Guess Hu's Coming To Dinner

Some thoughts on obama's recent state dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao:

The singer Barbra Streisand was among the 225 guests who attended the state dinner held in honour of President Hu Jintao of China at the White House.

When asked about her credentials for being invited, Streisand responded: "I worked in a Chinese restaurant."

 Class, Babs, real class...

Former figure skater Michelle Kwan added some eye candy to the proceedings.

I don't usually agree with Donald Trump, but in this case he absolutely nailed it.

Billionaire Donald Trump isn’t too happy about the White House dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao held Wednesday night. He thinks China is taking advantage of President Barack Obama, Politico reports.

“For us to be holding state dinners for people who are just totally manipulating their currency ... is hard to believe," says Trump, who called "Fox & Friends" to express his dismay. "You don't give dinners to the enemy and that's what they're doing."

So what would Trump do if he was president? "I would say, 'Get off your plane, come to my office and let's talk.'"

And if that didn’t work? "I would have sent them to McDonalds if we didn't make a deal and said, 'Go home,'” Trump says. “The fact is they're laughing at our leadership, and we're letting them get away with murder.”

In addition to the economic shenanigans undertaken by the ChiComs, there's the human rights element.

Hu was the guest of honor at a White House lunch hosted in April 2006 by President George W. Bush, but the Chinese would have much preferred the cachet of a state dinner, said Anita McBride, former First Lady Laura Bush's chief of staff and a guest at the lunch.

McBride said a dinner was nixed because of China's human rights record.

Gee, how about that? A stand on principle, instead of political expediency...

UPDATE: Rush commented on the irony of two Nobel Peace Prize winners (obama and Jimmy Carter) honoring at a state dinner the person responsible for keeping a third Nobel Peace Prize winner in prison (from Peter).

Lack Of Energy

I filled up the truck today. Not especially noteworthy, except that I paid $3.00 per gallon. Outrageous!

As I've mentioned before, I live in Central Texas but work in South Texas. During my weekly commute I've noticed a lot of oil and gas activity lately in this part of the state.  Most of it is due to the Eagle Ford Shale formation, producing both oil and natural gas in higher concentrations than most shale plays.

The activity is obvious: infrastructure development (roads, utilities, and railroad upgrades); production activity (wells, pipelines, rig yards); and related business development that caters to energy industry workers (mostly landmen and roughnecks). Some anecdotal examples:

• New restaurants (primarily steakhouse-type eateries; one such is the Black Brush Grill and Saloon that recently opened in Cotulla, a small town of about 3000)
• A topless club - Barebacks - just opened in Encinal, a small town of less than 1000 permanent residents (does anyone really think a town of less than 1000 can support a topless joint?), but strategically located in the heart of Eagle Shale.
• Numerous new trailer parks and cheap extended-stay hotels around the region.

Not to mention assorted landowners suddenly facing the so-called 'Cadillac problem' of what to do with unexpected, and large, royalty checks from oil companies (think "Beverly Hillbillies, but slightly more sophisticated).

(Yes, this is stereotyping of oil field workers and small town folks, but I've spent my share of time in and around oil fields and boom towns, and I'm here to testify there's some underlying truth to it.)

All this means an economic mini-boom in South Texas. It's good for the economy, good for the people (more money being spent down here translates into more income for the people living here, which translates into more jobs and higher standards of living). It's also good for the state (more tax revenue) and the country (less dependence on foreign energy).

In contrast, the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has recently expired, but new permits are notoriously difficult to obtain.   

Twenty five new deepwater rigs came out of shipyards this year (2010) — and another 35 are expected in 2011. A moratorium stopped deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico for five months and new drilling is still slow to get approved. But activity in other parts of the globe continues largely unabated.

Businesses dependent on energy activity in the Gulf have surprisingly managed to stay afloat, in large part due to BP's $20 billion compensation fund. However, that fund is beginning to dry up.

Many small regional businesses along the Gulf Coast have largely weathered last year's moratorium on deepwater drilling but could fail if the pace of such drilling doesn't pick up soon, according to a new economic impact study by a non-profit group that studies economic trends.

So why is this so difficult for obama and his stooges to understand? Or perhaps they do understand all too well.

President Bush was queried more than 20 times by reporters about gasoline prices. By contrast, President Obama has been asked two questions by reporters about the newest spike in fuel costs. But the President's critics suggest that White House policies may play a larger role in the price rise this time than in the previous administration. The Heritage Foundation's, Rory Cooper says, "Obviously the policies of the White House for the past two years have been designed to raise energy prices. Their desire for alternative fuels is led by the fact that they are so expensive, they need gas prices to go up, so that way they can convince consumers that dollar for dollar, to choose a different energy source."

Indeed, the President's choice for Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, told the Wall Street Journal in a 2008 interview, "Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe."

Today, gasoline prices in Europe range from $7.24 a gallon in France, to $7.98 a gallon in the Netherlands -- prices that some economists fear could halt the economic recovery taking hold across Europe.

Dan Leistikow of the Department of Energy says, "We are continuing in the near term to pursue responsible production of our oil and gas resources at home, while at the same time taking historic action to transition to a clean energy economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil through...vehicle efficiency standards coupled with strategic investments in electric vehicles, bio-fuels and mass transit."

Read that last paragraph again. It pretty clearly states that the obama administration's goal of hamstringing domestic oil and gas production while 'transitioning' to alternate, and heavily subsidized, energy sources. The problem with that plan is that it isn't working. 

Solar Panel Maker Moves Work to China

Aided by at least $43 million in assistance from the government of Massachusetts and an innovative solar energy  technology, Evergreen Solar emerged in the last three years as the third-largest maker of solar panels in the United States.

But now the company is closing its main American factory, laying off the 800 workers by the end of March and shifting production to a joint venture with a Chinese company in central China.

In addition to solar energy, China just passed the United States as the world’s largest builder and installer of wind turbines.

Solar company Solyndra to close factory, cut jobs

It isn’t easy being green for Solyndra Inc., the controversial Bay Area solar power system manufacturing company.

The company said Wednesday that it is shuttering one of its factories to save $60 million in capital expenditures, laying off 40 employees and letting the contracts for more than 100 temporary workers expire.

All this despite a $535-million federal loan guarantee, more than $1 billion in private equity funds and supportive visits from luminaries such as  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and President Barack Obama.

Note that these businesses were heavily subsidized by we taxpayers, and milked for their publicity by numerous political figures. In spite of that they failed, while the oil and gas industry thrives, regardless of administration oppression. There's a lesson in there somewhere.

And I haven't even touched on the negative impact of rising energy prices on a still-fragile economic recovery...

What A Sad State Of Affairs

In a vain attempt to offset the effects of aging and lifestyle, I try to squeeze some form of exercise into my daily routine.

Sadly, age and beer are winning.

But that's not the point of this post. Instead, it's a commentary on how suspicious we have become of each other. Case in point:

Today I went out for a walk. My usual route is a hike and bike trail that winds through a neighborhood park. At one point the trail passes close to a playground. As I huffed and puffed my way around the trail I noticed that there was a group of young mothers with their kids at the playground. I also noticed one little boy, about three years old, who had wandered pretty far away from the group. He was 30-40 yards away, near the edge of the path. 

The mothers saw me about the same time that the stray boy's mom noticed where he was. She called out for him to return, but he was fascinated by something in the dirt on the side of the path. He briefly raised his head, looked at her, and went back to what he was doing. She called him a couple more times, her volume getting higher and her tone of voice getting more urgent as I passed the playground and advanced on the kid.

At this point I was picking up very hostile vibes from the moms. I was between them and the kid, and about 20 yards past them.

This being South Texas, and only a few miles from the Texas-Mexico border, I figured there was a good chance that at least one of the moms was packing. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt (eat your heart out, yankees), and we were nowhere near a vehicle, so I hoped they would figure out I was harmless.

On the other hand, I'm pretty big (6'1" and around 250 lbs.) and have a beard (neatly trimmed, but still...). And I was bearing down on this kid. He looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back and moved to the opposite side of the trail. He stood up and waddled over in front of me. I moved back to the other side. He mirrored me.

The space between my shoulder blades started itching as I imagined his mom assuming her Weaver stance. I decided to stop and let the boy find his way around me back to his mom, which he thankfully did.

A few paces later I came across his Buzz Lightyear action figure, which he had abandoned when his mom called him. I picked it up, turned around, and as harmlessly as possible called out "Excuse me, but I think your son forgot this."

Mom replied "Thanks" in a distinctly non-thankful voice, so I laid it down in the middle of the trail and went on my way.

What is so sad about this encounter is that my first reaction, quickly stifled, was to be friendly and interact with the kid. It was quickly stifled because most American males are now conditioned to approach an unfamiliar child with extreme caution, least they be perceived as some sort of pervert.

Even more sad is that parents view strange men as potential threats. I don't blame the women for their response. I'm a parent too. And when my kids were that age I was watchful as hell. In fact, I'm still that way about my 14-year old daughter, much to her dismay.

But I do regret that we live in a world where their first response is, sadly, justified...

Quick Hit

"China's economy is predicted to overtake America's economy within the next decade or two. Jim O'Neill, chief global economist for investment bank Goldman Sachs, predicts it will happen by 2027. Professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts it will happen sooner -- by 2020."

Based on the above, we have obama bowing to Hu

and this shot of the rear bumper of obama's limo

A picture's worth 1000 words...

FID

Here's my new hat. I wear it every Wednesday.

and damn proud of it...

Why?

From Moonbattery:

The annual MLK observance at the state house in Columbia SC had an interesting twist this year. The event is held on the north side steps of the statehouse. Prominent at that location is a large bronze statue of George Washington. This year, the NAACP constructed a "box" to conceal the Father of His Country from view so that participants would not be offended by his presence.

 

Revisionist history ... denial of reality ... political correctness run amok ...? Words literally fail me in the face of this nonsense.

I wonder what Dr. King would say...

UPDATE:  "The NAACP has morphed into a left wing political action committee committed to electing liberal democrats who support their eternal victim, America sucks; eternal entitlement agenda."

Written by Lloyd Marcus,  proud black American.

We're From The Government And We're Here To Help

I was browsing the Wall Street Journal and came across an article that disclosed 'the rest of the story' re: NJ Governor Chris Christie's recent decision to halt construction on a tunnel linking NJ and New York City.

When New Jersey Governor Chris Christie put the kibosh on the mega infrastructure project known as the ARC train tunnel last summer he cited billions of dollars in projected cost overruns as the reason. But during a visit to The Wall Street Journal's offices on Wednesday Mr. Christie, a Republican, told us that the overruns were only the final straw. Almost as important was the design of the project, which Mr. Christie called "ridiculous."

The issue is far from over. New Jersey spent $271 million of federal money on the initial stages of the project. He said that the federal government's decision to release that money when ARC did not have final approval and did not have safeguards in place to protect against waste should have been a no-no. "That's my argument of why I don't have to pay the money back."

"ARC" stands for Access to the Region's Core and the tunnel was supposed to enable New Jersey train riders to connect to Penn Station in New York and the east side of the city. But the final design had trains dumping passengers elsewhere. "No one wanted to go into the basement of Macy's, 10 stories underground, come 10 stories back up to Herald Square and walk over to Penn station to get another train." It was not what was promised, he told us.

New Jersey was also bearing too much of the cost in his view. When he halted the project, he said that "the only phone calls of protest I got were from [New York] Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg, [then-New York] Governor [David] Paterson and New York City real estate developers. And I thought to myself, 'Hey, you know, I think I might've stumbled onto something.'" The governor said he started to see the project as "access to New York's core, thanks New Jersey."

Mr. Christie said that he told Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood that he could not "justify to New Jerseyans that we are paying 70% of the cost of this project plus the overruns when [the federal government is] building high-speed rail between Orlando and Tampa and paying 80% of the cost." Mr. Christie said he also told Mr. LaHood that he understands that "Florida has more electoral votes than New Jersey and that New Jersey is not competitive and Florida is. But, enough."

So how come a badly designed project was recklessly put in gear, with federal assistance? Mr. Christie cited an inspector general's report that says the plan was hurried "for a ground breaking ceremony in July 2009 in the middle of the [gubernatorial] campaign." There was no final approved plan, he says, but the [department of transportation] allowed the federal money to be spent anyway "because they were trying to help the incumbent governor get re-elected."

Let's see. A government project that wastes money, is ill-designed, and has political overtones. Not exactly a surprise. But it does serve nicely to illustrate a brilliant metaphor for government from here (via Peter).

 

No, not the hopper... but the thing on the wall next to it.

It's reported to be a 'Toilet Paper Dispenser', and it appeared one day from the blue. A maintenance man took down the old unit, which had rolls of standard industrial grade sand paper, and installed this..... thing.

As I was seated next to it one day (Roll of REAL toilet paper in hand), I had time to contemplate this.... thing.

With a flash, I realized it's a near perfect metaphor for government (or school administration).

No one knows who decided to put it there, no one was asked if they wanted it, and no one likes it. It looks shiny and promises to do something useful, but in operation actually does nothing but cause frustration. The more one attempts to make it perform it's duty, the more it resists useful operation, and the more frustration it causes. In the end, one must make plans to take care of ones own needs, as the shiny thing which promised to do so merely hangs around in expensive and arrogant impotence, mocking those it reputes to serve.

Amen, brother.

The sad/frustrating/criminal/all of the above element of the NJ tunnel is that no one will be held accountable for such an obviously inept, incompetent, and blatantly political project. If this was a private sector project someone would be demoted, fired, and/or indicted.

And I see no hope for change...

FOD

On the road today, back to South Texas to begin another semester of trying to offset 12 years of public schooling. Based on past results, it's not likely, but I'm an optimist. Every semester I see the light dawn in a couple of students' eyes, which is enough to keep me coming back for more. It's a version of what B.F. Skinner called random or intermittent reinforcement.

Skinner said "Behavior that is reinforced intermittently is much more difficult to extinguish than behavior that is reinforced continuously."

Why? Because once the continuous reinforcement stops, it usually stops for good, while intermittent reinforcement typically continues to occur over time.

In the animal world, for example, you might only drop food on the kitchen floor once or twice a month, but that's enough to keep your dog following you around every time you cook. As for people, just think about how many people play lottery scratch-off games, or play the slots in Las Vages. They all know (or should know) that the long-term odds are against them winning, but those occasional rewards keep them playing.

But I digress. The purpose of today's post is to report on my recent search for obama's birth certificate while I was in Hawaii.

Alas, I must report that I found no evidence, either supporting or disproving, the claim that obama was not born in Hawaii. It's similar to the hordes of media people who swarmed Florida in the wake of Bush's controversial victory over Al Gore in 2000. After months of research and investigation, all they could say was "We didn't find any evidence that Bush stole the election." Well, all I can say is that I didn't find any evidence that obama was born, or not born, in Hawaii.

I did, however, find the following picture.

I'm As Confused As A Baby In A Topless Bar

I honestly don't know what to think about this.

Reactions mixed on women in combat arms

A military advisory panel on diversity in the armed forces signaled this week that it may recommend that female troops should be able to serve in combat units without any restrictions, calling the current prohibition an out-of-date idea that unnecessarily discriminates against women.

The recommendation, if eventually approved by military officials, would open front-line posts to military women for the first time. Women are now restricted to serving in combat support roles.

The following quote from the story does a pretty good job of capturing my position (with one caveat). 

“... but as long as you can do the job required — female, gay, white, whatever — as long as it doesn’t hamper the mission, I’m all for it”

Caveat: Like many other things in this world, its easy in concept, but the devil's in the details.

On a somewhat related topic, we have the following

The US Army announced the winner of the 2010 "Best Warrior Competition".

In the enlisted group the winner is SGT Sherri Gallagher.

She is assigned to the Army marksmanship unit and is a enlisted to be an 88M or what you civilians call a "truck driver". In her extensive time in the Army she has been deployed exactly zero times.

You read that right. In an army at war in two theaters, the Army Best Warrior cannot in any sense of the word be termed a "warrior". It's not as if there weren't plenty of people to chose from who did have combat experience. Or even a job in a unit that might go to combat someday. Or even a job that had a military purpose.

The Army Marksmanship Unit is a shooting team. They do not deploy to combat. They deploy to Olympics trials and international shooting competitions.

I didn't post this to single out SGT Gallagher. I have nothing but respect for her decision to serve her country, and her accomplishments in getting named to the Army Marksmanship Unit. The purpose of this post is to question how well we can expect an organization to integrate gays and women into combat units without impacting their effectiveness, when that same organization names as its "Best Warrior" someone who has never seen combat.

Confused? I know I am...

Sunday Funnies

The Spring 2011 semester starts this week. The cartoon below illustrates my feelings.

 

A very attractive student came into my office near the end of last semester. She was failing the class and wanted to know if she could improve her grade.

She glanced down the hall, closed my office door, knelt on the floor, and pleadingly said, "I would do anything to pass this course."

She leaned closer, flipped back her hair, licked her lips, and continued. "I mean..." she whispered, "... I would do... anything."

I returned her gaze. "Anything?"

"Anything."

I lowered my voice and whispered seductively, "Would you... study?"

Another Memorial

On Friday, Jan. 14, a crowd of Washington insiders gathered at the Kennedy Center for a memorial to honor longtime U.S. diplomat Richard C. Holbrooke, who brokered the peace accords that ended the war in Bosnia, and who was obama's chief envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. President obama was among the eulogists.

In Washington, one president on a stage is a big deal. Holbrooke merited two. (obama and clinton)

There were network anchors and admirals, power brokers and influence peddlers, senators and ambassadors.

There is no word on whether or not t-shirts were handed out.

Hawaii Trip Reflections

Wrapping up some loose ends from our recent Hawaii trip. This is a lengthy post, so please be patient...

The first thing that struck me was the gas prices. When we left Texas it was around $2.69 per gallon. When we landed in Oahu it was $3.73 per gallon. I understand that it's an island and everything has to be shipped there, but damn ... just DAMN.

My wife scheduled us for a number of different activities while we were there. In my mind I divided them into two categories: one where we were responsible for ourselves (e.g., boogie boarding, snorkeling, hiking, surfing) and one where we were dependent on others for our safety (parasailing and ziplining). This really hit home during the parasailing, when my son and I were dangling a few hundred feet above the ocean while being towed by a speedboat crewed by a couple of surfer dudes.

As we boarded the boat I noticed the name on the stern - "Lucky Lady." It looked like it was hastily painted over something, kind of like those paint patches you see covering up gang graffiti. I didn't give it a second thought, as we were busy getting fitted for harnesses, briefed by the crew on what to expect and what to do in the case of a malfunction or emergency, and sightseeing as we left the harbor and set sail for the open sea.

We were strapped into the harnesses, hooked up to a steel bar that was connected to the parachute, sat on the rear deck of the boat, and before I knew it we were whisked off and up. At first it was fun and enjoyable, but then...

By nature and training I almost always inspect any gear I'm going to rely on in a potentially dangerous situation. For some reason, in this case I was lulled into a false sense of security. I did take a quick look at the D-rings and carabiners that connected us to the steel bar, and the steel bar to the parachute, but I overlooked the line that connected the steel bar to the boat. As we were sailing through the air, I noticed that the line was faded and frayed, probably as a result of the sun and salt. I also noticed that the knot used to fasten the line to the steel bar looked more like a series of half-hitches than any sort of seaman's knot. 

Of course at this point it was too late to do anything about it. I consoled myself with the thought that if the line snapped or the knot came undone we would basically just be parachuting into the ocean. We're both pretty strong swimmers, and we had on life vests, so I wasn't too worried, but still...

About this time the speedboat turned and I could see some artwork on its side. It was the original name of the boat: "Classy Bong."

At that point a couple of remarks the crew made snapped into focus. Something about leaving Mexico and going to the Caribbean, and then having to leave the Caribbean and moving to Hawaii.

Still, everything went well. We had a great time, made it back safely, and enjoyed the crew's company. But the next day, when we went ziplining, I did pay a lot closer attention to the gear and the staff.

I mentioned earlier about the long, high zips we did. Here's an example. The picture was taken from the platform we left from. There are two parallel lines faintly visible in the top center of the picture. Those are the ziplines. If you look very, very closely on the right side of the picture, slightly less than halfway down, you can see the platform we landed on. It's about 1/4 mile away. (You can click to embiggen any of these pictures.)

We spent most of our time on the island of Kauai. The very first thing we noticed leaving the airport was that the place is overrun with chickens - lots and lots of chickens. There are a couple of stories that purport to explain them. One is that when Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992 it blew the roofs off all the chicken coops on the island and the birds escaped. Another explanation, and one I put more stock in, is that the sugarcane plantation laborers imported from the Philippines in the late 1800s brought chickens with them, both for eating and for cockfighting. Over the years a number escaped and multiplied, lacking any natural predators. I tend to believe this one because the wild roosters are brightly colored - usually a nice-looking bright red, banded with other colors.

The chickens are wild, tough, and wary. They'll let you get close, but not too close. They're also tough, both figuratively and literally. A local story states that the best way to cook a wild chicken is to place it in a pot of boiling water with a lava rock. Keep it boiling until the rock gets soft, then throw away the chicken and eat the rock.

Feral chickens - go figure.

Speaking of eating, we fell in love with a local desert call Hula Pie. It's a big hunk of Lappert's macadamia nut ice cream (Lappert's is to Hawaii as Blue Bell is to Texas) covered with chocolate sauce and crushed macadamia nuts, and buried under a mound of whipped cream. One serving satisfies a family of four.

Hula Pie - before.

Hula Pie - after.

After chowing down on several Hula Pies it was time to work off some of those calories. So my darling bride dragged us off to hike up and down (and up and down and up and down and up and down...) Waimea Canyon. As previously reported, a gorgeous view of the canyon

was followed by a disappointing view of Waipoo Falls, probably because we hiked to the top of them. In the picture below, the people you see on the edge of the rocks are right next to the 800 foot dropoff over which the falls flow. (Again, click to embiggen.)

I posted earlier about the insensitivity of some people in demanding that special accommodations be made for them, in spite of the fact that they are visitors in a different land/culture, and in the minority. I saw a perfect example of this one afternoon in Hawaii. I was sitting in a bar watching Arkansas play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl (As an aside, Hawaii time (HST) is 4 hours ahead of CST, my usual time zone. This means that football games scheduled for noon CST (1:00 p.m. EST) start at 8:00 a.m. HST. As a result, the bars open early in the morning to accommodate fans. This requires a little getting used to, but it's a surprisingly easy adjustment after the first beer or two).

Anyway, this particular bowl game started around 3:00 p.m. HST. There was a pretty good crowd in the bar watching it, including some of those obnoxious Hog fans, all dressed in red and making those ridiculous sooie pig noises (the hillbilly equivalent of the vuvuzelas from the World Cup). In the midst of all this hooting and hollering a Canadian walked up to the bar and asked the bartender if he could switch the TV to the Canadian junior hockey championships.

There was a stunned moment of silence, and then the hogheads surged to their feet as one. I'll give the bartender a lot of credit. He eyed the crowd and very smoothly said "I'm sorry, but we don't get that channel." The Canadian, very politely as is their wont, thanked him and wandered off in search of another bar that would accommodate him.

Those of us watching the game just looked at each other and asked "Was that guy really serious?" The bartender said they get a few Canadians in from time to time, and have their stock "We don't get that channel" reply ready. But how oblivious was the Canadian? I understand that hockey is a national obsession with them, but was he blind to the crowd in the bar? And for the junior nationals? Maybe the Stanley Cup, but the junior nationals? What was he thinking?

Speaking of people oblivious to their surroundings, there are some people that should be prevented, under penalty of law, from appearing in public in a bathing suit. 'Nuff said. (For God's sake DO NOT click to embiggen.)

Bottom line - great people, very warm and friendly; great place, beautiful with lots to do. We're already planning a return trip.

I'll describe the Great obama Birth Certificate Search in a later post...

Friday Follies Not-So-Happy-Hour

This one is dedicated to the victims of the Tucson shootings and their families. It's one of my favorite spirituals. By combining grief and hope it brings closure to the mourners while leaving them with the feeling that there's a better home awaiting. I pray it's so.

I Have A New Hero

From Drudge:

Maine guv to NAACP: 'Kiss my Butt'...

While attending a meeting for business leaders in Sanford, Governor Paul LePage spoke out about why he would not attend Martin Luther King ceremonies on the upcoming holiday.

LePage has declined invitations from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The organization has already expressed its displeasure with the governor's plans to not attend the events.

"They are a special interest. End of story...and I'm not going to be held hostage by special interests. And if they want, they can look at my family picture. My son happens to be black, so they can do whatever they'd like about it," said LePage.

LePage has an adopted son who is from Jamaica.

When LePage was asked if his non-participation is more than one instance, and rather a pattern, he replied, "Tell 'em to kiss my butt. If they want to play the race card, come to dinner and my son will talk to them."

This isn't the first time LePage has caused a stir with his comments. During the campaign, while speaking in front of a group of fishermen, then-candidate LePage said if he were elected governor, headlines would read "Governor LePage tells President Obama to go to Hell." 

Give the guy credit for having the stones to call the NAACP what it is - a special interest group. In this case it's special interest is perpetuating racial disunity by emphasizing differences rather than commonalities. Anyone who dares questions the motives of the NAACP is immediately labeled a racist, regardless of the validity of their comments.

Ditto for disagreeing with obama. If you do so then you are by default a racist.

How's this for a dream ticket in 2012: NJ Gov. Chris Christie and Maine Gov. Paul LePage? At least there wouldn't be any doubt about where they stand...

Small Town Life

I love living in (well, actually about 15 miles outside of) a small town. Why? Here's my errand list from yesterday.

• Get  a haircut (Larry's Barber Shop - an old fashioned real barber shop, not a salon or styling parlor. It's been in the same place, run by the same guy - Larry - for around 25 years. There's usually some folks who aren't there for a haircut just sitting around BS-ing. $12 for a haircut and beard trim)

• Submit my passport renewal paperwork at the county courthouse.

• Run by the bank.

• Pick up the dry cleaning.

• Pick up medicine at the drug store.

• Get a flu shot.

• Go by the post office.

• Get a few things at the grocery store.

• Fill the truck up with gas.

Total elapsed time in town - 1 hour 55 minutes. Add in another 30 minutes round trip travel time and I got a whole slew of stuff done in around 2 1/2 hours. And that includes chat time with several people I ran into that I knew.

I got up in the morning, had a cup of coffee, ran my errands, and was home in time for my wife to fix me lunch. That's hard to beat...

Perspective

5 Nov. 2009 - Ft. Hood, Texas

13 people killed and 30 wounded by (allegedly - snort) Nidal Malik Hasan, a muslim who shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he moved through the room shooting a semi-automatic pistol with high-capacity magazines. The American public was immediately cautioned by the mainstream media and assorted liberal politicians against making any assumptions regarding the shooter's motivation.

After a few days the story fades from the news cycle, with only occasional sporadic updates. The dead are allowed to rest in peace.

 8 Jan. 2011 - Tucson, Arizona

6 people killed and 13 wounded by Jared Lee Loughner (again, allegedly), a mentally unstable individual with no apparent ties to or interest in any particular political party, using a semi-automatic pistol with high-capacity magazines. The mainstream media and assorted liberal politicians immediately blame the shootings on incendiary rhetoric from conservative politicians and talk radio.

After a few days the story remains a high-profile exchange of charges and counter-charges. The dead are politicized for personal and political purposes.

This topic has been beaten to death (caution - violent rhetorical usage, not to be taken literally). I don't have much to add, other than to offer thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families. However, I would like to provide a couple of links that highlight the sickening hypocrisy of the left and their media minions (or is it the other way around? See the Final Note below).

Go here for a Right Wing Hate Speech Quiz.

Go here for an Illustrated Primer of Hate Speech

Final Note: I was getting my hair cut today in a traditional, old-fashioned barber shop here in the small town where I live. There were the usual old farts hanging around, and the topic of discussion was the Tucson shootings. As you might expect, general disgust was voiced regarding politicians and the media. One old fellow summed it up by snorting "Politicians ... Hell, they're almost as bad as the press."

That should give you some idea of how far the media's reputation has fallen, when they're ranked below politicians...

What's Wrong With Oklahoma?

As a life-long Texas resident and UT graduate, my answer is "just about everything."

But more specifically,

The OU Board of Regents approved raises for all nine assistant football coaches Oct. 28. At the cream of the crop, Kevin Wilson and Brent Venables received a $45,000 raise, increasing their salaries to $440,000 and $430,000 respectively.

Less than two weeks later, during his State of the University address to the Faculty Senate on Monday, OU President David Boren warned that department heads to prepare for a 5-percent budget cut next year in case state funding for higher education doesn’t match increasing costs.

Admittedly, OU isn't the only university that's increasing spending on its football program while cutting funds on the educational side. But proponents claim some justification for this.

There are 68 schools in the six major conferences that make up the BCS. Only one - Wake Forest - lost money on its football program. The other 67 either broke even or made money.

On average, each team earned $15.8 million last year, or well over $1 million per game.

They posted that jump in combined profit even though revenue rose by only 6% to $2.2 billion. That means the schools had a combined profit margin of 49%...

The University of Texas (ahem...) football program was once again the leader in both revenue, with $94 million, and profit, with $68 million.

At most schools the athletic department is a fiscally self-contained unit, operating under its own budget separate from the rest of the university. The football program usually funds a host of money-losing sports such as soccer, volleyball, swimming, and so forth. But that's still a lot of money being spent on what is basically an entertaining diversion that does little to further the educational mission.

I'm a college football fan. But I also am a college professor. When I see overcrowded classrooms, obsolete equipment, spiraling administrative costs, rising tuition and shrinking faculty support, I start thinking about carts and horses.

Remind me again how the MIT football team did this year...

One final note: it's not just universities that stoke the football machine. Here in pigskin-mad Texas we have a local high school that just spent $800,000 on a hideous red artificial turf football field, while at the same time the school district is struggling with a budget deficit. That gives you some idea of our misplaced priorities.

I could understand it if they went with a traditional green turf, but red?!?!? If the taxpayers don't rise up in revolt over the foolish use of funds, they should at least protest the lack of taste...

Mixed Up

Still catching up on a bunch of things that got neglected over the last two weeks - including a mound of laundry. How on earth did I accumulate so many dirty clothes when all I wore was a swim suit and t-shirts?

Anyway, here's a few examples of how easy it is to get things mixed up.


Prayer for 2011

Dear Lord, all I ask for 2011 is a big fat bank account and a slim body. Please don't get them mixed up like you did last year.

Man's Best Friend

A real woman is a man's best friend. She will never let him down. She will reassure him when he feels insecure and comfort him after a bad day.

She will inspire him to do things he never thought he could do; to live without fear and forget regret.

She will enable him to express his deepest emotions and give in to his most intimate desires.

She will make sure he always feels as though he's the most  handsome man in the room and will enable him to be the most confident, sexy, seductive and invincible...

No, wait... Sorry.

I'm thinking of whiskey.

It’s whiskey that does all that shit.

Never mind.

Educational TV

The wife and I were at home watching TV. I had the remote and was switching back and forth between a fishing channel and the porn channel.

She became more and more annoyed and finally said: "For God's sake! Leave it on the porn channel!  You already know how to fish!" 

Album Meme

Brigid at Home on the Range encouraged her readers to participate in a creative (well, actually it's random) exercise similar to the 'porn name' game. (Your porn name = your first pet's name + the name of the street you lived on as a child. My porn name is pretty boring - Brownie Scott - but my wife's has possibilities: Suzie Camelback.) 

Anyway, my album cover came out so well (see below) I'm inspired to form a rock band and go on tour. I have very little musical ability, but I can trash hotel rooms with the best of them.

Band Name = Eduardo Bone (opens the door to a host of raunchy jokes)

Album Name = one link at a time (vague and mystical enough to be appealing)

I'm Back...

Arrived home from Hawaii yesterday afternoon. Lots to catch up on around here, plus the lingering effects of jet lag and post-vacation syndrome (What - I have to cook my own meals?), so don't expect much for a few days.  But here's a tidbit.

Based on the weather so far this winter, here's an early nominee for Ironic Photo of the Year.

Sunday Funnies

Kona coffee is an excellent coffee grown only in Hawaii. It also has other uses, as shown below.

 

In Hawaii there's a different attitude towards clothing. Shorts and t-shirts are the norm. Business dress consists of slacks and Hawaiian shirts (referred to as Aloha shirts by the locals). It's an easy habit to get into, as the story below explains.

Vacationing in Hawaii, two priests decide to wear casual clothes so they won't be identified as clergy. They buy Hawaiian shirts and sandals, and head for the beach.

They notice a gorgeous blond in a tiny bikini. "Good afternoon, Fathers" she says as she strolls by.

The men are stunned. How does she know they are clergy? Later that day, they buy even wilder attire consisting of surfer shorts, tie dyed T-shirts, and dark glasses.

The next day, they return to the beach. The same fabulous blond, now wearing a string bikini, passes by, nods politely at them and says, "Good morning Fathers."

"Just a minute young lady," says one of the priests. "We are priests and proud of it, but how in the world did you know?"

The blonde replies, "Don't you recognize me? I'm sister Katherine from the convent."

Please Forward

I received the message below today. Please forward it to all your liberal acquaintances and any obama supporters you may know. They're probably dumb enough to fall for it.

 * * * * * * * * * *

Greetings To You,

We notify you as a scammed victim beneficiary to be compensatedwith $950, 000.00USD in the United Nation and Obama Foundation.

Contact Mr.Peter Kelly For more Information.

You are to fill the appropriate form and submit to the bank.

[1] Full Names:________________

[2] Contact address______________________________

[3] Direct Telephone No: ___________________

|4| Occupation : ____________________________

Managing Director of the HSBC BANK,Malaysia

Name: Mr.Peter Kelly

Yours Faithfully, Hon.Mr.Clow Griff

(Chief Co-ordinator)

OBAMA'S FOUNDATION

Copyright © 2003-2011

 * * * * * * * * * *

And no, I still haven't found his damn birth certificate...

Money = Happiness?

Oh Lord, please let me find out for myself.

Winning the lottery: Does it guarantee happiness?

She was a mother of three living in a small apartment and working four jobs. And then, as if in a fairy tale, she won her state's lottery last year. But the story doesn't have the happy ending you might expect.

She didn't do anything overly extravagant after the $1.3 million got slashed in taxes. She bought a house, got a new wardrobe at the Salvation Army, cut work down to just one job and invested the rest.

And then came the phone calls: promises, marriage proposals, accusations, threats. People who used to volunteer to help her do things wanted money for their trouble. Family members, she says, tried to run her life, and control her money.

"Sometimes I wish I could change my name and go somewhere and hide," said the woman, who asked not to be identified to prevent further attention.

It's fun to think about what you would do if you played lottery numbers that brought in millions of dollars. But, disillusioning as it may seem, big winnings can come with big costs, especially because of the greed of others, experts say.

Jim McCullar of Washington state, who claimed half of the Mega Millions $380 million prize Thursday, said he was initially afraid to come forward because "all we saw were predators and we were afraid to do anything until we got down here with police protection."

McCullar is "not going to know who to trust and whether he can even stay and live in the same hometown," said Steven Danish, professor of psychology and social and behavioral health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Lottery winners sometimes experience high-profile misfortune. West Virginia businessman Andrew "Jack" Whittaker Jr. is a well-known example; he won $112 million after taxes in 2002. Among his personal tragedies since then, his granddaughter and daughter have both died, and he has allegedly been robbed several times.

Another case is Abraham Shakespeare of Florida, who was slain after winning a $31 million lottery prize. A friend was charged with murder in his death last year and has pleaded not guilty. Shakespeare, Whittaker and other unlucky winners have been featured in documentaries such as E!'s "Curse of the Lottery."

The story goes on to point out that not everyone who wins the lottery suffers from misfortune, and offers some tips for those fortunate enough to unexpectedly come into large sums of money.

As long as those I care about are happy and healthy, I'm happy.

But I'd sure like to find out if I could be happier by winning a few million $$$...

Friday Follies Happy Hour - Hawaii Style

This video is worth watching just for the HD images of the beach. The music is a nice and relaxing Hawaiian tune. So sit back, take a deep breath, and let your cares get washed out to sea.



BTW, still no sign of obama's birth certificate. But right now, I don't care....

DFW Airport Gets A Facelift ... No, Wait, a Booblift ... Or Something...

Posted with minimal comment (because I'm tired).

One of the busiest airports in the world will soon be a neighbor to an upscale gentlemen’s club, but some prominent North Texans are trying to shut it down before it even opens.

A new Rick’s Cabaret is about to open near the South entrance to DFW International Airport.

Thursday the DFW Airport board of directors met in a closed meeting and members officially agreed to join American Airlines and others on the list of club protesters.

The problem for many is that the club will be one of the first things you’ll see going to or from the airport.

Rick’s Cabaret is expected to open its doors in a few weeks.  Owners say their place is going to make the airport ‘sexier’. But for travelers at DFW Airport, the ‘naked truth’ has yet to be seen.

Prominent Tarrant County leaders, including County Judge Glen Whitley, are protesting the permit.

“It’s a bad business to have in the area,” says Whitley, who is among the growing group of dissidents, including Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and American Airlines.

Moncrief admits stopping Rick’s Cabaret from operating will be a big challenge. “I understand they have their rights, we have ours. I have already indicated, by correspondence, my disappointment and opposition to this location,” he said. “I’m not real happy about our, our flights coming in here and looking down on that signage and that kind of operation. Whether or not we can stop it remains to be seen.”

The club will be located between the airport and American’s corporate headquarters.

Eric Langan, the president of Rick’s Cabaret, says  he doesn’t understand why there’s opposition now.  He says the city of Fort Worth approved all their plans and they will be opening on January 20.   If they don’t get a liquor license in time, then it will be BYOB.

A protest hearing concerning the license will be held next month at Fort Worth City Hall.

As men's clubs go, Rick's is about as good as it gets.

 

I suppose the powers-that-be would prefer more appealing-looking businesses, like parking lots and convenience stores.

And where were they during the planning, permitting, and approval process?

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not a patron of men's clubs - haven't been to one in over two decades - but if they cross all their t's and dot all their i's then they should be allowed to operate just like any other business.

Besides, I remember the "Fly Me" and hot pants days of Southwest Airlines. 

 

I wonder how many AA managers will find their way into Rick's once it opens? Quite a few, I'd wager...

Snow Thoughts From Hawaii

Sitting here on the balcony of my luxurious resort hotel room (graciously paid for by the taxpayers of the Great State of Texas - thanks, y'all) with a cold Longboard in hand, enjoying a postcard-perfect sundown (wispy clouds tinged pink-orange by the setting sun, surf breaking about 5 stories below me, fragrant and exotic scents on the gentle breeze), it's hard to identify with the denizens of New York and their recent struggles with excessive amounts of snow. However, a Michelle Malkin column on that topic prompted me to comment.

...government sanitation and transportation workers were ordered by union supervisors to oversee a deliberate slowdown of its cleanup program — and to boost their overtime paychecks.

...city plowers raised blades “unusually high” (which requires extra passes to get their work done) and refused to plow anything other than assigned streets (even if it meant leaving behind clogged routes to get to their blocks).

When they weren’t sitting on their backsides, city plowers were caught on videotape maniacally destroying parked vehicles in a futile display of Kabuki Emergency Theater. It would be laugh-out-loud comedy if not for the death of at least one newborn whose parents waited for an ambulance that never came because of snowed-in streets.

This isn’t a triumphant victory for social justice and workers’ dignity. This is terrifying criminal negligence.

It's not so much the egregious actions (or non-actions) taken by the NYC sanitation workers union that are disturbing - after all, is anyone really surprised that a union would take advantage of a disaster to improve their situation? - as it is the (again, not surprising) revelation that privatized services are much more efficient and cost effective than government provided services, whether or not they are unionized.

New Yorkers could learn a thing or two from those of us who call Colorado Springs home. We have no fear of being held hostage to a politically driven sanitation department — because we have no sanitation department. We have no sanitation department because enlightened advocates of limited government in our town realized that competitive bidders in the private sector could provide better service at lower cost.

And we’re not alone. As the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan reported: “The largest study ever conducted on outsourced garbage collection, conducted by the federal government in the 1970s, reported 29 to 37 percent savings in cities with populations over 50,000. A 1994 study by the Reason Foundation discovered that the city of Los Angeles was paying about 30 percent more for garbage collection than its surrounding suburbs, in which private waste haulers were employed. A 1982 study of city garbage collection in Canada discovered an astonishing 50 percent average savings as a result of privatization.”

Completely privatized trash collection means city residents don’t get socked with the bill for fraudulently engineered overtime pay, inflated pensions, and gold-plated health benefits in perpetuity — not to mention the capital and operating costs of vehicles and equipment. The Colorado Springs model, as city councilman Sean Paige calls it, is a blueprint for how every city can cope with budget adversity while freeing itself from thuggish union threats when contracts expire or cuts are made. Those who dawdled on privatization efforts in better times are suffering dire, deadly consequences now.

Let the snow-choked streets of New York be a lesson for the rest of the nation: It’s time to put the Big Chill on Big Labor–run municipal services.

Cue Peter, Paul, and Mary: "When will we ever learn...?"

In other snow-related news:

The feds have opened a criminal investigation into allegations that city employees conspired to paralyze the city during last week's blizzard by failing to remove the snow, authorities confirmed today.

The probe launched by the Brooklyn US Attorney's Office comes in response to City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Queens) revelations to The Post last week that sanitation workers told him they were involved in a work slowdown, sources told The Post.

At the same time, both the Brooklyn and Queens DAs offices have started their own investigations into whether there was a work slowdown.

I'm just guessing here, but I'm willing to bet that the Brooklyn and Queens DAs, plus a few pissed-off feds, live on streets that didn't get plowed.

There's more.

Even the dead can't escape the ineptitude of the city's Sanitation Department.

Sanitation crews dumped tons of dirty snow from the Christmas-weekend blizzard into the city's biggest Jewish cemetery, toppling 21 gravestones and wrecking an iron fence.

Can you imagine the outrage if the union slobs had dumped all that snow on some muslim property? We'd never hear the end of it.

There is, however, a very serious side to all this union nonsense. It's quite likely that heavily unionized states may be forced to default on their bonds, or even declare bankruptcy.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came to Washington earlier this year (2010) to get $7 billion for his state government, which resorted to paying off vendors with scrip and delaying state income tax refunds. Illinois seems to be in even worse shape. A recent credit rating showed it to be weaker than Iceland and only slightly stronger than Iraq.

It's no mystery why these state governments -- and those of New York and New Jersey as well -- are in such bad fiscal shape. These are the parts of America where the public employee unions have been calling the shots, insisting on expanded payrolls, ever higher pay, hugely generous fringe benefits and utterly unsustainable pension promises.

One final note: Andy Stern, former head of obama's puppet master SEIU and unqualified member of the deficit commission, voted against the commission's plan for reducing the deficit, effectively killing it.

What the hell a union head was doing on a deficit reduction commission is beyond me, but that's obama for you.

Speaking of obama, my search for his birth certificate continues with renewed vigor. I have definitively ruled out the possibility that it is in any of the bars within a one mile radius of this resort...

It's A Tough Job

I put the wife and kids on a plane back to the mainland yesterday. Now it's time to get down to the business part of this trip (he said with an almost-straight face).

I'm here for a conference. It kicked off today with a reception on the beach. Gorgeous sunset, crashing surf, a Hawaiian band playing island tunes, trays of tasty tidbits, and, oh yeah, an open bar.

The conference sessions and workshops start tomorrow. Somehow I doubt that I'll be attending too many of them. Early morning (well, more like mid-morning) walks on the beach will consume my a.m., and the afternoons will be spent practicing for happy hour. I found a little local bar about a half-mile from here, with cold beer and good affordable food. The resort food and drink is fine, but pricey. I think I'll be spending a fair amount of time at Kalapaki Joe's.

The resort itself is excellent. If you ever visit Kauai I highly recommend the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. 

My presentation is scheduled for the last session of the last day, which is a good thing for two reasons. First of all, I haven't finished the PPT slides yet. I'll get that done in the next day or two. Second, thanks to the flight schedules, I'll have to stay over one more day after the conference.

It's a tough job, maintaining proficiency in both my subject matter and pedagogical skills, but it's a sacrifice I gladly make for the youth of America.

And of course I will continue seeking obama's birth certificate...

PC Run Amok

We interrupt our vacation posting to express our utter indignation at the idiots running the St. Peter's Head Start Program in Minnesota (courtesy of BMWS). 

Father Christmas banned at children’s centre after Muslim family complained (original source here). 

Father Christmas has been banned from visiting a children’s nursery after a Muslim family complained.

For the last four years, Dennis Jackson has donned a beard and red-and-white costume to hand out presents at the St Peter’s Head Start Programme in Minnesota.

But this year he was told he wasn’t welcome after objections from a Somali family.

‘It kind of burnt me up,’ Mr Jackson said, after being banned by officials at the Head Start Programme.

They had told him ‘it was against some people’s wishes’ for him to make the half-hour appearances for two classes, for about three dozen children all aged three and four.

According to the regional coordinator for the Minnesota Valley Action Council, Chris Marben, at least one Muslim family complained of his visit.

When asked about banishing Father Christmas, Mrs Marben said: ‘We have Somali families in the programme. We’re respecting the wishes of families in the program.’

She added: ‘Part of our challenge in Head Start is providing an environment where young children from many different cultures can all feel comfortable.’

Mrs Marden didn’t say how many objections were made, but said that program parents are surveyed annually to gauge their feelings toward holiday observances in classes.

She indicated that more than one objection would be sufficient to waive an observance.

Mr Jackson said he has played Father Christmas with children from other cultures before and they were fully comfortable with him - it’s just, in his opinion, some parents who are being unreasonable.

‘They’re not respecting the majority,’ he said. ‘My feeling is [objecting parents] can take their kids out of class for half an hour and let the other kids enjoy it. They should sacrifice, not rule.’

First of all, note that the story refers to Father Christmas, not Santa Claus. Some PC asshole already got in there ahead of the somalis.

Second, note that this idiocy takes place in Minnesota, a state that is so whacked out it elected a former professional wrestler as governor (Jesse "the body" Ventura)

and allowed a broken-down comedian to steal the most recent senatorial election. 

Finally, ponder this. Most people with any modicum of class will adapt to their surroundings and hosts, rather than demand that their new home jump through hoops to accommodate them. In this case, that means the newcomers should gracefully bow out and allow the existing customs to take precedence, rather than demand that the established citizenry make such absurd contortions to accommodate them.

Another way of putting it is "Screw the God-Damn muslims. If they don't like how we do things here, they can crawl back to their dung heap of a country and pray to allah or whatever other raghead heathen they worship to deliver them to somewhere better than the good old U.S. of A."

And while they're waiting for that miracle to happen they can kiss my rosy red All-American Ass.

I'm not normally this much of a redneck, but jeez this story just super-rubbed me the wrong way. Like the Father Christmas guy said, if you don't agree with the premise of a big jolly guy coming down your chimney that's fine, but don't spoil it for the majority of people who do. Just take your little future terrorists out of the room for less time than it takes to take off your burka and pleasure a camel.

I'm so disgusted I'll have to put my obama birth certificate search on hold for a day or so...

Oh My Achin' Knees

As advertised, we hiked the Waimea Canyon today. I consider myself in reasonable shape ... well, reasonable shape for a 58-year old: a little overweight, a little short of breath, and a bad knee, but compared to the average 58-year old I think I can hold my own. I go walking several days a week in the Texas hill country, which has some pretty good elevation changes. None of that made a bit of difference. Waimea Canyon flat out kicked my butt.

Of course, it didn't help that my wife (who doesn't work outside the house, so has plenty of time for pilates, biking, etc.) and kids walk at a much faster pace than I do. I tend to mosey, which is Texan for a gait somewhat slower than a stroll. Their pace is closer to speed walking.

It also didn't help that the damn trails go up and down faster than a crack ho' trying to score her next rock. The elevation change from the trailhead to our destination was 450 feet over 3+ miles. That doesn't sound like much, until you look at a topo map. The trail goes up 80 feet, then down 100, then back up 80, then down a hundred again ... lather, rinse, repeat. That 450 feet is actually more like 1500 up and 2000 down (of course, the trail out was downhill - that meant it was uphill on the return trip). The trail was labeled as "strenuous," and I'm here to testify that's an understatement.

Add in my wife's constant exhortations to hurry up, and it was just like being back in basic, except I wasn't toting a rucksack and rifle.

Nevertheless, it was worth the pain. The views of the canyon were tremendous. The Waipoo waterfalls were a little disappointing, but that might be because we hiked to the top of the falls, and hence couldn't see them below us.

The hiking took about 5 hours total. Add in driving time, and the day was pretty well shot. The wife and kids leave tomorrow, while I stay on for 5 more days (conference - tough job). I'll miss them, but God I could use some rest.

I can conclusively state that obama's birth certificate is not in Waimea Canyon. I scoured that SOB from one end to the other today. I change hotels tomorrow. Maybe that'll change my luck...

What Was She Thinking?

I deeply love my wife, but sometimes I wonder, "What was she thinking?"

Take today, for example. She scheduled us for 9:00 a.m. surfing lessons.

9:00 in the morning.

On New Year's Day.

The morning after a New Year's Eve beach luau.

With an open bar.

What was she thinking?

I didn't have to worry about driving home, or amateur drunks on the road. It was just a short stumble to the room. What could go wrong?

I'll tell you what.

Surfing lessons at 9:00 a. friggin' m.

(Well, there was an unfortunate incident at the luau involving a young lady in a grass skirt and a tiki torch, but that could have happened to anyone. Fortunately, we were near the pool. But that's a story for another day. The key point here is 9:00 a. friggin' m.)

After the surfing lessons we were allowed to have lunch, and then it was off to the other end of the island for an afternoon of snorkeling.

I was dyin' out there.

My wife is one of those people who believe that a vacation is not a success unless some activity is crammed into every spare minue. The concept of downtime is foreign to her.

In spite of that character flaw I love her ... most of the time.

But I wasn't so sure this morning.

The worst thing about it was that it prevented me from making any progress tracking down obama's birth certificate. Maybe tomorrow.

No, wait. Tomorrow we are supposed to hike Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.

What was she thinking?