Saturday, August 19, 2006
Free Loaders Pt. 3
Well, it's looking more and more like the big gray one will be known as "Mongo". I still haven't decided on the little orange one...right now the two contenders are Gabby and Chumley.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Free Loaders Pt. 2
Well I fed the little runts some sliced ham, and some tuna tonight. They went nuts for it. Both of them are really imprinting on me. The little orange one actually purred twice tonight. I've got to come up with some names soon...
The Descent Continues...?
I filed paperwork today to run for an elective office within my union. I have filed to run for Middle School Director. It is a kind of administrative position. I would be a liason between the union and the middle school site reps and I would also sit on the union's Executive Board. There are four of us in the race, and I have no idea what chance I have of winning.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Free Loaders!
I got home from work this Monday, headed into my computer room, and began reading my mail. I had a link from my Mom to a site about the care of kittens. I sent it back to her to ask what the hell was up. I get a phone call an hour and a half later, and she tells me that there are two kittens in my living room. I go out there, and sure enough, there are two mewling kittens in a cat carrier. Flea ridden to boot.
Seems Mom had taken my niece and nephew to the pound to visit, and someone brought in six kittens too young, so they were going to be killed. Next thing I know, I've got two freeloaders, my Mom has two and so does my brother.
I have always had cats as pets, and I have become resigned to this.....but......
Seems Mom had taken my niece and nephew to the pound to visit, and someone brought in six kittens too young, so they were going to be killed. Next thing I know, I've got two freeloaders, my Mom has two and so does my brother.
I have always had cats as pets, and I have become resigned to this.....but......
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Fantasy Football
Well three of my teams have drafted now. I have Larry Johnson on 2 of them. He'd better live up to the hype. I have a live draft on saturday, and then several online drafts next week.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Christopher Hitchens
I have just finished reading one of Christoper Hitchens' books. It was an extremely frustrating experience for me. There are times I admire Mr. Hitchens. He can be insightful and artful in his prose. Unfortunately his incessant attacks on capitalism, republicanism and organized religion constantly get in the way. It is the same problem that many of us have with Ann Coulter, the diatribes occlude the message.
aarrrgh!
aarrrgh!
ESPN Monday Night Football
Tony Kornheiser in the booth? Call me crazy, but give me Dennis Miller any day!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Happy Birthday Modern World!
Over at Tammy Bruce's blog, they are celebrating the IBM PC's 25th birthday. Surprisingly, as I browse the internet, they seem to be the only ones doing so. This is a pretty historical occasion.
While there were PC's prior to this (among them Apple and Commodore) the IBM machine was to dominate the market. Today there are only two viable forms of operating system, the IBM type and the Apple type. Recently Apple was forced to include the PC OS in their newest computers, or risk going the way of betamax. Apple and betamax have interesting similarities...both are arguably better systems than the ones they were dominated by. However the fact that their rivals were open source, and thus adopted by a wider range of hardware producers and content producers, ultimately meant their marginalization.
As I've written before, even though I went off to college with a manual typewriter, I cannot imagine life without a PC and the internet anymore. I now possess a machine (the one I am typing on) that is more powerful than all of the computers NASA sent to the Moon combined. It boggles the mind if you think about it. It's almost scary to think about what is coming next.
While there were PC's prior to this (among them Apple and Commodore) the IBM machine was to dominate the market. Today there are only two viable forms of operating system, the IBM type and the Apple type. Recently Apple was forced to include the PC OS in their newest computers, or risk going the way of betamax. Apple and betamax have interesting similarities...both are arguably better systems than the ones they were dominated by. However the fact that their rivals were open source, and thus adopted by a wider range of hardware producers and content producers, ultimately meant their marginalization.
As I've written before, even though I went off to college with a manual typewriter, I cannot imagine life without a PC and the internet anymore. I now possess a machine (the one I am typing on) that is more powerful than all of the computers NASA sent to the Moon combined. It boggles the mind if you think about it. It's almost scary to think about what is coming next.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
I'm Getting Old..........
Everytime I get out of bed anymore I feel like the Nick Nolte character in the beginning of North Dallas Forty. I wish I had the drugs he had.......
Monday, August 07, 2006
Treasure Hunters
Air Force made it to the finals! Yeah! Damn the Genuises made it also...that sucks.
Good Luck Joe!
The Democratic primary for Sen. Lieberman's Senate seat is tomorrow. While a dark part of me is hoping the Kossak moonbats win, and drag the Democratic Party closer to oblivion, the responsible part of me hopes the adults vote. The Democrats have been throwing the responsible adults out of their party for twenty years. If a dedicated liberal with a solid liberal voting record like Lieberman is thrown out of the party, the game is over man.
Update 8/8/06: Well Joe has lost and Markos over at Kos is already showing how classy he is. Look, I don't like any of these guys..but where are Shrum, Begala, Carville, Brazille, Davis and the rest of the professional Democrats? How can they be just sitting back and allowing these petulant moonbats destroy their party? Watch Sen. Clinton closely for the next week or so. She is going to have to either capitulate to the nutsroots and moonbats like Kerry and Gore have already done, or she is the natural next target.
Update 8/8/06: Well Joe has lost and Markos over at Kos is already showing how classy he is. Look, I don't like any of these guys..but where are Shrum, Begala, Carville, Brazille, Davis and the rest of the professional Democrats? How can they be just sitting back and allowing these petulant moonbats destroy their party? Watch Sen. Clinton closely for the next week or so. She is going to have to either capitulate to the nutsroots and moonbats like Kerry and Gore have already done, or she is the natural next target.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Origins?
Where do the Kossacks, the nutroots and their anger come from? I have been reading a lot about the Clinton days recently, written by those on the left. (I have already about it from those on the right) I have come to believe that the Kossacks are a concious and unconcious reaction to Pres. Clinton, his presidency, and the shame he brought to the Democratic Party combined with an inability to accept the results of the last two presidential elections.
1) Pres. Clinton was a democrat, but he rejected the label of liberal, and claimed a middle ground. In truth he governed mostly as a conservative. So the left feels cheated in that the only Democratic President in 20 years might as well have been a Republican.
2) Because Pres. Clinton was a Democrat, he was defended and protected by the left. Even though he was a sexual predator and a rapist, the feminists defended him. Even though he launched military attacks to distract the public from his personal sins, the left defended him. Even as he destroyed "welfare as we know it", they supported him. Most of the left has not yet confessed to the shame they must have felt, probably not even to themselves. But it must be affecting them.
3) Pres. Clinton was seen as an invention and a tool of the Democratic staus quo. In order to ensure there is no repeat, the staus quo has to be destroyed and the party radicalized. The first step was organizing the nutroots. The second step was getting Dean appointed as party chairman. The third step is destroying Sen. Lieberman as a threat to the rest of the elected officials. The DLC has been marginalized. Things have gotten so bad in the Democratic Party that Sen. Feinstein is now seen as a voice of reason.
4) The Kossak left refuses to accept that they don't represent the will of the American people. They insist that the last two elections were stolen. Even the liberal MSM now admits that Pres. Bush would win Florida in 2000 under any rational form of recount. And if Ohio's electoral votes were excluded for fraud in 2004, as the Congressional Black Caucus attempted to do, Pres. Bush would still win the election. I am genuinely worried about the reaction of the moonbats when they lose in 2006 and 2008.
The Democratic Party is now in control of adolescents. One day the adults will take back over. Hopefully before too much damage is done to the party, and the American political system.
1) Pres. Clinton was a democrat, but he rejected the label of liberal, and claimed a middle ground. In truth he governed mostly as a conservative. So the left feels cheated in that the only Democratic President in 20 years might as well have been a Republican.
2) Because Pres. Clinton was a Democrat, he was defended and protected by the left. Even though he was a sexual predator and a rapist, the feminists defended him. Even though he launched military attacks to distract the public from his personal sins, the left defended him. Even as he destroyed "welfare as we know it", they supported him. Most of the left has not yet confessed to the shame they must have felt, probably not even to themselves. But it must be affecting them.
3) Pres. Clinton was seen as an invention and a tool of the Democratic staus quo. In order to ensure there is no repeat, the staus quo has to be destroyed and the party radicalized. The first step was organizing the nutroots. The second step was getting Dean appointed as party chairman. The third step is destroying Sen. Lieberman as a threat to the rest of the elected officials. The DLC has been marginalized. Things have gotten so bad in the Democratic Party that Sen. Feinstein is now seen as a voice of reason.
4) The Kossak left refuses to accept that they don't represent the will of the American people. They insist that the last two elections were stolen. Even the liberal MSM now admits that Pres. Bush would win Florida in 2000 under any rational form of recount. And if Ohio's electoral votes were excluded for fraud in 2004, as the Congressional Black Caucus attempted to do, Pres. Bush would still win the election. I am genuinely worried about the reaction of the moonbats when they lose in 2006 and 2008.
The Democratic Party is now in control of adolescents. One day the adults will take back over. Hopefully before too much damage is done to the party, and the American political system.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
What's Good for the Goose....
...evidently isn't good for the gander.
Remember when Sen. Torricelli of New Jersey was finally shamed into withdrawing from his 2002 Senate re-election race? According to New Jersey law, it was too late to replace his name on the ballot, but the Democratically controlled government of New Jersey did it anyway with Frank Lautenberg, a former Senator who won the election. The Democratic argument was:
The issue before the court is a simple one: what is in the best interests of the citizens of New Jersey," said Bonnie Watson Coleman, chairperson of the N.J. Democratic State Committee. "Our voters deserve a meaningful choice, and the law provides for that choice."
The New Jersey Supreme Court sided with the Democrats, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.
Now fast forward to 2006. Rep. Delay of Texas won the Republican primary for his Congressional district, but resigned from Congress in June and moved to Virginia. The Republicans tried to replace his name on the ballot, (a full 4 1/2 months before the election unlike Torricelli's 51 days) but the Democrats challenged them. The courts have ruled that Delay's name must remain on the ballot. The Republicans are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue is:
If DeLay is ineligible, under state law, he can be replaced on the ballot. If he withdraws, however, it is too late to replace him, according to state law.
So currently, the issue is whether Delay is eligible, even though he has moved to Virginia. Interestingly, Lautenberg was allowed to replace Torricelli on the ballot, even though it was a clear violation of New Jersey law to allow him to do so. Here it appears that Texas State laws will have to be followed.
Now the Democratic position is:
Republicans "want to say, 'You're thwarting people's right to choose their candidate.' Baloney. He's the one who decided to cut and run," said Boyd Richie, spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party.
Can you say hypocrite? I knew you could.
Remember when Sen. Torricelli of New Jersey was finally shamed into withdrawing from his 2002 Senate re-election race? According to New Jersey law, it was too late to replace his name on the ballot, but the Democratically controlled government of New Jersey did it anyway with Frank Lautenberg, a former Senator who won the election. The Democratic argument was:
The issue before the court is a simple one: what is in the best interests of the citizens of New Jersey," said Bonnie Watson Coleman, chairperson of the N.J. Democratic State Committee. "Our voters deserve a meaningful choice, and the law provides for that choice."
The New Jersey Supreme Court sided with the Democrats, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.
Now fast forward to 2006. Rep. Delay of Texas won the Republican primary for his Congressional district, but resigned from Congress in June and moved to Virginia. The Republicans tried to replace his name on the ballot, (a full 4 1/2 months before the election unlike Torricelli's 51 days) but the Democrats challenged them. The courts have ruled that Delay's name must remain on the ballot. The Republicans are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue is:
If DeLay is ineligible, under state law, he can be replaced on the ballot. If he withdraws, however, it is too late to replace him, according to state law.
So currently, the issue is whether Delay is eligible, even though he has moved to Virginia. Interestingly, Lautenberg was allowed to replace Torricelli on the ballot, even though it was a clear violation of New Jersey law to allow him to do so. Here it appears that Texas State laws will have to be followed.
Now the Democratic position is:
Republicans "want to say, 'You're thwarting people's right to choose their candidate.' Baloney. He's the one who decided to cut and run," said Boyd Richie, spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party.
Can you say hypocrite? I knew you could.
Movie Editing
I'm watching The Man in the Iron Mask on TV right now. This version is much different from the theatrical release and the VHS version. (I used to show it for my History class so I am quite familar with it)
This version is much better in many ways. The additional scenes add depth to some characters and improve the plot.
One thing many people don't realize, or at least don't think about, is that every movie has extra scenes that don't make the final version of the movie. Sometimes some of these scenes are used to create a director's cut, and often some are used to turn an R rated movie into something that can be show on TV. (Sometimes this can be a disaster. Take Cheech & Chong's Next Movie, the TV version exchanges diamonds for marijuana, and so mangles the movie it literally makes no sense. I have never understood whey they tried to show it on TV.)
With the coming of age of DVDs, and especially special edition DVDs, I'd like to see most movies released on DVD in three versions in the same package: the theatrical release, the director's cut, and a version with as many of the scenes included as possible.
This way we preserve the historical version, we allow the director to put forth his vision, and we provide fans with as much as the story and film as possible.
This version is much better in many ways. The additional scenes add depth to some characters and improve the plot.
One thing many people don't realize, or at least don't think about, is that every movie has extra scenes that don't make the final version of the movie. Sometimes some of these scenes are used to create a director's cut, and often some are used to turn an R rated movie into something that can be show on TV. (Sometimes this can be a disaster. Take Cheech & Chong's Next Movie, the TV version exchanges diamonds for marijuana, and so mangles the movie it literally makes no sense. I have never understood whey they tried to show it on TV.)
With the coming of age of DVDs, and especially special edition DVDs, I'd like to see most movies released on DVD in three versions in the same package: the theatrical release, the director's cut, and a version with as many of the scenes included as possible.
This way we preserve the historical version, we allow the director to put forth his vision, and we provide fans with as much as the story and film as possible.
He's a Leader, not an Actor
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Democratic Meltdown?
We have become accustomed to the Democrats viciously attacking and insulting Republicans and Conservatives. It's actually kind of expected now. But they have now begun assaulting their own. The first inkling of this were the attacks on Zell Miller, an honorable man who had served the Democratic Party faithfully. However when he strayed from the mandated message, he was cast out and castigated. Now they are going after Joe Lieberman, simply because he supports the war in Iraq.
Now I am not a big fan of Sen. Lieberman. He is far too liberal for me. But he is a worthy opponent, and has served the Democratic Party well. He was a Democratic candidate for President, and a former Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee.
This is how a Democratic operative (and Hollywood producer) treated Sen. Lieberman yesterday. (as an aside, I find this much more egregious than what Mel Gibson did, and the silence from Hollywood and the left is illustrative)
This is how the main Leftwing blog on the internet treated Sen Lieberman today.
Sen. Lieberman in blackface, and in gay poses. (I thought the left was supposed to like gay people?) Does he deserve this? Hell no. He's one of the few Democrats who acts like an adult.
Don't even start to make the arguement that Hamsher and Kos are insignificant. These are the people who are fighting a war for the soul of the Democratic Party, and by many accounts winning. This is currently the face of the leftwing of the Democratic Party, and potentially the Democratic Party as a whole in the future. That is certainly their goal. As a Conservative I revel in the destruction of the Democratic Party. However as an American I despair at what is happening to our political system.
Now I am not a big fan of Sen. Lieberman. He is far too liberal for me. But he is a worthy opponent, and has served the Democratic Party well. He was a Democratic candidate for President, and a former Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee.
This is how a Democratic operative (and Hollywood producer) treated Sen. Lieberman yesterday. (as an aside, I find this much more egregious than what Mel Gibson did, and the silence from Hollywood and the left is illustrative)
This is how the main Leftwing blog on the internet treated Sen Lieberman today.
Sen. Lieberman in blackface, and in gay poses. (I thought the left was supposed to like gay people?) Does he deserve this? Hell no. He's one of the few Democrats who acts like an adult.
Don't even start to make the arguement that Hamsher and Kos are insignificant. These are the people who are fighting a war for the soul of the Democratic Party, and by many accounts winning. This is currently the face of the leftwing of the Democratic Party, and potentially the Democratic Party as a whole in the future. That is certainly their goal. As a Conservative I revel in the destruction of the Democratic Party. However as an American I despair at what is happening to our political system.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Mel Gibson Furor
Everyone is seriously overreacting to Mel Gibson's words and actions this weekend. Here is what I wrote in the comments over at Althouse:
Given what the American public has accepted and forgiven in the past, I think people are seriously overreacting. Was anything Mel reportedly said, before he contritely apologised, any worse than what Jesse Jackson has said? (Hymietown or otherwise? and Jackson still has never truly apologised for those remarks). I bet you, if this had been Michael Moore, Rob Reiner, Alec Baldwin or some other liberal darling, this would have already blown over. Mel is being punished because he is not a typical Hollywood lefty.Hell, look at what Woody Allen has said and done, and his movies are still being released. If Roman Polanski ever dared to come back, the left would sprint to embrace him.Get a grip people.
Given what the American public has accepted and forgiven in the past, I think people are seriously overreacting. Was anything Mel reportedly said, before he contritely apologised, any worse than what Jesse Jackson has said? (Hymietown or otherwise? and Jackson still has never truly apologised for those remarks). I bet you, if this had been Michael Moore, Rob Reiner, Alec Baldwin or some other liberal darling, this would have already blown over. Mel is being punished because he is not a typical Hollywood lefty.Hell, look at what Woody Allen has said and done, and his movies are still being released. If Roman Polanski ever dared to come back, the left would sprint to embrace him.Get a grip people.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work I go......
Well, I'm back at work again. Wednesday was a non-student work day, and then we had the kids on Thursday and Friday. It's been the most stressful opening of school for me in at least six years. Restless sleep and physical and mental stress.
1) A new classroom..they forced me to change classrooms, so I was presented with a pile of tables, bookcases, chairs and file cabinets. Plus the teacher in the room before me didn't move all of her crap out last year, so I had to deal with that too. (in fact there is stuff in there from the last four teachers to use that room)
2) A new grade level...they forced me to change from the 7th grade to the 8th grade. This means a new curriculum, new teaching partners, and (as it turns out) 60% of my students I had last year.
3) A new prep period. They gave me the second period prep..the worst one. And to top it off, they are only four of us on it, so I will have to give it up to cover the classes of absent teachers more often.
4) A new textbook...and it isn't here yet. So we are going to use the old one for the first trimester, and then switch for the second and third trimesters.
I have survived the first two days..only 178 more to go.
1) A new classroom..they forced me to change classrooms, so I was presented with a pile of tables, bookcases, chairs and file cabinets. Plus the teacher in the room before me didn't move all of her crap out last year, so I had to deal with that too. (in fact there is stuff in there from the last four teachers to use that room)
2) A new grade level...they forced me to change from the 7th grade to the 8th grade. This means a new curriculum, new teaching partners, and (as it turns out) 60% of my students I had last year.
3) A new prep period. They gave me the second period prep..the worst one. And to top it off, they are only four of us on it, so I will have to give it up to cover the classes of absent teachers more often.
4) A new textbook...and it isn't here yet. So we are going to use the old one for the first trimester, and then switch for the second and third trimesters.
I have survived the first two days..only 178 more to go.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Plame/Wilson Lawsuit
While reading an article by Byron York today on the Plame/Wilson lawsuit one quote stood out for me. It was a quote from the Wilson's lawyer:
“No matter how many times you and I go around,” says Erwin Chemerinsky, “it’s our position that there was a concerted effort by Cheney, Rove, and Libby to punish Joseph Wilson.”
What is so telling about this quote is the fact that the whole Wilson case is founded on belief, and not evidence. Wilson knows they were out to get him no matter what the evidence says. And do you know why he is so sure about that? Because it is exactly what Wilson himself would have done if he had been in their place.
The left's predilection for projection has become more and more pronounced over the years. When you examine the left's actions, and compare it to their rhetoric, it is transparently clear that most of the accusations and denunciationstions from the left are based almost exclusively on the left projecting their own strategy and tactics to the right. Since they are the "good guys", and they would be willing to do it, the "bad guys" on the right must be doing it.
“No matter how many times you and I go around,” says Erwin Chemerinsky, “it’s our position that there was a concerted effort by Cheney, Rove, and Libby to punish Joseph Wilson.”
What is so telling about this quote is the fact that the whole Wilson case is founded on belief, and not evidence. Wilson knows they were out to get him no matter what the evidence says. And do you know why he is so sure about that? Because it is exactly what Wilson himself would have done if he had been in their place.
The left's predilection for projection has become more and more pronounced over the years. When you examine the left's actions, and compare it to their rhetoric, it is transparently clear that most of the accusations and denunciationstions from the left are based almost exclusively on the left projecting their own strategy and tactics to the right. Since they are the "good guys", and they would be willing to do it, the "bad guys" on the right must be doing it.
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