Tempus Fugit

I spent the weekend with a group of old friends. These are people that I knew in my previous 'corporate world' career, back when I used to work for a living before I changed professions and became a university professor.

That was 17 long years ago. We've been getting together every year since to swap lies, play golf, and drink beer. Over time hairlines have receded (or in my case, disappeared entirely) ,waistlines have expanded, and joints have stiffened (with one exception...). But for some reason this was the first time I noticed that everyone had gotten old.

People were moving slowly, having trouble bending over, forgetting names and stories, and generally looking like a bunch of rapidly-going-downhill senior citizens (for the record, most us us are somewhere between the mid-50s to mid 60s). The conversation one night was devoted solely to those of our group who had died over the years. Sadly, it's not a small number.

Then Monday morning I went to the eye doctor for my annual checkup. After the usual "Which is better, number one, or number 2?" routine, he informed me that my eyes were in great shape. Then he added four little words that I'm starting to hear more and more these days:

"For someone your age."

That phrase is popping up more and more lately.

You're looking good. For someone your age.

You do that very well. For someone your age.

You're in pretty good shape. For someone your age.

I swear, the next fool that says "For someone your age" to me is in for a rude surprise. I'm gonna whack 'em upside the head with my cane.

Anyway, while I was struggling with the realization that I'm no longer a young man, the following appeared in my in-box (thanks a lot, Bots).

I know some of you will not understand this message, but I bet you know someone who might.  I came across this phrase yesterday. 'FENDER SKIRTS.'

A term I haven't heard in a long time, and thinking about 'fender skirts' started me thinking about other words that quietly disappear from our language with hardly a notice  like 'curb feelers.'

And 'steering knobs.' (AKA 'suicide knob' or 'necker  knob.')

Any kids will probably have to find some older person over 50 to explain some of these terms to you.

Remember 'Continental kits?'  They were rear bumper extenders and spare tire covers that were supposed to make any car as cool as a Lincoln Continental.

When did we quit calling them 'emergency brakes?'  At some point 'parking brake' became the proper term.  But I miss the hint of drama that went with 'emergency brake.'

I'm sad, too, that almost all the old folks are gone who would call the accelerator the 'foot feed.'  Many today do not even know what a clutch is, or that the dimmer switch (and starter) used to be on the floor.

And don’t forget the ‘manual choke.’

Didn't you ever wait at the street for your daddy to come home, so you could ride the 'running board' up to the house?

Here's a phrase I heard all the time in my youth but never anymore -'store-bought.'   Of course, just about everything is store-bought these days.  But once it was bragging material to have a store-bought dress or a store-bought bag of candy.

'Coast to coast' is a phrase that once held all sorts of excitement and now means almost nothing.  Now we take the term 'world wide' for granted.  This floors me.

On a smaller scale, 'wall-to-wall' was once a magical term in our homes.  In the '50s, everyone covered his or her hardwood floors with, wow, wall-to-wall carpeting!  Today, everyone replaces their wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors.   Go figure.

When was the last time you heard the quaint phrase 'in a family way?'  It's hard to imagine that the word 'pregnant' was once considered a little too graphic, a little too clinical for use in polite company, so we had all that talk about stork visits and 'being in a family way' or simply 'expecting.'

Apparently, 'brassiere' is a word no longer in usage.  I said it the other day and my daughter cracked up.  I guess it's just 'bra' now.  'Unmentionables' probably wouldn't be understood at all.

I always loved going to the 'picture show,' but I considered 'movie' an affectation.

Most of these words go back to the '50s, but here's a pure '60s word I came across the other day: 'rat fink.'  Ooh, what a nasty put-down!

Here's a word I miss - 'percolator.'  That was just a fun word to say.  And what was it replaced with? 'Coffee maker.'  How dull...  Mr. Coffee, I blame you for this.

I miss those made-up marketing words that were meant to sound so modern and now sound so retro.  Words like 'DynaFlow' and’ Electrolux.'  Introducing the 1963 Admiral TV, now with 'SpectraVision!'

Food for thought.  Was there a telethon that wiped out lumbago?  Nobody complains of that anymore.  Maybe that's what Castor oil cured, because I never hear mothers threatening kids with Castor oil anymore.

Someone forwarded this to me. Just for fun, pass it along to others you think will appreciate it.

Just don't say "This should be interesting ... for someone your age."

Sunday Funnies 2013.04.21

I'm sorry. I usually try to keep a positive outlook on life. I like to laugh, and so I try to keep the Sunday Funnies feature of this blog lighthearted and humorous, no matter what is going on in the real world. After all, as the saying goes, Laughter is the Best Medicine.

But there's just not very much to laugh about this week. Tragedies in Boston and West TX make it a somber time.

And then there's the incredible, unbelievable idiocy of this nutcake. (H/T for the link to JWF)

This has been a horrible week for America on several counts, but maybe it exposed the danger inherent in allowing Republicans to run the government.  Their vote to kill background checks assures the next disturbed American citizen who wants to bomb citizens and engage in running gun battles with law enforcement officers will have little problem securing firearms and untraceable gunpowder for improvised explosive devices, and their assumption that Muslims orchestrated the marathon bombing all but assures immigration reform is finished before it started.

Words fail me...

I hope and pray that there are better days ahead.

Schadenfreude

The scumbags responsible for the Boston marathon bombings are, at least for the most part, dead or in custody. May they rot in Hell for all eternity.

Meanwhile, back at the corral...

In his hastily called press conference in the wake of the failure of his vaunted gun control push, President Obama's expression said it all.

It was fury. Pure, barely-controlled fury, and you're not wrong if you enjoyed watching the interplay of frustration and anger across his normally hypercomposed face.

On the surface it was about the shellacking gun control laws took in the Senate. Make no mistake: while this was a policy loss for Obama, it was also much, much more.

It was the moment the bully gets popped in the nose, and the unexpected sensation of shock and pain leaves him aghast. It was the moment, to use a rather apropos analogy, the mugger finds himself starting down the black void of a .45 barrel in the fist of his intended victim.

It was shock that the glowing, constant press coverage, the lockstep drumbeat on the nation's editorial pages, the hectoring, lecturing rants from Joe Scarborough and Piers Morgan et al., the Bloomberg TV ads featuring the families of Newtown, the vaunted OFA operation's push, and all the personal phone calls from President Charm Offensive himself couldn't move the votes.

And that enraged Obama. His sense that he is uniquely persuasive and that once he “takes it to the people” the argument is over, was directly challenged, and he failed.

The knowledge that even he, suffused in the glow of a landslide reelection, embraced and beloved and fueled by his willingness to carry his human shields from Newtown and Tuscon to every event, couldn't close the deal on the least-controversial part of gun control was burning in him in that presser and it showed.

Obama is furious he didn't see the disconnect between his desires and the rest of the country...

Maybe he could see it if he pulled his head out of his ass.

Friday Follies Happy Hour 2013.04.19

By the time this is posted I should be finishing up my first round of the weekend and headed for the 19th hole...

The Week That Was

My God, what a week!

Bombs at the Boston Marathon. Ricin and an Elvis impersonator. Massive explosion in West, Texas. North Korea still making noise. Arrests in the Texas DA killings. Gun control bill halted - for now. obama throws a temper tantrum. Max Baucus, co-author of the obamacare abomination, says he sees a "huge train wreck" looming as the bill is implemented. More storms and snow for much of the country.

That's enough to keep us talking for a month, all crammed into one short week.

It's so overwhelming that I'm taking off for a boy's weekend out. A reunion of sorts, including a heaping helping of fun and games (four rounds of golf in three days), will distract me from the woes of this weary world - with perhaps the assistance of a few adult beverages.

And the weather forecast is gorgeous - clear and sunny, highs in the 70s.

Virtue is rewarded...

Chalk One Up For The Good Guys

It's about time the good guys get a win.

In a major defeat for supporters of tougher gun laws, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday defeated a compromise plan to expand background checks on firearms sales as well as a proposal to ban some semi-automatic weapons modeled after military assault weapons.

After the votes, Obama angrily criticized the NRA and senators who voted against the expanded background checks...

Pouting like a spoiled little child who didn't get his way...

Careful, barry and joe, don't trip over those lower lips.

...and behaving like a little brat in the time leading up to the vote.

Last week, Barack Obama flew some of the Newtown families to Washington, D.C., for a rally at which he argued for the putting aside of “politics” that disagree with his own, warned against “political stunts” (presumably with the exception of the one he was performing), and declared a monopoly on “common sense.”

Over the last three months such behavior has been common. In countless appearances, the president has suggested that the interests of “our children” and “the gun lobby” are diametrically opposed, he has brazenly maligned the intentions of those who have the temerity to disagree with him, and he has made catharsis for the families of the Newtown massacre a national priority. It has been shameless.

In an angry rant after the vote, obama went on to say "Instead of supporting this compromise, the gun lobby and its allies willfully lied about the bill."

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Even a columnist for the ultra-liberal Washington Post acknowledges that "nothing proposed in the gun-control debates would have prevented the mass killing of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and everybody knows it."

Oh, and speaking of willfully lying, let's not forget Fast and Furious ... or Benghazi.

One thing that might help prevent future shootings is to enforce existing laws. A House committee report indicates that in 2010 there were 76,142 denials following an instant background check. Of those, only 4,732 were referred for further investigation. Out of those 4000+ cases, only 62 prosecutions resulted.

What's the point of passing new laws if they're just going to get ignored like the ones already on the books?

We must keep in mind, however, that this is just one battle in an extended and ongoing war. Enjoy the moment, but don't forget we're in this for the long run.

Boston Marathon Bombings - Day Four

Lots of confusion today. Multiple reports of an arrest, then multiple reports saying there was no arrest.

But in the midst of all this media incompetence, one stunning piece of absolute idiocy stood out. Gwen Ifill, some blathering talking head for PBS who couldn't get a job with a real network, tweeted this claptrap.

Silly me. I thought providing descriptive characteristics of a suspect was a valid function of reporting. Thank goodness there are media experts like Ms. Ifill around to show me the error of my ways. I'm sure if the suspect had been described as a white male she would have been equally outraged.

I don't know if the guy was dark-skinned, light-skinned, or polka-dotted. I don't even know if it's a guy. But let's try and play by the same rules, okay? Either provide a physical description for everyone, or don't provide it for anyone.

The media has looked like a pack of fools over these last few days.

What else is new...?

No More Big Green For Me

We all know politics is a sleazy business. And I understand a company's executive management doing what is necessary to not only stay in business, but to prosper. Nevertheless, this leaves a foul taste in my mouth.

There have been waves in the world of gun industry recently as politicians pass stricter gun control laws. Just recently, Beretta announced that they would move out of Maryland following new gun control legislation. Similarly, rumors abound that HiViz and Magpul will leave Colorado in favor of more gun friendly states.

Remington CEOs have decided to stay in New York, however, following a meeting with Sens. James Seward, Hugh Farley and Joseph Griffo, as well as Assemblymen Marc Butler, Claudia Tenney, and Anthony Brindisi. Shortly after the meeting, Congressman Richard Hanna announced that the Pentagon would award Remington an $80 million contract to make 5,000 sniper rifles over the next decade for the US Special Operations Command.

Can you say "bribe?"

How about "hypocrisy?"

I expect hypocritical BS from politicians. They trash firearms out of one side of their mouths, then turn around and dump shovelfuls of taxpayer money onto a gun maker just protect themselves from the consequences of their actions. But I had hoped for a more principled response from Remington. I guess money talks ... and in this case, it talks quite loudly.

BTW, if you do the math, $80,000,000 for 5,000 rifles works out to $16,000 per weapon. That's pretty steep, even by government standards. For comparison purposes, a brand new Weatherby Mark V goes for around $2400 (without a scope).

There are plenty of other firearms manufacturers out there who make quality weapons. The same goes for ammunition makers. Remington better make enough from that tainted government contract to stay alive, because it's not getting any more of my business.

And I'm not the only one.

Some gun owners, however, aren’t particularly thrilled about the news, arguing that Remington has turned its back on gun owners by supporting a gun control state. One commenter on the WHAM news site wrote, “I will never buy from a company that confuses 2nd amendment with 2nd class citizen. You deserve to stay in New York” and another offered to sell his recently purchased Remington rifle.

The whole thing stinks to high heaven...

Boston Marathon Bombings - Day Three

The most recent news reports (I know, I know...) indicate that the bombs were constructed from 1.6 gallon pressure cookers packed with black powder and a combination of ball bearings and nails.

Officials found that the bombs in Boston consisted of explosives put in ordinary 1.6-gallon pressure cookers...

The obama administration's response?

Boston Marathon Bombings - Day Two

Yesterday I said that ball bearing were used in the Boston marathon bombings, and that a Saudi national was in custody. Today there are reports that ball bearings were not used, and that the Saudi national is not a suspect.

Mea culpa.

By nature and training I usually err on the side of caution. I prefer not to speak out or take a position until I'm sure of the facts. In this case I let my emotions take precedence over by thoughts.

Lessons learned:

1. Think before you speak (I keep re-learning this one...).

2. Don't expect the mainstream media to accurately report the facts. (Another lesson I have a hard time learning...).

Final Thought:

We in this country have been incredibly lucky so far. America in general is a very soft target. We have a large number of public gatherings (festivals, sports events, concerts, etc.) and open public facilities (schools, parks, malls, etc.). Instructions and materials for building explosive devices are readily available. It's a wonder there haven't been more of these events. I'm sure some have been prevented that we've never heard about, but like the saying goes, we have to be successful 100% of the time - the terrorist only needs to win once.

Given the publicity this bombing has received, I expect more attempts in the months to come.

Given the public's desire for security, I also expect more attacks on our personal freedoms.

Either way, the terrorists win...

UPDATE: Now it appears that there were ball bearings used after all. I'm just going to quit posting about this until things settle down.

Boston Marathon Bombings

Just watched obama's statement re: the Boston Marathon bombing. Two observations:

1. He seemed very wooden, stiff, and insincere.

2. He studiously avoided the use of the words "terror" or "terrorism."

Let's recap. Multiple bombs. Ball bearings used as shrapnel. Saudi national suspect in custody. But it's not terrorism. Must be another "man-made disaster" - or possibly "workplace violence."

What an asshole...

Thoughts and prayers out to all involved and affected.

FOD 2013.04.15

Today is the day our federal income taxes are due. Here are a few related snippets, posted with minimal content:

Obama: We raised taxes, but the rich still aren’t paying their fair share

In a recent video made and distributed by obama's political machine, he reiterates his belief that the wealthiest Americans still aren’t paying their “fair share” of taxes.

“Obviously, there is still more to do when it comes to reducing our debt,” Obama said in the video. “And I’m willing to do more, as long as we do it in a balanced way that doesn’t put all the burden on seniors or students or middle class families, but also asks the wealthiest Americans to contribute and pay their fair share.”

Side note: obama taped the video while vacationing in Hawaii last Jan. 2013.


Tax bills for rich families approach 30-year high

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress say the wealthy must pay their fair share if the federal government is ever going to fix its finances and reduce the budget deficit to a manageable level.

A new analysis, however, shows that average tax bills for high-income families rarely have been higher since the Congressional Budget Office began tracking the data in 1979. Middle- and low-income families aren’t paying as much as they used to.

Obama Tax Rate: 18.4%

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama paid $112,214 in federal income taxes for 2012 on adjusted gross income of $608,611, an effective rate of 18.4%, the White House said.

“Under the president’s own tax proposals, including limitations on the value of tax preferences for high-income households, he would pay more in taxes while ensuring we cut taxes for the middle class and those trying to get in it,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a statement.

So why doesn't he put his money where his mouth is and voluntarily give more of his income to the IRS?

Worthless hypocrite...

Sunday Funnies 2013.04.14

Tomorrow is April 15th. We all know what that means...

A man, called in for an IRS audit, asked his accountant for advice on what to wear. "Wear your shabbiest clothing. Let them think you are a pauper."

Then he asked his lawyer the same question, but got the opposite advice. "Wear your most elegant suit and tie. Do not let them intimidate you."

Confused, the man went to his rabbi, told him of the conflicting advice, and requested some resolution of the dilemma.

"Let me tell you a story," replied the rabbi. "A woman, about to be married, asked her mother what to wear on her wedding night. 'Wear a heavy, long, flannel nightgown that goes right up to your neck,' said her mother. But when she asked her best friend, she got conflicting advice. 'Wear your most sexy negligee, with a V neck right down to your navel."

The man asked, "What does all this have to do with my problem with the IRS?"

The rabbi replied, "No matter what you wear, you are going to get screwed!"

A man had fallen between the rails in a subway station. People were crowding around trying to get him out before the train ran him over. They were all shouting "Give me your hand!" but the man would not reach up.

A man elbowed his way through the crowd and leaned over the man.

"Friend," he asked, "what is your profession?"

"I am an IRS agent," gasped the man.

"In that case," said the first man, "take my hand!"

The man immediately grasped the other man's hand and was hauled to safety.

The rescuer turned to the amazed bystanders and declared, "Never ask a tax agent to GIVE you anything, you fools!"

A man walks into a bar accompanied by his pet alligator.

"Do you serve IRS agents?", he asks the barman.

"Of course", says the barman.

"In that case," replies the man, "I'll have a beer, and my alligator will have an IRS agent."

I wouldn't mind paying taxes so much if only the money was used for really valid expenses.

Finally, if only it were this easy...

What's Sauce For The Goose...

I'm a longtime member of the NRA - and damn proud of it. I'm also a member of two other gun-rights groups that might be considered a little more extreme than the NRA; the Second Amendment Foundation, and Gun Owners of America (I can hear the drones beginning to circle overhead now...).

The Second Amendment Foundation was founded by a man named Alan Gottlieb. Gottlieb is an interesting person. He is a successful businessman, author, and political activist (conservative, of course) - a self-described "anti-communist, free-enterprise, laissez-faire capitalist."

He can also at times be a bit of a loose cannon, albeit one that makes you think.

Gottlieb recently suggested that politicians at all levels be required to pass background checks similar to those proposed for gun-buyers.

“If politicians want universal background checks, we should start with them,” said Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

He pointed to recent political scandals in the New York Legislature, which just passed a new restrictive gun control law, where a state senator and state assemblyman were arrested last week, as “one small example.”

“But look at politics in recent years,” Gottlieb observed. “From state and federal scandals, to arrests involving several members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, we have had example after embarrassing example of public officials being charged with violating various laws. Does anyone think former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who had to quit his post over a lewd e-mail scandal, whould clear a mental health screening to buy a gun?

“If you compare percentages,” he continued, “the rate of criminal activity by politicians is probably far higher than the rate of crimes committed by the general public.

“What this underscores,” he said, “is the reason gun laws don’t work and never will. People who make the laws we have to live under break them anyway, just like criminals routinely disobey gun laws. Based on their own experience, politicians should know that the gun laws they pass will not prevent crime.”

Gottlieb pointed to crooks like former Louisiana Congressman Bill Jefferson, sent to prison after authorities found $90,000 in his freezer during an investigation. He cited former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, now in prison for racketeering and extortion.

“It is both sad and disgraceful that the list goes on and on,” Gottlieb said. “There are politicians with domestic violence problems, others who accepted bribes, some who stole money or were involved in other criminal acts.

“No wonder citizens are disgusted with politicians and don’t trust them,” he concluded, adding tongue-in-cheek, “And these people want to know why there’s a run on guns and ammunition?”

He may be on to something. Here's another example.

There is a bill working its way through the Texas state legislature that would require drug testing of welfare recipients and those receiving unemployment benefits. Fail the test and either enter a drug treatment program or lose your 'entitlements.' Sounds like a good idea to me.

There was an amendment to the bill that was proposed, but unfortunately defeated, that would have required members of the state legislature to also take drug tests. Fail and you're kicked out. That makes even more sense to me.

The point, of course, is to make our political 'masters' play by the same rules they want to impose on us. Below is an updated version of an email that's been floating around for a while. You've probably seen it. I would not only vote for, but actively support and campaign for anyone with enough cojones to run for public office on this platform.

Tea Party members ... Libertarians ... 'None of the Above' ... are you listening?

Congressional Reform Act of 2013

1. No Tenure/No Pension

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 06/01/2013.

The American people did not enter into such one-sided contracts with congresscritters. Congress made all these benefits for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.

The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators who served their terms and then returned home and went back to work. Since when did politicians achieve elite status?

Friday Follies Happy Hour 2013.04.12

Dedicated to all those old hippies out there - you know who you are...

No Catholics Allowed

Just when you think you've heard it all, something comes along that raises the absurd-o-meter to another level.

Catholic University Bans Catholic Group

Gonzaga University will not allow students to organize a Knights of Columbus chapter because the group only admits Catholics – a violation of the school’s non-discrimination policy.

Students told The Cardinal Newman Society they had been trying to get university approval for the group for about a year – but school officials have been less than helpful.

“To embrace the diversity and yet endorse a group based on faith exclusivity is a challenge that cannot be reconciled at this time,” (said Sue Weitz, the university’s vice president for student life) — adding that it was a decision about “social justice, equity, and the desire of the university to create an environment in which none are excluded.”

Ah yes...'embrace the diversity'. That's more important than everything else.

Social justice and equality, at least to me, means that people are free to associate with whoever (whomever?) they choose, as long as all such groups are treated equally. If I want to form a club consisting solely of bald-headed overweight over-the-hill Shiner guzzling reprobates then I should be able to do so. But the school should not grant my club special privileges or treat us differently than other groups. And it should not ban the formation of other self-selecting groups.

Especially those that so closely reflect the university's mission and core values.

The Knights of Columbus are a Catholic organization composed of men -- Catholic men -- who organize and participate in a wide variety of community, charitable, and church service projects.

That would seem to be in agreement with Gonzaga's mission statement, which says in part "Gonzaga University is an exemplary learning community that educates students for lives of leadership and service for the common good. In keeping with its Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic heritage and identity..."

I don't see a problem there.

Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society, told Fox News that the ban is absolutely ridiculous.

“It boggles the mind that an institution that is Catholic can’t figure out a way to allow exceptions to the rule,” He said. “This is a Catholic organization...

Yes, but Gonzaga, like most universities, is run by bureaucrats who are deathly afraid of being accused of not being sufficiently politically correct. Still, there has been enough of a ruckus raised over this nonsense that common sense may yet carry the day.

The outcry has been so significant that Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh said they will review the decision.

In bureaucracy-speak, that means we'll stall for a while and hope this whole thing just goes away...

Update To Today's Events

An earlier post today mentioned a firearms company leaving an anti-gun state (Oregon) for a gun-friendly state (Texas).

Now there's a report that another firearm manufacturer is leaving another anti-gun state (Connecticut) for someplace where they'll be more welcome.

Rifle manufacturer PTR Industries kept true to its word when it announced on Tuesday it planned to move the growing company out of Connecticut.

PTR chief exective officer Josh Fiorini told the Republican-American on the eve of legislature's vote last week that it planned to move its company to another state if the new law banned gun hardware. On Tuesday, the company posted a message on its Facebook page announcing it planned to move.

PTR hasn't said where it's headed, but the ripple effects of its announcement have already started.

...the move is something local vendors are watching nervously.

Sam Cavallo, owner of CavTech Industries, said if PTR stops buying parts from his manufactured products company after the move it will affect his company. Products for PTR make up a third of the business for CavTech, according to Cavallo.

It appears that states which pass knee-jerk ill-considered feel-good legislation are learning that the consequences can be fast and furious (sorry...).

Updates To Yesterday's Events

First, the weather: Yesterday's high of 108 was an aberration (Thank God!). Today is much more seasonable. It's 30 degrees cooler, with a forecast high of around 80. Much, much better.

I think I'll celebrate by polishing off those leftover Shiners...

In other news, last night obama threw an extravagant party at the White House.

The “sequestration” budget cuts may have halted public tours of the White House — but they didn’t stop President Obama from partying the night away at a celebrity-filled private concert in the executive mansion last night, with taxpayers footing part of the bill.

Take a good look. That's as close as us common folk will get to seeing the inside of 'our' White House for a while.

A Pair Of Win-Win Items

Somehow I missed this bit of good news.

COLT COMPETITION RIFLES COMING TO TEXAS..WHERE IT BELONGS!

Texas rules. I’m sorry my yankee friends stuck behind blue state hellhole lines! But the Lone Star State kicks culo! You just have to live here to understand how @#&*ing great Texas is! In keeping, Texas has picked up another gun manufacturer fleeing the blue state statists trying to destroy the 2nd Amendment.

Okay, that's a little bombastic, so I did a bit of digging. Those involved seem to be trying to low-key the news, but here's what I found.

Firearms Company Relocating To North Texas

A firearms company that makes AR-15 style rifles for the iconic brand Colt, will open a plant in Breckenridge in Stephens County (TX). Oregon company Bold Ideas confirmed the development Friday.

Bold Ideas goes by the name Colt Competition, making high accuracy rifles for competition shooting.

Company website here.

Evil Black Rifle picture below (image courtesy of Colt Competition).

The company has not officially announced the opening, but employment applications are already available at the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce.

The move by Colt Competition into Breckenridge comes as the CEO of Colt Manufacturing in Connecticut has said there will soon be few good answers to keep his company in the state. Connecticut passed some of the nation’s most restrictive gun laws this week.

It also comes weeks after Governor Rick Perry reportedly sent letters to gun companies, encouraging them to move to Texas.

Let me be one of the first to welcome the fine folks from Colt Competition to the great State of Texas (aka God's Country). And let me say to all you other firearm-related firms out there .. Come On Down! Not only is this a firearm-friendly environment, but we don't have a state income tax.

Just sayin'...

I'm not a big Rick Perry fan, but I'll give him major props on this one. He brings new jobs into the state, while at the same time tweaking the nose of libs and anti-gunners. A true win-win.

And speaking of win-win, the image below (hidden because it's NSFW) is a true win-win for red-blooded American males (and some females...) who oppose islamic nonsense.

I have no idea what the backstory is, but the message comes across loud and clear.

Click to embiggen.

Romance Pants Set The Mood

Back in the day, when I used to entice young ladies to come visit my bachelor pad, I depended on black lights and speakers the size of shipping crates to set the mood.

Now, thanks to modern technology, a young Lothario can achieve a similar romantic effect with just his pants and a very special zipper.

Sexy time officially begins when these pants are unzipped. You can probably say the same for most pants involved, but the pair we’re talking about is pretty special and it’s aptly called the Romance Pants. That’s because these pants are fitted with sensors that set certain things into motion once attempts are being made to take them off the wearer.

It all begins when the Romance Pants are unzipped. The lights are dimmed and the stereo’s volume will go up a notch to set the mood. Just make sure you’ve got sexy music playing because rap will probably kill the mood. When the pants are unbuttoned, candles flicker to life like magic thanks to nichrome wires and shaved match tips. Once they’re off, well, it’s all up to you now.

Check out the video below for more info. Don't worry, it's PG-13.

Weather Update

The current temperature here in South Texas is 104 - and it's not yet the hottest time of the day.

The A/C in my little apartment is struggling to keep the place at some semblance of cool.

I have a dry, sticky mouth, a slight headache, and I'm a little light headed - all symptoms of dehydration.

I'd better go consume some cold beverages and take it easy...

UPDATE: the high temp today topped out at 108 degrees. It's almost enough to make me believe in global warming.

Real-World Star Wars

OLDNFO recently posted about the Army's reaction to North Korea's nuclear saber rattling.

Missile defenders preparing for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) System to Guam are ready for the mission, the Army general at their home station reported, noting his full confidence in the ability of U.S. air defense systems to protect against North Korean missiles.

/snip/

The THAAD deployment will strengthen defense capabilities for American citizens in the U.S. territory of Guam and U.S. forces stationed there, the Defense Department said in an April 3 news release announcing the deployment that’s expected in the coming weeks.

Sounds good, right? However, as NFO points out:

...there are ONLY three of these systems in existence that are actually deployable, and note the last sentence, ‘expected’ to deploy in the coming weeks… How? There will have to be a massive reshuffle of lift capability to get them there, and a couple of weeks may be too late…

Meanwhile, in another part of the world:

The U.S. Navy is preparing to deploy an experimental laser weapon to the Persian Gulf, where it could be used to deter Iran from using small boats to attack American warships.

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the U.S. chief of naval operations, on Monday unveiled plans to place the laser cannon aboard a U.S. ship in the Gulf, where swarms of Iranian attack boats have posed a worrisome challenge for the American military.

The $40 million system will be installed aboard the USS Ponce, an amphibious assault ship used in the Gulf for mine clearance and humanitarian operations.

While still in development, the laser system has succeeded in destroying all 12 of its drone and small boat targets in testing, officials said. To bolster its capabilities, the Navy released a video of the laser weapon setting an aerial drone aflame and forcing it to crash into the water.

I have no idea how effective either system will be. I do, however, have the former infantryman's mistrust of high-tech solutions. We prefer a more low-tech approach.

Bomb the shit out of both places. Destroy the NORK missile launchers and Iran's harbor facilities. From the grunt's perspective that's an ideal solution because it requires the Air Force to earn their pay for a change. As an added bonus, we don't have to get out of our bunks.

I know, I know - oversimplification and wistful thinking. But a guy can dream...

Another "Boy Do I Feel Old" Post

It was bad enough hearing about the passing of Iron Maggie. But on top of that came news of the death of someone who meant much more to me, at least in my formative years.

Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s "Mickey Mouse Club" and a star of numerous 1960s "beach party" films, died Monday at a California hospital, the Walt Disney Co. said.

As a prepubescent youngster, I was glued to the TV when the Mickey Mouse Club came on. Annette was without a doubt my favorite, but in a big sister kind of way.

A few years later, my appreciation for her in the Beach Blanket Bingo flicks was no less enthusiastic, although for entirely different reasons. Annette had blossomed, and so had I.

For you kids out there, that thing she's holding in her hand is not a cell phone. It's a transistor radio.

Tame by today's standards, the images of Annette in a bikini stirred unfamiliar feelings within me ... and my loins.

Mickey would have been appalled...

FOD 2013.04.08

As a soon-to-be-retiree I noted with interest a provision in obama's pending budget. In his plan he proposes a limit on how much money individuals can hold in IRAs and other retirement accounts. Of course, he dresses it up as restrictions that will only affect 'wealthy' people, and that will impose 'fairness' on the system.

President Obama’s budget, to be released next week, will limit how much wealthy individuals – like Mitt Romney – can keep in IRAs and other retirement accounts.

I'm not sure why Romney was included, other than to further demonize so-called 'wealthy' people.

The proposal would save around $9 billion over a decade, a senior administration official said, while also bringing more fairness to the tax code.

Again, I'm not sure how capping IRAs will makes things 'fair' - unless, as I fear, this is the first step in a process that will continue to lower the amount of money we can have in our retirement accounts. The next step will be to confiscate funds over a certain ceiling.

Don't think that could happen? Recall recent events in Cyprus, where the government took money not just from retirement accounts, but from regular bank accounts as well.

Now, with that in mind, read the next paragraph.

The senior administration official said that wealthy taxpayers can currently “accumulate many millions of dollars in these accounts, substantially more than is needed to fund reasonable levels of retirement saving.”

So now obama and the progressives want to determine what "reasonable levels of retirement saving” are.

Limiting magazine capacity. Limiting retirement savings. Limiting privacy, free speech, and just about every other right we used to have.

When does it end?

Sunday Funnies 2013.04.07

No theme today. Just a random collection of jokes and cartoons.

Q:  What's the difference between bird flu and swine flu?
A:  If you have bird flu, you need tweetment. If you have swine flu, you need oink-ment.

Q: What does it mean when your husband is in bed gasping for breath and calling your name?
A: You didn't hold the pillow down long enough.

Q: What is the difference between an illegal immigrant and E.T.?
A: E.T. eventually went home!

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

She was only a whiskey-maker, but he loved her still.

Why Retired Professors Drink

I'm retiring effective 31 May 2013. However, since I work for a state university I am still subject to government nonsense, regardless of my impending retirement. For example, the state mandates that we complete certain training courses annually, no matter whether or not they are related to our job duties. Case in point:

I received an email today reminding me that I need to complete a training module on Effective Hiring Practices. Never mind that I teach and do research - I do not hire people. And never mind that in a few weeks I won't be around to hire anyone. The government, in its infallible wisdom, has decreed that I shall complete this training or else I won't be allowed to retire.

Someone once said that government policy is like cancer. No one knows where it comes from, but it can't be ignored.

I can't wait to get away from this nonsense.

Friday Follies Happy Hour - Generation Gap

I have a daughter - 16 years old going on 25. She alternates between being Daddy's little girl and an independent woman (too damn independent, at times).

All my parenting experience is with boys - sons and nephews, no daughters or nieces. So to say I'm clueless when it comes to raising a girl is a massive understatement. It's like a mother dog that is given a newborn kitten to care for. She nurtures it and protects it, but will never understand it.

And since I was a boy once, and I've had that experience reenforced by the subsequent hordes of boys that have swarmed around us over the years, you might say I'm just a tad bit overprotective. For example, for our daughter's 16th birthday her mother let her get her ears pierced - without my knowledge. In the ensuing conversation the phrase "reactionary old fogey" came up.

Now I like to think I'm as cool and hip as the next guy, but I fail to see the point of poking holes in perfectly good body parts. Getting her ears pierced once was bad enough, but it turns out she got two count 'em TWO holes in each lobe.

Madness...

Anyway, that was several months ago, and I've slowly come to accept the pierced ears. In fact, yesterday I noticed that she was wearing small lightening bolt earrings.

"Cool," I thought, "ZZ Top lightening bolts."

When I complemented her on them and mentioned that I was impressed that she liked ZZ Top so much, she got a blank look on her face. "Who?" she asked.

Turns out they were Harry Potter earrings.

Sigh...

Let's Spread This One Around

Sometimes you run across something that just makes your day. Here is one such item, reposted in its entirety from OldNFO.

An interesting question/statement is posed with this one from the Custer County Chronicle, Feb 6, 2013 page 5A.

Sure would be nice to see this one go viral...

Give The Devil His Due

Funny, isn't it, how demands on our time ebb and flow. Since I'm retiring at the end of this semester I thought I'd have plenty of time on my hands as things wound down. After all, I've wrapped up my research projects, I am blissfully ignoring all my administrative and committee demands unnecessary wastes of time, and I don't have to worry about preparing for next semester's classes. So one would think I'm wallowing in leisure time, just lounging about and sucking down various adult beverages.

Unfortunately, that's just not the case.

I can't pinpoint where all the much-anticipated free time is going, but for some reason there is a steady stream of small but consistent and continual time-eating tasks. The net result is that I've got a great pile of notes regarding issues that deserve more of an in-depth treatment than I can give them right now. So this post will be more of a macro-level observation, with (hopefully) a more detailed treatment of the various issues to follow at some point in the (again, hopefully) near future.

What we have today is a grudging admiration for the obama machine's ability to manipulate the public's attention. Like a pickpocket who artfully manages to distract his mark with one hand while the other snakes into the victim's pocket and deftly removes his wallet, barry and his merry band of weasels have skillfully focused our attention where they want us to look -- gun control, immigration reform, basketball, Hillary in 2016, the sequester, and other distractions -- while adroitly turning our attention away from an array of scandals and failures such as Fast & Furious, Benghazi, obamacare, the persistently high unemployment rate, closing Gitmo, and many, many more.

Aided and abetted by his allies in the mainstream media, those of us who oppose the socialist-in-chief's destruction of this country have been conditioned to run howling after the latest trendy issue-of-the-day while neglecting to pursue those truly significant matters that have much more significant implications.

If only they would use their powers for good instead of evil...

Global Warming Update

The latest evidence of global warming - polar bear attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.

The polar bear was driven to attack a human because global warming has melted so much of the ice pack the bear was forced to migrate southward.

These are photographs of an actual polar bear attacking a man.

The pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack.

Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery.

The photos are below....

Quack Attack

Just in time for tonight's new episodes of my favorite TV show, Duck Dynasty, comes this story.

A&E's breakout pro-hunting hit "Duck Dynasty" returned Wednesday night to record ratings. The season three premiere delivered 8.6 million viewers.

That's huge. It's not only the most-watched "Duck Dynasty" episode ever, it's A&E's most-watched telecast ever and ranks as cable's biggest reality show telecast so far this year. The 10 p.m. episode (the first of two back-to-back airings) was up 132 percent vs. the second season premiere. Plus, a full 5 million of the viewers were in the adults 18-49 demo.

The return of "Duck Dynasty" benefited from an unexpected gift-from-the-PR-gods when British singer and animal rights activist Morrissey cancelled his planned Feb. 26 performance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" at the last minute in protest of the "Duck Dynasty" stars appearing the same episode. Morrissey called the show's stars — who own a family business that makes products for hunters — "animal serial killers."

I didn't even know who Morrissey is - or was. I had to google the dude. Here's what I found.

He is a beautiful, poignant poet/lyricist. Essentially, a Dr. Marten-donning pied piper to masses of brooding, romantic fatalists.

WTF?

Another source:

He is a vegetarian and an avid supporter of PETA and animal rights. He once boycotted the country of Canada (yes, the ENTIRE country) for their practice of seal clubbing.

I'm beginning to understand.

Popular opinion amongst fans and critics alike is that Morrissey developed his famous wail and "lonely, misunderstood outsider" persona quite early in life. Steven Patrick Morrissey was born on May 22nd, in Davyhulme, Manchester, to working-class Irish-Catholic immigrant parents. The doctors and nurses all agreed: Ma and Pa Morrissey's baby boy let out the finest crying any of them had ever heard. Surely this boy would grow up to utilize his skill to make a name for himself in a profession where whining and self-indulgent blubbering are welcomed and encouraged: the entertainment industry.

Now it all makes sense.

So who would you rather hang out with? A depressed, self-indulgent vegan who wants to spoil everyone else's fun...

... or a bunch of bearded rednecks who hunt, fish, shoot, and drink?

Will Wonders Never Cease?

CNN, of all places, published a well written, well thought out article chronicling one woman's journey from anti-gun advocate to Second Amendment supporter and NRA member. She begins:

I am the mother of three amazing children. Before having children, I was a firm believer that guns were dangerous. But I did nothing to educate myself about guns or gun safety. I feared the unknown and the danger guns seemed to possess.

Then she married a Marine who obviously had different views on the matter. A few years later she had an unsettling experience at her rural home. Here's her conclusion.

So Mr. Obama and your gun control advocates: I am not physically capable of stopping a 200-pound man from raping me or my daughters. I am not physically capable of stopping a 200-pound man from entering my home and doing what he may. However, my gun is very capable of stopping such a criminal if such an act were to occur.

We live in a society where no one is there to protect us. The police come after the crime, not before. I do not have 24/7 armed protection like you do, Mr. President. Neither do my children.

So until you can explain to this nation why your old city of Chicago has rising murder rates by guns, despite some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, I will continue to support the NRA, I will continue to urge others to support the Second Amendment and I will continue to vote for those politicians that support my views. I will also support the notion of placing armed police, veterans, etc. in our schools.

Why should your children, Mr. President, be of the select few children in this country who are protected by armed guards? Why are your children more special than mine?

The fact is they are not. All children are special and have the right to be cared for and protected.

I am a mom, and I am proud to support the NRA and my right to bear arms.

 Well said. Go here to read the entire article.

A Breath Of Sanity - Maybe

There is a nasty rumor going around regarding the possibility of a Hillary-Michelle 'Dream Ticket' for the 2016 presidential race.

...reports indicate a buzz growing for a potential Democratic “dream” ticket featuring Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.

There are already bumper stickers in the marketplace with messages such as “2016-Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama,” and “Hillary-Michelle 2016 First First Lady Ticket For President,” and Cafe Press reports a 60% hike in sales of the Hillary-Michelle sticker from December to March, with the largest jump in March.

Well, if bumper sticker sales are up I guess that makes it official.

“Both women are proven effective leaders who’ve raise children, so dealing with Congress would be a snap!”

My wife is a proven effective leader -- she was quite successful in the corporate world before stepping down to, yes, you guessed it, raise children -- so she also should be able to deal with congress with little or no problem. After all, she has many years of experience in dealing with strong-willed, opinionated males (at least one...). So that makes her as qualified as either one of those two hags.

Some have suggested putting Mrs. Obama at the top of the ticket and having Mrs. Clinton run for VP, especially after Michelle announced the Best Picture Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards.

Oh my achin' butt. Since when does announcing the Best Picture award make a person suitable for one the two highest offices in the U.S. of A? Last year Tom Cruise made the presentation. How many of you would feel comfortable with Tom "Church of Scientology" Cruise in the Oval Office?

Sadly, voters in this country have began giving more credence to celebrity status than qualifications. The first significant instance of that was when a heretofore unknown junior senator from Illinois gave the keynote speech at the 2004 democrat national convention. I didn't get what all the fuss was about back then, but the media damn sure fell in love with him at that point.

Anyway, back to the so-called dream ticket.

While libs, dems, and other assorted brain-dead fools are drooling all over themselves at the possibility of those two harridans running hand-in-hand for prez and veep, at least some folks out there are having second thoughts. All snark aside, there are a few of significant obstacles to a Hillary run in 2016.

The first is her age. She'll be 69 (*snort - that's more appropriate for Bill*) in 2016. That doesn't necessarily disqualify her. After all, Ronald Reagan was only 9 months older than her when he was elected. But it will undoubtedly be an issue raised during the campaign.

Then there's her health. She has a history of blood clots and concussions, which will again undoubtedly be a campaign issue.

And of course, given that she's a Clinton, a dem, and a lib, there are various ethical questions.

One particular quarrel that a Hillary Clinton nomination would bring forward is the quarrel over the ethical standards of the Clinton White House -- and, maybe even more, of the Clintons' post-White House careers. Relying on Hillary Clinton's annual financial disclosure reports, CNN reported last year that former President Bill Clinton had earned $89 million in speaking fees since leaving the White House in 2001. Many of these earnings came from foreign sources. In 2011 alone, the former president earned $6.1 million from 16 speeches in 11 foreign countries.

Is it an ethical problem for the husband of the person charged with the foreign affairs of the United States to earn so much foreign-sourced income? Let's rephrase that question: How much time do Democrats wish to spend arguing the ethics of Bill Clinton's foreign earnings over the 2016 political cycle?

Not to mention assorted Whitewater and Lewinsky-gate issues...

There's also an interesting political slant.

Yet the biggest risk to Democrats from a Hillary Clinton nomination is not that it would be generationally backward-looking -- or that it would reopen embarrassing ethical disputes -- but that it would short-circuit the necessary work of party renewal.

After eight years in the White House, a party requires a self-appraisal and a debate over its way forward. Bill Clinton offered Democrats just such a debate in 1992 with his "New Democrat" ideas. Barack Obama offered another in 2008 with his careful but unmistakable criticism of Clinton-era domestic policies and Hillary Clinton's Iraq war vote. But if Hillary Clinton glides into the nomination in 2016 on the strength of money, name recognition, and a generalized feeling of "It's her turn," then Democrats will forgo this necessary renewal.

That's the republican model - the idea that the party's nomination should go to the "next person in line." See Dole, Bob; McCain, John; and Romney, Mitt. We all know how well that's worked out for them.

Finally, there's the perception issue.

Pollster John Zogby, however, questions if the ticket would sell. "Hillary and Michelle are both very popular and accomplished, but this smacks of too much celebrity and is a tad too dynastic for American voters," he said. "An interesting reality show, yes. A ticket, no."

Which brings us back full circle to the question of whether today's low-information voters make their choices based on celebrity status or qualifications.

Given the bozo currently wasting oxygen in the White House, I'm not optimistic...

Truth In A Nutshell

I am not at all familiar with the political process in Luxembourg, or with any of their political figures. However, I think I could learn to like the prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, based on a single quote of his:

“We all know what to do, we just don’t know how to get re-elected after we have done it.”

Word...

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Around a month ago I posted a couple of examples of what I call the Iron Triangle theorem . That's the notion that in a situation with three interrelated variables it is possible to maximize two of them, but not all three at the same time. Here's the examples I gave back then.

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Here's a third example.

 

A lot of truth can be conveyed with simple pictures...

FOD 2013.04.01

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