Two in the Heart, One in the Head

Ya gotta be kiddin..

2012-01-24T11:36:00.002-05:00

The anti-gunners are at it again..

What now? They want a boycott Starbucks as they have no wish to play politics and run with what is legal shall be. So here they go again. Their plan is Valentines day to issue a protest letter and boycott.

I suggest we cop-opt their stupidity and turn it around.

Now I generally don't do boutique coffee. But I will BUY Starbucks on that day as a statement of support for a company who wishes to sell coffee and all the trimmings and not be a political entity. I suggest you do same and let them know why too. Oh, if you can open carry where you are please do so. It gives the 'phobes fits.

As usual keep your powder dry and be safe.

Eck!

Screw the dark, I weild light!

2012-01-08T14:24:00.007-05:00

I propose a display that will show we have the same goals, but our side is actually interested in results." - Weerd

Here here!

Our anti gun fiends who suffer the cognitive dissonance of fear can light a candle. I suspect they fear the flame. Cowards one and all they be. Go live with your fears and bow to those rough men that would do what you cannot for they will surely rule you.

I'm in the Volksrepublik (Ma for the uninitiated) so a firearm is a process that requires money and time. So I can 't have a good looking picture of my gun as it doesn't exist in this state yet. However, for those that read that as being unarmed foo on that.

Light always pushes back darkness.

I have the enemy of evil, light. Portable bright ones that kill night vision and general light that makes the inside and outside bright. It is also the symbol of knowledge and understanding. I light the light to make the statement that if you fear the dark, light a light and learn. With both I can push back the dark as I do not have to fear it. 'Id argue that the Constitution does not say I have he right to be armed, to me it says the government has no right to disarm a citizen of good standing and that is me.

Unarmed, that is their wish.

I don't buy in to being unarmed. There are tools of all sorts to avoid a bare hand fight. But lo there are things that propel lead that even our fair stasi permit. Rifles and pistols of .22 caliber and .177 that are good for velocities far higher than so called called BB guns. Yep, the Ruger may only be the UMAREX springer but a pellet at 1000fps punches a clean hole through a 5/4ths fir board. The long barrel target pistol pushes a .22 pellet through things too. Yes, like the sometimes maligned .22 rimfire, you have it, you learn to be good with it, and use what you have. If all else that Ruger looks like an EBR with a black stock and at over 8 pounds it would hurt to get butt stroked by it.

So for the night there will be the three weapons handy by me, two rifles, a pistol of non toy air propelled plus the light that fights back the dark. One would argue it's a weak gesture but the line goes, care to take a chance on that? Can you tell from 20, maybe 10 feet that your evil intent to continue carries no risk?

Of course a firearm is better but, I'm far from unarmed. I do so in the light. I have taken the first steps long ago and decided that being a victim is a terrible choice. Being a unarmed by anothers choice is unacceptable.

I light a light to be far from the dark. I keep tools handy and learn to be sharp with them. I do plan to fight ignorance and the evils that live by it.

Eck!

That Damn Cat!

2012-01-06T19:19:00.004-05:00

That Damn cat had a name, Ming.

Ming was a domestic shorthair of the lopsided grey and white. Cute, cuddly and a purr that wouldn't quit.

That Damn Cat could shed. Winter or summer the fur would fly.

That Damn Cat started peeing on the rug. Never stopped the habit though later at about 11 years old we found out she was diabetic. The cat was type 1 insulin dependent and we gave her insulin twice a day and tested her blood to make sure it was right.

That Damn Cat at 15 developed arthritis, we did pills and later injected drugs to help her move and be a cat. Then they didn't help any more.

That Damn Cat peed in the bed, her bed, and then anywhere. Seems at 17 almost 18 years of age moving was too hard. The kidneys were going and the left leg didn't work anymore. She'd drink water and lay on the floor all wet. That cat was fat and so enjoyed eating. But, then she couldn't get to the bowl to eat without help it was a sign.

Today I took Ming to the vet for the last time. I knew it was time when she didn't flinch or try to get away. There was no hope, age and disease took what made her a cat. It was hard to do. It was a matter of dignity for her. The vet understood and was exceedingly gentle. She is gone now.

I miss her. She did things that annoyed me and I loved her and petted her and tried to keep the fur brushed. I did what i could to keep her healthy and safe. For all the years it was a good life for a cat someone dumped, someone rescued, and someone loved.

That Damn Cat left a big empty hole right in my heart.

Eck!

24x7x365.something

2011-12-31T13:29:00.004-05:00

The elapse of another year.

We here the echos of history rhyming with the present. We hum the same old tune too often.

This may be the "Year of the Jackpot", Heinlein may have got that right, Potiphar Breen seemed to figure out that if everyone does the same things and that isn't working the likelihood of all that insanity added to coincidence could be well, nuts!

So we have a major election year ahead, maybe the Mayan's will be sort a right. One can never tell if prediction lead to result or just suggest a wackier direction than would have been taken.

Stay safe, Happy New Years.

Eck!

For all good and kind of heart people..

2011-12-25T12:15:00.003-05:00

A very happy Yule, Merry Chrstmas,Happy Chanukah and all.

Stay safe everyone.

Eck!

Wow, year of the jackpot?

2011-12-19T09:21:00.003-05:00

Well its that time of the year. The news people will start reflecting on the events of the year passed and how the changes will no doubt affect us. Let me be first to celebrate da4 bian4hua4 [big change].

We have Drones, I foresee the Copseye Corp having a very good decade.

We have martial law in a can, that being the ability of the military to arrest any citizen and detain them for any reason, for any amount of time, anywhere. Civil rights, and then there were none.

We have a political season of depressing and madding proportions with candidates of luze not previously seen.

The fundies will help us accept that all is lost and they should get it all anyway.
To insure that they are helping the great loose or is it luze.

Reminds me of about 50 years ago, duck and cover.

Keep your powder dry and well hid before they come and take it.

Eck!

Freedom, i won't

2011-09-10T10:18:00.003-04:00

That's from: And Then There Were None, Eric Frank Russel, worth a read.

It's an interesting tale of civility, responsibility and what freedom means.

With that as context, tomorrow is the 9/11/2011 and ten years after 9/11/2001. It's also about what we have become rather than how we dealt with an attack by terrorists on our soil.

In short we became sheep. We never did what was needed to continue our lives unhindered and free. If anything we went the other direction so that we not only fear the terrorists we fear our governments overhanded reactions. I do not support that.

Ten years ago tomorrow a lot of people died. We can't bring them back. We have for the most part extracted revenge and it tasted of sand. it was needed and may have bettered the world but it is joyless. Better to honor them and those that died saving others as that has a better taste and a longer history of good. How should we remember 9/11? Honor those that died, take care of the ill and wounded survivors.

From another time, Beware those that claim they have your best interests in mind for they are the problem.

Eck!

power recovery after Irene..

2011-08-30T19:12:00.004-04:00

I'm not power company person or electrician. This is observation of those in the demanding and dangerous trade of maintaining the power grid.

The power companies have a good triage system and it's time proven. Fix the biggest failures and work your way down the list till you have only the few that have had the wires ripped off the house and need an electrician. Its and exponential decay to near zero. The last 1000 will take much more time to get fixed than the first 100,000. I've been watching them and they are tired and have been hustling. Still its about equipment and bodies as often a few people are needed to handle some problems and other require whole crews and specialized gear. It's fairly amazing that the industry has evolved that guys from Wisconsin, Vermont and the like can roll in with trucks and bodies and go to work effectively and safely.

The actual damage repair is interesting. They find a break or blown interrupter and the first thing they do is follow the line for other damage. The initial information comes from police looking for downed wires or poles and other trained eyes as well as phone reports of outages. If the damage is a side road they will break the link to that and then keep searching. If they have cleared all the faults they go back and power up the section and work their way down the line to the shut off sections. Sometimes like our area they have to power the section down to work on the fault before they can bring it all up safely. In our case the top line is 7.8KV and hacking tree limbs near that is very unsafe. To do that the lineman has to go to the source point and open the interrupters (fuses or pole mounted switch) and safe the line by installing a big fat jumper to ground in case someone else powers it due to improperly installed generator, other line faults or some lineman coming down to help and closing the switch. Once the line is safe the fault can be dealt with in our case a tree limb on the wire acting like a short circuit. Once that mess was cleared the lineman has to move back the cutoff point, remove the safety and restore (close) the interrupter. If all goes well the lights work. Repeat until relieved or too tired to be safe.

That said I'm watching Katy's kid, TS Katia now. I'm not putting the generator, cables, aux power sources, or other tools and gear away just yet! I will refill the gas can.

Be prepared, prepare before the first hint of trouble, and keep your power dry.

Eck!

Trap Line

2011-08-13T12:30:00.006-04:00

a shot at a Flash Fiction challenge.. find it here.. terribleminds.com

Trap Line

Saturday, 2 PM and a fine if not warm summer day.

I was down at the Rod and Gun for our weekly round of Trap. Had my Ithica M37 12ga and a big bag of number 7 trap loads, my ammo bag, a shell bag for the brass and a vest.

Yep, dressed and ready.

Always struck me odd that out here in the boonies we enjoyed the civilised sport of trap shooting. We've been doing it so long it's just what we do every Saturday afternoon. Beats a day of farming or ranching. Some say its recoil therapy.

We are a mixed group. We at most have in common that we farm or ranch and the trap shoot. Almost twenty years shooting trap and talk. On occasion we all go for a bird hunt or maybe a feral pig hunt. But Saturdays we are always at the club and we'll shoot if its' not raining or snow. I guess we are all hard core gunnies. We have that common line of farm tools, ranch tools and guns as part and parcel of both.

The other four shooters on the trap line were outfitted like me more or less.

Angie sprayed on jeans and her sharp tight vest her shooter is the Mossberg pump. Always liked the mossie. Shes a horse person and does the show riding thing.

Mack with the fancy engraved over under and looking like an Outers catalog. He was serious about his shooting and believe after years of it that he deserved a proper trap gun. His other toys were just as cool.

Thats a fine Benelli. He let me shoot a round with it. I'm in lust with a shotgun.

Stu had an old Remington pump that shot well but looked like it had been his dads and was short on finish and bluing but no rust. He was more for rifles but he claimed this was this something he did beacuse.

He was never specific on because of what. His farm was hard hit by floods last year. I brought a box of reloads for him.

I always joked I'd borrow his gun and refinish it. He'd laugh and say it would be a terrible thing bein too purty to shoot then.

Liana was older than the rest of us and always with the farmers jeans, a belt and two old cloth bags for the shot and brass. She was one of the real old timers of the area. The farm was a family farm going back to the indians. As usual her Stevens single was in the bag. I've seen her shoot doubles with that. I've noticed that her shooting position was by far the most refined and natural. She never missed, least in my memory. When we went for game or varmint shoots the rifle was a Remington bolt action a 30-06 and she was very good with that too.

We'd get there early and set the trap machine and talk. Usually about the farms, the going on in town or guns. This week it was the varmits and guns. Everyone has em, those pesky coyotes, racoons, chucks and the feral pigs. There's plenty to go 'round. Too much so this year. Angie asked if we all might get to her place for a chuck hunt. They were getting to be too many again. I thought that would be fun to drag out the 06 for that. Stu offered that an AK might be better there's so many. Mack suggested we bring what suits us and suggested the fifty he splurged on. We all agreed we'd put into the ammo pot to shoot the MaDuce at chucks. We had a good laugh and started waving twenties for ammo.

Stu started complaining about the city folk wandering about sometimes trespassing mostly small stuff. Mack noted they were worse this year too. I'd had my share of them. I usually had some of them too. Angie and Liana were not quiet on that problem either. We agreed the economy was making the two legged coyotes more wide ranging.

Up on the Trap line we all take places, load, yell PULL, and shoot. On a good day I hit every one.

What makes it fun is usually Mack gets the sneezes, often they come in threes, the microphone for the trap launcher doesn't know the difference and usually after the first sneeze we have a free for all of shooting the clay birds. Why waste the targets. Then we settle down for the round. Load, pull, shoot and a kill. After the round we call the day go back in the club have a coffee and talk. Often the rare miss comes up but we're still on varmints.

Angie mentions two legged varmints tried to break into her place. We've all had that. Usually they get scared away. Angie mentioned she fired off a few near the barn but they got away. Occasionally we have a break in or other theft in the area and someone gets caught or shot for that. The sheriff is usually short enough on men and far enough away that the call is usualy answered maybe an hour later.

I've taken a shot at one ow two. Actually caught one once, had to turn him over to the sheriff. If I had my way he'd have done thirty days working and sleeping in the barn.

Liana, said the trespassers were over her place. She didn't say much but I did notice she opened two boxes because the one box was one shot short.

I thought I heard her say, it's best to shoot, shovel and shut up.

Bachman, here's your sign!

2011-07-09T15:45:00.009-04:00

THE MARRIAGE VOW
A Declaration of Dependence upon MARRIAGE and FAMiLY[sic]

A screed on how the rights see wrongs and how the rethugs will rule. Note that the source is one of the offshoots of the radical christian right.

The bracketed numbers are their referecnces to what justifies their "vow" excuses if you will for a special brand of thuggery. They run the gamut but are the usual screed and rad-right cruft that allows them to be bigots and anti-tolerant while having a "reason" that they are protesting things wrong. It's he old song of the First amendment allows me to say horrid things about those that also rely on the other nine.

I call Bullshit.

Some selected excerpts.

*Respect for the marital bonds of others.

Yep, so long as your not gay or... I call that an intro into the intolerance of
the very wrong tolerance. They try to make it look like we will keep out marriage out of yours. They exclude those that do not fit their model. What the wrong one and why? MYOB is the their wrong one. Read on.

*Vigorous opposition to any redefinition of the Institution of Marriage – faithful monogamy between one man and one woman – through statutory-, bureaucratic-, or court-imposed recognition of intimate unions which are bigamous,polygamous, polyandrous, same-sex, etc.

NOTE: bigamous,polygamous, polyandrous, are illegal and in many cases already criminal. The act of including those in the same sentence as same-sex is a form of propaganda that plays on association of bad with "bad" where the latter bad is defined by the propaganda source or this case the radical fundi-right.

*Earnest, bona fide legal advocacy for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) at the federal and state levels.
*Steadfast embrace of a federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which protects the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman in all of the United States. [16]

Newspeak for we hate gays, single with child, divorced and use any old logic to deny their rights as humans like themselves and their associates. "WE" {those of the vow} have _dog on our side so therefore "they" {gay, and others already defined that support} are wrong. While DOMA has law form it does not have have support or any legal weight. It was legislative opinion and not supported by any Constitutional stake in the ground.

*Humane protection of women and the innocent fruit of conjugal intimacy – our next generation of American children –from human trafficking, sexual slavery, seduction into promiscuity, and all forms of pornography and prostitution,infanticide, abortion and other types of coercion or stolen innocence.[17]

*Rejection of Sharia Islam and all other anti-woman, anti-human rights forms of totalitarian control.[19]
*Recognition that robust childbearing and reproduction is beneficial to U.S. demographic, economic, strategic and actuarial health and security. [20]

Doublespeak for anti-abortion. In their opening section not quoted they talk about birthrates of minorities and whites. Guess which are lower and needs improving.. If you haven't read "Handmaids Tale" the crib notes are here "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid%27s_Tale". On one hand they say Sharia (Islamic law) is bad then go on to suggest in doublespeak we know better for you. IE: theocratic christian law is the correct one.

They do present the idea of elitist theocratic dystopian republican world as so appealing. Not if you read the lines between the lines. Especially not if you don't meet their criteria of their "us".

Hey, powder up, heads down, and stay safe, there are nuts out there.

Eck!

Traitors and critters

2011-06-14T16:31:00.004-04:00

Well we have a nut job out California way that want to repeal the Second Amendment.

We have another doing the perves version of Betty Ford. What makes him think he's entitled to be a criminal and not be incarcerated?

Makes me ask why these and so many other people hate the country so much they would destroy it? I come up short for answers on that. I get the feeling they think they are sincere but haven't ehough about the effects further than the end of their nose. I'll go as far as to consider these people are cognitively impaired. It's not that they can't think, I believe they have long forgotten how.

Find cover this upcoming election may be more than interesting.

Eck!

In memoriam

2011-05-30T19:07:00.001-04:00

To those that served and did not return.
In memory.
Our memory.
For our country.

Thank you is not even close to adequate.

Eck!

when I feel crabby

2011-05-26T09:29:00.001-04:00

Warning by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

WTFO, huh edition

2011-05-25T20:59:00.003-04:00

Well, One oddity is at my age I'm not so connected to family. Hell I've outlived most of them. A polite way to say that is I've learned not to enable them and realized it was pointless to communicate with the few remaining.

Well, from about the edge of space I find my dead of some twenty plus years kid of my sibling left a kid. That one wasn't very self controlled, didn't have a lick of sense and well who knows how many more there are.

Now what am I supposed to do with that? Damn thats crazy. All the usual checks says likely related and already doing a who's the family thing for the rest of the woebgone clan. Dang,
it kid just become yourself, who the rest are will only disappoint and hurt. The crazy goes on.

Heyah, stay safe and watch for the crazies..

Eck!

IT is broke again

2011-05-24T13:43:00.001-04:00

We're sorry, but we were unable to complete your request.
When reporting this error to Blogger Support or on the Blogger Help Group, please:

Describe what you were doing when you got this error.
Provide the following error code and additional information.
bX-rynfwe
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
host: www.blogger.com
uri: /comment.do
This information will help us to track down your specific problem and fix it! We apologize for the inconvenience.

I call bullshit. their crap is broke again.

Eck!

Mine, Mine, mine, well not really!

2011-04-20T13:06:00.002-04:00

A while back, say over a year we had a legal entity running around suing bloggers over copyrights..

At that time I said..

"But before you claim ownership one better make sure it's both theirs and unencumbered. I propose titles for copyright, if you claim copyright you have to prove you are the title holder if there is any dispute."

Guess what.. they lied. Seem they didn't own it and may not have been an actual authorized litigant.

Thank you EFF for that one.

Eck!

Tee Many Martini

2011-04-09T23:01:00.005-04:00

A flash fiction challenge, based on the name of a cocktail.

Y'all have to excuse me if this is a bit random. I've had a few Martinis. Likely to have a lot more.

We started years ago hunting in the back woods. A larger group then. Now only a few of us remain.

Seems we were tired of the usual game. Well, it seemed that way at the time.

Fact was, Tim wandered out in the wood drunk one night and found himself one of those creatures in the back wood. He ran for it, when he got back he was all cut up and looked like he'd been stomped by an elephant with a switch blade and put out for bait. A bloody mess. We decided whatever could do that was a worthy hunt.

Since then we meet, go out into the back wood and hunt for that thing. As many times as we have gone we only get a glimpse, maybe a few shots. We thought they were misses.

After the first year we never hunted in groups smaller than three.

Hell after that some of us armed up with .50BMG or .454 with big mags. Seems Alf's .308 only annoyed it and it got even. Ed saw that. After the hits it took I was trying to buy a Ma Duce. The BMG was what could be carried.

Its big, 7 foot long and we know it's not friendly. Did I mention it's damn fast.

Body armor was added too. That happened after the second year when we got a look at it using night vision.

The noise it makes is just something humans can't do.

`Bout every other year we lose someone to the thing, or their nightmares. Hell, last year Fred saw the thing and returned to get seriously liquored up. He ate a 12ga a week later. Ed too, he spotted it and charged it with a .45 after a full clip of '06 from his favorite Garand. We knew it was too fast to outrun. Tough critter.

We're down to three of us after 10 years. We all have nightmares. But we owe it to those we lost, even Mikey in the bughouse, to get this thing.

It's been a long hunt, we got it last night and we had to round up a few locals to help haul it out. I was the lucky one, emptied the Barrett, when I was done 10 rounds of mixed ball, AP, Tracer, a few sabot rounds. I started shooting at about 400 yards, it stopped at pistol range. But it was down and not moving. My shoulder hurts like hell.

Imagine, eyes of a gator. Nearly 350 pounds of claws, fangs, smelly, and most scary, female. There may be more out there. The joke was it was a mother-in-law and genetic experiments gone wrong. We're not so sure it's that far from the truth.

Anywho, I'm putting down my fifth drink I can still see its eyes.

The bar's buying, I'm drinkin' Blood Martinis.

BLOOD MARTINI

* 1 1/2 ounces Ketel One Citroen Vodka
* 1 ounce Ginger Liqueur
* 1 ounce Dark Grape Juice
* 1/2 ounce Blackberry Syrup
* Blackberries and raspberries for garnish

Bilgewater on the Mount

2011-04-02T12:28:00.006-04:00

Over 20 years ago I was reading how the Radical Christians as we now call them and before then they were the Moral Majority and Family Values passing the message to their flock that civic involvement is crucial to gaining the upper hand and defeating the godless. They actually had a "guide" that specified that even the lowly PTA was important but the school board was prime place. Of course they also pushed for more FV/MM/RC members to be part of other parts of government even the seemingly backwater parts like building and planning as they got to say if a Shrine or Tabernacle was permissible. Everyone can be the christian conscience, and indeed they are.

Fast forward to today. We have revisionist Barton being hailed as a speaker of the true words and endorsed by Huckabee his equal in the religiously fervent. Liars, preachers and revisionists, oh my. We looked at that that stuff from twenty plus years ago and laughed and now we see. If you don't that re-education camp will be more comforting pablum for the sheeple.

Me I'm for teaching Orwell, and the other masters of dystopian orders so the oblivious little kids of today have some clue what, Four legs good two legs better, really means. Maybe Mein Kampf should be critically read to see how those that want to control do so my inches. Of course Mao's little red book as well. After all everyone should know the rules and have the right words when challenged. then again if you have read them you know where and how words like them are created.

In the end if you don't not watch this you certainly will be will be sheeple. Don't forget the wolves are discussing dinner tonight and well, you are not on the dinner planning board, but likely on the cutting board.

As always keep your ears open, eyes pealed, powder dry and you head down.

Eck!

Fire, shoot. Ready?

2011-01-29T13:20:00.005-05:00

There are a profusion of anti- gun bloggers that have commonality.

They hate guns. Their belief system is wrapped around a negative view of a machine.

They exhibit negative bias toward those that use/own them.

They will ignore facts where they conflict with any held belief.

They lie often, sometimes knowingly, more often as a result of steadfast adherence to mistaken beliefs.

First truth: Guns have no morality, they will perform their designated task of propelling a projectile at target, game, or human or any other object pointed at. The use of metal, plastic and wood imparts no intelligence and therefore no willfulness in the machine.

Second truth: Guns are mechanical devices,they must be pointed and the firing mechanism must be operated or they will do nothing on their own by design.

Third truth: When you pick up any firearm what follows is your responsibility, completely. It's use can make you a hunter, marksman, hero, or criminal and all are a choice.

Forth truth: Firearms are property like all property, homes, cars, or a can of gas. Taking any of those is theft. Lawful taking of those requires due diligence and due course.

Fifth truth: Laws punish criminals they do not prevent them. No law prevents that. Law is the tool used to punish those that willfully do not obey.

Sixth law: incorrectly crafted law can create criminals out of law abiding people, they can also make it easier for criminals to escape punishment. Bad law is an offense to those would obey and useless to those who must enforce.

Seventh law: Well meaning people are often no better than dictators and despots. See Fifth law. Also see the the law of unintended consequences.

Supreme law: The United States has a founding document and also The Constitution, our supreme law that identifies both citizens and governmental rights, responsibilities and controls. This is not a document to cherry pick which ones you like or not.

Eck!

Running with scissors!

2011-01-26T10:34:00.006-05:00

This is not about evolution. it is about devolution.

When I was a kid I was told to not run with scissors or knives because if I fell
I could get hurt. It extends to other things like watch where your going!

News noise this am..

The locals of the NYC area (and even Arkansas) want to ban walking and texting and also idiots and their Ipods listening with earbuds. Why? They are oblivious to the surrounding and have fallen into fountains, open manholes, and in front of buses! Seems to me if these people are so disconnected and unaware then Darwin should win as in they are unfit to survive and pass those so stupid it hurts genes to their kin.

I call nanny state. Oh, and bullshit. If you are that stupid to be code white and walking around then being robbed, run over, falling into a fountain, or falling in a hole is deserved for that level of being so stupid it hurts. I don't advocate violence to them. I do advice protect your self as they are dangerous to others in that their actions may trigger others. For example if a dumbshit is walking on the tracks with a loud Ipod and the train hits the emergency brakes all those unknowing in the back now have sprains, breaks and cracked skulls for proving inertia is real. Its all the worse likely the train couldn't stop anyway for the Darwin candidate.
I'd bet for the bus riders the same result if that bus had to stop hard.

When law makers pass this level of protective nanny there is only one solution for the aware, flee the area as it is a high danger area. After all the most dangerous place on earth has the following signs;

No Cell phones, No Texting, No cameras, No guns, No knives,

as likely there are No Police Either!

Or for that fact way to call them, photograph the perp, photograph the carnage, or defend yourself or others.

Run [Where permitted] do not walk to sanity and safety.

Eck!

I once read about the future..

2011-01-01T18:16:00.005-05:00

We are now officially in the year 2011. So big deal!

When I was 10, computers were big and a big deal.

When I was 16, we put our feet on the moon. But we haven't since.

Now I'm approaching 58, I can put that computer in my pocket. We still aren't going to the moon or any damn where else.

We don't fly faster than we did in 1969 either.

Every possible idea I've read about in shiny science fiction pretty much hasn't happened. Well that not true. Seems all the dark things, maybe even dystopian ones are more like what we are looking at.

The flying cars, space travel they seem to be incrementally slow in coming. What was known then and forgotten now, or seemingly so, is to do this requires energy (besides that of oil). More correctly, cheap, clean and abundant energy so that even inefficient methods can work. Cheap energy is infrastructure. However what was sometimes missed in the SF world is energy is in our current world, the equivalent of money.

Nope, the future is not yet here, and it sucks. You want to read SF then that has a hint of now, read the short story anthologies, seems some of that is here.

Eck!

Tradition, ah feh!

2010-12-06T21:50:00.006-05:00

Ah ha! Some of the ah, family tradition on this.

First que the music for the Ten Commandments, yes Charlton Heston... Nah thats not
it. We need Tevye, Yes, that works!

Now with no excess of flourish..

The adult male is foremost as it is his role to gather "The Tree", but since Christians are known to borrow on Hebrew tradition the first being guilt. For example we hear from the Missus, Frank, when are we going for "The Tree". Typical response is after the game. Wrong! Frank will be introduced to the proper answer, Now Frank, if you ever want sex again! Now with three kids it's likely that is more than an idle threat and way to close to fact. With that resolved Frank, the Missus, and the kinder, all three of the darling stair steps, are captured and swaddled in their best winter gear against the 42 degree cold. Where upon they trundle down the road in the family van to "The Tree" farm. Now note the kinder are far from old enough to be loose and there are all manner of sharp implements about so Frank opts for the precut tree. So off to the racks to the mob doth waddle. Now the Missus is not loath to notify every one to stay together (for disassembly is possible with all those cool sharps) and search for "The Tree" Which by all accounts exists and will be perfect. Now we take a moment to consider that trees grow mostly wild and tend to have varying genetics and many will suffer less than stellar upbringing due to crowding and, oh yes, the weather. Now back to the great tree hunt. Trees will be stood upright and viewed with an eye, usually less than expert but the attempt is to look that way to the farmer. this will progress for about 20 minutes where upon one of the kinder, even bet it's the youngest, will exclaim, MOMMY IN NEED TO PEE, ugh, loudly. After assurances it's not a matter of extreme immediacy the very tree will be deemed "The Tree" without observing the truck has a severe case of scoliosis of the trunk. It will be thumped and if most of the needles remain it is claimed and paid for. Often the farmers crew will do the honors of lashing it to the van as in prior years, when the new owners of "The Tree" were left to their own, accidents, police reports and depositions ensued.

Once home the kinder that needed to pee will inform the keepers too late. The winter swaddling will be shed. some on the floor, couch, beds, kitchen chair, and likely some back at the farm. This leads to Frank having to rassle with "The Tree" which as fewer needles now due to a blistering trip home on the highway at a mere 80 miles per hour, down off the van, alone. Bringing it in the house usually works like this, Frank your getting needles all over, yes dear. Where "The Tree" stand Is rescued from hiding, dusted off, and convinced to hold properly straight "The Tree", remember it was the one with really bad scoliosis. That process usually involves about 45 dollars of quarters in the family cuss jar, one of the kinder saying I'm telling mommy, one cut finger, tools that Frank the accountant never uses, and a pledge this is the last time and next year will be artificial.

Decorating "The Tree" will be reserved for, oh no!

Hope all your holidays are happy and joyous!

Eck!

Assume the position...

2010-11-27T13:12:00.004-05:00

That history is pop culture!

Ah, and you thought this was about TSA. Well maybe. it's about truth history and myth and oh yes, propaganda.

The premise of history is pop culture is from a guy named Mr Wuhl. Now this is not all that odd when you consider that when the whole story is told often we find the popular story is anything but TRUE. But like Wuhl said, History is pop culture.

However, my tack on this is not his debunking of myth and history but, the idea that most popular stories be they really really old or cooked yesterday on some blog are universally true. Bullshit! If anything the probability is what it made a good story was it being anything but the whole cloth. I'd bet the best stuff was indeed made from cow waste.

So when the legend becomes fact, print the legend. So, likely stories we hear from out own imperious leaders are likely going to have the same Bullshit content as er, uhm, history!

Look up on the net Wuhl and Assume the position.

Keep your powder dry, hoard your precious lead,

Eck!

Orwellian

2010-11-24T21:24:00.004-05:00

Four legs good, two legs better.

So it goes without TSA chiefs, Congress critters, Senators, and likely their families having to be screened. I'm sure many other of their select friends will get exempted too.

The rest of the sheeple will get screened, xrayed, and groped for security sake and
apparently like it.

Right arm please so we can read the chip. Baa to you too.

Eck!

Authority, right?

2010-11-24T08:44:00.002-05:00

TSA is a government authority and claims as such they have the right to touch you and your children. Sounds specious to me.

The Catholic church has gone down this path with rouge sexual predator priests and by covering it up gave it Papal authority. We see that has caused problems. Illegal acts under the authority of government is still crime.

I'd bet that while the TSA can make claims of "its for your own good" there is absolutely no proof that there is good and if examined closely it may be proven that it has done damage to people.

How?

We know there are TSA people that feel they are being abused by being called names, also some have been clear they don't want to touch others "junk". Hey like the millions of business travelers that need that job suck it up or quit your job.

We know they reuse the gloves, so any "bad" stuff picked up from one person is transfered to another. This is not sanitation, at best personal protection for the TSA agent.

We know they have rudely upset rape victims, sexual assault victims, children, breast cancer survivors, Ostomy patients, and amputation survivors.

We also know there are many people that to the level of severe stressful reaction do not like to be touched or knowingly be seen naked even by a fuzzy X-ray or milimeter wave imaging system.

One area we don't know is how the X-ray based devices do on exposure as that is significant for cancer and to people that have survived cancer. We do know that just flying exposes the user to the effects of cosmic rays. We also know that pilots are more likely due to length of exposure that they see greater risk ad do not want the additional X-rays.

So in the end it's OK if the US government does it but outside the TSA screening area it's still sexual battery or worse. Those that want to test that theory just check what the risk is. On the street doing that (especially to a legal minor) will get you prison time, and classed as a sexual predator complete with the requirement to have your name on a sex offenders list for life.

I call this tipping point. The only unknown is if we will see short memory where the sheeple will just get used to it and submit. Maybe they will start chipping the sheeple like pets
as a faster identify the compliant from the potential terrorists.

Eck!

two by two, hands of blue

2010-11-18T07:42:00.003-05:00

Fact the following were events that originated in a foreign country..

Shoe bomber..

Underwear bomber...

Shipping explosives in printers..

Fiction..

A image of someone naked or a invasive pat down that includes touching genitals and breasts will prevent the above from happening.

Duh! They already happened, the flight started outside this country and its too freaking late.

Security kabuki. We no longer have the right to unfettered travel if all public conveyances are monitored and controlled like the TSA or worse by the TSA.

Madams and sirs please have your papers ready.

Eck!

TSA Gate, slopes slippery

2010-11-16T16:08:00.009-05:00

We start on a fall day, September 11th, 2001 with terrorists hijacking four planes for the purpose of crashing them as flying bombs.

On that day you went to the airport and got screened for guns, swords and bombs and other unsafe things and boarded a plane.

On that day the cockpit door didn't lock and if it did it was pretty flimsy.

On that day a hijack usually meant a survivable outcome as the passengers and plane were bargaining tool for some criminals to be freed or an escape to another nation.

Since then we have locked secure doors to the cockpit.

Since then we strip search the passengers and crew.

Since then many of those that service the plane on a daily basis are not closely checked.

Since then every threat that made it on a plane originated in another country.

Since then we have a massive security force called TSA.

Since then we have spent billions on magical appliances that do not find bad things but do bad things.

Since then we get property stolen from baggage we cannot lock anymore.

In 9 years of security kabuki we see more of our personal space infringed and outright stolen but no real security as every bit of it was after some event HAPPENED {note past tense}. We had our rights to being unmolested eroded severely.

So lets look at what works..

We lock the doors of the cockpit limiting access for bad guys to the critical controls.

We fight like hell with possible terrorists to prevent success, be they flight 93, shoe bomber or underwear bomber.

We disarm passengers, seems that the bad guys are still holding the cards there. Seems
disarming passengers might just be the wrong way.

We still let too many unchecked people clean and potentially put bad things in planes.

We still have criminals in and around the luggage bays, we know that as material possessions are being stolen from baggage. If criminals are handling or near baggage then the plane is still at risk. Since then with enhanced security we expect our bags to arrive and be untouched. Too often things are stolen out of them.

In the end all that TSA stuff is useless, as in pointlessly useless. Also seems that people in the plane are the biggest weapon against terrorists and are totally unarmed. But locking the cockpit door does work, shame the pilots aren't armed.. SHAME ON YOU TSA for doing nothing provably useful. But they claim that flying is not a right, and they also want to be in bus stations and at train stations, I guess that will no longer be a right to unfettered travel.

Sirs and madams please present your travel papers.

Eck!

Date rape without dinner or rufies

2010-11-14T22:01:00.003-05:00

For those that think being part of a costly unpaid porno shoot is ok...

Welcome to the TSA grope fest. Things you can do to make the experience better for them.

Arrive mildly sedated but not drunk.

Wear a thong, gstring, or better go without.

Remind them your a virgin.

Moan!

Offer to marry the "inspector".

Me I think taking the train or other private conveyance I control seems less offensive to ME!

Papers madam?

Eck!

Sarah, There is No "S" in the Word "Club".

2010-10-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

Sarah Palin is out for blood (again) this time against an Alaska CBS affiliate. She's accusing the station's reporters of conspiring against Joe Miller, calling them "bastards" and suggesting that the initials CBS stand for "Corrupt Bastards Club."

Now that would work if that stupid bint was in Canada, where one of the television is the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

But she is not.

Random Musings, and It Must Suck to Be a Kid Nowadays

2010-10-31T14:57:00.001-04:00

If you drive like a moron, either hogging the road or overly aggressive driving, and you are driving an identifiable company vehicle, then you should not be too surprised when your boss's voicemail is overflowing with complaints that have been called in by the drivers that you so blithely offended.

I cannot wait for Tuesday to come and go. I am so sick of being bombarded with campaign ads and telephone calls. Most of my incoming landline calls for the last week have been political-begging calls. The only difference seems to be that the local Democrats have live people calling and the Republicans are using robocalls. There are a couple of clowns running that I absolutely won't vote for because I know them or of them and they are creeps.

Haven't you stupid monkeys out there ever seen a cop pull over a motorist before? Haven't you ever seen a cop park his cruiser to protect a motorist who is changing his car's tire? You'd think not, judging from the number of vehicle-operating primates who had to slow down in order to take a look. Eyes front and drive on, you stupid, stupid monkeys.

Got my candy ready. I hope the kids have fun tonight. It just feels odd to see kids in their early teens out trick-or-treating who are escorted by their parents. It must have been a different time when I was young; kids who were old enough to walk to school were let out on their own for the annual Extortion of Candy.

It's not just that. I go for walks early in the morning, starting out well before dawn. On my return leg, the school buses are picking up the young ones for school. I watched one bus pick up kids, move to the next stop, and pick up some more. The difference between the two stops was less than 100 yards. At all of the stops that I've seen, there is at least one parent in attendance. For my last job, I had to change my route to work to avoid going past a local school complex in order to not get stuck in the crush of SUVs and minivans which were dropping off kids.

For most of the school districts I attended as a child, one had to live more than a half-mile from the school to get bus service in grammar school, a mile for junior high and a mile-and-a half or two miles for high school. Less than that, you had to hoof it and it didn't matter if it was bucketing down rain or -20deg. If you got bus service, the stops were well separated and you walked to them. Other than maybe the first day of school, I never saw a parent at a bus stop. My family lived or a time in a town where there was no school bus service whatsoever; you had to walk to school or, if you lived far enough away, you were given a bike permit.

In the summer, everywhere I lived, it was the same. If the weather was good, you got up and you went outside to play. You'd come home to lunch and then it was back out the door to play until it was time for supper. If you were taking music lessons, then part of the day was allocated for practice. You and your friends were expected to make your own fun, totally without adult supervision. It didn't matter if it was a semi-rural new subdivision or an old suburb with two-decked houses and small yards, summer came and you, your siblings and your friends were on your own. Thanks to Drs. Salk and Sabin, "polio summers" were a thing of the past.

If you wanted to read, you could go to the library. If you had the money, you could go to the movies (fifty cents for kids 12 and under, 75 cents for teens and adults). There was one movie theater in the town, one screen, and one horrible summer, only one movie played for the entire summer. (Which is why, to this day, I cannot force myself to watch Dr. Zhivago.) If you wanted to roam the woods out back with a BB gun, nobody thought anything about it.

All that has changed, of course. So many kids seem to be in structured activities year-round. There is also a pervasive fear, real or not, that child molesters will hoover kids up from the bus stops if they walk to school or if they are allowed to get off the bus unattended. The local school district's buses will not let kids off at a stop if there is not at least one adult to receive them.

I suspect that it is not as much fun to be a child nowadays.

Hey YOU!

2010-10-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

Consider this brief Public service message..

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE!!!

I really don't care for who, thats your choice. Or for that fact against whom as desired.
Only that if you didn't vote, besides being scum, you are going to be told to go whine elsewhere if you do not like the result.

That is all!

Eck!

Somewhere it's lunchtime, its true!

2010-10-19T12:21:00.002-04:00

I'd like to repeat and follow up..

A while back there was Babylon 5:

Who are you?

What do you want?

Where are you going?

Who do you serve and who do you trust?

It's fair and wise to ask those question of those that claim to lead us, advise us and use the modern term be an expert. The last time it was a look inward, this time I apply it to those that would try to propagandize me.

When I hear news or read a blog I try to understand the source, their beliefs and if any goals. Often only one of those is exposed so reading critically is required to glean those elements. Once they are understood it's easier to understand the full message and the motivations behind it and more importantly if the message is truthful, biased truth, falsehood or opinion. All are possible and exist on the Internet realm. Know the difference and why.

As usual, heads up, keep a sharp eye, be aware.

Eck!

In the hills

2010-10-10T17:58:00.001-04:00

To be fair to rural life I have to post this..

I lived in the southern tier of the Pocono hills of PA, an interesting areas as it's along the Appalachian Trail and a really nice though parts of are remote as all get out. Life slowed down and was generally healthier. Hunting was good and not fouled with a million contradictory regulations. People there were private but would help in an emergency. The nearest Sears or other store was 45 miles away in Allentown or Wilksbarre. A car or truck was a must have as everything was a decent ride. Living there was different in small ways things like trash meant a weekly trip to the town landfill. Where on a weekend you get to talk to your neighbor from a few miles down the road. A good well was important and property that was not all rock that could pass a perk test was deemed buildable. Trees were cut for two reasons to build with or keep warm. Often they were replaced with fruit trees or the opened up area was cultivated for crops if the soil was decent.

Still makes me think of warm summer days hiking the local paths, watching for bear or maybe a snake.

Seems a different land and time long gone.

Eck!

Fire!

2010-10-09T10:39:00.004-04:00

Lately we have heard of a situation where a man lost his house in the rural area of Tennessee. Its unfortunate that it happened and worse that animals died.

Id argue that the fire dept should have suppressed the fire if only to prevent it spreading as a fire safety measure for land and neighbors. They didn't, nothing changes that.

If the 75$ was an over sight or "ah, not needed" one wonders if same applies to insurance? What other oversights or skips existed.. unknown.

But..

There is the sticky issue of responsibility. We can argue the politics and economics of the fire till the cows arrive. The bottom line is, everyone at the end of the day is responsible for their safety and efforts to maintain it. With that said, if there is a fee to have the fire department arrive, pay it or provide a water storage, pump and hose to protect yourself or at least do control and if you paid till the heavy gear hits the driveway.

Seems harsh I realize but the key here is if your in the outlying areas the time it takes to get there may be too great to save anything. Did he have a first line of defense, Did he consider it? Hey you out there, is there a fire extinguisher in YOUR kitchen? Do you expect the fire department will arrive to put out that bacon grease fire before it destroys the kitchen?

Bottom line fires are a major disaster wherever you are! All efforts are to prevent as the damage is always extensive enough to be costly or result in being without housing. First step always is protect thyself, family and pets.

Fire protection, water, extinguishers, safety measures with flammables, electrical safety, and knowledge of how to fight basic fires go to managing risk or prevention.

Insurance, this is an after the fact device so you have a shot at getting back to normal as fast as possible. Any extra fees for rural fire service is a must and part of that.

How do I know all this.. I lived in the Poconos PA and the nearest fire department was nine miles away and the roads were narrow and nasty if snow was present. A neighbor had a chimney fire from green pine. There were 15 long minutes spent with buckets and garden hoses before the first volunteer arrived. The owner was lucky, enough was done to save the house and within three months the house was habitable again and a few more to restore all the rooms to the before fire condition. the local fire people were good but they admitted for the region getting there fast enough was their greatest problem. It can happen to you, are you prepared?

Keep your powder in a safe place and have water handy.

Eck!

poor, no you're not allowed

2010-10-04T13:58:00.003-04:00

MA gun laws.

To own a basic .22 caliber rifle:
FID hunter safety course $100, FID $50, must be member of gun club $180 plus initiation, Also be a member of GOAL or NRA too, and not including any special hoops or barrels to hurdle..

This means if you are unable to pony up over $300 on speculation your FID will be approved you cannot exercise a right. This translates to only those that have excess money aka the rich can exercise this right.

Is this broken?

Eck!

That can't possibly be!

2010-10-03T17:49:00.000-04:00

La, lala, la, la la.

Eck!

Rights, right?

2010-09-29T13:43:00.004-04:00

Things never banned..

The state concerned over the high number of traffic accidents and thefts causing accidents has passed a new policy.

Under this ruling cars can be {cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, powered transport or capable of powered transport} .

Effective today the cost of drivers license increased to 500 dollars, and good for 1 year.

You must apply for it with the local chief of police and as it's may issue the chief may deny for no specified reason.

You cannot apply for it if you have any prior civil, criminal or traffic infractions.
You must be 18 or older.
You cannot purchase a car without a valid license and if for any reason your license becomes invalid you must return the car to an authorized holder or dealer.
Owning or having a car with an terminated or expired license on your property is a felony.
Your license must be valid to sell a car, if you sell more than 1 a year you must have dealers license.

You cannot sell your car to anyone that does not present a license.
There is a mandatory 14 day waiting period on all sales.
You cannot have more than one car unless you are a business with prior approval.

All transfers and sales must be checked through the License Authority to confirm the buyers license is valid.

A license check is required to buy gasoline.

When not in use or under the control of it's licensed owner the car must be disabled, secured in a garage, and locked using a lock approved by the police chief.

You must be register to the car you are driving and the car must not be on any prohibited list created by the energy conservation enforcement people.
Other licensed drivers may only use your car if you are present.

The major cities, since there is mass transit you must prove you need a license as you have no need to drive.

You may not drive your car to another state unless the license and type is recognized there.

You must file Part B of Registration if the car is from another state and it must be verified it is not modified outside the compliance list.

See I didn't ban cars either. I am reasonable. Of course if your rich or important this is not a handicap.

Eck!

What happened?

2010-09-27T11:23:00.005-04:00

My brother was a sharp wit. So I'll borrow from him again as it applies.

Regarding the "Reasoned discourse" which was anything but..

It wasn't a total failure, as it can stand as an example of what not to do.

Or maybe, Those that repeat history are doomed to finally learn it.

May favorite was, In a battle of wits, you are unarmed, go away, quickly.
He was of no patience with those that made claims and not much else.

Bottom line it was the old rehash of Usenet troll post of leading with ideology, beliefs and some fragmentary statistics and engaging in a flamewar unprepared. Back in the Usenet days we had users that were likely experts in a wide range of fields and also good at spotting falsity and poorly thought out claims. The trolls would bring in their shills and often would get caught. In the end they were often exposed or badly ridiculed.

At the start it was clear, censorship and veiled agenda. The mind wasn't open as it required looking at many things that didn't fit the faith based model. Those that took the ball off her court got their full say and agree or not the First amendment was upheld.

I'll throw the first bone. Japete, I will defend to the end your right to say anything be it outrageous or simply poorly thought out. The expectation is you must honor that as well. All else is dishonorable.

Incoming, check six..

Eck!

2010-09-25T15:16:00.004-04:00

Over at "Common gunsense"

First I will say it with there is no common sense there.

japete said...

--quote:
See anonymous above about arming airline passengers. Wow. " but aided and abetted by those who require passengers and pilots to be unarmed. A single armed passenger or crewman could have stopped the terrorists from taking over the plane, or significantly helped in preventing continued use of the plane." Are you sure you want that in writing? You have no idea if a single armed passenger could have stopped those terrorists- conjecture on your part and not fact.
--close quote

This is faulty on so many levels. Horribly so and an insult to those passengers of flight 93 and the three other aircraft that day.

At 09:28:17, Hijackers took over flight 93 with presumed intent of crashing in the Washington DC Captital area with one of the major government sites being targeted.

Due the the availability of flight recorder, radio communications and more than 10 cellphone calls the course of that flight was clear. The passengers did attempt to overtake the hijackers and interrupted their plan. We do know the crash was the result of the passengers attempting to take back the aircraft by physical force but were unable to do so before the hijackers crashed it rather than fail completely.

As such The people of Flight 93 exhibited the valor we expect of heros, they acted to the fullest extent rather than die in vain. To say it another way they were trying to be responsible and prevent a tragedy of greater proportions and possibly save their lives as well. This is not speculation.

Had one or several passengers a weapon of any effectiveness such as a firearm their capability to overcome the 4 hijackers would have have a higher probability of success. To deny they could have possibly had a better chance if armed is remarkable.

Japete's comment is a off hand dismissal without critical consideration. I would submit she believes that is because a firearm/gun is only evil and therefor cannot be of assistance. This is a failure of thought, counter to the initial precept of "an open mind.." and indicative of the underlying belief system. To wit, all guns cause death and therefor are evil. This is not fact it is belief. At this point we cannot have discourse as the initiator has made clear if it does not support her position all other positions are to be denied, derided, dismissed, suppressed and in the most most disingenuous ways to hide from a presented argument. This is corrupt to the fullest extent. Though the answers given to her have been met with a clear and consistent pattern of deceit and deception and obfuscation.

To this I call bullshit!
You are a liar, disingenuous and employ obfuscation in the conversation, it's not name calling is a clear use of descriptive terms regarding your acts.

Liar: a person who tells lies, falsehoods are lies.

Disingenuous: lacking in candor; also : giving a false appearance of simple frankness : calculating

Obfuscation: the concealment of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, intentionally ambiguous, and more difficult to interpret.

late update:
Thank You Joe Huffman:

Cognitive dissonance, when there are two ideas in conflict and they cannot be resolved and can manifest as cognitive distortions. This would form a cogent basis for the failed attempt to communicate where the belief system is confronted. See Wikipedia Cognitive distortion for more detailed analysis.

Your "Japete" actions are a ruse intended to present your view and only that and by doing so attract an audience. I firmly believe you have achieved attracting an audience but have failed in the most unattractive way to present an unbiased stance. I'm sure you got your faithful club members that believe your truth as they are also incapable of critical thought and willingly accept bankrupted thinking. Unfortunately for you you have attracted the curious and those that oppose failed thinking as well as those that believe in th right to own firearms for lawful use and I fully believe [but without any facts on my part to support it] that is the larger audience and they are clearly displeased with your tragic denial of anything that does not fit your paradigm. So you filter as a defense mechanism any answer that would not meet the ridding of evil guns criteria and it comes from the only violence you know.

Gun violence is a subset of violence. Any critical thinker can explain that but you cannot accept it. The converse, that is all gun violence is a superset of violence is patently false. You have asserted that position. By logic we conclude that removing guns does not remove violence and your thinking is defective. End game, discourse is not possible as the end result is only two sides delivering their position and there is no exchange possible.

Regarding compromise:

The end this discussion is in USA, our Constitution article 2 makes clear firearm ownership is a right. One that is being abridged incrementally without due consideration. When good citizens are forced to pay outrageous fees, climb all manner of bureaucratic walls, submit to regulations that are a minefield then the laws invoked are defective and must be struck. The courts have been presented with cases that clearly show the line is being crossed and have ruled that was so. We have no need to present arms to compel the government as it is still legitimate and the judiciary is still functional.

When compromise has the effect of suppression or submission without serving a greater good it is corrupt. We have seen compromise, the greater good is that common citizens are frustrated when they attempt to use the tools of self defense. That is broken.

To the uncritical thinkers:

I have gone past compromise and I find I near nothing left. You are whistling in the wind, ignoring reality and are the very wolf at the door. I have a low tolerance of varmints, be gone.

Everyone else; heads up, look ahead, look right, look left and check your six.

Eck!

Singing pigs and Logic

2010-09-24T16:57:00.006-04:00

My younger brother once taught me a lesson.

It's impossible to argue with an irrational person.
Simple and very profound and painfully accurate.

The anti-firearms people and the religious fanatics are birds of a kin. They fervently believe they are right with nothing but false data, bankrupt conclusions and a firm belief that this time they can make it work. Since they do not aspire to critical thought, you cannot engage them in a dialog that does not either support their beliefs or result in stalemate.

Doing the same thing repeatedly is a symptom of insanity. Insanity is often applied as irrational thoughts and/or actions. Entering a discussion with a known outcome and hoping for a different one is a risky behavior.

With that if you do not want to appear insane, it is suggested that discourse with irrational people should not be attempted.

Or put anther way. Teaching a pig to sing is pointless. It annoys the pig and most everyone else. There is remote chance for success.

Ear plugs and secondary hearing protection are well advised.

Eck!

9 years..

2010-09-11T10:09:00.003-04:00

I will not forget.

I am no longer angry.

They should fear me.

They will never rent space in my head.

I will try to be prepared.

We must still be the nation of laws that existed on 9/10/2001

Today is the 9/11 and nine years later. I can't forget the horror, shock and dismay.

I was angry, but life has taught me anger is sometimes a poor motivator. However, I have resolved to be more alert, prepared and have put some deep thought on who is best able to protect me, and those around me. As a result I do not fear them as I will not go to them and play on their field and if they come to me I get to play on my field. On my field I make the rules, they are designed for me to win. Reminder, you (the vermin) "We have awakened a sleeping giant and have instilled in him a terrible resolve" (Yamamoto) applies to you.

I prepare, not out of fear. I have learned that hurricanes, tornadoes, lightening, and inattentive drivers are a greater risk to my having a bad day. I prepare for those with an eye to the possibility of the unlikely. The vermin that made this day infamous I cannot prepare for as they did the unlikely though with far less than complete success.

For those that insist that we should be a nation of disarmed sheep overburdened with incomprehensible laws and nearly autonomous security agencies I say you have sold out to them. Them being those that want America to fail, collapse or die. They have no designs to invade, convert or change us. They only want anarchy so they can have it their way. To that I say stay over there, shoot each other up, live like vermin. Don't come here, we for the still shoot vermin. Hunting varmints is an American tradition too.

Message to the vermin. We are a free an open society. Open debate is encouraged. Do not let the few that are favorable to your case, belief or riotous cause give you cheer. It is only commentary and debate, and it can easily turn on you.

We still remain.

Eck!

The Big Lie

2010-09-05T13:35:00.002-04:00

While touring the web I come to witness a perfect example of The Big Lie. Seem the rapacious religious right has no moral qualms about the use of hyperbole or out right Lies.

Tolerance is not negotiable. Bullies are not good, right or even moral. Bullies abusing anyone be they, geeks, gay, nerd, poor, shy, or whatever should have no place to hide. They are about power and control, they live for fear induced in others. They are criminals. Those that suggest not squelching those activities are criminals as are those the "look the other way".

Bottom line, schools should be safe and promote education, not hives of petty criminals
maintaining their domains like prisons.

Eck!

interstate travel politiboro

2010-08-31T22:14:00.004-04:00

I was told I have to go to Connecticut on business. Who would have thought it would be so involved. So far the paperwork is going smooth, I got the visa today. Now I have to get a passport. I haven't been out of state for over a year so I have to comply with the new regulations. I'd love to move inland to get away from the coastal border states. I'll have to check on emigration visas. I'm told the Toyota has to be approved for travel across borders now, you know washed free of any plants, mud and the like. That will be a pain as I also help with the community composting and methane project. Makes a mess all that gunk. However the synthefuel is available and company is paying. Good thing too at almost nine bucks a liter. I figure if all goes well I'll use maybe 50 liters. I have my shot card, seems one state over they are having problems with immunizations and cross border travelers have to be careful. So many things to worry about, speeding for one. Jim mentioned today the CT dronecop cameras spotted a speeder heading for the border and those RPG7s make a hell of a mess with traffic. He said it took almost an hour to get a tractor there to push the mess off to the side. Doesn't pay to speed, or run for the border the MA cops use drones too. Which is why I'm going to the other state I'm a engineer for Copssee Corp, finest observer drones, sucks but, eating is good when it's regular. Anywho back to the passport. Let see they want the date 31/08/2010. They got all the other stuff including the $1000 fees, seems all the various contractors get $20 each to update their databases. Some one missed one database, they shot on sight. Good thing the actual passport is free. Oh,reason for travel, business. Any activities while visiting? Use the expected answer, All legal purposes. After all it's a legal form and binding. All done.

Used to be a time when I lived on Long Island, part of NY even now, and I'd take the boat across to CT just to look at all the big and cool boats. Now I'm one of the few in the company thats been to oh maybe 25 other states and even lived in three different ones. Kids
don't do that now. Use to be the day I'd take a ride for fun to New Hampshire and maybe Vermont too. Even fuels then were less than ten cents a liter. Fine days back then. I hear building a boat requires a permit. Rumor is there was a big boat burning about two years ago and the video reported it as a building fire near the water. Story was someone built a boat and just as they completed it the travel bureau found it. No permits I guess.

I have to remember to give Jake the itinerary for the trip back. Like I said the job is bad but bits of needed info still get to those that may be able to use it. I mentioned that the 5RE model are 3KM altitude capable. Rocks were too common apparently. Shouldn't take much
methane to launch a spud that high. I keep playing with old steam engines. Theres not much wood to power it but a little steam can really make things happen. I keep seeing glints in the sky, the boiler must be attracting attention. Good thing it's not close to the house. Shoot and check for victims, you know.

Didn't used to be this way, not even sure when it happened. It is what it is.

Eck!

Crasy, thats all just..

2010-08-25T16:57:00.005-04:00

Every so often the eye will juxtapose words. Some of todays reading put this pair together.

"Christian conservatives" “a violent cult with the goal of world domination”

Now if we ponder that the whole thing it's reads like a rather baroque line out of a classic spy movie. Actually it was part of an article of one groups misgivings toward another. I just took the who and grafted it to the what and it fit who's own model as to be recursive.

Makes me think the who in that instance is reading the Acme(1) Anvil and Fireworks companies version New Acme Bible. Maybe they are drinking the Acme artificial sugary red drink as well. Be very scared of the erstwhile real Wile E Coyote for he is "A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim."(2).

Keep your powder safe as old Wile is running around wearing sheeps costume.

Eck!

1) ACME is a acronym for A Company that Makes Everything, it's is also irony of the high point or acme. In the case of poor Coyote everything was misapplied and therefore broken.

2) Quote by —George Santayana

Google's New Motto: Be Evil

2010-08-22T18:19:00.000-04:00

If it were not for net neutrality, Google as a company might not even exist today. The only word that Google's agreement with Verizon to gut net neutrality is, in a word: Evil.

The operating principle is the old one of "I've got mine, fuck you."

Google turns out to be just another slimeball, selfish corporate behemoth.

not good

2010-08-14T09:55:00.002-04:00

146000001.5

No magic in that number. It's a lot of people that do not have jobs and the .5 is those of us that get maybe part time paying hours work a week when we formerly had a "real job".

That part of a nasty little upset some ass calls a recession. I call bullshit on that. It's a depression. The last major recession I know was early 1970s, aerospace companies were closing and gas jumped up more than two times and we had people looking for work and not finding any as employers had folded or was trying to survive as well. Then came the foreclosures. Well that was nothing like today but it did in a lot of neighborhoods close around those prime jobs that became empty buildings. My dad made his money in construction, thing like roofs, siding, dormers, new kitchens, finished basements, when money got tight for home owners that were barely working or not working he was impacted. My college was impacted by that and so on. There is never one victim, a company goes down, employees are let go, they move out or buy less, the corner store starts to go under, gas station sells
less gas price goes up, the corner store doesn't hire kids for the summer, prices go up,
the kid delivering newspapers makes less as every 5th house is now empty.

If you younger than 35 you never saw this before. Never mind the big one from 1929 that put the country in lines looking for a bread, maybe a little work too. Well boys and girls, this is it. Maybe not the bread lines, tent cities and large migrations like the great depression but look close the food pantries are working their asses off, people are buying less, or worse relying on credit. This one had the same start with false investments and investments funded by credit. Because the the ripple effect is so great many areas have suffered in housing either by loss of near by jobs or large amounts of outright foreclosure. If you have a job know all the housing in those areas is going cheap, buyers market. That pot many that were betting their house would be worth more and financed 95% or more, more investment speculation. Its where people live as they are now owning something not worth the loan amount, lenders get itchy but hey, they signed up for that. Both players know they signed up for that one and would do best to ride it out as if you wait long enough it may work out or, collapse completely. Using large amounts of credit in a down betting there is an up soon is also likely to bite back. There are no credible predictions this is short lived or we are on the upswing. We cannot call that until the history books are written.

Think about finance cost, think critically for a change.

Me it's yankee thrift, savings, dry powder and a plan B and C.

Eck!

They got it right

2010-08-04T18:56:00.002-04:00

From the other side of the country..

California, federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional!

Chalk this up as the best news in a while as the courts got it right.

Eck!

math is hard

2010-08-04T09:30:00.004-04:00

The stupid it hurts!

Sometimes it's hard to distinguish newspaper reports from fiction. Sad day for the news when they forget the basics or facts and a worse one if they ignore conflicts between the two.

Same for those that read the news. Check the stated so called facts as you may find they are anything but.

Opinion is not news. You news writers need to get a hold on that. If you don't at least realize everyone else has an opinion as well and they might think you are an ass, in their opinion.

Note to the media and so called lawmakers. We have enough laws, way to many laws and the problem is not the availability of a law for every occasion but enforcement. The only thing worse than lack of enforcement are the laws that are unenforceable. So hey law guys, learn the difference between proclamations and an enforceable law.

Gotta stock up on dry powder and shot.

Eck!

Mine, mine, mine, all mine

2010-07-26T11:18:00.004-04:00

Yep that says it all. But before you claim ownership one better make sure it's both theirs and unencumbered. I propose titles for copyright, if you claim copyright you have to prove you are the title holder if there is any dispute.

Seriously, monetizing information and news is old but in the day of networking if your selling you have to allow people to have a peek, point to, and also advertise, as you do want buyers. Fair use is a peek and attribution
forget the latter and it's not fair. So fair is fair sue me for fair use with attribution and you risk getting charged an equal amount for advertising your wares. After all attribution is direct free advertising. But there are the predatory sorts and well things like lists of who they are and all are easy to manage with computers. It's not hard to blockade sections of the Internet as it's already done and in common use. It's not illegal to do that as your walling yourself off from those that may be offensive. Technology is a very sharp two edged sword. So if you get rude and nasty be wary of your own errors, they could be used against you.

Then again if you are a predator you may end up paying for that information your claiming copyright on. Just think if your dependent on people sending pictures, sound bites of events and crimes they might get the idea you have money and start expecting payment for those freebies. Highest bidder, one with best payment record.

In the end there is the big fish, as in the fish eat plankton and get eaten by bigger fish, and bigger fish still. Somewhere out there is a fisherman with a big hook going for the trophy and he has the fighting chair, bait
and the special drinking buddies needed to make the catch. So Great White Shark, meet man.

Eck!

silly season

2010-07-22T12:46:00.003-04:00

Just watching the clouds. No energy for a rant so we wander the what if highway, randomly.

Observationally there has been insanity idiocy or was it stupidity, I always have to check to see which applies.

Lessee, insane is doing things repeatedly hoping for a different result. Idiocy the process of exercising a loss of intelligence. Stupid ignoring all possible education and input.

I see the, I wants, you can't haves, oh and the really wild if either of you get we all gonna mess it ups. What a septic porridge of wacks, bad intentions and fervent believers.

When you try to take the sunspots, economy, unemployment, various natural disasters, random clots of crazed people and a Dasgov into account I think the Mayans missed the boat. It's clear 2012 is not the date. How is more a interesting question. As random feeling this world will go on. Not much to support that but inertia is what it is. It may be proven that humans are more durable as a species than the common roach. With survivial and reproductive instincts to match. Civilization or what may pass for it has a far more questionable lifespan. You can't be this randomly nutty and not hurt oneself and others. No doubt law will the first to go, it's edging away even now. I think thats the tipping point. Once law breaks it tends to collapse on itself like a gas giant. What suggests this is a severe and noticeable loss in the real of critical thinking. People believing as in putting true faith in nonfunctional methods and ideas that do not pass muster as theory never minding any form of practical or logical test. People done got stupid, some slid to insanity.

So I sit and ponder. Run and hide or just continue studying history repeating, ah gas again, history. For certain being around those bloombergian cities is unhealthy, when it all goes pop fizzle fart, they will be a epicenter of chaos extending a wave of insanity out to the cruising distance of most cars and trucks like a shock wave from a blast. Then comes anarchy and all the little princes and their serfdoms. Of course all those little princes will want to be king and the dark ages and crusades will begin again.

Me I'm pondering how much technology will survive. Keeping in mind that the techocenters will likely have been deserted or worse become part of the castles moat. It's clear those that can make even rudimentary tech will have a power of sorts. Maybe the techie sorts will be subculture of hidden powers the last true magicians. I can hear the laughter now for that one. Lets face it, how many can cook raw food over a burning log without injury? Ah skip that, how many can get the log burning? Toothaches and posion ivy will get a lot of those gone feral. But those that can exceed the basic needs of survival will have an edge. Maybe the other subculture will be the keepers of books, assuming after a generation people can even read. Come to think of it many don't now.

Yep. It's gonna be quite a show. Just watching the clouds making shapes as they drift in the wind.

Eck!

2010-07-04T13:30:00.002-04:00

Today is July 4th.

As a nation we exist because we largely were not represented.
If Jolly King George had gotten the message and laid off the crap
we could be a crown colony still out at least related. Alas he didn't
and America is not of the family.

Ponder that as we have little laws like the Patriot Act and it's spawn
playing a Jolly George on the the people.

Freedom is always at risk. It may be due to nefarious people with
desire to control or destroy order or its pure stupidity either way
failure to be educated, involved and vigilant is a hazard for all.

Enjoy your fireworks assuming you're not in an nanny state where
they are banned and enjoy the holiday. Above all thank those that
made it possible, and keep it possible.

Eck!

2010-06-14T11:33:00.002-04:00

Far time long.

When time and experience collide you hopefully learn.
Some learn by books, other observe and a smaller lot
just do.

Doing is failure prone. Failure in itself, if not lethal,
is a useful thing. It can clearly flag a path that can't
succeed and possibly shorten finding the path that
just might do well. In the end the more you do the
more failures may accrue and if stupidity is not a factor
and the failures not final in any way one can become
smarter knowing what works and what just might get
ya killed or worse.

We look at the world and we see failures. Some are not so
bright others brilliant. Deepwater Horizon and the following
megamess can be looked at that way. We discovered
the bottom of the ocean and for the first time maybe we'll
pay some attention because there is stuff down there. The
downside is "we" are in the midst of making and later
cleaning one whole hell of a ecological mess. The mess
was the result of stupid doin. Maybe there will be some
learning too.

Oil booms, Dawn detergent, and rain gear be the plan of the day.

Eck!

Death of a file..

2010-04-18T13:25:00.004-04:00

In this day of mass storage and internet we take for granted information. What we miss is the loss of information that occurs around us with great frequency and quantity.

We are approaching the last flights of the space shuttles and one of the things I bemoan is that when the shuttles stop flying forever all of the information that goes into making, testing and flying the shuttle will be lost just like the earlier programs like Apollo, Gemini and Mercury. It came to pass that when NASA and their commercial vendors started down the path Constellation and Orion it was discovered that what had been done before was forgotten and mostly lost. It became a task of researching how did they do that!

How does this happen, simple really. NASA contracts to vendors and to build and do research and the vendors maintain files. If the programs files the files are kept and are retained for some period afterwards. This is both normal and typical. Later after the project has ended the retention period times out usually after 7-20 years and guess what, those files being bulky and requiring floor space are simply disposed of assuming a fire or flood has not destroyed then before then. Often this also applied to electronic files as well. If the media is not destroyed it goes moribund because the technology to read it has gone by or the computers of the time that had the devices to read it have also gone by. This is very common for the pre-IBM PC and internet era.

If you take a moment to read the blogroll for the Apollo Guidance Computer You will say one persons work to discover how did they do that and how much was not findable any more.

Hopefully this painful event may not happen to the shuttle as it's lifespan brought it into the modern PC era. However there are many files and details that could be lost just like how we got to the moon.

In this age of information being a commodity of value this one hopes that some bits of it haven't become so low in value as to be reduced to simply "We used to know how but, it's forgotten.".

Something to ponder.

Eck!

criminals, bricks and the who?

2010-03-25T08:40:00.003-04:00

Word to the radright with their undies to tight..

Busting windows is a crime, it is not protest. Civil misconduct is still crime.

As bad as dasgov may be it's fair to remind all the craphead protesters that you are the government and your misbehavior is cause and valid reason for rules and actions. You want marshall law, you might just get it. Beware as there is a sleeping populace that has a high annoyance factor and your pushing it.

For those that don't read or maybe have those Texas revisionist history books..
When King George crapped on us we didn't declare war until we exhausted all of the civil paths and reasonable protests. So far dasgov has not sent armies to assure a peace.

If you think it's bad a law then work in the system to get better law. Don't burn the system!

EOT

Eck!

2010-03-02T18:25:00.004-05:00

Bubble burst.

The captain's word came down yesterday, abandon ship,
open the bilge cocks, set hull charges and prepare to
scuttle on orders. Note to crew, you signed on with
your own safety gear. If you neglected this, swim hard.

This was not a sudden thing. It was clear from late
2008 the problem was money and the sources were no
longer there. The result is a good idea that needed
funds to get through to market, will not.

The boy scouts havent a clue, it's not be prepared its
prepare for the worst, you will be ready. Previous
gov pee'd in the pool and current gov can't smell it.
They shot the fat lady and she ain't singin.

Heads down, secure you gear, blow the hull boys.

Eck!

I Have a Bad Feeling About This

2009-12-15T12:01:00.002-05:00

We are close to ten years into the 21st Century and I am getting a really bad feeling about it.

Let's look at some facts. These are not disputable.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. It traps heat in the atmosphere.
There is more CO2 in the atmosphere than there has been at any time within the past several hundred thousand years.
More CO2 means the atmosphere warms up.
The polar ice caps are melting.
Decreasing ice caps expose more of the sea to the sun. White ice reflects solar rays a lot better than deep blue.
Permafrost is melting, which releases methane from the dead plant matter that is entombed by the ice within.
Methane is a far more effective/dangerous greenhouse gas than is CO2.

Add to that the point that there are very large and powerful groups who have a stake in the status quo and who stand to suffer some economic pain by any attempts to align the global economy away from burning fossil fuels. Many of those groups are using the same "confuse, confound and deny" strategy that the tobacco industry employed for decades. Only the stakes here are a lot higher than a few tens of millions of people developing emphysema or lung cancer.

The leaders of the world can conference all they want. But until people around the world realize that there is a problem that, irrespective of ideology or borders, has to be addressed, nothing will be done.

Nothing will be done. There will be no serious attempts to mitigate or roll back greenhouse gas production until near-disaster is upon us. The result will be that the costs imposed on humanity will be far, far higher than it would have been to try and correct things in the 1990s or 2000s. A far warmer climate will impose social dislocations and all sorts of costs, most of which we can only guess at.

The end result, I fear, is that when the 22nd Century rolls around, people will be cursing our memories with all of the fervor that they can muster.

And we will have had it coming to us.

2009-10-11T22:02:00.004-04:00

Survival, even preparing for it is very time consuming.

Not so much preparing for the grand disaster or 2012 even.

I stated the financial poop hit the blades and we hadn't seen the end of it. I was right. In Feburary Maldorf's ponzi scheme started to have a ripple effect. Yep the money he stole was money on paper others were investing. Now that means some startup lost funding and some people are going to suffer. All because the repubs allowed some good and sound legislation be overturned in 1999 to allow some securities funding methods that had previously proven unsound in the late '20s. So now my contract work is diminished and may even go away because DasGov pissed in the pie in a direct traceable way. Their health, their insurance and their standard of life is not being risked. Damn them all both spineless dems and the anything to look good repubs.

Funding and real property must be based on reality not wishes or Wall Street gambling addicts. Those pikers will bet on anything that will make 1 cent on the dollar using anyones money.

Oh and 2012, If we have a meltdown then my money is the epicenter is the multitudes of fundamentalist religious right be they Muslims or or the fundi Christians or the dozens of other "we are the only true believers". After all history has already seen what havoc they can bestow.

Those that try to cheat the public with shoddy goods and services take a hint too.

Anyhow assets are fire walled, we call that yankee thrift. Several new connections for continuance of adequate income are in the works. Skills are being refreshed and new ones added.

When I said keep your powder dry it wasn't the words of a gun nut. I was speaking to preparedness as well. But, it's going to be more than a bit before the fat lady sings.

Eck!

Things go bomp in der nicht.

2009-01-31T13:53:00.004-05:00

What scares me:

When with all the rants I see that I wasn't far off.

That others have same or similar views.

The collective we (to avoid specific IDs) all are saying it was coming, is here and and isn't over.

The distance between the have and have barely is increasing. The have barely is my name for the former middle class.

We all worry about the bottom falling out. The result being minimally losing a job, and more worrysome finances or anarchy.

More specifically.. A year ago I speculated that if you were 80% paper and limited real you were in for a hurtin. Well people that had their paper macmansions and other real estate financed with
paper that had more value than the real part of estate have been seeing foreclosure or desperately seeking additional finance. Business likewise and the banks that wrote the the paper are holding the bag but claiming its not their fault and bail us out. Any of this familiar?

Well dammit read up on the methods of finance and banking for the period of 1918 though 1930
and see if any applies to now. Nearly ninety years ago, again in the 1970s, and a repeat in the late 80s all proved one thing finance based on wishes and speculation is bogus and proceeded every one of those finance disasters.

Now to be practical with a real example. You can by electric for your home or business ferom more than one vendor, a fact. Reality is the same generator run by the same coal, oil, gas or
nuke makes that power for all the sellers. The same transformers, switches and wires deliver it regardless of who you pay. Difference none, save for your paying more as all the brokers are selling you the same thing they buy on speculation from the generation company. They all pay a
distribution company to maintain the wires and all the other hardware and you get "choice".
Bottom line is there is no choice just the results of Enron the corrupt making it more expensive so they could figure out how to take a slice. They made it something to speculate on and even after their fall it's now institution so we get to pay for every day, forever.

Likely your powder, that hopefully is kept safe and dry, has seen the same or worse speculative actions prior to your purchase.

Heads down, powder dry, bad weather gear at the ready and the rest locked and loaded.

Stay prepared.

Eck!

2009-01-07T22:37:00.001-05:00

Hey Fellas I'm back! It's been a while and I've been, well, busy.

But like the line from the movie "didn't I tell ya", well I did.

What have I been doing? Mostly preparing for the year of the jackpot. I really do believe that the repubs have really done it and that we haven't seen the end. They screwed the pooch and it's going to take Obama and friends a while to turn this boat. So it really means we just seeing a sample of the bottom that's comming at us. That's not limited to the financial disaster looming. Money is power and DAS Gov sold out, they caved faster than if they were faced with Ma Duce. Why? Look at who gets paid back afterwards.

Das Gov it's screwed up and it's going to take years to sort it all out that is if the we the people have the stomach to get in there push for the crap of the last seven years be brought under control. We have that atrocity called TSA. They are a failure because the are a bunch of thieves. No it's the the Ipods they steal it's all the money they soak up and for little real security and that's stealing. What they steal is more than the dollars it's the extortion that gives the false hope of safety as real rather than the illusion it really is. We should demand that if we
are all going to be inconvienced that they really do catch the bad guys.

Look at the world around you. The Asian world is suffering from the same finacial ruin we brought on ourselves. That I'm sure will seem right to some but the harsh reality is the world is small and if some one in China isn't working that means she can't buy the products we export either. It is a world economy, it's better to participate and be a leader.

It's going to get hard out there and it's long past time to batten the hatches. I has reached the point of prepare while you can, the best way you can.

Keep your powder dry, gas and oil tanks full and a sharp eye out. We aint seen the real fun yet.

Eck!

How to make a few million, lose a few billion of everyone elses

2008-09-26T21:53:00.004-04:00

I be busy.

That is unlike the CEOs who be bz. Smooze you luze, not at all. Seems screwup royally
and you get the show handed to you. So long as the money lost is not your money. I really wish I could fail and get a bazillion bucks.

Oh well I wonder, nah I know. Us in the trenches get our face escorted to the door when we screw up.

Keep you sights clean and the ammo can handy.

comradski Eck!

Gaters dang it

2008-07-18T21:27:00.004-04:00

Hey its been a while but life happens and all.

It's hard to remember you're drainin the swamp when you're butt deep in hungry gators.

In every project there looms a date that those that empower or pay say this happen by then. In every project Murphy sets to work planning how that date will be total bogus. But then Thats why the pay me the big and ever shrinking bucks.

Enough about swamps gators and projects, this is my off hour(s).

This is really about das gov while storing on the Bill of Rights, law and essential services has forgot to mind the door to the vault. Sooner of later the cost on money is going up and in a big way fast.

We got energy prices going nuts, This is the year lots of old people die in freezing houses or outright loose them to heating and electric bills. Some people with lower middle class jobs are facing the prospect of the cost to get to work exceeding income.

We have the banks trying to collect on bad paper for loans. They in turn are suffering the end game for poorly run business.. failure. Those that haven't failed or are in the impending doom state yet are trying to collect some of those bad loans and people are losing their homes. There there are the would be rich on paper folk that well, aren't rich anymore.

Industry is in a turmoil, cost of goods are tied to cost of material which is tied to cost... anyhow between the metals, petroleum, and intermediate goods it's a real contest to make anything and then sell it for what it cost plus some reasonable profit.

Add to that a few major public disasters, Katrina, midwest floods, fires in southeast and fire country of California, tornadoes and we have people who have lost everything and a government that can't fix it or makes it worse. Even if its a 500 year cyecle and not global warming the effect
is the same, one more pressure point on the public.

People are getting antsy, theres a growing discomfort, some are just pissed and it's getting more tangible. Over the course of history there is a boiling point and once exceeded things happen. I fear that the '60s long hot summer is due for a repeat.. or worse. Crime is like business failures, bank failures, unemployment and GNP an indicator of general social health. Right now it's getting mighty unhealthy out there. When it reaches a point where those that claim to know sense the public health is running a fever will discover it's way too late. Governments have institutional stupidity and lousy hearing, eyesight and worse memory for repeating history so counting on them to sort it out is always a delayed overreaction event.

Caio for now and remember, fresh batteries, clean water, first aid, an emergency radio, keep your helmet handy and your rifle clean. One hopes that none of will needed.

Eck!

Da poop

2008-04-16T19:49:00.002-04:00

All hail the Poop... err pope.

Well by now there is no secret I have no use for most of not all organized religion. This particular one is the last remaining vestige of the Holy Roman Empire. For those who don't read history there was a time when the pope was the supreme leader of the known world and if you didn't agree with him or the current dicta then you ran the risk of a miserable life assuming you retained it. It never fails to disgust me when I read about WWII and the German war atrocities in particular their acts of genocide against 6 million people yet apparently the Pope at that time was ok with it or chose to not look. No respect for that seat.

The 6 Million that died, the Jews, gypsies, the infirm and handicapped, homosexuals, and anyone likely that annoyed the local gestapo all suffered. For those that died, were tortured, enslaved and maltreated nothing can make up for not raising a voice against it. Human history and dignity demand that whose that did that and those that have done other despicable acts in recent times be stopped and their acts of grave sickness be spoken out loud.

It's crime, it's time at least recognize it has happened, is happening still that not doing something to stop it or speaking out against it is the worse crime. The first step is to see the act and say stop it.

We have words and they are often the only bullets we have they still have a target.

Lock, load and come out loud.

Oh, Keep your heads down.

Eck!

2008-04-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

Pet peeves:

Blogs that require Adobe flash player.. and Adobe who can't be bothered to support the OS in use. To that we award the royal fart!

The web sites that require every stinking bell and whistle be enabled so they can insure their corrupted site will infect the "Guest". Guys, content and all is nice but it really improves the "experience" if we don't have to clean up the mess you leave us. Isn't the idea to attract the user with a pleasant "experience" rather than one they remember as being like dentistry before functional pain control? To them we award a years supply of feline spent fuel rods (cat poop).

Winders in general and XP especially. Thanks for an OS that always trying and never succeeding to please it owner/user. It does succeed wildly at annoying the user/owner. We award a years supply of Brown29, that's that stuff from UrAnus Corp.

Remember their motto: UrAnus Corp, we invented Brown29, you poop and we profit.

Das Gov.. well if they succeeded at anything it's proving we are in big trouble. As they unaware they are the cause it's more remarkable. To them we award them the Golden Sewer Plant, after all they did stink up the place.

Oh, Obama and Hillary, we give no award. Seems they would rather fight each other forsaking the dumb fscking incumbent Das Gov.. likely we {the people} will get the shaft, tunnel and the sewage passing down it as a result and we don't deserve to get shat upon like that.

Utter than that, them is the words.

Eck!

2008-03-23T14:59:00.002-04:00

Happy Rabbit Day.

I say that with the full recognition that the easter bunny thing is the fiscal holiday and does not have any basis in the religious sense..

In general I pass on all organized religion. It's always seems to come down to My GAWD is, the GAWD, and your "god" is some perversion or worse. So in the end we have the fundies, be they Islamic, Catholic, or any of the other smaller but equally vocal we have it right and you are all sadly wrong types. It's pretty sad as the only count that makes any sense at all is th numbers of "faithfull" that have died in the name of "their religion", and continue to die I might add. If all that effort were put to something truly useful we would have beaten drought, famine and diseases of poverty. Not likely to happen though that would mean helping the heathens, infidels, perverts or unclean and we can't have that. Of course we also have the "they can't help what they are" mindset where the help is rendered because they are so obviously broken and we'll tolerate their sick notions till we cure them. In the end religion and das-gov are both the same as they serve themselves and not those that empowered them.

So Happy Rabbit Day.

Keep your powder dry. Eck!

2008-03-18T21:53:00.002-04:00

Hey fellas I'm Back...

Engineers:

Good, Fast, Cheap Pick any two .

That speaks to the compromises of design. technology limits you to building with whats available, and cost to develop technology is high and the quality of the result is alway in question. However fast is rarely speed like cars or computers but development time. Sometimes getting there first with less innovative but solid tech is a good path, sometimes not.

Marketing:

Good, Fast, Cheap We balanced the parameters ofthe product and the customers desires and those customers are excited with the result.

More likely they are bored, annoyed with strangely mixed features or they already have three like it. Reality has not ventured there or at best the visit was fleeting.

Sales:

Good, Fast, Cheap Yes sir/maam we have them all.

The boundary of truth and fiction was blurred by marketing but sales would never know it if it hit them in the face. The scary part is they are the consumers interface.

Das gov:

Good, Fast, Cheap We need three bids and through out the low, high, people we don't like and screw around with those that can actually do it. Then we create a set of requirements that border on the absurd and complain about the cost which those requirements have made even more costly. No matter there is an unlimited source of the needed supplies, taxpayers. Besides theres a "police action" in effect.

Foreign gov:

Good, Fast, Cheap we know dollars, send many, send trade.

Big banking:

Good, Fast, Cheap we are never fast or cheap but our stock holders demand good. Good in our case is the only metric known, profit.

Folks, if you aren't a government or a bank your screwed. One hint for the paper shufflers, if you more than 80% financed over all there is a word for that, crash. The next depression is likely to involve a lot of very sorry McMansion owners. Heres another chapter of history to be relived. This time I'm old enough to have seen the depressions of the 70s. Again we watch the stock market and the financial institutions with great interest as those of us that know it are watching all the deregulation and civil rights limiting acts of anarchy that made life so "interesting".

So batten down the hatches, keep your heavy weather gear handy, get you life preserver and pray, the sea is starting to shift.

Eck!

2008-03-12T21:41:00.003-04:00

I'm a big fan of science fiction, not that stuff that is fantasy thats a different thing. One of the best SF was B5. Why? I never failed to end up thinking a bit, and there are a few things that stick with me..

"Breen. You've managed to import breen from homeworld. How?"
"It .. isn't actually Breen."
"But the smell, the taste..."
"It's an Earth food. They are called Swedish meatballs. It's a strange thing, but every sentient race has its own version of these Swedish meatballs. I suspect it's one of those great universal mysteries which will either never get explained or which will drive you mad if you ever learned the truth."

-- Na'kal and G'Kar in Babylon 5: "Walkabout"

I always took that as a comment on how despite our global differences and all we as a species have a lot in common. Most of it's centered around surviving, having a life and maybe even doing some good. With all that in mind how is it that there are people who seem bent on destroying others because of ethnic, sex, sexual preference or just about anything difference that can be identified. There are those that would create laws to criminalize that and I tend to be for it but why even have to? Likely because those nuts would try to kill or maim if they thought they could get away with it. They claim it's it's doGs word, seems there are too many opinions of something that is just a word of mouth hand me down and a history of the old world that's less than pretty. But in the end it's using history or tradition as an excuse to abuse, hate or hurt.

I figure that light a few fires...

Eck!

Duck and cover...

2008-03-11T22:43:00.003-04:00

A while back there was Babylon 5:

Who are you?

What do you want?

Where are you going?

Who do you serve and who do you trust?

I think about those questions from time to time. The answers for me are very personal
but I'm comfortable with the answers. It serves to remind me who I am and where I need
to get to. It's fair reality check.

When I apply those questions to the world and especially the government I really don't like what I see. Das-gov is certainly reality, but real? No 'fraid not. We have a wag the dog going and all sorts of off center types trying to make USA the land of the free and all that into a fundamentalist socialist nanny state complete with all the negative vestiges of old feudal lords and status. The only good news is there are enough of the radicals sufficiently opposed they usually and hopefully nullify each other. The scary part is status quo is never stable for long and the only constant is change. Change is good but with an environment where just plain nuts seems to have sway that delicate balance fails. Thats where my head was at 30 years ago and you know what? The nuts are winning. Seems they were adopted by the corrupt and as long as the nuts utter "DOG's book says so" they feel it's right to do wrong. Some how the up coming elections may make the long hot summer seem like just a minor heatwave. For those of you that don't remember the riots or maybe you born long after them maybe reading history is worth a bit of time as repeating it really sucks.

So where is it all going? Beats me but I'm training myself to do things I would have never considered and making sure I'm good enough to win. As they say in some camps, keep the bore clean, shot handy and the powder dry.

Oh, and keep your damn head down when the shit flies.
Unless you want your name to be "casualty".

Eck!

2008-03-02T17:15:00.002-05:00

tap tap tap... Testing ahh testing testing HElloooooooo echo echooo echooooooooooo.

Seems to work. It's random wazzzup day.

Anywho over the last few weeks das-gov shoots a errant mostly bored spysat down and all is forgotten. Not likely. I'm sure the other guys noted that. One wonders what the micro-evil empires are thinking of that? Me I wonder how much more orbiting space junk there is from that to muck up other Sats and maybe manned missions? Eck hopes all that trash falls down quickly.

On a different channel we have our well paid federal officials some even work. Getting them to do anything takes an act of dog or at least something they can gain recognition for toward their real job after retirement. It would seem writing their boss might work but then even he/she would have to do his or her job and well we have a paradox. The paradox is who will work, why and when. Someday or in the federal case some daze. They do seem in a daze.

All in all watching the government at work is sorta like observing the small head, every so often
it puffs up and gets all sorts of attention. In the end it's just a little thing.

Another moment of curious boredoom from

Eck!

2008-02-14T23:01:00.002-05:00

Lesse, a spysat that didnt' work is falling...shades of Skylab where is the guy with the bullseye on his shirt. Yes, it's very '70s

The upside is a LEO (lo earth orbit) sat makes for a good watch if you get the chance and you know where and when to look. News on that is likely from the local 'lectronic Max Headroom.

All that money and it's at best light entertainment and no pictures.

Eck!

Nobody Here But Us...

2008-02-14T21:56:00.002-05:00

Buck, buck, buck, buck, baCAAAW!

A Sad Comment on the State of This Nation

2008-02-07T07:30:00.001-05:00

In trying to build up a community to write to this blog, the biggest item of resistance that I am encountering boils down to one thing: Fear that the Federal government will, one day, start coming after bloggers for exercising their right of free speech.

I've heard variations of that from three people so far, and they span the political spectrum from conservative to liberal. They aren't afraid (yet) of being disappeared into a black-box of a gulag. They fear that the Feds will pressure their employer or take direct action against their job or, in one case, cancel their work visa and deport them.

That is a sad commentary on where we have wound up as a nation after the last six years of this "Global War on Terror", that people are afraid to speak up. And, if you have read my solo blog, you know who I blame.

Oy Vey Iz Mir

2008-02-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

I think I accidentally killed Ted.

Ted is dead (as a contributor).

2008-02-04T22:21:00.000-05:00

Oh joy whitespace.. just gotta fill it with noise.

First noise, sound of linksys router being used for small arms practice.
It's a pretty box but the first was a brick. The second was worth it
almost. Wait 56 minutes on their award winning help line for someone
to answer. Then 5 minutes telling first level that this is a hard case
and to kick it to second as I've been through the drill. Once we got him
and all the pleasentries like an email address. I'm glad used a spam dump
account, 20 minutes after that the new spam dump address got a spam..
humm " we keep it private" is not true. I hate being sired too. I
mentioned that to him as we were on the line for another hour plus as
the product shipped apparently without the router software installed!
Go through the fetch, download install process. After all that...

Spend 50 bucks on computer hardware,
Return it once as dead.
new one is lights on and nuttin happenin

Get the support guy in India to say "shit thats weird" .. that's priceless.

Success, but you have to ask about quality.

Hope that didn't cost him he really had to work for this one.

Eck!

Hey, I'm Contemplating The Future, Here

2008-02-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

What I am thinking of doing (and "thinking" is probably too grandiose a word), is opening this one up to some folks who have things to say, but who may not want to run their own blog. If I do that, expect that most folks will be sympathetic to my point of view, but I hope to get some not-too-die-hard liberals in here and maybe even a conservative or two.

Hmm.

2008-02-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

I am not really sure what I am going to do here. I had the idea for the name of the blog, so I created it.

I'll think of something.