Yes, ACORN, those community organizers who once had President Obama as a trainer, have a problem with prostitution. What is bad about that, you think? All of us should have a problem with prostitution, after all it is degrading and dehumanizing. Well, ACORN's problem isn't that they oppose prostitution, it is that they more than condone it no matter what they publicly say.
Two young journalists in training decided to concoct the wildest scenario they could and approach an ACORN office in Maryland with it. The premise was simple: a young would be politician and his girlfriend/prostitute are looking for federal help in finding housing for her to use as a brothel for underage El Salvadoran girls brought into the country illegally.
That should have been crazy sounding enough to get them tossed out, right? Or get the police involved at the very least. Instead, the ACORN workers went out of their way to show them how to use this all for a tax shelter while giving practical advice on how to avoid the fictional pimp harassing the "prostitute." They didn't bat an eye at child prostitution and exploitation either, advising them to only declare three of the girls as dependants for tax deductions.
So what, you say? Just a couple of bad eggs in one office don't show a problem in the organization.
Well... the two young investigators went to an office in Washington, D.C. next and check out what happened there. Big Government has done a great thing exposing this story.
ACORN is a profoundly evil organization and needs to be shut down ASAP. The fact they are getting billions of dollars from the stimulus is horrendous given their behavior and voter fraud cases going forth in the courts. Good grief, they are encouraging child prostitution! I can't think of a more evil thing.
The two workers in the first video have been fired, but the big media is refusing to report on this outside of Fox News, talk radio, and conservative blogs. There is something very, very wrong with our country right now, when such evil is being protected by the media. I doubt we'll see much in the way of punishment for ACORN, they are joined at the hip with the Democratic Party and especially Obama.
Just disgusting.
Reviews of movies, anime, and the occasional TV show mixed with warnings on Blogger spam. Also to be found are musings on whatever I am thinking about - all from the point of view of being left to watch everything from the sidelines of life.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sick Yet Again
It started with a sore throat on Monday, that lasted a couple of days before moving into the sinuses and now chest. Oh for an immune system that worked right!
The brain no worky, so the only thing I have to post is what may be the prototype for the ultimate cat toy: levitating mice!
The brain no worky, so the only thing I have to post is what may be the prototype for the ultimate cat toy: levitating mice!
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Is the US Dollar Dying?
One of my regular reads is the online edition of the Daily Telegraph published in the United Kingdom. It was interesting to see what the most read stories were today and I think you will see a unifying theme in them:
1. Barack Obama accused of making 'Depression' mistakes
2. China alarmed by US money printing
3. UN wants new global currency to replace dollar
Then on the other side of the page was Gold hits $1,000
With the Obama administration printing more green to buy government bonds because the Chinese won't, you know something is wrong. Then you hear that the Chinese are moving slowly over to gold in order to keep their investments from deprieciating radically and off in the distance alarm bells begin to ring. Finally, there has been talk between Russia, China, and India about starting a new currency because the dollar isn't looking sound, but hey, that's just a bunch of wannabe's talking, right? Except now the UN is talking the same proposal a few week later. Yeah, there is something seriously wrong with the US dollar when the biggest holder of US debt is publicly complaining and planning to move to something else.
Is the dollar actually dying? Time will tell, but one thing is certain -- it is very, very ill.
1. Barack Obama accused of making 'Depression' mistakes
2. China alarmed by US money printing
3. UN wants new global currency to replace dollar
Then on the other side of the page was Gold hits $1,000
With the Obama administration printing more green to buy government bonds because the Chinese won't, you know something is wrong. Then you hear that the Chinese are moving slowly over to gold in order to keep their investments from deprieciating radically and off in the distance alarm bells begin to ring. Finally, there has been talk between Russia, China, and India about starting a new currency because the dollar isn't looking sound, but hey, that's just a bunch of wannabe's talking, right? Except now the UN is talking the same proposal a few week later. Yeah, there is something seriously wrong with the US dollar when the biggest holder of US debt is publicly complaining and planning to move to something else.
Is the dollar actually dying? Time will tell, but one thing is certain -- it is very, very ill.
Monday, September 07, 2009
The Irony of Labor Day and Czars
One has to appreciate the irony of naming a holiday after work. Yes, yes, I know that the holiday is a paean to the "worker" of Marxist theology, but it still is amusing.
Speaking of Marxists, Van Jones resigned from the position of Green Energy Czar this weekend. If you are a reader of the New York Times or Washington Post, or an NPR listener, or broadcast networks viewer, you probably have no clue who he is or what happened. The media censorship on this has been profound, with only Fox News, talk radio, and bloggers (imaging that) covering his radical positions for the past few weeks. In fact, the NY Times is still covering up what happened.
Essentially, Jones is a stated communist who has made racist statements against whites for years and when called out by Glenn Beck, had his organization start a boycott against Beck's television show. But what sunk him is he is a "truther," a person who believes the 9/11 attacks were either deliberately allowed by the Bush administration or were actually committed by the government. Van Jones signed a petition indicating his belief in the first scenario.
Personally, I find his other beliefs far more appalling. The following link is very NSFW (not safe for work or family viewing) but I feel he needs to be exposed. This video Van Jones produced and appeared in shows what kind of people are being appointed as "czars" with no Senate approval by Obama. They are people who hate America and put on masks to gain power over the country.
Now another irony I find is that Obama and his fellow devotees of socialism are using the term 'czar' with great fanfare. Lenin & Trotsky must be rolling over in their graves, that whole Russian Revolution thing must not be hip enough. Instead, the modern Marxist in America is using the title of the dictator the Reds overthrew. Doesn't get more ironic than that!
Oh the proletariat, what has happened to you?
Speaking of Marxists, Van Jones resigned from the position of Green Energy Czar this weekend. If you are a reader of the New York Times or Washington Post, or an NPR listener, or broadcast networks viewer, you probably have no clue who he is or what happened. The media censorship on this has been profound, with only Fox News, talk radio, and bloggers (imaging that) covering his radical positions for the past few weeks. In fact, the NY Times is still covering up what happened.
Essentially, Jones is a stated communist who has made racist statements against whites for years and when called out by Glenn Beck, had his organization start a boycott against Beck's television show. But what sunk him is he is a "truther," a person who believes the 9/11 attacks were either deliberately allowed by the Bush administration or were actually committed by the government. Van Jones signed a petition indicating his belief in the first scenario.
Personally, I find his other beliefs far more appalling. The following link is very NSFW (not safe for work or family viewing) but I feel he needs to be exposed. This video Van Jones produced and appeared in shows what kind of people are being appointed as "czars" with no Senate approval by Obama. They are people who hate America and put on masks to gain power over the country.
Now another irony I find is that Obama and his fellow devotees of socialism are using the term 'czar' with great fanfare. Lenin & Trotsky must be rolling over in their graves, that whole Russian Revolution thing must not be hip enough. Instead, the modern Marxist in America is using the title of the dictator the Reds overthrew. Doesn't get more ironic than that!
Oh the proletariat, what has happened to you?
Thursday, September 03, 2009
An Eggcellent Guide
There seems to be a strong streak of silly running through model builders, with an almost fanatical devotion to Monty Python quotes for example. Another thing that makes modellers happy is books that feature an insane amount of detail about a given aircraft, tank, or ship.
This is what happens when the two meet.
Demented silliness at its best and a tribute to the sillier kits that Hasegawa puts out: the eggplane.
This is what happens when the two meet.
Demented silliness at its best and a tribute to the sillier kits that Hasegawa puts out: the eggplane.
Captain Al
Continuing a series of posts about my late friend, Al Ulven.
As I've written before, Al loved to have fun and was pretty good at making his own if there wasn't any already in sight. That skill served his desire for entertainment well, even as it occasionally exasperated others. Some of my more exasperated moments came as a direct result of Al fulfilling his retirement dream of owning his own boat.
I can remember him calling to say he had bought a boat which turned out to be a used Bayliner 2155 21" cruiser with trailer. My father and I went to see Al's dream and Al gleefully showed off his first command -- Captain Al had been born. He even had a captains hat with the golden scramble eggs. It didn't phase Al that he didn't know much about boating or safety regulations. What mattered is that he had his ticket to fun in the sun on the Mississippi River.
It was love at first sight when Captain Al found his Bayliner and he adored the vessel over the years he owned it, though maintenance was far from his strong point. It gradually faded from its initial glory, as he didn't have enough crew to regularly swab the decks and Al was slowing down a lot. We ended up assisting him on that and my dad did most of the maintenance work, especially during the spring and autumn when the Bayliner was either coming out of storage or going into storage.
While Al may have been slowing down physically, there was one thing he always liked: moving at high speeds. Fast cars entranced him, but were a little scary for him personally. But the river looked open for miles upon miles and there he could race the wind. At least until his deteriorating eyesite scared him one too many times. More than once he had me get the Bayliner planing at high speed and enjoyed the ride, his face red from the wind and laughing gleefully the entire time.
On that image, I'm going to finish, for his various adventures on water require their own entries into the log.
As I've written before, Al loved to have fun and was pretty good at making his own if there wasn't any already in sight. That skill served his desire for entertainment well, even as it occasionally exasperated others. Some of my more exasperated moments came as a direct result of Al fulfilling his retirement dream of owning his own boat.
I can remember him calling to say he had bought a boat which turned out to be a used Bayliner 2155 21" cruiser with trailer. My father and I went to see Al's dream and Al gleefully showed off his first command -- Captain Al had been born. He even had a captains hat with the golden scramble eggs. It didn't phase Al that he didn't know much about boating or safety regulations. What mattered is that he had his ticket to fun in the sun on the Mississippi River.
It was love at first sight when Captain Al found his Bayliner and he adored the vessel over the years he owned it, though maintenance was far from his strong point. It gradually faded from its initial glory, as he didn't have enough crew to regularly swab the decks and Al was slowing down a lot. We ended up assisting him on that and my dad did most of the maintenance work, especially during the spring and autumn when the Bayliner was either coming out of storage or going into storage.
While Al may have been slowing down physically, there was one thing he always liked: moving at high speeds. Fast cars entranced him, but were a little scary for him personally. But the river looked open for miles upon miles and there he could race the wind. At least until his deteriorating eyesite scared him one too many times. More than once he had me get the Bayliner planing at high speed and enjoyed the ride, his face red from the wind and laughing gleefully the entire time.
On that image, I'm going to finish, for his various adventures on water require their own entries into the log.
Whoa! IRS to Run National Health Care?
The IRS will be the agency to determine who has acceptable health care under ObamaCare.
The IRS has been a loose cannon for a very long time, without any proper oversight. Having them hunt down and punish people for having insufficient health insurance sounds great, doesn't it? It would require a massive increase in personnel and power for this to be implemented. Given their propensity to go after small fish and let the big ones off the hook when conducting audits, I doubt they would be any more fair dealing with health insurance regulation.
Does anybody rational think this is an intelligent idea?
The IRS has been a loose cannon for a very long time, without any proper oversight. Having them hunt down and punish people for having insufficient health insurance sounds great, doesn't it? It would require a massive increase in personnel and power for this to be implemented. Given their propensity to go after small fish and let the big ones off the hook when conducting audits, I doubt they would be any more fair dealing with health insurance regulation.
Does anybody rational think this is an intelligent idea?
The Creeping Cost of Bureaucracy or Baumel's Cost Disease
I'd never run into Baumel's Cost Disease before, but I find it most intriguing as it explains much of the runaway costs associated with healthcare, education, and government. It also calls into question of how much we can cut from health care costs, especially when huge increases to the bureaucracy running it are proposed. More paperwork means more labor, which means more money required, with any costs cut through other methods most likely negated. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the increased costs of managing health care would dwarf all savings from streamlining other aspects.
The intimidating thing about Baumel's Cost Disease is that it applies to education and all forms of government. The more rules and regulations piled on will increase expenses that will never go down. Eventually, you get to a place where you can't afford any of it. Sound familiar?
Hat tip to Instapundit for the link.
The intimidating thing about Baumel's Cost Disease is that it applies to education and all forms of government. The more rules and regulations piled on will increase expenses that will never go down. Eventually, you get to a place where you can't afford any of it. Sound familiar?
Hat tip to Instapundit for the link.
A Suprising Newspaper Promotion
You would never see this in the USA these days. The Daily Telegraph is giving away a voucher to pick up a free 1/72 Revell Spitfire Mk. II kit in the Saturday editon and another in the Sunday Telegraph for a 1/72 Revell Hurricane Mk. 1! This warms my heart as it should any scale model builder and I hope parents take advantage of this opportunity across the pond. Those two fighters were the backbone of the Royal Air Force in WWII, so a great chance at a history lesson is there besides teaching the joys of model building.
If such a thing were done here, it likely would cause a bunch of gray haired gentlemen to fight over the newspapers, I'm sad to say. The loss of hobbies where boys use their hands has been one of the more distressing changes in our society, as more passive forms of entertainment have taken over. You don't see that many youngsters building kits, they would rather be playing video games or watching movies.
As soon as my room is repaired and everything moved back in, I'll be eagerly getting back to finishing some kits myself.
If such a thing were done here, it likely would cause a bunch of gray haired gentlemen to fight over the newspapers, I'm sad to say. The loss of hobbies where boys use their hands has been one of the more distressing changes in our society, as more passive forms of entertainment have taken over. You don't see that many youngsters building kits, they would rather be playing video games or watching movies.
As soon as my room is repaired and everything moved back in, I'll be eagerly getting back to finishing some kits myself.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Getting Closer to Real Transformers
This is a portable shelter that sets itself up with a push of a button. Interesting to see if they get the costs down, I can think of quite a few applications for it from disasters to military. I particularly liked the idea of it as a classroom for disaster stricken areas.
A Truly Useless Idiot
Sometimes there will be a public figure that gathers a following with rhetoric and positions that sound reasonable, even if you don't agree with them. Then at a later point, the mask will come off and they will be revealed as nutcases or evil manipulators of the truth.
I haven't decided which Pat Buchanan is or if he is both. But it is clear that he has very strong fascist leanings with his continued attempts to rewrite the history of WWII and Adolph Hitler in particular. There are so many things wrong with his statements in this article that I barely know where to begin.
First off, Hitler did want war, trying to make him out to be a peacenik who was forced to invade Poland is utterly deranged. The British escape at Dunkirk enraged him as a failure to crush his enemy, he didn't let the troops escape. The only reasons he tried peace attempts with Britain was due to his plans to double cross Stalin and invade the Soviet Union -- Adolf didn't want a two front war because of the drain on materials and troops. His dream of succeeding where Napoleon failed drove his foolish attack on the Soviets.
Then there is the farcical question about the Luftwaffe only having twin engine bombers. The Nazi scientists were working on and did have four engine bomber designs, but they were at a low priority. Why? Simple answer: they planned on having captured airstrips to fly their bombers from thanks to the blitzkrieg attacks being so successful at taking land. The twin engine bombers were perfectly suited to this, where the four engine bombers needed large airstrips, as the US Army Air Force found out in the Pacific and England. Hitler's plans were concentrated on continental Europe and I often wonder what horrors would have happened if he's only had the one front war he expected.
Buchanan is either an outright liar or insane to be pushing this garbage, though history shows that both conditions are not mutually exclusive. What is apparant is that Buchanan is a neo-Nazi, not just a sympathizer, but the full blown fascist that haunted the 20th Century.
He should be accorded no respect and his viewpoints widely publicized so that people will know what he really is.
I haven't decided which Pat Buchanan is or if he is both. But it is clear that he has very strong fascist leanings with his continued attempts to rewrite the history of WWII and Adolph Hitler in particular. There are so many things wrong with his statements in this article that I barely know where to begin.
First off, Hitler did want war, trying to make him out to be a peacenik who was forced to invade Poland is utterly deranged. The British escape at Dunkirk enraged him as a failure to crush his enemy, he didn't let the troops escape. The only reasons he tried peace attempts with Britain was due to his plans to double cross Stalin and invade the Soviet Union -- Adolf didn't want a two front war because of the drain on materials and troops. His dream of succeeding where Napoleon failed drove his foolish attack on the Soviets.
Then there is the farcical question about the Luftwaffe only having twin engine bombers. The Nazi scientists were working on and did have four engine bomber designs, but they were at a low priority. Why? Simple answer: they planned on having captured airstrips to fly their bombers from thanks to the blitzkrieg attacks being so successful at taking land. The twin engine bombers were perfectly suited to this, where the four engine bombers needed large airstrips, as the US Army Air Force found out in the Pacific and England. Hitler's plans were concentrated on continental Europe and I often wonder what horrors would have happened if he's only had the one front war he expected.
Buchanan is either an outright liar or insane to be pushing this garbage, though history shows that both conditions are not mutually exclusive. What is apparant is that Buchanan is a neo-Nazi, not just a sympathizer, but the full blown fascist that haunted the 20th Century.
He should be accorded no respect and his viewpoints widely publicized so that people will know what he really is.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Seventy Years Ago in Poland
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland in an act that would eventually plunge Earth into a second world war. The evils of socialism were fully unleashed at that point, with Hitler the fascist and Stalin the communist agreeing to split the country. While this went on, Great Britain and France dithered about going to war, despite their alliance with Poland that required them to.
So why did they dither? I always thought Chamberlain was simply a weak fool and this article in the Telegraph reinforces that view. I would submit that weakness is always rewarded with force, especially when dealing with dictators and I am watching the same behavior with Obama in his foreign dealings. Look for the violent and dangerous men of the world to take advantage of that in the years to come.
So why did they dither? I always thought Chamberlain was simply a weak fool and this article in the Telegraph reinforces that view. I would submit that weakness is always rewarded with force, especially when dealing with dictators and I am watching the same behavior with Obama in his foreign dealings. Look for the violent and dangerous men of the world to take advantage of that in the years to come.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Is a New Concorde Needed?
Ran into this photo gallery at the Telegraph depicting renderings of a proposed super sonic transport (SST) being developed by Supersonic Aerospace International. It is a pretty bird aimed at the business class traveler, essentially a Mach 1.6 private jet that is quiet enough to be used at more airports than the old Concorde SST. Given the immense costs of fuel used to fly any "super cruise" plane, I don't see a valid market for it during hard economic times. Sure there are some sheiks out there who would love such a toy, but even they have felt the pinch the last year. Unless there is a huge turnaround in the global economy in the next decade, the timing of the aircraft will be poor.
Interestingly, Lockheed's Skunkworks designed the 'QSST', or Quiet SST, plane. The lack of afterburners should reduce takeoff noise considerably, but the F-22A Raptor pilots have found that it is more economical to use afterburners to reach supersonic speeds and then throttle back to cruise. It will require a lot more fuel pushing through the so called "sound barrier" of denser air from what they've said.
You can visit the home page of SAI here and get more information.
It would make a great model kit though, look at those lines!
Interestingly, Lockheed's Skunkworks designed the 'QSST', or Quiet SST, plane. The lack of afterburners should reduce takeoff noise considerably, but the F-22A Raptor pilots have found that it is more economical to use afterburners to reach supersonic speeds and then throttle back to cruise. It will require a lot more fuel pushing through the so called "sound barrier" of denser air from what they've said.
You can visit the home page of SAI here and get more information.
It would make a great model kit though, look at those lines!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Another False Flag Operation
In Denver, the Democratic Party Headquarters had its windows smashed in and efforts were made to blame Tea Party protesters. So who actually got arrested? Someone who had been on the payroll of an SEIU front group. That vandal is no conservative and the question is being raised over what the local Democratic chair new about this.
Part of the problem the conservatives and libertarians have had understanding the opposition is comprehending that the end justifies the means to the left. To some degree, they intellectually get that the other side lies and even the relativism involved, but they fail to understand just how far they will go to achieve their goals. When you suffer from ethical relativism in addition to moral relativism, anything goes to win. That includes posing as the other side to frame them for bad behavior.
Ironically, it would be a relief if Maurice had a grievance with the Democrats and did this for revenge of some kind, but I doubt that will be the case. Instead, the political situation in the country continues to deteriorate and I think we'll be seeing a lot more unrest as the far left get frustrated. Opposition is not something they handle well, much like adolescents. With generations never growing up and raising following generations to be perpetual teenagers, we'll be seeing a lot more stupid acts such as this one.
Part of the problem the conservatives and libertarians have had understanding the opposition is comprehending that the end justifies the means to the left. To some degree, they intellectually get that the other side lies and even the relativism involved, but they fail to understand just how far they will go to achieve their goals. When you suffer from ethical relativism in addition to moral relativism, anything goes to win. That includes posing as the other side to frame them for bad behavior.
Ironically, it would be a relief if Maurice had a grievance with the Democrats and did this for revenge of some kind, but I doubt that will be the case. Instead, the political situation in the country continues to deteriorate and I think we'll be seeing a lot more unrest as the far left get frustrated. Opposition is not something they handle well, much like adolescents. With generations never growing up and raising following generations to be perpetual teenagers, we'll be seeing a lot more stupid acts such as this one.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Large and Small
Been an interesting couple of days in the news, so more links that caught my eye:
It has often surprised me how I find stories being reported in the UK on events in the USA that aren't getting a lot of attention, ones that should be. Take designer children for instance. I had no clue this was actually being done, now I find the specter of eugenics rearing its ugly head again reported in a foreign newspaper. The narcisissm and selfishness of people is astounding, allowing immoral acts like this to be profitable. Simply wrong and not good for our culture.
I refuse to "tweet." For those unfamiliar with the term, it is posting short little snippets on Twitter. If Twitter (actually all texting) isn't a sign of the dumbing down of the West, I don't know what is. Now it is being compromised, just like MySpace and Facebook have, with worm attacks. While not as severe, it shows the inherent weakness of social networking sites to data theft. I'm on Facebook and never warmed to it due to the triviality of the atmosphere, so my checking in is getting more infrequent. Frankly, it is a stultifyingly boring time waster.
Two years ago, Rushford, MN flooded and amongst the losses was the Tenborg Community Center. It was a great place to hold political conventions and meetings, located at a reasonable distance for people from Fillmore, Houston, and Winona counties. I grew fond of the place and was saddened by it becoming a total loss, when I'd hoped it would be rebuilt or at least replace by a new one. Now it looks very much like the financial disaster of our time is making it unlikely, unless help from private enterprise enters the picture. That's too bad, as Rushford is a good location.
Things could be worse. At least I don't have a former neighbor trying to blow me up with a mail bomb. Even small towns have weird things like this happening these days, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised by Houston, MN getting its share. Fortunately, no one was harmed, but still...
It has often surprised me how I find stories being reported in the UK on events in the USA that aren't getting a lot of attention, ones that should be. Take designer children for instance. I had no clue this was actually being done, now I find the specter of eugenics rearing its ugly head again reported in a foreign newspaper. The narcisissm and selfishness of people is astounding, allowing immoral acts like this to be profitable. Simply wrong and not good for our culture.
I refuse to "tweet." For those unfamiliar with the term, it is posting short little snippets on Twitter. If Twitter (actually all texting) isn't a sign of the dumbing down of the West, I don't know what is. Now it is being compromised, just like MySpace and Facebook have, with worm attacks. While not as severe, it shows the inherent weakness of social networking sites to data theft. I'm on Facebook and never warmed to it due to the triviality of the atmosphere, so my checking in is getting more infrequent. Frankly, it is a stultifyingly boring time waster.
Two years ago, Rushford, MN flooded and amongst the losses was the Tenborg Community Center. It was a great place to hold political conventions and meetings, located at a reasonable distance for people from Fillmore, Houston, and Winona counties. I grew fond of the place and was saddened by it becoming a total loss, when I'd hoped it would be rebuilt or at least replace by a new one. Now it looks very much like the financial disaster of our time is making it unlikely, unless help from private enterprise enters the picture. That's too bad, as Rushford is a good location.
Things could be worse. At least I don't have a former neighbor trying to blow me up with a mail bomb. Even small towns have weird things like this happening these days, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised by Houston, MN getting its share. Fortunately, no one was harmed, but still...
Friday, August 21, 2009
Quote of the Day (or month as often as I've posted)
Two weeks ago, town hallers were supposed to be members of the Brooks Brothers brigade, Astroturf division. Now they’re well-armed anti-government militias. At this rate, they’ll soon be android ninjas with laser vision. Wait, strike that. They’ll be really racist android ninjas with laser vision.Read the rest of Jonah Goldberg's piece on the administration playing the race card repeatedly.
Raining Friday Links
Don't know if I'm up to posting a real essay today, as I'm waiting for the rain to stop to mix a mad scientist brew of sand/concrete and Sheetrock plaster to repair the hole in my bedroom ceiling. Finally tore all the plaster down from the water damaged areas and was pleased to find the lath in very good condition, with only some mold. One repaired cheap sprayer and some bleach water later it was left to dry overnight. I suppose I should take photos of it now for the classic before and after shots -- that's assuming my improvised plastering methods work!
While I assume only bots are reading this blog, I'm going to start posting links to things I find interesting on the Net in case any human eyeballs ever find their way here.
First up, a video link to Milton Friedman on Donahue back in 1979. Friedman lays out why only capitalism works very succinctly and to great effect. He also quickly lays out why government isn't the answer.
Bolstering that last point -- the automakers are having to back the "Cash for Clunkers" program. It is a fine example of how the U.S. government runs things that they are having to be bailed out of their own stimulus program. GM being involved makes this even more surreal.
"Peace of Mind. Piece of Happiness." That's the slogan for the Japanese government's new ad campaign to sell their national debt to their populace. The Telegraph rather waggishly asks what slogan the UK could use.
On a more local note, Marty Seifert was in La Crescent as part of his campaign for Governor of Minnesota. I hadn't realized the number declaring to run was in the dozens! On the Republican side, I think he has the edge at the moment, coming off of successfully holding the caucus together in the Minnesota House of Representatives during the last session. Time will tell, of course.
The Rochester Tea Party Patriots will be holding a Health Care Freedom Rally Saturday at Noon in Rochester. Click on the link for details!
Related to Tea Party activities and health care concerns, across the Mississippi Representative Ron Kind D-WI had 800 people to deal with at his townhall in Tomah Thursday. From the article, it sounds like he got an earful. This shows how more intensely opposed the public has become to government expansion of health care. I don't remember this kind of civic involvement back during HillaryCare. Of course, the country wasn't broke back then and didn't have a possible second Great Depression looming.
On a lighter note, I've been watching how people slavishly buy the latest Apple iPod or iPhone when there are usually superior products for much less money out there. What I wasn't aware of is how technologically inferior products on the US market are compared to overseas. Just another sign of America's decay, as the article points out our falling rate of broadband penetration. Don't know if I agree on the "Wal-Mart factor" so much, I think being an 80% service economy might play into this. Or maybe it is that we have so many wide open spaces to play with that we don't need gadgets for entertainment as much as crowded Asia.
As I've gotten older, the less enchanted I've become with intellectual property rights. It seems that instead of coming up with more new and innovative product, individuals and corporations want to keep making money off of old things. With the rise of file sharing then torrenting and piracy of music, movies, television, books, and software this is surely being eroded. While I don't advocate piracy, I do think there needs to be some limits. Now the biggest torrent site, the Pirate Bay, is preparing to go legal. Reading the comments tells me that things have gone past being just college students looting music and there is a rebellion against any regulation of content. How much of it is ideological and how much is just greed is the question.
Last two articles were found on Blue's News, a gaming and tech website that occasionally has interesting oddball items.
While I assume only bots are reading this blog, I'm going to start posting links to things I find interesting on the Net in case any human eyeballs ever find their way here.
First up, a video link to Milton Friedman on Donahue back in 1979. Friedman lays out why only capitalism works very succinctly and to great effect. He also quickly lays out why government isn't the answer.
Bolstering that last point -- the automakers are having to back the "Cash for Clunkers" program. It is a fine example of how the U.S. government runs things that they are having to be bailed out of their own stimulus program. GM being involved makes this even more surreal.
"Peace of Mind. Piece of Happiness." That's the slogan for the Japanese government's new ad campaign to sell their national debt to their populace. The Telegraph rather waggishly asks what slogan the UK could use.
On a more local note, Marty Seifert was in La Crescent as part of his campaign for Governor of Minnesota. I hadn't realized the number declaring to run was in the dozens! On the Republican side, I think he has the edge at the moment, coming off of successfully holding the caucus together in the Minnesota House of Representatives during the last session. Time will tell, of course.
The Rochester Tea Party Patriots will be holding a Health Care Freedom Rally Saturday at Noon in Rochester. Click on the link for details!
Related to Tea Party activities and health care concerns, across the Mississippi Representative Ron Kind D-WI had 800 people to deal with at his townhall in Tomah Thursday. From the article, it sounds like he got an earful. This shows how more intensely opposed the public has become to government expansion of health care. I don't remember this kind of civic involvement back during HillaryCare. Of course, the country wasn't broke back then and didn't have a possible second Great Depression looming.
On a lighter note, I've been watching how people slavishly buy the latest Apple iPod or iPhone when there are usually superior products for much less money out there. What I wasn't aware of is how technologically inferior products on the US market are compared to overseas. Just another sign of America's decay, as the article points out our falling rate of broadband penetration. Don't know if I agree on the "Wal-Mart factor" so much, I think being an 80% service economy might play into this. Or maybe it is that we have so many wide open spaces to play with that we don't need gadgets for entertainment as much as crowded Asia.
As I've gotten older, the less enchanted I've become with intellectual property rights. It seems that instead of coming up with more new and innovative product, individuals and corporations want to keep making money off of old things. With the rise of file sharing then torrenting and piracy of music, movies, television, books, and software this is surely being eroded. While I don't advocate piracy, I do think there needs to be some limits. Now the biggest torrent site, the Pirate Bay, is preparing to go legal. Reading the comments tells me that things have gone past being just college students looting music and there is a rebellion against any regulation of content. How much of it is ideological and how much is just greed is the question.
Last two articles were found on Blue's News, a gaming and tech website that occasionally has interesting oddball items.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The AP Reports on Consumer Prices
Boring sounding, right?
Well, if you are concerned with the economy, it stops being boring once you hit a specific line in the article.
Selected quotes from the article:
The gist of the article is that falling prices have reigned in inflation and how great a job the Fed has done. Me, I'm concerned, as I've been watching for deflation as a sign of another Great Depression. Time will tell if these are warning signs or just bumps in the road. Better buckle your seat belts!
Well, if you are concerned with the economy, it stops being boring once you hit a specific line in the article.
Selected quotes from the article:
Prices fell 2.1 percent over the past 12 months, the biggest annual decline since a similar drop in the period ending in January 1950. Most of the past year's decline reflects energy prices falling 28.1 percent since peaking in JulyWell that doesn't sound so bad, the high energy prices inhibited any chance of a recovery.
2008.
Some economists have expressed concerns that the economy could be headed toward a dangerous period of falling prices, something the U.S. has not experienced since the Great Depression of the 1930s.Okay, that isn't positive sounding. Deflation has been a worry of mine for some time now.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday reported its first-ever drop in same-store sales for its overall U.S. business for the quarter. The world's largest retailer said a big factor was price deflation, primarily in grocery products like dairy.If Wal-Mart is taking a hit, things are bad. They are the last redoubt of the consumer being squeezed for cash. Meanwhile, desperate efforts to prop up dairy prices are occurring in Wisconsin, as input costs are far outstripping returns. Are our dairy producers the canary in the coal mine?
The longest recession since World War II has kept prices in check as wage pressures disappeared because of heavy job layoffs. Companies have been unable to boost prices because of weak demand.Now this is really not good, as we are a service driven economy with 80% of it being the service industry. With a good chunk of the spending vanishing due to debt, unemployment, and depressed wages, the main fuel for the engine of the economy is in short supply. We don't have manufacturing to pull us out of this one, or an influx of new workers like women after WWII.
The gist of the article is that falling prices have reigned in inflation and how great a job the Fed has done. Me, I'm concerned, as I've been watching for deflation as a sign of another Great Depression. Time will tell if these are warning signs or just bumps in the road. Better buckle your seat belts!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Oh Joy, History Repeats Itself
When Hitler decided he wanted to invade Poland, he sent SS troops dressed as Polish soldiers to attack German outposts on the border. With this false flag attack, the Nazi regime had their justification to go to war -- after all, those villainous Poles had attacked the Fatherland! So how does this relate to the title of the post?
I believe history repeats itself as variations of a theme, as composers have done their own takes on other compositions. Much of the tune stays the same, but enough changes to make the new version distinct. Today we have a struggle against an ever encroaching government and those who wish to keep their constitutional rights. The current administration is a product of the Chicago political machine, which means anything is allowed against opponents. Think mafia, because organized crime is a big part of the machine.
So we've seen SEIU goons beat Ken Gladney down and shove a camera in the face of a woman capturing their thuggery. That's the obvious behavior that the ObamaCare supporters had hoped would go the other way for propaganda purposes. Then there is the more sly method of propaganda staging.
Much ado has been made by Nancy Pelosi and others about the swastika's and Hitler pictures at the Tea Parties, with an inference of the protesters being Nazi racists themselves. It has been carefully worded to make that impact, while retaining the core of truth that the signs were depicting Obama and company as the Nazi's. At the Tea Parties I've attended, I haven't seen any and the comparison has been to the communists. That isn't to say there haven't been comparisons or signs elsewhere.
But look at this, we have a bonafide false flag operation being run by Democratic Representative John Dingall's supporters. Having someone carry that around and then hand out lit pieces for Dingall afterward smacks of complete arrogance. Or is it just the security of knowing the media will cover up for you? Still, the purpose is clear, to justify continued verbal demonization of the opposition to the health care bill.
So we have false flag operations going on, as I'm sure this isn't an isolated case, plus we unions being used to pack townhalls to prevent dissent. It may be the Chicago way, but it isn't the American way.
It's like they want a war.
I believe history repeats itself as variations of a theme, as composers have done their own takes on other compositions. Much of the tune stays the same, but enough changes to make the new version distinct. Today we have a struggle against an ever encroaching government and those who wish to keep their constitutional rights. The current administration is a product of the Chicago political machine, which means anything is allowed against opponents. Think mafia, because organized crime is a big part of the machine.
So we've seen SEIU goons beat Ken Gladney down and shove a camera in the face of a woman capturing their thuggery. That's the obvious behavior that the ObamaCare supporters had hoped would go the other way for propaganda purposes. Then there is the more sly method of propaganda staging.
Much ado has been made by Nancy Pelosi and others about the swastika's and Hitler pictures at the Tea Parties, with an inference of the protesters being Nazi racists themselves. It has been carefully worded to make that impact, while retaining the core of truth that the signs were depicting Obama and company as the Nazi's. At the Tea Parties I've attended, I haven't seen any and the comparison has been to the communists. That isn't to say there haven't been comparisons or signs elsewhere.
But look at this, we have a bonafide false flag operation being run by Democratic Representative John Dingall's supporters. Having someone carry that around and then hand out lit pieces for Dingall afterward smacks of complete arrogance. Or is it just the security of knowing the media will cover up for you? Still, the purpose is clear, to justify continued verbal demonization of the opposition to the health care bill.
So we have false flag operations going on, as I'm sure this isn't an isolated case, plus we unions being used to pack townhalls to prevent dissent. It may be the Chicago way, but it isn't the American way.
It's like they want a war.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Thugocracy
You know that the ancient Chinese curse of "May you live in interesting times" is true when the unions start rolling out to suppress free speech while claiming protesters are "attacking America." You can't make that kind of idiocy up, though you can satirize the mass media instructions/marching orders given out of Washington. Of course, in the left's view of the 1st Amendment, it is only valid when they protest and when confronted with an opposing view, they are entitled to slap down the opposition. Or just close the doors on anyone who wasn't snuck in the side door in an effort to pack a townhall meeting.
Hey, if someone opposes the Obamacare bill, the White House has asked that people submit their name to a list they are archiving. “These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
Nothing intimidating about that!
Then there is the lie about astroturfing (creating fake grassroots, a specialty of the Chicago machine's Axelrod) being spread, with insurance companies, Fox news, or the RNC organizing too well dressed protesters. Which is very silly indeed, as I have been to multiple Tea Party rallies and they are made of a wide political range of people indeed, including Republican haters. Top that off with Republican "insiders" ie: the reigning political class in the party, aka country club Republicans thinking the protests useless and plebian and it becomes clear who is really astroturfing. But don't forget, it is organized mobs causing all the fuss, according to the Democrats.
All of this is like playing with matches in a drought stricken forest. With the ever increasing reach of the federal government into literally all aspects of everyday life, the American people are getting more than uncomfortable. There is a sense that too much control is being taken away from individuals, aggravated by the severe economic downturn that shows no real sign of abatement. That is the motivation for these protests and the people who attend them.
In Discourses, Nico Machiavelli wrote that peoples are "extraordinarily revengeful toward those who have destroyed their liberty." He relates an account of the city of Corcyra in Greece during the Pelopennesian war. Ancient Greece broke between two camps, the Athenians and the Spartans, with the people of Corcyra being torn politically. The upper class nobles wanted an alliance with Sparta while the people wanted freedom and alignment with Athens. Subsequently, the upper class took over and instituted dictatorial rule that lasted until the Athenians were able to render aid to the people of the city.
The populace rose up and imprisoned the nobles in one prison, then set about executing them in cruel ways. Of course, that caused a prison uprising which ended when a crowd of the people marched on the prison. They collapsed its walls and upper story on the nobles to crush them.
Machiavelli concludes, "We thus see how true it is that a liberty which you have actually had taken away is avenged with much greater ferocity than is a liberty which someone has only tried to take away."
At the moment, with cap and trade passed and Obamacare being rushed through, people are waking up to the threat of their freedom to make choices being taken away. That's dangerous enough to cause trouble on its on. Adding in union thugs and a refusal to listen to constituents to the mix takes it from being a threat to an actual denial of liberty. If that threshold of perception is crossed, things can explode.
And one last time for the confused, please click on the difference between grass roots and astroturfers.
Hey, if someone opposes the Obamacare bill, the White House has asked that people submit their name to a list they are archiving. “These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
Nothing intimidating about that!
Then there is the lie about astroturfing (creating fake grassroots, a specialty of the Chicago machine's Axelrod) being spread, with insurance companies, Fox news, or the RNC organizing too well dressed protesters. Which is very silly indeed, as I have been to multiple Tea Party rallies and they are made of a wide political range of people indeed, including Republican haters. Top that off with Republican "insiders" ie: the reigning political class in the party, aka country club Republicans thinking the protests useless and plebian and it becomes clear who is really astroturfing. But don't forget, it is organized mobs causing all the fuss, according to the Democrats.
All of this is like playing with matches in a drought stricken forest. With the ever increasing reach of the federal government into literally all aspects of everyday life, the American people are getting more than uncomfortable. There is a sense that too much control is being taken away from individuals, aggravated by the severe economic downturn that shows no real sign of abatement. That is the motivation for these protests and the people who attend them.
In Discourses, Nico Machiavelli wrote that peoples are "extraordinarily revengeful toward those who have destroyed their liberty." He relates an account of the city of Corcyra in Greece during the Pelopennesian war. Ancient Greece broke between two camps, the Athenians and the Spartans, with the people of Corcyra being torn politically. The upper class nobles wanted an alliance with Sparta while the people wanted freedom and alignment with Athens. Subsequently, the upper class took over and instituted dictatorial rule that lasted until the Athenians were able to render aid to the people of the city.
The populace rose up and imprisoned the nobles in one prison, then set about executing them in cruel ways. Of course, that caused a prison uprising which ended when a crowd of the people marched on the prison. They collapsed its walls and upper story on the nobles to crush them.
Machiavelli concludes, "We thus see how true it is that a liberty which you have actually had taken away is avenged with much greater ferocity than is a liberty which someone has only tried to take away."
At the moment, with cap and trade passed and Obamacare being rushed through, people are waking up to the threat of their freedom to make choices being taken away. That's dangerous enough to cause trouble on its on. Adding in union thugs and a refusal to listen to constituents to the mix takes it from being a threat to an actual denial of liberty. If that threshold of perception is crossed, things can explode.
And one last time for the confused, please click on the difference between grass roots and astroturfers.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A Wicked Belated Father's Day
Since going to Mexico for my sister's wedding, it has been a mad scramble to catch up on various things needing doing, so it was no surprise when Father's Day came and went with no celebration. It didn't help that we are impecunious at the moment, so no Airfest this year.
Evading the heat and humidity the past few days has meant being in the living room, where we've temporarally installed an air conditioner, as my room is still out of commission. Being tired, reading was no longer working for my dad and me, so a quick look through the Netflix DVDs revealed nothing but serious and attention requiring movies. It was time to look through the family DVD library, especially the recent acquisitions.
One jumped out at me, one I'd gotten last month but hadn't had time to watch, an old movie from my youth. Lately I've been on a Ray Bradbury kick and had gotten the movie from an Amazon.com sale around the time I also purchased The Ray Bradbury Theater complete series set. The movie is Something Wicked This Way Comes, a flick that bombed in its 1983 theatrical release, but one I'd loved anyway. Known for being too intense and scary for younger children, it is no surprise it didn't find an audience, as it fell into a no-man's land between kid movies and the explicit slasher & horror movies of the era.
The film is set in a midwestern small town in the 1920s, during that magical time of the year that happens in October. Two boys, Will and Jim, are best friends and blood brothers living in the sleepy town, doing the things boys do when a mysterious carnival comes to town: Dark's Pandemonium. Harrowing encounters with Dark and his minions follow, with the lives of the townsfolk on the line, if not their very souls.
For me, it was a good movie that became even better once I saw it as an adult. The protagonists are two young boys, but the story is more about the fathers: one older then usual and filled with regrets, the other having run off is still a presence by his very absence. Both boys are deeply affected by their respective fathers and this is really the core of the film. Jason Robards shines as Will's father, the town librarian feeling his age and weighed down by a bad heart. Jonathan Pryce is hypnotically evil as Dark, every movement filled with the potential of explosive rage barely restrained.
I won't spoil the film for those who haven't seen it, but it turned out to be a wonderful belated Father's Day film to watch with my Dad. It is very much about the love that can only be held between father and son.
Evading the heat and humidity the past few days has meant being in the living room, where we've temporarally installed an air conditioner, as my room is still out of commission. Being tired, reading was no longer working for my dad and me, so a quick look through the Netflix DVDs revealed nothing but serious and attention requiring movies. It was time to look through the family DVD library, especially the recent acquisitions.
One jumped out at me, one I'd gotten last month but hadn't had time to watch, an old movie from my youth. Lately I've been on a Ray Bradbury kick and had gotten the movie from an Amazon.com sale around the time I also purchased The Ray Bradbury Theater complete series set. The movie is Something Wicked This Way Comes, a flick that bombed in its 1983 theatrical release, but one I'd loved anyway. Known for being too intense and scary for younger children, it is no surprise it didn't find an audience, as it fell into a no-man's land between kid movies and the explicit slasher & horror movies of the era.
The film is set in a midwestern small town in the 1920s, during that magical time of the year that happens in October. Two boys, Will and Jim, are best friends and blood brothers living in the sleepy town, doing the things boys do when a mysterious carnival comes to town: Dark's Pandemonium. Harrowing encounters with Dark and his minions follow, with the lives of the townsfolk on the line, if not their very souls.
For me, it was a good movie that became even better once I saw it as an adult. The protagonists are two young boys, but the story is more about the fathers: one older then usual and filled with regrets, the other having run off is still a presence by his very absence. Both boys are deeply affected by their respective fathers and this is really the core of the film. Jason Robards shines as Will's father, the town librarian feeling his age and weighed down by a bad heart. Jonathan Pryce is hypnotically evil as Dark, every movement filled with the potential of explosive rage barely restrained.
I won't spoil the film for those who haven't seen it, but it turned out to be a wonderful belated Father's Day film to watch with my Dad. It is very much about the love that can only be held between father and son.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Iran Burns
We are seeing an uprising of the people versus a tyrannical dictatorship posing as a democratically elected government. That is something that we saw happen after the fall of the Berlin Wall in Eastern Europe but it is now happening in Iran. The clashes are violent, with students and protesters being gunned down (WARNING: very graphic), yet President Obama refuses to do anything in words or deeds. His apologists claim it is to protect the protesters, but that is a naive belief, whether held by Obama or by people making excuses for him. Voting present is simply not an option when you are President of the United States of America.
His silence and carefully moderated remarks have emboldened the ruling elite, Supreme Leader Khamenei led chants of "Death to America!" in his Friday prayers, while their state run TV has purportedly run "confessions" from college students that they were trained and funded by the USA to start this. So much for not choosing sides.
Pray for the Iranian people as they fight and die for their freedom.
His silence and carefully moderated remarks have emboldened the ruling elite, Supreme Leader Khamenei led chants of "Death to America!" in his Friday prayers, while their state run TV has purportedly run "confessions" from college students that they were trained and funded by the USA to start this. So much for not choosing sides.
Pray for the Iranian people as they fight and die for their freedom.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The First Dance
or Why We Went to Tulum in Mexico:
Congratulations to Ann and Jeff, may your marriage be long and happy!
Congratulations to Ann and Jeff, may your marriage be long and happy!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Adventures with Al, Part 2
Traveling with Al Ulven could get interesting at times, as a previous post showed. Reaching back into the murky depths of my childhood memories, there was one time that I wish I remembered more about. That was the mid-1970's expedition to the upper peninsula of Michigan to visit my half-brother Jud and his first wife, Therese. They lived up in the Houghton-Hancock area and for some reason Al decided to go with us. Perhaps he wanted to see the mining ranges up there, as he always had a curiosity about anything involving trade history around the Great Lakes. Curiosity has been said to kill the proverbial cat and Al was filled with curiosity about many things. In this case, it wasn't fatal but it certainly led him into a little trouble.
Somewhere just across the border into Michigan, a decision was made to take a short cut involving a back road that was parallel with the main highway. I do not know who made the decision, but with my father and Al being the only drivers, my suspicions lie with one or both. Back roads can be very inviting, offering scenery and local color you otherwise zoom past. Al loved back roads and my father's shortcuts were a subject of family legend. My late mother would have remembered whom to blame, no doubt.
While back roads can be enjoyable in good weather, taking them after major storms can get tricky. We got far enough to be in the middle of nowhere when the car ceased all forward movement. I'd say this is my first memory of mud so deep it sucked shoes off and stopped a car in its deep, deep tracks. The four of us piled out of the car and surveyed the muck after multiple failed attempts to get free. It was not taking us anywhere.
After some literal head scratching, Al and my dad tried to push it out. That did nothing but give everyone muddy pants legs, adding to the growing misery. Didn't seem to phase Al one bit though. There is an image in my mind of him sitting on the car, smiling despite the heat and dire predicament.
Hours went by, long hours. At some point, a decision was reached and a search began along the roadside. Some distance down the road, some old boards from a broken down fence were found and quickly brought back to the embedded car. After a few tries, the car finally found its caked wheels meeting dry road and we continued on. Al's laughter as we finally got going still lingers, for he'd won one of his small victories in life. It was something I'd get used to over the years.
Somewhere just across the border into Michigan, a decision was made to take a short cut involving a back road that was parallel with the main highway. I do not know who made the decision, but with my father and Al being the only drivers, my suspicions lie with one or both. Back roads can be very inviting, offering scenery and local color you otherwise zoom past. Al loved back roads and my father's shortcuts were a subject of family legend. My late mother would have remembered whom to blame, no doubt.
While back roads can be enjoyable in good weather, taking them after major storms can get tricky. We got far enough to be in the middle of nowhere when the car ceased all forward movement. I'd say this is my first memory of mud so deep it sucked shoes off and stopped a car in its deep, deep tracks. The four of us piled out of the car and surveyed the muck after multiple failed attempts to get free. It was not taking us anywhere.
After some literal head scratching, Al and my dad tried to push it out. That did nothing but give everyone muddy pants legs, adding to the growing misery. Didn't seem to phase Al one bit though. There is an image in my mind of him sitting on the car, smiling despite the heat and dire predicament.
Hours went by, long hours. At some point, a decision was reached and a search began along the roadside. Some distance down the road, some old boards from a broken down fence were found and quickly brought back to the embedded car. After a few tries, the car finally found its caked wheels meeting dry road and we continued on. Al's laughter as we finally got going still lingers, for he'd won one of his small victories in life. It was something I'd get used to over the years.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Fair tax at the Tea Day Tax Party in Rochester
April 15th wasn't your average income tax day, a truly grassroots movement sprouted up across the country fueled by anger at Democrats and Republicans who have been spending like drunken sailors and now want even more of the public's money. My father and I attended the Rochester, Minnesota event on the behalf of the Fairtax and I was to speak. When we got there early, the crowd was already around the reported 300 and continued to swell. By the time I spoke, it was easily over 500 and I would guess around 800. It was hard to tell, as there was a lot of churn over and people wedging themselves in wherever they could. They were a very well behaved lot, made up of people from various center-right factions and the atmosphere was festive.
The following is my speech as prepared, it ended up being altered due time restraints and a very vocally involved audience -- something I'm not used to:
The following is my speech as prepared, it ended up being altered due time restraints and a very vocally involved audience -- something I'm not used to:
So what is the Fairtax and why is this guy talking about a new tax on a day of protesting tax increases?
The Fairtax is a revolutionary replacement (not reform) of the federal tax system. Why is it revolutionary? Well, it requires the repeal of the 16th Amendment that established the income tax and the abolishment of the I.R.S. Does that sound good to you? How does replacing all the other federal taxes such as Social Security, Medicare, estate (or death tax), and corporate taxes sound?
The Fairtax replaces them with one national sales tax of 23% that is only collected at the point of retail sale. What that means is that you only pay a federal tax when you buy something for personal consumption and it will be collected at the cash register. No more filling out 1040’s! Right now, it is estimated that $265 billion a year is spent on tax preparation. How insane is that we have to pay out of our pockets for the privilege of giving more of our money to the government?
There are hidden imbedded taxes at multiple points along the supply chain for anything we buy at local stores that we are oblivious to, but cause a lot of headaches for business and are eventually passed down to us consumers. Getting rid of them simplifies everything and we will get to see what we are really paying. For the small business owner, it means that you don’t pay taxes on payroll, stock, and equipment needed for the business.
Not only does the Fairtax bring true transparency to taxation, it will supercharge our economy, leading to growth – something we aren’t seeing anymore. Right now, we are seeing corporations flee the country due to increasing taxes that make it incredibly hard to operate in the
Our country is in crisis. We are looking at a staggering amount of debt in the new federal budget. Newt Gingrich wrote this little nugget of information today:
“• If you’re a 50-year old-with a college degree, you will pay approximately $81,000 over your working life just to pay the interest on the debt in the Obama budget.
• If you’re a 40-year-old, you’ll pay $132,000.
• And if you’re a 20-year-old, just starting out after college, you will pay a whopping $114,000 just to service the interest on the debt created by the Obama budget.”
It is true the Fairtax won’t do anything about out of control government spending, but it is start of bringing sanity back to an insane situation. In 2008, $3.42 billion was spent on lobbying in
Everyone will pay under the Fairtax, there won’t be any exemptions. There won’t be any tax dodging like there is now. Everyone pays their fair share. This isn’t a merciless system, the poor and elderly won’t be penalized, as there is going to be a “prebate” (rebate that comes in advance) that is calculated to cover the taxes on needed items such as food and shelter. This is based on the number of people in the family; for example a family of four would get between $406 and $537 each month, depending on its makeup. It doesn’t matter how much they make, this applies to everyone. Those who have more money will spend more and that spending will be what is taxed. Combine that with used goods not being taxed and you have a fair system that will enable the poor to work their way up and out of poverty. This is a country founded on the idea that we can make better lives for ourselves and the Fairtax will not change that, but enhance it.
In their great wisdom, our founding fathers created a constitution that understood our rights were self apparent, God given and inalienable, not something granted by the whims of the government currently in power. Real power lies in the hands of the people, but the people have to make their voices heard. There is a reason the 1st Amendment to the Constitution is the first in the Bill of Rights. Without free speech, the D.C. establishment would be able to completely ignore the people. What we see here today and across our great country is only a beginning. You must make your voice heard and continue to be heard!
I just want to thank all of you for coming out and exercising your Constitutional rights to be heard and seen. We have to exercise our rights to keep them. Thank you for being good Americans.
The Fairtax is a grass roots movement, those at the top won’t make this kind of reform unless, we the people, demand it. We need your help to make this happen. Please visit our table or our website www.fairtaxmn.org for more information and to volunteer.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Adventures with Al, Part 1
Knowing Al Ulven was a unique experience, I think many will agree on that. For me, this was mainly due to his way of turning little chores into somewhat epic quests on many an occasion. This always was accompanied by an absolute cheerful optimism that everything would work out the way he planned it, even if it didn't.
Some of my earliest memories of Al revolve around Ulven Drugs, his drugstore in Spring Grove, Minnesota. For a little kid in the early single digits of life, it was a place of wonder. We lived in a rented house out in the countryside and didn't have a lot, so going to town was a big deal. Being the early 1970's, Al's pharmacy wasn't just there to dispense medicines, it was partly a general store. It had one of the most impressive arrays of candy I'd ever encountered in my short life, toys, greeting cards, office supplies, and best of all -- comic books!
Al was a cheerful presence there, always knowing everyone's name and story, making what was normally a chore seem like entertainment. One thing that defined him was his ability to make his own fun, no matter the circumstances. The best part of it was that Al shared the fun with those around him.
One such occasion was a night time trip around Christmas, where we were taken to the mysterious and previously unseen bowels of the drug store. In other words, the basement where he kept merchandise. The shelves towered over me and were quite amazing, it was hard to imagine so much stuff in one place.
To my surprise and delight, Al informed my family that I could choose a toy from those on the shelves. I don't remember what it was that I chose, other than it was a pull toy of some kind (yes I was that young). There was a kind of joyful magic to all of this and that is what stuck in my head, not the toy itself.
It is my earliest concrete memory of Al, little did I know there would be more memorable moments involving the small town pharmacist.
Some of my earliest memories of Al revolve around Ulven Drugs, his drugstore in Spring Grove, Minnesota. For a little kid in the early single digits of life, it was a place of wonder. We lived in a rented house out in the countryside and didn't have a lot, so going to town was a big deal. Being the early 1970's, Al's pharmacy wasn't just there to dispense medicines, it was partly a general store. It had one of the most impressive arrays of candy I'd ever encountered in my short life, toys, greeting cards, office supplies, and best of all -- comic books!
Al was a cheerful presence there, always knowing everyone's name and story, making what was normally a chore seem like entertainment. One thing that defined him was his ability to make his own fun, no matter the circumstances. The best part of it was that Al shared the fun with those around him.
One such occasion was a night time trip around Christmas, where we were taken to the mysterious and previously unseen bowels of the drug store. In other words, the basement where he kept merchandise. The shelves towered over me and were quite amazing, it was hard to imagine so much stuff in one place.
To my surprise and delight, Al informed my family that I could choose a toy from those on the shelves. I don't remember what it was that I chose, other than it was a pull toy of some kind (yes I was that young). There was a kind of joyful magic to all of this and that is what stuck in my head, not the toy itself.
It is my earliest concrete memory of Al, little did I know there would be more memorable moments involving the small town pharmacist.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Our Pal Al
My father and I went out tonight to eat, gather in some groceries, and possibly visit an ailing friend. When we got to the nursing home, I spotted a gurney being prepared next to a van/hearse. It was then that I knew we were too late and sure enough our friend Ellsworth "Al" Ulven had passed away a matter of minutes before.
Al befriended our family in the early 1970's and our families did a lot together over the years. As time went by he became a bachelor again and my parents continued to play three handed Spades with him. When I got older, I found myself roped into different misadventures with him at the beginning of the decade onward.
One memorable misadventure was assisting Al in retrieving the trailer to his beloved boat that he acquired after retirement. This little escapade involved sneaking the trailer through back roads, as he decided to pull the empty monstrosity with his battered old station wagon. While it had a hitch, there was no provision for wiring the lights, which meant it shouldn't be on the road. That meant sneaking around on back roads, mostly gravel, in a station wagon that acted like it was going to die at any moment.
Compounding the problem was that it was a 95 degree day, with humidity around 98 percent. As the exhausted car pulled the heavy trailer, it became too much for the engine and it began to overheat in a very serious way. That did not deter Al, for very little could once he decided to do something. At first, we pulled over and turned the car off to cool the engine, then started uphill again. The overheating came back with a vengeance.
So I recommended lowering the windows and cranking the heater all the way up, an old car trick I'd learned from a TV show on restoring autos. That helped somewhat, but it wasn't comfortable. Then the rain began. Only so much water was allowed in before we had to raise the windows and only so much suffocating heat could be tolerated before we had to lower them again. This went on for an agonizing hour, as we could only make about 20 mph at best in the hills. Often we were creeping at a much slower pace.
None of this phased Al in the slightest.
Eventually, a real thunderstorm passed through that forced us to the side of the road. We waited it out and after it had passed, the temperature had dropped radically, giving the car cool enough air that it could labor home.
After we backed the trailer into his yard, Al turned to me and cheerfully said, "Pat, my boy, we made it!" followed by one of his satisfied chuckles.
That was Al.
Al befriended our family in the early 1970's and our families did a lot together over the years. As time went by he became a bachelor again and my parents continued to play three handed Spades with him. When I got older, I found myself roped into different misadventures with him at the beginning of the decade onward.
One memorable misadventure was assisting Al in retrieving the trailer to his beloved boat that he acquired after retirement. This little escapade involved sneaking the trailer through back roads, as he decided to pull the empty monstrosity with his battered old station wagon. While it had a hitch, there was no provision for wiring the lights, which meant it shouldn't be on the road. That meant sneaking around on back roads, mostly gravel, in a station wagon that acted like it was going to die at any moment.
Compounding the problem was that it was a 95 degree day, with humidity around 98 percent. As the exhausted car pulled the heavy trailer, it became too much for the engine and it began to overheat in a very serious way. That did not deter Al, for very little could once he decided to do something. At first, we pulled over and turned the car off to cool the engine, then started uphill again. The overheating came back with a vengeance.
So I recommended lowering the windows and cranking the heater all the way up, an old car trick I'd learned from a TV show on restoring autos. That helped somewhat, but it wasn't comfortable. Then the rain began. Only so much water was allowed in before we had to raise the windows and only so much suffocating heat could be tolerated before we had to lower them again. This went on for an agonizing hour, as we could only make about 20 mph at best in the hills. Often we were creeping at a much slower pace.
None of this phased Al in the slightest.
Eventually, a real thunderstorm passed through that forced us to the side of the road. We waited it out and after it had passed, the temperature had dropped radically, giving the car cool enough air that it could labor home.
After we backed the trailer into his yard, Al turned to me and cheerfully said, "Pat, my boy, we made it!" followed by one of his satisfied chuckles.
That was Al.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
All Things Come to an End
It struck me as strange but appropriate to read about the cancellation of the daytime soap opera "Guiding Light" a few days after the anniversary of my mother's death in 2003. My late mother was a devoted fan of the soap, having followed it from radio to television and I remember her watching it every day. In fact, it was such a fixture in her life that I watched when I was sick, unable to attend school. After her death, I only caught a glimpse of it once in a waiting room at a clinic, recognizing only one actor and marveling how much it had gone downhill. Apparently, budgets became minuscule as ratings declined and they were using digital cameras.
I suspect the growth of "reality" television eroded the salacious appeal of the daytime soaps, now viewers can watch real people exhibit scandalous behavior in narcissistic bids for fame and fortune. How could fictional characters compete with sad madness and dissolution of actual people? Of course, the change to the culture of women working, even if married, had a lot to do with the declining ratings.
Personally, I think soap operas did great damage to the fabric of our society, with the constant infidelity, lying, scheming, and torn apart families. This was a very bad influence, especially on the teenage girls who watched it. So I'm not mourning the passing of the show.
I suspect the growth of "reality" television eroded the salacious appeal of the daytime soaps, now viewers can watch real people exhibit scandalous behavior in narcissistic bids for fame and fortune. How could fictional characters compete with sad madness and dissolution of actual people? Of course, the change to the culture of women working, even if married, had a lot to do with the declining ratings.
Personally, I think soap operas did great damage to the fabric of our society, with the constant infidelity, lying, scheming, and torn apart families. This was a very bad influence, especially on the teenage girls who watched it. So I'm not mourning the passing of the show.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Horror, the Horror...
Well, I'm on Facebook now, look for Patrick D. Boone in the La Crosse, WI network. Got roped into by some younger folk I know so that I could keep in contact. That officially makes me part of the "Web 2.0" thing and I can't say I'm impressed as of yet.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Something Incredibly Cool
Always been fond of Tesla coils, but never expected to see them used for this!
Doctor Who Theme:
Star Wars Imperial March:
Doctor Who Theme:
Star Wars Imperial March:
Monday, March 16, 2009
Not a Good Day
While preparing for a funeral that I didn't get to attend, I smelled something strange and left my room to investigate. When I returned, water was coming down the light fixture and pouring onto my computer chair. The floor was soaked, my chair was, my bed, and multiple belongings. Which is why I didn't attend the funeral, it turned into an emergency that had to be handled immediately.
The cause? The same thing that had happened once last year, when my father forgot to turn off the faucet in the upstairs bathroom and flooded it. For some reason, the lavatory overflow drain doesn't work up there. This time the results were worse, because what had been weakened before cracked and broke, namely my ceiling. So I have to dismantle my room so it can be repaired, pretty much killing all my plans for the next week (or until it gets done).
Meanwhile, the pellet stove began shooting sparks out where it should only be pushing hot air, a hole may developed in the heat exchanger. If this cannot be fixed, we have to buy a new one, along with a new lavatory. As I type, I'm trying to get the smoke out of the house.
Trying to recover from bronchitis mixed with a severe sinus infection is not being made easier by these events, I'm finding out. It would be nice if something went right today!
UPDATE:
Trying to see if the pellet stove is just badly clogged, hoping that more thorough cleaning will help the stove limp through until summer. We've beaten this stove up well past it's expiration date, the thing is so old that parts aren't made for it anymore.
The cause? The same thing that had happened once last year, when my father forgot to turn off the faucet in the upstairs bathroom and flooded it. For some reason, the lavatory overflow drain doesn't work up there. This time the results were worse, because what had been weakened before cracked and broke, namely my ceiling. So I have to dismantle my room so it can be repaired, pretty much killing all my plans for the next week (or until it gets done).
Meanwhile, the pellet stove began shooting sparks out where it should only be pushing hot air, a hole may developed in the heat exchanger. If this cannot be fixed, we have to buy a new one, along with a new lavatory. As I type, I'm trying to get the smoke out of the house.
Trying to recover from bronchitis mixed with a severe sinus infection is not being made easier by these events, I'm finding out. It would be nice if something went right today!
UPDATE:
Trying to see if the pellet stove is just badly clogged, hoping that more thorough cleaning will help the stove limp through until summer. We've beaten this stove up well past it's expiration date, the thing is so old that parts aren't made for it anymore.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -- John 3:16
Is is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ, yet it seems that it has become more and more about an arbitrary holiday, one that is about reindeer, elves, eggnog, mistletoe, tree decorating, and frantic shopping for gifts (many to be returned) at the last moment. As I grow older, I care less and less about the trappings and more about faith, hope, and charity -- with a deep gratitude for forgiveness.
At the core, the celebrations should be about healing, the kind of healing that happens from forgiving others and hopefully being forgiven in turn. Whether it be with family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers, we should be appreciating the good things we have and letting go of the hurts of the world. That is the only way that love can be felt and this holiday is one about the love of God for His children on Earth.
So while I don't feel the "Christmas spirit" this year (or the last few years), I am focusing on what really matters: family, friends, and faith. Those things run deeper than any amount of candy canes or presents can and aren't as easily forgotten.
Is is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ, yet it seems that it has become more and more about an arbitrary holiday, one that is about reindeer, elves, eggnog, mistletoe, tree decorating, and frantic shopping for gifts (many to be returned) at the last moment. As I grow older, I care less and less about the trappings and more about faith, hope, and charity -- with a deep gratitude for forgiveness.
At the core, the celebrations should be about healing, the kind of healing that happens from forgiving others and hopefully being forgiven in turn. Whether it be with family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers, we should be appreciating the good things we have and letting go of the hurts of the world. That is the only way that love can be felt and this holiday is one about the love of God for His children on Earth.
So while I don't feel the "Christmas spirit" this year (or the last few years), I am focusing on what really matters: family, friends, and faith. Those things run deeper than any amount of candy canes or presents can and aren't as easily forgotten.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Silencing the Critics
The video I linked to before has been pulled down supposedly due to copyright infringements, but the reality is more political than that as protein wisdom posits. Then there are the "truth squads" formed by prosecutors and sheriffs in Missouri threatening TV stations that air "lies" about Obama in paid ads. Given the left's variable belief in what constitutes truth, that is a clear attack on the 1st Amendment right of free speech. With the media and press so deeply in the tank for Obama this year, it is getting even more difficult to get opposing views and facts out. If it weren't for talk radio (which I'm not a huge fan of) and Fox News willing to show both sides, none of it would get out. Yes, I'm omitting the Internet, for there are huge swaths of people still not connected and many of them vote.
The willingness of Obama to send the lawyers after anybody who dares to accurately report his record is chilling. Like all demagogues, he uses others to insulate himself from the dirty work, all the while approving of it. If he is elected, we'll see freedom of speech eroded, especially since he'll have both houses of Congress behind him. The tools of suppression will be lawsuits and legislation, very carefully aimed at anyone who opposes his policies. It will be done in a way that won't raise alarms in everyday people and by the time they begin to feel uneasy about it, it will have been too late to stop.
It is times like this that I wonder where all the great leaders have gone and why we don't have anyone stepping up to lead. But given how spoiled and corrupt our culture has gotten, I shouldn't wonder -- the Democrat voters decided that they wanted someone to project all their hopes and desires upon, rather than one with substance. If the country chooses Barack Obama, the pain that will come will be of the kind self inflicted by ignorance. So much for ignorance being bliss, eh?
There in lies the problem of making decisions by feelings, rather than cold, hard facts. Facts aren't touchy feely, they are rather abstract and complicated. They need to be actively considered and mulled over. Facts require research, paying attention: in a word, work. People claim they don't have time for it come election year, but they manage to watch their favorite TV shows, go to parties, and a myriad of other distractions. Yet they won't devote the time to check out who they are voting for (or against), instead being apathetic or waiting until the last minute to decide. Then it becomes a purely emotional decision and like most decisions in life, it is the highly charged snap decisions that bring us the most woes. Carefully selecting our leaders should be high on our priority lists.
I'm probably beating a dead horse, but at least the writer's block I've had for over a week is gone.
The willingness of Obama to send the lawyers after anybody who dares to accurately report his record is chilling. Like all demagogues, he uses others to insulate himself from the dirty work, all the while approving of it. If he is elected, we'll see freedom of speech eroded, especially since he'll have both houses of Congress behind him. The tools of suppression will be lawsuits and legislation, very carefully aimed at anyone who opposes his policies. It will be done in a way that won't raise alarms in everyday people and by the time they begin to feel uneasy about it, it will have been too late to stop.
It is times like this that I wonder where all the great leaders have gone and why we don't have anyone stepping up to lead. But given how spoiled and corrupt our culture has gotten, I shouldn't wonder -- the Democrat voters decided that they wanted someone to project all their hopes and desires upon, rather than one with substance. If the country chooses Barack Obama, the pain that will come will be of the kind self inflicted by ignorance. So much for ignorance being bliss, eh?
There in lies the problem of making decisions by feelings, rather than cold, hard facts. Facts aren't touchy feely, they are rather abstract and complicated. They need to be actively considered and mulled over. Facts require research, paying attention: in a word, work. People claim they don't have time for it come election year, but they manage to watch their favorite TV shows, go to parties, and a myriad of other distractions. Yet they won't devote the time to check out who they are voting for (or against), instead being apathetic or waiting until the last minute to decide. Then it becomes a purely emotional decision and like most decisions in life, it is the highly charged snap decisions that bring us the most woes. Carefully selecting our leaders should be high on our priority lists.
I'm probably beating a dead horse, but at least the writer's block I've had for over a week is gone.
Friday, September 26, 2008
A Must See Video on the Banking Crisis
Watch this video all the way through to understand what has just hit us and the real culprits that caused it:
Then pass the video on to everyone you can.
Then pass the video on to everyone you can.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Internet Socializing and Loss of Community
Be warned, rambling be ahead.
Much has been made about the rise of the Web 2.0, focusing on the changeover to emphasizing social networking over knowledge or commerce in content. The rise of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and other sites has garnered a great deal of virtual print. Most kids have adopted living on the Net and so have young adults, but where does this take us as a society?
Back when AOL ruled the roost and Compuserve was still around, the World Wide Web was just getting going, with a little program called Mosaic being the first widely used web browser. It was followed by the dominant Netscape, which was then destroyed by Microsoft's late and desperate entry into the Web, Internet Explorer. Heady times, I remember when Yahoo first appeared and challenged my use of WebCrawler for a search engine. It was amazing, there were thousands of websites out there to search through. Seems silly to those used to tens of thousands of hits to a search these days, but at the time it was like looking at a newly opened frontier that was ready and waiting to be explored.
There was a fear that the newly popular form of communication, email, would turn us into anti-social shut-ins, never seeing the light of day for fear of bursting into flames. Then came a few studies that said people were communicating with each other more than ever thanks to the Web, families were being brought together, far off friends re-connected and we breathed a sigh of relief. Soon we had ICQ, then AIM, then YM and eventually MSM filling our quota of acronyms as the rise of instant messaging began to displace email. Writing emails became passe and the art of composition was sacrificed for LOL, BFF, IMHO and the other LOLspeak abbreviations and acronyms. Apparently the quota hadn't been fully met after all.
This still wasn't enough. No, we needed embarrassing pictures for future employers to see, connected to hordes of people across the globe on your very own personal networking sites. After all, reality television showed that we should all aspire to fame or infamy, attention is all that matters in life. Now everyone has their chance to be seen by an adoring world. Forget Warhol's fifteen minutes of fame, fifteen seconds on YouTube is where it is at. So the Web 2.0 is born, with people living their lives out there for everyone to see. Well, except for those hopelessly stone age parents who aren't hip enough to find out what their kids are doing online.
Is this a great advancement for humanity, with all this unprecedented connectivity between people from all around the globe? I have to wonder.
My experiences on the Net over the years have taken me from thinking it would civilize humanity more to the suspicion that it is achieving the opposite. While we have instances of atrocities being better documented in totalitarian states despite a mad scramble to censor and control information access, we are also witnessing the rise of the rude and uncompromising in every day discourse. The flame wars on message boards of the past have given way to deliberate segregation into cliques on the social networking sites. That way you don't have to worry about dealing with people with opposing viewpoints, don't have to practice manners. Not that people on message boards were much better about it, but now no attempt has to be made.
Essentially, what I have witnessed is things getting cruder, ruder, and more narcissistic with each passing year. People band together only with like minded thinkers and with the ability to filter out those who don't hold the same beliefs, basic discourse of the past is vanishing. Often politics has been criticized for becoming groups of people shouting past each other. That applies now to almost every facet of Net socializing, whether it be about politics, hobbies, sports, or movies.
Enabling one another, those who share a viewpoint begin to ignore or demonize those that disagree in a most high school manner. There is no need to interact with those that don't agree with you and soon you inhabit a nice little echo chamber, divorced from the rest of the world. At the same time, I'm witnessing this happen in real life as people are becoming less community minded and the decay of organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and various lodges comes to mind. Those were places where people from various incomes and walks of life could get together as equals, something valuable for any healthy society.
So we have these sites dedicated to creating "communities", but are they helping to build a sense of community? Or are they falsely encouraging a sense of elitism and entitlement? My suspicion is that they are assisting the break down in society by allowing people to escape the social obligations of dealing with the "other" in real life. After all, nobody likes being disagreed with and everyone who has a differing opinion is an idiot.
But it is dealing with those that we don't agree with, don't get along with, or don't usually run into that helps us mature into adults. A big part of adulthood is realizing that we can't get our way all the time (usually most of the time) and that the world is a much bigger place than what goes on inside our heads. That means cultivating manners and the ability to interact with people unlike us are necessary to keep the wheels of civilization turning, not to mention survive. Perpetual adolescence with its accompanying self absorbed personality and short fused temper is not desirable. It invariably leads to conflict and friction. Too much friction and the gears bind, followed by watching the wheels come off as you veer over a cliff.
There are other forces at work, of course. Western culture is increasingly adolescent for a variety of reasons, but I've rambled on enough as it is. Perhaps that will be a topic for another day.
Much has been made about the rise of the Web 2.0, focusing on the changeover to emphasizing social networking over knowledge or commerce in content. The rise of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and other sites has garnered a great deal of virtual print. Most kids have adopted living on the Net and so have young adults, but where does this take us as a society?
Back when AOL ruled the roost and Compuserve was still around, the World Wide Web was just getting going, with a little program called Mosaic being the first widely used web browser. It was followed by the dominant Netscape, which was then destroyed by Microsoft's late and desperate entry into the Web, Internet Explorer. Heady times, I remember when Yahoo first appeared and challenged my use of WebCrawler for a search engine. It was amazing, there were thousands of websites out there to search through. Seems silly to those used to tens of thousands of hits to a search these days, but at the time it was like looking at a newly opened frontier that was ready and waiting to be explored.
There was a fear that the newly popular form of communication, email, would turn us into anti-social shut-ins, never seeing the light of day for fear of bursting into flames. Then came a few studies that said people were communicating with each other more than ever thanks to the Web, families were being brought together, far off friends re-connected and we breathed a sigh of relief. Soon we had ICQ, then AIM, then YM and eventually MSM filling our quota of acronyms as the rise of instant messaging began to displace email. Writing emails became passe and the art of composition was sacrificed for LOL, BFF, IMHO and the other LOLspeak abbreviations and acronyms. Apparently the quota hadn't been fully met after all.
This still wasn't enough. No, we needed embarrassing pictures for future employers to see, connected to hordes of people across the globe on your very own personal networking sites. After all, reality television showed that we should all aspire to fame or infamy, attention is all that matters in life. Now everyone has their chance to be seen by an adoring world. Forget Warhol's fifteen minutes of fame, fifteen seconds on YouTube is where it is at. So the Web 2.0 is born, with people living their lives out there for everyone to see. Well, except for those hopelessly stone age parents who aren't hip enough to find out what their kids are doing online.
Is this a great advancement for humanity, with all this unprecedented connectivity between people from all around the globe? I have to wonder.
My experiences on the Net over the years have taken me from thinking it would civilize humanity more to the suspicion that it is achieving the opposite. While we have instances of atrocities being better documented in totalitarian states despite a mad scramble to censor and control information access, we are also witnessing the rise of the rude and uncompromising in every day discourse. The flame wars on message boards of the past have given way to deliberate segregation into cliques on the social networking sites. That way you don't have to worry about dealing with people with opposing viewpoints, don't have to practice manners. Not that people on message boards were much better about it, but now no attempt has to be made.
Essentially, what I have witnessed is things getting cruder, ruder, and more narcissistic with each passing year. People band together only with like minded thinkers and with the ability to filter out those who don't hold the same beliefs, basic discourse of the past is vanishing. Often politics has been criticized for becoming groups of people shouting past each other. That applies now to almost every facet of Net socializing, whether it be about politics, hobbies, sports, or movies.
Enabling one another, those who share a viewpoint begin to ignore or demonize those that disagree in a most high school manner. There is no need to interact with those that don't agree with you and soon you inhabit a nice little echo chamber, divorced from the rest of the world. At the same time, I'm witnessing this happen in real life as people are becoming less community minded and the decay of organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and various lodges comes to mind. Those were places where people from various incomes and walks of life could get together as equals, something valuable for any healthy society.
So we have these sites dedicated to creating "communities", but are they helping to build a sense of community? Or are they falsely encouraging a sense of elitism and entitlement? My suspicion is that they are assisting the break down in society by allowing people to escape the social obligations of dealing with the "other" in real life. After all, nobody likes being disagreed with and everyone who has a differing opinion is an idiot.
But it is dealing with those that we don't agree with, don't get along with, or don't usually run into that helps us mature into adults. A big part of adulthood is realizing that we can't get our way all the time (usually most of the time) and that the world is a much bigger place than what goes on inside our heads. That means cultivating manners and the ability to interact with people unlike us are necessary to keep the wheels of civilization turning, not to mention survive. Perpetual adolescence with its accompanying self absorbed personality and short fused temper is not desirable. It invariably leads to conflict and friction. Too much friction and the gears bind, followed by watching the wheels come off as you veer over a cliff.
There are other forces at work, of course. Western culture is increasingly adolescent for a variety of reasons, but I've rambled on enough as it is. Perhaps that will be a topic for another day.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Meanderings on a Monday
It is a tired Monday, the norm after a busy Sunday at church. Without any terribly coherent idea for a post, I decided to post a few observations on this and that.
Russia was stood up to diplomatically by most of the West, to my surprise. It looks like there are enough people left who remember the Cold War, thankfully. The forth coming arms race looks to be guaranteed, with Poland signing a deal to base US missile interceptors in exchange for Patriot surface-to-air missiles. I expect Ukraine and Georgia to end up in NATO eventually, if the Russian troops do withdraw completely. That is suspect, as their word means nothing at all. The Bear wants territory and control, with nukes being their big stick of late.
I recently received an email from ebaY titled "Dumb and poor? Here's a simple way to make MONEY!" This may be the most amusing piece of spam I've ever gotten. From capitalizing the wrong letter in eBay to insulting the recipient's intellectual capacity, it would appear to be the most ineffective come on in history. They failed to use at least three exclamation points, perhaps in a bid to look classy. But there will be thousands who will click on the thing, spam really does work, sadly.
I've been misidentifying a local woodchuck as a gopher of late and wish to apologize to the rodent. I had no intention of slandering your species and meant no ill will.
The Chicago Cubs are 30 games above .500 in a season when I've forgotten to seriously follow them. This clearly shows that they are better off without me.
Joe Biden as Democratic Party VP nominee is a gift to the Republican Party. Obama could have only done worse if he'd selected Cindy Sheehan. Watch for a lot of Hillary supporters to vote for McCain.
Democrats bashing teachers unions?! Along with the Cubs winning, this may be a sign of the end of times. Both are very unnatural.
Still don't miss satellite TV, having gone cold turkey beginning in February. Too many movies, old TV series and documentaries to catch up on at Netflix. Hopefully, I'll be able to start freeing up time for more reading. Okay, any reading.
Russia was stood up to diplomatically by most of the West, to my surprise. It looks like there are enough people left who remember the Cold War, thankfully. The forth coming arms race looks to be guaranteed, with Poland signing a deal to base US missile interceptors in exchange for Patriot surface-to-air missiles. I expect Ukraine and Georgia to end up in NATO eventually, if the Russian troops do withdraw completely. That is suspect, as their word means nothing at all. The Bear wants territory and control, with nukes being their big stick of late.
I recently received an email from ebaY titled "Dumb and poor? Here's a simple way to make MONEY!" This may be the most amusing piece of spam I've ever gotten. From capitalizing the wrong letter in eBay to insulting the recipient's intellectual capacity, it would appear to be the most ineffective come on in history. They failed to use at least three exclamation points, perhaps in a bid to look classy. But there will be thousands who will click on the thing, spam really does work, sadly.
I've been misidentifying a local woodchuck as a gopher of late and wish to apologize to the rodent. I had no intention of slandering your species and meant no ill will.
The Chicago Cubs are 30 games above .500 in a season when I've forgotten to seriously follow them. This clearly shows that they are better off without me.
Joe Biden as Democratic Party VP nominee is a gift to the Republican Party. Obama could have only done worse if he'd selected Cindy Sheehan. Watch for a lot of Hillary supporters to vote for McCain.
Democrats bashing teachers unions?! Along with the Cubs winning, this may be a sign of the end of times. Both are very unnatural.
Still don't miss satellite TV, having gone cold turkey beginning in February. Too many movies, old TV series and documentaries to catch up on at Netflix. Hopefully, I'll be able to start freeing up time for more reading. Okay, any reading.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Georgia on My Mind
Well, the Bear is back, Russia having invaded Georgia's break away provinces earlier this weekend, then rolling toward Tbilisi, the Georgian capitol today. Starting with a classic case of false provocation, Putin and his minions claimed they had to invade to protect Russian citizens in South Ossetia. South Ossetian seperatists had conducted escalating attacks, which finally resulted in Georgia sending their troops in. Since Russia funds and controls those seperatists, it is pretty clear that the Georgians stepped right into a classic Russian trap. It gave them the thinnest of excuses to invade and put President Saakashvili in his place for standing up to them.
It is clear that Putin and his puppet, Medvedev, intend to make an example of the former Soviet possession. My suspicion is that they intend to take the country, then install a puppet regime so that they can can achieve several goals. The most obvious is control of the oil pipeline that goes through Georgia to Turkey, giving Russia further control of fossil fuels in Europe; they control half the natural gas and a quarter of the oil already. The second is sending a message to the U.S. and Europe that they are in charge of Eastern Europe and to keep out. But the biggest reason is the most dangerous reason: the desire to subjugate former Soviet territories and rebuild the Soviet Union. This doesn't necessarilly mean a return to communism, it is about Russian power and pride, ie: nationalism.
If the West permits Georgia to fall (and I think we will), it will be only the beginning. Russia will wish to extend their power and other nations will start equipping for war. An arms race is probable, with Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltics leading the way, determined to not be slave states again. Unlike oil rich Russia, they will be more dependant on foreign aid, which we had better provide.
In the meantime, I'm wondering how long Georgia can hold out if Russia besieges the capital. Currently, the Russian Air Force owns the air, which gives them an immense advantage in addition to their larger ground forces. I hate watching a democratic country fall to a dictatorship and wonder if this is how people felt watching Hitler annex the Sudetenland in 1938, knowing that appeasement would only feed the nationalists.
It is clear that Putin and his puppet, Medvedev, intend to make an example of the former Soviet possession. My suspicion is that they intend to take the country, then install a puppet regime so that they can can achieve several goals. The most obvious is control of the oil pipeline that goes through Georgia to Turkey, giving Russia further control of fossil fuels in Europe; they control half the natural gas and a quarter of the oil already. The second is sending a message to the U.S. and Europe that they are in charge of Eastern Europe and to keep out. But the biggest reason is the most dangerous reason: the desire to subjugate former Soviet territories and rebuild the Soviet Union. This doesn't necessarilly mean a return to communism, it is about Russian power and pride, ie: nationalism.
If the West permits Georgia to fall (and I think we will), it will be only the beginning. Russia will wish to extend their power and other nations will start equipping for war. An arms race is probable, with Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltics leading the way, determined to not be slave states again. Unlike oil rich Russia, they will be more dependant on foreign aid, which we had better provide.
In the meantime, I'm wondering how long Georgia can hold out if Russia besieges the capital. Currently, the Russian Air Force owns the air, which gives them an immense advantage in addition to their larger ground forces. I hate watching a democratic country fall to a dictatorship and wonder if this is how people felt watching Hitler annex the Sudetenland in 1938, knowing that appeasement would only feed the nationalists.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
Flooding, Redux
Once again our county is a disaster area, though not as bad as last August. The rains came more steadily and widespread, with already saturated soil refusing to absorb the 5 to 10" of water pouring from the sky. The South Fork of the Root River runs behind our property and we spent Sunday watching it rise slowly until it finally crested its banks over night. Water had pooled up in the adjacent field giving the illusion of flooding, but it took until today to become reality.
August was not that long ago and earlier this year the water had threatened briefly, so I'm well tired of the flooding. Eight years ago, we had the flood of the century, or so we thought. That appeared to be a once in a lifetime flood in the valley, but here we are -- again. Fortunately, the damage has not been as severe as last year in the immediate area. Over in Wisconsin, it is looking worse as Gays Mill, Viola, and Soldiers Grove are facing record flooding.
I'm counting my blessings and hoping the forecast rains this week turn out to be light, or we'll be seeing mudslides again. Some more pictures from our neck of the woods follow:
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