Just in case you missed it... somebody has put the entire debate together, and my hats off
to him for doing it.
Why can't Gouliani talk about anything but New York city? I don't live in New York city and I don't want to live in New York city. I don't want my home turned into New York City.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Why I'll probably vote for Fred Thompson
In passing I heard a bit of the u-tube 'debate' idiocy.
(As expected, the 'hosts' had managed to slip in some partisan
unbiased questions from Mrs. Clinton's campaign workers.
They even flew one in to be there in person, then claimed they never checked
to see who he was in advance. Will they never learn? Panel members were getting E-mail on stage about this clown. Todays world will not allow crap like that to be passed off anymore.)
Anyway... Fred Thompson said something that really struck a chord with me.
When asked by a Texanite on Utube about the candidates personal gun ownership, Thompson was asked directly.
He replied: "I own some guns. I'm not going to tell you what
kind or where they are".
Fred gets it.
Gooliani ducked the question because he made sure New Yawk citizens had a hard time owning guns, and he only talks about New Yawk. McCain said he knows all about guns from 'Da 'Nam and he doesn't own any now. Mitt 'Squirrel brain' Romney made sure to mention his son keeps two guns in his house.
Fred..... owns guns, and made it clear it's his business and nobody else's.
That's a good reason to consider voting for him. Let me tell you some others that are on my mind.
What is the Presidents job? I see the position as leadership. Not 'run the country', but 'lead the country'. I can see Fred Thompson as a leader.
Not because he has 'fire in his guts' as I've heard, whatever that means, but because he's thoughtful. He thinks about what he says, and says what he thinks, in that order. I like that.
While other candidates are getting angry or trying to find their new position of the week, Thompson is steady and forthright. He is solid in his history and dependable in his convictions. I like that.
Fred Thompson comes across to me as a person I could ask advice of, and who I would listen to because he's experienced and honest. I like that too.
If Fred Thompson was on TV in two years talking about a concern over national security I would probably begin with the thought that he was telling me the truth, rather than first trying to figure out how he's scheming. I like that.
And..... he owns guns and doesn't think it's anyone else's business what kind and where they are. Fred understands where government should end and my life and freedom begins. I really like that.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Iranian missiles, Oh my!
Iranian anti-peace talks, Oh boy!
Symptoms....
And more joy:
Citigroup pays scalper interest to an Arab investment group rather than bail on dividend. Pay 11%, charge 6%.... Ohhhh, now that sounds like good business.
All over mortgage defaults and losses.
Wells Fargo hands off a 1.4 Billion dollar saddle bag full of fail. Mortgage losses again.
Freddie Mac sells off the farm, because of ....... mortgage pains.
Ya'll can just call me Captain Happy tonight.......
I ain't dead yet!
Still alive and kicking....
Just buried in paper and such.
Today and tomorrow I am finishing the training to
be an evaluation team leader for NATEF.
They are the certifying body for technical education programs.
A few years ago my own program went through a re-evaluation and I came
to understand the ETL's were in short supply.
I did something blindingly stupid.... I volunteered to be one.
It takes some training and shadow sessions, but after this on-site I'll be
an ETL for NATEF. That means I will occasionally be called upon
to run certification evaluations for other schools.
This is not as fun as it sounds. An example: Today I pushed four tables
together to hold the mound of paperwork, and tomorrow it gets bigger
before we are done.
Ug.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Picked up Dark Side of the Moon tonight
And the years peeled away as we drove home, Pink Floyd
playing on the vehicle surround sound.
Naturally we were following somebody in the hot rod El Camino
half the way home while listening..... naturally.
I could have been a teenager again, wasting my life away
in my own hot rod Nova with the small block singing
along with the Floyd on cassette.
It was so easy to drift back, under the musics influence....
That is, until my own teenager in the back seat asked if we could
listen to something else. This music was all 'just too weird'
for him.
I wanted 'Echoes' on the Meddle album, but I'm not in love with
the other songs on the disc and I rebel at paying that much
just for one tune even if it is twenty two minutes long.
DSotM will do for now. Our older kids stole our last PF CD's.
I'm kinda glad this one thinks they are too weird.....
File this in the 'Why it will be hard to sleep tonight' file
Instapundit.com noted this, and with good reason I think.
A nuclear and unstable middle east is a fairly decent reason to lose sleep.
There are more ways to game this than hours in the days. Suppose just one or two crude nuclear devices get on the loose... what could happen? As important, what if they already have?
I think most governments, even most whacko governments, would try very hard not to see them used. Threats, you bet. Probably very quiet ones though....
Actually a big bangadaboom? That would make even the craziest dictator types hide underground and pray to whatever God of the week they have (or don't).
But.... these folks have multiple generations who have been immersed in nothing but 'Israel is evil and must die' sung to a chorus of 'America is even worse'. Just a few short decades ago Herr Hitler and his minions created a hell on earth with only a few years of preparation. In the middle east, they have had generations, if not centuries.
How possible is it that one determined, intelligent, and resourceful whack job has the
means and money to snag a dirty nuke and use it where the voices tell him to?
How possible is that one such whack job could orchestrate the destruction of the world trade center with only a few years and a few hundred thousand dollars?
Change is inevitable. Rapid change is troubling. Drastic rapid change is deadly, when societies are concerned. An overnight restructuring, or de-structuring, of the worlds fossil fuel supply would be drastic indeed.
Imagine your world tomorrow, should gas go to $20 a gallon tonight, if you are allowed any at all.....
Maybe I'll go dig out some of those old FEMA books I have stashed away....
A nuclear and unstable middle east is a fairly decent reason to lose sleep.
There are more ways to game this than hours in the days. Suppose just one or two crude nuclear devices get on the loose... what could happen? As important, what if they already have?
I think most governments, even most whacko governments, would try very hard not to see them used. Threats, you bet. Probably very quiet ones though....
Actually a big bangadaboom? That would make even the craziest dictator types hide underground and pray to whatever God of the week they have (or don't).
But.... these folks have multiple generations who have been immersed in nothing but 'Israel is evil and must die' sung to a chorus of 'America is even worse'. Just a few short decades ago Herr Hitler and his minions created a hell on earth with only a few years of preparation. In the middle east, they have had generations, if not centuries.
How possible is it that one determined, intelligent, and resourceful whack job has the
means and money to snag a dirty nuke and use it where the voices tell him to?
How possible is that one such whack job could orchestrate the destruction of the world trade center with only a few years and a few hundred thousand dollars?
Change is inevitable. Rapid change is troubling. Drastic rapid change is deadly, when societies are concerned. An overnight restructuring, or de-structuring, of the worlds fossil fuel supply would be drastic indeed.
Imagine your world tomorrow, should gas go to $20 a gallon tonight, if you are allowed any at all.....
Maybe I'll go dig out some of those old FEMA books I have stashed away....
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New Carteach0 post up on the other site....
There is a new post up on Carteach0.
This time on the joys of pulling surplus
ammunition down for it's components.
This time on the joys of pulling surplus
ammunition down for it's components.
Friday, November 23, 2007
This is what a socialist government does.... it steals whatever it wants........
Mildly interesting story, with a moral for those who would look.
A group of people had an idea to build something really neat.
They didn't hurt anybody, didn't risk any harm, all they
might have done was fail to 'ask permission' from the bosses
that run the society.
Upon discover of this really neat thing they built, the agents of the socialist
government did what comes naturally to them....
They stole it in the name of the government.
Then, just to really twist the knife of power, they told the
folks who built the neat thing to keep right on with the work.
There is a lesson here in the story. Give its some thought....
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Thoughts
These are photos taken this past
summer, while exploring.
I have been looking at them
today, and thinking.
Each image prompts it's
own story...
I'll share the views.... but I
think everyone deserves to
build their own stories
around these.
Mostly, I see people I know,
Choices
Something I tell my students.... and which very few listen to....
We are a product of the choices we make in life.
Good, bad, right, or wrong..... even if we make no choices at all, we have decided not to make a decision.
In the end.... all we have are the choices we have made. That is how others know us, and how we know ourselves.
Barack Obama in favor of banning private gun ownership
********************************
But the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said
that he "...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of
law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact
common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the
D.C. handgun law is constitutional."
*********************************
The above was printed in the Chicago Tribune.
Obama just alienated half the people in the USA, if this statement gets any traction.
You can bet your bippy Mrs. Clinton would never make an error like this, coming right out and stating her beliefs.
Obama is toast. I honestly think he was run simply as a foil to Mrs. Clinton.
But the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said
that he "...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of
law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact
common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the
D.C. handgun law is constitutional."
*********************************
The above was printed in the Chicago Tribune.
Obama just alienated half the people in the USA, if this statement gets any traction.
You can bet your bippy Mrs. Clinton would never make an error like this, coming right out and stating her beliefs.
Obama is toast. I honestly think he was run simply as a foil to Mrs. Clinton.
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Thursday, November 22, 2007
Marko has done it again.... another MUST READ
The mans talent is impressive, to say the least.
I read this, and saved a copy.
Like to see a positive version, to counterpoint this one.
Honestly felt a bit like I was reading something by Ayn Rand.
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Canned food drive drive outcome
allow
Well, the photo shows the results. The class did not meet the challenge, no matter my cajoling, Another class took top spot, as I would not allow 'my' donation to be counted as theirs, as they could not even match it.
On the bright side, a truck load of food was collected school wide, and delivered to the mission rescue. I understand they were shocked, excited, and grateful as they have been getting bag fulls and no more.
To the wonderful folks here who donated money, I put it to good use and it was included in those hundreds of cans. I'll share this.... I bought only good food that I'd feed my own family, not dented, out of date, or cases of ramen noodles.
You folks here who pitched in.... upheld my faith in humanity.... and I appreciate that more than I can say.
Thank you.
Well, the photo shows the results. The class did not meet the challenge, no matter my cajoling, Another class took top spot, as I would not allow 'my' donation to be counted as theirs, as they could not even match it.
On the bright side, a truck load of food was collected school wide, and delivered to the mission rescue. I understand they were shocked, excited, and grateful as they have been getting bag fulls and no more.
To the wonderful folks here who donated money, I put it to good use and it was included in those hundreds of cans. I'll share this.... I bought only good food that I'd feed my own family, not dented, out of date, or cases of ramen noodles.
You folks here who pitched in.... upheld my faith in humanity.... and I appreciate that more than I can say.
Thank you.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The supremes are taking on a 2A case!
For the first time since 1939, the supreme court is taking on a second amendment case, and we have Washington DC to thank for it!
'Heller' of Washington DC won a court verdict regarding having a usable firearm in his home. DC went instant apepoo as the court decision makes a hash of their insane gun laws. DC appealed to the supremes, who have finally agreed to take on a 2A case, and this one might be for the marbles.
To quote the Scotus blog:
Here is the way the Court phrased the granted issue:
“Whether the following provisions — D.C. Code secs. 7-2502.02(a)(4), 22-4504(a), and 7-2507.02 — violate the Second Amendment rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use in their homes?”
The first listed section bars registration of pistols if not registered before Sept. 24, 1976; the second bars carrying an unlicensed pistol, and the third requires that any gun kept at home must be unloaded and disassembled or bound by a lock, such as one that prevents the trigger from operating.
What this phrasing means is the supreme court will decide if laws that ban handguns, make them unusable in the home, and make them illegal to carry violate the second amendment. It mentions it in reference to the militia
issue as well.
At face value, this case might center around the 'militia' collective rights vs 'the right of the people' individual rights. In other words.... this one could be for the whole ball of wax. If the court plays it straight and takes the issue head on, this one could set the stage for major legal reforms on gun ownership in the USA.
But... it could go either way.... for individual rights or AGAINST them.
In addition, it's possible the supremes will wiggle out of deciding the core issue and find another slant to take. Those folks in the black robes are not stupid.
They'll squirm out from under if they wish to.
But... they didn't have to accept the case. They could have let it stand
as it was decided in the appellate court, and that alone would have been a huge victory for individual rights in this country.
What makes this especially interesting, as if it wasn't already breathtaking, is that the supreme courts decision might come down months before this presidential election. This could mean an energized electorate like nothing seen before, as anti-rights activists rally their minions and supporters of individual rights answer the call. Our next president, and congress, will have to deal with the results of this court case. Who sits in those chairs will matter more than ever.
Pins and needles time folks, PINS and NEEDLES!
'Heller' of Washington DC won a court verdict regarding having a usable firearm in his home. DC went instant apepoo as the court decision makes a hash of their insane gun laws. DC appealed to the supremes, who have finally agreed to take on a 2A case, and this one might be for the marbles.
To quote the Scotus blog:
Here is the way the Court phrased the granted issue:
“Whether the following provisions — D.C. Code secs. 7-2502.02(a)(4), 22-4504(a), and 7-2507.02 — violate the Second Amendment rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use in their homes?”
The first listed section bars registration of pistols if not registered before Sept. 24, 1976; the second bars carrying an unlicensed pistol, and the third requires that any gun kept at home must be unloaded and disassembled or bound by a lock, such as one that prevents the trigger from operating.
What this phrasing means is the supreme court will decide if laws that ban handguns, make them unusable in the home, and make them illegal to carry violate the second amendment. It mentions it in reference to the militia
issue as well.
At face value, this case might center around the 'militia' collective rights vs 'the right of the people' individual rights. In other words.... this one could be for the whole ball of wax. If the court plays it straight and takes the issue head on, this one could set the stage for major legal reforms on gun ownership in the USA.
But... it could go either way.... for individual rights or AGAINST them.
In addition, it's possible the supremes will wiggle out of deciding the core issue and find another slant to take. Those folks in the black robes are not stupid.
They'll squirm out from under if they wish to.
But... they didn't have to accept the case. They could have let it stand
as it was decided in the appellate court, and that alone would have been a huge victory for individual rights in this country.
What makes this especially interesting, as if it wasn't already breathtaking, is that the supreme courts decision might come down months before this presidential election. This could mean an energized electorate like nothing seen before, as anti-rights activists rally their minions and supporters of individual rights answer the call. Our next president, and congress, will have to deal with the results of this court case. Who sits in those chairs will matter more than ever.
Pins and needles time folks, PINS and NEEDLES!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
trees in the forest
Sometimes, people are a lot like trees.
Tall, healthy looking, strong.......
and hollow on the inside.
Just the kind of day to make that observation.
He's earned the right
Old dog has earned the right to take a comfy chair.
Tigger is about 11 years old, coming to us as a fresh weaned
pup nestled in my sweater. He's a boys dog, sorta, but really
a family mutt. After all these years as a faithful guardian
and family member, he has decided the once off-limits
recliner is now his, when no one else is around.
I can't argue with him. He's right. A scratch behind
the ears and a few soft word to settle the matter, and
he knows it's ok with us to.
Tigger's a good old dog....
What is your instinct? Fight or flight?
Xavier discusses this topic a bit, with videos to boot.
His post is titled "Three Responses".
Some thoughts of my own...
The time to understand what you will do, how you will react, is before you have to. Yes.... I said it's good to know how you will react before you actually have to react.
And... it's react you will when faced with a situation like that. 'Thinking' would be a luxury and there is rarely time when faced with an emergency or violence directed at you. There is usually time to react, just maybe, and not even that if your opponent is any good at his task. That is the point behind the no-knock midnight police raids in some cases: To deny reaction time to their opponents.
(It's also why the whole idea of 'They should have known we were the police' is bogus, as the raid is designed from the get-go to confuse and deny time to think.
I'm not saying no-knock raids don't have their place, but don't duck the murder charge when you choose the wrong house to raid and kill innocents).
Back on topic... how would you react? Have you ever been tested? Even a little?
Myself, I have learned the hard way that my reaction to attack is to defend, not give in. It's not a cognitive thing, but a visceral reaction. Hit from behind, I have ducked, turned, and struck back, ending up wondering how I got there.
Faced with something coming at me, I knock it away. If I can't knock it away I jump out of the path. It's not a thought.... it's a reaction.
I am aware of how I'm hard wired to react... and have to actively try and tame it.
Not every hit from behind is an attack. Sometimes it's just an accident of the job.
There's good and bad on every path....
Not every flight is good, nor is every fight.
One thing I would argue... almost every surrender is bad.
Thoughts?
Saturday, November 17, 2007
PA guv trying to ram more stupid gun laws down throats of citizens
Fast Eddie Rendell is trying to do to the whole state what he
did to Philly.....
The polling on these laws are 80% against enacting them, but
that has never stopped the Democrats in the PA state govt from
pulling boners before.
If they do manage to pass this obscenity, it will mean their
political demise. They haven't learned that yet, not matter how
many times they lose.
did to Philly.....
The polling on these laws are 80% against enacting them, but
that has never stopped the Democrats in the PA state govt from
pulling boners before.
If they do manage to pass this obscenity, it will mean their
political demise. They haven't learned that yet, not matter how
many times they lose.
They are going to hate me in the morning...
er 
When my family wakes up... they are going to realize what I have done, and they are going to hate me.
It's fall, and growing colder. Cold weather is upon us and some habits change with the seasons. A goal of mine, being who I am, is to keep my family warm and well fed.
To that end, again being who I am, in the colder months I often put a little something in the oven and set 'er on low for the night. About 250 or so.
This is not the energy efficiency nightmare one might think. It's a fairly new oven and well insulated, and it's also stuffed with all my cast irony pans and such. That's where I keeps them.
What did I do this time?.... Well........
I just slid a roast into one of my dutch ovens. This one is a largish pork loin. It's been marinating in some herbs and cracked pepper for a while too. Now, it's laid out in the Iron and I've done a few more things to it.
First, I sliced pockets into the roasts (one big roast sliced in two, so it will fit). Into those pockets I stuffed nice smelly chopped garlic.
Over the top I ground more coarse black pepper and kosher salt, applied pats of butter, and spooned on the final affront. Black cherry cognac sauce.
In the morning I will serve fork tender slices of this roast with over easy eggs and maybe potato cakes too.
My family will never be able to sleep in once that smells hits them.
BWAHAhahahahahahahaha!
Evil I tell you, Pure Evil!
When my family wakes up... they are going to realize what I have done, and they are going to hate me.
It's fall, and growing colder. Cold weather is upon us and some habits change with the seasons. A goal of mine, being who I am, is to keep my family warm and well fed.
To that end, again being who I am, in the colder months I often put a little something in the oven and set 'er on low for the night. About 250 or so.
This is not the energy efficiency nightmare one might think. It's a fairly new oven and well insulated, and it's also stuffed with all my cast irony pans and such. That's where I keeps them.
What did I do this time?.... Well........
I just slid a roast into one of my dutch ovens. This one is a largish pork loin. It's been marinating in some herbs and cracked pepper for a while too. Now, it's laid out in the Iron and I've done a few more things to it.
First, I sliced pockets into the roasts (one big roast sliced in two, so it will fit). Into those pockets I stuffed nice smelly chopped garlic.
Over the top I ground more coarse black pepper and kosher salt, applied pats of butter, and spooned on the final affront. Black cherry cognac sauce.
In the morning I will serve fork tender slices of this roast with over easy eggs and maybe potato cakes too.
My family will never be able to sleep in once that smells hits them.
BWAHAhahahahahahahaha!
Evil I tell you, Pure Evil!
It's been a...... week.... yeh, that's it.... a week.
It's Saturday morning and I've gotten the first full eight hours sleep in a row I've seen in a long time. As soon as the coffee gets done brewing, I'm going to be a moderately happy camper.
(short break to load the dish washer and actually MAKE the coffee I'm waiting for ...... sigh.....)
This week, in the life of one instructor....
Food drive: My stack is large, the students stack is tiny. I have faith they will pull something out of the hat by Monday, but my faith is shaky. My faith in them, my faith in myself to motivate them.... shaken. We shall see.
Either way the rescue is getting a truckload of food. I expect to double the stack my students saw as they left Friday, and it's already big enough to need a forklift on moving day. Moving day is next Tuesday....
I got drafted to sit in a room with tie wearing critters for an entire morning 'working' on something called a 'mission statement'. In the room were two instructors, three principles, a director, a support admin puke, some weird lady from God knows where, some guy from industry who looks like he wears his tie during sex, and one fairly sharp individual called in to run the meeting. I guess we didn't have anyone as good as him on the payroll.
The old mission statement was a 41 word run-on sentence with a meaning no one could determine. Can you guess who counted the words and announced it? Can you guess who asked if anyone in the room could explain what it meant? Can you guess who was making friends at warp speed.... amongst the people who determine my future employment status? Can you guess who got ordered to come to the NEXT meeting on re-writing the 'vision statement'? SON of a BITCH! The final draft of our new mission statement has 11 words, included therein is my class three word motto. 'Commitment to excellence'. There was blood on them there toes, let me tell you........ The guy running the meeting shook my hand and said he would be calling me, and one of the principles looked like he swallowed a lump of Amish exhaust.
I have the unhappy job of dealing with a student who probably won't make it, based on ability. He's a sweet heart of a kid, but he's slow. The thing is... his goals are different than everyone else's. He would be quite happy just learning about cars and graduating. Problem... we have a high pressure course and graduation is going to be an issue for him. Nice kid and he's slogging along, but I don't know what the future holds for him.
ANOTHER one though.... he's flat out failing. Why? He's allergic to work.
Nothing more complicated than that... he doesn't care about what we teach, and he wants nothing more than to drift around and screw with other people.
His goal is to make his way to tomorrow without doing anything that requires effort. Lie, cheat, lie some more... whatever it takes to make it to tomorrow
effortlessly. Kid should make a FINE politician. You pick which side of the aisle.
Faced with failing out the year, and also faced with our practice of getting all interested parties in the same room where lies just don't work anymore, he has come up with a new idea. He's working hard to aggravate the other students till someone takes a pop at him. Then he gets to say he was forced out for his safety rather than failing out from stupid laziness. It ain't gonna work junior.
On another note.... one of my personal vehicles took a major bowel movement.
The clown van lost a trans. This provided an opportunity......... and a danger.
Opportunity: I can ask a team of students to work on it. In our class universe, that's a rare honor. In instructor universe, it's a great chance to build up a students self confidence and skill base. I need to pick a team that's up to it, ahead on their other work enough, and will stick with it when it gets tough.
Danger: If they fail, they may nose dive in class. Therefor, they cannot fail... period. Further danger.... I may lose large bucks on the repair if note done correctly. The transmission is a rare beast and only one could be found within driving distance. $700 parts my cost..... and no other like it around.
I picked a team of four. Two excellent, one decent, and one who could be good when he thinks clearer and gains confidence. I hope it's a good mix, as I can't hover with the group. There are 40+ others students to work with and these will be mostly working on their own. They will do well I think.
Now, a photo of my beloved as the world sees her:
And another as she so often appears to me:
Time for more coffee..... have a good morning friends!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Canned food drive update...........
I was a 'meeting minion' today... shuffled from campus to campus, room to room, mostly so I could look generally confused and act as a pity target for people in ties.
What the blast is a 'mission statement' anyway? It must not be what I thought because they didn't like any of my suggestions. Next time they shouldn't ask what I think if they don't want to hear it!
I suggested: "ut totus alius deficio , lascivio mortuus", but someone looked it up.
On the way back.... I picked up another 14 cases of canned goods for the drive, using donated $ (still some left for this weekend when I can get better deals.)
No pictures of the new stack yet..... just too swamped with chaos today.
I am having a HARD time getting the students motivated. A few are helping, but the bulk just...... sit...... there. What is UP with these kids?
I mean.... if one of my teachers had done what I did today, we would have spent the next 10 hours planning how to knock him off his perch!
I divided their contribution and 'ours' (me and youse folks) into two separate pallet loads. I stood on top of ours and pointed at theirs, telling them if they wanted to knock me off they had to get that pile big enough to stand up here and catch me!
We shall see....... I have eternal hopes they will grow a spirit.
More later friends.....
(major spelling errors edited..... sheesh...... exhaustion bites...)
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The first installment of canned food
The first 25 cases. It just doesn't look like much, does it?
Nope.... gonna need more...
MUCH more.....
Another donation came in...
No name but I bet I know who it is. Thanks Miss X!
I got them down to 38 cents a can. Wal-Mart was useless... they couldn't even find someone who could find the whole cases. Another grocery store... 'Aldi', came to the rescue. They had the manager on the phone within three minutes, and a warehouse number in my hand five minutes later. Nice folks!
Canned food drive update... going shopping!
Canned food drive update......
Ok, thanks to a few lovely ladies the pot is bigger by a few bucks.
Here at Mal-Fits manor, mama has looked closely at our budget
and made the pronouncement... We can spend about $100
without skipping any major bills or starving the dogs.
Not worried about the kids.... they can hunt up something edible
on their own.
I found veggies down at the store at 50cents per can. Not near
good enough. There are a few other places we are off to try
this morning, with the final excruciating choice being...
Deep, horrible shudder.... Wal-Mart.
(cracking sound of the gates of hell opening)
Yes, I will visit Hell if need be. I probably know most of the
people there anyway.
I have blog stuff piling up.... but it can all sit in draft form till
this food drive thing gets it's butt in gear!
Ok, thanks to a few lovely ladies the pot is bigger by a few bucks.
Here at Mal-Fits manor, mama has looked closely at our budget
and made the pronouncement... We can spend about $100
without skipping any major bills or starving the dogs.
Not worried about the kids.... they can hunt up something edible
on their own.
I found veggies down at the store at 50cents per can. Not near
good enough. There are a few other places we are off to try
this morning, with the final excruciating choice being...
Deep, horrible shudder.... Wal-Mart.
(cracking sound of the gates of hell opening)
Yes, I will visit Hell if need be. I probably know most of the
people there anyway.
I have blog stuff piling up.... but it can all sit in draft form till
this food drive thing gets it's butt in gear!
What is a liberal?
I found this worth my time. It's not a short sound bite, but
and entire presentation. The humor helps it along here and there,
but the points are well made and well illustrated.
and entire presentation. The humor helps it along here and there,
but the points are well made and well illustrated.
Friday, November 9, 2007
A Canned food drive..... the kind of charity worth helping with, and here's a bleg
The school where I teach is having a canned food drive.
My class is taking part.
The thing is.... I believe in food banks. I go out of my way
to help out when I can, and thats something I'd like to
show my students. On Monday I'll back up my truck
and unload ten cases. My partner in crime..... er.... teaching
will match that. That's our beginning. That's how we
begin showing our students we are serious about this.
Over the next week I plan on blowing much of my paycheck
doing the same thing. We teach by modeling.
I'm not a generally charitable guy, not in the accepted sense.
For my students, I'll move mountains. For my family, I'll
move them by hand. Beyond that I believe in personal
good deeds on a case by case basis, by my own standards.
What are my standards like? Maybe a bit strange by many
perspectives.
I'll drive right past a broken down car if I think it's likely
a result of neglect (I can usually tell). For a woman with
kids, or someone in trouble, I'll stop and give it everything
I have. My family knows this and will jump to help
in an amazingly organized fashion when it's required.
As much as I live by the law of true tithing, I am picky in how
it's applied. That being so.... why am I willing to dive in
on a food drive?
The simple fact is.... I've been there.
When I was young, there was a time my family had very little.
How little........ I had a mattress on the floor and that was pretty
damn good. Mom figured out how to cook three meals a day
in an electric coffee pot and we didn't go hungry, not really.
It didn't last forever, but I never forgot.
With this food drive...... I have a scene in my mind.....
I see not just cases of food, but pallet loads. Stacked head high
in bay after bay.
I see the folks from the food bank there.... staring at the results
with their mouths open.... and I see a few of them with tears
in their eyes.
I see the school administrators at a loss for words, and a local
reporter taking pictures of what my class has done.
I see my students learning it's possible to pull together and
do something so good they'll never forget it. For the rest of their
lives they'll talk about the time they....... and they'll remember
they can each make a difference if they try.
The canned food drive is over on November 20th.
That gives me only days to make this happen.
I already told my children's mother that
'my' Christmas present will be canned goods,
and it will arrive early this year...
As in before the 20th.
Just by chance, if you want to take part in this, I would
welcome the help. I'm not good at accepting help for
myself, but I'm a whore for my students. To teach them
what they need, or help them out, I'll happily toss my
own pride in the gutter if that's what it takes.
We are located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
If you wish to help out by donating canned goods, just
E-mail me and I'll make it work. From a can of peas
to a truckload, I'll make it work.
If, by any chance, you would like to chip in with $,
I've finally managed to make a 'donate' button that works.
It will go away for good on the 20th. Or.... you can just
E-mail me.
If money comes in, here's my promise (and that's all I can offer):
It will be spent in the best way I can swing to get canned goods piled up
for this food drive. That's all I can do. No more, no less.
If a donation comes in too late to help out, I'll refund it.
I don't know how to make this tax deductible and I don't have time to.
I would really like to show my students what can happen......
If you want to be part of that, you are welcome to join in.
My class is taking part.
The thing is.... I believe in food banks. I go out of my way
to help out when I can, and thats something I'd like to
show my students. On Monday I'll back up my truck
and unload ten cases. My partner in crime..... er.... teaching
will match that. That's our beginning. That's how we
begin showing our students we are serious about this.
Over the next week I plan on blowing much of my paycheck
doing the same thing. We teach by modeling.
I'm not a generally charitable guy, not in the accepted sense.
For my students, I'll move mountains. For my family, I'll
move them by hand. Beyond that I believe in personal
good deeds on a case by case basis, by my own standards.
What are my standards like? Maybe a bit strange by many
perspectives.
I'll drive right past a broken down car if I think it's likely
a result of neglect (I can usually tell). For a woman with
kids, or someone in trouble, I'll stop and give it everything
I have. My family knows this and will jump to help
in an amazingly organized fashion when it's required.
As much as I live by the law of true tithing, I am picky in how
it's applied. That being so.... why am I willing to dive in
on a food drive?
The simple fact is.... I've been there.
When I was young, there was a time my family had very little.
How little........ I had a mattress on the floor and that was pretty
damn good. Mom figured out how to cook three meals a day
in an electric coffee pot and we didn't go hungry, not really.
It didn't last forever, but I never forgot.
With this food drive...... I have a scene in my mind.....
I see not just cases of food, but pallet loads. Stacked head high
in bay after bay.
I see the folks from the food bank there.... staring at the results
with their mouths open.... and I see a few of them with tears
in their eyes.
I see the school administrators at a loss for words, and a local
reporter taking pictures of what my class has done.
I see my students learning it's possible to pull together and
do something so good they'll never forget it. For the rest of their
lives they'll talk about the time they....... and they'll remember
they can each make a difference if they try.
The canned food drive is over on November 20th.
That gives me only days to make this happen.
I already told my children's mother that
'my' Christmas present will be canned goods,
and it will arrive early this year...
As in before the 20th.
Just by chance, if you want to take part in this, I would
welcome the help. I'm not good at accepting help for
myself, but I'm a whore for my students. To teach them
what they need, or help them out, I'll happily toss my
own pride in the gutter if that's what it takes.
We are located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
If you wish to help out by donating canned goods, just
E-mail me and I'll make it work. From a can of peas
to a truckload, I'll make it work.
If, by any chance, you would like to chip in with $,
I've finally managed to make a 'donate' button that works.
It will go away for good on the 20th. Or.... you can just
E-mail me.
If money comes in, here's my promise (and that's all I can offer):
It will be spent in the best way I can swing to get canned goods piled up
for this food drive. That's all I can do. No more, no less.
If a donation comes in too late to help out, I'll refund it.
I don't know how to make this tax deductible and I don't have time to.
I would really like to show my students what can happen......
If you want to be part of that, you are welcome to join in.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
There is a certain freedom......
Since I discovered 'blogworld' a while back, there are a
number of writers I follow on a regular basis. They are
entertaining, interesting, and just generally smart people
who share their lives well.
(You'll find most of these folks over there on the left side,
in the blog rolls. Try them out, if you already haven't.
They are worth your time.)
When I first started blogging, it was mostly as an outlet for
some shooting related writing I like doing. Nothing
fantastic, but after ten or fifteen thousand page views on another
site I figured I'd like to have a place of my own.
Thus was born Carteach0.
On the Carteach0 blog I post short articles on shooting,
hand loading, military surplus, assorted firearms, and other
related good stuff. I try to include decent photographs that
help others share my joy on these topics.
When I began blogging with Carteach0, I quickly realized
that my various opinions had no real place on that blog, and it
was a much better read if I kept on topic.
That left an upwelling load of opinion and 'snark' with no
place to land, leading to this blog: Mal-Fits.
Here I can expound on any topic and thought that catches
my interest and attention. It's fun, and healthy, to work
through some of these things and just generally share with the
world. I thoroughly enjoy having this blog!
That said, when I read so many other folks efforts on a daily
basis I can't help but notice.......
So many times they seem to be stressing over getting up a post.
Get something up every day, to feed the interest of all the folks who
come visit every day. It's a cycle..... post every day, get read
every day, so post every day to please those who read every day.....
Frankly, I have looked at 'My readership', which is limited
to a few friends and a few people who stop in by accident.
In other words..... I am almost that proverbial tree falling
in the forest with almost no ears to hear it fall.
Friends and neighbors, I have to admit.... there is a certain
feeling of freedom to posting mostly to please myself, with no one
else expecting anything of value. I look at my last post of a few days
ago, and it's Ok with me that it is a few days ago!
I might just take the site meter off this blog. It's fun to see who's
stopping in, but maybe it would be less fun if more folks eventually
join them.
I like freedom......
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
The blog roll grows......
Three more added to the Blog Roll.....
I find myself reading these almost daily, along with the others.
It's no wonder I never get any real work done..... sigh.
Roberta X is entertaining, and the Real Gun Guys have interesting things to say at times too. Two old soldiers are worth the time as well.
I find myself reading these almost daily, along with the others.
It's no wonder I never get any real work done..... sigh.
Roberta X is entertaining, and the Real Gun Guys have interesting things to say at times too. Two old soldiers are worth the time as well.
Cell phone jamming
Oh, this is SOOOOOooooo sweet!
I wonder if could build one?
Bwahahahahaha.........
Powered by ScribeFire.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Red Green is...... well.... half of my friends
Skywriter, the beautiful and talented writer at this site, posted a short
clip of the Red Green show.
She, in one stroke, successfully destroyed any hope I had at doing anything useful this morning.
Fix the water pressure switch? Nope.
Replace the bad frost free faucet? No way.
Repair the mower deck switch? Uh uh.
Write a check and get it in the mail to renew my gun club membership? Whatareya, nuts? Of course I'll still get that done. It's important.
No, I'll spend much of my morning now watching Red Green clips, since she pointed out they are available on-line.
clip of the Red Green show.
She, in one stroke, successfully destroyed any hope I had at doing anything useful this morning.
Fix the water pressure switch? Nope.
Replace the bad frost free faucet? No way.
Repair the mower deck switch? Uh uh.
Write a check and get it in the mail to renew my gun club membership? Whatareya, nuts? Of course I'll still get that done. It's important.
No, I'll spend much of my morning now watching Red Green clips, since she pointed out they are available on-line.
Friday, November 2, 2007
I may have to vote for Hillary Clinton....... Damn.
I have long held the belief that, considering our past few decades of leadership, we might as well randomly kidnap people off the street and force them to be presidents and senators. They couldn't do any worse, and there's at least a chance of running into a decent human being by random selection, unlike what the election process gives us.
In other words, I am in favor of putting totally unskilled and inexperienced people into office.
In OTHER other words, I am favor of putting Hillary Clinton into office....
Damn Damn DAMN...... I gotta go wash my hands now, after typing that.
Lets face it.... when it comes to lack of experience and skill, she trumps the field:
Damn.
In other words, I am in favor of putting totally unskilled and inexperienced people into office.
In OTHER other words, I am favor of putting Hillary Clinton into office....
Damn Damn DAMN...... I gotta go wash my hands now, after typing that.
Lets face it.... when it comes to lack of experience and skill, she trumps the field:
- Her only political job has been as a very junior Senator for a handful of years, and as a carpet bagger at that.
- She's been an attorney, but one so pathetic she can't recall who she worked for and who she billed hours to, even when faced with the bills.
- She has been put in charge of only one policy matter in her life (health care) and turned that into a Cluster $#@! with amazing speed.
- Her main job since she's been married has been to sew her husbands fly shut and hunt down the victims when it sprang open.
- She's never owned a business, met a payroll, balanced a budget, or run anything larger than a rigged trading account.
- She's never led anything but her and her husbands election campaigns.
Damn.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Questions for the candidates
These are questions I would ask of our candidates for President.
Hell, I would ask these questions to a candidate for dog catcher.
In fact, the answers of each candidate on these questions should be posted
at every polling place.
* What form of national government do we live under?
Lets face it..... every student who pays attention in the eighth grade should get this one right. More to the point: How can someone possibly function as they should as President if they don't even understand the most basic structure of our government?
To those who feel lost, and don't have an eighth grade social studies book handy, we live in a Constitutional Republic. It's a neat thing. Try looking it up and see if the notion bears any resemblance to the reality.
* What is the highest percentage of income any one person should ever pay in taxes? Total taxes: federal, state, local, fees, SSI, everything?
What do you think? Should someone be forced at gun point to pay 100% of their income? NO?!?
Well, that is how taxes in this nation work..... pay them, or a man with a gun comes to your door and forces you to. At it's rawest and most basic nature, thats how it works. I think we can all agree that 100% is too much. Now, lets haggle over the upper limit, since 100% is not it.
How about 75%? Maybe 50%?
Remember, we are talking total tax burden.... everything the government takes from an individual for any reason or cause.
The number right now stands at over 50% total income is shifted from the individual tax payer to the government in it's various forms.
How much is too much? "More" is not an allowable answer.
* Should lawmakers be allowed to vote on legislation they haven't read personally?
I would think this one is common sense, but that concept seems to have little to do with government.
Many laws and packages can be published in book form. Big, nasty, fine print, no picture, legalsleeze, multi-volume, book form. Knowing this I fail to understand how legislation can go from final form to vote in less than a day or two, as is often the case. The answer seems inescapable.... lawmakers are voting on legislation without know what they are voting on.
This is akin to a doctor prescribing your surgery after nothing more than a muffled twelve second phone call through an interpreter who speaks neither language.
Our elected representatives are imposing laws on us that will change our lives and family fortunes forever. They are doing so with little or no real idea of what they are doing (and that is the most charitable way of looking at it).
* Should a law be permitted to be written in language that ordinary citizens cannot understand?
We as citizens are responsible for obeying the laws passed by our representatives.
The problem is, most of these laws are so convoluted that even attorneys and judges cannot figure them out, let alone the common public.
Incomprehensible law is bad law, period. I think every piece of legislation should be laid out in public, and people asked to explain what it means. If less than 60% of the respondents cannot articulate the purpose and limits of the law, then it should be sent back to Congress for repair. That allows for a 40% moron factor.
If less than 80% of the people in congress can figure out what it means, then the authors should be fired.
* Do individuals have the right to defend themselves against personal violence and crime?
A simple and basic question. Do individuals have the right to defend themselves against crime? Against violent encounters? Against abuses of their civil rights?
Do people have a right to self defense, or not?
Just....... answer......... the .............question.
YES or NO?
* If an individual has a right to defend their self against violence, then do they also have a right to own a means to that self defense?
If the answer above is no, then the candidate can skip this question. In fact, he/she can probably just skip them all. At that point they are so alien to American thought.... well.... these questions will make no sense at all to them.
If the answer is yes.... (people do have a right to defend themselves against violence and crime), then don't they also have a right to own the means?
This is not rocket science, and here's an example to make it easier:
It's on the same level as saying people have a right to breath, and keep their heads above the water at the same time.
* When is it moral for a government to do that which is judged immoral for an individual to do
Thanks to the spirit of Robert Heinlein for this one. It's a simple question with far reaching repercussions. If it's immoral for a person to kill another for profit, is it thus immoral for a government to do the same? How far can we take that idea?
Best be careful.... the concept is tricky.
* Should government employees be held accountable to the same laws as ordinary citizens? ALL government employees, and in ordinary courts of law?
Right now, many elected officials, government employees, and government organizations are immune to the laws ordinary citizens must live under.
A simple case in point: Congressmen and Senators have voted themselves removed from the Social Security Program, as well as many tax laws.
Another case in point: Government and military vehicle are exempt from the environmental and pollution rules governing civilian vehicles, as well as registration requirements, insurance requirements, and inspection requirements.
Should this practice of double standards and class divisions be continued?
* Should elected officials be held accountable to the same laws as ordinary citizens? Will YOU obey the same laws as any other citizens?
Not a trick question. Just answer it.
Pass this list around. Add to it. Mail it to your senators, congressmen, and any other elected official you would care to. Expect answers.
