The Church..."Under The Milky Way Tonight"
UPDATE: 10/19/09
I did this song at the local Karaoke Bar Saturday night...easy for my vocal range and it got a good crowd response because no one ever does it but everyone remembers it when you sing it.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
This Weekend's Audio Flashback
Mushy Mid 1970's Music...
Can anyone believe I used to have hair sorta like that?
Can anyone believe I used to have hair sorta like that?
Friday, October 16, 2009
One Bad Apple Spoils Every Barrel
Being Your Own Worse Enemy...
I just had an interesting experience this noontime today.
I called the US office of a company based in France which builds a machine that I have the opportunity to support on an O&M basis, and much to my surprise...
THEY WON'T SELL ME PARTS FOR THEIR MACHINE.
Without "Permission."
Paraphrasing the conversation with the polite lady with the title of "Spare Parts Manager":
"We have to have a letter from the company that owns our machine telling us that you are authorized to work on on their machines else we can't even QUOTE YOU PRICES for spare parts."
[silence...heavy breathing]
(Taking a big breath here boss)
WTF?
I guess that now I have to remind everyone of the story of Apple Computer Corporation, the company that owned the "Personal Computer" market until 1982/1983 when IBM came on the scene.
You see, Apple's downfall and relegation to second tier status in the computer business...living a life as the machine favored by the "arty/farty, dope smoking, patchouli stinking hippy and sniveling, booger eating, tree hugger crowd"...was their insistence on clinging to a "closed" hardware/software system architecture where the only innovations and advancements came from within APPLE and their tightly controlled community of software developers.
IBM, on the other hand, virtually gave away their drawings of their computer and begged smart people to write programs and build expansion cards for their "open architecture."
Anyone but me ever buy a "QuadRAM board with extra serial I/O ports" to get a PC with a system clock with a battery back up?
And the end result?
There's a ZILLION IBM PC clones out there today built by companies with names from Acer to Zenith, and computer store isles are filled with software to support the machines based on the ancestry of the old Intel 8080 CPU chip.
Meanwhile Apple languishes in a small back corner area of those same stores, having recently resorted to building their own machines that can act like a "normal" APPLE Computer while at the same time imitating a "REAL" IBM PC clone machine in order to try to draw in a larger user base. (A business associate of mine bought one for about $4000 and absolutely hates it and nevers uses it in "APPLE" mode.)
Needless to say that these French Assholes haven't heard the last from me, because I already have pricing from regular industrial supply houses for a box full of o-rings and gaskets and for the time being I'll just make do without them...probably giving my customer a LOWER price in the process.
Free trade isn't FREE, but my money is as green as the next guy's/gal's and I have a LONG memory and little allegiance to anything without red/white/blue on the label.
Dammit...
I just had an interesting experience this noontime today.
I called the US office of a company based in France which builds a machine that I have the opportunity to support on an O&M basis, and much to my surprise...
THEY WON'T SELL ME PARTS FOR THEIR MACHINE.
Without "Permission."
Paraphrasing the conversation with the polite lady with the title of "Spare Parts Manager":
"We have to have a letter from the company that owns our machine telling us that you are authorized to work on on their machines else we can't even QUOTE YOU PRICES for spare parts."
[silence...heavy breathing]
(Taking a big breath here boss)
WTF?
I guess that now I have to remind everyone of the story of Apple Computer Corporation, the company that owned the "Personal Computer" market until 1982/1983 when IBM came on the scene.
You see, Apple's downfall and relegation to second tier status in the computer business...living a life as the machine favored by the "arty/farty, dope smoking, patchouli stinking hippy and sniveling, booger eating, tree hugger crowd"...was their insistence on clinging to a "closed" hardware/software system architecture where the only innovations and advancements came from within APPLE and their tightly controlled community of software developers.
IBM, on the other hand, virtually gave away their drawings of their computer and begged smart people to write programs and build expansion cards for their "open architecture."
Anyone but me ever buy a "QuadRAM board with extra serial I/O ports" to get a PC with a system clock with a battery back up?
And the end result?
There's a ZILLION IBM PC clones out there today built by companies with names from Acer to Zenith, and computer store isles are filled with software to support the machines based on the ancestry of the old Intel 8080 CPU chip.
Meanwhile Apple languishes in a small back corner area of those same stores, having recently resorted to building their own machines that can act like a "normal" APPLE Computer while at the same time imitating a "REAL" IBM PC clone machine in order to try to draw in a larger user base. (A business associate of mine bought one for about $4000 and absolutely hates it and nevers uses it in "APPLE" mode.)
Needless to say that these French Assholes haven't heard the last from me, because I already have pricing from regular industrial supply houses for a box full of o-rings and gaskets and for the time being I'll just make do without them...probably giving my customer a LOWER price in the process.
Free trade isn't FREE, but my money is as green as the next guy's/gal's and I have a LONG memory and little allegiance to anything without red/white/blue on the label.
Dammit...
Stupid Crap Keeps Happening And The News People Swallow It...
Hook Line And Stinker Sinker
OK Everybody...I'm taking up a collection and building a really big balloon, and then I'm going to spend the afternoon hiding in my attic after I launch it.
Here's my design, modeled after the locally famous "peach" water tower up off I-85 in Gaffney, SC. (Just in case you're wondering, my next balloon design will be modeled after a giant tube of "Preparation H.")
If you see me coming you better watch out and AVOID anything falling out that you see heading your way...
after all...
If the US Congress can Crap all over everyone...
I don't see why I can't take the opportunity to fly past and dump a little well intended feces in your life just to show you that I care.
Heh...
OK Everybody...I'm taking up a collection and building a really big balloon, and then I'm going to spend the afternoon hiding in my attic after I launch it.
Here's my design, modeled after the locally famous "peach" water tower up off I-85 in Gaffney, SC. (Just in case you're wondering, my next balloon design will be modeled after a giant tube of "Preparation H.")
If you see me coming you better watch out and AVOID anything falling out that you see heading your way...
after all...
If the US Congress can Crap all over everyone...
I don't see why I can't take the opportunity to fly past and dump a little well intended feces in your life just to show you that I care.
Heh...
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Replacement Terminology For My "Sniveling, Booger Eating, Bed Wetting, Eco-Friendly, Communist, Global Warming Believing Socialist Liberals..."
I Need A New "Anachronism..."
All Liberals are democrats, and all democrats are twig eatin', tofu fartin', lily livered, Prius driving, America-hating, bleeding heart liberal, blinkered, Starbucks drinking, elitist, can't-we-all-just-get-along, granola eating, namby-pamby, Birkenstock wearing, tree hugging, long haired, pansy-assed, kumbaya-singing, Earth First, bed-wetting, patchouli wearing, dirty, smelly, dope smoking, bongo playing, arm pit haired women and feminized, armpit shaved men crying "Mother Earth is Gaia," tortured "artiste" types, Kennedy DNA bearing slugs
Thanks Again Rodge
All Liberals are democrats, and all democrats are twig eatin', tofu fartin', lily livered, Prius driving, America-hating, bleeding heart liberal, blinkered, Starbucks drinking, elitist, can't-we-all-just-get-along, granola eating, namby-pamby, Birkenstock wearing, tree hugging, long haired, pansy-assed, kumbaya-singing, Earth First, bed-wetting, patchouli wearing, dirty, smelly, dope smoking, bongo playing, arm pit haired women and feminized, armpit shaved men crying "Mother Earth is Gaia," tortured "artiste" types, Kennedy DNA bearing slugs
Thanks Again Rodge
Slackard Blogging
I Wish I'd Thought Of This Stuff First...
If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.
If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.
If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.
If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
If A liberal is facing living on the street, he demands to know who is going to take care of him.
If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.
If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. (Unless it’s a foreign religion, of course!)
If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A liberal with a festering foot or ear lobe...demands that the rest of us pay for his.
If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and is embarrassed.
If a liberal slips and falls in his own apartment, he grabs his neck, moans like he's in labor and then sues the apartment management.
If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
A liberal, moving his lips as he scans these lines, will delete it because he's "offended"
(or comment anonymously calling me a racist and bigot.)
Slightly edited from my Blog Idol Rodger over at Curmudgeonly & Skeptical
If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.
If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.
If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.
If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
If A liberal is facing living on the street, he demands to know who is going to take care of him.
If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.
If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. (Unless it’s a foreign religion, of course!)
If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A liberal with a festering foot or ear lobe...demands that the rest of us pay for his.
If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and is embarrassed.
If a liberal slips and falls in his own apartment, he grabs his neck, moans like he's in labor and then sues the apartment management.
If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
A liberal, moving his lips as he scans these lines, will delete it because he's "offended"
(or comment anonymously calling me a racist and bigot.)
Slightly edited from my Blog Idol Rodger over at Curmudgeonly & Skeptical
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Will Somebody Call Someone...Will Somebody Do SOMETHING???
Here...Read These Words...
From my Blog Idols over at Powerline blog:
...What is meant by a "weak mandate" is that, in the current version of the Baucus bill, there is no requirement to buy health insurance at all until after 2013, and by 2017 the penalty for failing to buy health insurance still amounts to only about 15% of the cost of the insurance. Now, think about it: if you know that you don't have to buy health insurance when you are young and healthy, but if you should get sick, or just get older, you can apply for health insurance at any time and it will be illegal for the insurance company to turn you down, what would you do? Obviously, you would defer buying insurance unless and until you get sick. This means that the pool of those who are insured will be lower quality, and the cost therefore higher for everyone who buys insurance. It is as though you could wait until you die, and then your heirs can buy life insurance on you.
This isn't reform, it is stupidity.
It actually would be very easy to make health insurance cheaper. All we have to do is allow insurance companies to compete nationally instead of state-by-state and eliminate all mandates that limit consumer choice. It has been estimated that these simple reforms--which are not part of any of the Democrats' "reform" bills, for obvious reasons--would reduce health care costs by one-quarter to one-third. Instead of such common-sense reforms, the Dems are proposing Rube Goldberg measures that will make health care more expensive. Instead of eliminating mandates, their measures, including the Baucus bill, increase them--in effect making cheaper health insurance illegal.
Once more: this isn't reform, it is stupidity.
I have to go now and fill the kitchen sink with ice and soak my head...If you're interested in this topic , Go here and read the whole blog article.
From my Blog Idols over at Powerline blog:
...What is meant by a "weak mandate" is that, in the current version of the Baucus bill, there is no requirement to buy health insurance at all until after 2013, and by 2017 the penalty for failing to buy health insurance still amounts to only about 15% of the cost of the insurance. Now, think about it: if you know that you don't have to buy health insurance when you are young and healthy, but if you should get sick, or just get older, you can apply for health insurance at any time and it will be illegal for the insurance company to turn you down, what would you do? Obviously, you would defer buying insurance unless and until you get sick. This means that the pool of those who are insured will be lower quality, and the cost therefore higher for everyone who buys insurance. It is as though you could wait until you die, and then your heirs can buy life insurance on you.
This isn't reform, it is stupidity.
It actually would be very easy to make health insurance cheaper. All we have to do is allow insurance companies to compete nationally instead of state-by-state and eliminate all mandates that limit consumer choice. It has been estimated that these simple reforms--which are not part of any of the Democrats' "reform" bills, for obvious reasons--would reduce health care costs by one-quarter to one-third. Instead of such common-sense reforms, the Dems are proposing Rube Goldberg measures that will make health care more expensive. Instead of eliminating mandates, their measures, including the Baucus bill, increase them--in effect making cheaper health insurance illegal.
Once more: this isn't reform, it is stupidity.
I have to go now and fill the kitchen sink with ice and soak my head...If you're interested in this topic , Go here and read the whole blog article.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Nobel Committee Slights Obama
Prize In Economics Goes To Michael Vick
Coming up for air after working in my basement shop all morning, I was cruising Drudge Report trying to find out what was happening in the world when I saw this Wall Street Journal Story lamenting President Obama NOT receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics this year.
With a little more Googling I found this secret photo of the Nobel Committee deliberating their internationally significant earth-shattering decisions:
Coming up for air after working in my basement shop all morning, I was cruising Drudge Report trying to find out what was happening in the world when I saw this Wall Street Journal Story lamenting President Obama NOT receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics this year.
With a little more Googling I found this secret photo of the Nobel Committee deliberating their internationally significant earth-shattering decisions:
Obama has as much business winning the Nobel Prize in ANYTHING...Economics, Physics, Peace, or Bungee Jumping...as I have showing up at the Super Bowl in a Helmet, pads, and a Football Uniform.
Speaking of Football, here's a photo of this years Nobel Economics winner prior to declaring bankruptcy after going to jail and forfeiting his Zillion dollar a year contract with the Atlanta Falcons...
You got to love a Brother with spirit...
Heh.
