WHAT YOU MAY FIND HERE

RANTS, RAVINGS and RUMINATIONS along with
RAUCOUS RIBALDRY and RAMBLING REFLECTIONS

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Religion div (weirdness subsection)

Every time I read something like this, I just gotta wonder if:

a) his faith wasn't strong enough;
or
b) whatever supreme being sky-deity he was praying to was pissed off at him;
or
c) he was just plain wrong.

You decide ........ (and don't get me started on them what keep snakes (cute, cuddly creatures that they are) as pets.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Happy day div

On this day in in 1889 the brassiere was invented. No statistics exist concerning the increase in
the one-handed dexterity by males of our species.

Luckily as the case may be in 1431, the nineteen year-old Joan 'd Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen ... ... she wasn't wearing one.

Sorry div

Met Doc at a party in Boulder, Colorado in 1967. He played my old 1952 Martin D-28 to show another band member the difference between a Martin and the "knock-off" my friend was touting.


Passed away today at 89.
God Bless ..........

Been Surfin' div

Fixer has a great post over at Alternate Brain: The Bomb ...

Follow the links therein (especially the one about Barry Goldwater  - - the one I remember) and enjoy.
Kinda like what I said early this month but with a bit more bite (and better pictures).

Thursday, May 24, 2012

I'm Alright Jack ** div

I remember when I was in the service, there was always a "push" for a new or revised, improved evaluation system. It would make the promotion procedure "better" and fairer. (I do have to say that no one could ever say why a particular individual was passed over or promoted). Anyway, what always amazed me was that those touting the new system would never be affected by it.
 Same thing goes for all the Republican calls for "entitlement" reform. None of these rubes will ever be in need of the safety net, they've never missed a meal, never had to do "without." You don't seem to see any poor people calling for the end to food stamps, eh ?? or Social Security, or Medicare. Why do rich folks always seem to know what's best for those less fortunate  - -  and why are the less fortunate the only ones that need to make the sacrifices ...... well, you get the picture.
Who do the pundits call on for advice on women's healthcare ?? Yep catholic priests and other assorted dick wavers.
Like's been said before, it's only "class warfare" when we fight back ..............



** I'm alright Jack

Saturday, May 19, 2012

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass div

Same unknowns as before  - -

 Jesse Cobb on Mandolin, Derek Gray on bass, Norm Olsen on guitar (standing), Nicky Sanders on fiddle, Chris Luquette on guitar (sitting), Austin McGregor on banjo, and Stephan Burwell on fiddle, Next to the mandolin player.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Random musings div

Kinda been bombarded with information lately ....it's a wonder my bear brain don't explode sometimes.

Let's see  - -
JP Morgan Chase (a great big "bank,") lost a lot of money. Now, the rest of the 1% involved are mad.
maybe the solution  (as Duncan Black says : " is to give them more free money."

Mittens doesn't remember what he said, but he stands by it.  And some half-wit Super-Pac Billionaire wants to smear the President because of that black preacher in Chicago. So fucking what ??? I thought Mr. Obama was a Kenyan Muslim, so HTF could some "christian" preacher in Chicago have any influence on him ???? Why can't these people get their shit together in one sock ?? (and why are they billionaires if they are soooo stooped ??).

While out in Arizona, the politics get weird and weider (or is it dumb and dumber ??).

Speaking of billions,"Facething" is now selling stock. Huh ??? They don't make anything, duh !!!
 ( Unless, of course, you count the alchemy of turning a perfectly good noun - -  "friend'  - -  into a verb).
Along with that, one of it's "inventors" has decided that he really doesn't want to be a real 'Merican and a job creator. The Senate is mad, but maybe he'll renounce his choice just like Michele  - -  the dimwit serving on the other side of the white dome thingee.

Meanwhile, despite Jamie's problems over at Chase, nothing still on where the money went from MF Global. I'll bet you know just what the "MF" stands for, eh ???

Maybe we should have a consumer version of the "Stand Your Ground" law present in so many states. Imagine, when a company, corporation or individual "threatens" you (and remember, "Corporations are people, my friend") the threatened party can stand his ground and defend himself, his home, his property  and his family. Ah, but therein lies anarchy.

I'm sure the mini-bears will continue to bombard me with more "stuff and nonsense"  - -  need to find them a job (or girlfriends).



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Hmmmmmmm div

Been away. (but haven't stopped reading)
Gordon at Alternate Brain had an interesting post. The gist of it being:
 "This used to be a hell of a good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it."  George Hanson.  He observes that Americans talk a lot about the value of freedom, but are actually afraid of anyone who truly exhibits it.
Sure heard a lot of this kind of thinking while out west.
Also managed to acquire more time on a 737-800 than the last-nite's flight crew. I'm sure it still even had the "break-in" oil  - -  and even smelled new.


Monday, May 14, 2012

Why do they rise to the top ?? div

I'm out of pocket -- in a far western state recently in the news for it's extremism.
Trying to keep out of the "no Politics Zone,"  with family, but it's often futile and useless.
Saw that back in my neck of the woods, another one has emerged.
Apparently, he was fired as an "editor" for not knowing the difference between "coarse" and "course."
oh well ..... it's no better out west.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Maybe we should see someone's Birth Certificate div

Guess this  is OK, eh ???

So much for our Kenyan, Socialist, Muslim, Radical President.  - -  (oh yeah, he's black too).

Didn't Mr Michele's parents hold up their hands and say...........

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
............ when they became US citizens ??  (well, maybe they didn't). Yet Mr Michele was born in the good 'ole US of A and gets to be a citizen by virtue of birth. Perhaps his folks were illegal immigrants and he's simply one of them "anchor babies."  Ya think ???? Talk about a dream act  !!!

'twould seem to this old bear that citizenship in a foreign country would disqualify one for serving in a position in any branch of the US government.
Will the kids be required to perform Swiss National Service ?? (God knows the idea of this crazy woman having a loaded automatic weapon stored in her closet is frightening enough). Lucky for her, she doesn't have to participate in the Swiss version of "Obamacare" (it's mandatory, ya know) because she doesn't live there - she just gets to sponge off the taxpayers.

The sovereign citizens of the 4th Congressional District of Minnesota (ya, sure, ya betcha) will have the opportunity to send this illegal immigrant home in November.

Of course here's a golden opportunity to ask that Rep Bachmann either renounce her Swiss citizenship or do the right thing** and resign.

** Note: in times past, "doing the right thing" usually involved a firearm and one round of ammunition.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Terrorism, .... sorta div

I can't seem to repeatedly wonder why all the terrorism "alerts" seem to revolve around airplanes. (so far, TSA hasn't stopped anyone).
Granted, when airplanes fall out of the sky ............... but then again, I've had this same conversation with FedEx crews concerning crew scheduling and duty hours hauling hazardous cargo (it does hit the ground along with all that aluminum, etc)...........
The latest underwear bomb furor, again, involves aircraft.

Why are most of the "terrorists" arrested in the US victims of FBI "stings" involving bombs ??

Just finished reading Stephen Hunter's "Soft Target" - - - small unit, firearms assault on a large shopping complex... Somewhat stereotypical characters and predictable plot-line ( he can do better than this).
 -----got to say that Mr. Hunter shoots at the same range I do.

His is always the scenario that I've always imagined for a "grand" terrorist gesture against the US. A small group of people who are armed (with easily obtainable firearms) and simply concerned with killing. Especially on "Black Friday." It would end the holiday shopping season.
What all the sting victims seem to have in common  is a desire to escape.
Face it folks, the home-grown "terrorists" here in the USA don't really want to die.

I remember the chaos caused by the Beltway sniper in 2003. People were afraid to get gasoline for fear of being shot. (Had a passenger recently who filled her tank 2 hours before one of the victims).

Once we start seeing folks setting themselves on fire at the mall or setting fire to homes in the Hasmptons or strapping dynamite to themselves and pulling the trigger, we will have joined the international community.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Liars and Politicians (but I repeat myself) div

Well, Michele Bachmann has come right out and admitted to an "error free" campaign. Of course she did this on the Christian Broadcasting Network, so it mud be true, eh ?
Glen Kessler, the Washington Post's Fact checker includes Michele in today's column challenging the candidates to give a "true" speech and sums up the Pinocchio ratings so far:

  ".......... with the president at 1.91 and the former governor at 1.97. No other candidate has come close: Michelle Bachmann ended up at 3.08, Ron Paul at 2.6, Rick Santorum at 2.53, Newt Gingrich at 2.44 and Rick perry at 2,41."                          

Seems that Michele fared rather badly there. Fear not, CBS will give her another chance today. 

Here's a nice little ditty ........ use your imagination with the names and situations

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Calendrical Dysfunction div

Several times every year I find this in my inbox (often repeats from the same sender).

WTF, over .............

It's amazing that so many folks don't know the difference between the Gregorian calendar and a Lunar calendar , on which so many religious holidays are calculated.
Ain't it amazing that Jesus was born on the same day EVERY year, but dies on a different one from year to year ?????

Gosh, Golly Sandy, in 2002, them Muslims celebrated the death of Imam Ali on Christmas Day !!! Talk about a war on Christianity !!!

This is the guy that is the holy saint of Shia Islam  - -  sort of like a Martin Luther of Christianity - - Sort of like the difference between Eastern Orthodox and Romam Catholicism  or Church of England or ..... well, you get the picture.

There could be a huge schism within the Fundamentalists when Billy Graham dies and several true believers (including his son) fight for his mantle. If there's only one true God, then why is he telling so much different shit to so many people ????

I've tried pointing this fact to the mailer, but it does absolutely no good.

So many of the "War on Religion" crowd sound just like the Know Nothings. Only the names, sects and dates have changed to protect the gullible.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Got Nuttin" div

Nothing profound today  - -
Go tomorrow to learn how much smarter my phone is ........
Enjoy this  - -  share with a friend ...........

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Truth Be Told div

Well someone has finally mentioned the elephant in the room.
Sure 'nuf one of the Post's right-wingers took offense in her blog post. Which was countered with this.

Oh well, pot calling the kettle, etc.
At least Walt Pincus of the Post had the sense to tell the truth in his column this morning. Message here - we ain't a gonna get it.

Someone recently asked me if I was a fan of the Sunday "Talking Head" extravaganza where prominet folk in the news (usually John McCain) are lobbed softballs by highly paid "analysts" and well coiffed "journalists." There's usually one person from each "side" and they present the usual, scripted talking points no matter what the question might have been  - - - prediction: look for lots of this during this fall's Presidential "debates."
Short answer to the viewing question: No. I get as much from reading a recap.

It seems like journalism has fallen to the level of simply allowing anyone to say anything without calling them out when they're flat out wrong. This even applies to reporting on scientific issues. I can imagine that a new NASA report on the circumfrince  of the Earth will be accompanied by an opposing view from a member of the Flat-Earth Society.

I no longer make a concerted effort to call attention to much of the drivel that invades my in-box concerning the socialist, non-native African, anti-Christ, apologist President; the ever-increasing attack on freedom of religion (just one variety it seems); or just how many of "those people" who are out there just waiting to get "what's ours." Not to mention, "taking our country back"  - - from whom, I'm not really sure.

Remember that old saying': " My mind's made up, please don't confuse me with facts."
As Daniel Patrick Moynihan said: "You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts."

Listen closely when a question is asked. Was it answered ??? Was the evasion called and the question asked again ?? I hope you, gentle reader are able to discern the necessity.

It's gonna be a long, hard and very ugly slog to November