Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tilt
This morning as I was riding the bus down the counterbalance I noticed all the buildings were leaning uphill. How odd!
Thursday, June 05, 2008
O Canada!
Every 4 years or so, I wish I lived in Canada. In the U.S. we have such angst about our presidential elections, and I never hear about such conflicts from our Great Northern Neighbor. I used to live in Montana, near the Canadian border, and when I was a kid, went to the Valley View Bible Camp in Saskatchewan. It always was a fun time, and I always fell in love with the Canadian people (well, maybe especially one or two of the opposite sex...). We swam a lot in the muddy river that ran through camp, and hiked into the prairie dodging ferocious cacti and ticks. One of my best friends (and college roomate) is a pastor in Calgary who used to be a farmer in Hagen, near P.A. I always loved to say P.A. For you non-Saskatchewanites, it is an abbreviation for Prince Albert. Saying P.A. is like saying L.A. for Los Angeles. It makes me feel like an insider. Let's go to P.A. and play some billiards. Let's go to P.A. and see a movie. Isn't that fun?
When I was in the 9th grade, we moved to Oakland, and when I heard people using the L.A. abbreviation, I thought that was what Californians did for all cities with two names. So when my brother had friends visiting from out-of-town, I said, "Let's go to S.F. and show everyone the sights!" Everybody looked at me quizzically for a second and then burst out laughing. "S.F. San Francisco!" I was a little embarrassed, but I just grinned and said "What's wrong with that? "
But I digress. It would be interesting to be a Canadian and watching the U.S. elections. I had a friend once who refused to fly his U.S. flag after George Bush Sr. was elected. I think that is a bit much. After all, I still flew my flag when Clinton was president. I even voted for Jimmy Carter back in the day. Can't say I'm not open-minded.
This year I'm voting for the Constitution Party's candidate, Dr. Chuck Baldwin. He promises to bring some sanity back to the U.S., like eliminating the Internal Revenue Service, and closing our borders to illegal aliens. And if you don't believe there are thousands of illegal aliens in the U.S., just watch Men in Black. As my mom would say, "Oh, horrors!".
When I was in the 9th grade, we moved to Oakland, and when I heard people using the L.A. abbreviation, I thought that was what Californians did for all cities with two names. So when my brother had friends visiting from out-of-town, I said, "Let's go to S.F. and show everyone the sights!" Everybody looked at me quizzically for a second and then burst out laughing. "S.F. San Francisco!" I was a little embarrassed, but I just grinned and said "What's wrong with that? "
But I digress. It would be interesting to be a Canadian and watching the U.S. elections. I had a friend once who refused to fly his U.S. flag after George Bush Sr. was elected. I think that is a bit much. After all, I still flew my flag when Clinton was president. I even voted for Jimmy Carter back in the day. Can't say I'm not open-minded.
This year I'm voting for the Constitution Party's candidate, Dr. Chuck Baldwin. He promises to bring some sanity back to the U.S., like eliminating the Internal Revenue Service, and closing our borders to illegal aliens. And if you don't believe there are thousands of illegal aliens in the U.S., just watch Men in Black. As my mom would say, "Oh, horrors!".
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Atonement
Ever since I saw Atonement, I've been racking my brain trying to figure out if I have ever seen a sadder movie. I haven't. This movie is not only sad, it is tragic. Schindler's List at least had some redeeming moments. The Shawshank Redemption had many redeeming moments. I thought with a title like "Atonement" that this would be a movie with a happy ending. It does have a happy ending, sort of, but a tragic happy ending. I can't say more without ruining the movie, but just be prepared. Fortify your emotions. Eat some breakfast of champions. Go with someone you can grip hands with. Go with someone you can hug afterwards. You'll be too sad to cry, because you'll know the movie is real life, and it can't be changed. Or can it?
The previews mention a lying child. There is a reason one of the 10 Commandments says "Thou shalt not bear false witness." There is little that is more sinister. You might be mad at the end of the movie. I guarantee you will be sad. You will be stricken. I can't say it enough. But it is an excellent movie. Sad. Tragic. Excellent.
The previews mention a lying child. There is a reason one of the 10 Commandments says "Thou shalt not bear false witness." There is little that is more sinister. You might be mad at the end of the movie. I guarantee you will be sad. You will be stricken. I can't say it enough. But it is an excellent movie. Sad. Tragic. Excellent.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Quote for the Evening
"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side."
-- James Baldwin
U.S. Author (1924-1987)
-- James Baldwin
U.S. Author (1924-1987)
Seattle Social Police
Didn't it seem innocent when they forced us to buy "efficient" toilets that wouldn't waste 5 gallons a flush? Nobody cares that you have to flush the new toilets many times to get them empty, and nobody cares that my 89-year-old dad plugged the toilet many times, and stood there in his confused adult-onset-dementia state and flushed, and flushed, and stared perplexed at the flooded floor.
Then it was water-flow reducers, that make you take a 15 minute shower that used to take 7 minutes because it takes longer to wash off all the soap suds with the reduced force.
Garbage cans became Seattle's next target, with recyclable materials outlawed from your trash can, complete with garbage police to inspect and reject garbage cans with more than 10% recyclable material by volume. There are two warnings before a $50 fine.
Table scraps were the next feast for the newly-monikered Seattle City Clowncil. All except meat and diary products are also outlawed from the garbage can, and have to be put in the yard waste container. And beginning in 2009, residents will be charged for their work.
Now the city is proposing a 20-cent tax if you use a grocery store's plastic or paper bags. And they want to give part of the money to stores for having to collect it. Not to mention that the stores will save "hundreds of thousands" in bag costs, according to the local news broadcast.
Proposals are also in the works to tax un-green things like disposable diapers and plastic bottles.
When do you think the social engineering will stop? I think they'll soon charge $5 a gallon for water, $10 a gallon tax on gasoline (to encourage conservation, of course!) and a dollar-a-day for the air we breathe.
Oh, and the Seattle Social Police will just want to be called the SS.
Then it was water-flow reducers, that make you take a 15 minute shower that used to take 7 minutes because it takes longer to wash off all the soap suds with the reduced force.
Garbage cans became Seattle's next target, with recyclable materials outlawed from your trash can, complete with garbage police to inspect and reject garbage cans with more than 10% recyclable material by volume. There are two warnings before a $50 fine.
Table scraps were the next feast for the newly-monikered Seattle City Clowncil. All except meat and diary products are also outlawed from the garbage can, and have to be put in the yard waste container. And beginning in 2009, residents will be charged for their work.
Now the city is proposing a 20-cent tax if you use a grocery store's plastic or paper bags. And they want to give part of the money to stores for having to collect it. Not to mention that the stores will save "hundreds of thousands" in bag costs, according to the local news broadcast.
Proposals are also in the works to tax un-green things like disposable diapers and plastic bottles.
When do you think the social engineering will stop? I think they'll soon charge $5 a gallon for water, $10 a gallon tax on gasoline (to encourage conservation, of course!) and a dollar-a-day for the air we breathe.
Oh, and the Seattle Social Police will just want to be called the SS.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
A Quote of Despair
There is a tragic flaw in our precious Constitution, and I don't know what can be done to fix it.
This is it: Only nut cases want to be president.
This is it: Only nut cases want to be president.
-- Kurt Vonnegut
Supreme Air Force Stupidity
I am outraged that the Air Force would send 40 BILLION of our U.S. tax dollars to Airbus to build tanker planes! Having foreign countries make our military planes is the height of stupidity, and outsourcing 40 billion dollars worth of U.S. jobs with our own money is downright criminal.
If the president allows this sale to stand, we should outsource the president's job to England, and beg Her Majesty, the Queen of England, to rule in Bush's place. If congress also does not nullify the sale, we should outsource their jobs to the English parliament. Congress will have proven themselves incompetent to rule the colonies.
Maybe when the U.S. politicians are in the unemployment line they will realize how sick and tired we are with their gross mismanagement of the defense budget. We will not be able to get tanker planes or parts when World War Three starts.
Does anybody know the procedure to impeach both the president and congress for high crimes against the United States?
If the president allows this sale to stand, we should outsource the president's job to England, and beg Her Majesty, the Queen of England, to rule in Bush's place. If congress also does not nullify the sale, we should outsource their jobs to the English parliament. Congress will have proven themselves incompetent to rule the colonies.
Maybe when the U.S. politicians are in the unemployment line they will realize how sick and tired we are with their gross mismanagement of the defense budget. We will not be able to get tanker planes or parts when World War Three starts.
Does anybody know the procedure to impeach both the president and congress for high crimes against the United States?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Quote for the Evening
"Whenever someone asks me if I want water with my Scotch,
I say I'm thirsty, not dirty."
-- Joe E. Lewis
(January 12, 1902 - 4 June 1971)
born Joseph Klewan in New York City, was an American comedian and singer.
I say I'm thirsty, not dirty."
-- Joe E. Lewis
(January 12, 1902 - 4 June 1971)
born Joseph Klewan in New York City, was an American comedian and singer.
I Just Joined the Constitution Party
As an independent voter, I am not allowed to vote in Washington State's primary election. A year ago, the majority of voters decided that only Republicans and Democrats should be allowed to vote, and voters must sign an oath saying they belong to one or the other party.
Not only are oaths un-Biblical, neither major political party has a candidate that deserves my vote. All Democrat candidates support the killing of babies, which disqualifies them for public office, and the Republican candidates are so far left they could easily fit in the Democrat party.
Follow the money: rich, radical socialist leftists support both Republican and Democrat candidates. John McCain has accepted money from "...left-wing donors such as George Soros and Teresa Heinz Kerry." http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=727
The Constitution Party is the largest third-party political organization in the United States, and my vote, combined with all those who are sick and tired of the status quo, will elect a president who will support the constitution and reject the liberal, secular, big government agendas, including the Republican war machine and the Democrat's social engineering.
Not only are oaths un-Biblical, neither major political party has a candidate that deserves my vote. All Democrat candidates support the killing of babies, which disqualifies them for public office, and the Republican candidates are so far left they could easily fit in the Democrat party.
Follow the money: rich, radical socialist leftists support both Republican and Democrat candidates. John McCain has accepted money from "...left-wing donors such as George Soros and Teresa Heinz Kerry." http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=727
The Constitution Party is the largest third-party political organization in the United States, and my vote, combined with all those who are sick and tired of the status quo, will elect a president who will support the constitution and reject the liberal, secular, big government agendas, including the Republican war machine and the Democrat's social engineering.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Quote for the Evening
"I love to sing, and I love to drink Scotch.
Most people would rather hear me drink Scotch."
-- George Burns
Most people would rather hear me drink Scotch."
-- George Burns
Personalized Sin Plates
Washington State is proposing bright yellow license plates for people convicted of driving under the influence of intoxicants. When I saw the Seattle Times newspaper headline, I thought, "Yes, what a great idea!", but as the day wore on, I thought about the rising tide of legislated political correctness, and became increasingly angry wondering who would be the next target of social police.
Would women convicted of prostitution have scarlet plates? Would men convicted of soliciting have pictures of used condoms on their plates? Would ex-cons have jail-house bars on their plates? How about a picture of a severed hand for those convicted of shoplifting?
Maybe this is a social experiment to see how much shame a person can bear before they jump off the Aurora bridge.
Would women convicted of prostitution have scarlet plates? Would men convicted of soliciting have pictures of used condoms on their plates? Would ex-cons have jail-house bars on their plates? How about a picture of a severed hand for those convicted of shoplifting?
Maybe this is a social experiment to see how much shame a person can bear before they jump off the Aurora bridge.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Quote for the Evening
Always carry a large flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
-- W.C. Fields
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
-- W.C. Fields
Saturday, January 26, 2008
How to Rob a Bank (or) How Banks Rob Us
What's the best way to rob a bank?
1. Embezzle millions
2. Raise interest rates so your customers will default on your loans.
3. Write off millions to match what was embezzled.
How many banks wrote off how many billions? Did that money just vanish into thin air, or did it ever exist? Follow the money. This is the biggest scandal of all time, and nobody sees it. Houdini couldn't have done any better.
1. Embezzle millions
2. Raise interest rates so your customers will default on your loans.
3. Write off millions to match what was embezzled.
How many banks wrote off how many billions? Did that money just vanish into thin air, or did it ever exist? Follow the money. This is the biggest scandal of all time, and nobody sees it. Houdini couldn't have done any better.
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