Added a couple of people. mASS BACKWARDS, a man in Massachussetts with words to say. Bad temper warning when he speaks of politicians.
Froggy Ruminations, a former special ops guy with lots of interesting observations.
The Diplomad, some guys in the U.S. Foreign Service who have somehow managed to keep their minds, despite the mountains of crap they wade through.
Michelle Malkin, because even when I don't agree with her on something, she's worth reading.
I said once before there's so many good blogs out there, you could have a list many pages long. So I go to any of the above, and jump to other good ones from them.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Cold again
After three pretty nice days, two of which I could ride the bike to work, about 10 this morning another front came in. Wind sweeping down the plain, indeed. Sweeping out the yard, the streets, the parking lots, and you could actually feel the temperature dropping. Yuck.
It's supposed to be mid- or low teens for the lows tonight, then warming back up again over the next couple of days. January in Oklahoma; I've seen it colder than the female pagan's breastworks for weeks on end, and turning warm enough to run around in shorts, then cycle back to cold again. It'll keep up this kind of cycle until about mid-April, though it does vary a bit. O.U. Medieval Fair has always been either the first or second weekend of April, and the weather has included; 80's and windy, cool & cloudy or sunny, rain, cloudy and cold, damn cold and spitting ice, or a combination of the above. The tents provided have walls that can be moved, and in one weekend I've had to change the setup on mine three times in three days, because the wind direction/strength changed so drastically.
Through a link at Acidman, I found Feisty Repartee, written by a lawyer about various things. I am going to try the pepper steak recipe, probably tomorrow.
Steve once noted that speedbikes sound like a chainsaw, whereas his Moto Guzzi 'sounds like two leopards having really great sex in a tile bathroom'. Not having heard that myself I can't comment, but I love the description. Side note: I like a nice, throaty rumble in a bike exhaust, but I flat hate bikes so loud they make your ears hurt from a block away.
Last few days, Kim du Toit and the Diplomad both had further links as to the crap the U.N. and associated fools pull, all the while claiming they're saving people and doing 'really important work'. Screw the bastards. After some of the stuff I've found out over the last few years, next time some of these jerks demand we do something we should take them to one of the places they claim to be caring for, kick them out the door and say "Go to it", and then leave. The bozos might then at least perform the service of becoming compost.
I've been collecting tax stuff. Every time I have to do this, I want someone to do something constructive with the tax code. Like burn it. When the bureaucrats have made a system so big and complex they can't even understand it, it needs to go.
I think my soapbox is wobbling. Where'd I put the glue?...
It's supposed to be mid- or low teens for the lows tonight, then warming back up again over the next couple of days. January in Oklahoma; I've seen it colder than the female pagan's breastworks for weeks on end, and turning warm enough to run around in shorts, then cycle back to cold again. It'll keep up this kind of cycle until about mid-April, though it does vary a bit. O.U. Medieval Fair has always been either the first or second weekend of April, and the weather has included; 80's and windy, cool & cloudy or sunny, rain, cloudy and cold, damn cold and spitting ice, or a combination of the above. The tents provided have walls that can be moved, and in one weekend I've had to change the setup on mine three times in three days, because the wind direction/strength changed so drastically.
Through a link at Acidman, I found Feisty Repartee, written by a lawyer about various things. I am going to try the pepper steak recipe, probably tomorrow.
Steve once noted that speedbikes sound like a chainsaw, whereas his Moto Guzzi 'sounds like two leopards having really great sex in a tile bathroom'. Not having heard that myself I can't comment, but I love the description. Side note: I like a nice, throaty rumble in a bike exhaust, but I flat hate bikes so loud they make your ears hurt from a block away.
Last few days, Kim du Toit and the Diplomad both had further links as to the crap the U.N. and associated fools pull, all the while claiming they're saving people and doing 'really important work'. Screw the bastards. After some of the stuff I've found out over the last few years, next time some of these jerks demand we do something we should take them to one of the places they claim to be caring for, kick them out the door and say "Go to it", and then leave. The bozos might then at least perform the service of becoming compost.
I've been collecting tax stuff. Every time I have to do this, I want someone to do something constructive with the tax code. Like burn it. When the bureaucrats have made a system so big and complex they can't even understand it, it needs to go.
I think my soapbox is wobbling. Where'd I put the glue?...
Friday, January 21, 2005
Where to aim in a fight? And police chief opinions
Geek with a .45 has a nice piece on this, including some very good illustrations. I'd always been told the standard '2 to the body, 1 to the head', with emphasis on the two body shots going to center of mass. I'd wondered about it, especially after reading some accounts of multiple body shots not stopping someone very quickly, but a single shot in the upper body did it. The information Geek provides gives a very good explanation of this.
I will note that the Mozambique Drill(2 to body, one to head if he doesn't fall) has been taught by many, if not most, law enforcement organizations in this country. From what this post shows, I think I'm going to start using the upper body as my main aiming point from now on. It makes sense.
He also links to this article from a newspaper on a poll by the National Association of Chiefs of Police. Real big point from the article:
"NACOP asserts that the public perception of how police view certain issues is based on media coverage, which is not necessarily accurate. When police chiefs and sheriffs are allowed to respond to poll questions anonymously, the politics may be removed from their answers."
Ok, and that means what?
"Gun Control: With regard to private citizens owning firearms for sport or self-defense, 93.6 percent of the respondents supported civilian gun-ownership rights. Ninety-six percent of the police chiefs and sheriffs believe criminals obtain firearms from illegal sources and 92.2 percent revealed they hadn't arrested anyone for violation of the so-called "waiting period" laws. When asked if citizens concealed-weapons permits would reduce violent crime, 63.1 percent said yes."
Now, in the past the International Assoc. of Chiefs of Police has been very loud about wanting more and stricter gun control laws. Many chiefs and commissioners are far more politician than cop, I think especially in this organization. In the National Association the situation seems a bit better, although, as the article notes, these poll results came from people who knew they wouldn't have their name and words reported in the local media. I would wish that these people were more willing to have their opinion known without worrying about the local GFW's wailing and whining, but that's probably futile; they may be more cop than politician, but they like being in that office an awful lot, too.
Yeah, I'm cynical about it.
I will note that the Mozambique Drill(2 to body, one to head if he doesn't fall) has been taught by many, if not most, law enforcement organizations in this country. From what this post shows, I think I'm going to start using the upper body as my main aiming point from now on. It makes sense.
He also links to this article from a newspaper on a poll by the National Association of Chiefs of Police. Real big point from the article:
"NACOP asserts that the public perception of how police view certain issues is based on media coverage, which is not necessarily accurate. When police chiefs and sheriffs are allowed to respond to poll questions anonymously, the politics may be removed from their answers."
Ok, and that means what?
"Gun Control: With regard to private citizens owning firearms for sport or self-defense, 93.6 percent of the respondents supported civilian gun-ownership rights. Ninety-six percent of the police chiefs and sheriffs believe criminals obtain firearms from illegal sources and 92.2 percent revealed they hadn't arrested anyone for violation of the so-called "waiting period" laws. When asked if citizens concealed-weapons permits would reduce violent crime, 63.1 percent said yes."
Now, in the past the International Assoc. of Chiefs of Police has been very loud about wanting more and stricter gun control laws. Many chiefs and commissioners are far more politician than cop, I think especially in this organization. In the National Association the situation seems a bit better, although, as the article notes, these poll results came from people who knew they wouldn't have their name and words reported in the local media. I would wish that these people were more willing to have their opinion known without worrying about the local GFW's wailing and whining, but that's probably futile; they may be more cop than politician, but they like being in that office an awful lot, too.
Yeah, I'm cynical about it.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Would you take this?
You find out that when the pharmacist gets a bottle of the stuff to prepare the doses, the bottle has a skull & crossbones and says this:
"TOXIC
Toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Target organ(s): Blood Bone Marrow. If you feel unwell, seek medical advice (show the label where possible). Wear suitable protective clothing."
Would you swallow this?
It seems this is the label on AZT.
A few years ago I read an article about various drugs and their side-effects. The author wrote that the number one requested book in the New York City library was the Physicians Desk Reference; the second most requested was the listing of registered physicians for the state. His comment was that after seeing what the drug could do to them, they probably wanted to find out if the idiot who prescribed it actually had a license to practice medicine.
It might make you wonder.
"TOXIC
Toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Target organ(s): Blood Bone Marrow. If you feel unwell, seek medical advice (show the label where possible). Wear suitable protective clothing."
Would you swallow this?
It seems this is the label on AZT.
A few years ago I read an article about various drugs and their side-effects. The author wrote that the number one requested book in the New York City library was the Physicians Desk Reference; the second most requested was the listing of registered physicians for the state. His comment was that after seeing what the drug could do to them, they probably wanted to find out if the idiot who prescribed it actually had a license to practice medicine.
It might make you wonder.
Robert Byrd really sucks rocks
I have not liked this man for a long time. Before I knew of his Klan associations I didn't like him; something about his constantly looting the rest of the country so he can put his name on another bridge or stretch of highway or something. Then I found out about his happy(for him)time in the Klan and association with it since he "officially" left it. Including this from a letter:
"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
And now, "Senator Robert Byrd, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, announced late [Wednesday] that he would not allow the Senate to approve Ms. Rice without a few days of consideration of her lengthy testimony, and at least a token debate on the floor," reports the New York Times.
Trent Lott made a comment at a birthday party for an old man and had his ass handed to him for it. Byrd says and does things that would have had Lott being measured for handcuffs or a noose, and his party defends him, over and over.
Found at Michelle Malkin's place
(No, I'm not defending Lott. I'm bitching about the double standard)
"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
And now, "Senator Robert Byrd, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, announced late [Wednesday] that he would not allow the Senate to approve Ms. Rice without a few days of consideration of her lengthy testimony, and at least a token debate on the floor," reports the New York Times.
Trent Lott made a comment at a birthday party for an old man and had his ass handed to him for it. Byrd says and does things that would have had Lott being measured for handcuffs or a noose, and his party defends him, over and over.
Found at Michelle Malkin's place
(No, I'm not defending Lott. I'm bitching about the double standard)
The Health Crisis of the day
The National Cancer Institute announced that eating too much beef puts you at greater risk of colon cancer. Scary news, 'till you find out a bit more.
Found this at Fox News from the report: "They parsed the results as follows, “High intake of red meat reported in 1992/1993 was associated with higher risk of colon cancer after adjusting for age and energy intake but not after further adjustment for body mass index, cigarette smoking and other [risk factors],” ". In other words, you take all factors into account, no increased risk. So the fiddled around with other parts of the study to get the result they apparently wanted to announce.
I'm seeing this more and more like I saw the CDC study some years ago announcing that if you had a gun in the house you were 40-something percent more likely to shoot a family member than an intruder. When challenged on this, the doctor who did the study revised it downward drastically. When challenged again, he revised it again. Then it turned out later that depending on the audience he had, he chose which number to use. My thought was this if CDC had several hundred thousand dollars to fund this crap, they had too much money in their budget and it should be cut.
Maybe the National Cancer Institute should get a budget cut, too.
Found this at Fox News from the report: "They parsed the results as follows, “High intake of red meat reported in 1992/1993 was associated with higher risk of colon cancer after adjusting for age and energy intake but not after further adjustment for body mass index, cigarette smoking and other [risk factors],” ". In other words, you take all factors into account, no increased risk. So the fiddled around with other parts of the study to get the result they apparently wanted to announce.
I'm seeing this more and more like I saw the CDC study some years ago announcing that if you had a gun in the house you were 40-something percent more likely to shoot a family member than an intruder. When challenged on this, the doctor who did the study revised it downward drastically. When challenged again, he revised it again. Then it turned out later that depending on the audience he had, he chose which number to use. My thought was this if CDC had several hundred thousand dollars to fund this crap, they had too much money in their budget and it should be cut.
Maybe the National Cancer Institute should get a budget cut, too.
SUV's
A while back Acidman had a bit of disagreement with a post at another site bitching about people who drive them. Not all, most of the people who drive them. That wen't back & forth a bit, with nothing settled(as if anything would be).
Here's my take on it. Idiots who drive with a phone stuck on their ear and/or fiddling with their hair/makeup are idiots, period. They don't need a big vehicle to be dangerous. (Aside: we don't need laws banning use of phones in vehicles; just prosecute the dummies on careless/reckless driving charges). And I agree with the guy in that people who spend $25-25 thousand for a Hummer or whatever primarily because it's 'Cool' are idiots; however, it's their money to spend.
My big disagreement comes when someone pops up with the 'what do they need that for?' line. This being the U.S., the only appropriate response to that, whether touching on vehicles, guns, food or computers, is "None of your damned business". As far as actual reasons people choose them?
My parents bought a new one a couple of years ago. After trying out a lot of cars, they tried a Ford Explorer and loved it. Reasons? 1. lots of carrying space for everything from garden and house supplies to grandkids, 2. it's a lot easier getting in and out of it than out of a low-slung car, and 3. Dad spent a long time in the highway patrol, and worked about every kind of accident involving every kind of vehicle you can think of; as a consequence he refuses to buy a vehicle that doesn't have a solid frame and some mass.
There was a report I heard about shortly after they bought it that confirmed the costs in lives of making vehicles lighter to improve mileage. No matter how many crush-zones etc. you put in you're more likely to die or be seriously injured in a lighter vehicle. It pretty much confirmed what Dad had been saying for years, and made me even happier with my pickup.
Where I do get ticked off is when someone starts that "I don't feel safe with those big SUV's on the road!" crap. Everything is a tradeoff; you buy a dinky little car, you will get better mileage but not be as safe in the event of an accident. That's your choice, so don't start telling other people they shouldn't be allowed to own the vehicle they choose.
For what it's worth.
Here's my take on it. Idiots who drive with a phone stuck on their ear and/or fiddling with their hair/makeup are idiots, period. They don't need a big vehicle to be dangerous. (Aside: we don't need laws banning use of phones in vehicles; just prosecute the dummies on careless/reckless driving charges). And I agree with the guy in that people who spend $25-25 thousand for a Hummer or whatever primarily because it's 'Cool' are idiots; however, it's their money to spend.
My big disagreement comes when someone pops up with the 'what do they need that for?' line. This being the U.S., the only appropriate response to that, whether touching on vehicles, guns, food or computers, is "None of your damned business". As far as actual reasons people choose them?
My parents bought a new one a couple of years ago. After trying out a lot of cars, they tried a Ford Explorer and loved it. Reasons? 1. lots of carrying space for everything from garden and house supplies to grandkids, 2. it's a lot easier getting in and out of it than out of a low-slung car, and 3. Dad spent a long time in the highway patrol, and worked about every kind of accident involving every kind of vehicle you can think of; as a consequence he refuses to buy a vehicle that doesn't have a solid frame and some mass.
There was a report I heard about shortly after they bought it that confirmed the costs in lives of making vehicles lighter to improve mileage. No matter how many crush-zones etc. you put in you're more likely to die or be seriously injured in a lighter vehicle. It pretty much confirmed what Dad had been saying for years, and made me even happier with my pickup.
Where I do get ticked off is when someone starts that "I don't feel safe with those big SUV's on the road!" crap. Everything is a tradeoff; you buy a dinky little car, you will get better mileage but not be as safe in the event of an accident. That's your choice, so don't start telling other people they shouldn't be allowed to own the vehicle they choose.
For what it's worth.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
The Code of the Retrosexual
This was where I originally found Frizzensparks. And no, I can't remember where it was referenced from. I like it, and I sent the link to my son and daughter.
Go ye, and read.
Go ye, and read.
Follow the trail to find out how to blow up the oven!
Microvave, that is. Aluminum foil. Candlesticks.
This is so cool! Actual experiments that might cause you to suffer bodily harm! Plasma in the oven! Demos! Exploding water!
Please do note the warning at the top of the page.
Found through Frizzensparks, found through IMAO, found through... wherever it was.
This is so cool! Actual experiments that might cause you to suffer bodily harm! Plasma in the oven! Demos! Exploding water!
Please do note the warning at the top of the page.
Found through Frizzensparks, found through IMAO, found through... wherever it was.
How to tell when your country/party has become completely wussy
"A Conservative Parliamentary candidate has been suspended after he was pictured on the internet with a range of guns, rifles and a hunting knife."
Check it out at Free Market Fairy Tales
Check it out at Free Market Fairy Tales
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
The food police speak up again
With new 'dietary guidelines'. And since they are being cheered on by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, you know it's crap.
Just in case there's any doubt, the CSPI is nothing more than a lobbying group with political stands it pushes; and the fact that so many news organizations take their press releases and read them as though they were confirmed fact without any investigation, is another reason I don't trust so much of what we hear in the news.
So far, with some exceptions for people with odd metabolisms, the formula seems to be don't eat too much, and get some exercise. Not 'nine servings of fruit and vegetables' a day and all the other PC crap.
You want to be a vegetarian? Go ahead, just don't bitch at me for eating meat. Oh, and don't forget to take the supplements you'll need to replace the stuff your diet loses by cutting out meat.
Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to turn into a rabbit.
Update: more specifics on these 'guidelines' at Tech Central Station. Key quote: "They're not just advising "eat a healthful variety of foods, enjoy everything in moderation and get some activity each day that you enjoy." It's a DIET -- and an extreme one at that -- masquerading as "healthy eating." "
Ref my comments on vegetarians above, a friend of my daughter's was following a vegan diet for several years. She'd had some health problems that worsened- drastically- the last couple of years. She finally went to a doctor and had a full checkup. Final verdict was basically, "if you don't start eating meat again, you're gonna die". Rather drastic sounding, but he ran through everything as to why he said so. And she started eating meat & milk products again. And her health improved, dramatically. You want to eat vegan and feel morally superior, go ahead. I think I'll broil some chicken for dinner.
Just in case there's any doubt, the CSPI is nothing more than a lobbying group with political stands it pushes; and the fact that so many news organizations take their press releases and read them as though they were confirmed fact without any investigation, is another reason I don't trust so much of what we hear in the news.
So far, with some exceptions for people with odd metabolisms, the formula seems to be don't eat too much, and get some exercise. Not 'nine servings of fruit and vegetables' a day and all the other PC crap.
You want to be a vegetarian? Go ahead, just don't bitch at me for eating meat. Oh, and don't forget to take the supplements you'll need to replace the stuff your diet loses by cutting out meat.
Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to turn into a rabbit.
Update: more specifics on these 'guidelines' at Tech Central Station. Key quote: "They're not just advising "eat a healthful variety of foods, enjoy everything in moderation and get some activity each day that you enjoy." It's a DIET -- and an extreme one at that -- masquerading as "healthy eating." "
Ref my comments on vegetarians above, a friend of my daughter's was following a vegan diet for several years. She'd had some health problems that worsened- drastically- the last couple of years. She finally went to a doctor and had a full checkup. Final verdict was basically, "if you don't start eating meat again, you're gonna die". Rather drastic sounding, but he ran through everything as to why he said so. And she started eating meat & milk products again. And her health improved, dramatically. You want to eat vegan and feel morally superior, go ahead. I think I'll broil some chicken for dinner.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Oooh, I've been linked!
Smallest Minority did it in a post with LOTS of details on ballistic fingerprinting. He's got lots of links including to the California and Maryland studies/programs. And lots of excerpts from the experts saying "this stuff ain't DNA". Including,
"The AB1717 Evaluation was designed to test the performance of the IBIS™ system for the anticipated large database of new firearms. The experiment used 792 Smith & Wesson model 4006 semi-automatic pistols for this purpose. Each pistol was test fired using at least two cartridges of Federal brand ammunition and other ammunition. One of the test fired Federal cartridge cases for each of the pistols was registered into the database.
The duplicate Federal cartridge cases from fifty of these pistols were selected at random and compared with the database. The system ranks how well each entered mark matches the evidence. The higher the ranking the more similar the stored image is to the evidence’s mark. For the system to be successful, the correct gun should be listed in the top few ranks. The results show that 38 % of the fifty pistols were not listed in the top 15 ranks. The same experiments was repeated with ammunition of a different brands. In this case 62.5 % of the pistols were missed and not listed in the top 15 ranks. These results will be discussed in light of the investment in terms of equipment and personnel needed to set up a ballistic fingerprinting database. In fact, the trends in the obtained results show that the situation worsens as the number of firearms in the database is increased."
Ok, these test guns were fired with the same brand and type of ammo from the same manufacturing lot and they still got such lousy results!
Go over there and read the whole thing, he covers it very well.
"The AB1717 Evaluation was designed to test the performance of the IBIS™ system for the anticipated large database of new firearms. The experiment used 792 Smith & Wesson model 4006 semi-automatic pistols for this purpose. Each pistol was test fired using at least two cartridges of Federal brand ammunition and other ammunition. One of the test fired Federal cartridge cases for each of the pistols was registered into the database.
The duplicate Federal cartridge cases from fifty of these pistols were selected at random and compared with the database. The system ranks how well each entered mark matches the evidence. The higher the ranking the more similar the stored image is to the evidence’s mark. For the system to be successful, the correct gun should be listed in the top few ranks. The results show that 38 % of the fifty pistols were not listed in the top 15 ranks. The same experiments was repeated with ammunition of a different brands. In this case 62.5 % of the pistols were missed and not listed in the top 15 ranks. These results will be discussed in light of the investment in terms of equipment and personnel needed to set up a ballistic fingerprinting database. In fact, the trends in the obtained results show that the situation worsens as the number of firearms in the database is increased."
Ok, these test guns were fired with the same brand and type of ammo from the same manufacturing lot and they still got such lousy results!
Go over there and read the whole thing, he covers it very well.
General commentary
Wizbang has a link to more information on the NEW! IMPROVED! prediction about global warming. Excuse me for not giving a crap. History lesson: when I was in junior high, I read a lot of stuff on 'global cooling'. Crops that had been bred/engineered for higher yields wouldn't be able to stand the cooler temps, resulting in widespread starvation. Sea levels would drop since the water would be going into the ice caps, and glaciers would be moving down as the new ice age began. Etc., etc. And all this 'scare everybody to death so they do what we want' was coming from the same people who have spent the last few years trying to scare everybody to death about 'global warming'. Never mind the cycles nature goes through, never mind all that stuff, it's ALL OUR FAULT!
Powerline notes a family murdered, quite possibly by some Islamist nutcases. I'm sure CAIR is working hard to make sure nobody looks at the probably suspects because it would be 'racist' or something.
Blackfive has this on the problem with the way a lot of the media only reports on the bad things that happen in Iraq. He's got a lot of other good stuff, too. Including on the way Afghanistan has pretty much dropped off the media screen.
It's still damn cold outside, low this morning about 15, and the high'll be about 30. I really, really dislike it when it gets this cold and stays for a while. Back when my daughter was about six months old, the temp here dropped to zero, and stayed within a degree or so above or below for damn near two weeks. The water line in the street in front of the house cracked and leaked, happily just on the other side of the hillcrest in front of the house. By the time the weather broke and started warming up, the ice at the bottom of the hill was more than a foot thick in places. That sucked.
Handguns are ok to shoot in this weather at the indoor range, although it's hard to shoot well with the draft from the ventilation freezing the back of your neck; rifles are more difficult, at least when trying to do careful offhand shooting with a .22. I'll be very glad when can get back out to an outdoor range without freezing.
For that matter, I'll be glad when I can light the forge and do some hammering. I'd also like to do some guard, pommel and grip work on some blades I have finished, but this needs the vise on the workbench in the garage, and it's hard to do careful work when your fingers are going numb.
My son used to work part-time at a deli, mostly doing deliveries. 'Used to' because of two things. One, tips dropped way off, and with the cost of gas that is a real problem. Second, there was a bunch of people at a hospital that would consistently call in a big order fifteen minutes before cutoff, and they stopped tipping entirely. One of his last deliveries to them he asked why they waited so late, and this jackass answered "Because it pisses you off". So he told the boss he was quitting and what happened at the hospital. I'm hoping those jerks don't get any deliveries again, preferably from anybody; they can bloody starve or eat out of the machines, the arrogant little dipshits.
Powerline notes a family murdered, quite possibly by some Islamist nutcases. I'm sure CAIR is working hard to make sure nobody looks at the probably suspects because it would be 'racist' or something.
Blackfive has this on the problem with the way a lot of the media only reports on the bad things that happen in Iraq. He's got a lot of other good stuff, too. Including on the way Afghanistan has pretty much dropped off the media screen.
It's still damn cold outside, low this morning about 15, and the high'll be about 30. I really, really dislike it when it gets this cold and stays for a while. Back when my daughter was about six months old, the temp here dropped to zero, and stayed within a degree or so above or below for damn near two weeks. The water line in the street in front of the house cracked and leaked, happily just on the other side of the hillcrest in front of the house. By the time the weather broke and started warming up, the ice at the bottom of the hill was more than a foot thick in places. That sucked.
Handguns are ok to shoot in this weather at the indoor range, although it's hard to shoot well with the draft from the ventilation freezing the back of your neck; rifles are more difficult, at least when trying to do careful offhand shooting with a .22. I'll be very glad when can get back out to an outdoor range without freezing.
For that matter, I'll be glad when I can light the forge and do some hammering. I'd also like to do some guard, pommel and grip work on some blades I have finished, but this needs the vise on the workbench in the garage, and it's hard to do careful work when your fingers are going numb.
My son used to work part-time at a deli, mostly doing deliveries. 'Used to' because of two things. One, tips dropped way off, and with the cost of gas that is a real problem. Second, there was a bunch of people at a hospital that would consistently call in a big order fifteen minutes before cutoff, and they stopped tipping entirely. One of his last deliveries to them he asked why they waited so late, and this jackass answered "Because it pisses you off". So he told the boss he was quitting and what happened at the hospital. I'm hoping those jerks don't get any deliveries again, preferably from anybody; they can bloody starve or eat out of the machines, the arrogant little dipshits.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
If you had lots of free cash...
what kinds of cool stuff would you buy? Not bill-paying money, free cash that could be spent for anything?
I want one of the green lasers various people have mentioned lately(I lost the link and am too lazy to find it right now). They guy said he was stopping sales because he was worried about someone using one to do harm to an airplane or something; I understand the emotion, but dammit, I want one!
I like flashlights, and the coolest one I can think of is from Surefire. The G2 I picked up will blind you in a dim room and produces 65 lumens; The Beast puts out two thousand lumens. Oh Lord, yes I want one of these. The guys at the indoor range I shoot at said they've been trying to convince the boss that the need one for the store. "It's for display", "It's for advertisement", "instead of renting some spotlights one of us can stand outside and wave it around". All excellent arguments, I would say, but to no avail. So I'll have to simply lust over the picture.
I was at a motorcycle show today, and there were some flat gorgeous bikes there. There was one with a magnificent flame paint job that would look really nice in the garage. It's a hardtail so it's probably not too comfortable to ride, it's got short straight pipes so I'd have to wear earplugs, it's damn near as long as my truck so it'd take up a lot of the garage, but it was so lovely...
It's not really expensive, but a nice leather duster would be good. I could probably buy one now, but I have a oilcloth duster that works quite well in the rain, and I can't convince myself that buying a leather one just because it looks good is a good idea.
A really nice telescope. Lots of things to look at up there.
I'm not going into firearms right here, except for one. In front of the 45th Infantry Division Museum there are a pair of 37mm anti-tank guns from the late 1930's. Of course these have had the breechblocks welded into place, etc., but a working one? Oh, my. You'd need a good half-mile minimum of range to really play with it, but it would be fun. Just solid shot, no HE shells, and targets that would show when you hit. Plastic jugs full of colored water, concrete blocks, and so forth. And just think of the looks on people's faces as they see you towing it to the range!
A Mustang. Just because I've wanted one since I was 15. And if I had the money to buy it, I'd also be able to afford the insurance.
And if I had a house appropriate to keep all this stuff- and the rest- in, I'd want a tower. Probably along one of the front corners, at least 15 feet high(20 would be better) with a couple of rooms and crenelations on the roof. Nice for just looking around, and I could build a small ballista or trebuchet up there to shoot stuff at people on Halloween.
I want one of the green lasers various people have mentioned lately(I lost the link and am too lazy to find it right now). They guy said he was stopping sales because he was worried about someone using one to do harm to an airplane or something; I understand the emotion, but dammit, I want one!
I like flashlights, and the coolest one I can think of is from Surefire. The G2 I picked up will blind you in a dim room and produces 65 lumens; The Beast puts out two thousand lumens. Oh Lord, yes I want one of these. The guys at the indoor range I shoot at said they've been trying to convince the boss that the need one for the store. "It's for display", "It's for advertisement", "instead of renting some spotlights one of us can stand outside and wave it around". All excellent arguments, I would say, but to no avail. So I'll have to simply lust over the picture.
I was at a motorcycle show today, and there were some flat gorgeous bikes there. There was one with a magnificent flame paint job that would look really nice in the garage. It's a hardtail so it's probably not too comfortable to ride, it's got short straight pipes so I'd have to wear earplugs, it's damn near as long as my truck so it'd take up a lot of the garage, but it was so lovely...
It's not really expensive, but a nice leather duster would be good. I could probably buy one now, but I have a oilcloth duster that works quite well in the rain, and I can't convince myself that buying a leather one just because it looks good is a good idea.
A really nice telescope. Lots of things to look at up there.
I'm not going into firearms right here, except for one. In front of the 45th Infantry Division Museum there are a pair of 37mm anti-tank guns from the late 1930's. Of course these have had the breechblocks welded into place, etc., but a working one? Oh, my. You'd need a good half-mile minimum of range to really play with it, but it would be fun. Just solid shot, no HE shells, and targets that would show when you hit. Plastic jugs full of colored water, concrete blocks, and so forth. And just think of the looks on people's faces as they see you towing it to the range!
A Mustang. Just because I've wanted one since I was 15. And if I had the money to buy it, I'd also be able to afford the insurance.
And if I had a house appropriate to keep all this stuff- and the rest- in, I'd want a tower. Probably along one of the front corners, at least 15 feet high(20 would be better) with a couple of rooms and crenelations on the roof. Nice for just looking around, and I could build a small ballista or trebuchet up there to shoot stuff at people on Halloween.
Friday, January 14, 2005
The tsunami mess
I don't really want to write more about this. The U.N. is still corrupt and useless; various people/groups crap on us because we're not doing 'enough', etc.
And all of it is overshadowed by the number. 260,000 estimated dead.
I didn't live in a city that big until I was an adult. It's hard to wrap my mind around that number of dead people. And I really don't have anything else to say right now.
And all of it is overshadowed by the number. 260,000 estimated dead.
I didn't live in a city that big until I was an adult. It's hard to wrap my mind around that number of dead people. And I really don't have anything else to say right now.
Further down the toilet in Britain
I've written on the situation for gun ownership and self-defense in Britain, because I consider it such a crappy situation. Not just crappy, but seriously dangerous. Not just for the individuals involved in any particular incident, but for their society.
I'm of the opinion that such contempt for the right of self-defense and the means of it are a sympton of rot in a society, and that rot shows in other ways, also. Instapundit has a post with two links about a further loss of freedom of speech over there. From the first link:
"Thanks to a proposed law that would limit permissible speech concerning religion, the UK is is in the middle of a debate about free speech."
It seems to boil down to "You can't say anything about a religeon that might upset someone". From what I've read, this was first pushed by Muslim groups, and of course everyone else wanted to protect their own tender feelings, too. And this is part of the rot in a society.
We've got our own rot. PC thinking is a big part of it; you're not allowed to say something that might hurt someones feelings, and it's best if you're not allowed to think such things, either. At least when you're talking about certain groups; screw everybody else. You see, those groups are so insecure and helpless, we just can't allow anyone to say something hurtful. And it's a bloody load of crap.
I say this for two reasons. First, the freedom of speech issue; it has to allow for both ideas you don't agree with and people you don't like. If you don't allow those things, there is no freedom of speech, there's just this high-sounding phrase people use because it makes them feel good & noble. Second, it combines two things that are, or should be, distasteful; the idea that some people/groups are so tender and helpless they can't handle insensitive talk, and the idea that government has to 'protect' them by banning any speech that 'might' be hurtful.
It's easy to handle both these things. The 'tender, helpless' groups? Get over it. No matter who you are, no matter what you are; no matter your skin color, country or countries of ancestry, religeon, sex, whatever; there is someone who will try to make himself feel better about himself by crapping on you. Deal with it. There is nothing in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that says you're entitled to go through your whole life without having your tender feelings hurt.
For the second, if the government is given power to prevent any group from speaking/writing, they can do it to ALL groups. Including the 'be nice to the poor little helpless ones' groups, just as soon as some bureaucrat decides they are a problem.
Britain is way, way down the slope. Lack of respect for freedom of speech, the right of self-defense, the right to arms, all of it blends together. Those more wise, more intelligent than you, will tell you how to live and where to live and what you can say and what you can own. And smother you in the process.
I'm of the opinion that such contempt for the right of self-defense and the means of it are a sympton of rot in a society, and that rot shows in other ways, also. Instapundit has a post with two links about a further loss of freedom of speech over there. From the first link:
"Thanks to a proposed law that would limit permissible speech concerning religion, the UK is is in the middle of a debate about free speech."
It seems to boil down to "You can't say anything about a religeon that might upset someone". From what I've read, this was first pushed by Muslim groups, and of course everyone else wanted to protect their own tender feelings, too. And this is part of the rot in a society.
We've got our own rot. PC thinking is a big part of it; you're not allowed to say something that might hurt someones feelings, and it's best if you're not allowed to think such things, either. At least when you're talking about certain groups; screw everybody else. You see, those groups are so insecure and helpless, we just can't allow anyone to say something hurtful. And it's a bloody load of crap.
I say this for two reasons. First, the freedom of speech issue; it has to allow for both ideas you don't agree with and people you don't like. If you don't allow those things, there is no freedom of speech, there's just this high-sounding phrase people use because it makes them feel good & noble. Second, it combines two things that are, or should be, distasteful; the idea that some people/groups are so tender and helpless they can't handle insensitive talk, and the idea that government has to 'protect' them by banning any speech that 'might' be hurtful.
It's easy to handle both these things. The 'tender, helpless' groups? Get over it. No matter who you are, no matter what you are; no matter your skin color, country or countries of ancestry, religeon, sex, whatever; there is someone who will try to make himself feel better about himself by crapping on you. Deal with it. There is nothing in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that says you're entitled to go through your whole life without having your tender feelings hurt.
For the second, if the government is given power to prevent any group from speaking/writing, they can do it to ALL groups. Including the 'be nice to the poor little helpless ones' groups, just as soon as some bureaucrat decides they are a problem.
Britain is way, way down the slope. Lack of respect for freedom of speech, the right of self-defense, the right to arms, all of it blends together. Those more wise, more intelligent than you, will tell you how to live and where to live and what you can say and what you can own. And smother you in the process.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Here's one big reason why a lot of people fear the government
The courts in particular in this case.
I'll put this bluntly; I do not give a rat's ass what the law is in other countries. I am scared to death when a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court says
"U.S. law is not handed down from on high even at the U.S. Supreme Court," he said. "The law emerges from a conversation with judges, lawyers, professors and law students. ... It's what I call opening your eyes as to what's going on elsewhere."
God damn it, no it does not! The law is made by the legislative branch of government, and it its the job of judges to interpret the law in the case before them. That's 'interpret' as in does it apply? or is it constitutional and such. It is NOT their damn job to MAKE law, or to CHANGE law as it suits them. The law DOES NOT emerge from 'conversation'.
You want to know why so many people are so damn worried about this country? Why you hear the comment 'I love my country but fear my government'? Crap like this is why.
I think I need to write to my congressman and senator about this crap.
I'll put this bluntly; I do not give a rat's ass what the law is in other countries. I am scared to death when a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court says
"U.S. law is not handed down from on high even at the U.S. Supreme Court," he said. "The law emerges from a conversation with judges, lawyers, professors and law students. ... It's what I call opening your eyes as to what's going on elsewhere."
God damn it, no it does not! The law is made by the legislative branch of government, and it its the job of judges to interpret the law in the case before them. That's 'interpret' as in does it apply? or is it constitutional and such. It is NOT their damn job to MAKE law, or to CHANGE law as it suits them. The law DOES NOT emerge from 'conversation'.
You want to know why so many people are so damn worried about this country? Why you hear the comment 'I love my country but fear my government'? Crap like this is why.
I think I need to write to my congressman and senator about this crap.
Ballistic fingerprinting
Various people have written on this in the past, here's my way of putting it. I think many of the folks who have read my words here are familiar with it, but for anyone who comes by who isn't, here it is.
Fingerprinting works because your prints don't change. You can become scarred on your hands and that simply adds to the ID marks; what remains of your original prints has the scars added to them. Basically, the prints you are born with do not change. Ballistic 'fingerprinting' is based on this idea.
First, when a bullet travels down the barrel of a rifle or handgun, the rifling- the spiral grooves in the bore- grip the bullet to spin it. This engraves the marks into the metal of the bullet, and unless it's completely smashed/mangled by the impact when it hits, these markings can be seen.
Second, the cartridge case is expanded against the walls of the chamber by the pressure of the shot, and also pushed back against the breech face. This causes the shape of the chamber and breech, any scratches, etc., to leave marks. And in semi-or automatic firearms, the extractor- the hook that pulls the case out of the chamber- can also leave marks.
So the idea is that if you save a fired bullet and cartridge case from a gun, then index the marks, then you could- supposedly- take a bullet or case found at a crime scene and run it through a computer and find what gun it matches up to.
However....
This ignores a number of things. Take a brand-new gun and fire it; save the samples; and then, after someone has fired several hundred rounds through it, compare them again. Good chance you will not be able to say, positively, "this bullet/case came from this particular firearm", because these marks change. You don't have to make a deliberate effort to change them, the normal wear of firing does that for you. Cleaning, especially with some abrasive cleaning/polishing compounds, does it. And, as the California AG's study showed, simply firing a different brand of ammo can cause the marks to be different. Different bullet design/materials, slight differences in case material/design, can make a match uncertain ranging to negative.
This is not the same as finding a gun in the posession of a suspect and comparing it with bullets/cases found at the crime scene. In this case it's probably the same ammo, and right after the shooting. You have a very good chance of making a match then. Otherwise...
One of the other things not considered is that in modern manufacturing, barrels are made one after another on the same equipment; as they come off the line, they are virtually identical and marks may not be distinguishable between them. Which means that any normal wear makes immediate changes to the markings left on a bullet. Same thing for the cartridge cases; the chamber in a semi-auto is part of the barrel, so the same holds for the markings on the case. In revolvers you might well have more variation in that the chambers are cut in the cylinder that holds the cartridges, but again they are made one after another, on the same equipment.
The slide of a semi-auto and the frame of a revolver, again are made one after another. There might be more variation here, but again normal wear changes the marks.
Now you get into another factor; deliberate changes. Doesn't have to have a thing to do with trying to change the marks.
A shooter buys an after-market barrel for this semi-auto either for a feature like a compensator on the muzzle or to change cartridges- and yes, some semi-autos can be changed to a different cartridge just by changing the barrel.
A shooter wants to improve the barrel, so he uses one of the many methods to polish the bore.
The breech-face gets polished for smoother operation.
The extractor is polished or replaced, again for smoother functioning.
After-market firing pin for faster lock time.
Any of these will change the marks left on the bullet/case, and the sample the police have now means nothing- except that they have to store it, which takes up space and money.
And the above methods can be used to deliberately change the markings, and are used. I have no idea how many people I've heard of who, first thing they do with a new firearm, is polish the bore, etc., just to change the marks. Their way of telling the authorities 'screw you'. These are honest citazens who just don't like the government keeping records on their property.
Another reason many dislike it is that it is a de facto method of gun registration. And again, unless you are violating the law in your use of something, it is none of the governments' business what you own.
Ballistic fingerprinting as I see it. And apparently the honest people in law enforcement see it the same, as even the Peoples Republic of Maryland is asking for changes in law so they can drop this, and put the money and people into improving their DNA database of criminals, which has the advantage of actually working.
Fingerprinting works because your prints don't change. You can become scarred on your hands and that simply adds to the ID marks; what remains of your original prints has the scars added to them. Basically, the prints you are born with do not change. Ballistic 'fingerprinting' is based on this idea.
First, when a bullet travels down the barrel of a rifle or handgun, the rifling- the spiral grooves in the bore- grip the bullet to spin it. This engraves the marks into the metal of the bullet, and unless it's completely smashed/mangled by the impact when it hits, these markings can be seen.
Second, the cartridge case is expanded against the walls of the chamber by the pressure of the shot, and also pushed back against the breech face. This causes the shape of the chamber and breech, any scratches, etc., to leave marks. And in semi-or automatic firearms, the extractor- the hook that pulls the case out of the chamber- can also leave marks.
So the idea is that if you save a fired bullet and cartridge case from a gun, then index the marks, then you could- supposedly- take a bullet or case found at a crime scene and run it through a computer and find what gun it matches up to.
However....
This ignores a number of things. Take a brand-new gun and fire it; save the samples; and then, after someone has fired several hundred rounds through it, compare them again. Good chance you will not be able to say, positively, "this bullet/case came from this particular firearm", because these marks change. You don't have to make a deliberate effort to change them, the normal wear of firing does that for you. Cleaning, especially with some abrasive cleaning/polishing compounds, does it. And, as the California AG's study showed, simply firing a different brand of ammo can cause the marks to be different. Different bullet design/materials, slight differences in case material/design, can make a match uncertain ranging to negative.
This is not the same as finding a gun in the posession of a suspect and comparing it with bullets/cases found at the crime scene. In this case it's probably the same ammo, and right after the shooting. You have a very good chance of making a match then. Otherwise...
One of the other things not considered is that in modern manufacturing, barrels are made one after another on the same equipment; as they come off the line, they are virtually identical and marks may not be distinguishable between them. Which means that any normal wear makes immediate changes to the markings left on a bullet. Same thing for the cartridge cases; the chamber in a semi-auto is part of the barrel, so the same holds for the markings on the case. In revolvers you might well have more variation in that the chambers are cut in the cylinder that holds the cartridges, but again they are made one after another, on the same equipment.
The slide of a semi-auto and the frame of a revolver, again are made one after another. There might be more variation here, but again normal wear changes the marks.
Now you get into another factor; deliberate changes. Doesn't have to have a thing to do with trying to change the marks.
A shooter buys an after-market barrel for this semi-auto either for a feature like a compensator on the muzzle or to change cartridges- and yes, some semi-autos can be changed to a different cartridge just by changing the barrel.
A shooter wants to improve the barrel, so he uses one of the many methods to polish the bore.
The breech-face gets polished for smoother operation.
The extractor is polished or replaced, again for smoother functioning.
After-market firing pin for faster lock time.
Any of these will change the marks left on the bullet/case, and the sample the police have now means nothing- except that they have to store it, which takes up space and money.
And the above methods can be used to deliberately change the markings, and are used. I have no idea how many people I've heard of who, first thing they do with a new firearm, is polish the bore, etc., just to change the marks. Their way of telling the authorities 'screw you'. These are honest citazens who just don't like the government keeping records on their property.
Another reason many dislike it is that it is a de facto method of gun registration. And again, unless you are violating the law in your use of something, it is none of the governments' business what you own.
Ballistic fingerprinting as I see it. And apparently the honest people in law enforcement see it the same, as even the Peoples Republic of Maryland is asking for changes in law so they can drop this, and put the money and people into improving their DNA database of criminals, which has the advantage of actually working.
"You've saved our people; now GET OUT"
This is the message from Indonesia to our military forces in the region. Apparently having people saved by evil Westerners is bothering the government and the nut-level muslims, so they want them out by March at the latest. One of their gripes being "in the near future would need foreign medical workers and engineers instead of military assistance". Hey, stupid, just what to you think a lot of those troops are? They're medical workers and engineers. Except for the problem that a lot of people who are glad of the help would die, I'd say bring everyone back to their normal missions and send a bill to the Indonesian government.
Oh, and the U.N. is "struggling to coordinate a massive relief operation have welcomed their participation, particularly to deliver aid to isolated coastlines accessible only by sea or air". Oh, yeah the U.N. is in charge, never mind that the Aussies and us and India in particular were taking care of things before the U.N. could bother to get anyone out of their nice comfortable offices and send them to four-star hotels to 'study' the matter and make recommendations about what should be done. And from the U.N.uchs we get the following also: "Wahlstrom said she remained concerned with inadequate coordination among all groups taking part in the relief effort.". Oh, yeah, you're helping a lot. All those coordination meetings taking people away from actually doing something are a real big help.
Found at Kim's place.
Oh, and the U.N. is "struggling to coordinate a massive relief operation have welcomed their participation, particularly to deliver aid to isolated coastlines accessible only by sea or air". Oh, yeah the U.N. is in charge, never mind that the Aussies and us and India in particular were taking care of things before the U.N. could bother to get anyone out of their nice comfortable offices and send them to four-star hotels to 'study' the matter and make recommendations about what should be done. And from the U.N.uchs we get the following also: "Wahlstrom said she remained concerned with inadequate coordination among all groups taking part in the relief effort.". Oh, yeah, you're helping a lot. All those coordination meetings taking people away from actually doing something are a real big help.
Found at Kim's place.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Thoughts on HIV and medicine
After reading about it at Dean's place, I went to the library and found 'Inventing the AIDS Virus', by Peter Duesberg. I'm about 150 pages in, and it's enlightening in some ways.
I admit, I do not like doctors as a general matter, and do not much trust them. There are exceptions. Dean made the comment that doctors are very, very smart people who want to help others. In most cases, I agree. That doesn't change the fact that all too many are arrogant, condescending jerks with God complexes. That would be tolerable, at least more so, if it weren't for a: the times they're wrong and refuse to acknowledge it/take responsibility, and b: the way so many act as if they know everything, and treat patients who question them like crap(and what medical school did YOU graduate from?)
What really bothers me is the way doctors and researchers so often pass on the Holy Writ from their Leader, and anyone who questions it is obviously either a fool or deluded. That's not the way science is supposed to work. It's a human failing, not wanting to hear/tolerate criticism or a flat statement that "this is wrong", but it's a failing that has no place in science. I can't remember who I read the statement from as a kid, some researcher said that a scientist has to be prepared to drop a theory as wrong at any time the facts show it to be so no matter how much time and work is invested in it. That impressed me greatly at the time, and still does. But it apparently doesn't happen enough. And there's no telling how much time and money, and how many lives, are lost because someone can't bear to change.
And how much misery is caused by it. A friend of my daughter was diagnosed a few months back with HPV, and basically told that because of it she had a good chance of developing cervical cancer down the road. Now that is enough to ruin your attitude at the least. But from what I'm reading there's actually no hard evidence that that is true; no proof that HPV causes this cancer. If so, then people are being scared bleepless for no good reason; instead of 'you have a problem that needs treatment' it is 'you have something that may kill you or sterilize you'.
It'll take a while to finish this book. And what I'm reading is not pleasant.
Side issue: a while back I was reading some stuff about BSE, 'Mad Cow Disease', at Tech Central Station. It was pointing out that there's little to no proof that BSE is transmittable to humans, and that there are big problems with blaming it on prions. But because that is what has been 'decided' is the culprit, little funding is available to study other possible causes. How much trouble and loss may be related to the decisions that 'we HAVE to act NOW' and 'this is what to study and think, don't bother us with other ideas'?
I admit, I do not like doctors as a general matter, and do not much trust them. There are exceptions. Dean made the comment that doctors are very, very smart people who want to help others. In most cases, I agree. That doesn't change the fact that all too many are arrogant, condescending jerks with God complexes. That would be tolerable, at least more so, if it weren't for a: the times they're wrong and refuse to acknowledge it/take responsibility, and b: the way so many act as if they know everything, and treat patients who question them like crap(and what medical school did YOU graduate from?)
What really bothers me is the way doctors and researchers so often pass on the Holy Writ from their Leader, and anyone who questions it is obviously either a fool or deluded. That's not the way science is supposed to work. It's a human failing, not wanting to hear/tolerate criticism or a flat statement that "this is wrong", but it's a failing that has no place in science. I can't remember who I read the statement from as a kid, some researcher said that a scientist has to be prepared to drop a theory as wrong at any time the facts show it to be so no matter how much time and work is invested in it. That impressed me greatly at the time, and still does. But it apparently doesn't happen enough. And there's no telling how much time and money, and how many lives, are lost because someone can't bear to change.
And how much misery is caused by it. A friend of my daughter was diagnosed a few months back with HPV, and basically told that because of it she had a good chance of developing cervical cancer down the road. Now that is enough to ruin your attitude at the least. But from what I'm reading there's actually no hard evidence that that is true; no proof that HPV causes this cancer. If so, then people are being scared bleepless for no good reason; instead of 'you have a problem that needs treatment' it is 'you have something that may kill you or sterilize you'.
It'll take a while to finish this book. And what I'm reading is not pleasant.
Side issue: a while back I was reading some stuff about BSE, 'Mad Cow Disease', at Tech Central Station. It was pointing out that there's little to no proof that BSE is transmittable to humans, and that there are big problems with blaming it on prions. But because that is what has been 'decided' is the culprit, little funding is available to study other possible causes. How much trouble and loss may be related to the decisions that 'we HAVE to act NOW' and 'this is what to study and think, don't bother us with other ideas'?
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
More things that tick me off
People who claim to be 'artists' and therefore exempt from the rules that us commoners must follow. Besides the general stupidity, in many cases it's a matter of 'dressing in black, annoying people and claiming you're not understood does not make you an artist'. (no, I can't remember who said that)
A good many of the people I mentioned earlier who detest gun owners will make EXCUSES for members of NAMBLA, apparently because they're a politically-exempt-from-criticism group. At least exempt from us great unwashed criticizing them. "They're not bad people, some of them just have a problem, and they deserve our patience and tolerance. And they have the right to voice their views". Bullshit. They are exchanging tips on how to kidnap and rape children, you idiots; they ARE bad people. Not because of views they express or something they own, but because of WHAT THEY DO.
People who put some phrase in French or whatever language in a book, with nothing to tell you what it means. Damned if I'm going to check out a dictionary just to find out. Under this same heading are publishing dates in Roman numerals. You got a problem with modern NUMBERS?
People who bitch and whine incesstantly about cops; primarily bitching and whining because the cops remind them that there are rules of civilized behavior they have to follow, like it or not. And the don't like it.
Cops who act like badge-heavy idiots just because they can. Every time some badge carrier treats someone like trash simply because "you are a civilian, and I'm the law", it too often creates one more somebody who'll think 'screw the cops if they treat people like that'. Guys? If you're not in the military or reserves, YOU ARE A CIVILIAN TOO. And that badge is not supposed to make you feel comfortable with crapping on people. I don't mean dealing with some dirtbag who's causing trouble and you know it; when you crap on Mr. or Ms. Average, you make your own future job more difficult.
That's about it for now. But who knows, there might be more coming.
Oh, and I hate freezing my bahoogies off when I go outside.
A good many of the people I mentioned earlier who detest gun owners will make EXCUSES for members of NAMBLA, apparently because they're a politically-exempt-from-criticism group. At least exempt from us great unwashed criticizing them. "They're not bad people, some of them just have a problem, and they deserve our patience and tolerance. And they have the right to voice their views". Bullshit. They are exchanging tips on how to kidnap and rape children, you idiots; they ARE bad people. Not because of views they express or something they own, but because of WHAT THEY DO.
People who put some phrase in French or whatever language in a book, with nothing to tell you what it means. Damned if I'm going to check out a dictionary just to find out. Under this same heading are publishing dates in Roman numerals. You got a problem with modern NUMBERS?
People who bitch and whine incesstantly about cops; primarily bitching and whining because the cops remind them that there are rules of civilized behavior they have to follow, like it or not. And the don't like it.
Cops who act like badge-heavy idiots just because they can. Every time some badge carrier treats someone like trash simply because "you are a civilian, and I'm the law", it too often creates one more somebody who'll think 'screw the cops if they treat people like that'. Guys? If you're not in the military or reserves, YOU ARE A CIVILIAN TOO. And that badge is not supposed to make you feel comfortable with crapping on people. I don't mean dealing with some dirtbag who's causing trouble and you know it; when you crap on Mr. or Ms. Average, you make your own future job more difficult.
That's about it for now. But who knows, there might be more coming.
Oh, and I hate freezing my bahoogies off when I go outside.
Man, it's foggy out there!
It is hear-footsteps-see-man-with-tophat-cape-and-cane foggy. Everything is so wet it might as well have rained. Lots of times I can manage to ride the bike even in January; today the temperatures were doable, but not this wet. Not if I don't have to.
And we're supposed to get another arctic cold front in tomorrow evening or night. Yuck.
I went to the range the other night, and cleaned the .45 afterward. In the past I've tried using nylon bore brushes, and as long as you don't have any real fouling other than powder they're ok. This time I used the Corrosion-X with a bronze brush. When I shoot lead bullets I always have some lead fouling in this barrel, and it's a pain to get out. I soaked the brush, ran it back & forth about six times, then let the barrel sit while I wiped everything else down with some C-X on a patch. Let everything sit a while, then ran the brush through four or five times, then wiped with a patch, and damn! The bore sparkled! Whatever they make this stuff with, it works! I'm going to have to seriously test it for rust protection(I know what the maker's tests say, I want to try it for myself), but in lubrication it seems fine and it cleans damn well. Don't know about copper fouling in a big-bore rifle, will have to check it out.
When it's dry enough and warm enough to go outside and shoot one.
And we're supposed to get another arctic cold front in tomorrow evening or night. Yuck.
I went to the range the other night, and cleaned the .45 afterward. In the past I've tried using nylon bore brushes, and as long as you don't have any real fouling other than powder they're ok. This time I used the Corrosion-X with a bronze brush. When I shoot lead bullets I always have some lead fouling in this barrel, and it's a pain to get out. I soaked the brush, ran it back & forth about six times, then let the barrel sit while I wiped everything else down with some C-X on a patch. Let everything sit a while, then ran the brush through four or five times, then wiped with a patch, and damn! The bore sparkled! Whatever they make this stuff with, it works! I'm going to have to seriously test it for rust protection(I know what the maker's tests say, I want to try it for myself), but in lubrication it seems fine and it cleans damn well. Don't know about copper fouling in a big-bore rifle, will have to check it out.
When it's dry enough and warm enough to go outside and shoot one.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Things that tick me off
In no particular order,
Tobacco taxes. I don't smoke cigarettes, and I don't like them. Even less to I like the nanny-state bullshit about them. If you actually think they're terrible, and you care more about other people's health than about money, then push for a ban. Except for a few zealots, it'll never happen, because they really, really want that tax money. Which leads to some real idiocy. Oklahoma recently passed a big tax hike on tobacco, to both 'discourage' smoking and with promises to use the money to fund health-care programs. So if they succeed in the first, and people stop smoking, the funding for the programs dries up. Whatever do you think they'll do then? Also, bars and restaurants are private property; if the owner wants to allow smoking, that should be that. Don't like it? Don't go there.
"Political Correctness". I am not politically correct, and devoutly hope never to become so. If I do, I hope some friend will put me out of my misery. From speech codes to 'hate crime' laws to general squelching of speech, PC attitudes are a plague on society. Besides the general free-speech problems with it, I hate the condescension of it. "You don't have the intellegence/self-respect/balls to deal with speech that might hurt your feelings, or that you don't like people saying, so we'll ban any words that make you feel bad, you poor, pitiful thing". News flash: free speech has to include people you don't like and ideas you don't agree with, or it becomes nothing but a buzz phrase you use to make yourself feel better about how 'open-minded' you are.
Idiot ideas about firearms. Anytime someone starts off with some variation of 'I hate guns', you know you're in for an earfull of crap. They are tools, made of steel and wood and plastics. They don't have the capacity for good or evil, any more than a hammer or spear or saw. So stop projecting your fears onto them. And stop thinking someone is bad in some way just because they own firearms. Like this:
"When I began my research into gun enthusiasm and gun ownership in the mid-1990s, I learned that a number of my academic colleagues held very similar views. One colleague said (trying to sound positive) that I was commiting a real social service by researching “such disgusting people.” Another informed me that because neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the Ku Klux Klan all obviously loved their guns, until I recognized that the phenomenon of gun enthusiasm was intrinsically racist, I was an apologist for racist violence. A third colleague told me frequently that she found gun owners utterly repellant, and she was surprised (and more than a little suspicious) that I didn’t find them repellant as well. She insisted that until I recognized and acknowledged the ugliness and inherent pathology of gun enthusiasm, my research was disrepectful to victims of gun violence."
Ah, the tolerance of academia. Put a cork in it, dipshit.
'Evil' SUVs. It's a motor vehicle, that's all. Idiocy committed by the driver is the responsibility of the driver, not the vehicle. Nobody says you have to like it, and you have no right to demand that someone else not be allowed to own one because of your dislike. I drive a truck because a: I like it and b: it's damn handy for hauling stuff. Like topsoil, gravel, forge, etc. I also think it's a safer vehicle than a motorized rollerskate. Yeah, most people who have a H2 buy it as a 'prestige' thing. So what? So do most people who buy luxury and sports cars.
Women who bitch about being looked at. Usually these women are dressed in some revealing manner, but seem to think that men should be blind when around them. Ladies, don't wear a skirt hemmed just below your crotch and a top open down to your waist, or a top that ends just below your boobs and pants cut so low they're about to fall of, and then have a fit because someone dared to look at you. You can't have it both ways. Note: this does not include guys who says stupid things or grab your butt; bitch at them all you want.
Idiots, in government or otherwise, who think the solution for any problem is to pass another law. 'Nuff said.
People who bitch and whine about 'banned books week' here in the U.S., but pay no attention- don't even want to know about- Fidel Castro throwing librarians in prison for checking out books not approved by the government.
People who ooh and ahh over a piece of fine handwork, and then act like you spit on them when they find out the price is higher than some mass-produced crap from China or Pakistan.
More later.
Tobacco taxes. I don't smoke cigarettes, and I don't like them. Even less to I like the nanny-state bullshit about them. If you actually think they're terrible, and you care more about other people's health than about money, then push for a ban. Except for a few zealots, it'll never happen, because they really, really want that tax money. Which leads to some real idiocy. Oklahoma recently passed a big tax hike on tobacco, to both 'discourage' smoking and with promises to use the money to fund health-care programs. So if they succeed in the first, and people stop smoking, the funding for the programs dries up. Whatever do you think they'll do then? Also, bars and restaurants are private property; if the owner wants to allow smoking, that should be that. Don't like it? Don't go there.
"Political Correctness". I am not politically correct, and devoutly hope never to become so. If I do, I hope some friend will put me out of my misery. From speech codes to 'hate crime' laws to general squelching of speech, PC attitudes are a plague on society. Besides the general free-speech problems with it, I hate the condescension of it. "You don't have the intellegence/self-respect/balls to deal with speech that might hurt your feelings, or that you don't like people saying, so we'll ban any words that make you feel bad, you poor, pitiful thing". News flash: free speech has to include people you don't like and ideas you don't agree with, or it becomes nothing but a buzz phrase you use to make yourself feel better about how 'open-minded' you are.
Idiot ideas about firearms. Anytime someone starts off with some variation of 'I hate guns', you know you're in for an earfull of crap. They are tools, made of steel and wood and plastics. They don't have the capacity for good or evil, any more than a hammer or spear or saw. So stop projecting your fears onto them. And stop thinking someone is bad in some way just because they own firearms. Like this:
"When I began my research into gun enthusiasm and gun ownership in the mid-1990s, I learned that a number of my academic colleagues held very similar views. One colleague said (trying to sound positive) that I was commiting a real social service by researching “such disgusting people.” Another informed me that because neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the Ku Klux Klan all obviously loved their guns, until I recognized that the phenomenon of gun enthusiasm was intrinsically racist, I was an apologist for racist violence. A third colleague told me frequently that she found gun owners utterly repellant, and she was surprised (and more than a little suspicious) that I didn’t find them repellant as well. She insisted that until I recognized and acknowledged the ugliness and inherent pathology of gun enthusiasm, my research was disrepectful to victims of gun violence."
Ah, the tolerance of academia. Put a cork in it, dipshit.
'Evil' SUVs. It's a motor vehicle, that's all. Idiocy committed by the driver is the responsibility of the driver, not the vehicle. Nobody says you have to like it, and you have no right to demand that someone else not be allowed to own one because of your dislike. I drive a truck because a: I like it and b: it's damn handy for hauling stuff. Like topsoil, gravel, forge, etc. I also think it's a safer vehicle than a motorized rollerskate. Yeah, most people who have a H2 buy it as a 'prestige' thing. So what? So do most people who buy luxury and sports cars.
Women who bitch about being looked at. Usually these women are dressed in some revealing manner, but seem to think that men should be blind when around them. Ladies, don't wear a skirt hemmed just below your crotch and a top open down to your waist, or a top that ends just below your boobs and pants cut so low they're about to fall of, and then have a fit because someone dared to look at you. You can't have it both ways. Note: this does not include guys who says stupid things or grab your butt; bitch at them all you want.
Idiots, in government or otherwise, who think the solution for any problem is to pass another law. 'Nuff said.
People who bitch and whine about 'banned books week' here in the U.S., but pay no attention- don't even want to know about- Fidel Castro throwing librarians in prison for checking out books not approved by the government.
People who ooh and ahh over a piece of fine handwork, and then act like you spit on them when they find out the price is higher than some mass-produced crap from China or Pakistan.
More later.
Ah, the wonders of ballistic fingerprinting!
Spending lots of money for little/no result! From Geek with a .45 we find a link from the Maryland State Police that basically admits what a waste of time, money and energy their program has been, and asking they be allowed to basically dump it; there are places the money & people can be much better used.
Of note in the document is their admission that of the very few 'hits' the got, NONE were used in prosecutions. So for years of annoying the citazens and putting one more roadblock in the way of honest gun folks, and spending millions of tax dollars, benefits have been zero. Unless, of course, you're one of the people who thinks that making it harder/more expensive for people to own guns makes it all worth it.
Instapundit has had a number of posts on this kind of mess, in particular ref a study in California (here and here are two). Among other things I thought were interesting was that not only were perfect matches fairly rare when using the same gun and ammo for tests, but simply changing the brand of ammo took another big bite out of the accuracy.
It seems that the enthusiasm for these programs come from two things: one is a misunderstanding of how accurate they actually are, and second is the desire of some to make ownership of arms as expensive and difficult as possible.
Side point: last I heard, Canada's national gun licensing scheme was now somewhere between 500 million and one billion dollars cost. I forget how many hundreds of times over the 'official' estimates this is.
Of note in the document is their admission that of the very few 'hits' the got, NONE were used in prosecutions. So for years of annoying the citazens and putting one more roadblock in the way of honest gun folks, and spending millions of tax dollars, benefits have been zero. Unless, of course, you're one of the people who thinks that making it harder/more expensive for people to own guns makes it all worth it.
Instapundit has had a number of posts on this kind of mess, in particular ref a study in California (here and here are two). Among other things I thought were interesting was that not only were perfect matches fairly rare when using the same gun and ammo for tests, but simply changing the brand of ammo took another big bite out of the accuracy.
It seems that the enthusiasm for these programs come from two things: one is a misunderstanding of how accurate they actually are, and second is the desire of some to make ownership of arms as expensive and difficult as possible.
Side point: last I heard, Canada's national gun licensing scheme was now somewhere between 500 million and one billion dollars cost. I forget how many hundreds of times over the 'official' estimates this is.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Old movies
No, I don't like all old movies, but some, yes. Just finished watching "Man's Favorite Sport". 1950's, and it's funny. Rock Hudson surely could play a part(in more ways than one).
Cary Grant had some good ones, a favorite being "Father Goose", which I swear I'll buy one of these days. Also "Operation Petticoat", which also had Tony Curtis. I loved "The Pink Panther", and one or two of the sequels were pretty good. "The Lion in Winter" is marvelous, and I do have it.
"Casablanca" is one of the best. A few years ago I finally got my daughter to sit down and watch it. When it was over and I asked what she thought she said, "You know, everything in that movie was a cliche'. Except that when they made it, it wasn't". Which I thought a: she's right, and b: that's downright perceptive.
The "Thin Man" movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy were good. Mysteries with some fine comedy mixed in. "The Quiet Man" is one of my favorites. I think I saw the movie, part of it at least, as a child. And then in school one day I found the short story in a book. Next time it was on tv I watched it and marvelled; they had expanded the story to make the movie, and changed some bits, but overall stayed true to it.
A while back I was at a dollar store and found in their DVDs "The Scarlet Pimpernel". For a dollar, a fine movie. The hero makes a marvelous court suckup, and strong leader out of the public eye, and the villain was truly villainous.
On the subject of movies, something that I both wish had been done and am glad it wasn't. If someone had taken the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber and handled them well, any of a number of them would have made damn good movies. My concern was always that the Hollywood crap machinery would screw it up. "So what that he was one of the best writers around? We can make it better", followed by the march into the toilet. Maybe someday...
Cary Grant had some good ones, a favorite being "Father Goose", which I swear I'll buy one of these days. Also "Operation Petticoat", which also had Tony Curtis. I loved "The Pink Panther", and one or two of the sequels were pretty good. "The Lion in Winter" is marvelous, and I do have it.
"Casablanca" is one of the best. A few years ago I finally got my daughter to sit down and watch it. When it was over and I asked what she thought she said, "You know, everything in that movie was a cliche'. Except that when they made it, it wasn't". Which I thought a: she's right, and b: that's downright perceptive.
The "Thin Man" movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy were good. Mysteries with some fine comedy mixed in. "The Quiet Man" is one of my favorites. I think I saw the movie, part of it at least, as a child. And then in school one day I found the short story in a book. Next time it was on tv I watched it and marvelled; they had expanded the story to make the movie, and changed some bits, but overall stayed true to it.
A while back I was at a dollar store and found in their DVDs "The Scarlet Pimpernel". For a dollar, a fine movie. The hero makes a marvelous court suckup, and strong leader out of the public eye, and the villain was truly villainous.
On the subject of movies, something that I both wish had been done and am glad it wasn't. If someone had taken the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber and handled them well, any of a number of them would have made damn good movies. My concern was always that the Hollywood crap machinery would screw it up. "So what that he was one of the best writers around? We can make it better", followed by the march into the toilet. Maybe someday...
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Evil Loophole Gun Show today
No big purchases today. Picked up a new laser pointer for the cat, but that's it. Friend wants to get together and go tomorrow, so I'll probably pick up some ammo and some new earplugs if I can find some.
One of the things I like about shows is that sometimes you find the damndest things. Oddball firearms, old & new. Knives, ammo, books, parts, tools, there may be nothing interesting or it may be full of stuff. No, not that stuff, good stuff.
The biggest show in the area happens in Tulsa in spring and fall, and it's huge. I usually can't make the spring show, but I've been able to hit the fall show the past several years.
The problem with the local shows is that there are two groups that put them on, and they do so often; so often that in many cases there's not many people there. I'd rather have them farther apart with more to see.
Let's see, my social life is going to work, taking care of stuff around the house, and going to flea markets and gun shows. I think I need to spread out a bit.
One of the things I like about shows is that sometimes you find the damndest things. Oddball firearms, old & new. Knives, ammo, books, parts, tools, there may be nothing interesting or it may be full of stuff. No, not that stuff, good stuff.
The biggest show in the area happens in Tulsa in spring and fall, and it's huge. I usually can't make the spring show, but I've been able to hit the fall show the past several years.
The problem with the local shows is that there are two groups that put them on, and they do so often; so often that in many cases there's not many people there. I'd rather have them farther apart with more to see.
Let's see, my social life is going to work, taking care of stuff around the house, and going to flea markets and gun shows. I think I need to spread out a bit.
Friday, January 07, 2005
The 'High Priest Vulture Elite' in the 'Turd World'
This comes from the latest post at The Diplomad. He's a bit on the edgy side after the last few days, and all things considered I don't blame him. If you were worn out and busy trying to accomplish something, and being forced to waste time listening to some jerks who talk, talk, talk instead of actually getting their hands dirty, you'd be a bit ticked off, too.
Ref the 'Turd World',
"Many years ago, as we prepared our return to a tough posting in the Far Abroad after leave in the States, our son asked, "Do we have to go back to the 'turd' world?" "
He explains why that mispronunciation fits. And this leads to some nasty words in the comments section, mostly about the 'bigotry', etc., of the Diplomad. Hey bozo? Pointing out unpleasant facts does not make one a bigot. It does make one a realist.
One thing that has struck me in the past was that so many descriptions of arriving in third-world countries read the same in the first impressions, especially the smells. And those smells always mean poverty, and usually corruption that lies behind much of the poverty. Apparently recognizing this makes you a bigot, according to some. Oh, yes, so much better to ignore it than to be so nasty as to actually mention it.
And so much better to praise the U.N. than to be so common as to actually get dirty doing something.
At this point I think the U.N., in some cases at least, actually waits for someone- lately us, the Aussies or British- to get things going, so they can step in and try to take over and claim they have fixed everything. Well, right now India and Singapore have also been actually doing something, along with some other countries, and they and the nations hit by the waves are getting a first-class education as to how friggin' useless the U.N. actually is. I think they'll remember.
Ref the 'Turd World',
"Many years ago, as we prepared our return to a tough posting in the Far Abroad after leave in the States, our son asked, "Do we have to go back to the 'turd' world?" "
He explains why that mispronunciation fits. And this leads to some nasty words in the comments section, mostly about the 'bigotry', etc., of the Diplomad. Hey bozo? Pointing out unpleasant facts does not make one a bigot. It does make one a realist.
One thing that has struck me in the past was that so many descriptions of arriving in third-world countries read the same in the first impressions, especially the smells. And those smells always mean poverty, and usually corruption that lies behind much of the poverty. Apparently recognizing this makes you a bigot, according to some. Oh, yes, so much better to ignore it than to be so nasty as to actually mention it.
And so much better to praise the U.N. than to be so common as to actually get dirty doing something.
At this point I think the U.N., in some cases at least, actually waits for someone- lately us, the Aussies or British- to get things going, so they can step in and try to take over and claim they have fixed everything. Well, right now India and Singapore have also been actually doing something, along with some other countries, and they and the nations hit by the waves are getting a first-class education as to how friggin' useless the U.N. actually is. I think they'll remember.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Weight and what people make of it
Ann Althouse(who told me I ought to start this) had some posts a while back about women and weight and body image. It's been a big subject for a long time and hit from various points of view.
Some blame the fashion industry, some blame men, some blame (fill in here). You can make a case for all of it, but I've got a gripe with blaming men.
I've met a couple of ladies who modeled, and one thing struck me: they were skinny. Not slim, skinny. Now, I realize that there are all kinds of tastes, but I don't like skinny from dieting and heavy exercise. Knew a couple of girls in college who would qualify as skinny, but it was simply their natural build, and they looked good. There's a difference between slim, or lean, and skinny: to me, ribs showing and bony limbs is not sexy, and I don't know anyone who thinks so. Maybe it's true that a camera adds ten pounds; if so, many models who look skinny on camera must be approaching skeletal in person and without all the makeup.
(I can't remember who said that the reason for skinny models and weird clothes is that most fashion designers are gays who want their models to look like 14-year-old boys, but it would explain some things)
I mentioned once before a friend who messed herself up on dieting. She was very pretty, and very nicely built. But she was always on a diet. She'd see some model or actress with skinny body and big boobs and tell me she hated them for being so skinny. Never mind the boobs were implants to compensate for skinny. And she'd complain that she needed to lose that last ten pounds; always, that last ten pounds. Nothing could convince her that she looked good, nothing convinced her that that she did not need to lose "ten more pounds". She had decided that that was needed before she'd look good, and that was that.
If you've ever tried to convince a woman that a: she didn't need to lose any, or b: just get some exercise to tone up and you're fine, you know what happened. She would not believe me(or anyone else I know of) and started taking diet pills. Lots of diet pills. That messed with her body and health, and combining some drinking with that damn near killed her, health problems and an accident.
Aftermath meant, among other things, gaining a lot of weight, I suspect partly because of a messed-up metabolism from the pills. And she's practically given up now, so she won't exercise. At least she's not taking those damn pills anymore.
Heavy or slim, large boobs or small, looking good can include any of them. Good health and attitude makes up a big part of it. And for the most part, the individual has to decide for themselves. You cannot 'save' someone or 'convince' someone without them wanting to be saved or convinced. A lady who's large or small and happy with the way they are, that's an attraction. Helps make for something special.
Oh, ladies? Just because you've starved yourself into skinny doesn't mean you look good in a miniskirt or low-rise jeans and a halter; you may just look undernourished.
Some blame the fashion industry, some blame men, some blame (fill in here). You can make a case for all of it, but I've got a gripe with blaming men.
I've met a couple of ladies who modeled, and one thing struck me: they were skinny. Not slim, skinny. Now, I realize that there are all kinds of tastes, but I don't like skinny from dieting and heavy exercise. Knew a couple of girls in college who would qualify as skinny, but it was simply their natural build, and they looked good. There's a difference between slim, or lean, and skinny: to me, ribs showing and bony limbs is not sexy, and I don't know anyone who thinks so. Maybe it's true that a camera adds ten pounds; if so, many models who look skinny on camera must be approaching skeletal in person and without all the makeup.
(I can't remember who said that the reason for skinny models and weird clothes is that most fashion designers are gays who want their models to look like 14-year-old boys, but it would explain some things)
I mentioned once before a friend who messed herself up on dieting. She was very pretty, and very nicely built. But she was always on a diet. She'd see some model or actress with skinny body and big boobs and tell me she hated them for being so skinny. Never mind the boobs were implants to compensate for skinny. And she'd complain that she needed to lose that last ten pounds; always, that last ten pounds. Nothing could convince her that she looked good, nothing convinced her that that she did not need to lose "ten more pounds". She had decided that that was needed before she'd look good, and that was that.
If you've ever tried to convince a woman that a: she didn't need to lose any, or b: just get some exercise to tone up and you're fine, you know what happened. She would not believe me(or anyone else I know of) and started taking diet pills. Lots of diet pills. That messed with her body and health, and combining some drinking with that damn near killed her, health problems and an accident.
Aftermath meant, among other things, gaining a lot of weight, I suspect partly because of a messed-up metabolism from the pills. And she's practically given up now, so she won't exercise. At least she's not taking those damn pills anymore.
Heavy or slim, large boobs or small, looking good can include any of them. Good health and attitude makes up a big part of it. And for the most part, the individual has to decide for themselves. You cannot 'save' someone or 'convince' someone without them wanting to be saved or convinced. A lady who's large or small and happy with the way they are, that's an attraction. Helps make for something special.
Oh, ladies? Just because you've starved yourself into skinny doesn't mean you look good in a miniskirt or low-rise jeans and a halter; you may just look undernourished.
CBS falls in hole, starts digging
This is absolutely pathetic. With a report supposedly about to be released about their use of fake documents, with all the other things that have come out, CBS does this:
"Our Cruise Director Hans Tibboel described one specific divesite in Surin Island with the words: "it looked like a giant sandblaster was used". Again, Hans was describing only one divesite and made positive remarks about the actual lack of damage at other places. Of course, the CBS editor used the "sandblast" soundbite and hardly anything else.
Footage was also arranged in a "before & after" method that is not consistent with the real situation. All the beautiful "before" footage shown by CBS was actually filmed AFTER the tsunami. "
I had actually hoped that CBS might try to salvage their reputation as a news agency, but that's down the toilet. They keep playing games with the news, and in talking about this disaster they can't help themselves; they just have to keep manipulating the information they hand out.
Someone asked the question a while back that, knowing what they've been caught at since the blogosphere started fact-checking them, what kind of crap were they doing before they really worried about getting caught?
I gave up on CBS a long time ago for a variety of reasons, Dan Blather being one of them. When I saw him on the show last night I changed channels; while I thought he might straighten up to try to salvage his reputation, I doubted it. I didn't think his arrogance would allow it. Looks like I was right.
Read the whole article at Dive Newswire. Found it at Little Green Footballs.
"Our Cruise Director Hans Tibboel described one specific divesite in Surin Island with the words: "it looked like a giant sandblaster was used". Again, Hans was describing only one divesite and made positive remarks about the actual lack of damage at other places. Of course, the CBS editor used the "sandblast" soundbite and hardly anything else.
Footage was also arranged in a "before & after" method that is not consistent with the real situation. All the beautiful "before" footage shown by CBS was actually filmed AFTER the tsunami. "
I had actually hoped that CBS might try to salvage their reputation as a news agency, but that's down the toilet. They keep playing games with the news, and in talking about this disaster they can't help themselves; they just have to keep manipulating the information they hand out.
Someone asked the question a while back that, knowing what they've been caught at since the blogosphere started fact-checking them, what kind of crap were they doing before they really worried about getting caught?
I gave up on CBS a long time ago for a variety of reasons, Dan Blather being one of them. When I saw him on the show last night I changed channels; while I thought he might straighten up to try to salvage his reputation, I doubted it. I didn't think his arrogance would allow it. Looks like I was right.
Read the whole article at Dive Newswire. Found it at Little Green Footballs.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
I want a 20 or 25mm cannon
I'm going to mount it in a turret on the roof of my truck. And the next time some idiot trying to get up an icy hill starts slowing down as he reaches the start of the hill, I'm going to blow him out of the way.
Apparently, the idea of maintaining a bit of, what's it called?, momentum as you start up just does not occur to them. And when they get stuck halfway up they start gunning it, and then they slip sideways and really block things up.
It was 20 degrees when I left work. The freezing rain and sleet had stopped but the roads had nicely glazed over. And 1/3 of the people out there driving thought slowing down on a slope was a Good Thing. Until they got stuck.
I had to go around one to get into my driveway, the only good thing being that there was no way they could hit me at that point. Having parked, I took pity on some people and got out the big bottle of kitty litter I keep for oil spills and walked around throwing it until tires. That got four of them off my street, counting the one who had run over a curb and I helped push off, not counting the one who would get started, and instead of gently feeding a little gas hit it hard and got stuck again. Three times. That one I gave up on.
I like Outback. I had seriously thought of getting one of their Caesar salads for dinner until I got home. After which I fed critters, made dinner, and avoided any thought of going ANYWHERE tonight. A phone call from a pretty redhead might have changed my mind, but anything else other than life or death cause, I ain't going.
If Steve starts bitching again about how cold 55 is, I hope Marv and Maynard both bite him on the ass.
(Ok, I lied. Call from a pretty redhead WOULD have made me change my mind.)
Apparently, the idea of maintaining a bit of, what's it called?, momentum as you start up just does not occur to them. And when they get stuck halfway up they start gunning it, and then they slip sideways and really block things up.
It was 20 degrees when I left work. The freezing rain and sleet had stopped but the roads had nicely glazed over. And 1/3 of the people out there driving thought slowing down on a slope was a Good Thing. Until they got stuck.
I had to go around one to get into my driveway, the only good thing being that there was no way they could hit me at that point. Having parked, I took pity on some people and got out the big bottle of kitty litter I keep for oil spills and walked around throwing it until tires. That got four of them off my street, counting the one who had run over a curb and I helped push off, not counting the one who would get started, and instead of gently feeding a little gas hit it hard and got stuck again. Three times. That one I gave up on.
I like Outback. I had seriously thought of getting one of their Caesar salads for dinner until I got home. After which I fed critters, made dinner, and avoided any thought of going ANYWHERE tonight. A phone call from a pretty redhead might have changed my mind, but anything else other than life or death cause, I ain't going.
If Steve starts bitching again about how cold 55 is, I hope Marv and Maynard both bite him on the ass.
(Ok, I lied. Call from a pretty redhead WOULD have made me change my mind.)
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
I hate exercise.....except when I don't
Yeah, I know. Spending a lot of time on a treadmill or trail running, lifting weights and doing belly work is a pain. Sometimes literally. But.
I feel better and sleep better when I get regular physical workouts. Doesn't have to be in a gym: cutting wood, smithing, working through woods, pretty much anything that wears me out does it. But there's often not a way to do the fun stuff, so it's off to the gym.
So, I run or ski and lift and situp and so forth.
One of the 'better off than we used to be' things is glucosimine. Some friends recommended it to me a few years ago when I mentioned that my knees were killing me. Whether it's normal wear of some of the stuff I've done over the years, they were increasingly troubling. I used to go to a local folk dance group pretty regularly. First hour was warmup and beginner stuff, then teaching and requests for the next two. It had gotten bad enough that I'd have to quit after the first hour. Also, they told me- in no uncertain terms- when the next cold or warm front was moving in. After several of the people there told me about it, I started taking it. It took about 2 1/2 to 3 months to notice the difference, but it was a BIG difference. So I'm taking it still. And without it, I wouldn't be able to do much workout with my legs, and suspect other joints might be worse than they are.
About six months ago a mix of things came together. Cost of gas, time, and a troublesome tendon in my elbow combined to make me say to hell with it for a while. Then, about two months ago I decided, all things considered, to get back into it. It's a pain, as I said, but I can feel a difference.
As far as running, I prefer outdoors to a treadmill, but when it's cold and wet/icy outside, I ain't going. And I cannot run on pavement; glucosimine or not, it beats my legs up. So I have to find a trail to do that part on.
And now I have to go stretch for a while before I go to bed.
(good side effect of stretching? it amuses the cat)
I feel better and sleep better when I get regular physical workouts. Doesn't have to be in a gym: cutting wood, smithing, working through woods, pretty much anything that wears me out does it. But there's often not a way to do the fun stuff, so it's off to the gym.
So, I run or ski and lift and situp and so forth.
One of the 'better off than we used to be' things is glucosimine. Some friends recommended it to me a few years ago when I mentioned that my knees were killing me. Whether it's normal wear of some of the stuff I've done over the years, they were increasingly troubling. I used to go to a local folk dance group pretty regularly. First hour was warmup and beginner stuff, then teaching and requests for the next two. It had gotten bad enough that I'd have to quit after the first hour. Also, they told me- in no uncertain terms- when the next cold or warm front was moving in. After several of the people there told me about it, I started taking it. It took about 2 1/2 to 3 months to notice the difference, but it was a BIG difference. So I'm taking it still. And without it, I wouldn't be able to do much workout with my legs, and suspect other joints might be worse than they are.
About six months ago a mix of things came together. Cost of gas, time, and a troublesome tendon in my elbow combined to make me say to hell with it for a while. Then, about two months ago I decided, all things considered, to get back into it. It's a pain, as I said, but I can feel a difference.
As far as running, I prefer outdoors to a treadmill, but when it's cold and wet/icy outside, I ain't going. And I cannot run on pavement; glucosimine or not, it beats my legs up. So I have to find a trail to do that part on.
And now I have to go stretch for a while before I go to bed.
(good side effect of stretching? it amuses the cat)
It's after Christmas, and it ain't white
It's wet and gloomy here, and expected to get icy tonight. Right now, in the northwest and panhandle counties, they're reporting up to 1/2" of ice accumulation, with more to come.
Several years ago we had one of our periodic nasty-level ice storms, and it was a bitch. Up to several inches of ice in some areas, it not only took down power & phone lines, it took down the poles. A friend of mine lives about ten miles northwest of Oklahoma City, and she was without power for six weeks. When you consider that a lot of people in rural and farm areas get their water from a well, it gets worse: no power, no pump, no water.
Morning promises to be just a wonderful adventure. Bah, humbug.
What makes it worse is that if it drops to 55F, Steve will be bitching about the cold and wearing birds for warmth.
Several years ago we had one of our periodic nasty-level ice storms, and it was a bitch. Up to several inches of ice in some areas, it not only took down power & phone lines, it took down the poles. A friend of mine lives about ten miles northwest of Oklahoma City, and she was without power for six weeks. When you consider that a lot of people in rural and farm areas get their water from a well, it gets worse: no power, no pump, no water.
Morning promises to be just a wonderful adventure. Bah, humbug.
What makes it worse is that if it drops to 55F, Steve will be bitching about the cold and wearing birds for warmth.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Man does not live by bread alone...
but it sure helps.
Some friends introduced me to this on a trip. Take fresh focaccia bread. Take a saucer. Pour in a little balsamic vinegar, then some spiced olive oil. Cut the bread into suitable strips, swirl in mix, eat.
Oh, man. The flavor and texture of the bread, the bite of the vinegar smoothed by the oil... It's got to be one of the reasons for living.
This batch of focaccia didn't turn out as well as the last, the texture is not as coarse; I think I let the machine knead it too long. I'll do the next batch same as the first. Less kneading, add in some finely-chopped red onion... or maybe some chopped green onion, that worked well before. Brush a little olive oil and garlic on top before the last rise and bake...
I think I better go to bed, or I'll be in the kitchen starting another batch. And I do have to work in the morning.
Some friends introduced me to this on a trip. Take fresh focaccia bread. Take a saucer. Pour in a little balsamic vinegar, then some spiced olive oil. Cut the bread into suitable strips, swirl in mix, eat.
Oh, man. The flavor and texture of the bread, the bite of the vinegar smoothed by the oil... It's got to be one of the reasons for living.
This batch of focaccia didn't turn out as well as the last, the texture is not as coarse; I think I let the machine knead it too long. I'll do the next batch same as the first. Less kneading, add in some finely-chopped red onion... or maybe some chopped green onion, that worked well before. Brush a little olive oil and garlic on top before the last rise and bake...
I think I better go to bed, or I'll be in the kitchen starting another batch. And I do have to work in the morning.
The cat may never enter the carrier again
Voluntarily, that is. Today was the day she went to the vet to be fixed and get her rabies shot. The first time she rode in the carrier was bringing her here; today, was to the vet and back.
When I got her home I figured she'd still be a bit woozy, so I set out fresh food and water, and an old blanket for a warm place to sleep that wouldn't require climbing, and opened the door. There was a grey streak as she ran into the bedroom and stopped to glare at me. I finally got her to come back, and she ate & drank a bit. Right now the dog's in for a visit, and she came out of hiding to sit & watch her.
It remains to be seen whether she'll forgive me, or sit on my head at 3a.m.
And she goes back in ten days to have the stitches out. Oh joy.
When I got her home I figured she'd still be a bit woozy, so I set out fresh food and water, and an old blanket for a warm place to sleep that wouldn't require climbing, and opened the door. There was a grey streak as she ran into the bedroom and stopped to glare at me. I finally got her to come back, and she ate & drank a bit. Right now the dog's in for a visit, and she came out of hiding to sit & watch her.
It remains to be seen whether she'll forgive me, or sit on my head at 3a.m.
And she goes back in ten days to have the stitches out. Oh joy.
Unfortunately, I was wrong
The death toll now stands officially at 155,000, with many thousands still missing.
Crap.
I'd thought it might well hit 150,000, but figured that would probably be it. Instead, it's over that and climbing.
If I personally meet one of those people saying "Isn't this COOL? Isn't nature culling the herd WONDERFUL?" I may shoot them.
Crap.
I'd thought it might well hit 150,000, but figured that would probably be it. Instead, it's over that and climbing.
If I personally meet one of those people saying "Isn't this COOL? Isn't nature culling the herd WONDERFUL?" I may shoot them.
More on AIDS and drugs
again found at Dean Esmay's place. It's an article about just how toxic some of the drugs being used to treat HIV and AIDS are. And it's bloody awful.
This is something I have never understood, and never will. How do people- all with good intentions, of course- get so tied up in promoting something that they cannot see, or admit to, shortcomings? Here's a drug that was so nasty that "the drug's manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim, withdrew its application to have the FDA approve the drug for use in pregnant women in all Western nations, including the U.S.", and yet people kept- keep- pushing it on people. Not only ignoring the effects of the drug itself, but that there's little to no proof that it actually helps the problem!
I had a friend a few years ago who was so worried about her weight that she started taking diet pills (whole 'nother story there). She knew about the possible problems of the stuff, yet even though she didn't actually lose weight, she kept taking the damn things. Because it was 'doing something' about her problem. It finally caught up to her, and in the end she damn near died. It seems like there's a certain parellel; these people keep pushing drugs that are themselves very dangerous and have no real record of helping cure the disease and actually kill people; why? Do they get stuck in the attitude that 'at least we're doing something"?
Some ways we are a truly messed up species.
This is something I have never understood, and never will. How do people- all with good intentions, of course- get so tied up in promoting something that they cannot see, or admit to, shortcomings? Here's a drug that was so nasty that "the drug's manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim, withdrew its application to have the FDA approve the drug for use in pregnant women in all Western nations, including the U.S.", and yet people kept- keep- pushing it on people. Not only ignoring the effects of the drug itself, but that there's little to no proof that it actually helps the problem!
I had a friend a few years ago who was so worried about her weight that she started taking diet pills (whole 'nother story there). She knew about the possible problems of the stuff, yet even though she didn't actually lose weight, she kept taking the damn things. Because it was 'doing something' about her problem. It finally caught up to her, and in the end she damn near died. It seems like there's a certain parellel; these people keep pushing drugs that are themselves very dangerous and have no real record of helping cure the disease and actually kill people; why? Do they get stuck in the attitude that 'at least we're doing something"?
Some ways we are a truly messed up species.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Once again, the U.N. is a bunch of !@#(#@_ freeloaders
The Belmont Club notes that while the U.N. is setting up conferences to decide what to do, and setting up facilities for 'their' relief crews, they're trying to claim control over and direction of relief work being done by countries that are actually accomplishing something.
This, to me, further gives the lie to the words of Clare Short that “Only really the UN can do that job,” she told BBC Radio Four’s PM programme. “It is the only body that has the moral authority.” Aside from the 'moral authority' bullshit, the U.N. can't accomplish crap without someone else doing the hard part. They have lots of donations, so now they have to ask us, primarily, to get the stuff where it's needed. Of course, we've already got multi-tons of everything there and on the way, but what's really important is that the 'proper' people (U.N.) gets credit for all of it.
The only way the comments of Ms. Short make sense is through the idea that nothing is really legitimate unless done by the U.N., and that anything that gets in the way of that- including unauthorized feeding of starving people- must stop.
The transnational progressivisists would see us all dead rather than have someone do something without the 'proper' approval. Screw them and the U.N. both.
Update: found this at The Diplomad through Tim Blair:
I provided this to some USAID colleagues working in Indonesia and their heads nearly exploded. The first paragraph is quite simply a lie. The UN is taking credit for things that hard-working, street savvy USAID folks have done. It was USAID working with their amazing network of local contacts who scrounged up trucks, drivers, and fuel; organized the convoy and sent it off to deliver critical supplies. A UN "air-freight handling centre"? In Aceh? Bull! It's the Aussies and the Yanks who are running the air ops into Aceh. We have people working and sleeping on the tarmac in Aceh, surrounded by bugs, mud, stench and death, who every day bring in the US and Aussie C-130s and the US choppers; unload, load, send them off. We have no fancy aid workers' retreat -- notice the priorities of the UN? People are dying and what's the first thing the UN wants to do? Set up "a camp for relief workers" one that would be "fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything."
This, to me, further gives the lie to the words of Clare Short that “Only really the UN can do that job,” she told BBC Radio Four’s PM programme. “It is the only body that has the moral authority.” Aside from the 'moral authority' bullshit, the U.N. can't accomplish crap without someone else doing the hard part. They have lots of donations, so now they have to ask us, primarily, to get the stuff where it's needed. Of course, we've already got multi-tons of everything there and on the way, but what's really important is that the 'proper' people (U.N.) gets credit for all of it.
The only way the comments of Ms. Short make sense is through the idea that nothing is really legitimate unless done by the U.N., and that anything that gets in the way of that- including unauthorized feeding of starving people- must stop.
The transnational progressivisists would see us all dead rather than have someone do something without the 'proper' approval. Screw them and the U.N. both.
Update: found this at The Diplomad through Tim Blair:
I provided this to some USAID colleagues working in Indonesia and their heads nearly exploded. The first paragraph is quite simply a lie. The UN is taking credit for things that hard-working, street savvy USAID folks have done. It was USAID working with their amazing network of local contacts who scrounged up trucks, drivers, and fuel; organized the convoy and sent it off to deliver critical supplies. A UN "air-freight handling centre"? In Aceh? Bull! It's the Aussies and the Yanks who are running the air ops into Aceh. We have people working and sleeping on the tarmac in Aceh, surrounded by bugs, mud, stench and death, who every day bring in the US and Aussie C-130s and the US choppers; unload, load, send them off. We have no fancy aid workers' retreat -- notice the priorities of the UN? People are dying and what's the first thing the UN wants to do? Set up "a camp for relief workers" one that would be "fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything."
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Ok, this is getting rediculous
After freezing everything with lows in the single digits and highs in the low 20's, the last few days have been 50's, 60's and I think it was 70 today. Supposedly with a chance of rain today, but all we had was a sprinkle.
It's supposed to be in the 60's for highs till Wednesday, when it turns cold again for the next while.
Oklahoma weather can be weird.
Bright side is I've been able to ride the bike to work the last few days, and got some yard work taken care of today. Also got some work done on an axe. It's the second Viking-style axe I've made, and I finally got most of the shaping work done on the haft. Once it's fitted properly, I can do some test cutting to make sure it holds up as it should. Can't decide whether to put this one up for sale at Med-Fair, or keep it.
A friend showed me a sword he'd bought a couple of years ago, a double-edged broadsword blade with a simple, clean basket hilt. Lovely piece, apparently called an 'Irish sword' even though most examples were found in Scotland. In either case, I wanted one. A couple of days ago, finally having some money clear, I checked where he'd found it, and the no longer have it. So I checked around and found a place called The Pirate's Treasure which has some very nice stuff. Including, yay, the Irish sword! So I sent and asked if they had the scabbard for it also, and was informed that they haven't had that model in a year, it's not being made anymore. Dammit. If I want one like that, looks like I'll have to make it.
Tomorrow depends on the weather, we'll see if it rains any tonight.
Ref the tsunami, I'd thought that 150,000 might be the high end of the dead; it looks like it may actually go higher.
Here's the American Jewish World Services site, good place to contribute to relief.
Oh, and to anyone in the U.N., Instapundit linked to several folks who've tracked the amount of money that the U.S. has given- so far. Not the U.S. Government, WE THE PEOPLE have given. Check out the numbers, and tell the U.N. to kiss your American ass. We don't have to have the government tax us to death to do something about a problem; we do it ourselves. Oh, and those numbers? They don't include the ships and aircraft and personnel and so forth that are there or going there to help out. Let's see, Marine landing ships with surgical facilities and hospital beds and dentists? Ships that can produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of clean water a day? Planes and people flying in everything from water to food to doctors to medicine? How much do you think that adds up to?
Mr. Egeland and Ms. Short? FOAD, weenies.
It's supposed to be in the 60's for highs till Wednesday, when it turns cold again for the next while.
Oklahoma weather can be weird.
Bright side is I've been able to ride the bike to work the last few days, and got some yard work taken care of today. Also got some work done on an axe. It's the second Viking-style axe I've made, and I finally got most of the shaping work done on the haft. Once it's fitted properly, I can do some test cutting to make sure it holds up as it should. Can't decide whether to put this one up for sale at Med-Fair, or keep it.
A friend showed me a sword he'd bought a couple of years ago, a double-edged broadsword blade with a simple, clean basket hilt. Lovely piece, apparently called an 'Irish sword' even though most examples were found in Scotland. In either case, I wanted one. A couple of days ago, finally having some money clear, I checked where he'd found it, and the no longer have it. So I checked around and found a place called The Pirate's Treasure which has some very nice stuff. Including, yay, the Irish sword! So I sent and asked if they had the scabbard for it also, and was informed that they haven't had that model in a year, it's not being made anymore. Dammit. If I want one like that, looks like I'll have to make it.
Tomorrow depends on the weather, we'll see if it rains any tonight.
Ref the tsunami, I'd thought that 150,000 might be the high end of the dead; it looks like it may actually go higher.
Here's the American Jewish World Services site, good place to contribute to relief.
Oh, and to anyone in the U.N., Instapundit linked to several folks who've tracked the amount of money that the U.S. has given- so far. Not the U.S. Government, WE THE PEOPLE have given. Check out the numbers, and tell the U.N. to kiss your American ass. We don't have to have the government tax us to death to do something about a problem; we do it ourselves. Oh, and those numbers? They don't include the ships and aircraft and personnel and so forth that are there or going there to help out. Let's see, Marine landing ships with surgical facilities and hospital beds and dentists? Ships that can produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of clean water a day? Planes and people flying in everything from water to food to doctors to medicine? How much do you think that adds up to?
Mr. Egeland and Ms. Short? FOAD, weenies.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Baaad timing
A few years ago my then-girlfriend and I decided to make dinner for the next evening; I was going to put a roast in the crockpot when I went to work the next morning, and bring it over that evening while she made the veggies. I had cable at the time, and there was a show I had taped that we both wanted to see, so we'd watch it after dinner.
The roast came out fine, one of those 'open the front door, inhale, salivate' marvelous things. Load it up, grab the tape and head to her house. Where she had a green bean casserole waiting.
Dinner was great, and when done we sat down in the living room and put on the tape. About fifteen minutes later I felt a little queasy and excused myself, and reached the bathroom just in time to get rid of dinner, though not in the usual way. After I finished throwing up, I cleaned up a bit and went back to the living room.
For about five minutes.
The third time I hit the bathroom, after trying to throw up the inseam of my jeans I was so dizzy I couldn't even sit up straight. By this time the lady was in the doorway asking if I needed an ambulance. "No, just give me a minute", the usual. I hate going to the doctor for a checkup, getting hauled away in an ambulance was just not something I wanted to do. She gave the the minute, and I still couldn't stand up, says she "I'm calling the ambulance!".
"No, I don't need that!"
"Then I'm taking you to the emergency room!"
Pause. "That might be a good idea".
So we drive there, after managing to maneuver me into the car. Having her on one side and the wall on the other helped there. Have you ever gone to an er? Unless you're hemorrhaging as they drag you in, you are directed to a seat while they decide who has to do the paperwork on you. Then they do the paperwork- often grudgingly- and finally someone decides they have to look you over("Go on, John, it's your turn. You know how bad it looks on our stats when they die before we've taken their temperature") So they take you into an examining room and check you out. In my case this started with the discovery that if I laid down at an angle greater than about 45 degrees, the room began to travel around me. Then they stuck three contacts on me and hooked up the ekg.
Now, by this time I was feeling slightly better. Not good enough to get up, but no cold sweats anymore. Then the nurse doctor studied my ekg for a minute, looked at my girlfriend and asked, "Has he ever had heart trouble before?"
She said the ekg bounced the pen of both sides like a pinball; I couldn't see that, but my first thought was "Not until you said that!" Not helpful, I promise you. Especially after he said that my rhythm looked perfectly normal (until you said that, you bastard!) and he just wondered if I might have had an 'episode'. I wished I'd been less washed out, so that I could have described and 'episode' to him. Involving his ancestry.
By the time all the er stuff was done, I was really washed out, but better. As a precaution they kept me over night, second time I'd ever had to sleep at a hospital. By morning, I was tired, hungry and more thirsty than I could ever remember being. All I could have was water or apple juice until the doctor came by, and I drank all the juice they'd give me. About noon my ex and kids came by, and when I mentioned that I was starving("no food until the doctor sees you again") she dug some money out of my pants and went down to the cafeteria, coming back with stew and ice cream. Which, of course, I was finishing as the doctor finally came in. He wasn't overly pleased, but not too put out since I had 'stabilized' nicely and they couldn't find anything wrong. His final thought was that that there was a stomach virus going around, and I just happened to be one of the rare people who, instead of feeling ratty for three days, got whacked hard. And I started laughing.
He asked what was so funny about that? and I explained about the entertainment the evening before. The show I'd taped? It was a documentary.
About ebola.
The roast came out fine, one of those 'open the front door, inhale, salivate' marvelous things. Load it up, grab the tape and head to her house. Where she had a green bean casserole waiting.
Dinner was great, and when done we sat down in the living room and put on the tape. About fifteen minutes later I felt a little queasy and excused myself, and reached the bathroom just in time to get rid of dinner, though not in the usual way. After I finished throwing up, I cleaned up a bit and went back to the living room.
For about five minutes.
The third time I hit the bathroom, after trying to throw up the inseam of my jeans I was so dizzy I couldn't even sit up straight. By this time the lady was in the doorway asking if I needed an ambulance. "No, just give me a minute", the usual. I hate going to the doctor for a checkup, getting hauled away in an ambulance was just not something I wanted to do. She gave the the minute, and I still couldn't stand up, says she "I'm calling the ambulance!".
"No, I don't need that!"
"Then I'm taking you to the emergency room!"
Pause. "That might be a good idea".
So we drive there, after managing to maneuver me into the car. Having her on one side and the wall on the other helped there. Have you ever gone to an er? Unless you're hemorrhaging as they drag you in, you are directed to a seat while they decide who has to do the paperwork on you. Then they do the paperwork- often grudgingly- and finally someone decides they have to look you over("Go on, John, it's your turn. You know how bad it looks on our stats when they die before we've taken their temperature") So they take you into an examining room and check you out. In my case this started with the discovery that if I laid down at an angle greater than about 45 degrees, the room began to travel around me. Then they stuck three contacts on me and hooked up the ekg.
Now, by this time I was feeling slightly better. Not good enough to get up, but no cold sweats anymore. Then the nurse doctor studied my ekg for a minute, looked at my girlfriend and asked, "Has he ever had heart trouble before?"
She said the ekg bounced the pen of both sides like a pinball; I couldn't see that, but my first thought was "Not until you said that!" Not helpful, I promise you. Especially after he said that my rhythm looked perfectly normal (until you said that, you bastard!) and he just wondered if I might have had an 'episode'. I wished I'd been less washed out, so that I could have described and 'episode' to him. Involving his ancestry.
By the time all the er stuff was done, I was really washed out, but better. As a precaution they kept me over night, second time I'd ever had to sleep at a hospital. By morning, I was tired, hungry and more thirsty than I could ever remember being. All I could have was water or apple juice until the doctor came by, and I drank all the juice they'd give me. About noon my ex and kids came by, and when I mentioned that I was starving("no food until the doctor sees you again") she dug some money out of my pants and went down to the cafeteria, coming back with stew and ice cream. Which, of course, I was finishing as the doctor finally came in. He wasn't overly pleased, but not too put out since I had 'stabilized' nicely and they couldn't find anything wrong. His final thought was that that there was a stomach virus going around, and I just happened to be one of the rare people who, instead of feeling ratty for three days, got whacked hard. And I started laughing.
He asked what was so funny about that? and I explained about the entertainment the evening before. The show I'd taped? It was a documentary.
About ebola.
Oooh, bike!
Partly to wash the bad taste of U.N. out of my mouth, and partly because his mention of The Diplomad made me go there this morning, I went over to the Dog and Pony Show, where he has a pic of his Betty. His mention of paint reminded me of a job I saw at a bike swap meet here a while back. This artist did the tank in layers of flames so that as it or you moved, it looked like the flames were rippling over the surface of the tank. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on a bike.
One of these days I'm going to take the tank & fenders off mine and take them to this man to have him work his magic on them. To quote Kiki, "Oooh, shiny!".
One of these days I'm going to take the tank & fenders off mine and take them to this man to have him work his magic on them. To quote Kiki, "Oooh, shiny!".
Further 'Why to tell the U.N. to kiss our backside'
From the Diplomad, who turns out to be in one of the countries hit by the tsunamis, we get a first-hand look at what the U.N. is accomplishing: dick. In need of Viagra, yet.
They're "hosting a 'coordination' meeting of donors to announce that UNDP has another large "assessment and coordination team" arriving". In less fancy words, they're holding meetings to announce that they're going to decide what needs to be done. Oh, and "To address the psycho-social needs of children throughout nearly a dozen countries devastated by the tsunami, selective in-service teacher training will be supported to equip teachers with specific methods and activities, UNICEF said".
These kids are starving, without clothes or clean water, and UNICEF is holding meetings and planning teacher training for their 'psycho-social needs'. God, can there be ANYTHING more illustrative of why these bastards should not have peoples lives in their hands?!?!
There are people from a number of countries working their butts off DOING SOMETHING, and what is the comment from the U.N. supporters? "Only really the U.N. can do that job,", and "It is the only body that has the moral authority". Oh, yes, we're really impressed by the moral authority of a body that's trying to cover up one of the biggest corruption scandals in history, and has 'peacekeepers' screwing children in exchange for food. And trying to cover that up, too.
My hands are shaking a bit right now, and I will close with a reponse to Clare Short: Kiss My Redneck Ass, madam.
They're "hosting a 'coordination' meeting of donors to announce that UNDP has another large "assessment and coordination team" arriving". In less fancy words, they're holding meetings to announce that they're going to decide what needs to be done. Oh, and "To address the psycho-social needs of children throughout nearly a dozen countries devastated by the tsunami, selective in-service teacher training will be supported to equip teachers with specific methods and activities, UNICEF said".
These kids are starving, without clothes or clean water, and UNICEF is holding meetings and planning teacher training for their 'psycho-social needs'. God, can there be ANYTHING more illustrative of why these bastards should not have peoples lives in their hands?!?!
There are people from a number of countries working their butts off DOING SOMETHING, and what is the comment from the U.N. supporters? "Only really the U.N. can do that job,", and "It is the only body that has the moral authority". Oh, yes, we're really impressed by the moral authority of a body that's trying to cover up one of the biggest corruption scandals in history, and has 'peacekeepers' screwing children in exchange for food. And trying to cover that up, too.
My hands are shaking a bit right now, and I will close with a reponse to Clare Short: Kiss My Redneck Ass, madam.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
This is about all I can take
There've been a lot of video and stills from the wave zones. Some of videos give a certain feeling of detachment- "Oh, look at the water flowing by". Some are considerably worse. And some of the stills...
Note: Steve has a link to American Jewish World Services; they seem like a good group to donate to. And the pictures came from Free Republic; one of his commenters left the link. These are the only two I'll post, and part of me screams to look at them. I think the words are, "Jesus wept".
Note: Steve has a link to American Jewish World Services; they seem like a good group to donate to. And the pictures came from Free Republic; one of his commenters left the link. These are the only two I'll post, and part of me screams to look at them. I think the words are, "Jesus wept".
Stirring up a fuss about AIDS
is Dean Esmay. Interesting site I like to visit.
A couple of days ago he had a post about AIDS that apparently got him yelled at by a lot of people, to the point of being accused of being a threat to the public. So today he has a followup that addresses some points. And they're serious points about some serious problems in how AIDS has been addressed.
It's got too much in it to throw a couple of quotes in, so I'm just providing links. I think he raises serious points here that need to be dealt with.
Being somewhat lazy at times, I've mostly gone with what I've heard or read in news articles on the subject, but I think I'll try to find the books he refers to and read them. The idea that the medical profession has chased down a wrong track and out of stupidity/stubbornness/greed/etc. won't come back up to the fork in the road to look around doesn't surprise me; there's been far too many cases of this in the past. For that matter, it was pillars of the medical profession that tried to ruin Louis Pasteur over the germ-theory of disease, and after Jenner began vaccinating for smallpox the same thing happened to him. I guess it's part of the same 'how dare you question our wisdom?' attitude that causes so many doctors to treat their patients with contempt when they ask questions.
I've not known anyone with AIDS; I have known people with friends/relatives who had it. And I have read of problems with some of the drugs tried for treating it. It's a subject that apparently needs someone to start whacking 'accepted' knowledge down like weeds and looking at it afresh, and they'll have a nasty fight on their hands to do it, but God only knows how many lives are involved.
One example of problem fighting it: the idea that just because a lot of people in some regions of Africa are HIV+, what's killing them is assumed to be AIDS. But what if some questioners are right and a lot of is is malaria? Among other things that would cause more people to push for the use of DDT to kill mosquitos, and that would be attacked by both the medical/political people who have decided that it's AIDS, and by the enviro-weenies who get the vapors at the mere mention of DDT. And if a lot of locals die while they're defending their stand? Well, that's just the price they're willing to pay to keep their diagnosis/enviromental stand in place, now isn't it?
Yeah, I'm cynical about a lot of this. There are far too many people who are willing to see a lot of people die(preferably somewhere else) if it will allow them to keep their position going.
A couple of days ago he had a post about AIDS that apparently got him yelled at by a lot of people, to the point of being accused of being a threat to the public. So today he has a followup that addresses some points. And they're serious points about some serious problems in how AIDS has been addressed.
It's got too much in it to throw a couple of quotes in, so I'm just providing links. I think he raises serious points here that need to be dealt with.
Being somewhat lazy at times, I've mostly gone with what I've heard or read in news articles on the subject, but I think I'll try to find the books he refers to and read them. The idea that the medical profession has chased down a wrong track and out of stupidity/stubbornness/greed/etc. won't come back up to the fork in the road to look around doesn't surprise me; there's been far too many cases of this in the past. For that matter, it was pillars of the medical profession that tried to ruin Louis Pasteur over the germ-theory of disease, and after Jenner began vaccinating for smallpox the same thing happened to him. I guess it's part of the same 'how dare you question our wisdom?' attitude that causes so many doctors to treat their patients with contempt when they ask questions.
I've not known anyone with AIDS; I have known people with friends/relatives who had it. And I have read of problems with some of the drugs tried for treating it. It's a subject that apparently needs someone to start whacking 'accepted' knowledge down like weeds and looking at it afresh, and they'll have a nasty fight on their hands to do it, but God only knows how many lives are involved.
One example of problem fighting it: the idea that just because a lot of people in some regions of Africa are HIV+, what's killing them is assumed to be AIDS. But what if some questioners are right and a lot of is is malaria? Among other things that would cause more people to push for the use of DDT to kill mosquitos, and that would be attacked by both the medical/political people who have decided that it's AIDS, and by the enviro-weenies who get the vapors at the mere mention of DDT. And if a lot of locals die while they're defending their stand? Well, that's just the price they're willing to pay to keep their diagnosis/enviromental stand in place, now isn't it?
Yeah, I'm cynical about a lot of this. There are far too many people who are willing to see a lot of people die(preferably somewhere else) if it will allow them to keep their position going.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
General commentary
The Washington Post says the president is 'insensitive' because he's on his ranch in Crawford instead of in D.C. shedding tears for the cameras. Screw the Post. He's got the communications gear to do the job from there. So if they want tears, maybe they can find Bill Clinton to emote for them.
From a commentor at Hog on Ice found this site, which has some nice information on earthquakes and tsunamis.
It seems the perennial coddler of dictators and mass murderers Ramsey Clark is joining the legal team of Saddam Hussein. I'm not surprised considering his past words and performances. If we're lucky Saddam will bite him and give him distemper.
Corrosion-X seems to be a very good cleaner. I'm going to help my daughter take down her pistol and clean/lube it with this stuff; it really cleaned mine up well.
Speaking of cleaning, I tried using nylon brushes for some bore cleaning. Seems if you have mainly some stubborn powder fouling they'll do the job, but for anything else I still get the best results from bronze bristles.
Speaking of Clinton, he was mentioned on the news earlier today, lecturing about how someone needs to be in control of the aid efforts. He's either lobbying for a job as head of the U.N., or wanting a position created for him so he can run aid efforts whenever/wherever. I don't think he's as corrupt as Kofi Annan and company, but he's bad enough. And I'd rather have the work going on as it is; there may be some duplication, but there's probably somewhat less corruption this way.
Last week this time, the high was about 30 degrees, today it was 60. December in Oklahoma, oh my.
I was over at Silent Running and found his piece about having helped out in Papua New Guinea after a tsunami hit the north coast in 1998. One of the nastier things mentioned was this:
"For example, there were actually many survivors in the jungle who were too badly injured to move or defend themselves against the wild pigs, dogs and crocodiles. Quite a few were eaten by animals, and they weren't always completely dead first."
Think about that. There are tigers and leopards and the omnipresent crocodiles in the hard-hit areas. He's right in one of his comments, some things don't need to be talked about right now.
From a commentor at Hog on Ice found this site, which has some nice information on earthquakes and tsunamis.
It seems the perennial coddler of dictators and mass murderers Ramsey Clark is joining the legal team of Saddam Hussein. I'm not surprised considering his past words and performances. If we're lucky Saddam will bite him and give him distemper.
Corrosion-X seems to be a very good cleaner. I'm going to help my daughter take down her pistol and clean/lube it with this stuff; it really cleaned mine up well.
Speaking of cleaning, I tried using nylon brushes for some bore cleaning. Seems if you have mainly some stubborn powder fouling they'll do the job, but for anything else I still get the best results from bronze bristles.
Speaking of Clinton, he was mentioned on the news earlier today, lecturing about how someone needs to be in control of the aid efforts. He's either lobbying for a job as head of the U.N., or wanting a position created for him so he can run aid efforts whenever/wherever. I don't think he's as corrupt as Kofi Annan and company, but he's bad enough. And I'd rather have the work going on as it is; there may be some duplication, but there's probably somewhat less corruption this way.
Last week this time, the high was about 30 degrees, today it was 60. December in Oklahoma, oh my.
I was over at Silent Running and found his piece about having helped out in Papua New Guinea after a tsunami hit the north coast in 1998. One of the nastier things mentioned was this:
"For example, there were actually many survivors in the jungle who were too badly injured to move or defend themselves against the wild pigs, dogs and crocodiles. Quite a few were eaten by animals, and they weren't always completely dead first."
Think about that. There are tigers and leopards and the omnipresent crocodiles in the hard-hit areas. He's right in one of his comments, some things don't need to be talked about right now.
A short version of how things fell apart in Britain
on the subject of self-defense. This article by Joyce Lee Malcolm covers it.
Check this out:
"The practical removal of the right to self defence began with Britain's 1920 Firearms Act, the first serious limitation on privately-owned firearms. It was motivated by fear of a Bolshevik-type revolution rather than concerns about householders defending themselves against robbers. Anyone wanting to keep a firearm had to get a certificate from his local police chief certifying that he was a suitable person to own a weapon and had a good reason to have it. The definition of "good reason", left to the police, was gradually narrowed until, in 1969, the Home Office decided "it should never be necessary for anyone to possess a firearm for the protection of his house or person". Since these guidelines were classified until 1989, there was no opportunity for public debate."
The guidelines were "classified", so the public couldn't know them, and since the police could change them at any time...
Note: this is one of the reasons that making law should NEVER be left to the bureaucrats; they're unaccountable and will screw you over in a hearbeat.
Check this out:
"The practical removal of the right to self defence began with Britain's 1920 Firearms Act, the first serious limitation on privately-owned firearms. It was motivated by fear of a Bolshevik-type revolution rather than concerns about householders defending themselves against robbers. Anyone wanting to keep a firearm had to get a certificate from his local police chief certifying that he was a suitable person to own a weapon and had a good reason to have it. The definition of "good reason", left to the police, was gradually narrowed until, in 1969, the Home Office decided "it should never be necessary for anyone to possess a firearm for the protection of his house or person". Since these guidelines were classified until 1989, there was no opportunity for public debate."
The guidelines were "classified", so the public couldn't know them, and since the police could change them at any time...
Note: this is one of the reasons that making law should NEVER be left to the bureaucrats; they're unaccountable and will screw you over in a hearbeat.
100,000 dead, and rising
Think about that number; one hundred thousand, and try to image that pile of bodies.
O.U. Medieval Fair will have more than that over a three-day weekend, so it's like every single human that goes through the fair over three days, dead in the space of a few minutes. And the number keeps rising.
Drudge linked to a report on the current situation. There are areas they still have no communications with, so no idea of numbers of dead and missing there(and let's be serious, 'missing' in this situation means 'dead but we don't have a body). I'm thinking that by the time this is done, there'll be about 150,000 dead as the accepted number. Then we get to add in the people sick/dead of disease from bad water, bad food, and parasites & mosquitos breeding in the stagnant water.
I mentioned in an earlier post video a tourist shot from a clubhouse at a resort when the wave hit there; this was a low wave, and people in the partial shelter of the clubhouse were washed away, along with the railing they were holding on to. Every year, we see people die because their car or truck was washed away when they tried to drive through running water 12-18" deep. Think of a wave ten, or twenty, or thirty feet high moving at floodwater speeds or above coming through; the mind boggles.
That's about it for now, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the numbers.
O.U. Medieval Fair will have more than that over a three-day weekend, so it's like every single human that goes through the fair over three days, dead in the space of a few minutes. And the number keeps rising.
Drudge linked to a report on the current situation. There are areas they still have no communications with, so no idea of numbers of dead and missing there(and let's be serious, 'missing' in this situation means 'dead but we don't have a body). I'm thinking that by the time this is done, there'll be about 150,000 dead as the accepted number. Then we get to add in the people sick/dead of disease from bad water, bad food, and parasites & mosquitos breeding in the stagnant water.
I mentioned in an earlier post video a tourist shot from a clubhouse at a resort when the wave hit there; this was a low wave, and people in the partial shelter of the clubhouse were washed away, along with the railing they were holding on to. Every year, we see people die because their car or truck was washed away when they tried to drive through running water 12-18" deep. Think of a wave ten, or twenty, or thirty feet high moving at floodwater speeds or above coming through; the mind boggles.
That's about it for now, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the numbers.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Range time!
Took my daughter to the range this evening. Handguns only tonight, didn't want to mess with taking any rifles. We went to H&H, a nice indoor range here in town, and a good time was had by all.
I really ought to get a digital camera, if for no other reason than posting pictures of her targets. She doesn't get to shoot often, but she seems to hold on to her skill level quite well. Aside from an odd dislike of revolvers(no accounting for taste), she does just fine. Only real problem is that when she moves out to her own place, what she'd really like to take is my Kimber. Well, she can't have mine, and I can't afford to buy one for her, so she'll have to settle for something else for a while.
One thing we tried out tonight was a Makarov. If you're not familiar with it, it's a Russian modification of the Walther PPK design. It fires it's own cartridge, the 9x18mm. Standard 9mm is 9x19, the .380 is 9x17, so the Makarov cartridge is between the two. Overall, I'm impressed with the thing. Quite accurate, and I've now put several hundred rounds of ball and a box of Hornady hollow points through it without any jam, fail to feed, nothing. Not the stopping power of a .45, but solidly reliable and practice ammo is relatively cheap.
Now, soon as I can get the cat off the table, I can start cleaning...
I really ought to get a digital camera, if for no other reason than posting pictures of her targets. She doesn't get to shoot often, but she seems to hold on to her skill level quite well. Aside from an odd dislike of revolvers(no accounting for taste), she does just fine. Only real problem is that when she moves out to her own place, what she'd really like to take is my Kimber. Well, she can't have mine, and I can't afford to buy one for her, so she'll have to settle for something else for a while.
One thing we tried out tonight was a Makarov. If you're not familiar with it, it's a Russian modification of the Walther PPK design. It fires it's own cartridge, the 9x18mm. Standard 9mm is 9x19, the .380 is 9x17, so the Makarov cartridge is between the two. Overall, I'm impressed with the thing. Quite accurate, and I've now put several hundred rounds of ball and a box of Hornady hollow points through it without any jam, fail to feed, nothing. Not the stopping power of a .45, but solidly reliable and practice ammo is relatively cheap.
Now, soon as I can get the cat off the table, I can start cleaning...
Animation of the waves
Belmont Club has this link to an animation of how the tsunamis propagated from the quake site across the Bay of Bengal. Watch this, and watch the time count, it gives a feel for the speed of these things.
A while back Discovery Channel, I believe, had a show on these waves, and noted that in the open ocean they can travel as much as 500 mph. Think about that. A jet airliner doesn't make that speed, and fighters & attack planes don't unless they're actually on a strike run. An energy pulse moving through the water at 500 mph, then reaching shallower water and slowing/building in height until it's moving across the shore and is tens of feet high.
The power involved is amazing. I remember as a kid hearing about the big quake in Alaska in 1964. That was from a 9.2 quake, as I recall, and they've now settled on 9.0 for this one.
Tim Blair has a list of charities/agencies you can donate to for aid to the people in the region. Personally, as Steve puts it, after what came out after 9/11 I wouldn't give a wooden nickel to the Red Cross if their headquarters was on fire. But there are others who can help out.
Note: Confirmed death toll is now 55,000. Which means it'll be much higher.
A while back Discovery Channel, I believe, had a show on these waves, and noted that in the open ocean they can travel as much as 500 mph. Think about that. A jet airliner doesn't make that speed, and fighters & attack planes don't unless they're actually on a strike run. An energy pulse moving through the water at 500 mph, then reaching shallower water and slowing/building in height until it's moving across the shore and is tens of feet high.
The power involved is amazing. I remember as a kid hearing about the big quake in Alaska in 1964. That was from a 9.2 quake, as I recall, and they've now settled on 9.0 for this one.
Tim Blair has a list of charities/agencies you can donate to for aid to the people in the region. Personally, as Steve puts it, after what came out after 9/11 I wouldn't give a wooden nickel to the Red Cross if their headquarters was on fire. But there are others who can help out.
Note: Confirmed death toll is now 55,000. Which means it'll be much higher.
Once more, why we should tell the U.N. to go to hell
I just read two things. One, they now think the death toll from the quake and waves may be more than 40 thousand. Two, some pissy little jackass from the U.N. says that the U.S. is being 'stingy' with our aid, and we need to raise our taxes so we will 'have' more money to give.
I have overall tried to be fairly civil in my language on this blog, but this calls for an exception. Mr. Egeland? FUCK YOU! You sorry, pissy little jerk! The U.N. would fall apart if we didn't keep funding it(and I don't know why we do). WE put more money into relief for many things than the rest of the world combined. And a lot of that does not come from the government taking money out of our pockets, it comes from citazens giving money and time to charities who help people in trouble. And you call us stingy?!?
WE, for the most part, don't want to give more money to the U.N. because a: it's a hugely corrupt organization, as the Oil-for-Food scandal has pushed into focus and b: we don't want to fund a bunch of thugs who will tell children that if they want to eat, they have to spread their legs.
As far as our taxes? Screw you, weenie. You, last I heard, have a stagnant economy largely because of your taxes and socialist government. We are overtaxed now, and still have managed to keep a growing economy going. Let me point something out to you: the less the government takes out of our pockets in taxes, the more people have to give to charities they trust to spend the money wisely. Unlike most government agencies, which when honest just waste a lot, and when corrupt(U.N.) steal most of it.
By the time this is done, probably the U.S. will have- again- given more money and food and material to relief efforts than anyone else. And assholes like you will still bitch and whine that we aren't doing enough.
Again, Screw You, Mr. Egeland, and the high horse you rode in on. This is one more reason we should tell the U.N. to move, and get along without our support, and we should start an organization of free nations to actually do something, instead of taking bribes and abusing children and adults and insulting the people who keep it going.
Update: Mr. Chickenshit has crawfished publicly on his comments.
I have overall tried to be fairly civil in my language on this blog, but this calls for an exception. Mr. Egeland? FUCK YOU! You sorry, pissy little jerk! The U.N. would fall apart if we didn't keep funding it(and I don't know why we do). WE put more money into relief for many things than the rest of the world combined. And a lot of that does not come from the government taking money out of our pockets, it comes from citazens giving money and time to charities who help people in trouble. And you call us stingy?!?
WE, for the most part, don't want to give more money to the U.N. because a: it's a hugely corrupt organization, as the Oil-for-Food scandal has pushed into focus and b: we don't want to fund a bunch of thugs who will tell children that if they want to eat, they have to spread their legs.
As far as our taxes? Screw you, weenie. You, last I heard, have a stagnant economy largely because of your taxes and socialist government. We are overtaxed now, and still have managed to keep a growing economy going. Let me point something out to you: the less the government takes out of our pockets in taxes, the more people have to give to charities they trust to spend the money wisely. Unlike most government agencies, which when honest just waste a lot, and when corrupt(U.N.) steal most of it.
By the time this is done, probably the U.S. will have- again- given more money and food and material to relief efforts than anyone else. And assholes like you will still bitch and whine that we aren't doing enough.
Again, Screw You, Mr. Egeland, and the high horse you rode in on. This is one more reason we should tell the U.N. to move, and get along without our support, and we should start an organization of free nations to actually do something, instead of taking bribes and abusing children and adults and insulting the people who keep it going.
Update: Mr. Chickenshit has crawfished publicly on his comments.
Monday, December 27, 2004
21,000 and counting up
It's a hard number of bodies to comprehend. All in the space of a few minutes, caused by something that happened about 6 miles underground a long ways off.
The quake move the friggin' ISLAND of Sumatra about 100 feet, and shifted the rotation of the earth a touch. The energy involved has too many zeros for me to think about without getting a headache.
Waves moving in at more than 100mph, and building to many feet high as they move up the slope to the beach.
I was looking at the U.S. Geological Survey site at the info, and they're now saying it was a 9.0. There are five tectonic plates that interact in the region and produced this thing, and it says that about 600 miles of plate boundary moved in this quake.
A Small Victory has a lot of information for people who want to contribute to relief efforts.
That's about all I can say about this right now.
The quake move the friggin' ISLAND of Sumatra about 100 feet, and shifted the rotation of the earth a touch. The energy involved has too many zeros for me to think about without getting a headache.
Waves moving in at more than 100mph, and building to many feet high as they move up the slope to the beach.
I was looking at the U.S. Geological Survey site at the info, and they're now saying it was a 9.0. There are five tectonic plates that interact in the region and produced this thing, and it says that about 600 miles of plate boundary moved in this quake.
A Small Victory has a lot of information for people who want to contribute to relief efforts.
That's about all I can say about this right now.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Christmas is done
and it was nice. It's always nice to visit family, especially this time of year. And I got stuffed, so there's two good things together.
Of course, the stuffing means I need to put in some extra time in the gym over the next week or so, but I needed to do that anyway, so...
I've decided that where I really, really want to be when word arrives that Fidel Castro died is Miami. Why? Check out what Steve and friends did for Christmas. I get the feeling Fidel-in-a-box will trigger the biggest damn party the world has seen in God knows when.
Anyway, hope your Christmas was good. If you do Hannukah or Mid-Winter or whatever, hope it was good. And if being wished Merry Christmas pisses you off, see above.
Of course, the stuffing means I need to put in some extra time in the gym over the next week or so, but I needed to do that anyway, so...
I've decided that where I really, really want to be when word arrives that Fidel Castro died is Miami. Why? Check out what Steve and friends did for Christmas. I get the feeling Fidel-in-a-box will trigger the biggest damn party the world has seen in God knows when.
Anyway, hope your Christmas was good. If you do Hannukah or Mid-Winter or whatever, hope it was good. And if being wished Merry Christmas pisses you off, see above.
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