first?

JA-thanks for the reminder to read Littwin.

Not sure I can stomach the debate. Mr. F. and I spent the last third of the Dem debate debating each other.

Can I just note that there are maybe 300 journalists covering this event from the filing center. We're all watching it on TV. We could be home!!!

But they are excellent TVs.

The only reason to be here is to go to the Spin Room next door, afterward.

Can we just hold a VOTE, for crying out loud??

The unidentified change of voice confused me - and I'm easily confused - but more to the point, uninterested in blather that speaks to crawling up the possibility chain. On-liners already know the positions, it's only the rhetoric that counts in these "debates."

Unfortunately, I know all too well what Jim Gilmore looks like. He's the guy who ran for governor on the "no car tax" platform.

Right up there with "cola in the water fountains" if you ask me. Except cola in the water fountains doesn't nearly bankrupt a state, does it?

Oh and to remain on the Standards of Learning topic from the old boodle (how old? only a couple of hours, really), Gilmore's the guy who imposed them on us!

Can you tell? I HATE JIM GILMORE!

These guest bloggers are much better at it when Joel points to his keyboard and says, "Write something!" than other people are. Ahem.

Huckabee didn't rule out that the world was created in 6 days, just 6,000 years ago.

From my perspective, TBG, the only effective resistance to a candidate is indifference.

I counted 5 lightning strikes on the hall as Giuliani tried to answer the question on abortion.

Debate shmebate. I'd rather see an *insert party name* here pillow fight.

http://ny.beam.tv/beamreels/reel_player.php?QYcMbRHWmV

I'm pulling for you Joel, but it is a loser assignment. The bloggers are ahead on this one.

Back on line! Himself came to the inescapable conclusion, some time last Thursday evening, that the Yoki household, while having a full five computers for four humans (my theory is the Bobo sneaks onto the third desktop late at night to use microphone and webcam in ways I don't want to know about) and a fully functioning network, needed a wireless network. And so, off line we went while the new router/booster/laser beam/whatever was brought on. Or at least that was the hypothesis. Did you know you can have a wireless network, or encryption, but a secure wireless home network not so much? All fixed now, and Himself is getting kudos from all his womenfolk; the girls can haul out their laptops wherever they may be (usually as close to the source of the next meal as possible), and *I* can pull all the cables that currently snake down heating vents, out acoustic ceiling tiles, wander across vast expanses of flooring and trip up the vacuum cleaner. Have I mentioned I'm technology-addicted but still house proud?

Hear hear, TBG!

Absence is telling, unless Curmudgeon calls in the troops.

Yoki, Yoki, Yoki!!! Yoki!

I admit it, I'm watching. What's with the short, light podiums? It looks like they've all thrown a suit jacket over chinos.

Um, since we've just lost Farsi linguists because of Don't Ask Don't Tell, how can they all agree that the policy isn't hurting us?

Hah, Joel, did you know that we now have a "creation science museum" right here in southern Alberta? Next time you want to do a long article on fossils, you can visit our fine real paleontology museum in Drumheller, and then hike over the bald prairie to see what is on offer here:

http://www.bvcsm.com/

dbG! You are a good friend, and once I am in the office tomorrow you shall hear from me. I apologize for the black-out.

The Spin Room is entertainment at it's finest.

Infotainmentk LIT, in the standard of newspeak.

No worries, Yoki! The trail of breadcrumbs you left kept us going. Another week, however, and we were going to send dmd to roll down and check things out.

I missed the "don't ask, don't tell" discussion. Apparently none of them have a clue about what today's soldiers are like. The vast majority, including senior leadership, just don't think sexual orientation matters. The old "good order and discipline" arguement is dead, dead, dead.

That would imply there's information to be gleaned.

The only salvage is desperation. Dry.

Is the national feed as glitchy as the one here in the media filing center? We keep losing sound. But then it doesn't really matter -- we know what they're saying.

Does Tancredo's voice rise higher and higher as he gives an answer or is that my imagination?

It's not your imagination Joel. The sound is just fine here in the frozen north.

frostbitten, I find that (your 8:23) incredibly heartening. Now if just the politicians would have the tiniest bit of courage...

OK, I gave it my best shot, Watched maybe, oh, 40 minutes, though I did surf over to Jon Stewart a time or two. Just couldn't handle it any more. If I hear one more of those SOBs bring God into the debate one more time I'm gonna go all Weingarten on 'em. Saw the lightning strikes on Giuliani; thought God had better aim than that.

Although in a perverse sort of way, I liked what I saw: people digging themselves deeper and deeper into the hole. The more these guys squabble to show their Conserv. street cred, the more votes they're loosing among everybody else. All of 'em except McCain want English as the official language (McCain is worried about his Navaho constituents; the rest seem perfectly happy to lose massive amounts of Hispanic votes, which is fine by me).

Off to the spin room...[putting on helmet]

Good luck and godspeed, John Glenn! I mean, Joel Achenbach!

The guys at redstateupdate.com have some words about the candidate who wasn't at tonight's debate.

http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/comedy/2007/06/05/redstatejackie/index.html

(may not be suitable for work, family hour etc.)

The guys at redstateupdate.com have some words about the candidate who wasn't at tonight's debate.

http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/comedy/2007/06/05/redstatejackie/index.html

(may not be suitable for work, family hour etc.)

Mudge, I decided to flip the channel off Jon Stewart tonight after Jon made two gay jokes I thought were in poor taste, and decided I was not in the mood for sexualized humor.

I mean, okay he wants to make fun of Hillary Clinton saying gays have served in the military from the start. Does he have to make it obscene? Jeez, I had old folks in the room, I didn't know where to put my face.

Time to renew Salon again!

Thanks, frosti, that was hysterical. "Did you know Fred Thompson likes smokin', drinkin' and sl@ttin' it up. But there are also some bad things about Fred Thompson. . ."

"Did you know Fred Thompson is a lawyer, a lobbyist and a actor? He's got John Edwards beat by two evil things, two."

Here's their take on Obama and Romney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4egsqit9Az8

The California spay and neuter bill on an supporter's blog:
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/06/we_need_to_requ.html

I found the comments to be most informative.

Missed that part of Jon Stewart, Wilbrod. But you'd have been even more disgusted if you saw the Repubs bail out on gays in the military.

Mudge, that's why I didn't watch the debates. I briefed myself on the bios on Brownback and Huckbee and a few others, and figured I'd be watching the bottom of the barrel ooze forth oppression and inequality.

When is this election? November 2008? Sure is a lot of crap for something so far away!!!

I'm not going to vote for any of them anyway, so why watch? Is it so bad it's humorous?

I can't believe this!!

I missed the whole thing. A friend called and we got carried away with a discussion of the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the ADA, you name it. I hadn't thought about any of that since grad school. I can't believe I still remember all that nonsense, and still manage to cram all the education stuff in there, too.

I HATE Mr. Gilmore, too. Did I mention we just finished our testing at our school today? The students look like zombies, the administrators look like zombies, and the teachers are all walking around saying, "It's ok, don't worry, we all did fine." Or not. We'll find out soon enough.

That's kinda what I was hoping, LTL--but it was just so bad it was pathetic.

Re: TBG's 7:40 re: hating Gilmore.

I hate Tommy Thompson, former Health and Human Services Secretary, for the failures and lack of foresight within his (now defunct) smallpox inoculation plan. His unpreparedness for this former role of his within the Bush administration ought to eject him from presidential consideration--permanently.

Mudge, laughing Arizona natives are NavaHos, while your average good-guy Arizona Big Res guy is a NavaJoe.

I saw the last part of the debate. It did have me laughing, then sputtering. Let's see - half of them, starting with McCain, stood up to answer - not sure why. McCain, after listening to Tancredo on "English is the glue" said "Muchas Gracias". I like Ron Paul - he and Kucinich would make a great team, I think. They're all referring to Dem health care plans as socialized medicine, so that'll kill health care reform again. Someone referred to Bush as a liberal (?), and they say the Republican congress went wrong because they turned into Democrats. Yikes.

y'all know? my last few posts have been so negative. I'm sorry. I'm a bit stressed. I have a second interview for the dream job tomorrow and I haven't slept well in a long time. I'm gonna go give that sleep one more try. Good night.

Good luck a bea c

From the NYT blogger at the debate:
8:54 p.m. Mr. McCain seems especially relaxed tonight. On a question about Hispanics, he opened with, "Muchas gracias governor," and turned to Mr. Romney. And he went on to advise people that when they are in Washington -- no, he wasn't trashing Washington here -- he told them to visit the Vietnam Memorial, where they would see a lot of Hispanic names.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/stories/MYSA060507.1P.valenzuela.231536e.html

Retired Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela is focused on a book, a life's work really, about his career, the achievements and contributions of Hispanic soldiers and the Army's successes and failures in regard to them.

It's written for the soldiers, their families, the leadership and the government, he says.

And he thinks "No Greater Love: The Life and Times of Hispanic Soldiers," expected to be in print by year's end, can only help the Hispanic soldier better understand the Army and help the Army better understand this important, long-unrecognized segment of its population.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA060107.01A.hispanic_veterans_museum.3632bdb.html

They have been left out of documentaries, history books and movies, but if a grass-roots proposal gets off the ground, Latino veterans would be immortalized in San Antonio.

Today, a committee of Hispanic veterans and others is set to announce plans for a proposed 21,500-square-foot facility that would highlight the accomplishments and contributions of Hispanics in the military.

If it becomes reality, the National Hispanic Military Heroes Museum would honor 42 Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients, Latino admirals and generals, Hispanic astronauts, fighter pilots, Latino veterans who are female and the "Aztec Eagles," pilots and support personnel from Mexico who were in World War II, also known as El Escuadrón 201 (Mexican Expeditionary Force 201st Fighter Squadron), among other exhibits. ...

The controversy surrounding Ken Burns' forthcoming PBS documentary on veterans of World War II, which initially made no mention of Latino veterans, brought the museum proposal to the forefront.

Good luck, a bea c! Hope you sleep well. I went to bed early last night, then couldn't get to sleep and tossed and turned all night.

Hey, I bet Roundup would work pretty well on those candidates..."weed" them out a bit, hehehe...

Sending good luck wishes to you a bea c.

I didn't watch the debate. After the obscenity ruling today and the gitmo one yesterday, I'm feeling good, no intention of ruining it by watching those guys. Tired, we transplanted some shrubs tonight so our builder can start work on the deck. Time to go to bed.

I am feeling for all of you south of the border right now, we have two elections coming where I live one a definite date in the fall one up in the air, yet even at it's height I don't believe the hype comes close to what is going on in the US right now almost 2 years out.

I chuckled at the CNN website today with a banner that read 2008 Election across the top - that's November 2008 correct?

OK. Survived spin room. Now off to the Radisson bar!!! Or Raddison. Whatever. Can't spell, can't think. I did talk to Ron Paul, Gilmore, Brownback and Duncan Hunter. Will post data in the morning. Then off to follow Romney around.

Oh, and one of the minor candidates (sorry, can't keep them straight, either Hunter or Tancredo) said that bilingual countries don't work very well. What would you say to that, my Canadian friends? And you know what a mess Switzerland is, and Belgium, gosh...

My family was stuck in the doctor's office watching the debate with the volume turned down too low. Their observations:

Son: It's too early to be running for president.
Son: There are so many people on stage it looks like a bad game show.
Wife: Mormons sure are tall.
Wife: Ron Paul's nose looks like Nixon's.
Wife: I'm scared I can recognize these candidates.
Son: I get to vote in the next election.
Wife: Just not in the primary.
Son: I guess I might register Democrat.

That is absolutely correct, mostly. Us poor bilingual types. We can hold a full general election in 24 hours, we stay neutral... A total disaster, country-wise.

No major complaints from me about living in a "bilingual" country.

Yoki, I believe us bilinguals stay neutral only because we can't remember which language to insult the other side in.

I joined Library Thing awhile ago but haven't posted much to it.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=yellojkt

I went and formed a Boodle group for anyone that wants to join.

http://www.librarything.com/groups/theboodle

The Boodle will eventually take over the interwebs.

Could not beleeeeve that comment!

I'd also note that Fidelity Canada has been doing well, no doubt due to the Canada/US friendship here.

There are Canadians who are terrified that the 'others' will contaminate their culture and precious bodily fluids.

I checked out librarything awhile ago, but didn't do much with it. Thanks for setting up a boodle group, yello (wonder who that will attract besides us boodlers!). Kane, will check out your site too - maybe you have a different take on things.

I also read about dailylit.com - they email parts of books to you, so you can read Moby Dick or War and Peace without lugging the book around. I tried it out with a short essay by Twain. It's kind of a neat idea, but I think I prefer to read an actual book. Because of copyright issues, they mostly have the classics - Austen, Dickens, Shakespeare, etc.

Today was a major landmark in my life. Cable TV for the first time, ever. The reason is cable internet access. When DSL isn't even reliable at 3am, it's time to change.

Yello, went to the site, maybe I am not savvy to navigating these sites but I struggled. Great idea. I think I joined the group but don't know whether I succeeded in doing anything else.

Ah, that was you, bill! I couldn't remember what I had registered as before, so I'm mostlylurking there too now. I added some books to my profile - are these books I actually own, or books I love? I must stop overanalyzing everything.

Mostly, I know the feeling as I get older; my motto is the classic Doors line:

"Learn to forget . . ."

This city is bilingual. Multi-lingual really, but primarily English and Spanish. English might be more frequently spoken at home, but I'm not sure. I guess I could add up all the numbers in these tables (or get the Census):

http://www.laalmanac.com/LA/la10b.htm

"According to Professor Vyacheslav Ivanov of UCLA, there are at least 224 identified languages in Los Angeles County. This does not include differing dialects. Professor Ivanov estimates that publications are locally produced in about 180 of these languages. Only 92 languages have been specifically identified among students of the Los Angeles Unified School District."

I like the "only 92". How many in a Canuckistani city? New York?

the left out deal is that this all sounds horribly expensive. hunter cashdollar

the left out deal is that this all sounds horribly expensive. hunter cashdollar

Watched some of the debate as a commercial break from "I, Robot," which I had not seen before. Will Smith won the whole thing.

None of these men seem to want to be the leader of the free world, or even of the USofA. They just want to win the debate.

That is not enough.

Who is that guy that smiled at the end of each of his serious responses?

Why don't they for heaven's sake put the names up ALL the time the person is speaking, if you tune in late, it could be Howdy Doody speaking.

And it probably is.

Good morning, friends. Is it morning already? I went to bed too, too, early, and now wide awake, and no one else is.

Nellie, love the comment, howdy doody.

Did not watch the debates, pretty sure I'll get the skinny on television this morning. Somehow it all seems like pandering.

One question, is the guy that comes on the computer when one pulls up the Achenblog a likness of Hal? You know the one that is like a commercial and talks about the server? This guy is sweating. I think it's cute, the commercial.

I see on the front page, the No Child Left Behind fiasco is being credited with improvement in test scores. Did not read the complete article so don't have those important details. Fear is probably the clincher there. Of course, I don't know if that applies to my area or not.

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ. Peace.

bill, there is a billable as a member of the Library Thing Boodle group so I think you are in. I'm not sure there are any rules about what books you include. I would say however you do it is fair game. Personally, I am only adding books that I have read since I joined, but that may change.

I listend to the whole American Life show that Tim linked to and know I am more depressed than ever. One thing that came out is how intellectually dishonest Sean Hannity is. Anyone that agrees to share a stage with him in a fair debate gets what they deserve.

LTL, as a university student I had a job at the provincial education department at that time 20 years ago Toronto had a program for heritage languages, the count as I recall was about 148 languages, not sure about other cities, but Toronto would be on part with NYC and LA, perhaps just a different mix.

*SIGH* Of COURSE a new Kit, with guest Kitters no less, shows up MOMENTS after I log off last night.

*backBoodling madly with a quick-but-happy-cuz-it's-Hump-Day Grover wave*

:-)

Heading out to the Radisson Bar at 10:17? Even if he managed to avoid one of those rowdy fights over the gold standard that typically break out when journalists get together, Joel still may have had a late night.

Please type quietly.

A late night in N.H. IS 10:17 p.m., RDP...

:-)

yello;

"Fair debate" and anyone from the Fox News Channel are incompatible at a quantum level.

:-)

S'nuke, 10:17 is late but if they were on a roll, they might have gone cow tipping.

Mornin' all...

I missed the "debate" last night so no insightful commentary (otherwise known as wisecracks) to add.

That being the case, I will immediately go off-topic...

I had the pleasure of hearing a speaker from Ireland (County Cork) at last night's AA meeting. Once I became accustomed to his heavy brogue and got past the "like-y-know" vocal tic that ended every single sentence, his story was quite powerful and much like my own. The irony that he hails from the country that is the source of my favorite poison (Irish whisky) was not lost on me.

Anyway, got a busy day lined up. I hired a part-time "helper hippie" to make the bigger jobs go faster (that makes me the "head hippie"). Unfortunately, he doesn't drive so I have to pick him up and deliver him to the job site along with the paint and ladders. Then I'm off to seal a driveway and at some point finish hanging the door I started yesterday (assuming the paint finally dried).

Busy is good.

Peace out, my friends...

(72)

martooni - that's interesting because a friend of mine, who is a recovering alcoholic, just returned from Ireland. He said it was like being Sir Gallahad at the Castle Anthrax.

Sneaks;

Cow Tipping?? In Manchester??? :-)

This is what happens when Joel goes and leaves his basement unguarded.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/retired_gen_george_washington

Can't make heads or tails of my google ads:

Ads by Google
2-Way Mirrors & Spy Cams
Professional Quality Security Equipment For Covert Surveillance
www.twowaymirrors.com

Fear No Man
Discover What The Martial Artists And The Army Don't Want You To Know
www.TopSecretTraining.com

Spy Equipment
Hi-Tech Spy Wear/Gear/Equip. Huge Selection & Great Prices. Buy Today
SpyCatcheronline.co.uk/Equipment

Yep, omni, Google's confused today, and the last one's Web address kinda scares me...

Family Volunteering
Helpful Information & Great Ideas for Family Service Opportunities.
www.MVParents.com

Income Opportunities
Work at Home - Easy Work Great Pay Earn up to $25-$75 per Hour
www.Retire411.com

Unforgettable Experience
Volunteer for 2 weeks in orphanage Go now! Get friends. Be proud of it
Cadip.org/WorkCamps_in_Bulgaria

Good morning.

And thank you everyone for the good wishes. I did sleep. Now I have to make it through the day without yelling at the students. That would be unfair.

Of course NCLB is improving tests. The number of teachers in trouble for "helping" their kids during testing has also increased. The stakes are high for teachers, too. Their livelihood is on the line. I don't want to imply that my colleagues are behaving in an unethical manner. However, when people are working on something meaningless, their feelings towards the job performance are often ambivalent.

I am thrilled to have a boodle group in Librarything. I found out about the website back in December and have been meaning to sign up and play around. Now I have a good incentive. Glad I could share something so cool.

Morning all. Happy 72 Martooni.

Joined the librarything group last night and think I too will only add books I've read since I joined. This puts me off to a shaky start since I don't have any non-professional reading lined up. Hope the pressure kicks my summer reading in gear.

Morning!

Congrats on 72 martooni.

Did y'all see that, of the Republican candidates only one, Ron Paul, ruled out a nuclear strike against Iran?

On librarything, I think I'd be embarrassed to admit what I read.

No fear Raysmom, you could always count on me to lower the bar for literary quality!

72! Fantastic. And somehow the words "head" and "hippie" just go together, don't they?

Morning all.

We had the first big thunder storm of the season last night. Most enjoyable. We crave rain, here in semi-arid country, so always enjoy the event. Especially as we live on a hill and don't much have to worry about flooding.

I'd probably just lay the literary bar on the ground, so no worries Raysmom...

:-)

I thought the literary bar was at 16th & K.

Survived Radisson bar. Should I add to this kit or start a new one? I think I'll add to this one. Oh, such decisions!!

Morning, all! *scraping paint and caulk from my fingertips as to facilitate typing* We've been out of school for nearly two weeks and hav played Slean Sweep in the kids' rooms, I've been to a refresher school bus driving class, and we've been working on the soon to be TV room renovation. The ceiling is beadboard and the room took a beating from water damage before we moved in: boards down, puddles of water, bats, fleas, mosquitoes, general pestilence. My Dad was fond of saying that caulk hides a multitude of sin. Such is the case here. I used four tubes of caulk to seal the gaps between the boards. My neck is still in the look up and locked position. Didn't watch the debates this week. Hockey (finally)and Kathy Griffin were far more entertaning. I did catch Carl Bernstein on Charlie Rose long enough to learn that it's at least a 50-50 that Gore will enter the race. Happy 72, martooni.

Good morming.

Remembering those who fought and those who fell on the beaches of Normandy.
Thanks to the generation who feared only fear itself.

In the past few days, the first retrospective--since 1974 in the U.S.--of Colombian artist Fernando Botero opened at the San Antonio Museum of Art. You may not recognize the artist's name, but you will once you see his more typical images--all his human and animal figures are thick and stout.

The news is that his Abu Ghraib images--some 50 plus, IIRC correctly, were completely left out of the San Antonio exhibit. Some rather graphic images of Colombian drug cartels are displayed in Alamo City show, but no Abu Ghraib. Not. No way. Especially in a city nicknamed "Military City, U.S.A."

Here's a photo of the artist with one of his Abu Ghraib images:

http://newsgrist.typepad.com/underbelly/images/15chan450_1.jpg

A review of Botero's Abu Ghraib exhibit in New York City. Scroll down to the date of November 15, 2006. Another of the images from Botero's Abu Ghraib series is included:

http://onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/art/index.html

Never a critics' darling, Botero been generally been regarded as a kind of high-end cartoonist. ... Danto is no less surprised than anyone Botero has crossed the threshold into genuinely moving art.

(However, others have criticized Botero for his stout or fat Abu Ghraib images, insisting that Iraqis be depicted as having lean body mass, or scrawny.)

Yoki
Your comment about flooding made me laugh. When I bought my house on this mountain, the insurance salesman asked me if I needed flood insurance. I had to laugh then too and I told him if the flood comes all the way up here, there won't be any insurance agency to collect from.

Given that Joel described immigration as a red-meat issue:

The former head of the largest Spanish or Spanish-language advertising agency in the United States--here in San Antonio, Lionel Sosa, has joined with a group of like-minded individuals to form a think tank to devise and promote a new immigration plan--no expensive fence, but calls for more investment in Mexcio:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA060607.1B.immig-MATT.3a42a37.html

A San Antonio think tank, Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, has launched a $2 million ad campaign to push its ideas on immigration reform. Its main theme is to encourage Mexicans to stay in -- or return to -- their home country to work. Some proposals include:

Expansion of a micro-loan program for capital-starved Mexican entrepreneurs.

Creating a 'nest egg' for Mexican workers in the United States that can only be collected upon their return home.

Empowering the San Antonio-based North American Development Bank to help Mexican businesses create more jobs.

Boko999 - thanks for the reminder that today is D-Day.

'morning all. Welcome back Yoki.
Right boko, 53 years ago the Allies had a big day at the beach even if the weather was lousy.
There is some crazy weather left in the system here too. The girls played soccer in driving rain at 8°C/46°F last night and this morning I was surprised to see the temp was just below the 4°C/39°F mark. And yet most women, that brave and/or crazy breed, were still wearing sandals and flip-flops for the early morning commute.
To be honest I didn't check the soccer game but went fishing in the nearby Gatineau river. I find kid's soccer so boring sometimes I surprise myself looking at a patch of grass that grows especially vigorously instead. Bass were biting hard but the season opens June 24, so I had to back off BTW.

LTL-LA, in the rather provincial and sedate Ottawa my BIL figured out that his downtown class of about 30 students can speak a total of 14 languages between themselves. I suspect it would be the same in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver. This is a country of immigration after all.

Joel... did you write this one?

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/audience_calls_candidates

Good morning, all.

martooni, way to go on getting to Dan Dierdorf, but Joe Greene will be even better.

I'm sorry I didn't get to watch the debate last night. But with those lightning strikes, it sounds like Somebody was watching.

Hey, does the Spin Room have padding and handles on the walls? How fast does it go before the floor drops out?

Joel, don't forget to buckle that chinstrap on the helmet. It only does good when it stays on your head.

bc

Loomis, thanks for the info on Botero. His image of Pablo Escobar amid a hail of bullets is nasty. I saw it at the Botero museum in Medellin three years ago. Then I saw the torture images in my hometown newspaper later. I agree. If the Escobar picture is posted, the torture ones should be, too. It is obviously not a matter of avoiding violent images.

It makes me sad. Botero has painted such beautiful images before, everything so round. I have a poster of a vase full of fat flowers in my classroom and look at it often.

I don't know if this ever made the news here in the States. He donated a sculpture of a really neat, very round bird for a park in Medellin. It was a dove, a symbol of peace. Around the same time, Botero's son, who was in the government, was being investigated for corruption. The issue involved drugs, guerrillas, weapons, paramilitary organizations, etc. On the day of an outdoor concert, an explosive device full of nails was planted at the base of the sculpture. The dove exploded and metal shot into people all around the park. The bomb was a request for Botero's son to get out of the government and turn himself in. I believe he's still in jail. Since then, Botero has stuck to really dark stuff.

The original bird is still there, next to a brand new one. It is a sad memorial and a commentary on the need for peace.

I'll post URLs of pictures later.

For Cassandra:

JULIAN OF NORWICH
(Sydney Carter)

(G) G - G C G / G - G C G

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

C G D - / G C D G

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shell be well again, I know.

Love, like the yellow daffodil, is coming through the snow.
Love, like the yellow daffodil, is Lord of all I know.

CHORUS

Ring for the yellow daffodil, the flower in the snow.
Ring for the yellow daffodil, and tell them what I know.

CHORUS

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

CHORUS

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

OK. Kit refurbished.

Looking through our county school system's website, I see that "more than 100 languages" are spoken by the kids in our schools.

All the necessary information on the site is provided in Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Owen Bennett-Jones on the BBC had a long interview with Tom Tancredo. The Rove thing came up at the very end. I guess they, Rove and TT, had a meeting and it turned into a shouting match, Then Rove said Tommy Tan ain't welcome no mo', at the Casa Blanca. But Tanc seemed to say it in a detached way, or as if it were a badge of honor. Obviously, the WorldService plays to a vast and diverse kind of audience, and Jones is The World's Anchor. But I don't know how he can go from that to pegging the anger meter in another venue.

The BBC gave a lot of early coverage to the Minuteman movement, and to illegal immigration, a bit before it showed on the political radar. Generally, they aren't that bright about America, I would say.

You might think the GOP would want to get rid of the immigration issue, and Red Meat Tommy, because it is such a long term loser.

Huckabee came off quite well on his early Meet the Press hour. (As opposed to Bill Richardson.) Hard-guy rich boys can't do the faith thing all that well. Huck can. A lot of these guys apparently won't sit with Russert. Romney would have a tough time on MTP, watching old quotes from his Massachusetts days on the screen. But once a guy is in press-avoidance mode, they stay that way through two terms. I'll give a nod to McCain who is generally willing to explain himself. And to Huckabee who did explain himself. These debates are just stupid. I'd rather see them do a Sunday show format with a decent journo.

"Sin is behovely, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" -St. Julian

At this link you can see Botero presenting the new Dove. The old one can be seen in the background.

http://www.tiemposdelmundo.com/galerias/El_gran_Botero.html?pic=3&pageSize=5

There are other pictures in the gallery, even a couple from Abu Graib.

Thanks for clearing up the Huckabee quote. The comment about the "descendants of a primate" simply amazes me. Even to a staunch Creationist this is a meaningless statement. What is he implying, Adam and Eve were marsupials?

Anyway, that being agnostic about the facts of natural history is somehow considered "forward looking" shows how shameful the Republican Party has become in matters of science. And I can't help but think that it taints all conservatives, and has driven more than one thoughtful person to the left.

Much more reliable info on Toronto Schools than my memory, from the school boards website.

Approximately 47% of TDSB students have English as their first language.

More than 80 languages are represented in our schools. Languages from all over the world, such as Urdu, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, and Cantonese, are spoken by students in the TDSB.

More than 80,000 (30%) of students were born outside of Canada in more than 175 different countries.

More than 27,000 (10%) of students have been in Canada for three years or less.

Yoki just saw pictures from your storm yesterday, hope you were not stuck in the traffic chaos.

JA, were you properly innoculated before you spoke to Ron Paul?

And Google doesn't think much of the refurbishment, apparently... :-)

Windows 2003 NAS Server
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Free Software Downloads
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Plus protection from other online threats. Spyware, hackers, worms.
www.Stop-Sign.com

omni... forgot to thank you for the shoutout yesterday about the 30-year anniversary of the Apple II.

How are you liking your mini? Apple just finally announced their special "buy a Mac for college and get a free iPod" so it seems we'll be heading over to Tysons soon for Son of G's Macbook Pro.

And he thinks HE's getting the "free" iPod. Ha!

What about MY Google ads? Weird...

Fear No Man
Discover What The Martial Artists And The Army Don't Want You To Know
www.TopSecretTraining.com

Taser C2 Citizen Taser
Taser Less-Lethal Personal Defense Taser C2 Dealers Wanted
www.wcpdefense.com

Medical question?
What to do if you're not feeling well.
www.righthealth.com

TBG - my google ads have me really, really, nervous.

Registry Repair Download
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Spyware Removal
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Which Spyware Remover?
Don't download any Spyware removers until you read this article.

Like the mini just fine. Have no problems with it. Totally love the Dashboard. Finally figured out how to "disable" the screensaver so I can watch DVDs without interuptions (they sometimes won't play on my regular DVD player, so I use the 'puter).

Huckabee said, "If anybody wants to believe that they are the descendants of a primate, they are certainly welcome to do it."

Heck, I am a primate! I just wear latex gloves when I chuck my poo.

Duck Mikey!!

Did the WAPO home page just get real big? or is that just me being awake all night?

Maybe we should all learn Esperanto.

Joel, you did line your helmet with tinfoil, right? It says a lot that the journalists are all watching the debate on TV, but really are looking for the candidate contact they get in the scrum.

It's easy being in a bilingual nation. We get to dislike Toronto equally in both official languages.

Yoki, I was thinking of you last night and hoping you were dry. Bravo on the wireless network.

tlhIngan

Yes, Klingon would work. As well as other mythical languages like elvish, newspeak, and whatever the heck Weingarten speaks. Just as long as one can say useful phrases like "My hovercraft is full of eels."

Howard County Public Schools claim to have 77 languages represented. There are limited translations available in Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese.

dr, I think hating Toronto is one of the foundations of Canada.

RD. I read, "My lovecraft is full of eels." Very scarey.

Doncha just love the internet?

http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hovercraft.htm

Particularly becuase that page really DOES have the Hungarian phrase, RDP... *L*

wIj ghaH teblu'ta' vo'

dr this is for you as part of the Luminato festival the Globe has asked various authors to write about the city. Todays addition is by Sask. native Guy Vanderhaeghe, describing his first visit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070605.wlum-vanderhaeghe0606/BNStory/luminato/home

Did anyone say Portugese?

Meu hovercraft está cheio das enguias.

Ack! BOOO! I got distracted and didn't hit 'submit' fast enough!

I just love German words:

Mein Luftkissenfahrzeug ist voller Aale

That's a great site, RD. I love the translation of "It's all Greek to me" in Greek...

Εἶναι γιὰ μένα κινέζικα (Íne gia ména kinézika) - it's Chinese to me
Εἶναι ἀλαμπουρνέζικα (Íne alabournézika) - it's Arabic to me

Raysmom - yes, aren't those compound German nouns fun? I once had a physics prof who spoke fluent Deutsch and took great delight in starting each lecture with the longest relevant German noun he could find.

It was sort of like the way Sesame Street used to claim that a particular episode was brought to you by the letter "C."

Mon hydroglisseur est plein d'anguilles.

Yoki, when I first read about the Creationist museum in AB I read the headline Cretinism Museum. Then I laughed at my dyslectic but appropriate connection.

SD, where did you get the French - Hungarian dictionary?

My delight at seeing one of my favourite sentences translated into French has been the high point of my day!

...and then reading upwards in the list of comments... oh, this *IS* a day!

RD, Sesame Street still relies on alphabetic sponsorship, even on their website.

Have any of you used the translator tool on dictionary.com? I have lots of fun with that.

a bea c,
Thanks for further info about Botero--I didn't know the stories your provided, and don't know if the Escobar image is part of our local museum retrospective. The San Antonio Library Foundation is organizing a carnival-themed community event focused on the purchase and installation of a monumental Botero bronze sculpture--a horse, what else?--for the San Antonio Central Library.

Sorry to say, more needless artwork (I have nothing against the artwork per se, see the reason below)-- this Botero acquisition coming on the heels of our local Library Foundation laying out big bucks for a humongous Dale Chihuly glass sculpture. Here's a picture:

http://www.chihuly.com/installations/public/Art/SanAntonioTowerB.html

The Foundation dollars are separate from the library and its funding, but there is a crying need for more equitable libraries across town, in our city where the lack of literacy--both child and adult--is so evident.

RD's site translate hovercraft with aéroglisseur. Hydroglisseurs are aéroglisseurs floating mostly over water. If the hovercraft is full of eels it is clear that some water was involved. I stand by my translation, you won't get your hovercraft full of eels hovering over land.

Loomis, funny story about Botero. His wife was from a prominent family. Zea was their last name. There are streets named in honor of family members around town. The city's art museum used to be known as the Museo de Zea. I think the family donated money for the building. When the couple divorced, Botero said he would not donate or sell any of his works to the museum until they changed the name. It soon became Museo de Antioquia (my state). Big fish in small ponds sometimes don't know what to do with all that power.

Like your revised Kit of late this morning, Joel. I still think McCain should read up on the one-armed John Wesley Powell, given his remarks about the Grand Canyon that he made several weeks ago in the last debate.

http://www.desertusa.com/magnov97/nov_pap/du_jwpowell.html

dmd, I'm laughing at that article. I was a Young Voyageur. I did go through Toronto to get to Ottawa, and then by bus to the school division that encompasses the National Capital region. They were our hosts.

The highlight of Toronto, the only part of Toronto was meeting John Deifenbaker in the airport. He saw our bright yellow YV bags, and poked the girl I was standing with and asked us where we were from. We were from his roots. I lived 10 minutes from Wakaw, the site of his first law practise, and his riding, Prince Albert was less than an hour north of us. It was very cool. Tall slight man, with big jowels and a remarkably nice smile.

I also remeber fondly toodling all around Ottawa, the Hill, getting hit on the butt by one of the guards at the Gov. Generals residence, a concert in the Laurentians, and then on their trip to our school division breaking into Fort Carleton with the bus driver and the rest of the kids. I have a checkered past and am probably one of the few people who can say they have taken over the fort and mean it.

And significantly on this anniversary of D-day, my memory of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and how it felt to be there still sends chills down my back.

Coming back to the discussion about education, sorta...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/06/05/graduation.decorum.ap/index.html

*shaking my head*

Scotty... that is HORRIBLE. If you can't cheer at someone's graduation then what is this world coming to? Do they really think it broke down decorum? And they expect the girls to find out who did it?

One of the sweetest things I've ever witnessed was at the graduation ceremony when my husband got his PhD.

When one grown woman's name was called to receive her PhD two young adult men seated alone in the crowd near us yelled out, "Way to go Mom!!!" with such pride it brought tears to my eyes.

From the headshake, I couldn't quite get the gist of your reaction s'nuke. I have found that high school graduations are futile exercises in totalitarian control and that pulling diplomas is a rather common punishment.

College graduations are examples of why that level of control is often seen as necessary. They are typically anything-goes affairs. My brother and his frat brothers teamed up to do a particularly vulgar version of the potato patch dance while walking across the stage. I'm sure he wouldn't do it today.

In many ways, high school graduations are the last chance for the administration to exercise some measure of petty control.

dr. I grew up in Ottawa and have never heard of Fort Carleton. Perhaps you are referring to HMCS Carleton on Dow's Lake which is , as its name suggests, is considered a ship, not a fort nor a boat nor even a hovercraft.

'Morning, Boodle. Just now checking in. This is moving day at our office--and as usual everything is all messed up. No packing labels yet to put on our shipping crates. I have every confidence that all my stuff will be shipped to Minot, North Dakota. Fortunately, I e-mailed myself some work to do at home, since we'll all be telecommuting tomorrow and Friday, and reporting to the new building on Monday (maybe--hah!).

Ivansmom, I'm wearing my red shirt for the BPH, and Scotty is wearing salmon-colored. Whether anybody else will show up I don't know.

I wonder if Anderson Cooper and Jeff Toobin and Ariana e-mailed to their offices, blogs and/or significant others something like this: "Hey, guess who else is here covering the debate? Joel Achenbach from the Washington Post! Yeah, the guy who wrote all those wacky "Why Things Are" books. Seems like a nice guy, though he needs a haircut."

Sorry dr. A different trip.
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/05/0529/052920/05292075_e.html
Nevermind.

And HMCS Carleton is the Naval Reserve base building at Dow's lake. Used to be a popular party place in my Navy days (as a civvy though). I wear my HMCS Ottawa pin as I type this drivel. This one's a ship, one of the 10 city class frigate.

Mudge, I plan to show up. Looking forward to the red shirt.

Good luck on the move, mudge. With typical government inefficiency, I'm sure you will be back up to speed in a month or two. Just make sure they get the internet firewall open first thing. We would miss you.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was built at the site of the National Cenotaph and consecrated on May 28 2000.
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/tomb&CFID=15184995&CFTOKEN=77602515

Yeah, high schools are cesspits because of power-mad officals like those.

By the way, did anybody notice the Danish word for "hovercraft" is 'luftpudefartøj'

Wait... HOW is that Weingartensque hovercraft powered, anyway?

Moving on... the chinese translation "It's like a heavenly script"...

That looks like a translation of the "devangari" (literally, heavenly/divine script) that Sanskrit is written in, and in which some of the earliest buddhist texts would have been in. And it's a really tough script too. I've tried to learn it. Nothing to do with the ten commandments.

Scottynuke, there's at least one place in Manchester open after 10:00 PM-- the Red Arrow Diner. http://www.redarrowdiner.com/

Joel probably spent a wild night cuddled up between two hefty truck drivers at the counter and deciding whether it would be safe to get people started on politics at all, in case more than tasty cream pies started flying.
...And trying to get an Adam Sandler sighting.

yello, the gummint doesn't have a monopoly on effing up moves. My last move in the private sector was a comedy of lost email, disappearing printer connections, and 20-minute wait times for the help desk. The job title Move Coordinator seems to draw the most incompetent, uncaring, non-phone-answering nincompoops on the planet. Present company excepted, of course.

yellojkt;

The headshake was the pettiness on both sides:

School: "We INSIST on an apology, even if no name is attached."

Families: "How can we apologize when we don't know WHO cheered?"

*shrug*

yello, I moved 3 times with the OTHER federal governement. First one, moving from 3rd floor to 6th, would have gone pretty smoothly without a toxic fume incident that kept us out for a couple of day (4 days week-end!) I already wrote about. The second one (7 floors down, one block away, 7 floors up) would have been ok too if the packers and movers had agreed on common coding for location. Hilarity ensued as it took about 3 weeks to get the boxes where they belong. Third one went without a hitch (2 floors up)except for me as I broke a toe on an errant piece of furniture. Next time, I stay behind.

Scotty, perhaps it goes something like this: "On behalf of all those attending this occasion celebrating the escape from your petty bureaucracy, I deeply and sincerely regret any activities that may have disturbed you or have caused you to feel that the event was anything but solemn and humorless. You may now unclench."

I'm not sure I get the school's motivation. I mean, if friends and family are being too much of a disturbance (whatever that means) they should be asked to leave. But to punish the kid just seems pointless and mean.

Raysmom;

I'm sure they'd appreciate that. ;-)

Regarding moving at work. A frequent change of location is a crucial part of any succesful career, be it in government or the private sector. That way nobody can find you to complain or ask you to do anything.

I worked at the Canadian National Defence Headquarters in the early 1970s when they moved from the temporary buildings erected it the 1940s (now the site of Ottawa's City Hall and courthouse) to the current building that had been built to house the Dept. of National Health and Welfare. NWH considered it inadequate so the government foisted it on the military.

Boko, and 35 years on DND is still pursuing the idea of a single Canadian Pentagon, as opposed to the current multiple locations. I was at the L.St-L over in Hull. Strategically, dispersion is good. And as RD said it's more difficult to find you and then get blame or work assigned to you.

Speaking of office locations, when Yoki and I visited Fearless Leader we were pleased (?) to discover that he does, indeed, sit beneath a staircase just like he described.

I leave the Boodle to attend the Boy's birthday party (roller skating) and get some work done, and you go through Two Kits! The inhumanity of it all. . .

"My hovercraft is full of eels" is a perfect sentence in any language. Last night a choir I sing with began learning a new, rather dark, somewhat odd anthem (the text starts with demons). One singer noted that this is what Klingon anthems would sound like, if they had any.

Enjoy that BPH, and y'all check out Mudge's red shirt for purple leanings. I bet he dyed a blue one just for the occasion.

I was running through "A" Building in the old NDHQ when I rounded a corner and bounced a diminutive officer off the wall. It was when he demanded what I thought I was doing that I noticed the scambled eggs on his cap and the four maple leaves on his shoulders. I had knocked over the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Jacques Dextraze.
When I explained I was meeting my girlfriend for lunch he laughed and waved me off. Apparently he had a soft spot for love besotted hippies.

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=General_Jacques_A._Dextraze

dr, glad you like the story and thanks for sharing your story, I had never heard of YV until today.

Y'all are right. The pettiness seems excessive even by high school administrator standards. Usually the conduct of the students is what is being controlled. To make them responsible for the crowd is way above and beyond.

The high school graduation speech I gave had to be cleared by the head guidance counselor. I had in there a line about students sometimes being stifled by needless bureaucracy. She let it pass but mentioned that I seemed determined to give them a scare. On the videotape of the speech you can see the administrators wake up and take notice as I delivered that line. I probably nearly gave them a coronary.

Joel, I don't think it's appropriate to talk about Ms. Clinton's waterline.

Or any torpedos in that vicinity...

For shame, sir.

On to office moves, one other trick I've learned is to not unpack all of your boxes.

This way people don't know if you're coming or going, thus adding uncertainty to your whereabouts at any point in time e.g. such as the back 9 at Rock Creek Park golf course, or the local sports bar during the first week of March Madness).

Also saves time later for when it *is* time to go.

I'm going to miss the BPH, so add my name to the Toast To All Who Aren't With Us Tonight.

I've been accused of being not all there even when I am there.

bc

Since I didn't watch the GOP debate last night, I am reading about it today. I found this column to be a very enjoyable way to learn about the debate. I was thinking that the Republicans could come up with something new. So far it seems to be pretty much the same as the first debate, except, of course, the lightning strike that occurred at that particular moment.
Ruth Beazer

Since I didn't watch the GOP debate last night, I am reading about it today. I found this column to be a very enjoyable way to learn about the debate. I was thinking that the Republicans could come up with something new. So far it seems to be pretty much the same as the first debate, except, of course, the lightning strike that occurred at that particular moment.
Ruth Beazer

While I cannot fathom the stifling of expressions of joy at graduations, I can offer a story.

My HS graduation was held at the Kennedy Center. One of my classmates, overcome with joy (and considerable surprise) after receiving his diploma on stage, tossed his mortarboard (on which he had hand-painted "Rush 2112" and the Starman logo, a very popular move in some quarters) into the air in a backhanded frisbee toss (amongst the students, at that very moment, several bets were being paid on his actually being awarded a diploma), which flew up, up, up...

And into a chandelier.
Glass came down (only a little, but this was Not a Good Thing).
Shouts.
Starman made a hasty exit from the theater.

This was not a popular move amongst other quarters, such as the school administrators.

It remains the stuff of legend.

bc

My students are working on some pictures with labels in Spanish right now, and we are discussing the graduation story. I love my students. The funny things they say.

"I would toilet paper and egg the principal's house, THEN apologize."

"I would photoshop my own diploma"

"Aren't graduations supposed to be fun? And how about free speech?"

"I'd tell the newspaper and make the principal look like an idiot."

phooie! debate! what i wanna know is who saw "Hell's Kitchen"!! or last weeks "so you think you can dance"!

please forgive me, cuz i'm so hopelessly boodle-behind that there's no hope for me catching up so i'm just gonna butt in here!

btw - the achenfaq is on the fritz - possibly lost... i'm trying to retrieve, but...

Front page alert, BTW...

(Under "PostGlobal & OnFaith" if you can believe it)

:-)

Hey mo, how ya doin'?

No FAQing way, mo!!! *gnashing of teeth and rending of garments*

:-O

Hi, mo!

I'm sorry I'm going to miss the BPH tonite, all.

Gotta run, I'll check in later.

Here's a big Jim Lange "Dating Game" kiss to everybody for the BPH tonite...

*kiss*

bc

Off to my interview. Oh, boy!!

MO!!! Nice to see you.

*wiping my ear off*

Ya gotta aim a little better, bc...

:-)

Boko,
Dextrase was way before my time. Between others, I served under the nitwit who couldn't decide if his name was Jean or John. The man managed, in his two years stint, to avoid visiting our building which was the second largest in the national capital area. His specialty was wielding to the demands of every politico in town so he stayed on the Ottawa side. The weasel apparently works for Boeing now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%C3%89douard_Jean_Boyle
General Baril was a Dextrase-like type. The small guy made a point of meeting every new employee within a year of their employment in NDHQ. The short&ugly guy was quite a different leader than the tall&handsome weasel.

Go get 'em a bea c.

Hi, mo! Long time no Boodle!

It may be unrelated but the tall&handsome weasel was a fighter pilote who has never seen combat. Like another tall&handsome incompetent weasel who reached a level of responsibilities that is way above his capabilities.

*sniff, sniff* - i missed you guys!! good luck a bea c!!!!!
doing good error!! new job is AWESOME but so busy that i haven't been able to boodle!! the more important question is how are YOU doing? (and not in the joey tribiani kinda way...)
hey snuke - put your clothes back on! i think i got the achenfaq back... (and warn me next time so i can put on my sunglasses!!! sheesh!)

Hi, Mo! Just FYI and on the QT, we have a CC of the FAQ over on the Wiki:

http://boodle.wetpaint.com/page/Achenblog+FAQ

SD | I was waiting outside NDHQ for a bus and spoke to some military types the day the whole Dept. was in an uproar searching for the 'missing documents' pertaining to the Somalia Affair. What a joke. Most of the officers shared your opinion of "Fearless Leader." My dad was outraged that he was an air arm officer.
BTW I was in the House of Commons gallery the night someone compared Defence Minister Paul Hellyer to a Nazi during the Unification debate. There was a roar in the House and a stampede out of the press gallery.
Damn the Torpedoes: My Fight to Unify Canada's Armed Forces by Paul Hellyer
Mr. Hellyer attended Westmoreland United Church in Toronto were I was baptised. Didn't take.

Mo, good to see you. I didn't watch Hells's Kitchen. I thought about it, and then somewhere between thinking and doing I fell asleep. Sleep happens whenever I sit down without some needlework in my hand.

Yes Boko, that is the Fort Carleton I broke into. The civic employees were on strike that summer. We played gopher like good prarie people and simply enlarged a dip under one of the fort doors. I was inside the fort, when the bus driver, being a middle aged portly sort of guy, got stuck under the door as he crawled through. I don't think to this day, I ever laughed so hard as when we had to dig that hole deeper to extricate him. To the end of his life, whenever I saw him back home, we would look at each other and laugh.

Of course I'm pretty sure Mudge, as old as he is, has many fort stories.

mo!!! Can't comment on Hell's Kitchen, but have followed So You Think You Can Dance. Sure brings out an *interesting* cross-section of humanity, doesn't it?

Now you've done it, dr...

Boko, Google "Hellyer" and "UFOs" to see what Hellyer has been up to recently.

SoC, I have seen some of the recent Hellyer stuff, bizarre!

I'll be outta here shortly, heading for the BPH...

We gotta keep the Achenflag flying, of course.

:-)

I'm leaving now, too. See ya over there in a few minutes, Scotty.

I'm sure Mudge does have some good stories.

Oh... you said fOrt stories. Um.. never mind.

Letters and Candidates

How about this says the Lord, a day with Me is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. I am not on the level of time as of man, but created something that has no effect on My glory. I am thinking about My people and know the things that concern you. I have good intentions for you and want to raise you up to your fullest potential and give you a President who holds on to My hand for wisdom. There are great things that are awaiting those who sit at My thrown and worship, I will raise you up to a noble position of authority. I no longer call you My servants, but I call you My friends. For if there is something that is not known to you ask of Me for I am the reveler of truth and justice, do not go looking for the living amongst the dead, for you are about to see death in the sea you will see death, but there will also be there a cloud of oil that you can take and use.

There is something that will take place as the nominee's gather to campaign, I will allow them to talk freely about the issues that are concerning you America and the war in Iraq, not only this but the nation of Africa and her pain. I tell you now that leading contenders will be in a serious dilemma and there lives will be changed forever for they will tell you that it was by the grace of God that all of them survived their misfortunes. There views on life will change and they will have a new respect for the life of the innocent, and the children who are homeless. Many Christian Conservatives will be stunned as they hear the events of these candidates' testimonies. But as you can now see the light that has pierced their hearts, you will know that Giuliani is now a mighty figure who will have soften his heart on abortion. He will talk about his faith in God and how God got him through the events of 9/11. Be ready to hear how he overcame one of the toughest battles of his life thanks to his faith and belief in God.

In November 2005, he (Hellyer) accused U.S. President George W. Bush of plotting an "Intergalactic War". The former deputy prime minister (and defence minister) told an audience at the University of Toronto: "The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning" and "The Bush Administration has finally agreed to let the military build a forward base on the moon, which will put them in a better position to keep track of the goings and comings of the visitors from space, and to shoot at them, if they so decide." -wiki

And why didn't the Honourable Paul Hellyer know anything about these events involving hundreds or maybe thousands of people involved in the long-running military-industrial conspiracy when he was Canada's Minister of Defence? Because, he said, it was "top secret", classified higher than his own level.- Skeptics Canada

Make you think eh? Lil Boko999, a lowly registry clerk had a security clearance higher than the deputy Prime Minister and defence minister. My, my, m, eh? Whazzat?
*TROMP TROMP TROMP*
Hey you guys can't just come in here like tha

Oh my. I'll call someone.

The NYT has a good rhubarb crumb cake recipe today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/dining/06appe.html?ref=dining

Update: Michael Griffin of NASA has apologized for his global warming remarks.

If Mudge is telling fort stories at BPH, I insist, I absolutely insist we get copies.

What did Mike Griffin say? Here's what I HOPE he wanted to say, anyway...

"I'm sorry that I'm stuck in this job which requires me to be a spineless scientist and a yes-man for the administration and bend over at will.
On the other hand it pays good and I doubt they'd hire me at the Arabian Horse Association if I left, and I know for a dead certain they plan to put the head of the Flat-Earth Society in if I leave...

So I gotta suck it up and say I'm sowwy, Wove and Bush-- I know it. I shouldn't have played it any other way than the offical playbook before I opened my mouth to contribute to air pollution."

At this point RON PAUL is the only republican that could win against whoever emerges from the democrats. RON PAUL is SLAM DUNKING in all of the polls I have seen. He has over 60% to Giuliani and McCain who are still in the single digets. And yet the main story I see is on how they (being called front runners) are holding their lead. WHAT LEAD??? ABC, MSNBC, CBS, and even NPR are all a bunch of liars. Where do they get their information? This is the largest bunch of BS I have seen from our FREE MEDIA ever. What the heck is going on here? RON PAUL LEADS at MSNBC for one ....(cut and paste in your browser)...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18963731

No more Republicans from Texas is my kneejerk response.

In the meanwhile, I like the sound of him, too. His voting record is good, he has sound principles, he's not knee-jerk partyline.

I'd say, if elected, he could be the Clinton of the Republicans, in the sense that he may well be able to deliver what the other side historically promises, better than they do.

I like anybody who defied Newt and Bush.

I don't know that his ideas on money and income taxes would work out well; but I'm for abolishing or overhauling the IRS; the GAO gave it a F for self-accountability-- and it's the organ that sucks in most of the government's funds!

That said, I don't see how the government couldn't go worse than broke.

Before 1913, we were pretty much a banana republic. Minimum wage laws had not yet been devised.

http://www.libertyamendment.org/

The question is, will we retain our technological advantage if NIH is "sold off?" because it;s commerical-like?

We've already landed in trouble contracting out lots of military stuff to Halliburton. The way this is written, this could jeopardize essential government operations by preventing research and development for the military, aerospace, and health enforcement, just because those activities could be considered "industrial".

So I would like to see more discussion on this point, since we have historically attracted top scientists since WWII with our own governmental science funding (militarily directed), and they in turn have contributed research key to our economy.

But at the same time I hate that taxpayer-paid research has "become the property" of private companies.

That said, I do believe that we are headed towards a form of totalarianism if Bush's policies are continued anymore. However, I'm not completely sure that we might not be at the mercy of the corporation totalarianism unless the income tax is directly offset by increased taxation of corporations.

Of course, I'd actually like an re-evaluation of the whole legal concept of the corporation while we're at it.

I hope he stays in and gets his voice heard. Ross Perot was very influential in 1992, and I think Ron Paul deserves to be heard this year.

Did someone spray some roundup on the boodle? Looks to be dead.

Maybe a little miracle grow would help,or a plant spike.

So while everyone is at the BPH, or on their way back home...

I GOT THE JOB!!!!!

*dancing around the room*
*grinning non-stop for three hours*

Thanks for all the good wishes. Now I have to learn to use a Mac.

Congrats, a bea c! In my experience, macs aren't that hard, just annoying.

They're all at the BPH (or putting us on).

Congratulations, a bea c! Jump up and down for me too! Macs are really easy. :-) When do you start?

a bea c congrats! Big Snoopy dances for you!

Re. Ron Paul, as a die-hard Libertarian I would have no problem voting for him. Some of his proposals are a little overboard and would be properly watered-down by the process, but his heart is in the right place.

That's an endorsement by Error Flynn.

Remember, vote for Error in '08. Or at least whoever he would vote for.

Yea congrats a bea c, I am sure all the BPHers are toasting you this very minute.

Why thank ya, thank ya very much Wilbrod.

I sometimes wonder what may have been had I taken up the NJ Libertarian party on their interest in me in '89.

Congratulations, a bea c! That is wonderful news. Don't worry about the Mac. TBG and her crew will be more than happy to answer any of your questions. I'm sure there are others as well. Me? I know what a Mac looks like. Not much help past that. ;-)

Way to go, a bea c! Congratulations.

a bea c, congratulations on your wonderful news - you have put a big smile on my face.

pj,

You could always dispense with the chic GUI and just go straight to a terminal window to fire up BSD Unix, as Odin willed it.

"grep" baby. :-)

I just wish I could get Windows attachments to display properly in Mail. Macs are far from perfect, but you'll be more willing to put up with the quirks because the rest is so good.

I'm soooo happy! I'm working at a place where they will pay me to learn new stuff and then share with others. What could be better? I start sometime this summer. I'll be boodling on a Mac when they let me borrow one.

I'm soooo happy! I'm working at a place where they will pay me to learn new stuff and then share with others. What could be better? I start sometime this summer. I'll be boodling on a Mac when they let me borrow one. And I do have to say, during my first interview, I used information I got from some of you to answer a question. I can't remember what it was exactly, but I do remember thinking I had to thank the Boodle for sharing their collective knowledge.

hey, that was weird...semi-double posting.

Congrats, a bea c! Way to go. Ditto what everybody said about the Mac--you'll love it.

Just in case, I've opened the bunker and have everything ready, just in case. It was beginning to look a little dicey there for a minute.

Only three of us at the BPH, Scotty and Raysmom and me. I like to think that although there weren't many there, what was there was choice (or "cherce" as we used to say). And no, I didn't tell and fort stories. (Which doesn't mean I'm not thinkin...)

Error,

If you have ever seen my taste in clothing, you will know that I dispensed with a chic GUI a long, long time ago. As far as firing up my BSD Unix goes, that's *way* to personal a question to discuss in a forum such as this. Hell, that might not even be appropriate for Weingarten's chat.

I've had a Mac at home for two years and still don't know how to use it for much. I admit it's my own fault for not spending the time to get comfortable with it. Whenever I do a spreadsheet or a 'word' document, I drive myself crazy because I want to use PC commands and can't figure out the correct commands in Mac. So I stumble along, learning a bit here and there. I used to have a Mac at work, a long time ago, and a PC at home. That drove me nuts too. I'm just not computer savvy enough to flip back and forth with ease.

I bought the Mac because of its relative security from viruses and because I liked the way it looked. How lame is that?

Wow that was a tiny BPH-- but definitely quality. Maybe more arrived after you had to catch your bus.

BTW, are you on a catch-release program with those buses, or do you get to cook up a nice greasy bus stew or what?

And what bait and tackle do you use?

Aw g'wan pj. Remember, BSD is lust one letter away from LSD.