Send food...
I was cruising around over at Sitemeter looking at my readership stats tonight and I found a new set of stats that I had never paid attention to.
I’ve got some foreign readers!! Cool.
Not just ANY foreign readers, but readers in exotic places.
Here is the list of readers by percentage:
90% United States
02% Singapore
02% Canada
01% New Zealand
01% Mauritius
01% UK
01% Dominican Republic
01% Cuba
01% Australia
I had absolutely no idea that my readers were so far flung in their residencies. I hope that you keep coming back and enjoying (or laughing hysterically at) this southern redneck’s view of the world.
And to my readers in Mauritius (who ever you are,) I’m flying into Port Louis from Singapore as soon as I can scrape up the airfare. I absolutely must find out how such a beautiful place has escaped prior notice by this island loving beach bum.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Have Snack Time Before Nap Time?
I don’t have kids, but I’m always amazed at some of the the goings on at schools and day care centers.
For instance, check out what's happening in Florida these days:
“Volusia County sheriff's deputies are investigating a biting incident at a Deltona day care where a 2-year-old boy was bitten all over his face and body by a girl, according to a Local 6 News report.
Alex Clark was severely bitten more than a dozen times during nap time by a 2-year-old girl at the Tot's Learning Center Daycare…
The boy's mother is angry that the accused attacker is still at the day care.
"As of yesterday, the child that did this to my son was still at the day-care center," Clark said. "That angers me that that child is still there endangering other children."
Alex was released from Halifax Hospital.
He is taking steroids and antibiotics and must undergo testing for the next year.
The day care's owner told a newspaper that the children were supervised and that the school is safe.”
I guess that they just plan on adding a small mid-afternoon snack before naptime in the future...
For instance, check out what's happening in Florida these days:
“Volusia County sheriff's deputies are investigating a biting incident at a Deltona day care where a 2-year-old boy was bitten all over his face and body by a girl, according to a Local 6 News report.
Alex Clark was severely bitten more than a dozen times during nap time by a 2-year-old girl at the Tot's Learning Center Daycare…
The boy's mother is angry that the accused attacker is still at the day care.
"As of yesterday, the child that did this to my son was still at the day-care center," Clark said. "That angers me that that child is still there endangering other children."
Alex was released from Halifax Hospital.
He is taking steroids and antibiotics and must undergo testing for the next year.
The day care's owner told a newspaper that the children were supervised and that the school is safe.”
I guess that they just plan on adding a small mid-afternoon snack before naptime in the future...
Kerry In Hot (River) Water Again
“False memories from an ego maniac…”
I heard a rumor that John sKerry was talking again on the Senate floor today:
"I remember Labor Day of 2005 sitting on a bass boat in Baton Rouge. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Negros and Mexicans and Cajuns (who must have thought that we were poaching their gators or crawdads or something,) and have the president of the United States and the Governor telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Louisiana . I have that memory which is seared -- seared -- in me." **
It seems to me like he’ll never learn…
**Slightly modified (with liberties taken) from Kerry's 1986 Senate speech.
I heard a rumor that John sKerry was talking again on the Senate floor today:
"I remember Labor Day of 2005 sitting on a bass boat in Baton Rouge. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Negros and Mexicans and Cajuns (who must have thought that we were poaching their gators or crawdads or something,) and have the president of the United States and the Governor telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Louisiana . I have that memory which is seared -- seared -- in me." **
It seems to me like he’ll never learn…
**Slightly modified (with liberties taken) from Kerry's 1986 Senate speech.
Friday, September 16, 2005
I Told You So...Again
Ever vigilent, I just found this little tidbit on the Drudge Report:
During his speech...
Bush repeated a hotline number, 1-877-568-3317, for people to call to help reunite family members separated during the hurricane. Moments later, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., criticized Bush, saying "Leadership isn't a speech or a toll-free number."
"No American doubts that New Orleans will rise again," Kerry said. "They doubt the competence and commitment of this administration." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, in a joint statement, said, "We are concerned by Bush administration initiatives this week waiving wage protections, environmental safeguards and protections for veterans, minorities, women and the disabled."
By waiving "wage concessions," they mean the Davis-Bacon Act. Don't even ask what it is if you don't already know--it's a waste of time to worry about the issue unless you are an elected Democratic politician or a union member. The important part is this:
"Sec. 6. In the event of a national emergency the President is authorized to suspend the provisions of this Act."
Regarding environmental "safeguards", I didn't hear anything about shingling houses with asbestos, using oil full of PCB's and dioxin, or killing speckled spotted owls and tree toads in President Bush's speech tonight.
Did you?
This is ironic, after all, since you should remember that the tree-hugging, eco-fascist environmentalists were the exact ones that helped get New Orleans into this mess in the first place? It wasn't a lack of funding, it was their stupid lawsuits filed against the permitting and construction of locks and levees in the 1960's and 1970's that helped delay and raise the construction price and indirectly helped cause this mess in the first place.
And finally, unless there are three or four cruise ship loads of vietnam veteran, minority, female, amputee bulldozer operators and civil engineers hiding just off shore in the Gulf of Mexico waiting for disaster relief employment, Nasty Pelosi and Dingy Harry Reid can just shut the heck up as far as I'm concerned.
If we have to do this and pay for it with my tax dollars, I want you to bring your highly capable, expertly qualified, rear end to my office, fill out an application, pass the drug test, and get your ass to work--I don't care if you have a vagina, a purple heart, brown skin, or how many body parts or brain cells you are missing--as long as you are willing to just shut up and get the work done that I'm paying you to do, damn it.
You got that?
During his speech...
Bush repeated a hotline number, 1-877-568-3317, for people to call to help reunite family members separated during the hurricane. Moments later, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., criticized Bush, saying "Leadership isn't a speech or a toll-free number."
"No American doubts that New Orleans will rise again," Kerry said. "They doubt the competence and commitment of this administration." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, in a joint statement, said, "We are concerned by Bush administration initiatives this week waiving wage protections, environmental safeguards and protections for veterans, minorities, women and the disabled."
By waiving "wage concessions," they mean the Davis-Bacon Act. Don't even ask what it is if you don't already know--it's a waste of time to worry about the issue unless you are an elected Democratic politician or a union member. The important part is this:
"Sec. 6. In the event of a national emergency the President is authorized to suspend the provisions of this Act."
Regarding environmental "safeguards", I didn't hear anything about shingling houses with asbestos, using oil full of PCB's and dioxin, or killing speckled spotted owls and tree toads in President Bush's speech tonight.
Did you?
This is ironic, after all, since you should remember that the tree-hugging, eco-fascist environmentalists were the exact ones that helped get New Orleans into this mess in the first place? It wasn't a lack of funding, it was their stupid lawsuits filed against the permitting and construction of locks and levees in the 1960's and 1970's that helped delay and raise the construction price and indirectly helped cause this mess in the first place.
And finally, unless there are three or four cruise ship loads of vietnam veteran, minority, female, amputee bulldozer operators and civil engineers hiding just off shore in the Gulf of Mexico waiting for disaster relief employment, Nasty Pelosi and Dingy Harry Reid can just shut the heck up as far as I'm concerned.
If we have to do this and pay for it with my tax dollars, I want you to bring your highly capable, expertly qualified, rear end to my office, fill out an application, pass the drug test, and get your ass to work--I don't care if you have a vagina, a purple heart, brown skin, or how many body parts or brain cells you are missing--as long as you are willing to just shut up and get the work done that I'm paying you to do, damn it.
You got that?
A Sad New Era
Call me a racist. Call me a bigot. Call me stupid. Call me whatever.
I watched President Bush's speech live from the French Quarter tonight, then just to be sure I understood I watched the re-run on FOX News.
I, personally, was not impressed, but not for the reason's you might expect.
Yes, President Bush may be able to save his own bacon, such as it is, with a few members of the general public--enough to get the polls back over a 50% approval rating. Also, the bacon of the Republican party might stay out of the political frying pan a little longer, but I personally don't believe that it's a good idea to spend 200 billion dollars of hard earned taxpayer money in the manner that the local politicians and Democrats are going to demand that it be spent in Louisiana.
The Governor and local politicians want us to toss them the cash, turn our heads, and hope for the best. New Orleans' and Louisiana's two hundred and fifty years of corrupt political history causes me to have little confidence in achieving a successful outcome utilizing this method of disaster recovery--but who am I to question their good motives?
Since my family lived through two hurricanes (Eloise and Opal) and the reprocussions of two major floods on a south Alabama river with absolutely no compensation or support from the local or federal governments, I think that I can speak authoritatively when I say that these expendatures are largely unnecessiary and are ripe for fraud and abuse by officials and citizens alike.
Where were these responses to hurricanes Hugo and Andrew? Could it be that largely white, middle income and affluent citizens were affected and pandering and race-baiting were non-issues?
This article puts the current budgets in perspective:
Since Katrina struck, Congress has already spent $62.3 billion, dwarfing the inflation-adjusted $17.8 billion that Congress spent on hurricanes Andrew, Iniki and Omar, which struck in 1992, and the $15.2 billion emergency appropriation for the Northridge, Calif., earthquake of 1994.
The entire Persian Gulf War of 1991 cost less than $83 billion in today's dollars.
Imagine the trillions of tax dollars that will be demanded in the name of recovery, rebuilding, and healing racial inequalities over the next twenty years from the same people that insist on living in flood and storm prone areas and the leaders that base their re-election on pandering to the very cultural shortcomings that caused the New Orleans disaster in the first place.
And ironically, Jessie Jackson says that this still isn't enough since he believes that the poor will be forced to sit on the sidelines while Haliburton and Bectel get multi million dollar contracts and the rich get the hated "tax cuts." And of course, in the end, wealthy people will be allowed to die without paying exorbant estate taxes--oh the humanity!!
Hey Jessie, you moron, you can't get a tax cut if you don't pay taxes...
How many times do I have to say that?
I watched President Bush's speech live from the French Quarter tonight, then just to be sure I understood I watched the re-run on FOX News.
I, personally, was not impressed, but not for the reason's you might expect.
Yes, President Bush may be able to save his own bacon, such as it is, with a few members of the general public--enough to get the polls back over a 50% approval rating. Also, the bacon of the Republican party might stay out of the political frying pan a little longer, but I personally don't believe that it's a good idea to spend 200 billion dollars of hard earned taxpayer money in the manner that the local politicians and Democrats are going to demand that it be spent in Louisiana.
The Governor and local politicians want us to toss them the cash, turn our heads, and hope for the best. New Orleans' and Louisiana's two hundred and fifty years of corrupt political history causes me to have little confidence in achieving a successful outcome utilizing this method of disaster recovery--but who am I to question their good motives?
Since my family lived through two hurricanes (Eloise and Opal) and the reprocussions of two major floods on a south Alabama river with absolutely no compensation or support from the local or federal governments, I think that I can speak authoritatively when I say that these expendatures are largely unnecessiary and are ripe for fraud and abuse by officials and citizens alike.
Where were these responses to hurricanes Hugo and Andrew? Could it be that largely white, middle income and affluent citizens were affected and pandering and race-baiting were non-issues?
This article puts the current budgets in perspective:
Since Katrina struck, Congress has already spent $62.3 billion, dwarfing the inflation-adjusted $17.8 billion that Congress spent on hurricanes Andrew, Iniki and Omar, which struck in 1992, and the $15.2 billion emergency appropriation for the Northridge, Calif., earthquake of 1994.
The entire Persian Gulf War of 1991 cost less than $83 billion in today's dollars.
Imagine the trillions of tax dollars that will be demanded in the name of recovery, rebuilding, and healing racial inequalities over the next twenty years from the same people that insist on living in flood and storm prone areas and the leaders that base their re-election on pandering to the very cultural shortcomings that caused the New Orleans disaster in the first place.
And ironically, Jessie Jackson says that this still isn't enough since he believes that the poor will be forced to sit on the sidelines while Haliburton and Bectel get multi million dollar contracts and the rich get the hated "tax cuts." And of course, in the end, wealthy people will be allowed to die without paying exorbant estate taxes--oh the humanity!!
Hey Jessie, you moron, you can't get a tax cut if you don't pay taxes...
How many times do I have to say that?
A Premature Prediction
I lived through two days of the Senate Judicial Committee hearings for John Roberts, but today I chose not to torture myself with the live action "blow by blow."
I saw a few pieces of today's questioning and watched some of the re-runs tonight, and at this point I'd say that Roberts is a shoe-in to be confirmed.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that Roberts will be quickly voted out of committee and will win Senate approval by a landslide, with some of the singular exceptions being Ted "Jabba the Hut" Kennedy and possibly his junior Massachusetts political emulator, John sKerry.
I think that NY Senator sHrillary Clinton will vote to approve the nomination, along with most of the other spineless Democrats in an effort to "keep their powder dry” for the next round of hearings on president Bush's nomination for the replacement to Sandra Day O'Connor's spot.
Regardless of the actual vote, I also expect to see massive negative media coverage of how one political party is running the country and how the president continues to favor appointing “activist judges.”
A well placed sound-bite is worth hundreds of hours of detailed coverage when all the people that get their news from the newspaper headlines and 60 minutes finally tune in to find out what happened.
Janice Rogers Brown, please step into the committee room…
I saw a few pieces of today's questioning and watched some of the re-runs tonight, and at this point I'd say that Roberts is a shoe-in to be confirmed.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that Roberts will be quickly voted out of committee and will win Senate approval by a landslide, with some of the singular exceptions being Ted "Jabba the Hut" Kennedy and possibly his junior Massachusetts political emulator, John sKerry.
I think that NY Senator sHrillary Clinton will vote to approve the nomination, along with most of the other spineless Democrats in an effort to "keep their powder dry” for the next round of hearings on president Bush's nomination for the replacement to Sandra Day O'Connor's spot.
Regardless of the actual vote, I also expect to see massive negative media coverage of how one political party is running the country and how the president continues to favor appointing “activist judges.”
A well placed sound-bite is worth hundreds of hours of detailed coverage when all the people that get their news from the newspaper headlines and 60 minutes finally tune in to find out what happened.
Janice Rogers Brown, please step into the committee room…
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Morbid Humor
Now, in addition to not using the school buses and other public transportation, it seems that New Orleans officials turned down an offer from Amtrack to move stranded citizens out of the city on trains before Hurrican Katrina hit.
This reminds me of an old joke I heard once that goes something like this:
There was this old country preacher that goes out on a particularly rainy day, driving around checking on the members of his rural Georgia church. As he drives his old car across a small stream, it becomes stuck in the middle of the rapidly rising water.
The rain continues to fall and the water continues to rise, flooding the interior of the car and forcing the preacher, still clutching his bible, onto the roof of his car.
A short time later a couple of fishermen come by in a small boat and, noticing the gentleman's distress, shout: “Hey mister, you need some help?”
“No”, replies the minister, “The Lord will take care of me…” so the fishermen reluctantly continue on their way downstream.
As the water continues to rise up around the preacher’s ankles, Sheriff’s deputies in a rescue boat motors up and offers to carry the preacher to safety.
“No, my sons,” he says “the Lord will take care of me…you go help the other stranded people…” so off the deputies go downstream.
Finally the water has risen so far that the preacher is clinging on to the roof frame, barely keeping his head above the water when what should appear but a rescue helicopter with a winch and lifeline.
As the copter hovers over the preacher’s car, he again waves them off saying “Don’t worry, the Lord is gonna take care of me.”
That’s the last time anyone sees the preacher.
Later that evening the preacher arrives at the gates of heaven, dripping wet and looking a little confused.
Saint Peter looks at him, then into his book, and finally says “What are YOU doing here.”
The preacher says “I don’t rightly know, I thought that the Lord was going to take care of me, wasn’t that the deal?”
Saint Peter replies, “Good gosh man, we sent two boats and a helicopter, what else did you want?”
This story reminds me a little of New Orleans Mayor Nagin, doesn’t it you?
This reminds me of an old joke I heard once that goes something like this:
There was this old country preacher that goes out on a particularly rainy day, driving around checking on the members of his rural Georgia church. As he drives his old car across a small stream, it becomes stuck in the middle of the rapidly rising water.
The rain continues to fall and the water continues to rise, flooding the interior of the car and forcing the preacher, still clutching his bible, onto the roof of his car.
A short time later a couple of fishermen come by in a small boat and, noticing the gentleman's distress, shout: “Hey mister, you need some help?”
“No”, replies the minister, “The Lord will take care of me…” so the fishermen reluctantly continue on their way downstream.
As the water continues to rise up around the preacher’s ankles, Sheriff’s deputies in a rescue boat motors up and offers to carry the preacher to safety.
“No, my sons,” he says “the Lord will take care of me…you go help the other stranded people…” so off the deputies go downstream.
Finally the water has risen so far that the preacher is clinging on to the roof frame, barely keeping his head above the water when what should appear but a rescue helicopter with a winch and lifeline.
As the copter hovers over the preacher’s car, he again waves them off saying “Don’t worry, the Lord is gonna take care of me.”
That’s the last time anyone sees the preacher.
Later that evening the preacher arrives at the gates of heaven, dripping wet and looking a little confused.
Saint Peter looks at him, then into his book, and finally says “What are YOU doing here.”
The preacher says “I don’t rightly know, I thought that the Lord was going to take care of me, wasn’t that the deal?”
Saint Peter replies, “Good gosh man, we sent two boats and a helicopter, what else did you want?”
This story reminds me a little of New Orleans Mayor Nagin, doesn’t it you?
I’ll Have A Latte Grande, Extra Froth
"With an X-Ray And A Side of Aspirin?"
I absolutely love a good cup of coffee. The stronger the blend and fresher the brew, all the better.
There was a time some years ago when I started every single day drinking four or five cups of coffee—with a little cream and sugar, thank you very much.
I also really, really like espresso and cappuccino and I once owned my own $300 countertop steam machine that would make four cups of espresso or two big mugs of cappuccino. I lost it when my home burned down.
I’ve since dropped my coffee habit, but today my friend Wayne is a "Starbucks Coffee" junkie.
You know what I mean by "Starbucks Coffee" junkie, don’t you?
He goes to Starbucks almost every day, pays a monthly fee to use their wireless internet connection, and he knows all of their special technical jargon to use when ordering "Decaf Komodo Dragon Blend" or an eight dollar cup of iced “whatever.”
Ordering coffee at Starbucks could be a spectator sport. One employee could stand by and act like an umpire or referee and call fouls and hand out penalties for improper use of their cryptic in-house technical jargon.
But EIGHT DOLLARS dollars for a cup of cold coffee?
None for me…thank you any way…
I guess that there is no wonder that Starbucks charges so much for their coffee when their CEO makes revelations like this:
“WASHINGTON -- Starbucks will spend more on health insurance for its employees this year than on raw materials needed to brew its coffee, Chairman Howard Schultz said Wednesday as he decried a health care crisis that could soon overwhelm U.S. businesses.”
Of course, in declaring a healthcare crisis, Chairman Schultz is failing to accept his own companies’ part of the blame in making the very business decisions that have lead to the high insurance costs in the first place.
And what is his solution?
Not lowering their own costs by limiting the number of employees who are eligible for health insurance. He wants GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN and save the day.
“Schultz, whose Seattle-based company provides health care coverage to employees who work at least 20 hours a week, said Starbucks has faced double-digit increases in insurance costs each of the last four years.
"It's completely non-sustainable," he said, even for companies such as his that "want to do the right thing."
Schultz made the comments Wednesday at a meeting with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. The event was one of several organized by Schultz and other executives to call attention to health insurance costs.
"I would hope congressional leaders put this at the front of their agenda," said Schultz, noting that most of the estimated 45 million uninsured Americans have jobs.
Let me tell you, there are sound business reasons that companies have historically limited eligibility for company health insurance policies, none of which involved “screwing the employee” or being Ebenezer Scrooge or anything.
It shouldn’t take a degree in economics to understand the simple fact that it costs more to insure two employees working 20 hours each week than it does to insure one employee working 40 hours per week. If the price of disposable cups or sugar or coffee beans gets too high, does Schultz call FEMA or Allan Greenspan to step in?
No, he gets on the phone to his purchasing agent and gets him to lower costs by finding new suppliers and vendors. It’s their choice as a company to provide the benefits, there isn’t a union or a state law behind their charity, and so what is this guy complaining about in the first place?
“The rising cost of health care has made that dream increasingly difficult, he said. The company expects to spend about $200 million this year for health care for its 80,000 U.S. employees - more than the total amount it spends on green coffee from Africa, Indonesia and other sites.
Starbucks has about 100,000 employees worldwide, Schultz said, including about 65 percent who work part-time. Increasingly, the company is hiring older workers, who are attracted in large part by the company's generous benefits, he said.”
Let’s see…80,000 employees…$200,000,000 cost…THAT’S AVERAGES OUT TO ONLY $2,500 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR—a little over $200 per month. And what about the over seas employees—are they too elligable for health insurance, or are they doomed to suffer with voodoo and witch doctors if they live in Haiti and Columbia?
Schultz then turns right around and admits that the company has benefited from their generous employee benefit program:
“Lest anyone get the idea the company is altruistic, Schultz said its benefits policy is a key reason Starbucks has low employee turnover and high productivity - facts he said were reflected in the company's increased stock price, which has more than doubled in the past five years.”
In my opinion, Starbucks purported high insurance costs are no reason for our government to start further messing around with our healthcare program. If Mr. Schultz wants to provide health insurance for the cats and dogs and “domestic partners” of every single one of his employees, and Starbucks customers are willing to pay $10 or $12 or even $20 for a humble cup of Joe…
LET THEM.
Just realize that what you are really paying over half your money for is employee X-rays and pap-smears.
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to worry about financing my own healthcare costs as I drink most of my coffee in my home, where my wireless internet connection costs $49.99 per month.
Maybe I can get the government to step in and do something about the fact that my internet costs exceed the cost of coffee beans here on St. Simons.
Make your checks payable to Virgil Rogers at...
I absolutely love a good cup of coffee. The stronger the blend and fresher the brew, all the better.
There was a time some years ago when I started every single day drinking four or five cups of coffee—with a little cream and sugar, thank you very much.
I also really, really like espresso and cappuccino and I once owned my own $300 countertop steam machine that would make four cups of espresso or two big mugs of cappuccino. I lost it when my home burned down.
I’ve since dropped my coffee habit, but today my friend Wayne is a "Starbucks Coffee" junkie.
You know what I mean by "Starbucks Coffee" junkie, don’t you?
He goes to Starbucks almost every day, pays a monthly fee to use their wireless internet connection, and he knows all of their special technical jargon to use when ordering "Decaf Komodo Dragon Blend" or an eight dollar cup of iced “whatever.”
Ordering coffee at Starbucks could be a spectator sport. One employee could stand by and act like an umpire or referee and call fouls and hand out penalties for improper use of their cryptic in-house technical jargon.
But EIGHT DOLLARS dollars for a cup of cold coffee?
None for me…thank you any way…
I guess that there is no wonder that Starbucks charges so much for their coffee when their CEO makes revelations like this:
“WASHINGTON -- Starbucks will spend more on health insurance for its employees this year than on raw materials needed to brew its coffee, Chairman Howard Schultz said Wednesday as he decried a health care crisis that could soon overwhelm U.S. businesses.”
Of course, in declaring a healthcare crisis, Chairman Schultz is failing to accept his own companies’ part of the blame in making the very business decisions that have lead to the high insurance costs in the first place.
And what is his solution?
Not lowering their own costs by limiting the number of employees who are eligible for health insurance. He wants GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN and save the day.
“Schultz, whose Seattle-based company provides health care coverage to employees who work at least 20 hours a week, said Starbucks has faced double-digit increases in insurance costs each of the last four years.
"It's completely non-sustainable," he said, even for companies such as his that "want to do the right thing."
Schultz made the comments Wednesday at a meeting with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. The event was one of several organized by Schultz and other executives to call attention to health insurance costs.
"I would hope congressional leaders put this at the front of their agenda," said Schultz, noting that most of the estimated 45 million uninsured Americans have jobs.
Let me tell you, there are sound business reasons that companies have historically limited eligibility for company health insurance policies, none of which involved “screwing the employee” or being Ebenezer Scrooge or anything.
It shouldn’t take a degree in economics to understand the simple fact that it costs more to insure two employees working 20 hours each week than it does to insure one employee working 40 hours per week. If the price of disposable cups or sugar or coffee beans gets too high, does Schultz call FEMA or Allan Greenspan to step in?
No, he gets on the phone to his purchasing agent and gets him to lower costs by finding new suppliers and vendors. It’s their choice as a company to provide the benefits, there isn’t a union or a state law behind their charity, and so what is this guy complaining about in the first place?
“The rising cost of health care has made that dream increasingly difficult, he said. The company expects to spend about $200 million this year for health care for its 80,000 U.S. employees - more than the total amount it spends on green coffee from Africa, Indonesia and other sites.
Starbucks has about 100,000 employees worldwide, Schultz said, including about 65 percent who work part-time. Increasingly, the company is hiring older workers, who are attracted in large part by the company's generous benefits, he said.”
Let’s see…80,000 employees…$200,000,000 cost…THAT’S AVERAGES OUT TO ONLY $2,500 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR—a little over $200 per month. And what about the over seas employees—are they too elligable for health insurance, or are they doomed to suffer with voodoo and witch doctors if they live in Haiti and Columbia?
Schultz then turns right around and admits that the company has benefited from their generous employee benefit program:
“Lest anyone get the idea the company is altruistic, Schultz said its benefits policy is a key reason Starbucks has low employee turnover and high productivity - facts he said were reflected in the company's increased stock price, which has more than doubled in the past five years.”
In my opinion, Starbucks purported high insurance costs are no reason for our government to start further messing around with our healthcare program. If Mr. Schultz wants to provide health insurance for the cats and dogs and “domestic partners” of every single one of his employees, and Starbucks customers are willing to pay $10 or $12 or even $20 for a humble cup of Joe…
LET THEM.
Just realize that what you are really paying over half your money for is employee X-rays and pap-smears.
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to worry about financing my own healthcare costs as I drink most of my coffee in my home, where my wireless internet connection costs $49.99 per month.
Maybe I can get the government to step in and do something about the fact that my internet costs exceed the cost of coffee beans here on St. Simons.
Make your checks payable to Virgil Rogers at...
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Like Hogs At A Trough
Did you hear about the little altercation at a High School in Houston, Texas yesterday?
Not a big deal at first glance you might say—after all, kids will be kids.
The news story indicated that the confrontation broke out between the children of long time Houston residents and some of the recently transplanted students that had relocated to the area from New Orleans.
Again, not exactly a big surprise—things are always tough when you’re “the new kid on the block,” right?
The surprising thing was that the confrontation also involved the parents of the little darling’s:
Security will be increased Wednesday at a southeast Houston high school where a fight broke Tuesday between Louisiana and Houston students.
"Man, they were just going at it," said Larry Citizen, a student. "Man, that's all it was -- Louisiana versus Jessie Jones."
When it was over, three Jones High School students were in the hospital and five were in police custody.
The scene got even uglier when parents arrived.
A loud verbal confrontation broke out between mothers of some of the students involved in the first fight.
"They jumped on my nephew inside this school, busted him in the head. They're sending him to the hospital," yelled one woman.
Police separated the group of women and threatened to arrest them if they didn't calm down.
"They jumped on my son, but yet you want to arrest me," complained one mother.
"Let us work it out, OK?" one HPD officer told the angry parents.
One mother of a student who was arrested ended up in handcuffs herself.
I guess I can understand a parent becoming emotional and wanting to stand up for their kid, can’t you? But then again, maybe the kids learned the behavior and desire to settle disputes by fighting from their parents.
And what would the reason for the disagreement be? Something typically petty and juvenile?
Nooooooo Sir, it was apparently over government benefits. “Your mom got on welfare ahead of my mama, you cheated…”
Michael Lewis says, from his perspective, the students are just mirroring the frustration of many adults.
"You have ladies that have been trying to get on welfare and food stamps, trying to get government assistance, housing. And then evacuees coming here and getting it instantly," said Lewis. "The whole city is a melting pot."
Can you believe this crap? KIDS, fighting over FOOD STAMPS?
And if they continue along this path, set for them by their culture and their parents, they better learn this lesson well because they themselves will be doomed to a future unable to earn a living other than the existence obtained by filling out a government assistance form.
Hey Jessie and Al...you listening?
Not a big deal at first glance you might say—after all, kids will be kids.
The news story indicated that the confrontation broke out between the children of long time Houston residents and some of the recently transplanted students that had relocated to the area from New Orleans.
Again, not exactly a big surprise—things are always tough when you’re “the new kid on the block,” right?
The surprising thing was that the confrontation also involved the parents of the little darling’s:
Security will be increased Wednesday at a southeast Houston high school where a fight broke Tuesday between Louisiana and Houston students.
"Man, they were just going at it," said Larry Citizen, a student. "Man, that's all it was -- Louisiana versus Jessie Jones."
When it was over, three Jones High School students were in the hospital and five were in police custody.
The scene got even uglier when parents arrived.
A loud verbal confrontation broke out between mothers of some of the students involved in the first fight.
"They jumped on my nephew inside this school, busted him in the head. They're sending him to the hospital," yelled one woman.
Police separated the group of women and threatened to arrest them if they didn't calm down.
"They jumped on my son, but yet you want to arrest me," complained one mother.
"Let us work it out, OK?" one HPD officer told the angry parents.
One mother of a student who was arrested ended up in handcuffs herself.
I guess I can understand a parent becoming emotional and wanting to stand up for their kid, can’t you? But then again, maybe the kids learned the behavior and desire to settle disputes by fighting from their parents.
And what would the reason for the disagreement be? Something typically petty and juvenile?
Nooooooo Sir, it was apparently over government benefits. “Your mom got on welfare ahead of my mama, you cheated…”
Michael Lewis says, from his perspective, the students are just mirroring the frustration of many adults.
"You have ladies that have been trying to get on welfare and food stamps, trying to get government assistance, housing. And then evacuees coming here and getting it instantly," said Lewis. "The whole city is a melting pot."
Can you believe this crap? KIDS, fighting over FOOD STAMPS?
And if they continue along this path, set for them by their culture and their parents, they better learn this lesson well because they themselves will be doomed to a future unable to earn a living other than the existence obtained by filling out a government assistance form.
Hey Jessie and Al...you listening?
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Live Blogging The John Roberts Hearings
Kennedy makes me laugh. He talks for five minutes reading a speech disguised as a "question", then interrupts Roberts after he has spoken for 15 seconds. The other Democrats have followed a similar pattern of disrespect and interruptions.
Three hours have elapsed, and only six Senators have had their pound of flesh.
Roberts must have a photographic memory (as opposed to Kennedy's pornographic memory) because he has only been stumped once--by a memo he wrote in 1982 for the Regan administration.
They are taking their lunch break..good thing, Kennedy's alcohol system was getting dangerously full of blood.
Hide your gin and vodka...
Three hours have elapsed, and only six Senators have had their pound of flesh.
Roberts must have a photographic memory (as opposed to Kennedy's pornographic memory) because he has only been stumped once--by a memo he wrote in 1982 for the Regan administration.
They are taking their lunch break..good thing, Kennedy's alcohol system was getting dangerously full of blood.
Hide your gin and vodka...
Hand Some People A Gun...
And They Can't Help But Shoot Off Their Mouth (Or Foot)
Things are still bouncing along with the political football that Katrina's impact on New Orleans had become.
"...Rep. Richard Baker, a Republican who represents Baton Rouge, was overheard expressing happiness that the hurricane had wiped out public housing.
"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans," Baker said. "We couldn't do it, but God did."
Later, Baker issued a statement contending that his words were taken out of context and that he wants only to improve conditions of public housing in New Orleans."
In or out of context, the Republicans seem to be hardly better than the Democrats and media in avoiding shooting off their mouth and inserting their foot in the hole that results.
Things are still bouncing along with the political football that Katrina's impact on New Orleans had become.
"...Rep. Richard Baker, a Republican who represents Baton Rouge, was overheard expressing happiness that the hurricane had wiped out public housing.
"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans," Baker said. "We couldn't do it, but God did."
Later, Baker issued a statement contending that his words were taken out of context and that he wants only to improve conditions of public housing in New Orleans."
In or out of context, the Republicans seem to be hardly better than the Democrats and media in avoiding shooting off their mouth and inserting their foot in the hole that results.
Words From Those On The Front Lines
I first mentioned finding this amazing blog—The Interdictor—which is written by a group of people holed up in an office building in downtown New Orleans, during the week that I came home from the hospital and was still in a drug induced haze.
The site seems to be quite legit as I have followed the photo links and endlessly watched the Web cam of the streets surrounding the building and it would be hard to fake something like this in such detail.
I know that some of my readers don’t follow my links so I thought that I would copy their latest post in its entirety:
"Jeff Rau, a family and now personal friend to whom I will forever be linked, and I were volunteering with a boat and pulling people out of the water on Wednesday. I have a first-hand experience of what we encountered. In my opinion, everything that is going on in the media is a complete bastardization of what is really happening. The result is that good people are dying and losing family members. I have my own set of opinions about welfare and people working to improve thier own lot instead of looking for handouts, but what is occurring now is well beyond those borders. These people need help and need to get out. We can sort out all of the social and political issues later, but human beings with any sense of compassion would agree that the travesty that is going on here in New Orleans needs to end and people's lives need to be saved and families need to be put back together. Now.
I will tell you that I would probably disagree with most of the people that still need to be saved on political, social, and cultural values. However, it must be noted that these people love thier friends and families like I do, desire to live like I do, and care for their respective communities (I was even amazed at the site of seemingly young and poor black people caring for sickly and seemingly well-to-do white people and tourists still needing evacuation from New Orleans' downtown area) the same way I care for mine.
Eight people in particular who stood out during our rescue and whose stories deserve to be told:
1.) We were in motor boats all day ferrying people back and forth approximately a mile and a half each way (from Carrolton down Airline Hwy to the Causeway overpass). Early in the day, we witnessed a black man in a boat with no motor paddling with a piece of lumber. He rescued people in the boat and paddled them to safety (a mile and a half). He then, amidst all of the boats with motors, turned around and paddled back out across the mile and a half stretch to do his part in getting more people out. He refused to give up or occupy any of the motored boat resources because he did not want to slow us down in our efforts. I saw him at about 5:00 p.m., paddling away from the rescue point back out into the neighborhoods with about a half mile until he got to the neighborhood, just two hours before nightfall. I am sure that his trip took at least an hour and a half each trip, and he was going back to get more people knowing that he'd run out of daylight. He did all of this with a two-by-four.
2.) One of the groups that we rescued were 50 people standing on the bridge that crosses over Airline Hwy just before getting to Carrolton Ave going toward downtown. Most of these people had been there, with no food, water, or anyplace to go since Monday morning (we got to them Wed afternoon) and surrounded by 10 feet of water all around them. There was one guy who had been there since the beginning, organizing people and helping more people to get to the bridge safely as more water rose on Wednesday morning. He did not leave the bridge until everyone got off safely, even deferring to people who had gotten to the bridge Wed a.m. and, although inconvenienced by loss of power and weather damage, did have the luxury of some food and some water as late as Tuesday evening. This guy waited on the bridge until dusk, and was one of the last boats out that night. He could have easily not made it out that night and been stranded on the bridge alone.
3.) The third story may be the most compelling. I will not mince words. This was in a really rough neighborhood and we came across five seemingly unsavory characters. One had scars from what seemed to be gunshot wounds. We found these guys at a two-story recreational complex, one of the only two-story buildings in the neighborhood. They broke into the center and tried to rustle as many people as possible from the neighborhood into the center. These guys stayed outside in the center all day, getting everyone out of the rec center onto boats. We approached them at approximately 6:30 p.m., obviously one of the last trips of the day, and they sent us further into the neighborhood to get more people out of homes and off rooftops instead of getting on themselves. This at the risk of their not getting out and having to stay in the water for an undetermined (you have to understand the uncertainly that all of the people in these accounts faced without having any info on the rescue efforts, how far or deep the flooding was, or where to go if they want to swim or walk out) amount of time. These five guys were on the last boat out of the neighborhood at sundown. They were incredibly grateful, mentioned numerous times 'God is going to bless y'all for this'. When we got them to the dock, they offered us an Allen Iverson jersey off of one of their backs as a gesture of gratitude, which was literally probably the most valuable possession among them all. Obviously, we declined, but I remain tremendously impacted by this gesture.
I don't know what to do with all of this, but I think we need to get this story out. Some of what is being portrayed among the media is happening and is terrible, but it is among a very small group of people, not the majority. They make it seem like New Orleans has somehow taken the atmosphere of the mobs in Mogadishu portrayed in the book and movie "Black Hawk Down," which is making volunteers (including us) more hesitant and rescue attempts more difficult. As a result, people are dying. My family has been volunteering at the shelters here in Houma and can count on one hand the number of people among thousands who have not said "Thank You." or "God Bless You." Their lives shattered and families torn apart, gracious just to have us serve them beans and rice.
If anything, these eight people's stories deserve to be told, so that people across the world will know what they really did in the midst of this devastation. So that it will not be assumed that they were looting hospitals, they were shooting at helicopters. It must be known that they, like many other people that we encountered, sacrificed themselves during all of this to help other people in more dire straits than their own.
It is also important to know that this account is coming from someone who is politically conservative, believes in capitalism and free enterprise, and is traditionally against many of the opinions and stances of activists like Michael Moore and other liberals on most of the hot-topic political issues of the day. Believe me, I am not the political activist. This transcends politics. This is about humanity and helping mankind. We need to get these people out. Save their lives. We can sort out all of the political and social issues later. People need to know the truth of what is going on at the ground level so that they know that New Orleans and the people stranded there are, despite being panicked and desperate, gracious people and they deserve the chance to live. They need all of our help, as well.
This is an accurate account of things. Jeffery Rau would probably tell the same exact stories.
Regards,Robert LeBlanc"
See what we’re all missing thanks to the “professional” media types?
I am personally humbled by the quality of the news coverage and commentary delivered by the people writing this blog. It makes me want to work harder, do a little less bitching and complaining, and actually make a difference with my commentary.
Feel free to hold me to this...
The site seems to be quite legit as I have followed the photo links and endlessly watched the Web cam of the streets surrounding the building and it would be hard to fake something like this in such detail.
I know that some of my readers don’t follow my links so I thought that I would copy their latest post in its entirety:
"Jeff Rau, a family and now personal friend to whom I will forever be linked, and I were volunteering with a boat and pulling people out of the water on Wednesday. I have a first-hand experience of what we encountered. In my opinion, everything that is going on in the media is a complete bastardization of what is really happening. The result is that good people are dying and losing family members. I have my own set of opinions about welfare and people working to improve thier own lot instead of looking for handouts, but what is occurring now is well beyond those borders. These people need help and need to get out. We can sort out all of the social and political issues later, but human beings with any sense of compassion would agree that the travesty that is going on here in New Orleans needs to end and people's lives need to be saved and families need to be put back together. Now.
I will tell you that I would probably disagree with most of the people that still need to be saved on political, social, and cultural values. However, it must be noted that these people love thier friends and families like I do, desire to live like I do, and care for their respective communities (I was even amazed at the site of seemingly young and poor black people caring for sickly and seemingly well-to-do white people and tourists still needing evacuation from New Orleans' downtown area) the same way I care for mine.
Eight people in particular who stood out during our rescue and whose stories deserve to be told:
1.) We were in motor boats all day ferrying people back and forth approximately a mile and a half each way (from Carrolton down Airline Hwy to the Causeway overpass). Early in the day, we witnessed a black man in a boat with no motor paddling with a piece of lumber. He rescued people in the boat and paddled them to safety (a mile and a half). He then, amidst all of the boats with motors, turned around and paddled back out across the mile and a half stretch to do his part in getting more people out. He refused to give up or occupy any of the motored boat resources because he did not want to slow us down in our efforts. I saw him at about 5:00 p.m., paddling away from the rescue point back out into the neighborhoods with about a half mile until he got to the neighborhood, just two hours before nightfall. I am sure that his trip took at least an hour and a half each trip, and he was going back to get more people knowing that he'd run out of daylight. He did all of this with a two-by-four.
2.) One of the groups that we rescued were 50 people standing on the bridge that crosses over Airline Hwy just before getting to Carrolton Ave going toward downtown. Most of these people had been there, with no food, water, or anyplace to go since Monday morning (we got to them Wed afternoon) and surrounded by 10 feet of water all around them. There was one guy who had been there since the beginning, organizing people and helping more people to get to the bridge safely as more water rose on Wednesday morning. He did not leave the bridge until everyone got off safely, even deferring to people who had gotten to the bridge Wed a.m. and, although inconvenienced by loss of power and weather damage, did have the luxury of some food and some water as late as Tuesday evening. This guy waited on the bridge until dusk, and was one of the last boats out that night. He could have easily not made it out that night and been stranded on the bridge alone.
3.) The third story may be the most compelling. I will not mince words. This was in a really rough neighborhood and we came across five seemingly unsavory characters. One had scars from what seemed to be gunshot wounds. We found these guys at a two-story recreational complex, one of the only two-story buildings in the neighborhood. They broke into the center and tried to rustle as many people as possible from the neighborhood into the center. These guys stayed outside in the center all day, getting everyone out of the rec center onto boats. We approached them at approximately 6:30 p.m., obviously one of the last trips of the day, and they sent us further into the neighborhood to get more people out of homes and off rooftops instead of getting on themselves. This at the risk of their not getting out and having to stay in the water for an undetermined (you have to understand the uncertainly that all of the people in these accounts faced without having any info on the rescue efforts, how far or deep the flooding was, or where to go if they want to swim or walk out) amount of time. These five guys were on the last boat out of the neighborhood at sundown. They were incredibly grateful, mentioned numerous times 'God is going to bless y'all for this'. When we got them to the dock, they offered us an Allen Iverson jersey off of one of their backs as a gesture of gratitude, which was literally probably the most valuable possession among them all. Obviously, we declined, but I remain tremendously impacted by this gesture.
I don't know what to do with all of this, but I think we need to get this story out. Some of what is being portrayed among the media is happening and is terrible, but it is among a very small group of people, not the majority. They make it seem like New Orleans has somehow taken the atmosphere of the mobs in Mogadishu portrayed in the book and movie "Black Hawk Down," which is making volunteers (including us) more hesitant and rescue attempts more difficult. As a result, people are dying. My family has been volunteering at the shelters here in Houma and can count on one hand the number of people among thousands who have not said "Thank You." or "God Bless You." Their lives shattered and families torn apart, gracious just to have us serve them beans and rice.
If anything, these eight people's stories deserve to be told, so that people across the world will know what they really did in the midst of this devastation. So that it will not be assumed that they were looting hospitals, they were shooting at helicopters. It must be known that they, like many other people that we encountered, sacrificed themselves during all of this to help other people in more dire straits than their own.
It is also important to know that this account is coming from someone who is politically conservative, believes in capitalism and free enterprise, and is traditionally against many of the opinions and stances of activists like Michael Moore and other liberals on most of the hot-topic political issues of the day. Believe me, I am not the political activist. This transcends politics. This is about humanity and helping mankind. We need to get these people out. Save their lives. We can sort out all of the political and social issues later. People need to know the truth of what is going on at the ground level so that they know that New Orleans and the people stranded there are, despite being panicked and desperate, gracious people and they deserve the chance to live. They need all of our help, as well.
This is an accurate account of things. Jeffery Rau would probably tell the same exact stories.
Regards,Robert LeBlanc"
See what we’re all missing thanks to the “professional” media types?
I am personally humbled by the quality of the news coverage and commentary delivered by the people writing this blog. It makes me want to work harder, do a little less bitching and complaining, and actually make a difference with my commentary.
Feel free to hold me to this...
Water, Water, Everywhere
And Not A Drop To Drink...
The lovely Bloggess over at Capital Freedom pointed out this this cool map of New Orleans that allows you to click on a spot in the city and see the past and present water depths.
Check it out, if you will, and notice that the French Quarter is still high and dry.
On a personal note, I heard on FOX News tonight that the owner of the Old 'Nawlins Cookery had died and his body was still in the restaurant on Conti Street awaiting removal by "authorities." I regret that I do not recall the gentleman's name, although I distinctly remember his jolly demeanor and the quality of his food.
I first discovered Old 'Nawlins Cookery when I was visiting the city on business back in 1987 and always made a point of having an Oyster Po Boy and some gumbo every time I returned, the last time being a trip to Mardi Gras in 1997--probably my last such adventure.
The Big Easy can rebuild and repaint, but you can't replace great cooks like this fellow.
My stomach and taste buds are in mourning.
The lovely Bloggess over at Capital Freedom pointed out this this cool map of New Orleans that allows you to click on a spot in the city and see the past and present water depths.
Check it out, if you will, and notice that the French Quarter is still high and dry.
On a personal note, I heard on FOX News tonight that the owner of the Old 'Nawlins Cookery had died and his body was still in the restaurant on Conti Street awaiting removal by "authorities." I regret that I do not recall the gentleman's name, although I distinctly remember his jolly demeanor and the quality of his food.
I first discovered Old 'Nawlins Cookery when I was visiting the city on business back in 1987 and always made a point of having an Oyster Po Boy and some gumbo every time I returned, the last time being a trip to Mardi Gras in 1997--probably my last such adventure.
The Big Easy can rebuild and repaint, but you can't replace great cooks like this fellow.
My stomach and taste buds are in mourning.
Roberts Speaks
And I think That More Than A Few Senator's Were listening…
Just like a train wreck or an auto accident, I couldn't keep my eyes off of CSPAN (or is it CSPAM) and the broadcast of the circus they call the Senate Judiciary Committees’ confirmation hearing for John Roberts.
What I didn’t expect, after enduring ten minutes each of mindless “blaa blaa blaa” bitching from the Democrats who couldn’t bring themselves to actually say the words “Roe versus Wade” and the sloppy French kissing cheerleading of the Republican pundits, was Robert’s powerful opening statement, delivered without notes i.e. ENTIRELY FROM MEMORY.
In case you missed it, here are some highlights:
My personal appreciation that I owe a great debt to others reinforces my view that a certain humility should characterize the judicial role. Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around.
Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ballgame to see the umpire…
Mr. Chairman, when I worked in the Department of Justice in the office of the solicitor general, it was my job to argue cases for the United States before the Supreme Court. I always found it very moving to stand before the justices and say, "I speak for my country."
But it was after I left the department and began arguing cases against the United States that I fully appreciated the importance of the Supreme Court and our constitutional system. Here was the United States, the most powerful entity in the world, aligned against my client. And yet all I had to do was convince the court that I was right on the law and the government was wrong and all of that power and might would recede in deference to the rule of law…
Mr. Chairman, I come before the committee with no agenda. I have no platform. Judges are not politicians who can promise to do certain things in exchange for votes.
I have no agenda but I do have a commitment. If I am confirmed, I will confront every case with an open mind. I will fully and fairly analyze the legal arguments that are presented. I will be open to the considered views of my colleagues on the bench. And I will decide every case based on the record, according to the rule of law, without fear or favor, to the best of my ability.
And I'll remember that it's my job to call balls and strikes and not pitch or bat.”
This guy is good, and there are a number of Senators that, if they are not careful, are going to end up looking like the complete, total, ignorant assholes that they are.
I’m going to love this--each and every juicy minute.
He's going to make their heads spin around.
Just like a train wreck or an auto accident, I couldn't keep my eyes off of CSPAN (or is it CSPAM) and the broadcast of the circus they call the Senate Judiciary Committees’ confirmation hearing for John Roberts.
What I didn’t expect, after enduring ten minutes each of mindless “blaa blaa blaa” bitching from the Democrats who couldn’t bring themselves to actually say the words “Roe versus Wade” and the sloppy French kissing cheerleading of the Republican pundits, was Robert’s powerful opening statement, delivered without notes i.e. ENTIRELY FROM MEMORY.
In case you missed it, here are some highlights:
My personal appreciation that I owe a great debt to others reinforces my view that a certain humility should characterize the judicial role. Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around.
Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ballgame to see the umpire…
Mr. Chairman, when I worked in the Department of Justice in the office of the solicitor general, it was my job to argue cases for the United States before the Supreme Court. I always found it very moving to stand before the justices and say, "I speak for my country."
But it was after I left the department and began arguing cases against the United States that I fully appreciated the importance of the Supreme Court and our constitutional system. Here was the United States, the most powerful entity in the world, aligned against my client. And yet all I had to do was convince the court that I was right on the law and the government was wrong and all of that power and might would recede in deference to the rule of law…
Mr. Chairman, I come before the committee with no agenda. I have no platform. Judges are not politicians who can promise to do certain things in exchange for votes.
I have no agenda but I do have a commitment. If I am confirmed, I will confront every case with an open mind. I will fully and fairly analyze the legal arguments that are presented. I will be open to the considered views of my colleagues on the bench. And I will decide every case based on the record, according to the rule of law, without fear or favor, to the best of my ability.
And I'll remember that it's my job to call balls and strikes and not pitch or bat.”
This guy is good, and there are a number of Senators that, if they are not careful, are going to end up looking like the complete, total, ignorant assholes that they are.
I’m going to love this--each and every juicy minute.
He's going to make their heads spin around.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Look In The Mirror And Point Your Finger...
A History Test
I could rant about this for a good three pages, but I'll settle for giving you the "Cliff Notes" version.
Remember back in 2002 when the Democrats criticized President Bush for opposing the establishment of a new beauracracy--The Department of Homeland Security?
Remember when the solution to all of our problems was said to involve combining FEMA and the new TSA along with a number of other Federal departments into one giant Department of Homeland Security?
Remember when the Republicans and Democrats fought tooth and nail over the involvement of UNIONS and other pork laden measures crammed into the new Homeland Security legislation?
Remember when Democrats said spending zillions of dollars guaranteed security, therefore the Republican's desire to limit spending must mean favoring a lack of security?
Remember once the new Homeland Security Administration was put in place that only four Senators attended the confirmation hearing of Michael Brown as the deputy director of the new agency?
"MEMBERS OF CONGRESS have been quick to point fingers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Some of the blame ought to be directed at themselves.
Where, for instance, was the oversight before Katrina? In particular, given the critical role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the minimal qualifications of Michael D. Brown to be its director, you might think the Senate would have wanted to conduct a thorough hearing before confirming him to the post. No such luck. Mr. Brown had a cursory hearing in 2002 -- it lasted all of 42 minutes and was attended by four senators -- when he was named deputy director of FEMA; no one at that hearing questioned his lack of background in emergency response."
You did remember that four Senators spent 42 minutes approving the appointment of the guy they villify today? They had their chance three years ago, didn't they?
What I want to know is, where the hell were the other 96 elected idiots?
I bet sHrillary, and sKerry, and Ted "hicup" Kennedy weren't there that day. Neither was Robert "KKK" Byrd, I bet.
The Senators didn't do their jobs.
I WANT THEIR HEADS ON A STICK, NOT BROWN'S.
Don't these revelations make you respect our vaulted "legislative process" even more?
You've heard that sHrillary Clinton and the rest of the Senators want "independent hearings?"
Nasty Pelosi wants an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in on the hearings.
Remember that Republicans have won the Presidency for the past two terms and a Senate majority in the past three elections?
Remember the majority in the House going back to 1994?
I agree with the idea of "independent hearings," but how can they (the Representatives and Senators) possibly be charged with having unbiased hearings when they themselves should bear a good part of the responsibility for the status quo?
Hey sHrillary, hey Nasty...shut the hell up, why don't you... you stupid partisan b*tches.
I could rant about this for a good three pages, but I'll settle for giving you the "Cliff Notes" version.
Remember back in 2002 when the Democrats criticized President Bush for opposing the establishment of a new beauracracy--The Department of Homeland Security?
Remember when the solution to all of our problems was said to involve combining FEMA and the new TSA along with a number of other Federal departments into one giant Department of Homeland Security?
Remember when the Republicans and Democrats fought tooth and nail over the involvement of UNIONS and other pork laden measures crammed into the new Homeland Security legislation?
Remember when Democrats said spending zillions of dollars guaranteed security, therefore the Republican's desire to limit spending must mean favoring a lack of security?
Remember once the new Homeland Security Administration was put in place that only four Senators attended the confirmation hearing of Michael Brown as the deputy director of the new agency?
"MEMBERS OF CONGRESS have been quick to point fingers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Some of the blame ought to be directed at themselves.
Where, for instance, was the oversight before Katrina? In particular, given the critical role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the minimal qualifications of Michael D. Brown to be its director, you might think the Senate would have wanted to conduct a thorough hearing before confirming him to the post. No such luck. Mr. Brown had a cursory hearing in 2002 -- it lasted all of 42 minutes and was attended by four senators -- when he was named deputy director of FEMA; no one at that hearing questioned his lack of background in emergency response."
You did remember that four Senators spent 42 minutes approving the appointment of the guy they villify today? They had their chance three years ago, didn't they?
What I want to know is, where the hell were the other 96 elected idiots?
I bet sHrillary, and sKerry, and Ted "hicup" Kennedy weren't there that day. Neither was Robert "KKK" Byrd, I bet.
The Senators didn't do their jobs.
I WANT THEIR HEADS ON A STICK, NOT BROWN'S.
Don't these revelations make you respect our vaulted "legislative process" even more?
You've heard that sHrillary Clinton and the rest of the Senators want "independent hearings?"
Nasty Pelosi wants an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in on the hearings.
Remember that Republicans have won the Presidency for the past two terms and a Senate majority in the past three elections?
Remember the majority in the House going back to 1994?
I agree with the idea of "independent hearings," but how can they (the Representatives and Senators) possibly be charged with having unbiased hearings when they themselves should bear a good part of the responsibility for the status quo?
Hey sHrillary, hey Nasty...shut the hell up, why don't you... you stupid partisan b*tches.
Media Hysteria Redeaux
What a difference a few days makes.
After spending the morning ignoring the news, I dragged through the various internet news sites, caught a few reruns of the “talking head” shows, and watched my daily dose of FOX News this evening. Was I the only one that noticed that there is a noticeable change in the tone of the reporting coming out of New Orleans?
I predicted the phenomena on Saturday, and it is really accelerating now. The reality of the situation in the disaster area doesn’t come close to matching the hysterical predictions made by most of the media and most of the so called officials in the heat of the initial search and recovery effort.
“THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS TEN THOUSAND DEAD IN THE CITY” screamed the New Orleans Mayor Nagen. The media’s panties and boxers crawled up their tight asses and their eyebrows spun around wildly as the breathlessly reported from the interstate bridges with the water logged darkened city in the background.
Yet today the Associated Press is reporting:
“Authorities raised Louisiana's death toll to 197 on Sunday, and recovery of corpses continued. Teams pulled an unspecified number of bodies from Memorial Medical Center, a 317-bed hospital in uptown New Orleans that closed more than a week ago after being surrounded by floodwaters.”
Mayor Nagen was last week demanding a mandatory evacuation for an indefinite term—possibly as long as six months—of the entire city. The state’s Governoress Balco was contradicting the honorable Mayor with virtually every word uttered in every hastily scheduled news conference.
The AP continues…
“Numerous residents were able to visit their homes for the first time, however briefly, as floodwaters receded and work crews cleared trees, debris and downed telephone poles from major streets…
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport reopened for cargo traffic Sunday, and limited passenger service was expected to resume Tuesday, airport Director Roy Williams said.
Williams said he expects about 30 departures and arrivals of passenger planes a day - far below the usual 174 - at the airport, where a week ago terminals became triage units and more than two dozen people died.
Starting Monday, owners of businesses in the central commercial district will be able to get temporary passes into the city so they can retrieve vital records or equipment needed to make payroll or otherwise run their companies, said state police spokesman Johnny Brown.”
Trash collection began over the weekend; a service unimaginable in the apocalyptic first days after Katrina's fury battered the Gulf Coast and broke holes in two levees, flooding most of New Orleans…
Mayor C. Ray Nagen was asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" whether New Orleans could stage Mardi Gras in February 2006. "I haven't even thought that far out yet," he said.
But he added, "It's not out of the realm of possibilities. ... It would be a huge boost if we could make it happen."
I say that Nagen and his ilk could do everyone a favor and just stay the hell out of the way from here on out. The city of New Orleans doesn’t put on the Mardi Gras celebration, the merchants and visitors are responsible for the success or failure of the event and all the city does is write parking tickets and collect parade permit fees.
At least the Mayor has learned to avoid making ill-informed predictions:
“Nagen declined to say when the city might be drained of floodwaters.
"But I always knew that once we got the pumps up, some of our significant pumps going, that we could accelerate the draining process," he said. "The big one is pumping station six, which is our most powerful pump, and I am understanding that's just about ready to go."
The city's main wastewater treatment facility will be running by Monday, said Sgt. John Zeller, an engineer with the California National Guard.
"We're making progress," Zeller said. "This building was underwater yesterday."
As of Sunday evening, the city was slowly being drained by 67 pumps. The Sewerage and Water Board reported that aerial scans of New Orleans revealed it was about 50 percent flooded, down from a height of 80 percent.”
The airport’s operating, trash is being collected, power is back on, and half the water has been pumped out in only two weeks—so much for being a disaster of Biblical proportions. Bad—yes, but not anywhere near the level of death and destruction caused by the Christmas Tsunami.
Do you suppose that you will hear any of the media and their self proclaimed experts apologizing for the inaccuracy of their earlier reporting and predictions? Is it possible that they will admit that much of the hysteria and public outcry was fueled by the media’s own exaggerations? You don’t suppose that their real intention—to bash the Bush White House—will ever come to light.
No, neither do I.
Like every other over hyped media pseudo non-event, watch the story slowly but surely slide off of the front page into history as the Supreme Court hearings and next missing blond chick story grabs the attention of the unwashed masses.
After spending the morning ignoring the news, I dragged through the various internet news sites, caught a few reruns of the “talking head” shows, and watched my daily dose of FOX News this evening. Was I the only one that noticed that there is a noticeable change in the tone of the reporting coming out of New Orleans?
I predicted the phenomena on Saturday, and it is really accelerating now. The reality of the situation in the disaster area doesn’t come close to matching the hysterical predictions made by most of the media and most of the so called officials in the heat of the initial search and recovery effort.
“THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS TEN THOUSAND DEAD IN THE CITY” screamed the New Orleans Mayor Nagen. The media’s panties and boxers crawled up their tight asses and their eyebrows spun around wildly as the breathlessly reported from the interstate bridges with the water logged darkened city in the background.
Yet today the Associated Press is reporting:
“Authorities raised Louisiana's death toll to 197 on Sunday, and recovery of corpses continued. Teams pulled an unspecified number of bodies from Memorial Medical Center, a 317-bed hospital in uptown New Orleans that closed more than a week ago after being surrounded by floodwaters.”
Mayor Nagen was last week demanding a mandatory evacuation for an indefinite term—possibly as long as six months—of the entire city. The state’s Governoress Balco was contradicting the honorable Mayor with virtually every word uttered in every hastily scheduled news conference.
The AP continues…
“Numerous residents were able to visit their homes for the first time, however briefly, as floodwaters receded and work crews cleared trees, debris and downed telephone poles from major streets…
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport reopened for cargo traffic Sunday, and limited passenger service was expected to resume Tuesday, airport Director Roy Williams said.
Williams said he expects about 30 departures and arrivals of passenger planes a day - far below the usual 174 - at the airport, where a week ago terminals became triage units and more than two dozen people died.
Starting Monday, owners of businesses in the central commercial district will be able to get temporary passes into the city so they can retrieve vital records or equipment needed to make payroll or otherwise run their companies, said state police spokesman Johnny Brown.”
Trash collection began over the weekend; a service unimaginable in the apocalyptic first days after Katrina's fury battered the Gulf Coast and broke holes in two levees, flooding most of New Orleans…
Mayor C. Ray Nagen was asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" whether New Orleans could stage Mardi Gras in February 2006. "I haven't even thought that far out yet," he said.
But he added, "It's not out of the realm of possibilities. ... It would be a huge boost if we could make it happen."
I say that Nagen and his ilk could do everyone a favor and just stay the hell out of the way from here on out. The city of New Orleans doesn’t put on the Mardi Gras celebration, the merchants and visitors are responsible for the success or failure of the event and all the city does is write parking tickets and collect parade permit fees.
At least the Mayor has learned to avoid making ill-informed predictions:
“Nagen declined to say when the city might be drained of floodwaters.
"But I always knew that once we got the pumps up, some of our significant pumps going, that we could accelerate the draining process," he said. "The big one is pumping station six, which is our most powerful pump, and I am understanding that's just about ready to go."
The city's main wastewater treatment facility will be running by Monday, said Sgt. John Zeller, an engineer with the California National Guard.
"We're making progress," Zeller said. "This building was underwater yesterday."
As of Sunday evening, the city was slowly being drained by 67 pumps. The Sewerage and Water Board reported that aerial scans of New Orleans revealed it was about 50 percent flooded, down from a height of 80 percent.”
The airport’s operating, trash is being collected, power is back on, and half the water has been pumped out in only two weeks—so much for being a disaster of Biblical proportions. Bad—yes, but not anywhere near the level of death and destruction caused by the Christmas Tsunami.
Do you suppose that you will hear any of the media and their self proclaimed experts apologizing for the inaccuracy of their earlier reporting and predictions? Is it possible that they will admit that much of the hysteria and public outcry was fueled by the media’s own exaggerations? You don’t suppose that their real intention—to bash the Bush White House—will ever come to light.
No, neither do I.
Like every other over hyped media pseudo non-event, watch the story slowly but surely slide off of the front page into history as the Supreme Court hearings and next missing blond chick story grabs the attention of the unwashed masses.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
A Cassette Tape And A Funk Box
I thought that I was going to let the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks pass without mention today. In light of the well thought out commentary of my fellow bloggers and the other media tributes, I just didn’t see how I could add anything of value to the dialogue.
A couple of things struck me out of the blue today that caused me to realize how the public’s patriotism has waned and how my own personal patriotism has changed over the past nine or so years, with the 9//11 attacks being part of that same transformation. Most of these changes involve my showing public respect for the symbols of our Republic—the display of the flag and participation in public flag ceremonies
Today I found myself stealing the American flag that normally flies on the flagpole adjacent to our Condo swimming pool. OK, I didn’t really steal it, but I lowered it on the pole and removed it because it has flown day and night for at least a year and it is in tatters—it should have been replaced three or four months ago.
As is usual in a Condo Association, no one but me was apparently paying any attention—I suppose that they’ll have to form a committee or something now. Flying or otherwise displaying the flag in an improper manner makes me crazy—so sue me, you know? I’m calling the management company tomorrow and telling them that I’m holding it (the old flag) hostage until a new flag is purchased and displayed on the pole.
As a kid in the Cub Scouts I learned to handle the American flag that flew on the flagpole outside our elementary school each day, participating in the honor guard several days each month during the school year. I hate to say it, but even in the 1960’s there was a certain amount of public “snickering and disrespect” present among of all people—young school children—that didn’t know any better because in spite of the rituals taught in school (the Pledge of Allegience, the National Anthem, etc) the children’s bone headed parents chose to live and enjoy the freedoms inherent in being a US citizen while thumbing their nose at the symbols of our society. In a free society, that is their right and their choice. So be it.
Since those days I’m sure that we’ve all noticed varying degrees of participation and respect at events like public football games and other sporting events, the ultimate level of patriotism evident in the year immediate following the 9/11 attacks when every head was uncovered (hats off) and you could hear a pin drop during the prayers, and you couldn’t hear yourself over the other spirited voices singing the National Anthem.
In those days following the attacks, practically every automobile had a little American Flag sticker on it and every lawn had flags flying. Of course there were groups like the ACLU and private idiots that had to show their contempt for other peoples’ rights by vandalizing flag displays. Somehow the loudest protesters don’t see rights to expression as being possessed on both sides of a given issue.
Nothing pisses me off more than for some moron to stay sitting in their seat with their ball cap screwed tightly on top of their pointy head, never pausing from talking and eating boiled peanuts while the majority of the crowd at least silently respects the prayer and flag ceremony. Of course, being the free country that we are, it’s their choice. It doesn’t keep me from glaring at the back of their stupid head—“Oh my, I’m so sorry that I spilled that cup of warm beer on you sir…”
I played the trumpet when I was in High School and had the opportunity to participate in Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans’ Day events where they needed someone to play taps. It’s amazing how hard it is to play a song consisting of only four notes when one hundred or more eyeballs are staring at you and your horn.
The really sad thing, for those of you that haven’t attended a veterans’ funeral in the past ten years, is that there are not enough military trumpet players to go around. Instead of an honor guard with a real live trumpet player like we all saw on todays televised 9/11 memorials, the military has had to resort to sending ordinary families holding a funeral two or three uniformed soldiers and a CASSETTE TAPE OF TAPS TO BE PLAYED ON A FUNK BOX.
You heard me right—a cassette tape and a funk box.
Somehow that just doesn’t seem right…
A couple of things struck me out of the blue today that caused me to realize how the public’s patriotism has waned and how my own personal patriotism has changed over the past nine or so years, with the 9//11 attacks being part of that same transformation. Most of these changes involve my showing public respect for the symbols of our Republic—the display of the flag and participation in public flag ceremonies
Today I found myself stealing the American flag that normally flies on the flagpole adjacent to our Condo swimming pool. OK, I didn’t really steal it, but I lowered it on the pole and removed it because it has flown day and night for at least a year and it is in tatters—it should have been replaced three or four months ago.
As is usual in a Condo Association, no one but me was apparently paying any attention—I suppose that they’ll have to form a committee or something now. Flying or otherwise displaying the flag in an improper manner makes me crazy—so sue me, you know? I’m calling the management company tomorrow and telling them that I’m holding it (the old flag) hostage until a new flag is purchased and displayed on the pole.
As a kid in the Cub Scouts I learned to handle the American flag that flew on the flagpole outside our elementary school each day, participating in the honor guard several days each month during the school year. I hate to say it, but even in the 1960’s there was a certain amount of public “snickering and disrespect” present among of all people—young school children—that didn’t know any better because in spite of the rituals taught in school (the Pledge of Allegience, the National Anthem, etc) the children’s bone headed parents chose to live and enjoy the freedoms inherent in being a US citizen while thumbing their nose at the symbols of our society. In a free society, that is their right and their choice. So be it.
Since those days I’m sure that we’ve all noticed varying degrees of participation and respect at events like public football games and other sporting events, the ultimate level of patriotism evident in the year immediate following the 9/11 attacks when every head was uncovered (hats off) and you could hear a pin drop during the prayers, and you couldn’t hear yourself over the other spirited voices singing the National Anthem.
In those days following the attacks, practically every automobile had a little American Flag sticker on it and every lawn had flags flying. Of course there were groups like the ACLU and private idiots that had to show their contempt for other peoples’ rights by vandalizing flag displays. Somehow the loudest protesters don’t see rights to expression as being possessed on both sides of a given issue.
Nothing pisses me off more than for some moron to stay sitting in their seat with their ball cap screwed tightly on top of their pointy head, never pausing from talking and eating boiled peanuts while the majority of the crowd at least silently respects the prayer and flag ceremony. Of course, being the free country that we are, it’s their choice. It doesn’t keep me from glaring at the back of their stupid head—“Oh my, I’m so sorry that I spilled that cup of warm beer on you sir…”
I played the trumpet when I was in High School and had the opportunity to participate in Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans’ Day events where they needed someone to play taps. It’s amazing how hard it is to play a song consisting of only four notes when one hundred or more eyeballs are staring at you and your horn.
The really sad thing, for those of you that haven’t attended a veterans’ funeral in the past ten years, is that there are not enough military trumpet players to go around. Instead of an honor guard with a real live trumpet player like we all saw on todays televised 9/11 memorials, the military has had to resort to sending ordinary families holding a funeral two or three uniformed soldiers and a CASSETTE TAPE OF TAPS TO BE PLAYED ON A FUNK BOX.
You heard me right—a cassette tape and a funk box.
Somehow that just doesn’t seem right…
