I am sick of getting Inesechay Amspay. From henceforth it shall be immediately and permanently deleted. I realize it probably comes from bots, but all the same....
Ditto for tiny urls or questionable links from people I don't recognize.
Showing posts with label Irritating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irritating. Show all posts
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Thursday, March 04, 2010
For the Benefit of our Congressmen
I submit the following for their edification. Our congressmen should note that there is a particularly fascinating little clause in the second paragraph:
Well, okay, maybe Madam Pelosi and M. Reid need a translation, so here it is:
Clear enough?
NB:
The little ditty about "imposing Taxes on us without our Consent" is enlightening as well.
I have dreams of Democrats taking the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution seriously.
I know, I know - I must be deluded. However, hope springs eternal....
Anyways, for the benefit of our Congressmen (and the ones with a (D) after their name, in particular), I present to you for your edification and enlightenment: the Declaration of Independence.
(How they ever managed to get through school without learning this stuff, I'll never know.)
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...I realize that this is pretty heady stuff, but I am reasonably confident that if Congress will avail themselves of a dictionary, they can ascertain what the Founding Fathers meant by that clause.
Well, okay, maybe Madam Pelosi and M. Reid need a translation, so here it is:
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RAM LEGISLATION DOWN OUR THROATS WHEN THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE AGAINST IT.
Clear enough?
NB:
The little ditty about "imposing Taxes on us without our Consent" is enlightening as well.
I have dreams of Democrats taking the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution seriously.
I know, I know - I must be deluded. However, hope springs eternal....
Anyways, for the benefit of our Congressmen (and the ones with a (D) after their name, in particular), I present to you for your edification and enlightenment: the Declaration of Independence.
(How they ever managed to get through school without learning this stuff, I'll never know.)
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Big House for the Big Mouth
Al Gore is such a scam artist, he should share a cell with Bernie Madoff, especially if "crap and trade" goes through.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Self-Righteous Hypocrisy
You know, I really don't believe it when people say, "Oh, I'd gladly pay extra (in taxes) if it meant no one would have to go without health coverage."
Baloney. What's stopping you NOW from walking across the street to your neighbor who doesn't have insurance and giving him $100 (or more, since you're feeling so generous) every month so he doesn't have to worry about medical bills?
Do you do that, NOW, without Uncle Sam's prodding?
Oh, you don't?? Why not? If you're so glad about paying extra for your neighbor, what are you waiting for? Nothing says that you can't do it on your own, without the government getting involved.
You see, my friends, the "I'd gladly pay extra in taxes if it meant that XXXX" line is nothing more than a hypocritical, self-righteous throwaway lie that some people like to spout because it makes them sound like they're taking the high road.
They're lying, because they can't be bothered to do it NOW, without government coercion.
And I'm calling them on it.
Baloney. What's stopping you NOW from walking across the street to your neighbor who doesn't have insurance and giving him $100 (or more, since you're feeling so generous) every month so he doesn't have to worry about medical bills?
Do you do that, NOW, without Uncle Sam's prodding?
Oh, you don't?? Why not? If you're so glad about paying extra for your neighbor, what are you waiting for? Nothing says that you can't do it on your own, without the government getting involved.
You see, my friends, the "I'd gladly pay extra in taxes if it meant that XXXX" line is nothing more than a hypocritical, self-righteous throwaway lie that some people like to spout because it makes them sound like they're taking the high road.
They're lying, because they can't be bothered to do it NOW, without government coercion.
And I'm calling them on it.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Stupid People
The other day I had the privilege of driving behind an inattentive driver. This gal was more interested in daubing gook all over her face than in operating her 2000+ pound machinery.
Ditzy chick.
Maybe you don't care a whole lot if you cause a crash because you couldn't be bothered to get up five minutes earlier so you could slather makeup all over your mug, but I sure care, especially if I'm driving behind you.
People like that honestly shouldn't be allowed to drive.
Ditzy chick.
Maybe you don't care a whole lot if you cause a crash because you couldn't be bothered to get up five minutes earlier so you could slather makeup all over your mug, but I sure care, especially if I'm driving behind you.
People like that honestly shouldn't be allowed to drive.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Illinois/Chicago Politics - Say No More
I'm not surprised. Frankly, it's about time!
Now if we could only get rid of all the crooks inhabiting the hallowed halls of our political institutions.
Now if we could only get rid of all the crooks inhabiting the hallowed halls of our political institutions.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Winter Driving Crash Course
Pay attention now, class. In this Winter Driving Crash Course, you will learn some basic physics that will help you avoid getting into crashes due to gross ignorance. Namely, you will learn Newton's Three Laws of Motion:
How will this help me to drive in snow, you say? Very simple. These three laws (particularly the first one) form the basis for the cardinal rule of winter driving:
This means:
1st Corollary:
2nd Corollary (for idiots - repeat 50 times, or however many times it takes to sink in):
- A physical body will remain at rest, or continue to move at a constant velocity, unless an external net force acts upon it.
- The net force on a body is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration.
- For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
How will this help me to drive in snow, you say? Very simple. These three laws (particularly the first one) form the basis for the cardinal rule of winter driving:
Any change in velocity must be done gradually.
This means:
- If you speed up, do it gradually.
- If you slow down, do it gradually.
- If you make a turn, do it gradually.
1st Corollary:
Driving in a straight line at constant speed means that you will continue going in a straight line at constant speed. You won't wind up in a ditch. That is for the idiots who think that the laws of physics are suspended for them because they happen to have 4-wheel drive.You are not safer because you're driving slowly. You're safer because you're driving in a straight line. In fact, driving slowly can pose just as much a hazard as the 4-wheel-drive idiots who don't know what they're doing. Driving slowly means (for instance) that you won't have enough momentum to make it up a hill - you'll start sliding backwards, and then you'll end up in a ditch.
2nd Corollary (for idiots - repeat 50 times, or however many times it takes to sink in):
Having 4-wheel drive does not make me invincible. The laws of physics still apply to me. I still have to make changes in velocity gradually. If not, I will wind up in a ditch, 4-wheel drive and all.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Stupid Laws
Somebody please explain to me why I should be required to pay unemployment insurance on myself. The idiocy of such an idea ranks right up there with other scams like mandatory insurance and social security.
Just another example of the government taking our money and flushing it down a big black hole. We'll never see it again.
Just another example of the government taking our money and flushing it down a big black hole. We'll never see it again.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Drives Me Nuts
...and, as my father would say, it's a short trip. The kids got toys for Christmas, and the packaging is insane. Instead of putting all the accessories in a separate plastic bag, the toys are packaged such that all the tiny little doodads and thingamabobs are positioned as if they were being played with. Of course, they can't stay in that position by themselves, so every conceivable doodad, door, hinged part, truck, bed, and whatever is tied down with wired that is twisted around half a million times, or held down with plastic little rubber-band type things. It takes forever (well, to an antsy kid it might as well be forever) to take the toy out of the package.
I'm sure it's part of a vast conspiracy to put all parents in the loony bin!
I'm sure it's part of a vast conspiracy to put all parents in the loony bin!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Pet Peeve
One of my pet peeves is when a salesman barges unannounced into my office. They don't knock - they just waltz right in and start trying to sell me something. They look utterly dumbfounded when I ask them if they had an appointment; you can tell that the thought never even crossed their mind that perhaps I have a schedule, and it surely doesn't include talking to unwanted strangers who are more interested in meeting their monthly quotas than in helping my business.
It also irritates me when they don't seem to get the hint and can't take "no" for an answer. It appears that in their journeys they never picked up on two basic facts:
1 - People don't like being on the receiving end of cold calling.
2 - Cold-calling is highly ineffective (due in large part to #1, no doubt).
Memo to salesmen:
Why don't you try relationship marketing, or read a book a instead? I bet you'd see better results.
It also irritates me when they don't seem to get the hint and can't take "no" for an answer. It appears that in their journeys they never picked up on two basic facts:
1 - People don't like being on the receiving end of cold calling.
2 - Cold-calling is highly ineffective (due in large part to #1, no doubt).
Memo to salesmen:
Why don't you try relationship marketing, or read a book a instead? I bet you'd see better results.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Aaargh!
I hate MS Word 2007. It looks weird, and enough of the old keystrokes don't work, so you can't readily navigate your way around. Simple tasks are now compounded, and take way longer than they need to.
Memo to Redmond: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Leave it to Microsoft to devolve.
ETA: Oh, and forget about trying to use previous versions of Word to read a document created with the new version.
Keep it up, Billy boy, you've doing a wonderful job of enlarging the ranks of those who despise your hegemony. Rest assured - like VHS, you've proven that one doesn't have to build a better mousetrap to have sheeples beat a path to door. Just convince them that they have no alternative, and they will be assimilated.
Memo to Redmond: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Leave it to Microsoft to devolve.
ETA: Oh, and forget about trying to use previous versions of Word to read a document created with the new version.
Keep it up, Billy boy, you've doing a wonderful job of enlarging the ranks of those who despise your hegemony. Rest assured - like VHS, you've proven that one doesn't have to build a better mousetrap to have sheeples beat a path to door. Just convince them that they have no alternative, and they will be assimilated.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
I Thought It was Supposed to Go Down
At least that's what they said after they caught that spammeister the other day.
Coulda fooled me:
That little red line doesn't appear to be on a downward trend. :(
Coulda fooled me:
That little red line doesn't appear to be on a downward trend. :(
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Empty Wagons and Noisy People
We were channel surfing the other night, and happened to catch a snippet of some Bill Maher program. I don’t know what the name of the program was, but it had three guest panelists. The first one was Lou Dobbs, whom I have at least heard of. I will admit that I am not all that familiar with the man or his general positions; however, he made a few good points. The second panelist, from the American Enterprise Institute, was unknown to me, but it sounded like she was the token conservative. So far, not too bad, considering it was Bill Maher’s show.
But Maher’s choice for third panelist must have been a joke, and a poor one at that. Either that, or it was Maher’s way of saying, “Don’t take my show seriously; we’re just here to have a good time.” And who was the third panelist? Why, it was none other than that world-renowned political genius, Ben Affleck. Yes, that’s right – and here all along we thought he was just another pretty Hollow-wood face. Evidently that actor shtick is nothing but a ruse; in reality, he is a highly-qualified expert not only on diplomacy but also domestic and foreign affairs. Really! I mean, why else would he be included on a panel with others who actually have a day job dealing with political and financial issues?
Give me a break.
As for Mr. Maher himself, the only thing that I could think about while watching the show was how unfunny he was. It was like watching a seventh-grader host the show, except the seventh-grader would be marginally funnier and considerably less scatological. Maher is a prime example of someone who has nothing to say and is unashamed to broadcast his ignorance to the entire world. Empty wagons make the most noise.
But Maher’s choice for third panelist must have been a joke, and a poor one at that. Either that, or it was Maher’s way of saying, “Don’t take my show seriously; we’re just here to have a good time.” And who was the third panelist? Why, it was none other than that world-renowned political genius, Ben Affleck. Yes, that’s right – and here all along we thought he was just another pretty Hollow-wood face. Evidently that actor shtick is nothing but a ruse; in reality, he is a highly-qualified expert not only on diplomacy but also domestic and foreign affairs. Really! I mean, why else would he be included on a panel with others who actually have a day job dealing with political and financial issues?
Give me a break.
As for Mr. Maher himself, the only thing that I could think about while watching the show was how unfunny he was. It was like watching a seventh-grader host the show, except the seventh-grader would be marginally funnier and considerably less scatological. Maher is a prime example of someone who has nothing to say and is unashamed to broadcast his ignorance to the entire world. Empty wagons make the most noise.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Well, Duh!
For the past few days I have "wireless-less" - that is to say, the wireless connection for my laptop had stopped working, and I had no clue why. I tried everything I could think of - repairing the wireless connection, resetting the cable modem, rebooting both the laptop and the desktop to which the router was connected - nothing worked. I was getting no signal at all. Then, last night as I lay pondering the situation, I had a brilliant flash of enlightenment: how about checking the wireless switch on the laptop? Now before you say "duh" too quickly, let me furnish a defense: I certaintly didn't turn the switch off knowingly, so it wasn't something that I forgot. It just somehow happened, and it didn't occur to me to make that first in my checklist.
My other "duh" moment happened about a week ago. I had some old soap scraps that I was planning on melting down and pouring into molds to make new soap. I grated the scraps into a Pyrex bowl and mixed them with some water and food coloring, then I put the bowl on the stovetop to heat. After all, the beakers and test tubes in chemistry were Pyrex, and I was pretty sure that a gas stove would not be as hot as a Bunsen burner. As it turns out, there is a difference between Pyrex for the lab, and Pyrex for the kitchen. Evidently, only the former is designed to withstand direct flame.
It wasn't too fun cleaning up the shards, but at least the soap wasn't too bad. Still kind of messy, though.
My other "duh" moment happened about a week ago. I had some old soap scraps that I was planning on melting down and pouring into molds to make new soap. I grated the scraps into a Pyrex bowl and mixed them with some water and food coloring, then I put the bowl on the stovetop to heat. After all, the beakers and test tubes in chemistry were Pyrex, and I was pretty sure that a gas stove would not be as hot as a Bunsen burner. As it turns out, there is a difference between Pyrex for the lab, and Pyrex for the kitchen. Evidently, only the former is designed to withstand direct flame.
It wasn't too fun cleaning up the shards, but at least the soap wasn't too bad. Still kind of messy, though.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Deliver Us from Anime
I hate Japanese animation.
I hate the oversized eyes, the stilted movement, the lame plots, and the sheer hokiness of it all. They just can’t hold a candle to the masterful animation of Disney (e.g., Snow White or Pinocchio), Warner Brothers (Bugs Bunny) or Hanna-Barbera (Tom and Jerry) in their heydays. WD, WB, and HB’s genius is also evident in their ability to take mundane, ordinary situations and turn them into truly funny comic shorts, not unlike Laurel and Hardy. Modern cartoons, on the other hand, overdose on speed in their frenetic attempt to compensate for a lousy story. (Many of the contemporary cartoons on Cartoon Network suffer from this shortcoming as well – among other things.)
I remember when Speed Racer came to America in the ‘70’s – I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like it now. But it’s got at least one thing going for it – it’s not as stupid or irritating as Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and lesser imitators of Japanese anime. (Plus, Speed Racer’s theme song is decidedly way more cool than anything these other guys could ever think of.)
This summer, my daughter was initiated into the cartoon world of Pokemon, unfortunately. Her cousin visited us for the summer, and he is an anime fan. He discovered which channel broadcast Pokemon, and then through him my daughter got hooked.
Since the cousin has gone home, I haven’t turned on Pokemon for her – I haven’t bothered to tell her when it’s on, and I’m hoping that it will fade from her memory, like a bad dream. So far, so good.
All I have to do now is get rid of the Yu-Gi-Oh! book that was in a garage-sale grab bag…
I hate the oversized eyes, the stilted movement, the lame plots, and the sheer hokiness of it all. They just can’t hold a candle to the masterful animation of Disney (e.g., Snow White or Pinocchio), Warner Brothers (Bugs Bunny) or Hanna-Barbera (Tom and Jerry) in their heydays. WD, WB, and HB’s genius is also evident in their ability to take mundane, ordinary situations and turn them into truly funny comic shorts, not unlike Laurel and Hardy. Modern cartoons, on the other hand, overdose on speed in their frenetic attempt to compensate for a lousy story. (Many of the contemporary cartoons on Cartoon Network suffer from this shortcoming as well – among other things.)
I remember when Speed Racer came to America in the ‘70’s – I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like it now. But it’s got at least one thing going for it – it’s not as stupid or irritating as Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and lesser imitators of Japanese anime. (Plus, Speed Racer’s theme song is decidedly way more cool than anything these other guys could ever think of.)
This summer, my daughter was initiated into the cartoon world of Pokemon, unfortunately. Her cousin visited us for the summer, and he is an anime fan. He discovered which channel broadcast Pokemon, and then through him my daughter got hooked.
Since the cousin has gone home, I haven’t turned on Pokemon for her – I haven’t bothered to tell her when it’s on, and I’m hoping that it will fade from her memory, like a bad dream. So far, so good.
All I have to do now is get rid of the Yu-Gi-Oh! book that was in a garage-sale grab bag…
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Bore Your Kids Day
Tomorrow is "Take Your Daughter/Son to Work" day. Yippee. I'd forgotten about it since I really don't pay attention to these things, but by happenstance today's WSJ was delivered to us, and I read one of the columnists' pieces on the subject. Of course, he had his own take on it (generally negative), but then he posed to his readers the question of whether or not the day is worthwhile.
My answer: It depends. Had there been such a thing when I was of junior/senior high age, it could have been interesting. My father worked for a major company (which no longer exists) which was part of the original Bell family, first in tool and die, but later he moved up to something more akin to an engineering position, doing time/efficiency studies and things of that sort. There was only one time that I recall going to visit his place of employment, and that was when they had some sort of family day on the weekend. I was able to look around and see where he worked and so on, but it really didn't give me any idea (at least, none that I can recall) of what he actually did, or what other types of positions were available within that industry, if not at that particular plant. So, I think that I could have benefited from a visit to his work during working hours and seeing what actually went on there.
Other children could also benefit from a day visit to dad's (or mom's) place of employment, if (no doubt you divined this sentence would be conditional :) it were an interesting or inspiring profession - doctor/nurse, engineer, lawyer, reporter, etc. But how many children would fall into that category? How many parents work at a job where they're bored out of their gourd? How inspiring would it be to spend a day at a place like that? It would provide little incentive to get an education, and the kid would probably come away thinking that being a beach bum sounds a lot better.
Granted, somebody has to do the boring jobs. But most parents have greater aspirations for their children than waitressing (which, I concede, wouldn't necessarily be boring, especially if a lot of alcohol gets served - but even if it gets exciting like that, it would hardly be stimulating or intellectually challenging) or custodial work. Many parents, particularly immigrant ones, break their backs at menial or tedious jobs in order to have enough money to provide a decent education for their offspring, thus giving them the opportunity to have a better life than their parents. I salute such parents; it saddens me when these same kids are clueless regarding their parents' sacrifice, and squander the opportunity.
Rather than have "take your kid to work" day, I would prefer to see the development of some sort of cooperative program between a local high school and the professionals in the community. Not necessarily some work-study type of thing, but more along the lines of a mentoring relationship, or an extracurricular special interest club - something that would allow teens to see how studying x, y, and z are useful (if not necessary) in the field of medicine, engineering, or whatever. I think that that would drive home the relationship between what is learned in the classroom, and what goes on in real life far better than the current crop of dumbed-down textbooks that try to cover everything but teach nothing. I know that I could have benefited from such a program, instead of spending a number of years knowing my interests but never being able to figure out how to utilize them in gainful employment.
My answer: It depends. Had there been such a thing when I was of junior/senior high age, it could have been interesting. My father worked for a major company (which no longer exists) which was part of the original Bell family, first in tool and die, but later he moved up to something more akin to an engineering position, doing time/efficiency studies and things of that sort. There was only one time that I recall going to visit his place of employment, and that was when they had some sort of family day on the weekend. I was able to look around and see where he worked and so on, but it really didn't give me any idea (at least, none that I can recall) of what he actually did, or what other types of positions were available within that industry, if not at that particular plant. So, I think that I could have benefited from a visit to his work during working hours and seeing what actually went on there.
Other children could also benefit from a day visit to dad's (or mom's) place of employment, if (no doubt you divined this sentence would be conditional :) it were an interesting or inspiring profession - doctor/nurse, engineer, lawyer, reporter, etc. But how many children would fall into that category? How many parents work at a job where they're bored out of their gourd? How inspiring would it be to spend a day at a place like that? It would provide little incentive to get an education, and the kid would probably come away thinking that being a beach bum sounds a lot better.
Granted, somebody has to do the boring jobs. But most parents have greater aspirations for their children than waitressing (which, I concede, wouldn't necessarily be boring, especially if a lot of alcohol gets served - but even if it gets exciting like that, it would hardly be stimulating or intellectually challenging) or custodial work. Many parents, particularly immigrant ones, break their backs at menial or tedious jobs in order to have enough money to provide a decent education for their offspring, thus giving them the opportunity to have a better life than their parents. I salute such parents; it saddens me when these same kids are clueless regarding their parents' sacrifice, and squander the opportunity.
Rather than have "take your kid to work" day, I would prefer to see the development of some sort of cooperative program between a local high school and the professionals in the community. Not necessarily some work-study type of thing, but more along the lines of a mentoring relationship, or an extracurricular special interest club - something that would allow teens to see how studying x, y, and z are useful (if not necessary) in the field of medicine, engineering, or whatever. I think that that would drive home the relationship between what is learned in the classroom, and what goes on in real life far better than the current crop of dumbed-down textbooks that try to cover everything but teach nothing. I know that I could have benefited from such a program, instead of spending a number of years knowing my interests but never being able to figure out how to utilize them in gainful employment.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Straining at gnats
I love libraries. I love browsing among the stacks, looking at all the books, picking those that catch my eye, and skimming through them to see if it's a book that I want to take home and read more thoroughly. (I also love browsing in bookstores, but I can't afford to take home all the books that interest me, and I doubt the clerks would take too kindly to me reading the book there and putting it back on the shelf, turning it into the literary equivalent of a "pre-driven" vehicle.) I could spent quite a bit of time in the library just hanging around and reading.
The only thing is that this is impossible to do when you're accompanied by a three-year-old, and I wind up spending the lion's share of my time hushing her and telling her to come back and stay by me. Recently, she strayed a bit far from me and ended up annoying a young man who was seated by the window, trying to study. He made some ungracious comment in a stage whisper, and was clearly put out.
It's obvious that he has never personally experienced the challenge of searching for books in the library while being accompanied by an active toddler. From his reaction, you'd think that I deliberately instructed my toddler to go and pester him, personally. I am well aware of the nature of a library and endeavor to reign in my child accordingly, and, I might add, her behavior is far quieter and more innocuous than that of the junior and senior high kids that populate the library. My toddler is not goofing around in the stacks, gossipping about the latest puppy-love crushes, or using a study carrel for a clandestine rendezvous. Cut me some slack.
And, a piece of advice for the uptight scholar: Next time, put on some looser underwear. You'll feel more comfortable, and you'll be less likely to be irritated by minor things.
The only thing is that this is impossible to do when you're accompanied by a three-year-old, and I wind up spending the lion's share of my time hushing her and telling her to come back and stay by me. Recently, she strayed a bit far from me and ended up annoying a young man who was seated by the window, trying to study. He made some ungracious comment in a stage whisper, and was clearly put out.
It's obvious that he has never personally experienced the challenge of searching for books in the library while being accompanied by an active toddler. From his reaction, you'd think that I deliberately instructed my toddler to go and pester him, personally. I am well aware of the nature of a library and endeavor to reign in my child accordingly, and, I might add, her behavior is far quieter and more innocuous than that of the junior and senior high kids that populate the library. My toddler is not goofing around in the stacks, gossipping about the latest puppy-love crushes, or using a study carrel for a clandestine rendezvous. Cut me some slack.
And, a piece of advice for the uptight scholar: Next time, put on some looser underwear. You'll feel more comfortable, and you'll be less likely to be irritated by minor things.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Shoehorn parking
Last week when I went to the office, I had to try and find a spot in the parking lot - being self-employed, I have some flexibility with regards to the hours I keep. For some reason, after 10 a.m. on Tuesdays the parking lot seems fuller than on other days at a similar time. On this particular day, I managed to find a spot second from the end; however, the car (a late-model BMW) in the third spot from the end was encroaching into the vacant spot by at least a tire-width. Two thoughts immediately came to mind: 1) The Beemer's lousy parking job was no doubt the reason why no one else had bothered to park there, and 2) You'd think that anyone who could afford a Beemer could certainly afford parking lessons. After a few seconds' deliberation, I decided to go for it. Sure, I might crowd the car in the first spot (a Volvo, if I remember correctly), but then again that driver had the end spot, so he had plenty of room. As for the Beemer - well, I left just enough room for him to squeeze in. I figured he'd probably be able to make it without a shoehorn, unless, of course, he happened to be a portly type. But I didn't really think that he had much to complain about - after all, he was the one who was responsible for the lousy parking job.
Well, when it was time to go home, I came out to my car, and found a nice little note from one of the drivers (at least, I assume it was one of the drivers) on my windshield, castigating me for failure to provide ample access to his car. (I have no idea whether or not it was the Beemer, but I have my suspicions.) The writer of the note (apparently in an attempt to induce guilt) saw fit to mention that he was on crutches. Now, I know that it's no fun being on crutches, and it is not my intention to disparage anyone in whatever affliction they may find themselves. However, there were a few questions running through my mind, at this point:
1) Was it indeed the driver who was the party on crutches? It seems to me that it's illegal (in my state, at any rate) to operate a motor vehicle if you're on crutches.
2) Was it a passenger in one of the cars? Why on earth didn't the driver drop him off and pick him up at the doors, then, for cryin' out loud?
3) Assuming the crutches were the result of a temporary condition, why didn't the driver (or whoever) secure a doctor's note, enabling him to get a temporary handicapped card? It shouldn't be that hard to get, and then he could park in a handicapped spot and have all the berth he desires.
4) If the crutches were not the result of a temporary condition (e.g. polio), then he certainly would have qualified for handicapped plates.
(For the record, I don't recall seeing any such handicapped plate/card.)
So now, there is some guy out there who's no doubt convinced that I am an inconsiderate whatever. I guess there are some people who are convinced that others are to blame for their difficulties. But you'd think a halfway decent driver would know to check his mirrors every once in a while. Maybe if this guy did that, he'd be able to see someone who is at least partially to blame for his trials and tribulations.
Well, when it was time to go home, I came out to my car, and found a nice little note from one of the drivers (at least, I assume it was one of the drivers) on my windshield, castigating me for failure to provide ample access to his car. (I have no idea whether or not it was the Beemer, but I have my suspicions.) The writer of the note (apparently in an attempt to induce guilt) saw fit to mention that he was on crutches. Now, I know that it's no fun being on crutches, and it is not my intention to disparage anyone in whatever affliction they may find themselves. However, there were a few questions running through my mind, at this point:
1) Was it indeed the driver who was the party on crutches? It seems to me that it's illegal (in my state, at any rate) to operate a motor vehicle if you're on crutches.
2) Was it a passenger in one of the cars? Why on earth didn't the driver drop him off and pick him up at the doors, then, for cryin' out loud?
3) Assuming the crutches were the result of a temporary condition, why didn't the driver (or whoever) secure a doctor's note, enabling him to get a temporary handicapped card? It shouldn't be that hard to get, and then he could park in a handicapped spot and have all the berth he desires.
4) If the crutches were not the result of a temporary condition (e.g. polio), then he certainly would have qualified for handicapped plates.
(For the record, I don't recall seeing any such handicapped plate/card.)
So now, there is some guy out there who's no doubt convinced that I am an inconsiderate whatever. I guess there are some people who are convinced that others are to blame for their difficulties. But you'd think a halfway decent driver would know to check his mirrors every once in a while. Maybe if this guy did that, he'd be able to see someone who is at least partially to blame for his trials and tribulations.
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