companies are going to face even MORE dire financial straits.
The second course of action is to lay off employees. Imagine, in your place of work, if all the salaries were doubled. Do you really believe all of you would be there a year from now, all earning twice as much for the same work? Of course not. Absolutely not. At some point the market will not bear the price increase and the only way to stabilize the financing is to let some of the employees go. So, in order to support the wage hikes, we’re going to lose some of our minimum wage employees, who will then be unemployed, and because of the wage hike all over, they will find far less work than before.
Meanwhile those employees who were earning MORE than minimum wage will have to pick up the slack of losing some of those minimum wage employees. The same work still has to get done, but now there are less people to do it. Would YOU stay with your current job if they eliminated a quarter of the employees and added their duties to yours, WITHOUT a corresponding increase in YOUR wages? Of course not. Absolutely not.
That’s because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think should be.
If government could tinker with wages as much as they would like, what is unreasonable about setting the minimum wage at $10 per hour? (Wait, Donkey candidate John Edwards wants to do just that!) How about $20 per hour? Why not $50? Why not just give everyone $100,000 every year? That’d be a novel solution to trying to end poverty.
Or, if we’re in the business of discussing moronic government interference, we could, as Donkey candidate Barak Huessein Obama suggests, link the minimum wage to price increases.
This is much like what will happen soon, only his idea involves a continual escalation. As retailers jack up their prices to account for the increased overhead of their employees being paid a third again as much for the same work, the buying power of the minimum wage employee will remain the same. Say they get their 27% more money – if prices rise at a similar rate, what has changed? What. Has. Changed?
This is all incredibly ironic of course, because the Democratic party has two other favorite economic drums that it likes to bang without rhythm. The first is immigration. The recently-killed amnesty bill would’ve legalized 12 million criminal aliens. These newly pardoned, newly minted citizens would thereby be eligible for the minimum wage, becoming as employable as the American citizens their employers favored them over. The whole reason there IS a problem with criminal aliens in this country is because American employers don’t have to pay them as much as non-criminals. Between paying a Mexican $3 to work the fields, or raising their wages to attract Americans, the standard farming organization would rather pay the Mexican. It’s absolutely logical business: What is financially better? Paying your employees $3, or paying your employees $9. What will keep your prices low, and you in business for longer?
The Democratic party wants to make 12 million new citizens, and immediately put them out of work.
The second hobby horse of the Democratic party is the shipping of American jobs overseas. American businesses don’t do this because they like having Pakistanis who don’t speak English running their phone-tech-support services, they do this to save money. They’d rather pay foreign wages to Americans – but American wages are cost prohibitive. So, we run into the problems outlined above: Raising prices, cutting services, firing employees, or closing the doors and turning out the lights. For the second time, a business is not like the federal government – they cannot run forever on a deficit, and when a private individual prints money like it’s going out of style it’s not called devaluing the currency, it’s called counterfeiting.
These are facts. You can raise the minimum wage, but in doing so you’re going to kill businesses, put employees out of work, and raise prices for consumers (who will respond by spending even less of their money). You can ignore the consequences and play havoc with the market over a fuzzy, feel-good idea, but eventually that train will run you over.
Because there’s what is, and then there’s what others think there should be. There’s the ideal, and then there’s reality. There’s the way it’s supposed to be done, and then there’s what actually happens.
There’s what IS, and then there’s what others think should be.
The Brave One
http://www.firstshowing.net/2007/05/31/brave-one-trailer/
Go. Watch the trailer.
Gives me the warm-and-fuzzies.
Go. Watch the trailer.
Gives me the warm-and-fuzzies.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Harry Potter
The final book of that poorly written and repetitive series is out tonight. I had to work.
I cannot comprehend the mental retardation that leads someone to stand for an hour out in a parking lot waiting for a kids book, this book especially. It's like the Star Wars fans who'd camp out for 72 hours before the movies.
The one saving grace of the night: teenage GIRL WIZARDS. Short skirts, button-up shirts, sweatervests, and capes. Damn. We should do this more often.
I cannot comprehend the mental retardation that leads someone to stand for an hour out in a parking lot waiting for a kids book, this book especially. It's like the Star Wars fans who'd camp out for 72 hours before the movies.
The one saving grace of the night: teenage GIRL WIZARDS. Short skirts, button-up shirts, sweatervests, and capes. Damn. We should do this more often.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Recent Movies
Seraphim Falls
Good movie, with a psychedelic ending. Seriously, I thought the ending was going to show that both characters were on drugs or in hell or something, it was that messed up. Don't bother renting it. Liam Neeson was cool though.
Live Free Or Die Hard
Excellent movie. Almost as good as the original. Saw a 10pm showing the same day I went to the range. Not enough swearing though. That's what Die Hard is - a barefoot smart-alec running around swearing and killing people.
John McClane didn't chicken out about hitting the woman though, which is different for an action movie. Shows that someone on the writing staff has some guts.
I'll probably go see it again.
Good movie, with a psychedelic ending. Seriously, I thought the ending was going to show that both characters were on drugs or in hell or something, it was that messed up. Don't bother renting it. Liam Neeson was cool though.
Live Free Or Die Hard
Excellent movie. Almost as good as the original. Saw a 10pm showing the same day I went to the range. Not enough swearing though. That's what Die Hard is - a barefoot smart-alec running around swearing and killing people.
John McClane didn't chicken out about hitting the woman though, which is different for an action movie. Shows that someone on the writing staff has some guts.
I'll probably go see it again.
Shooty Goodness
Sorry for the lack of updates. I came in at a breath under 40 hours last week, and will be again this week. At least I update more than the GeekWithA.45.
Got some trigger-time with my dad and a friend on Monday. HDR, 1911, and most importantly, 2 shotguns, a Remington 870 and a Browning Light 12.
Had a few double feeds with my HDR, but it ran flawlessly with some of the new ammo I picked up, so another case of that will be ordered shortly. Grouped very well, if a hint low. Which is not a problem. Bad guys wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
The shotguns were incredible. We were shooting lowbrass #8 birdshot, and the Light 12 felt like there was no recoil. It was interesting shooting and seeing the wooden target stand just erupt with splinters. The pump was a lot more fun. I could work it quickly and accurately, and there's something primitively satisfying about a pump shotgun. Sort of like sitting around a fire at night, or smelling cooking meat. It feels natural. On the other hand, I didn't have it shouldered properly, and my arm now feels like someone's playing Inna-Gotta-Da-Vida on it with a tire iron, and this is two days later.
But, shotguns don't scare me anymore.
I'm going to try and find a Saiga 12, and there's $350 Benelli home-defense gun at Gander that I want to look more closely at.
It was a good day at the range.
Got some trigger-time with my dad and a friend on Monday. HDR, 1911, and most importantly, 2 shotguns, a Remington 870 and a Browning Light 12.
Had a few double feeds with my HDR, but it ran flawlessly with some of the new ammo I picked up, so another case of that will be ordered shortly. Grouped very well, if a hint low. Which is not a problem. Bad guys wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
The shotguns were incredible. We were shooting lowbrass #8 birdshot, and the Light 12 felt like there was no recoil. It was interesting shooting and seeing the wooden target stand just erupt with splinters. The pump was a lot more fun. I could work it quickly and accurately, and there's something primitively satisfying about a pump shotgun. Sort of like sitting around a fire at night, or smelling cooking meat. It feels natural. On the other hand, I didn't have it shouldered properly, and my arm now feels like someone's playing Inna-Gotta-Da-Vida on it with a tire iron, and this is two days later.
But, shotguns don't scare me anymore.
I'm going to try and find a Saiga 12, and there's $350 Benelli home-defense gun at Gander that I want to look more closely at.
It was a good day at the range.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
You Cannot Negociate With Gravity
It's a line used in the Miami Vice movie to describe fighting the odds, and how the eventually catch up. It also happens to be God's honest truth.
I fell off an attic staircase yesterday. Between losing my balance and getting firmly reacquainted with the concrete, I bounced off a car and a couple of garbage cans. The claw hammer in my hand left a nice dent in the hood. I also managed to sprain my right hand, twist the ankle I fractured in April, and wrench my back, which was healing from last week's demolition in the basement.
I feel like John McClane.
I fell off an attic staircase yesterday. Between losing my balance and getting firmly reacquainted with the concrete, I bounced off a car and a couple of garbage cans. The claw hammer in my hand left a nice dent in the hood. I also managed to sprain my right hand, twist the ankle I fractured in April, and wrench my back, which was healing from last week's demolition in the basement.
I feel like John McClane.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Brian McFadden - Demons
Have you ever been lost in a different world?
Where everything you once knew is gone
And you, find yourself powerless
With everything that exists
You’re numb
Will I ever break free?
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
Try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
If you become a nobody
Blind, to your family
Who would you be?
And life has gone into reverse
Re-living every hurt along the way
Everything that you fear
Is calling you and drawing near
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
I try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
Wake me up and let’s go
I’m about to explode
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
I try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
The real video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSeHmAUt9Rc
The Lost video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YtkX4FUrJQ
Love this song. Very atmospheric. An interesting communication of the feeling of missing someone.
Where everything you once knew is gone
And you, find yourself powerless
With everything that exists
You’re numb
Will I ever break free?
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
Try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
If you become a nobody
Blind, to your family
Who would you be?
And life has gone into reverse
Re-living every hurt along the way
Everything that you fear
Is calling you and drawing near
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
I try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
Wake me up and let’s go
I’m about to explode
I search my world but I can’t find you
You’re standing there but I can’t touch you
I try to talk but the words are just not there
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I’m a stranger
Paralyzed and you don’t seem to care
The Demons in my dreams
The real video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSeHmAUt9Rc
The Lost video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YtkX4FUrJQ
Love this song. Very atmospheric. An interesting communication of the feeling of missing someone.
Friday, July 06, 2007
So As I Don't Go Forgetting 7/6/07
"If it wasn't for that damn scarf, Jenny might not have been alone that night. And neither would Tommy. That was one of Tommy's proudest moments - goin' to Reilly to fight for Jenny. What he didn't realize was...there was nothing left to fight for. Thing about blood, family, it's always there...you can hate each other, you can want to kill each other...but you never stop lovin' each other. But 'love' love, damn, that's a whole other thing."
Yes, We Can Know
I try to write a new essay for each major holiday commemorating the ongoing fight for freedom, specifically Independence Day and April 19th, Patriot’s day. Usually my essays center on the experience of the men and women who committed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to that fight, or the reasons for such a commitment.
With three days until Independence Day, doing a cut and paste of an old topic seems a little…old, maybe? Unworthy of such a holiday? While one of my goals in life is to make people appreciate the bravery and ideals of those who choose to risk everything for the freedom of themselves and their fellow man, it seems a little trite to do the same thing, over and over and over, and expect it to carry the same impact.
So, I’m going to ask you, instead of envisioning yourself as a warrior of the first American revolution, or the second, or a warrior of the Warsaw ghetto, or as a Branch Davidian, to imagine your reaction to a series of events.
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to kill you?
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to imprison you for ten years?
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to take one fifth of all the money you would ever make?
I think I can speak for everyone when I saw that the first thought through any normal person’s head, for each of those three scenarios would be “That’s not fair.” “That’s wrong.” “They can’t do that.”
The reason those thoughts would be universal is because each one of those scenarios is evil. And this exposes a fundamental truth of the universe – no matter your culture, no matter your religious affiliation, no matter your upbringing, we all know what is right, and what is wrong. Beneath this lurks an even more basic truth – there is such a thing as right, and such a thing as wrong.
Good and evil are solid, concrete concepts, and they are applicable to all areas of human behavior. Yes, we CAN know if an action is good or bad.
I’m not talking about right and wrong as religious concepts here, I’m talking about them as human concepts. Good and evil are too important to be burdened with labeling the wearing of clothing of two separate threads, or women covering their hair. Right and wrong, good and evil are not about exerting capricious control over human interaction, but rather give worth to human interaction.
Imagine a universe where killing a man on a whim carried the same moral weight as defending one’s family. Where imprisoning a man for ten years on a whim carried the same moral weight as devoting one’s life to the cause of fighting fires. Where stealing a person’s money carried the same moral weight as giving your own money to charity. What a sad world that would be. What a horrible place to live. Can you imagine anyone electing, of their own free will, to live in such a world?
I can’t. Good and evil are separate. Without the necessary distinction between the two, there is nothing about life that is worth living. There is nothing worthy or valuable about humanity if not for the distinction between right and wrong.
It would likely be true to propose that the mere absence of such a distinction would be evil as well, for evil is always possible, in fact it is usually easier than good. It is the CHOOSING of good over evil that is admirable and worthwhile in human interaction.
So how can we tell if an action is good or evil, right or wrong?
Go back to those three questions I asked you. How would you feel about being killed for no reason? Imprisoned for no reason? Having your property taken for no reason?
The answer here is ownership.
We all own our own bodies. This is the most basic law of human existence: My life is my property. No one else has any rightful claim over it. No one has any right to dictate what I do with it. If I own nothing else in the world, I own the body my consciousness inhabits, and it is evil to take that from me, unless doing so will prevent me from visiting evil upon another. It is simply wrong, in all instances, to kill the innocent, to take life from anyone in any circumstance where they are not actively perpetrating evil. Every culture worthy of the title has recognized this since humans first organized themselves into groups. The TAKING of innocent life is always wrong.
If I own my body, I own my time on earth. There’s only so much of it, unfortunately, and each precious second can only be lived once. This is only a shade of difference away from owning my own life. If it is wrong to take innocent life, it is also equally wrong to take a person’s time. I may trade my time, voluntarily, for things that I need, there’s nothing wrong with that. Food, clothing, shelter, whatever luxuries and pleasures make life enjoyable. Other people have decided its worth their brief time on earth to create such things and trade them for things they want or need, and they believe this trade is worth that time. I believe the trade is worth my time as well. And here we recognize a similar form of evil to that of destroying innocent life – the taking of an innocent person’s time. Society has a word for this, and that is slavery. It may be a worse evil, as it can only be perpetrated upon threat of death.
Similarly, if I own my life, and the time it is on earth, I own the objects, items, and services I trade my valuable time for. In taking the property I’ve traded my time for, I’m being denied the fruits of my life. Taking my property is no different than forcing me to trade my precious time for…nothing. It’s exactly the same as taking that time, that energy. Government and the thief have the same modus operandi here – the taking of property can only be accomplished through the threat of force.
This is the essence of rights, distilled. All rights flow from property. From ownership. I own my body. I own the time I spend on earth. I own the fruit of my labor; that which I create with my own hands, or trade my time and labor for.
From the ownership of self and property come all the rights we presently enjoy. Religion, press, defense, jury trials, everything.
I have the right to worship any god, or no god.
I have the right to speak my mind.
I have the right to print whatever I wish.
I have the right to gather together with other people.
I have the right to defend all other rights against anyone who’d practice evil.
I have the right to keep my property from being used without my consent.
I have the right to keep my property from being searched without reason.
I have the right to a public trial.
I have the right to not be tried twice for the same offense.
I have the right to refuse to testify against myself.
I have the right to keep my property from being taken without my consent.
I have the right to a quick trial.
I have the right to have a jury trial.
I have the right to know any crimes with which I am charged.
I have the right to face my accuser.
I have the right to present witnesses in my own defense.
I have the right to an attorney.
I have the right to fair bail.
I have the right to not be tortured.
Any other rights, not listed belong to me as well.
Those are the rights listed in the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, otherwise commonly known as the Bill Of Rights. There is an important distinction to be made here – these rights are not GRANTED by the Bill Of Rights. They are listed, ENUMERATED, in the language of the day.
This is not a national matter. This is not a federal matter. This is not a state matter, or a county matter, nor a city matter. These are human rights, belonging to every person on the planet.
The violation, of any of these rights, performed against an innocent person, is ALWAYS evil. The Founders of America believed this, recognized this, and they fought a long and bloody war against their own government to defend these rights. And they passed on this belief in the form of the Fifth Amendment in the Bill Of Rights: “nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” This is a fact. Ironclad.
Those 13 words validated the fact behind the United States Constitution, the highest law of the land – that government is the biggest violator of human rights, EVER. Those 13 words justified severe limitations placed upon the United States government – the only government in history defined more by what it could not do than what it could. Those 13 words, acting in conjunction with the remaining 9 amendments guarantee the free exercise of all human rights.
We can know what is right, and what is wrong, at all times. Good and evil can always be ascertained simply by looking at whose property it effects.
Or you can look at the inviolate human rights listed in the ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Same thing, really.
With three days until Independence Day, doing a cut and paste of an old topic seems a little…old, maybe? Unworthy of such a holiday? While one of my goals in life is to make people appreciate the bravery and ideals of those who choose to risk everything for the freedom of themselves and their fellow man, it seems a little trite to do the same thing, over and over and over, and expect it to carry the same impact.
So, I’m going to ask you, instead of envisioning yourself as a warrior of the first American revolution, or the second, or a warrior of the Warsaw ghetto, or as a Branch Davidian, to imagine your reaction to a series of events.
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to kill you?
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to imprison you for ten years?
What would be your reaction upon being told that someone was going to take one fifth of all the money you would ever make?
I think I can speak for everyone when I saw that the first thought through any normal person’s head, for each of those three scenarios would be “That’s not fair.” “That’s wrong.” “They can’t do that.”
The reason those thoughts would be universal is because each one of those scenarios is evil. And this exposes a fundamental truth of the universe – no matter your culture, no matter your religious affiliation, no matter your upbringing, we all know what is right, and what is wrong. Beneath this lurks an even more basic truth – there is such a thing as right, and such a thing as wrong.
Good and evil are solid, concrete concepts, and they are applicable to all areas of human behavior. Yes, we CAN know if an action is good or bad.
I’m not talking about right and wrong as religious concepts here, I’m talking about them as human concepts. Good and evil are too important to be burdened with labeling the wearing of clothing of two separate threads, or women covering their hair. Right and wrong, good and evil are not about exerting capricious control over human interaction, but rather give worth to human interaction.
Imagine a universe where killing a man on a whim carried the same moral weight as defending one’s family. Where imprisoning a man for ten years on a whim carried the same moral weight as devoting one’s life to the cause of fighting fires. Where stealing a person’s money carried the same moral weight as giving your own money to charity. What a sad world that would be. What a horrible place to live. Can you imagine anyone electing, of their own free will, to live in such a world?
I can’t. Good and evil are separate. Without the necessary distinction between the two, there is nothing about life that is worth living. There is nothing worthy or valuable about humanity if not for the distinction between right and wrong.
It would likely be true to propose that the mere absence of such a distinction would be evil as well, for evil is always possible, in fact it is usually easier than good. It is the CHOOSING of good over evil that is admirable and worthwhile in human interaction.
So how can we tell if an action is good or evil, right or wrong?
Go back to those three questions I asked you. How would you feel about being killed for no reason? Imprisoned for no reason? Having your property taken for no reason?
The answer here is ownership.
We all own our own bodies. This is the most basic law of human existence: My life is my property. No one else has any rightful claim over it. No one has any right to dictate what I do with it. If I own nothing else in the world, I own the body my consciousness inhabits, and it is evil to take that from me, unless doing so will prevent me from visiting evil upon another. It is simply wrong, in all instances, to kill the innocent, to take life from anyone in any circumstance where they are not actively perpetrating evil. Every culture worthy of the title has recognized this since humans first organized themselves into groups. The TAKING of innocent life is always wrong.
If I own my body, I own my time on earth. There’s only so much of it, unfortunately, and each precious second can only be lived once. This is only a shade of difference away from owning my own life. If it is wrong to take innocent life, it is also equally wrong to take a person’s time. I may trade my time, voluntarily, for things that I need, there’s nothing wrong with that. Food, clothing, shelter, whatever luxuries and pleasures make life enjoyable. Other people have decided its worth their brief time on earth to create such things and trade them for things they want or need, and they believe this trade is worth that time. I believe the trade is worth my time as well. And here we recognize a similar form of evil to that of destroying innocent life – the taking of an innocent person’s time. Society has a word for this, and that is slavery. It may be a worse evil, as it can only be perpetrated upon threat of death.
Similarly, if I own my life, and the time it is on earth, I own the objects, items, and services I trade my valuable time for. In taking the property I’ve traded my time for, I’m being denied the fruits of my life. Taking my property is no different than forcing me to trade my precious time for…nothing. It’s exactly the same as taking that time, that energy. Government and the thief have the same modus operandi here – the taking of property can only be accomplished through the threat of force.
This is the essence of rights, distilled. All rights flow from property. From ownership. I own my body. I own the time I spend on earth. I own the fruit of my labor; that which I create with my own hands, or trade my time and labor for.
From the ownership of self and property come all the rights we presently enjoy. Religion, press, defense, jury trials, everything.
I have the right to worship any god, or no god.
I have the right to speak my mind.
I have the right to print whatever I wish.
I have the right to gather together with other people.
I have the right to defend all other rights against anyone who’d practice evil.
I have the right to keep my property from being used without my consent.
I have the right to keep my property from being searched without reason.
I have the right to a public trial.
I have the right to not be tried twice for the same offense.
I have the right to refuse to testify against myself.
I have the right to keep my property from being taken without my consent.
I have the right to a quick trial.
I have the right to have a jury trial.
I have the right to know any crimes with which I am charged.
I have the right to face my accuser.
I have the right to present witnesses in my own defense.
I have the right to an attorney.
I have the right to fair bail.
I have the right to not be tortured.
Any other rights, not listed belong to me as well.
Those are the rights listed in the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, otherwise commonly known as the Bill Of Rights. There is an important distinction to be made here – these rights are not GRANTED by the Bill Of Rights. They are listed, ENUMERATED, in the language of the day.
This is not a national matter. This is not a federal matter. This is not a state matter, or a county matter, nor a city matter. These are human rights, belonging to every person on the planet.
The violation, of any of these rights, performed against an innocent person, is ALWAYS evil. The Founders of America believed this, recognized this, and they fought a long and bloody war against their own government to defend these rights. And they passed on this belief in the form of the Fifth Amendment in the Bill Of Rights: “nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” This is a fact. Ironclad.
Those 13 words validated the fact behind the United States Constitution, the highest law of the land – that government is the biggest violator of human rights, EVER. Those 13 words justified severe limitations placed upon the United States government – the only government in history defined more by what it could not do than what it could. Those 13 words, acting in conjunction with the remaining 9 amendments guarantee the free exercise of all human rights.
We can know what is right, and what is wrong, at all times. Good and evil can always be ascertained simply by looking at whose property it effects.
Or you can look at the inviolate human rights listed in the ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Same thing, really.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
John Lennon - Imagine
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
-------------------------------------------------
John Lennon was one sick puppy. Pretty song, but this is like that dreadful 60s tune Share The Land, except that this is one of the most influential songs of all time. I offer it as proof positive that John Lennon was either a depraved individual or whacked out of his head on some really fun medications.
An absolutely hateful song. I wish it had never been written.
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
-------------------------------------------------
John Lennon was one sick puppy. Pretty song, but this is like that dreadful 60s tune Share The Land, except that this is one of the most influential songs of all time. I offer it as proof positive that John Lennon was either a depraved individual or whacked out of his head on some really fun medications.
An absolutely hateful song. I wish it had never been written.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Front Sight Training
Front Sight combat ranch is offering a free training class - ANY training class, at any time in the future - for any blogger who puts Front Sight links up for 3 years. I'm not sure if the ones below count, but I also wore out my fingers putting a whole new Front Sight Links widget over on the right. Go visit 'em. Here they are again, covering my bases.
- Front Sight Firearms Training
- Ignatius Piazza - founder of Front Sight
- Ignatius Piazza Blog
- Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Mercury
- Front Sight - in The Mail on Sunday Review
- Ignatius Piazza - in Times Democrat
- Front Sight - on CNN
- Ignatius Piazza - in National Enquirer
- Front Sight - in Icon Magazine
- Ignatius Piazza - in Chicago Tribune
- Ignatius Piazza - in Gun World
- Ignatius Piazza - in San Francisco Chronicle
- Ignatius Piazza - in Fort Worth Star Telegram
- Front Sight - in Financial Times
- Front Sight - on BBC News
- Front Sight - in Gun Web
- Front Sight - in New York Times
- Ignatius Piazza - in Small Arms Review
- Front Sight - in Sierra Times
- Ignatius Piazza - in Forbes Magazine
- Ignatius Piazza - on World Net Daily
- Front Sight - in Guns & Ammo
- Front Sight - on USA Today
- Front Sight - in Santa Cruz Sentinel
- Ignatius Piazza - in Handvapen Guiden
- Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Sun
- Ignatius Piazza - in Las Vegas Life
- Front Sight - in US News & World Report
- Front Sight - in London Times
- Ignatius Piazza - in Washington Post
- Front Sight - in El Pais Seminal
- Front Sight - in Pajaronian Register
- Front Sight - in Black Belt Magazine
- Front Sight - in Cybercast News Service
- Ignatius Piazza - in El Mercurio
- Front Sight - in Los Angeles Times
- Ignatius Piazza - in Playboy
- My Experience at Front Sight
- Ignatius Piazza - on Reform America
Sunday, June 24, 2007
French Government Choosing Baby Names
What's In a Name: Judge Blocks Parents' Choice
Search For 'Different' Names Result In Interesting Choices
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow named her baby after a fruit, Apple. Comedian Penn Jillette chose Moxie Crimefighter for his spunky daughter.
And while unusual names may be a Hollywood staple, some believe it may cross the line in the real world.
One New Zealand judge even blocked one family from using the name it chose. The judge said the name was unfair to the child.
"Initially, the reaction is, 'Are you for real?'" said Pat Wheaton, the New Zealand father who was blocked from naming his son 4Real.
Wheaton said the idea for the name came when the couple saw the first scan of the child."We started thinking 'Jeez, he is for real?'" Wheaton said.
The couple's idea came naturally, but many parents are feeling the pressure to be different.
Baby naming is big business today. Some parents are turning to professional consultants, computer programs, polls and even numerologists to achieve the perfect moniker for their bundle of joy.
"Parents think that if they give their child a unique and special name, the child will become unique and special," said Bruce Lansky, author of "100,000 Baby Names.
"Nevaeh, which heaven spelled backwards, has become one of the world's most popular names. But others don't always pass the societal test.
Two boys, one in Michigan and the other in Texas, bear the name ESPN. They were named after the sports network.
In some countries, names are illegal -- like Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden in Germany.
And French parents must choose from an approved list. The laws are designed to prevent teasing.
In America, almost anything goes."You can't use a four letter word that I wouldn't use in this interview anyway, and other than that you're free to do what you want," said New York University Sociology Department Chairman Dalton Conley. "That's part of the first amendment right to free speech here in America."Only as the children grow up will people learn if these interesting names will be the source of ridicule.
------------------------------------------------
Emphasis added, feel free to make fun of the French.
Search For 'Different' Names Result In Interesting Choices
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow named her baby after a fruit, Apple. Comedian Penn Jillette chose Moxie Crimefighter for his spunky daughter.
And while unusual names may be a Hollywood staple, some believe it may cross the line in the real world.
One New Zealand judge even blocked one family from using the name it chose. The judge said the name was unfair to the child.
"Initially, the reaction is, 'Are you for real?'" said Pat Wheaton, the New Zealand father who was blocked from naming his son 4Real.
Wheaton said the idea for the name came when the couple saw the first scan of the child."We started thinking 'Jeez, he is for real?'" Wheaton said.
The couple's idea came naturally, but many parents are feeling the pressure to be different.
Baby naming is big business today. Some parents are turning to professional consultants, computer programs, polls and even numerologists to achieve the perfect moniker for their bundle of joy.
"Parents think that if they give their child a unique and special name, the child will become unique and special," said Bruce Lansky, author of "100,000 Baby Names.
"Nevaeh, which heaven spelled backwards, has become one of the world's most popular names. But others don't always pass the societal test.
Two boys, one in Michigan and the other in Texas, bear the name ESPN. They were named after the sports network.
In some countries, names are illegal -- like Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden in Germany.
And French parents must choose from an approved list. The laws are designed to prevent teasing.
In America, almost anything goes."You can't use a four letter word that I wouldn't use in this interview anyway, and other than that you're free to do what you want," said New York University Sociology Department Chairman Dalton Conley. "That's part of the first amendment right to free speech here in America."Only as the children grow up will people learn if these interesting names will be the source of ridicule.
------------------------------------------------
Emphasis added, feel free to make fun of the French.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Bon Jovi - Lost Highway Review
Here it is, track by track. Might as well get it in before the deluge of reviews comes in the next few weeks.
1.Lost Highway
Never liked starting a CD with a title track. Don't know why. Not sure why I don't like this song very much. It's very cheesy country, and the "plastic dashboard jesus" line irritates me as much as everyone else. Seems Jon and Co. gathered up all the country cliches they could find and crammed them all into this song. Kinda catchy though. Good solo. 5/10
2.Summertime
I don't understand why people hate this song. Yeah yeah, cliched, uninspired lyrics...but it's fun. Not everything has to be Hey God or TAALS. There's nothing TRULY cringe-worthy in the words, and it has a fun, warm-weather vibe to it. 7/10
3.(You Want To)Make A Memory
A very emotion-filled song. It really feels like he's singing from the heart. It seems to be a love song, and not a song between friends, which makes me wonder if there's a little Bryan Adams-adultery theme in here with the "Your phone is ringing I don't wanna ask" line. Was there a solo...I must've missed it. I'd say one of the more powerful songs on the album. Maybe not a good choice for a first single (BJ is already known as a ballad band, I think), but a good song nonetheless. 8/10
4.Whole Lot Of Leavin'
Reminds me of a song from the box set. Last Chance Train maybe? Fun sound to it, and a mature discussion of a mature topic. Seems like there's a story in here somewhere, and I wish they had've done without the happy ending to it. I like the guitar (especially the solo), but they should've left it as a pop rock song instead of trying to work in the country feel. 7/10
5.We Got It Going On
Hate to say it, but I like this song. A lot. It's stupid. It's got lyrics that I'd cut myself before writing. But it's fun. Like One Wild Night, except not as intelligently written. It's a big dumb rocker, and unapologetic about that fact. It does not try to redeem itself at all, and I like that. 7/10
6.Any Other Day
Might just be the best song on the CD. Powerful, everyman style lyrics that manage to be positive and negative at the same time. I can't decide whether I like the verses or choruses more. Good solos, that really contribute to the feel of the song. Finally, a pop rock tune that doesn't try to fake the country edge. But yet, it's so much more. This one really resonates with me right now. I'll update this review when I figure out what this song reminds me of. 10/10
7.Seat Next To You
Sounds like it should've been on Destination Anywhere, but DA songs were actually good. I'll give the verses props though. Worthy of skipping, and that's the last I'll say. 3/10
8.Everybody's Broken
I had such high hopes for this song, and it didn't live up to them. Yeah, the verses are strong, but we've got that country affectation to deal with, and the chorus isn't nearly as good as it should've been. It's really quite bad, actually. I kept waiting for some rock, with those almost Bad-Horsie guitar sounds at the beginning and end of the chorus, but no dice. A nice, strong solo raises its score. 5/10
9.Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
I hate to use the word adult, because that brings to mind teens standing in the magazine aisle snickering, but this is a very adult song. It's a conversation between two people falling in love, for either the first or second time. Usually BJ duets don't work out well, but Leann Rimes does a passable job here. And I like that they broke away from the conventional song structure. 7/10
10.The Last Night
If I'm still alone tomorrow night, can I sue for false advertising? In all seriousness, this is tied with Any Other Day for best song of the album. Sure there's no solo, but it doesn't need one. It's just a short, sweet, powerful and inspiring song. I love it. 10/10
11.One Step Closer
Wasn't this supposed to rock Dry County's socks off? It tries, but not very well. Stands ok on its own though. Good song about someone deciding to try living again. I will say this, BJ should try out some depression rock like on These Days, I think this more adult style of writing could work well with that. 6/10
12.I Love This Town
Some fun guitar, but corny lyrics. I can't decide if he's talking about the small-hometown type city, or like, a ghetto area. Worth skipping. 4/10
13.Walk Like A Man
Love this song. Reminds me, thematically, of Cat Stevens's Cats In The Cradle. One man's understanding of what it's like to be both father and son. Not the be all and end all that people are making it out to be, but a solid, touching country rock song. One of the few country rockers they pulled off right. 7/10
Overall:Decent album. Doesn't compare to the brilliance of KTF or TD, but then, what does? For a spur of the moment "Hey this worked once, let's try it again" type album inspired by WSYCGH, it's pretty good. Would've been better without the faux-country affectation. Then it probably would've been the next Destination Anywhere...which it is already, but it would've been even closer. It's a very grown-up album that solidly cements Bon Jovi's reputation as a grown-up band. And, the writing's a step in the right direction. Compared to Crush or even Bounce (which I do so dearly love), this shows downright brilliant songwriting in places. I'll be listening to this CD for a while.
1.Lost Highway
Never liked starting a CD with a title track. Don't know why. Not sure why I don't like this song very much. It's very cheesy country, and the "plastic dashboard jesus" line irritates me as much as everyone else. Seems Jon and Co. gathered up all the country cliches they could find and crammed them all into this song. Kinda catchy though. Good solo. 5/10
2.Summertime
I don't understand why people hate this song. Yeah yeah, cliched, uninspired lyrics...but it's fun. Not everything has to be Hey God or TAALS. There's nothing TRULY cringe-worthy in the words, and it has a fun, warm-weather vibe to it. 7/10
3.(You Want To)Make A Memory
A very emotion-filled song. It really feels like he's singing from the heart. It seems to be a love song, and not a song between friends, which makes me wonder if there's a little Bryan Adams-adultery theme in here with the "Your phone is ringing I don't wanna ask" line. Was there a solo...I must've missed it. I'd say one of the more powerful songs on the album. Maybe not a good choice for a first single (BJ is already known as a ballad band, I think), but a good song nonetheless. 8/10
4.Whole Lot Of Leavin'
Reminds me of a song from the box set. Last Chance Train maybe? Fun sound to it, and a mature discussion of a mature topic. Seems like there's a story in here somewhere, and I wish they had've done without the happy ending to it. I like the guitar (especially the solo), but they should've left it as a pop rock song instead of trying to work in the country feel. 7/10
5.We Got It Going On
Hate to say it, but I like this song. A lot. It's stupid. It's got lyrics that I'd cut myself before writing. But it's fun. Like One Wild Night, except not as intelligently written. It's a big dumb rocker, and unapologetic about that fact. It does not try to redeem itself at all, and I like that. 7/10
6.Any Other Day
Might just be the best song on the CD. Powerful, everyman style lyrics that manage to be positive and negative at the same time. I can't decide whether I like the verses or choruses more. Good solos, that really contribute to the feel of the song. Finally, a pop rock tune that doesn't try to fake the country edge. But yet, it's so much more. This one really resonates with me right now. I'll update this review when I figure out what this song reminds me of. 10/10
7.Seat Next To You
Sounds like it should've been on Destination Anywhere, but DA songs were actually good. I'll give the verses props though. Worthy of skipping, and that's the last I'll say. 3/10
8.Everybody's Broken
I had such high hopes for this song, and it didn't live up to them. Yeah, the verses are strong, but we've got that country affectation to deal with, and the chorus isn't nearly as good as it should've been. It's really quite bad, actually. I kept waiting for some rock, with those almost Bad-Horsie guitar sounds at the beginning and end of the chorus, but no dice. A nice, strong solo raises its score. 5/10
9.Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
I hate to use the word adult, because that brings to mind teens standing in the magazine aisle snickering, but this is a very adult song. It's a conversation between two people falling in love, for either the first or second time. Usually BJ duets don't work out well, but Leann Rimes does a passable job here. And I like that they broke away from the conventional song structure. 7/10
10.The Last Night
If I'm still alone tomorrow night, can I sue for false advertising? In all seriousness, this is tied with Any Other Day for best song of the album. Sure there's no solo, but it doesn't need one. It's just a short, sweet, powerful and inspiring song. I love it. 10/10
11.One Step Closer
Wasn't this supposed to rock Dry County's socks off? It tries, but not very well. Stands ok on its own though. Good song about someone deciding to try living again. I will say this, BJ should try out some depression rock like on These Days, I think this more adult style of writing could work well with that. 6/10
12.I Love This Town
Some fun guitar, but corny lyrics. I can't decide if he's talking about the small-hometown type city, or like, a ghetto area. Worth skipping. 4/10
13.Walk Like A Man
Love this song. Reminds me, thematically, of Cat Stevens's Cats In The Cradle. One man's understanding of what it's like to be both father and son. Not the be all and end all that people are making it out to be, but a solid, touching country rock song. One of the few country rockers they pulled off right. 7/10
Overall:Decent album. Doesn't compare to the brilliance of KTF or TD, but then, what does? For a spur of the moment "Hey this worked once, let's try it again" type album inspired by WSYCGH, it's pretty good. Would've been better without the faux-country affectation. Then it probably would've been the next Destination Anywhere...which it is already, but it would've been even closer. It's a very grown-up album that solidly cements Bon Jovi's reputation as a grown-up band. And, the writing's a step in the right direction. Compared to Crush or even Bounce (which I do so dearly love), this shows downright brilliant songwriting in places. I'll be listening to this CD for a while.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Fun Times Pt. 5.5
So the night that this whackjob tells me to watch my back, the management cuts me loose early because otherwise I'll go overtime.
The night crew gets ready to leave at 12am, and they find he's been waiting outside for them, for an hour. Does the pounding on the door, demanding to be let in routine. Cops are called, they detain him while the employees leave, then the cops cut him loose after about 20 minutes.
Given that he threatened me, and then was waiting outside when I would've been exiting the building, I am taking his threats very seriously. I filed a police report, and the police will be talking to him presently. I'm in the process of trying to decide whether or not to buy a restraining order. He's already been banned, by management, from my place of employment.
The nut's name is Jonathan Miles Hensel. He lives at 820 Reed, Manitowoc, WI, 54220. He has 13 priors. Twice picked up for driving w/ suspended license. Multiple speeding/bad driving tickets. Two divorces, a restraining order, one Misdemeanor A for obstructing an officer, and a felony charge of torturing an animal to death. A regular freakin' choirboy. I'm also willing to bet he's spent more than his fair share of time as an inmate of The Enchanted Kingdom, aka The Hoo-Hoo Hotel, aka The Rubber Room, aka the looneybin.
Updates to follow. Fortunately or unfortunately, life is not like The Black Donnellys. You cannot drag a guy into the road and kick him into a coma, whether you have a good reason or not.
The night crew gets ready to leave at 12am, and they find he's been waiting outside for them, for an hour. Does the pounding on the door, demanding to be let in routine. Cops are called, they detain him while the employees leave, then the cops cut him loose after about 20 minutes.
Given that he threatened me, and then was waiting outside when I would've been exiting the building, I am taking his threats very seriously. I filed a police report, and the police will be talking to him presently. I'm in the process of trying to decide whether or not to buy a restraining order. He's already been banned, by management, from my place of employment.
The nut's name is Jonathan Miles Hensel. He lives at 820 Reed, Manitowoc, WI, 54220. He has 13 priors. Twice picked up for driving w/ suspended license. Multiple speeding/bad driving tickets. Two divorces, a restraining order, one Misdemeanor A for obstructing an officer, and a felony charge of torturing an animal to death. A regular freakin' choirboy. I'm also willing to bet he's spent more than his fair share of time as an inmate of The Enchanted Kingdom, aka The Hoo-Hoo Hotel, aka The Rubber Room, aka the looneybin.
Updates to follow. Fortunately or unfortunately, life is not like The Black Donnellys. You cannot drag a guy into the road and kick him into a coma, whether you have a good reason or not.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Fun Times Pt.5
Long story short, a certifiable loonytoon got fed up with my customer service today and told me that I need to watch my back really, really closely. Ordinarily, I'd laugh off the threats of some punk. This guy's as old as my father, and he hung around the store and b*tch*d at employees for 6 hours. The manager on duty at the time downplayed the incident and told me to make sure I didn't upset any future customers by letting my disdain for them creep into my body language. Letters of complaint will be requested from both the store and assistant manager, and a police report will be filed. If the guy whacks me, at least there's be a papertrail.
The lights in my house have been going on and off (and staying off permanently) without reason or warning.
The gent who was checking out our house at 2pm a week ago returned last night. Parked a car in front of the neighbor's, didn't get out, didn't do anything but just sit and look at my house and the house across the street. Then he drove down the street, turned around, and parked & watched again.
For the first time in my life, I'm going to bed with Paul Nelson within reach - with a round in the chamber. I feel like I've been awake for days. Doesn't help it's boiling hot here too.
Good night.
The lights in my house have been going on and off (and staying off permanently) without reason or warning.
The gent who was checking out our house at 2pm a week ago returned last night. Parked a car in front of the neighbor's, didn't get out, didn't do anything but just sit and look at my house and the house across the street. Then he drove down the street, turned around, and parked & watched again.
For the first time in my life, I'm going to bed with Paul Nelson within reach - with a round in the chamber. I feel like I've been awake for days. Doesn't help it's boiling hot here too.
Good night.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Bought A Safe
Finally.
Got it home this afternoon. Just a locking-tin-can type. Nothing too fancy. Sort of a stopgap measure until we can pick up a decent firesafe.
Two stacks of rifle mags on the top shelf, all the way to the ceiling. A few more hooked between the wall and the shelf. A couple piles of Beretta magazines, and then the Walther .22 and my Beretta 92 on the top shelf. I look in and see all the rifles leaning against the walls, see the mags on the shelf and I can't help but think: "I need more."
Picking it up at Dunhams, I asked if they had any WASR3s in. The idea of an AK in 5.56x45 interests/amuses me. The gun guy brings out their two newest AKs, WASRs 2 and 3. I look down the sights of both.
MONKEYS! DRUNK!
Front sight on the 3 goes left, back sight on the 2 goes right. I don't know how you let such a product our of your factory. It's almost criminal.
I'll look again when they have a hi-cap version of the WASR3. Interesting concept there. I love the AR platform, but I don't like the thought of having to don a surgical gown to clean the dang thing.
Got it home this afternoon. Just a locking-tin-can type. Nothing too fancy. Sort of a stopgap measure until we can pick up a decent firesafe.
Two stacks of rifle mags on the top shelf, all the way to the ceiling. A few more hooked between the wall and the shelf. A couple piles of Beretta magazines, and then the Walther .22 and my Beretta 92 on the top shelf. I look in and see all the rifles leaning against the walls, see the mags on the shelf and I can't help but think: "I need more."
Picking it up at Dunhams, I asked if they had any WASR3s in. The idea of an AK in 5.56x45 interests/amuses me. The gun guy brings out their two newest AKs, WASRs 2 and 3. I look down the sights of both.
MONKEYS! DRUNK!
Front sight on the 3 goes left, back sight on the 2 goes right. I don't know how you let such a product our of your factory. It's almost criminal.
I'll look again when they have a hi-cap version of the WASR3. Interesting concept there. I love the AR platform, but I don't like the thought of having to don a surgical gown to clean the dang thing.
You Know You've Run Far...
...when you stop every few yards to look at your shoes, convinced you've stepped in something. Then you get home, pull your shirt off before stepping into the shower, and think "Hey wait...that was me!"
Stick A Fork In It, It's Done
Unsafe at Any Swing
By Hal G.P. Colebatch
Published 6/11/2007 12:06:48 AM
Just as you think Britain's local authorities have reached the edge of the envelope in vacuous, bullying stupidity, that they can go no further in their efforts to create a society of politically correct sheep, they excel themselves once again.
It's old news now that at Seagry in Wiltshire, children were banned from playing on a veteran steamroller which had stood in the school's playground without accident since 1964. It was deemed "not proper playground equipment" and "failed to meet any required standards whatsoever."
Something -- actually a quasi-official national body -- called "Sports England" proposed eliminating games like sack races, three-legged races and egg-and-spoon races from kindergartens and nursery schools in order to prevent children learning a competitive ethos, proposing problem-solving exercises instead. The government also supports banning games of musical chairs at nursery schools because they may lead to aggression.
At the village of Great Somerford, Wiltshire, playground swings were ordered demolished for being too tall. A charity kite-flying contest for children was banned by a Lancashire council on the grounds that they did not have health and safety insurance.
At Torbay, palm trees were condemned by the council because "they have very sharp leaves." Liberal Democrat councillor Colin Charlwood is reported to have said, in what sounds like dialogue from The Day of the Triffids: "what if one of those leaves caught a child in the eye for example. It's a little bit like keeping tigers - they are beautiful to look at, but you wouldn't want them wandering the streets." These are trees they are talking about!
Children at one primary school were prohibited from making daisy-chains in case they picked up germs from the flowers. Another school stopped children making hanging flower-baskets for the same reason. Playground pursuits like handstands, tag, yo-yos, tree-climbing and skipping have also been banned in various places.
Children at Cummersdale Primary School, Carlisle, were allowed to play conkers (an immemorially old English game involving breaking chestnuts) as long as they wore safety-goggles. Children's ball games and bicycle-riding (!) were also banned by some authorities. Outdoor activities with a bit of adventure and initiative attached to them, such as canoeing, rock-climbing, archery and sailing are all in decline, according to David Bell, the Chief Inspector of Schools. At Fairway Middle School in Norwich it was announced that children who wished to throw snowballs at other children would have to obtain their targets' permission first, making the whole exercise rather pointless (What would Calvin and Hobbes say?). Tim Gill, a director of the Children's Play Council, said: "There is no one person or body to blame. What is at fault is our culture of caution." (Huh? There is a Children's Play Council?)
NOT ONLY ARE CHILDREN'S LIVES and growth being stunted by authorities apparently hell-bent on depriving them of the slightest experience of adventure and achievement: adults too are being protected beyond the bounds of sanity.
A garden gnome wearing a policeman's helmet was banned because neighbors were offended or possibly intimidated, and a lady's display of china pigs in a window was also banned, lest any passing Muslims were offended.
As the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar approached, an actor playing Lord Nelson, Britain's greatest Naval hero, who scorned danger in storms and battle, was forced to wear a lifejacket over his Naval uniform while transferring from one boat to another in the calm waters of the Thames at Tower Bridge.
But, as I say, all this is old hat. The latest is that a skull-and-crossbones flag has been banned from a 6-year-old boy's pirate party as being "unneighborly."
Town hall planners told the parents of Morgan Smith that they must apply for planning permission to fly the flag, at a cost to them of $150. It was reported that an assessment of the 5ft by 4ft flag's "impact" on the surrounding area will be undertaken before a decision is made as to whether the flag would be permitted for the party or not. The family have flown a Union Jack or a St. George's flag without a problem, but a neighbor complained to the council about the Jolly Roger and they were ordered to remove it.
Mr. Smith said: "When the lady from the council came to see me she said that it was no problem flying any of the other flags, it was the Jolly Roger that was of concern."She took some pictures and said that we would have to take it down from now on. I've put in a planning application but I shouldn't have to go to all this trouble."
This is not the first time officialdom has intervened to protect people large and small from the sight of the Jolly Roger. When, in commemoration of Princess Diana, a "replica" of a pirate ship was built in Kensington Gardens in March 2000, for children to play on, hearkening back to Peter Pan's adventures with Captain Hook (Peter Pan's earliest adventures were in Kensington Gardens), it was decreed it would be without violent imagery such as cannon, walking the plank or the Jolly Roger.
Still, if children are deprived of adventure and excitement in one way, they will often find it in another: All this care lest children be exposed to the tiniest conflict coexists with some of the highest rates for juvenile crime, drug abuse, underage sex, sexually transmitted disease, and underage drunkenness in Europe. (Russia, a byword for dangerous, drunken chaos, has a rate of juvenile and teenage alcohol abuse a fraction of Britain's, according to a recent survey.)
Beverly Hughes, the new Children's Minister, said in May 2005 that the government could do no more to tackle the problem of teenage pregnancy, which was out of control. Britain's teenage pregnancy rate was five times that of the Netherlands, three times that of France, and double that of Germany. In 2004, the Department of Education and Skills released figures showing that more than 10 children were expelled every day from English state schools for assaulting either staff of fellow pupils, and another 280 a day were suspended for similar attacks. Millions of people now claim to be in fear of gangs of marauding teenagers.
H. G. Wells's story The Time Machine depicted a distant future in which the human race had divided into the helpless, sheeplike Eloi and the brutal Morlocks. Present British policies appear aimed at creating future citizens who are Eloi and Morlock in one.
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This "Point And Laugh At The Benighted Kingdom Post" has been brought to you by the Department For The Humiliation Of Commies. Laugh amongst yourselves.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Freefall Or Something Like It
^^^To riff on Dave Barry, that'd make a good name for a rockband. Or a song title.
It is now time for this blog to take a disturbingly emo-ish detour into the Vincent confessional. My mind requires that I write these things down, and dropping them into an anonymous .txt somewhere won't work.
I drove home from my job tonight. Not too unique, but the last time I was behind the wheel was more than a year and a half ago, and on that unfortunate occasion, I looked left when I should've looked left and right, and nearly killed myself and my father turning into traffic. I stepped away from driving for a long time because of that.
On another topic, circumstances are pushing me inexorably towards a collision of another kind. This afternoon I looked into an abyss and saw something I desperately want. I also saw that what I want can devestate me like I've not been hurt before. Like, stake through the heart kinda hurt. I don't know if I'm in the middle of the running start, or if I've actually taken the swandive.
We'll see where I land.
It is now time for this blog to take a disturbingly emo-ish detour into the Vincent confessional. My mind requires that I write these things down, and dropping them into an anonymous .txt somewhere won't work.
I drove home from my job tonight. Not too unique, but the last time I was behind the wheel was more than a year and a half ago, and on that unfortunate occasion, I looked left when I should've looked left and right, and nearly killed myself and my father turning into traffic. I stepped away from driving for a long time because of that.
On another topic, circumstances are pushing me inexorably towards a collision of another kind. This afternoon I looked into an abyss and saw something I desperately want. I also saw that what I want can devestate me like I've not been hurt before. Like, stake through the heart kinda hurt. I don't know if I'm in the middle of the running start, or if I've actually taken the swandive.
We'll see where I land.
So I Don't Go Forgetting What I Want To Remember
Vincent: Look in the mirror. Paper towels, clean cab. Limo company some day. How much you got saved?
Max: That ain't any of your business.
Vincent: Someday? Someday my dream will come? One night you will wake up and discover it never happened. It's all turned around on you. It never will. Suddenly you are old. Didn't happen, and it never will, because you were never going to do it anyway. You'll push it into memory and then zone out in your barcalounger, being hypnotized by daytime TV for the rest of your life. Don't you talk to me about murder. All it ever took was a down payment on a Lincoln town car. That girl,you can't even call that girl. What the **** are you still doing driving a cab?
Halfway there.
Max: That ain't any of your business.
Vincent: Someday? Someday my dream will come? One night you will wake up and discover it never happened. It's all turned around on you. It never will. Suddenly you are old. Didn't happen, and it never will, because you were never going to do it anyway. You'll push it into memory and then zone out in your barcalounger, being hypnotized by daytime TV for the rest of your life. Don't you talk to me about murder. All it ever took was a down payment on a Lincoln town car. That girl,you can't even call that girl. What the **** are you still doing driving a cab?
Halfway there.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Fun Times Pt. 4.5
We're having a bonfire in the driveway last night, when around 8:30, a yellow cab pulls up between our house and the duplex next door. A hispanic man gets out and walks down the block, disappearing around the corner.
Half an hour later, he comes back the same way he left, approaches the cab in a wide angle, and says "Are you waiting for someone?" After some trifling conversation, he gets in the cab, and the cab speeds away. There's another hispanic man in the back seat who didn't get out, and who was sitting there with the driver for the full half hour.
At two this morning, a car pulled up far down the block, and a man got out and walked down to our house. He stood in the street in front of our house, and moved back and forth, examining our house, and the house across from us.
He did this again, twenty minutes later, parking much closer.
In the last two months, someone's shot something through our window capable of hurting us (and with the intent, no doubt), someone's prankcalled our house for 2 weeks, and has also lobbed a mudball at our front window.
With all that having happened recently, and with unidentified men scoping our house at zero dark hundred, I feel slightly less paranoid about having a Sig 220 within arms reach all night, and an assault rifle close at hand.
I will say this: If trouble comes, let it come here. I know my neighbors are unarmed. I would hate myself if someone attacked the elderly immigrant couple, or the single mom and her daughter, when two doors down there's a family who's prepared for an attack. Like the saying goes: If war comes, let it come in my lifetime, so my children will know peace.
I don't relish the thought of home invasions, or shooting at someone, but better our family than someone who can't fight back.
Half an hour later, he comes back the same way he left, approaches the cab in a wide angle, and says "Are you waiting for someone?" After some trifling conversation, he gets in the cab, and the cab speeds away. There's another hispanic man in the back seat who didn't get out, and who was sitting there with the driver for the full half hour.
At two this morning, a car pulled up far down the block, and a man got out and walked down to our house. He stood in the street in front of our house, and moved back and forth, examining our house, and the house across from us.
He did this again, twenty minutes later, parking much closer.
In the last two months, someone's shot something through our window capable of hurting us (and with the intent, no doubt), someone's prankcalled our house for 2 weeks, and has also lobbed a mudball at our front window.
With all that having happened recently, and with unidentified men scoping our house at zero dark hundred, I feel slightly less paranoid about having a Sig 220 within arms reach all night, and an assault rifle close at hand.
I will say this: If trouble comes, let it come here. I know my neighbors are unarmed. I would hate myself if someone attacked the elderly immigrant couple, or the single mom and her daughter, when two doors down there's a family who's prepared for an attack. Like the saying goes: If war comes, let it come in my lifetime, so my children will know peace.
I don't relish the thought of home invasions, or shooting at someone, but better our family than someone who can't fight back.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Not A Lot Going On
I've been fairly busy recently, and that's why there's a lack of blogging. We've got 4 people in the department, me included, who are working 40 hours a week. 3 of us aren't supposed to be getting more than 32 hours. I'm usually working the closing shift, which is about 3-11:30. Kinda puts a damper on the writing I wish I was doing. Oh well. The checks are good.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Rudy Hates Ferrets
Rudy doesn't want us to have ferrets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqrEw901KXE&mode=related&search=
My dad's right. Sometimes, the only appropriate response is "F*** you."
F*** you, Rudy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqrEw901KXE&mode=related&search=
My dad's right. Sometimes, the only appropriate response is "F*** you."
F*** you, Rudy.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Hannibal Rising
Over my two day holiday from work, I've watched two good movies and one decent one. Decent movie being Shaun Of The Dead, and the good ones being The Proposition and Hannibal Rising.
SOTD wasn't funny enough to sustain its length, but a few good moments redeemed it from being just plain bad.
The Proposition was a long, bloody, depressing slog through the twilight shades of human nature. There was nothing good or enjoyable about it. It was worth watching only for the tortured performances of its actors and the fantastic scenery.
Hannibal Rising was enjoyable. It's still too new in my mind to comment much on it, but I will say this:I liked that when given a chance to walk away, to redeem himself, Hannibal chose to continue on his path of vengence. No happy Hollywood "Throw down your gun in disgust" ending here. Hannibal looked into the abyss, saw the monster, and did a swandive. I liked that.
SOTD wasn't funny enough to sustain its length, but a few good moments redeemed it from being just plain bad.
The Proposition was a long, bloody, depressing slog through the twilight shades of human nature. There was nothing good or enjoyable about it. It was worth watching only for the tortured performances of its actors and the fantastic scenery.
Hannibal Rising was enjoyable. It's still too new in my mind to comment much on it, but I will say this:I liked that when given a chance to walk away, to redeem himself, Hannibal chose to continue on his path of vengence. No happy Hollywood "Throw down your gun in disgust" ending here. Hannibal looked into the abyss, saw the monster, and did a swandive. I liked that.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Shooty goodness
A friend I see maybe twice a year is in town this past week, and this afternoon we went shooting. Initially I was a little skeptical, even though it was my idea. How would a Navy man (from Cali, San Fransisco no less) feel about shooting a civilian owned battlerifle with an admittedly evil pedigree?
We took John Kerry, my 9mm Storm, and Beretta 9mm. After brief operating instructions on range etiquette and weapons functions, we proceeded to ventilate some targets.
I shouldn't have worried. My friend loved the battlerifle, called the Storm "slick" and we ran probably 150-200 rounds through the Beretta 92. The Storm shot right of center, John Kerry shot low, and the Beretta shot where we wanted it.
My friend thanked me multiple times on the way home and at one point said how proud he was of me for doing this and taking it so seriously.
As a side note, I should point out that he and I shot with roughly the same accuracy. We weren't punching them all through the same hole, but a soldier and a civilian ran pretty much neck and neck in the accuracy department. That's reassuring to me. I'm as good as a soldier. And I'll just keep getting better.
I couldn't have asked for a better day. Well, yes, a few things could've made it better, but I won't complain.
We took John Kerry, my 9mm Storm, and Beretta 9mm. After brief operating instructions on range etiquette and weapons functions, we proceeded to ventilate some targets.
I shouldn't have worried. My friend loved the battlerifle, called the Storm "slick" and we ran probably 150-200 rounds through the Beretta 92. The Storm shot right of center, John Kerry shot low, and the Beretta shot where we wanted it.
My friend thanked me multiple times on the way home and at one point said how proud he was of me for doing this and taking it so seriously.
As a side note, I should point out that he and I shot with roughly the same accuracy. We weren't punching them all through the same hole, but a soldier and a civilian ran pretty much neck and neck in the accuracy department. That's reassuring to me. I'm as good as a soldier. And I'll just keep getting better.
I couldn't have asked for a better day. Well, yes, a few things could've made it better, but I won't complain.
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