I'm Not Thrilled, But...

I'm not thrilled with the prospect of Donald Trump as our next president. But I am even less thrilled scared to death by the thought of hillary plopping her worthless butt down in the Oval office. Here's one reason why. (source)

If that doesn't motivate you to vote for Trump - albeit unenthusiastically - then you're brain dead.

Wordless Wednesday - Friday Version 2013.06.17

So I'm a few days off. Who cares...?

Here's a few of my favorites that sum up the events of this week.

I'd forgotten that Carter did that, but once I saw the image it came back to me. Who ever thought we'd be longing for another Jimmy Carter to be the democrat presidential candidate, instead of the evil hag running today.

Science Marches On

Science is an amazing thing. I learned several things from the following article. Perhaps the most surprising is that it takes all mammals, regardless of species, size, or gender, approximately 21 seconds to urinate.

For more interesting tidbits, read on.

Peeing In The Shower Makes Ecological Sense

To pee or not to pee in the shower, that is the question. Various surveys have shown that lots of people do it—one questionnaire on BuzzFeed found that more than 80% of those surveyed say they do.

Okay, I'll fess up. There has been a time or two when I indulged. Now I'm finding out that what began as an act of convenience/laziness is actually helping to save the earth.

... relieving ourselves while showering can help conserve water. In fact, estimating that people pee on average seven times a day, the site calculates that taking away one 1.6-gallon flush across 319 million Americans every day could conserve 185 billion gallons of water a year, which is no small matter.

According to the research, in the 21 seconds it takes the average person to relieve themselves, 0.875 gallons of water will escape the shower head. Now consider that the new low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush, while millions of older toilets still in use require even more to flush urine away. The water savings are obvious.

And for those who wipe when they pee, they could save an entire roll of toilet paper every 50 days.

Of course, if you're a guy like me who lives out in the country, you have yet another option that requires no water at all. Just don't let your wife catch you. Mine is totally unconvinced by arguments that treating the great outdoors as one giant mens room saves time (so I can be remain more focused on my chores) and keeps me from tracking dirt into the house.

So there you have it. If you want to help keep the Earth green, plus save on your water bills, just 'let go' during your morning shower.

Stay tuned for more Earth-friendly tips...

Words Of Wisdom

The list of things I wish for is long and varied - winning the lottery, world peace, an end to poverty and disease, and a better golf game, to name just a few.

But topping the list is that I wish that more people would read and heed the writings of Thomas Sowell. Here's his latest.

However great the shock of the massacre in Orlando, it is only a matter of time before we start hearing again the fact-free dogma that “diversity is our strength.”

If there is any place in the Guinness Book of World Records for words repeated the most often, over the most years, without one speck of evidence, “diversity” should be a prime candidate.

Is diversity our strength? Or anybody’s strength, anywhere in the world? Does Japan’s homogeneous population cause the Japanese to suffer? Have the Balkans been blessed by their heterogeneity — or does the very word “Balkanization” remind us of centuries of strife, bloodshed, and unspeakable atrocities, extending into our own times?

Has Europe become a safer place after importing vast numbers of people from the Middle East, with cultures hostile to the fundamental values of Western civilization?

I think most of us would agree the answer to that question is a resounding "No!"

However, smug elitists in both Europe and here at home are more concerned about perceived “Islamophobia" than they are about customs and values that have made their home countries prosperous and safe.

America’s great good fortune in the past has been that Americans have been able to unite as Americans against every enemy, despite our own internal differences and struggles. Black and white, Jew and Gentile, have fought and died for this country in every war.

It has not been our diversity, but our ability to overcome the problems inherent in diversity, and to act together as Americans, that has been our strength.

Today, that sense of American unity is being undermined by the reckless polarization of group-identity politics. That affects not only how Americans see themselves, but how others in our midst see America.

Some people demand American citizenship, as if it is an entitlement, while burning the American flag and waving the flag of Mexico. And the apostles of “diversity” and “multiculturalism” watch in silence. That includes the president of the United States.

Unfortunately, there is remarkably little interest in the relevant facts about crime rates, disease rates, welfare dependency, or educational deficiencies among immigrants from specific countries. Most debates about immigration policies are contests in rhetoric, with hard facts being ignored as if they didn’t exist.

Tragically, the massacre in Orlando seems unlikely to change that...

Florida Shooting - Day 2

Some random responses to the Florida nightclub shooting:

Despite the shooter proclaiming his allegiance to ISIS, and despite ISIS taking 'credit' for the attack, lunatic lawyers at the ACLU are blaming "the Christian right" for the shooting.

Chase Strangio, a staff ACLU attorney explicitly blamed “The Christian Right” and so-called “anti-LGBT” legislation for motivating Mateen’s actions. Islam, according to Strangio, was in no way to blame.

Eunice Hyon Min Rho, another lawyer for the ACLU, passed the blame onto conservatives and slandered Republican lawmakers who expressed sympathy for the innocent victims of the attack.

Speaking of the Christian right, here's what Chick-Fil-A, noted 'Christian right' company, did in response to the massacre.

Chick Fil A has made national news for it’s owners’ stance on gay marriage. Anytime they do something even remotely non-PC, their supposed slip up goes viral. Hash tags pop up all over the place.

So why is that what they have done in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting hasn’t received a single mention on the mainstream new outlets?

... the Orlando location at University and Rouse Road quietly fired up its grills on Sunday. The chain is notorious for not being open, ever, on a Sunday. Employees cooked up hundreds of their famous chicken sandwiches. They brewed dozens of gallons of sweet tea.

Then, instead of making a single dime, and without pomp and circumstance they crated the product of their labor to the One Blood donation center. The food and drinks were handed out, free of charge, to all the people who had lined up to donate blood.

So far, the only mentions of the incident have been from individuals on Facebook. They have posted photos thanking the restaurant for their thoughtfulness and generosity.

But, wait, those people were waiting to give blood to victims that were mostly gay people. Doesn’t Chick Fil A hate gays? That’s what we keep being told.

Turns out, that while the founders definitely don’t approve of that choice of lifestyle, they believe in compassion. Who knew? A bunch of people claiming to be Christians care about others even when they don’t agree with them. This group took time out of their schedules to volunteer to help those who were also trying to do their part.

On top of that, the franchise’s location on Wells Road in Orange Park is even offering coupons for a free frosted lemonade to anyone who donates blood when the One Blood mobile unit is at there store on June 14th.

In times like these it's comforting to share a feel-good story about caring individuals and the company they work for...

I'll leave it as an exercise for you, the reader, to compare and contrast the ACLU and Chick-Fil-A.

As to the LGBT community's affiliation with 'the religion of peace,' well, let's just say I think they were a little off-base. Hopefully they are rethinking their position.

For those of you wondering how the shooter managed to wiggle out of getting investigated by the FBI, I offer this explanation.

I'll close with this comment, lifted from someone on Facebook.

"I stand behind you in line at the store with a smile on my face...and a gun under my shirt and you are none the wiser, yet you are safer for having me next to you. I won't shoot you. My gun won't pull it's own trigger. It is securely holstered with the trigger covered. It can't just go off. However, rest assured that if a lunatic walks into the grocery store and pulls out a rifle, I will draw my pistol and protect myself and my family and therefore protect you and your family. I may get shot before I can pull the trigger...but, I won't die in a helpless blubbering heap on the floor begging for my life or my child's life. No, if I die it will be in a pile of spent shell casings. I won't be that victim. I choose not to be. As for you, I don't ask you to carry a gun. If you are not comfortable, then please don't. But I would like to keep my right to choose to not be a helpless victim. There is evil in the world and if evil has a gun, I want one too..." - law abiding gun owner (emphasis added)

Amen, brother!

Here We Go Again

Initial thoughts on the Florida nightclub shooting:

It's getting to be an old story. Some lunatic freaks out and shoots a bunch of people. Jerks on the left gloss over the tragic loss of life and the pain of the victims' loved ones, and instead rush to score political points while the bodies are still warm, trotting out the same old storylines.

Within hours, the Orlando mass shooting at a LGBT nightclub set off renewed political debates -- with Democrats calling for gun control and Republicans blasting "radical Islamic terrorism."

I might listen to the left's arguments for more restrictive gun laws with more of an open mind if they had the tiniest clue about the subject. For example:

"We should not be selling automatic weapons which are designed to kill people," (presidential candidate Bernie) Sanders said.

"...remember that these domestic terrorists also buy automatic weapons..." (former South Dakota senator Larry) Pressler said in a statement.

As I understand it, the shooter used an AR-15, which is not an automatic weapon. Of course, accuracy and facts are not allowed to get in the way of the all-important narrative.

Undoubtedly, the left will use this to argue that law-abiding citizens should be disarmed, as if we're the problem.

In a sadly ironic twist of fate, the incident pitted two of the left's protected groups against each other. The shooter was a muslim, and the majority of the victims were gay. So of course we must blame the gun - an inantimate lump of metal and plastic - rather than the person.

As for the republicans "blasting radical Islamic terrorism," well, judge for yourself.

Car bombs in Iraq kill more than the Florida nightclub shooting, and we collectively yawn. No one is calling for more restrictive car control laws.

Oh, yeah - islamic terrorists also killed a poor soul in a particulary horrific manner, but we don't hear an outcry about that.

Local officials in Ghor province said one of (the victim's) distant relatives was suspected of killing a former Taliban commander... militants dragged Ahmad from his house and cut out his eyes in retaliation.

Ahmad was still alive and screaming when the attackers began carving the skin off his chest, leaving his heart exposed. Then they threw the 21-year old laborer off a 10-story cliff, officials said.

“They skinned him alive,” said Ruqiya Naeel, a member of parliament from the area.

Islam also prescribes death for homosexuals, but somehow that little tidbit is conveniently overlooked by liberals.

The inspiration for Muslims to brutalize and mass murder gay people does not come from ISIS. It is deeply rooted in Islamic law, affirmed by many of Islam’s most renowned scholars.

"Those involved in the act should be punished. In fact, sodomites should be killed in the worst manner possible."

Meanwhile, it turns out that the FBI investigated the shooter on at least two seperate occassions for links to radical islam, but cleared him both times. It couldn't be that they were fearful of offending a protected species, or even - God forbid - being accused of profiling.

One last thought: I've noticed my wife and kids texting back and forth when making plans, coordinating events, and dealing with problems, when a real-time conversation would be much more efficient in resolving those issues. What is particulary ironic is that they do so using their cell phones  - using that device as a texting platform rather than a phone.

Which brings me to this.

A woman who was outside the club early Sunday was trying to contact her 30-year-old son, Eddie, who texted her when the shooting happened and asked her to call police.

No disrespect to Eddie. I truly hope he escaped unscathed. But why on earth would you text your mother and ask her to call the police, instead of calling 911 yourself?

Again, no criticism implied. Just observing how the younger generation sees cell phones not as phones, but rather as a means to communicate impersonally.

My final point:

Sunday Funnies 2016.06.12

While most of us are wondering how on Earth we ended up with a choice between Trump or hillary for our next president, one group is truly thankful that it's come to this - late night comedians.

“A new government report reveals that Hillary Clinton ignored the State Department rules about cybersecurity. The report states that Hillary’s recklessness, arrogance, and defiance could get her the Republican presidential nomination.” – Conan O’Brien

“Even when you do give Hillary Clinton a clear ‘no’, what she hears is, ‘Try again in eight years.'” – Stephen Colbert

“Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus blasted Hillary Clinton on Twitter for using ‘bad judgment’. Priebus said, ‘I haven’t seen judgment this bad since my parents named me Reince Priebus.'” – Conan O’Brien

“Trump criticized Hillary Clinton over the weekend, claiming that her views are ‘just words’ read off a teleprompter. But Hillary denied it, saying, ‘I’ve had these speeches memorized since I was six.'” – Jimmy Fallon

“A recent survey found that Donald Trump is polling very badly among Asian-Americans. After hearing this, Trump said, ‘That’s odd, I haven’t even gotten around to insulting them yet. I got great material on them.'” – Conan O’Brien

“Troubling news for Hillary Clinton. The FBI says as part of its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails, it may call her in to speak to them. No word yet on how much Hillary’s planning to charge. Could be as much as three grand, $300,000.” – Conan O’Brien

“A new poll shows that almost half of registered voters say they would consider a third-party candidate as an alternative to Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. A third-party candidate is a little bit like a Tinder date. You think to yourself, what have I got to lose? Can’t be worse than my ex.” – Seth Meyers

“Hillary Clinton’s new campaign slogan is ‘Stronger Together’. Which replaces her old slogan, ‘Goddammit, It’s My Turn!'” – Conan O’Brien

obama, to no one's surprise, endorsed hillary. Also to no one's surprise, he did so with a false and misleading statement.

Of course, obama's endorsement won't have any impact on the FBI investigation into hillary's use of a private e-mail server... (wink, wink).

Speaking of female leaders of democratic nations, remember Margaret Thatcher and Gloda Meir?

And speaking of hillary's liberal supporters...

Finally, speaking for the rest of us...

Well, Shit

Apologies for the profanity. I don't use it very often (on this blog, at least), but the situation seems to call for it.

I mentioned earlier that a friend of mine was recently discovered to have a brain tumor. The tumor was discovered Tuesday. He was operated on yesterday. The news could not have been worse.

The cancer was a particularly malignant, fast growing one. The doctors removed approximately 80% of it, but the remainder is too intertwined with the brain to get at. It's in the portion of the brain that controls motor skills, so his ability to function normally post-op is uncertain.

But here's the kicker.

His prognosis - 14 days to 14 weeks to live.

Can you imagine? You go to the doctor because you're having a little trouble keeping your balance. You get an MRI. You find out you have a tumor, and immediate surgery is scheduled. When you come out of it, you're informed you have 2 to 14 weeks to live.

His wife, understandably, is devastated. They moved here recently after living all their lives in Houston. They were making plans for retirement at the end of this year. And now all their dreams are shattered.

It's not clear at this point what shape my buddy will be in for the short remainder of his life. The docs are talking chemo, but that seems like a long shot at best. Hopefully he will have a reasonable quality of life for however long he has left.

I'm still kind of numb from the news. At this point all I can say is hug your loved ones and tell them how much they mean to you - before it's too late.

And make sure your will, medical power of attorney, and other documents are up to date.

Pretty Pictures

Still dealing with a few issues, as mentioned yesterday. In the meantime, please enjoy these pretty pictures.

Wine cooler.

When It Rains, It Pours

I spent most of yesterday preparing for a hearing regarding a protest of our property tax appraisal. It went up 25% from 2015 to 2016. And I can guaran-damn-tee that (1) our home wasn't underappraised to begin with; and (2) its market value didn't jump by one-fourth over the past twelve months.

Anyway, while I was working on that I received the news that a good friend of our was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He goes in for surgery to remove it Friday, and from there immediately proceeds to chemo. He's a great guy, does everything right - exercises daily, eats well, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink to excess - all that good stuff. A classic example of bad things happening to good people.

At almost the same time I heard that another friend had a nervous breakdown of sorts, and yet another became embroiled in a legal situation not entirely of his making.

Bad news comes in threes, I guess.

Anyway, I have neither the time nor the inclination to spend much time on this blog right now, so I'll just throw up a few random images.

Hope your day is going better than mine...

And for my buddy with the tumor:

Wordless Wednesday - 2016.06.08

It's not yet official, but it sure looks inevitable. Either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States.

God help us...

Finally, here's one that puts the who-uses-what-restroom controversy in perspective.

Hillary And Ramadan

On June 5th, hillary posted this tweet.

The next day, this hit the news.

ISIS burn 19 Yazidi girls to death in iron cages after they refused to have sex with jihadists

ISIS jihadis have executed 19 Yazidi girls in Iraq by locking them in iron cages and then burning them to death in front of hundreds of people.

The victims were taken hostage by the terror group to be used as sex slaves, but were put to death in Mosul for refusing to have sex with the militants.

A witness told the agency: 'The 19 girls were burned to death, while hundreds of people were watching.

'Nobody could do anything to save them from the brutal punishment.'

It is estimated more than 3,000 Yazidi girls have been taken as sex slaves by ISIS after they took over northern Iraq.

Thousands of them remain trapped on Mount Sinjar and according to local and military sources, they have suffered mass killings, rape and kidnappings.

Great way to celebrate Ramadan, right?

That's not the only way those wild and crazy islamists party down.

ISIS execute 25 people by dissolving them in nitric acid

ISIS has executed 25 people in Mosul, northern Iraq, by lowering them in a vat of nitric acid, according to several local news reports.

The men had been accused of spying on ISIS on behalf of Iraqi government security forces.

According to witnesses, the 25 alleged 'spies' had been tied together with a rope and lowered in a large basin containing nitric acid until their organs dissolved.

ISIS ‘Crucifixions,’ Beheadings And Executions

A leading international rights group on Wednesday released a report documenting atrocities by Libya's Islamic State affiliate — including instances of "crucifixions" and shooting a man to death for "cursing God" — in the coastal city of Sirte, a stronghold of the militants.

Human Rights Watch recounts "scenes of horror" that followed the city's seizure by IS militants in February 2015, with beheadings of dozens of residents accused of being spies or sorcerers.

Men were flogged for acts such as smoking or listening to music, and fathers were ordered to "marry off their daughters" to the group's fighters as IS spread a wave of terror among the townspeople.

So hillary aligns herself with people that burn girls to death, drop people alive into vats of acid, and crucify, behead, and flog (among other atrocities) those who believe differently than they do.

Just a small taste of what we have to look forward to under a hillary presidency...

D-Day Doodle

Google has done some nice things technology-wise. However, IMO they are less than stellar when it comes to social issues.

Here's why Bing has become my default search engine, rather than Google.

Google Doodle Honors Leftist Who Praised Bin Laden, But Not D-Day Veterans…

So what Google is passively aggressively saying is they will not honor the people who saved the world from Hitler, but they will honor a woman who converted to Islam and praised Bin Laden as a freedom fighter, and who supported Mao and other revolutionary murderers.

These are screen shots of the Google search page taken, respectively, on 6 June 2016 and 19 May 2016. Note the lack of anything related to D-Day on June 6th, in contrast to the doodle honoring Yuri Kochiyama on May 19th.

So who is Yuri Kochiyama, you ask?

In a 2003 interview, she expressed admiration and support for Osama bin Laden, saying "...I consider Osama bin Laden as one of the people that I admire. To me, he is in the category of Malcolm X, Che Guevara, Patrice Lumumba, Fidel Castro.... I thank Islam for bin Laden..."

Today, Bing has put up a beautiful picture of Pointe du Hoc, site of the Normandy landings.

This is a poor reproduction of the high quality image Bing posted. I don't know how long it will stay up, but if you go to Bing you might be able to see it. Plus Bing has a cool Info link that takes you to sources which provide more insight.

Honoring the brave men who fought against a murderous despot in 1944, or honoring someone who praises the architect of an unconscionable act of terrorism? That's a pretty easy choice for me.

If you're so inclined, you can go here to leave a comment on Google's Facebook page regarding their misplaced priorities.

The Longest Day

Most of you won't need this reminder, but just in case there are a few recent graduates of our public school system reading this, here's why June 6th is such an important day.

June 6, 1944, is the day when more than 160,000 Allied forces landed in Nazi-occupied France as part of the biggest air, land and sea invasion ever executed. It ended with heavy casualties – more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded in those first 24 hours – but D-Day is largely considered the successful beginning of the end of Hitler’s tyrannical regime.

And for you old-timers out there, here's an interesting bit of trivia.

Why It’s Called D-Day:

Do you actually know what D-Day stands for? Apparently it’s the most frequently asked question at the National World War II Museum, but the answer isn’t overly simple. Many experts have varying opinions, including that the D simply stood for “day,” a code used for any important military operation. Others have said it’s just alliteration, like “H-Hour,” when a military assault begins.

While the true meaning remains up for debate, we’ll go with what U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said about it through his executive assistant, Brig. Gen. Robert Schultz: “Be advised that any amphibious operation has a ‘departed date;’ therefore the shortened term ‘D-Day’ is used.” He said there were actually several other D-Days during the war – Normandy was just the biggest and most well-known.

Regardless of the actual meaning, let's keep in mind this quote from General George S. Patton.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

Here's something that will put a face on one of the D-Day casualties.

Over seven decades ago a 16-year old young man from McAndrews, Ky lost his life on the beach of Normandy while serving for the 6th Naval Beach Battalion as a medic. Virgil Mounts was by all accounts a hero; he became the youngest casualty of war on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Virgil had joined the military at the age of 15, by taking his brother’s driver’s license and using it as a form of identification.

Enlisted at 15. Died at 16. I'll bet he didn't even have to shave yet on 6 June 1944.

Recounting, the events of that dreadful day in 1944. Frank Walden, Mounts fellow medic, told The San Diego Union-Tribune in an interview in 2012, he and Mounts saw a shell explode near two Army personnel who were carrying a stretcher. When they went to treat the injured, another shell exploded, shrapnel tearing though Mounts’ body and hitting Walden, Mounts was killed instantly, Walden was hit in the arm, collarbone, back and leg.

God Bless Virgil Mounts and all the rest of those brave men.

ETA: Here's the press clipping from 1944 announcing Virgil Mount's death. It's the letter from his platoon leader to his parents. Sadly, many similar letters have been written in the decades since.

Sunday Funnies 2016.06.05

I spent most of last week around a bunch of horses. They are among the dumbest animals the Good Lord ever created...

Q: What do you call an Amish guy with his hand in a horse’s mouth?
A: A mechanic

Q: What did the horse say when it fell?
A: "I've fallen and I can't giddyup!"

A pony goes to the doctor and tells him, “Doc, I think I’m dying. I have this terrible sore throat."

The doctor assures him, "It's okay—you’re just a little horse."

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Hey.”

The horse says, “Buddy—you read my mind!”

Did you hear about the man who was hospitalized with six plastic horses inside him?

The doctor described his condition as stable.

A talking horse walks into a bar and approaches the manager. “Excuse me, good sir,” the horse says, “are you hiring?”

The manager looks the horse up and down and says, “Sorry, pal. Why don’t you try the circus?”

The horse nickers. “Why would the circus need a bartender?”

Here's what led to this post. Like I said, I spent the early part of this week up in the Wyoming mountains. Part of the time I was riding horses that hadn't been ridden since last summer - nine months ago. That's an eternity to a horse. They forget all their good habits and pick up a bunch of bad ones. And they do not like being reminded of things like saddles, riders, etc.

So there we were, riding peacefully along a little creek. There were a few small clumps of brush scattered alongside its banks. We'd ridden past several with no problem. Then we approached another one, no different than all the rest. We got up next to it and all of a sudden the lead horse spooked at it.

Well, when one horse spooks, they all do. I was next in line. My horse jumped backwards and sideways. I could handle one or the other, but the combination was a little too much. I ended up leaning way forward and to the left. In fact, I was so far off center that my head was next to the horse's head. I looked like one of those Indians in the old Westerns, leaning off to one side of his mount and firing under the horse's neck.

Still, I could have recovered, except the damn horse decided he didn't like riding cheek to cheek with me. So he started spinning to his right. That put me on the outside of the spin, with centrifugal force urging me away from the horse. I was holding onto the mane with one hand, gripping the reins with the other, and contracting my right leg with all my might to haul me back into the saddle. I think I would have made it, too, except for two things

First, my hamstring cramped. I don't mean I felt a twinge, or it got a little sore. I mean a full blown major cramp so bad that it felt like someone was hammering on it with a baseball bat.

Second, the saddle started to slip. Not much - just a little - but enough to move me even farther to the left, and more off-balance.

At that point I accepted the inevitable, pulled my feet from the stirrups, pushed myself away from the horse, and executed a pretty damn good PLF.

No major damage - just a few minor scrapes and a hamstring that remains tight and sore today (three days later) but is getting better.

The good news is that the horse didn't run off, but hung around to gloat. That made catching him easier, which made it possible to ride back to the barn instead of walking in.

I've jumped, fallen, and been thrown from a horse more than once. That's bad enough. But it's even worse when the damn horse runs back to the barn and you have to walk in. Not that anyone would laugh at you when you finally get there...