Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Healthcare

Thank goodness the Hillary Plan never got off the ground. Got this
link via Samizdata. Canadian health care in crisis, from the NYT:

"This is a country in which dogs can get a hip replacement in under a week and in which humans can wait two to three years."

And worse, in fact criminal in my eyes:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other politicians remain reluctant to openly propose sweeping changes even though costs for the national and provincial governments are exploding and some cancer patients are waiting months for diagnostic tests and treatment.

Months? That's the difference between 'whew, thhat was a close one,' and
'well, he won't be a drain on the health care industry anymore.'

Poll?

I thought polls were supposed to sample prevailing sentiment.
And the newly trumpeted Bush approval poll does -- only among democrats,
and among "independents" which often means "democrat but embarrassed
to admit it."

From News Busters:


On the bottom of the PDF version of the poll (page 18) it says how many Democrats versus Republicans were contacted.

"Total Republicans" contacted: 272 unweighted and 289 weighted.

"Total Democrats" contacted: 409 unweighted and 381 weighted.

"Total Independents" contacted: 337 unweighted and 348 weighted.

Sheesh. The headline should be: Bush Loses Support at Huffington Post.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Ben's 13 virtues

Got this link from boing boing.
I thought, cool I bet they're the same 13 as I have. Then,
well, they lost me on the first one:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

I quit reading right there, just in case he also disparaged naps.

George Michael?


Really? I could swear I've bought gyros from this guy.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Darn, it's Friday

Where did this TGIF stuff come from anyway?

No, really. And it's not just that we get closer to April 15 with
every Friday. I just really have enjoyed working on this week's stuff.
Ever have one of those weeks when just everything went right?
Yeah, me either. But MOST everything has been going well and
that's good enough for me.



Also... making it better, Sometimes all you need is the headline:

Indian officials struggle to kill chickens...

I didn't look to see if there was a picture of pyjamas clad officials, looking
plaintively for help, covered in blood and feathers.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Snow Fun


100_2272, originally uploaded by lumberjack.

Note the metallic dancing cow in the foreground.
No amount of snow seems to dampen his spirit.

Snow's gone now, for now. I wouldn't complain if
we got some more.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

engineering



I'm not a shoe guy but it's nice to see fashion moving towards something
I could repair in my garage if need be, "Go ahead and start getting ready, your
shoe will be ready as soon as the weld cools."

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Who'll Run Our Ports?

I didn't see this as a red/blue question. Just a question of
who will be in control of security. And I haven't felt the need
to delve into the mechanics of the proposed change. I'm going
to assume that opponents will be doing that.

But here's an indication that we're on the wrong path:

Former President Jimmy Carter downplayed criticism of
White House support of an Arab-owned company's
purchase of a major seaport-operations firm.
Just the headline, that's all I have to read. Abandon the
sale W, no good can come of it.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Richard Dreyfuss

From CNSnews:


Impeaching Bush Is 'Cause Worth Fighting for,' Actor Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
February 17, 2006


(CNSNews.com) - Richard Dreyfuss, the actor who starred in movies ranging from "Jaws" to "Mr. Holland's Opus," told an audience in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that "there are causes worth fighting for," and one of those is the impeachment of President George W. Bush.

Message to Mr Dreyfuss: "Yer gonna need a bigger boat."

Gutshot Liberals

Over at the Huffy Post they are *still* all bluck-bluck-blucking about the
V.P.'s hunting accident. On page 22 [!] of one of the comment threads:

This is an old mafia trick. Many hunters have used similar tactics to "scare" someone into compliance.
Take em out hunting and then threaten to shoot them. Talk about how easy it would be to get away with it.....

Tinfoil hats and underwear all around. Wheeee!

Thursday, February 16, 2006

That's Odd


Hillary Clinton wax figure is seen during the unveiling ceremony at Madame Tussauds' wax museum, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006 in New York. The Democratic senator was added to the pantheon of luminaries immortalized at the famed wax museum. The life-sized figure of the former first lady-turned-politician was unveiled Thursday, complete with a campaign-style balloon drop, flags and a full-throated rendering of 'Hail to the Chief.' (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Yeah, but the spooky part: the wax figure is warmer to the touch than the original.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Still standing


Though it's been above 32ยบ in the daytime, the snowperson abides.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Head scratcher

From the Waco Tribune:

Crowds gather for opening of Waco Hooters

By Mike Copeland Tribune-Herald business editor
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The new and much discussed Hooters restaurant opened to lines and 90-minute waits for lunch on Tuesday, proving yet again that Waco residents flock to fresh dining venues..........

......As part of a private opening party Monday evening, Monsignor Isidore Rozycki, the head Catholic priest for the Greater Waco area, blessed Waco's new Hooters.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Walter Mitty?



I've always had it in the back of my mind that I could have been
one of the great curlers of all time. My daydreams get me through
this bittersweet olympic season.

Ann says...

"Raghead?" Oh man. I guess having our own Michael Moore has it's
drawbacks. Sure, you hear worse both from the left and the right, but
still...
So I say we put her on probation. One more embarrassing episode like
this and we send her off hunting with Dick Cheney.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Time to Strike


100_2232, originally uploaded by lumberjack.

The predator makes a dash for the hapless flamingo.

Predator


100_2235, originally uploaded by lumberjack.

Notice how the predator blends into his surroundings.
He can stand stock still like this for hours, waiting
for his prey to make the first move. (be it a bowl
of kibble, or a plywood flamingo; the wise predator
can outlast them all)

View Out Front


100_2229, originally uploaded by lumberjack.

View Of The Front Yard

Snow


100_2229, originally uploaded by lumberjack.

And Also In The Back Yard

Friday, February 10, 2006

Biblical Kanye West?

From contactmusic.com:

COCKY WEST: 'I SHOULD BE IN THE BIBLE'
Cocky rap star KANYE WEST is calling for a revised edition of THE BIBLE, because he thinks he should be a character in it.....

......"I changed the sound of music more than one time... For all those reasons, I'd be a part of the Bible. I'm definitely in the history books already."


But unless I'm mistaken, he's already in the Bible. Proverbs 18:7 --
The fool's mouth is his ruin; his lips are a snare to his life.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Franco-umbrage, Frumbrage

There. If anyone technoraties "Frumbrage," I should be at the
top of the list.

Anyway, from My Way:

Cartoon Protesters Direct Anger at U.S.
Feb 9, 5:19 AM (ET)
By NOOR KHAN
QALAT, Afghanistan (AP) - Police killed four people Wednesday as Afghans enraged over drawings of the Prophet Muhammad marched on a U.S. military base in a volatile southern province, directing their anger not against Europe but America.
The U.S. base was targeted because the United States "is the leader of Europe and the leading infidel in the world," said Sher Mohammed, a 40-year-old farmer who suffered a gunshot wound while taking part in the demonstration in the city of Qalat.
From the headline I imagined Bevis and Butthead, Popeye, and
Betty Boop holding up anarchist A's and Bush Lied signs.
But the funny part is the "leader of Europe" part. Sure hope
the article is available in French. If so, you'll be able to hear
the faint thwap thwap thwap of millions of cheeses being
thrown across the room.




ALSO:This will change --

Brrrr

Oh man, it's blue finger cold out there. Like the Europeans, we
ignored Kyoto so where is this promised global warming? Is global
warming on hold because the Euros are *pretending* to follow
the Kyoto guidelines?

OK, no more snark. I just had to bring it up because they always
bring it up on hot days. And you know, it's effective -- putting that
thought into your head on a very hot day. Makes you wonder, sweat in
your eyes, heat hanging over you, muttering, "gee, sure hope this doesn't
go on forever." I have trouble getting solace in the cold though, with
my nose numb, every steel surface blistering cold, I have trouble thinking,
"if we were only 0.5ยบ C. warmer, that'd be nice."

Not going to argue about it anymore though. It's too much work, too
many questions. Does this guy know what Kyoto would do to the
economy? Is he aware that climate has always been changeable? Has
he really studied the situation, or just read Mother Jones? Whereas the
opposition has only one question, "Is this guy stupid, or is he evil?"
What an uneven playing field. Anyway, don't care today. Too cold.

Good news is, I don't have to work outside until noon or so. Maybe
it will have warmed it up some by then. And even if it hasn't, there's
always long-johns, and hot coffee. I'm going to at least start out
happy. I've found that if you go out the door with the thought in your
head that this might just be the best day ever, that sometimes,
if you're lucky, it really is. This might be it too. Cold, sure, but other than
that, you know, perfect enough. Sublime enough for me. Best day ever, could
be.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Low Rent

Just the headline:

Love, respect link King mourners --
Four presidents praise a tireless woman who strengthened her slain husband’s legacy

Respect? Yeah, though some would say that passing on the chance to
pontificate about political differences would have shown a bit *more*
respect. A more apt headline would have been:
Democrats hit bottom - start digging.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Fundraiser

Well the compliments are all in, mostly. And it looks like
my baked ziti is even more popular than my chocolate ham.

Press Freedom

From UPI:

Moscow museum to exhibit Mohammed cartoons
MOSCOW, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A Moscow museum has announced it will exhibit the entire series of cartoons of Mohammed that have caused riots throughout the Islamic world.

Yury Samodurov, director of the Sakharov Museum and Public Center, said on Russian television that the center was ready to organize a public exhibition of the cartoons satirizing the founder of Islam that originally were published in a Danish newspaper, Pravda.ru reported Monday.

"We must show the whole world that Russia goes along with Europe, that the freedom of expression is much more important for us than the dogmas of religious fanatics," Samodurov said.

Oh man, tell me that the Russians aren't going to teach us
about the value of freedom of the press.
Meanwhile:
The World Union of Jewish Students in conjunction with editorial cartoonists, Edward Margolis and Noah Crissey, has announced an International Editorial Cartoon Competition for students called "Fight Hate with Humor." Inspired by a contest sponsored by the Iranian Union of Islamic Students where students from around the world have been invited to join in a global competition to create hate cartoons depicting "A World without Zionism", "A World without the United States", and glorifying the "Intifada", they plan with humor "to stand the Iranians on their heads."

According to cartoonist, Margolis, "the whole thing about the Iranian Contest would be hilarious if it weren't so terrifying." In that vein, Margolis and his partner, Crissey, submitted their "Iranian College Bowl" spoof in the Iranian Contest.
But know what is going to be truly offensive? Watch the
www for the next couple of weeks -- bored American teenagers should
put the Danes, Iranians and all others to shame in the poor-taste
department. Not saying that's bad. I'm just saying.

Boycott

I wonder what the position is on American drugs? We're not on
the list.... yet.
From forbes:

MULTAN, Pakistan (AFX) - The Pakistan Medical Association has vowed not to prescribe medicines from firms based in some European countries where controversial cartoons portraying the Prophet Mohammed were published, said Shahid Rao, the body's general secretary for Punjab province.
The association will boycott drugs from Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and France to protest the 'blasphemous' drawings, Rao said.

'We have taken a unanimous decision and it will be immediately implemented in Pakistan,' Rao told AFP.

'Doctors in the country are very motivated on this issue,' he said. 'We would use alternate medicines in future till a public apology comes from these countries.'

Seems like a silly way to protest but I'll bet you
it doesn't apply to Imams -- they get the antibiotics, the people
get leeches.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Fund Raising

OK, I'm off to bake ziti. If the Donner party had carried half this
much pasta into the mountains, they would have emerged in the
spring happy. [and Oprah chubby]
Now the only question is, and I know the answer; will I have spent
more on this than the fundraiser took in, or, will I have spent twice
as much.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Ziti

So I got volunteered to make baked ziti for the school for a fund-
raiser. No problem, except for I've never made it before, and the stove
is Satan's own, and there might be 50-75 orders. Oh, and if I don't have
it ready on time, then kids will get no lunch. Talk about pressure.

Well, now I *have* made it. Got about a thousand web recipes and
picked the easiest one. And it was ok, but who knows how it will go
when you multiply the recipe by ten, or fifteen? And what will I do
if I get distracted for 5 seconds and the stove of death turns the top
half inch of the casseroles to carbon?

Only three things I have going for me: mozzarella cheese, and two more
layers of mozzarella cheese. I remember enough of my youth to know
that if there's enough melty cheese, the kids will love it.

Mmmmm...

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Opposite Day

Senator Harry Reid:
"This is Bush doublespeak," Mr. Reid said as he exited the House
chamber. "Whatever he said, think just the opposite."


GWB:
.... and we will never surrender to evil.

fighting101s.jpg