Outside Looking Inside

Until the day that it's the day that I'm no more

2009-02-07T03:30:00.006+07:00

A number of years ago, George Michael and Mary J. Blige did a remake of the Stevie Wonder song "As". It's still on my all time list. It's a rockin' blues/jazz fusion update of a great song.

You can see the video here on YouTube. It's incredibly hard to find in audio though. It was only released (from my understanding) on George Michael's european release of "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Best of George Michael"

The lyrics say it all. It's hard not to be reminded of things when it's written so eloquently and with such depth of feeling.

"As"
(George Michael feat. Mary J. Blige)

[GM]
As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early May
Just as hate knows love's a cure
You can rest your mind assured
That I'll be lovin' you always

As now can't reveal the mystery of tomorrow
But in passing will grow older every day
Just as all is born is new
You know what I say is true
That I'll be lovin' you always

[All]
Until the rainbow burns the stars out of the sky
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Until the day that eight times eight times eight is four
Until the day that it's the day that I'm no more

[MJB]
Did you know that true love asks for nothing
Her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
That last through forever
Another day

[GM] As today I know I'm living for tomorrow
Couldn't make me be the past but that I mustn't fear
[MJB] Now I know deep in my mind
The love of me I left behind
[GM] And I'll be loving you always

[1 - All]
Until the rainbow burns the stars out of the sky
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Until the dolphins fly and parrots live at sea
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream

Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Until the trees and seas just up and fly away
Until the day that eight times eight times eight is four
Until the day that it's the day that I'm no more

[GM] Did you know that true love asks for nothing
[MJB] (True love don't wanna pay)
[GM] Her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
To last through forever
[MJB] Another day

[GM] As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early May
[MJB] Now I know deep in my mind
The love of me I left behind
[GM] That I'll be lovin' you always

[Repeat 1]

Always
Always

[Repeat 1]

My Dorm Mate's Mate

2009-01-23T11:24:00.007+07:00

I don't usually talk about things that could come back and haunt me some day, but my friend Biscuit's recent post about her days in Mobile, AL reminded me of a story. A story from my freshman year in college in Mobile.

My best friend and fraternity brother (we'll call him Jay) and I shared a dorm room during the spring term. It was a blast. We had a great time. Here's a basic floorplan of the room. It wasn't big. The desks in the middle were back to back and had shelves that went up about 7 feet. We each had our little TV's mounted on the top shelves, and we'd kick back at night, each on his own bed and toss a football back and forth over the barrier while watching Late Night with David Letterman.

The only problem with this partnership - or rather "problems" with an "s" since there were two - were

1. Jay was an absolute slob. His clothes (dirty and clean... I couldn't tell which) where all over the floor on his side of the room. Which meant I had to walk through them to get out and in. Yuck.

2. Jay was having more sex than I was. Very frustrating for a me since my girlfriend was a 6 hour drive away.

One particular evening Jay and his girlfriend went to a party, and didn't tell me about it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Jay, Steve, Lester and I were pledge brothers. We bonded. We made a pact that we would never go to an open party without at least telling the other three about it so they would have the option of joining.

Around 2:00 AM they came to the dorm room. They were SO drunk, that they woke me up even before they tried to unlock the door. They kept shushing each other and fumbling with the keys and giggling. Finally they got in the door, shuffled through the clothing bog toward the bed, ripped each other's clothes off and humped like wild boars for about 30 minutes. All the time whispering LOUDLY and giggling about not waking up ME. Arrgh.

Then Jay got up to go to the bathroom... and I had an idea. A very evil, dastardly, devious, and best of all naughty, idea...

...they were stinking drunk.

...the room was basically pitch black except for the glow of alarm clocks

...time to make a move and get some revenge

I got up. Shuffled through the clothing bog toward the bed and...

...

...and hopped in!

My luck was perfect, she was facing away toward the wall (see floorplan with Jay's bed). So I got a good spooning going. She reached back and... asked why I had put the shorts back on. Oh well... so she reached in and started working it out. It was all cuddly, comfy and warm... until someone started getting into bed behind me and almost got into a double spoon before figuring out something wasn't right.

He yelled, "Dude!"

I said, "What?"

She said, "Who?"

I said, "Me."

He said, "my name!!"

I said, "What?!"

She said, "OMG!!!"

--and bounced away from me and hit her head on the wall. Not hard. Just enough to get her attention.

Then I scooted out, scuffled past Jay as he was both laughing and swearing at me. He wasn't sure whether to pat me on the back or punch me in the eye. She started laughing and saying "ouch" and swearing at me also. Did I mention they were both really really drunk?

I just snickered and got back in my own bed.

The next day I was up, showered, dressed, gone, and probably had lunch before they ever opened their eyes.

We got lots of good laughs about it for weeks afterward. Needless to say he never forgot to invite me to a party for the rest of the year, and he told me she was much more careful whenever he came back to bed to make sure it was him first. :-D

Good thing that first time he only had to drain the snake. What might have happened if he'd been gone more than 5 minutes??? :-o

Good for what ails ya'!

2009-01-05T00:24:00.003+07:00

This post is especially for my friends living in cold climes! And also for anyone who has a sore throat, or just likes a hot drink with kick in front of a roaring fire. :-)

The "Hot Toddie"!

1 oz. honey

1/2 tbl spoon sugar

2 oz. blended whiskey

1 large lemon wedge

5 whole cloves

In an 8 oz coffee mug, insert lemon, cloves, sugar and whiskey. Stir in piping hot water. Drizzle in honey. Drink hot. Yum!

Variations:

Hot tea instead of water is better. (but don't use green tea, it's too weak and tastes like crap). Liptons is fine, or a nice English Breakfast Tea is better.

I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon) over just a wedge dropped in.

Blended whiskey is good because it is smooth. If you want your alcohol with bite, try it with non-blended.Since the drink originated in Scotland, Scotch whiskey is best. :-)

Brandy is more subtle

Spiced Rum (like a Captain Morgan) adds great flavor

I like to add a cinamon straw which adds a sort of gingerbread style flavor. Very nice!

For those of you, like me, who like the sugar to fully blend try making some sugar syrup.

Sugar Syrup:

1 cup water

2 cups white sugar

bring one cup of water to a boil. Add two cups of white sugar, bringing again to a boil. When the sugar is completely dissolved, cool and store in a bottle in the fridge. It'll last nearly forever, and comes in handy whenever you need a shot of sweetness.

****

I have had Hot Toddies in, Germany, Austria, Finland, England, Italy, Mongolia (yes really), China, and the USA. By far the best ever was served to me in Vienna, Austria in a hotel whose name I have very sadly forgotten. It was around the Vienna Opera House area. Someday I'd like to go back there. What a beautiful city!

Olivia Newton-John live in Sydney 2006 - Magic

2009-01-03T10:44:00.001+07:00

I know, I know. 3 months ago I said my next blog post would be about the Dow Jones. Well, sometimes I have to get down off my soapbox and let all the non-believers go back to the school of hard knocks and learn the hard way.

So, instead of that... this! Can you believe this woman is going to be 61 years old in September of 2009???!!! She was 58 in this video. Wow.

ONJ I love you! You have a beautiful amazing voice like an angel, and you are every bit as beautiful now as you were in the 70's and 80's when I was listening to you on the radio.

Keep fighting for breast cancer awareness, and please... keep singing!

WOW

2008-10-22T09:00:00.004+07:00

Okay. So last time I said that this time I would post something about the Dow Jones. Well... nope. Not yet. Simply haven't had time to write it. It's still hovering back there in the dark and dusty recesses of my mind, but I've just been too consarned busy to get to it. But THIS!!! THIS is neat. THIS is awesome. THIS is something I absolutely had to share with you all because THIS... is the about the coolest piece of animation I've seen since Lupo the Butcher!

I've watched it so many times already. Not only is the animation pretty damn neat, the music is slick also. It starts off with a sort of bedspring piano beat-thing, then lays out a neat little rap-a-do on a radiator thingamabob, until moving on to a really cool drum bridge, and THEN we get a this really wild whirligig xylophone flower aperatus!... I'm hooked. It's really a pretty amazing arrangement.

Hope you enjoy it.

My favorite is the whirly flower-like xylophone thingy. What's yours?

Change Changed the Changing Changer

2008-10-12T09:32:00.005+07:00

I haven't blogged in a while. Maybe I was saving my breath, or simply waiting until I felt like I had something necessary to say. Well, here I am, and this is long winded, but if you have some spare time, lets talk about ‘Change’ for a moment.

George Bush has been in office just over 7 1/2 years. The first six the economy was fine.

A little over one year ago in July 2007:

Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
The DOW JONES hit a record high --14,000 +
American's were buying new cars, taking cruises and vacations overseas… living large!
Everything was trending upward

But American's wanted 'CHANGE'!

So, in 2006 they voted in a Democrat majority Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right.

In the PAST YEAR:

Consumer confidence has plummeted;
Gasoline pushed over $4 a gallon! (Thank God it’s coming down… at least until OPEC reduces production again)
Unemployment is up to 5.5% (a 10% increase);
American home equity dropped by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS, and prices are still dropping;
1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
As I write, THE DOW is looking like it will hit another low – 8,000

$2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM OUR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUND’S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS SINCE THE DEMOCRATS GAINED A MAJORITY IN CONGRESS.

Yes, in 2006 America voted for CHANGE, and we sure got it.

Remember, the President has influence, but not direct executive control over these issues, only Congress. Watch the videos in the links below, and you’ll see a surprise from one president talking about how the Democrats resisted even HIS efforts to reign in Freddie and Fannie!

And what has the Democrat majority Congress done in the last two years to CHANGE things for the better? Absolutely nothing.

Now the Democrat candidate for president claims he is going to really give us CHANGE along with a Democrat controlled congress. More on him in a minute, but just how much more of their kind of CHANGE can we stand?

Who’s a better choice for President when we’re talking about the economy? Obama? McCain? What about Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, where do they fit into all this? Let’s go back in time, and put back into perspective who it was that was pushing for reform and regulatory control over these out-of-control behemoths all the way back to 2004!!! …John McCain and the Republican party! Who was it that stopped them? Democrats.

Don’t believe me? Look here to see how in 2004 the Dem’s verbally trashed the regulator, in very abusive fashion… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs, and how Republicans were already calling for more and stricter regulations to prevent exactly what has happened now. And just wait until you get to the very end. Wait until you see who shows up at 8:15 and names the group responsible for our current Freddie/Fannie Sub-Prime Crisis which is now rocking the entire world’s markets.

If that video isn’t enough to show you the maliciousness with which the Democrats treated concerned regulators of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), the group who warned about irregularities, and wanted to correct things before the crash that was coming (which has hit us now) then try this one… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usvG-s_Ssb0

I’m asking you all to PLEASE watch it. If you can make it all the way to 2:45 you’ll see that it’s actually true. Even if you don’t like the FOX (Fix) News Network, you can’t deny facts that are derived from a non-partisan source.

Did you watch it? Did you see that Barak Obama is actually the NUMBER 2 recipient of donations from Fannie and Freddie!!! That the failure of Lehman Bros. on Wall Street is directly attributable to Fannie and Freddie. The global financial crisis we are in right now is directly attributable to the Sub-Prime loan programs conceived and promoted by the Democrats at the begining of the Clinton administration, and not Bush administration policies.

If you need me to walk through the credit food-chain from Freddie/Fannie to the 1) major financial institutions, the 2) Democrat resistance and stonewalling of regulatory oversight, the 3) Republican distress that Sarbanes-Oxley wouldn't apply to Freddie/Fannie, and 4) how the Sub-Prime programs spread like cancer throughout our banking system as domestic and international investment companies and banks bought the loans from Freddie/Fannie, I can do that... but I think I just summed it up pretty neatly.

A lot of people don’t realize, ‘Sub-Prime’ loans are not loans below the Prime Interest Rate. No, they are loans to people with Sub-Prime credit scores. These were programs of high-risk, low-return mortgages for ‘under-served individuals’. Under-served, or is it Undeserved?

Okay, so I’m ranting again, but come on… how can anyone vote for Barak Obama when this kind of material is out there and verifiable. Even if you don’t like McCain/Palin, they are certainly better than what this information show’s about Obama and the Democrats in general. The same Democrats who blocked reform and are now blaming the Bush administration and McCain for the Fannie/Freddie disaster!!!

Well, I say, “Liar liar pants on fire!”

My next post is going to deal with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and it’s going all the way back to 1928… just letting you know ahead of time.

Anguished English

2008-09-10T06:05:00.004+07:00

ONLY THE ENGLISH COULD HAVE INVENTED THIS LANGUAGE

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Then shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!

**************

Let's face it - English is a crazy language... If a teacher can teach, and a preacher can preach - then if teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple, and English muffins weren't invented in England.

We take English for granted, but if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work very slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend. If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? And if you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

Sometimes I think all the folks who grew up speaking English should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? We ship by truck but send cargo by ship. We have noses that run and feet that smell. We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway. And how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm goes off by going on.
And, in closing, if Father is Pop, how come Mother's not Mop?

Welcome to NFL 2008 baby!

2008-09-08T09:49:00.004+07:00

HOLEY MOLEY! Michael Who? Michael Vick? Nope! Michael Turner ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the NFC Mike. Glad you could join us. :-)

The return of the PowerBack. Michael Turner, at 5'10" and 244 pounds, in his season opening debut for the Atlanta Falcons, broke the single game team rushing record that has stood since Gerald Riggs set it in 1984. Turner ran 220 on 22 carries with 2 TDs. That's an average of 10 yards per carry! Overall the Falcons generated 479 yards total offense. I can't remember the last time they did that.

This guy is incredible. How did San Diego ever decide to let him go? 15 more games to go, but I guarantee every time he touches the ball people are going to hold their breaths for just a second. He's that good.

Even Rookie Quarterback Matt Ryan looked good by making his first regular season pass as a professional a 65 yard TouchDown score! 161 yards on 9 passes with 1 TD and no interceptions. Works for me!

Granted, they were playing the Detroit Lions, but what a great way to open the season when so many question marks were hanging over their heads.

Way to go guys!!! And welcome to the new season!

Taxes - Clarification

2008-09-07T09:51:00.004+07:00

My friend Raleigh has inspired me to do additional research on some of the items I posted previously regarding McCain and Obama's tax plans. As a result I find a need to post some clarification info.

Some interesting additional background: John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, will likely introduce the “carbon tax” bill when Congress returns next month. Harney writes, “Besides imposing hefty new federal taxes on gasoline, the forthcoming bill would, in Dingell’s words, seek to ‘remove the mortgage interest deduction on McMansions — homes over 3,000 square feet.’ Dingell said he recognizes that such a proposal will spark much criticism, but he also said it is essential to reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent to 80 percent by 2050.”

I have been able to do some real research on the home sale item though. And what I blogged before is technically incorrect - there seems to be a mixup between Rep. Dingell's "McMansion" suggestion, and Obama's capital gains plan. Here's the real deal...

For a primary residence only, if you own a home and sell it for a profit you are not taxed on the first $250k of profit (single) or $500k (married). Obama is keeping that exemption just like McCain, but he's increasing the Capital Gains tax for profits beyond those amounts.

The true difference lies in the Capital Gains tax plans of both candidates. Capital gains affects EVERY investment in which you make a profit - whether that is house, stock, IRA, dividend payments, etc. HOWEVER, in a related Democrat policy initiative, Nancy Pelosi definitely HAS stated publicly her desire to place additional taxes on gains which would affect retirement fund earnings:

Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, wants to put a Windfall Tax on all stock market profits. This by definition includes, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), 401Ks and Mutual Funds (We already are taxed on Savings Accounts Interest and Investment Dividend Income).

I quote her,"We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest." When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied, "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities." She continues, "For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profit taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as 'Americans'." (Wow! What about the standard of living I would like to have as a law-abiding, hard-working, tax paying citizen???)

Now please keep in mind, I am not perpetuating the myth/hoax about a tax specifically on retirement. No. I'm referring again to CAPITAL GAINS taxes. The gains your retirement accounts make based on the reinvestment of dividends earned, and any profit gained by the fund managers through their buy/sell activities, can be taxed for Capital Gains beyond just normal income tax after you retire and begin taking disbursements from it. So, assuming your 401k and IRA exceed $250k in profits/gains by the time you retire (and I certainly hope they do or you probably won't be retiring), the Dems want to add about 13% more capital gains tax on top of the 15% you are already obligated to pay under current legislation.

McCain intends to leave the long-term capital gains tax at 15%. Obama intends to raise it to 25% to 28% for taxpayers reporting income of $250k or more per year. I'm sorry, I've been unable to find out if that's the rate for single income or a couples combined income.

Taxes - Obama vs. McCain

2008-09-05T10:49:00.005+07:00

Just a little comparison for those of you who are interested. All of this is verifiable on CNN and Fox and other mainstream media. Blogger can't use tables, so I'm trying to make this as neat and clean as possible for you. Bear with me.

CAPITAL GAINS TAX
MCCAIN 0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples). McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.
OBAMA 28% on profit from ALL home sales.
(How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit, you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28% of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on the income from their homes as part of their retirement income.)

DIVIDEND TAX
MCCAIN 15% (no change)
OBAMA 39.6% - Capital gains increase
(How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president.)

INCOME TAX
MCCAIN (no changes)
Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250
OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750
Under Obama, your taxes could almost double! AND the least wealthy are suffering the greatest planned increase!!!! What's up with that? I thought Nobama and the Democrats were supposed to be supporting the little guys, not the elite! Hmmm...

INHERITANCE TAX
MCCAIN - 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)
OBAMA Restore the inheritance tax
Many families have lost businesses, farms, ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will only lose them to these taxes.

!!! NEW TAXES PROPOSED BY OBAMA !!!
New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet.
New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already)
New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity)
New taxes on retirement accounts, and last but not least....
New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as a third-world country!!!

Just thought you'd want to know.
.

200 what?!?

2008-09-03T01:34:00.003+07:00

You know, I've had some strange illnesses in my travels... pneumonia in Moscow, amoebic dysentery in India, Dengue fever in Thailand, and something that didn't even have a name in Mongolia to name the most annoying, but this news article beats my best with both hands tied behind its back...

A woman in London, England has an illness/condition that causes her to have orgasms constantly. Pretty much at the drop of a hat. Apparently, anything that gets her excited or emotional, or causes vibration, or buzzes, or walks-talks-and-breaths... pretty much ANYTHING... can cause her to have an orgasm!

You've got to read this article!

All I can says is of all the illnesses in all the world... this one's not too bad!

PS: and she's pretty darned attractive too... maybe she could go to work for Pfizer - I hear their looking for Quality Control test subjects. ;-)
.

Elvis Presley: A Little Less Conversation

2008-08-29T10:44:00.001+07:00

This is number one in my iPOD playlist for highway driving.

Driving for hours? Feeling a little sleepy? Try this for a freaky hot-tempo ass-kickin foot-stompin bootie-shakin dance-inducing high energy pick-me-up remix. And I love these lyrics!!!

HAIL TO THE KING BABY!!!

Lyrics:

A little less conversation, a little more action please
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark
A little less fight and a little more spark
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me
Satisfy me baby

Baby close your eyes and listen to the music
Drifting through a summer breeze
Its a groovy night and I can show you how to use it
Come along with me and put your mind at ease

A little less conversation, a little more action please
All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark
A little less fight and a little more spark
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me
Satisfy me baby

Come on baby Im tired of talking
Grab your coat and lets start walking
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Dont procrastinate, dont articulate
Girl its getting late, gettin upset waitin around

A little less conversation, a little more action please
All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark
A little less fight and a little more spark
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me
Satisfy me baby

Been busy... gonna be busier!

2008-08-27T21:35:00.003+07:00

Wow! Has it really been a full month since I last blogged a bloggy bloggospherical bloggerifical blogamous blog entry? Well, I've been busy - and tired, but mostly busy. I'm taking the plunge and going to be even busier from now through November. Check out the video to see why...

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WIDTH="384" HEIGHT="304">

Hope I can count on all of you!!! :-)
.
;-)

JibJab Cracks Me UP!!!

2008-07-28T00:29:00.001+07:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Bored yet?

2008-07-08T12:04:00.008+07:00

Well, I've probably bored most of you to tears with the semi-political diatribe/debate of the past two blog posts.

Interestingly, my "site visitor" count has increased dramatically since making that first "Here & Now" post. I'm a fairly sporadic blogger, so it's nice to see the number go up quickly (well... quickly for me).

Most of the people I know from various countries who also know my blog, have written and thought it was interesting to see the "Point/Counterpoint" topics. They don't always have that level of information on the news topics/points of interest in the USA.

My Brit friends seem to think it's all much ado about nothing. They hate Bush, but then they hate anyone who's not from the UK, and most of them too. That's okay though, it's nothing they think can't be fixed by a good draught and a bit of nosh (food).

My Aussie friends think all of us Yanks (though I have explained I'm not fond of being labled a 'Yank') could do with a bit of the piss taken out of us. They don't like Bush either. They didn't like their own John Howard much. They also don't like Obama. I'm pretty sure they don't like any political leaders and would prefer to simply wash their hands of all of us. At least until the next America's Cup, or Ashes comes around.

My Thai friends say we should all just relax, at least we don't have to deal with Thaksin and his team of bizarre cronies. A point well taken.

My friends in India think it could all be solved if we'd just sell the whole country to one of their industrial mega-corps, and go work in a call center somewhere. Much less stressful, and they get to torment uptight callers with overly dramatic accents which they find very funny.

My Japanese friend denied Pearl Harbor ever happened. That it was a CIA plot to misinform the American public in order to launch into a war that no one wanted so we could depose the freely unelected governement and nail the terrorists that were... no... wait... that was someone else. Buniu-san simply suggests we drive smaller cars... preferably Toyotas. :-/

So, anyway I have received quite a number of emails on the topic. Everyone felt emails rather than comments were better for some reason. Even the friend that posted the original dissenting opionion decided to reply to my "Here & Now part II" in a form other than the Comments.

I read his reply over on his blog. I admit I only scanned it, but I did go back and re-read just to be sure I understood the points he was making. It was really loooooooooooonnnnnnnggg. His blog doesn't allow comments, so just a few quick items in response from me here.

Yes we agree on some points, and we disagree on others. Funny how we still seem to argue on the ones we agree on. You're "boo hoo" comment about $4.00 per gallon gas bothers me. It shows a complete disregard for people less well off than you. What about people on limited incomes? People on minimum wage? People who have good jobs but don't make a lot of money - like a few former retail managers I know. Not everybody makes a six figure salary. Of the entire debate that shocks me more than any of the other bits.

I'd rather hear your suggestions for energy prosperity than the bragging about your cars getting so little MPG. So, if I missed it somewhere, what's your solution? Higher taxes? Punish the polluters? Everything I stated was pointed toward one goal - energy independence - and what we can do to get there. Taxes and fees aren't answers, they're just "disincentives".

The only point that really matters in the entire discussion: the USA needs to enable every possible resource gathering industry and tap the resources we have available. Even if it's only to buy time. That time can be used to ramp up the production of alternate fuel vehicles (in whatever form they take), alternate power generation (maybe more coal, nuclear, and bio and less NG and Petroleum), build up the Coal-to-Oil production, increase our burn of waste (trash) for more BioFuel power generation. All those things are acheivable with technologies present "Here & Now" but, require time to build infrastructure. And that pursuit is a very worthy and critical goal.

Lets focus more on solutions and less on sematics.

HERE & NOW pt. II

2008-07-04T23:10:00.010+07:00

Well, my last post elicited a 50/50 response. One comment in concurance, and one in dissent. The one in dissent however was far too long for me to respond in any satisfactory manner in the comments box. Plus I thought the dissenting commentary definitely worthy of a full posting to see what additional debate we can engender from other friends and visitors from the blogsphere.

So, here it is... in its entirety. Dissenting opinion in orange text. My responses in white. It's a bit long, but I'm very intersted in hearing what other people think about these topics.

And so it starts:

I gotta say you are missing the point as is this 'SacUnion' paper. If you want to quote on something so complex as energy policies, I would do it from a more reputable source.

More reputable? Like "The Huffington Post" which you cite in your response? The self professed left-wing liberal news website/blog founded by Arianna Huffington and Kenneth Leer? The same Arianna Huffington who has worked with such notably respected political commentators as Al Franken and Bill Mahr? The same Arianna Huffington who co-wrote for "Politically Incorrect with Bill Mahr" and appeared on the sitcom "Roseanne"??? All shining stars in the sky of political reputability. And lets not forget she was a staunch and vocal supporter of John Kerry. Talk about polarizing the political spectrum. Yikes.

First: Ethanol is not an alternative fuel. Its a dirt eating crop that takes more energy to grow than it yields and it mixes with GASOLINE anyway...

Sorry, but the fact that ethanol is derived from a food crop doesn't take away from the fact that it is, in fact, an alternative fuel source.

Wikipedia: The largest single use of ethanol is as a motor fuel and fuel additive. The largest national fuel ethanol industries exist in Brazil (gasoline sold in Brazil contains at least 25% ethanol and anhydrous ethanol is also used as fuel in more than 90% of new cars sold in the country).

Added to gasoline, ethanol reduces ground-level ozone formation by lowering volatile organic compound and hydrocarbon emissions, decreasing carcinogenic benzene, and butadiene, emissions, and particulate matter emissions from gasoline combustion.[42]

However, Did I not also deride ethanol as a less than advantageous alternative to petrol? I'm failing to see what alternative point you're making since we seem to be making the same one in different ways. What ethanol does though is reduce the overall gasoline content, thus stretching the available petrol a bit farther, which, was supposed to have reduced the price at the pump... but didn't, and reducing some of the pollutants as mentioned above.

Second: A shortage of hybrid cars is temporary and is not a real solution either. It takes more 'fuel' to make a hybrid than most people will save over the life of driving one instead of a 'normal' car.

My comment on the dearth of hybrid cars is supportive of my premise that "drill here, drill now" plus alternative fuels and power generation methods, within 6-7 years could develop our energy and resources production as a net exporter. Mentioning that it is temporarilly only a shortage of manufacturing capacity has no bearing on this. The scaling up of manufacturing output takes time. Having worked in the auto industry I am fully aware of what it takes to retool for new or increased production, and the different requirements between standard and alternative fuel capable vehicles.

Another point missed from the gist and tone of my post is that, hybrid cars and alternative fuels tend to be the options constantly thrown at us by the more liberal lobbies and media. Your comment about "more 'fuel' to make a hybrid" is accurate, especially when talking about the pollutants produced by the manufacture of battery and other types of fuel/power cells. Especially the lack of adequate recycling or disposal when those cells reach the end of their lives.

I think we're basically in agreement that hybrids aren't the complete answer. It's just one more tick in the column of "supplementals" that can add up to freeing us from dependence on foreign resources.

Third: How is discussing fuel/cars related to 'oil companies' getting into electric generation instead of their core business? Building Nuclear power plants will not help offset the need for oil.

Wow! How about because oil companies aren't just "oil companies" anymore. BP (which stands for British Petroleum, not Beyond Petroleum as their commercials play it) does Coal, NG, Solar, you name it... if it's a power source, they are involved in it in some way. Exxon and others are the same. They are all involved in power generation whether through research or actual production. And if you don't believe me... keep reading. :-)

America uses far more coal for electric generation than anything else.

We use far more coal? Are you sure about that? I'm sorry I don't have time to survey all 50 states (57 if you're an Obama supporter), but I offer you the following REAL FACTS as an example:

The Commonwealth of Virginia produces power (total of Utility + Non-Utility) in the following ways:

Coal: 400MW
Hydro: 80MW
Natural Gas: 400MW
Petroleum: 300MW
Nuclear: 400MW
Landfill Gas, Municipal Solid Waste, Wood, and other forms of Biofuels for about 20MW.

Coal is only 25% of the total. Natural Gas and Petroleum, of which the USA is a net IMPORTER of both, comprise 44%! THAT was the point you missed. That's how discussing "oil companies" and how power generation IS part of their core business is related to fuel/cars. It's a ginormous percentage of power generation in all forms in our country, whether vehicular, or in the domestic power grid.

By the way - Chernobyl happened in 1986. We already had MACs by that time. That isn't a comment that Nuclear is not an option, I personally think its the best for electric generation - but to my first point, this helps us with the GLOBAL oil shortage how?

Chernyobl is not a valid comparison... no one ever accused the Soviet Union of being the most rigorous in their application of safety standards. But to your "first point" because power is generated in the USA almost 50% by imported petroleum and natural gas.

Fourth: Asking folks to change behavior doesn't work alone. Incentivizing them to do so (taxes) does help. 'Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute' as cute as it the slogan was, acid rain came after this little gem hit the popular culture.

Our Federal gasoline tax is one of the lowest in the world and needs to be increased much higher to capture the true cost of operating highways. Here in California, our state tax on gas is on top of the Federal, is 45.5 cents for a total of 63.9 (highest in the nation) and we also have the largest amount of roads, highways etc etc. Seems fair to me.

Just a tiny bit of research I found this little gem for you to digest:"The federal gas tax was last raised in 1993, from 14.1 cents a gallon to the current 18.4 cents. Adjusted for inflation, that makes our current tax the equivalent of only 12.4 cents a gallon in 1993 dollars. It is interesting to note that if in 1959, the year Congress established the National Highway Trust Fund, the then 4 cent tax was pegged to inflation, consumers would now be paying about 29.4 cents a gallon." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-goldstein/the-falling-federal-gas-t_b_100379.html)

Or in other words, the tax set in 1993 is extremely LOW.

Mentioning the California fuel tax as the highest in the country, while noting that CA also has the largest number of roads... and? What does that have to do with the Federal tax?

It's perfectly appropriate for state level taxes to be based on that state's combination of usage and availabiltiy. The Federal tax is a general tax and has no relationship to those factors. I'm perfectly happy for that tax to either remain where it is, or be reduced over time as fuel alternatives become more readily available and in use.

I think Senator McCain's "Gas Tax Holiday" is silly populist propoganda. However, I think it's a great deal better than the Democrat position of knee jerk "NO" to any suggestion of possibly opening new land for exploration.

Next you are telling me you think that the CAFE standards shouldn't be raised either....? (Again, forces a change in behavior at the Manufacturer level which forces the consumer to comply through purchase choice)

Nope. I didn't say anything about the CAFE standards, but since you mention it, there's no reason for the standards to remain as low as they are. The technology exists and is in use already to get more power and better mileage from smaller engines. If you've ever lived overseas (which you haven't) you would probably hear quite often how people everywhere else feel about the silly Americans driving GINORMOUS engines that put out diddly for power, and get horrible gas mileage.

In Thailand I owned a Honda Jazz (Honda Fit to my North American friends). It had a 1.5 liter engine (WOW! that's small), could zip along the highway at 140kmph, and got 40+mpg! Now, it was like driving a roller skate, but it was a fantastic little car. Over there Chevy had a V8 3.0 liter (183 ci) turbo-diesel EFI engine that used the new cylinder control technology. What it did was retime the cylinders on the fly, or shut down the combustion of certain cylinders completely when the extra power wasn't needed. I don't remember the exact numbers, but it produced around 30mpg. A full-size pickup! So there's no reason other than the financial impact to the manufacturing industries (and the 100's of thousands of employees thereof) not to raise the CAFE standards.

I'm all for pushing tougher standards, but I (unlike the "leftist liberals") want to combine it with increased exploration and access to the natural resources we know exist in our own back yard!

Fifth: After raising the tax on gasoline, seven years later Gore suggested 'charging polluters' and then turned around and invested in a free market idea that allows companies that can't/won't change their pollution output to be able to legally comply by 'trading' carbon credits. How is this hypocritical? It enforces exactly what he proposed: TAX/CHARGE/FEE the polluters.

The "carbon credits" process is ridiculous. It does exactly what you say by alowing over-polluters to continue over-polluting by buying unused credits from more ecologically friendly entities, and maintains the polluting status quo. Brilliant plan. Where are the incentives for change, and benefits to the ecology?

It is hypocritical at its very core to give organizations who refuse or "can't" change the ability to opt-out of change by paying a fee or buying someone else's good deeds, and THEN getting upset when industries continue despoiling the landscape. It was a sad political compromise that made the big industries feel better about tighter pollution controls, put a bandaid on the wounds of betrayal felt by some in the eco-lobbies, and made a ton of cash for democrat profiteers and spend-thrifts.

I'm much more a hardliner than you are on this issue. I disagree with Dems and Republicans. But Al Gore is the worst. He is the poster child for the global warming lobby and he's raking in the cash because of investments in a hypocritical non-solution like carbon credits. It disgusts me. And yes, I'd pick a do-nothing Republican over a do-wrong Democrat any day.

Are you seriously ignoring the Republican party's ignorance of environmental issues, EXTREMELY POOR RECORD on Energy Policy (and ignoring the fact that these oil companies are being tax subsidized by American income Tax paying people to the tune of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR, all the while they are making profits never heard of in the history of commerce, why are we giving them tax breaks again? This is above and beyond the Federal Subsidies these same companies receive for exploration and renewable energy research for many more BILLIONS.

While I am a leftist liberal (after all I am a Californian now) I don't think TAXING record profits of a successful company is correct either, but end the tax subsidy for damn sure.

Ignoring? No. Because hugging trees isn't my only criteria for an electable candidate. As a matter of fact, I will probably be voting for a Democrat for Congress, and Republicans for Senate and the White House. Though as I said, I think both major parties are pretty daft when it comes to energy and environmental policy. The Dem's because they are knee-jerk anti-everything, and the Repub's because they place it too far down the priority list.

The statement of 'voting Replublican' how has the last 8 years worked out here? When the first 4 of those years we also matched with a Republican majority in the House AND Senate - what did this party do to stop the bleeding of oil, the decrease in the dependency of foreign energy, the increase in funding for renewable energy? What about the fiscal conservancy they are so proud of? Blowing one of the largest Federal surpluses in recent history (50 years) and turning into the quickest, largest Federal debt.

And what have the Democrats done for the last 4 years that they have had the majority? The same. Nothing. What's the Dem's excuse? Again, my vote isn't based on agreement with Republican policy - although I do place national security at the top of my priority list - it's based at least 50% on disagreement with Democrat policies.

I got news for you right wing, jingoist, narrow visioned, short memory folks: By all measures these last 7 years are the worst on record and that was with the Republicant's steering the ship. No thanks - I for one already gave them a chance and its been blown to smithereens. Along with several other countries to boot.

If "narrow visioned" means placing American interests first before foreign, then yes, I'm narrow visioned.

If "narrow visioned" means securing our borders and enforcing the law on the illegals (not 'migrants' as they like to call them in San Fran, but just plain old illegals), and stopping the flow of drugs, guns, and gangs across the open border, then yes, I'm narrow visioned and happily so.

If "narrow visioned" means developing ALL available natural resources to the fullest extent practicable to relieve us completely from dependence on foreign despots like the House of Saud, or raving lunatics like Ahmidinijad, then yes, I'm narrow visioned and PROUD to be so.

If by "jingoist" you mean someone who places USA interests first before consideration of foreign powers, then yes, I'm a jingoist.

If by "jingoist" you mean someone who will belligerantly defend our nation's right to be resource independent from foreign powers, then yes, I'm a jingoist, and happilly so. I would expect citizens of other nations to have similar inclinations in their own favor.

If by "jingoist" you mean someone who wears our nation's flag proudly, and doesn't care (unlike Senator Obama) if someone in some other country in some misguided misinformed way sees it as a symbol of oppression, then yes, I AM a jingoist, and will remain such forever more.

I'm not sure why you felt the need for juvenile name calling, but you go right ahead since as I mention above, most of those are badges I already wear proudly.

If someone like Obama is my only other choice? I'll still vote Republican.
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HERE & NOW!

2008-07-03T00:08:00.005+07:00

If you haven't already seen it, check out the following article from the Sacramento Union newspaper last month. Some very poignant remarks in the later half of the column.

http://www.sacunion.com/pages/columns/print/9951/

I say, “Drill Here, Drill Now”. If the estimates are even close to accurate for the amounts of natural resources available to us within our own territory, the USA could become a net exporter in 6 to 7 years once ANWR drilling, continental shelf oil and natural gas drilling, and shale-oil recovery are fully online. If the liberal knuckleheads will wake up to reality.

What about alternative fuels you ask?

Does ethanol cost less at the pump that standard gasoline/petrol? Nope. The stations I've purchased it at charge exactly the same price for each.

We need electric and hybrid cars you say... Great! :-) I've been to my local dealers... they don't have any to sell. :-( They are all going to the big 8 emissions control states like California. So I'm stuck with good 'ol fossil fuels.

The money the oil companies would spend to develop those drilling and recovery sites should be put into development of alternative power you say? Great. Build more nuclear power plants. "OH NO! We couldn't do that!" the tree hugger cries out in reply. "They aren't safe! What about 3 mile island?!?" Dude, Three Mile Island happened in 1979. That's almost 30 years ago! The Commodore-64 didn't even exist then. Technology has changed and improved. We have safe nuclear power operating in the USA already, why not build more?

What about wind-power and hydro-electric you ask? Wind-power isn't cost effective. The cost of the amount of land needed to build enough windmill operations to provide any significant power output, combined with the cost to maintain the giant machines far outweighs any benefit. The studies have been done... it just doesn't add up to an effective use of resources.

And hydro? We've got it where we can... but again, tree huggers prevent the building of additional dams for power generation. Because the resevoirs created behind the dams disrupt the natural surroundings. So what can we do?

Only by fully utilizing our available natural resources can we supplement alternative power and fuel methods and become independent of foreign interests! It's that word "supplement" that's the key. We need to drill now! The Democrats say 'it will take 6+ years to realize the benefit if we start drilling now'...? Okay. And your point is??? Doesn't that mean we should START NOW!?!

And what about the Democrat's poster child for ecological affairs, the inventor of the internet, Mr. Al Gore? Did you know, in his 2000 book “Earth in the Balance,” former Vice President Al Gore advocated increasing energy taxes on consumers to decrease the incentive to pollute. Seven years earlier, in 1993, Gore cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to increase the federal gas tax to 18.4 cents, where it stands today.

Good ‘ol Al is laughing all the way to the bank… As seen on CapitalResearch.Org, Noel Sheppard of NewsBusters reports that Al Gore’s investment firm, Generation Investment Management (GIM) has acquired a significant stake in a firm that deals in carbon credits, confirming once again that Al Gore is a global warming profiteer. According to Thomson Financial, GIM acquired a 9.5% interest in Camco International Ltd., a carbon asset developer.

Can you spell "Hypocrite"??? I know you can.

I think I'll vote for a Republican and take my chances.

Crossing cultural borders in a single blurb!

2008-06-14T10:34:00.003+07:00

I was chatting online with a Thai friend recently and reminded very quickly of why I started this blog in the first place... I had intended my blog to be a Westerner's view of living in the Far East (read that as Orient).

Some of you may remember a posting I wrote way way back about "Your chest is in your pants"?

Well, did I ever tell you about having dinner and coffee and beachside bistro?

My girlfriend and I had taken a four day weekend vacation and flown down to the cozy and cool (cool as in neat, not cool as in not hot (and that's hot and in sweating like a pig, not hot as in awesome. (and that's awesome... oh you get the idea))) Island of Koh Samui. About a 1 hour flight south of Bangkok.

We'd been out wandering the island and doing things that couples do... (get your mind out of the gutter! I meant like taking pictures of each other next to various landmarks)... rented a motorbike and toodled around the roads seeing the sights. Evening came and we found this nice little cozy open air Italian place. Well, it said it was Italian, and was decorated with the red and white checked table clothes, and had the ubiquitous wicker-n-wine bottle candle holder on the table, but that's about where the stereotypical resemblance ended. Regardless, the food was yummy, and the service very good.

After dinner we ordered some coffee. When it came I realized there was no cream or sugar. So, feeling proud of my newly building skill with Thai language, I called the waitress over and asked her very clearly, and with a smile and good accent, "Nong. Khun mee nom mai khrub?"

She looked me straight in the eye, and without hesitation pointed to herself and responded, "Mee ka." with a smile and nod in the affirmative. ...? ...? umm...? She stayed where she was standing. She wasn't leaving to get the cream. What the...?

Then I heard my girlfriend giggle. I glanced at her. Glanced back at the waitress whose smile was getting broader by the second. Then the lightbulb clicked on in that dark dusty place in my head reserved for epiphanies, "duh" moments, and self-inflicted slaps to the forehead.

VERY quickly I looked to the waitress and said "nom sud! nom sud! I meant 'nom sud!' " and with a laugh and a bounce in her step she moved off and retrieved the cream service. Returning to our table, depositing the cream service with a flourish, and a jubilantly spoken "Nom sud ka!" and moved off to other less embarrassed customers.

What was all that about you ask? Well, the tricky part in Thai language (I mean, YET ANOTHER, tricky part!) is that the word for milk "nom sud" is the same as that for BOOBS "nom"!!! So what I actually asked was if she had boobs. That's what she was pointing at when she said "mee ka," which means "Have."

Maybe I should have asked her for them and seen what her response would be then! :-)
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Tough day at the office

2008-06-12T04:15:00.003+07:00

Go Postal

Exhausted brain, head is full
Customer of china, partner of bull
Stay the course, hold the line
Boiling point, matter of time

Calm and collected, pressure cooking
Disruptive id, patience fading
Oft' disappointed, always hopeful
F*ck this sh*t, going postal

Had a bad day.... does it show? :-/

Curses! I've been Tagged!

2008-06-11T09:04:00.004+07:00

Arrrrrgh! I've been tagged. Tags are painful, and yet... fun. No I'm not a sadist. Tags sometimes make you think about things you wouldn't otherwise well... think about. A female of passing acquaintance, good 'ol Kelly ( :-p ) tagged me. So, here goes.

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning of the post. Each player answers the questions about themselves in their post. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What was I doing ten years ago? Ten years ago I was living in Bangkok, Thailand. I had just moved there the first week of March. My friend Thomas and I were offered assignments on contract with the US Dept. of State to support their Y2K modernization program to be based at the US Embassy in Thailand. It was 3 years of fun, amazing travels in Asia, and lots and lots of hard work in strange climates and interesting cultures. - Blizzards in Mongolia, Dust storms in India, Monsoons in Thailand, Military Coup d'etat in Pakistan (while I was there), Rioting and Deposing of Prime Minister Sujuarto in Indonesia (while I was there), and I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

2. What are five things on my list to do today? It's 9:20 PM as I write this, so I hope I got them all done, but some of the the things that were on my list were... 1. Get the contract modification executed by my customer; 2. Conduct an orientation for a new consultant we've brought on to a contract we have; 3. Continue search for a talented SQL/.NET Developer we can bring on; 4. Discuss the project plan (milestones, actions, deliverables, personnel assignments, timeline, etc.) 5. Think really hard about exercise and diet while successfully avoiding doing anything about them. Those don't sound like much fun, but I like them... it's what I do. But the best thing of all on my list was talking to my kids on the phone and hearing them talk about chasing fireflys. That made my day!

3. Snacks I enjoy? Just about anything chocolate; Cheese and crackers (I'm not picky, I just love cheese); Chex Mix (original); Mom's pineapple upside down cake (the best ever!!!); Grandmomma's banana bread (man that's good eatin'); Carrots and Peanut Butter

4. Things I Would Do If I Were A Billionaire? Pay off all of my family's debt out to at least the 1st Cousin level. Setup trusts for my kids education and life after school. Buy some land and build our dream-house. Take the family on a long kick-ass holiday! And finally... buy a business that's already up and running and manage that... because it's easier than starting from scratch like I'm doing now.

5. Three of my bad habits? Suffering ignorance poorly. Being less patient than I ought. Not exercising (although I'm really working on this last one... sort of).

6. Five places I have lived? 1) Germany - Born in Frankfurt am Mein. My father was stationed there with the US Army. Though, I only lived there for 6 months until my father's orders returned us to the USA. 2) Lived in Ft. Riley, Kansas when my father was there with the Army (he was in Armor and I got to ride the tanks. How cool is that?!) 3) Laguna, California: Think beaches and Disney!!! What a great location for a 10 year old! 4) Thailand. I've talked about it throughout my blog. It's a wonderful place, full of wonderful people, and a lot of really rich crooks.... uh... I mean politicians. Sad that such an interesting and friendly culture could generate such disgusting profiteers for leaders. 5) Huntsville, AL: No one in my family is a native-born Huntsvillian, but we all seem to come back to it time and time again. I've lived away from it more than I've lived in it, but no place other than my home in Thailand has ever felt so comfortable to me.

7. Five jobs I’ve had? 1) Dishwasher at Quincy's Steakhouse when I was 16. (my first real paycheck job). 2) Projectionist at the Madison Twin movie theater - fantastic job except for the haunted bathroom upstairs next to projection booth 3) Manager of Walden Software in Alexandria, VA; 4) Regional Contract Manager for General Motors Asia Pacific - fun job, loved the work, salary not so much. 5) VP at my current company where I'm also part owner... building a business from scratch... I'm gaining more grey hairs by the hour! ;-)

8. How did you name your blog? Seemed appropriate as a foreigner living in Thailand. I was culturally outside and looking in with a different perspective. Definitely in possession of a different point of view than what the locals apply.

So now I tag...
1. Nude Memphis - because he's an entertaining, and perspicacious individual

I can't tag more because all my bloggy friends have already been tagged by others. So I'm asking him to tag 4 extras on my behalf! :-D

Maybe I need more friends!
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I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry Music Video

2008-06-08T22:38:00.001+07:00

This is for some certain of my friends. ;-)

This is a damn hot tune!

Brainless Roaches, Mantises, and Starfish... Oh My!

2008-06-05T23:55:00.003+07:00

I f you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
(Hardly seems worth it.)

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
(Now that's more like it !)

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
(O.M.G.!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.
(In my next life, I want to be a pig!)

A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death.
(Creepy.)
(I'm still not over the pig.)

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour
(Don't try this at home, maybe at work though)

The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
(Honey, I'm home. What the...!?!)

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes.. Lucky pig! Can you imagine?)

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond? Blech!)

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)

Butterflies taste with their feet.
(Umm... yuck!!)

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
(Hmmmmmm......)

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.
(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
(Okay, so I'm thinking that would be a good thing)

A cat's urine glow s under a black light.
(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that.)

Starfish have no brains
(I know some people like that too.)

Polar bears are left-handed.
(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)

(and God loves that pig!)
30 Minutes... WOW!!!!

So you know what all this teaches me?

That I want to be a right-handed pig-lion when I grow up!

Speaking in Tongues

2008-05-26T04:12:00.003+07:00

Whenever I go to new country I always try to learn a few basics of the language, like "Hello", "Goodbye", "Thankyou" and "Excuse me". I remember the first time I worked in Thailand back in 1998, I lived in Bangkok. Well, some of my Thai friends from work helped me to learn a little so I can use them when I'm outside the office. They said my accent at the time was pretty awful because Thai is a very tonal language (44 consonants, 12 vowels, and 5 tones). I did the best I could at the time.

So I'd walk around Bangkok, or go shopping, or to movie and always I say "excuse me" if I bump into someone. And always they would laugh and tell me "mai pen rai" (nevermind), or just laugh and walk away. For almost 1 year this happened everytime I'd tell someone "excuse me" in Thai.

Then someone finally laughed and stopped me, and asked me in English what am I trying to say? I told her I said "excuse me" because it's polite, like saying "sorry" when you bump into someone. The girl laughed at me. When she finally stopped laughing she told me "no" that's not what you say. Then she taught me the correct way to say "Kaw tawt".

For ONE YEAR living in Bangkok I was walking around telling people "Kaw toot"!!! (in English: My Ass) instead of excuse me! I was so embarrassed!

Thats just one of many stories of how I learned to speak Thai. And the girl that helped me with the mistake? We dated for about 8 months after meeting that day. :-)

Obama beneath the surface

2008-05-24T10:36:00.003+07:00

Here's a real eye-opener for you on Obama... really watch the whole thing. Don't turn it off midway through. Watch it, and then make up your mind.

www.eyeblast.tv/Public/Video.aspx?rsrcID=2036

You sure you still want to vote for him after watching that?

Vive la difference!!!!

2008-05-24T10:34:00.001+07:00

The Difference

John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barak Obama were walking down a Washington DC street when they came upon a homeless man.

John McCain gave the man his business card and told him to come to his office for a job. He then took $20 out of his pocket and gave it to the man.

Hillary was very impressed. So, when they came upon another homeless person, she decided to help also. She walked over to him and gave him directions to the welfare office. She then reached into John McCain's pocket and took out $20. She kept $15 for her administrative handling fees and gave the homeless man $5.

When they came upon yet another homeless person. Barak told him to "have hope... change is coming..." and gave him nothing.

Now do you understand the difference?
;-D

Moms, Mums, Ma'ams and More

2008-05-10T10:08:00.005+07:00

In preparation for Mother's Day, I offer the following fond remembrances. And in case I don't get to talk to you before the date... for all you wonderful Mothers out there... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

25 REASONS I LOVE MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me: TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'

2. My mother taught me: RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'

3. My mother taught me: TIME TRAVEL.
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'

4. My mother taught me: LOGIC.
' Because I said so, that's why.'

5. My mother taught me: MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'

6. My mother taught me: FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'

7. My mother taught me: IRONY.
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.'

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'

9. My mother taught me: CONTORTIONISM.
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'

11. My mother taught me: WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'

12. My mother taught me: HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'

13. My mother taught me: THE CIRCLE OF LIFE.
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'

15. My mother taught me: ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'

17. My mother taught me: RECEIVING.
'You are going to get it when you get home!'

18. My mother taught me: MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'

19. My mother taught me: ESP.
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'

20. My mother taught me: DENTAL HYGENE.
'Don't you talk to me like that or I'll wash your mouth out with soap.'

21. My mother taught me: HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'

22. My mother taught me: GENETICS.
'I swear you're just like your father.'

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?'

24. My mother taught me: WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'

25. And my favorite: My MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you! '

What did your mother teach you? :-)

Fight Club... age 3???

2008-04-27T10:11:00.003+07:00

My son was in a fight recently. A real fists flying, pugilistic, feat of fisticuffs. Kids (boys especially) get in fights every-now-and-then... it's normal. But is it normal for that to happen when they are 3 years old???

For those of you who remember the original "Bad News Bears" with Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal, the kid named Tanner was running through my head when I heard about the fight. Mainly because the other kid was older.

Apparently the other boy pushed him out of the sandbox. Nicky went and pushed him back. The other boy swung and hit him on the arm in retaliation and Nicky knocked his block off. My wife and the other mother were there, and started running over yelling for them to stop, but at that point both boys were too focused on mutual annihilation to notice.

My wife says she was amazed as she was racing to stop it... Nicky was making a real fist and slugging it out throwing actual left/right combinations. The other boy was sticking it out, but was apparently on the worse end of the deal and crying. Nicky on the other hand was grim faced, red-cheeked, and hell bent for leather and had to be picked up and held to get him to stop.

Sadly I wasn't there. Luckily there were no major hurts, black eyes, or fat lips. Just injured pride.

Is it weird to be both proud of the win, and disappointed he was in a fight?

I don't want him to grow up to be a fighter, but I'm glad to know he can take care of himself on the playground if he has to.

Ooops

2008-04-22T11:24:00.001+07:00

Well, I'm posting a second version of the Cathy Dennis "Touch Me" vid-ee-ho for 2 reasons. I have to correct myself from the previous version where I attributed her spandexed self to the 1980's. Nope. Song was released in 1990. You know how I knew? I have the cassette. Yep, I said cassette, and yep I admit having it. What can I say, she was hot. (even when she was lip syncing on Club MTV)

The second reason. It's just another showcase of why I like spandex bodysuits... at least on her.

Cheers!

What I miss about the 80's...

2008-04-22T11:00:00.001+07:00

I figured it out. What I miss about the 80's is not Disco, Tab cola, Punk Rock, Big Hair, Commodore or Amiga PC's, Chrysler K cars, Joe Montana, or even Bo Jackson... it's spandex.

Spandex and velour body suits, and this Cathy Dennis video is a perfect illustration of why... it's cheezy 80's Pop, but she's freakin HOT!!!

Enjoy.

Social (in)Security System

2008-04-13T04:48:00.004+07:00

Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't know this.

It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it.. Facts are Facts!!!

-----------------

Our Social Security system

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program.

He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program,

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year,

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the
General operating fund, and therefore, would Only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and,

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees Would never be taxed as income.

((Keep reading))

Since many Americans have paid into FICA for years and are Now receiving a Social Security check every month -- And then finding they are getting taxed on 85% of the money they paid to the Federal government to 'put away' -- you may be interested in the following:

-----------------

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democrat controlled Congress.

-----------------

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax Deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democrat Party.

-----------------

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?

A: The Democrat Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US .

-----------------

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving Annuity payments to immigrants who had not contributed to the fund?

A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democrat Party did.

-----------------

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats now turn around and tell you the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

What a load of horse droppings!

The Man Rules

2008-04-12T06:22:00.004+07:00

We always hear " the rules" From the female side. Finally , the guys' side of the story.

These are our rules!
Please note.. these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1. Don't ask us if you look fat in whatever you are wearing.
We know it's a trick question.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one

1. You can either ask us to do something, or tell us how you want it done. Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color.
Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched.
It's what we do.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or motor sports

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;
But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Yes I know it's an old joke, but it still makes me laugh every time I read it. :-D

Just FYI...

2008-04-04T09:20:00.002+07:00

Sam and Kelly... READ YOUR EMAIL

I know you are both very busy, but if her majesty and GI Sam would read their emails, I would appreciate it. :-)

Thx!

Royksopp - Remind Me (Geico Version)

2008-03-28T21:18:00.001+07:00

Yep, it's the music from the caveman commercial when he's on the people-mover going through the airport. I love it.

Pretty sad when you find the coolest newer tunes in TV commercials!

(especially since I can't stand Geico). Oh well. Good Tunes! :-)

Get a calculator ready!

2008-03-25T21:11:00.002+07:00

YOUR AGE BY EATING OUT
Don't tell me your age; you probably would tell a falsehood anyway-but your waiter may know!

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute. Work this out as you read .

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat.
(more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1758...

5a. If you haven't, add 1757.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was your original number. (I.e., How many times you want to go out to restaurants in a week.)

The next two numbers are YOUR AGE ! ------ (Oh YES, it is!)

THIS IS APPARENTLY THE ONLY YEAR (2008) IT WILL EVER WORK

Who on Earth has time to sit and figure these things out???

Su-Fi Mutha F...

2008-03-23T04:46:00.003+07:00

Dane Cook. He really has his moments. Sometimes he makes me laugh so hard I cry. Sometimes he just makes me think "Ok that's gross" and change the channel. But not this time! This time he's a crazy funny Mutha-F... Damn this is funny!

Thanks go to GI Sam with the Kung-Fu grip for making me aware of the above clip! :-*

PS: I thought this might be a nice change from my recent political rantings. ;-)

Death & Taxes

2008-03-22T11:08:00.002+07:00

The Mantra of the Tax-and-Spend Democrats

Tax his land, Tax his wage, Tax the bed in which he lays.

Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule.

Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, then Tax his coat.

Tax his ties, Tax his shirts, Tax his work, and Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his booze, Tax his beers, If he cries, then Tax his tears.

Tax his bills, Tax his gas, Tax his notes, and Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers, Tax him more, Tax him 'til he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

And when he's gone,We won't relax,We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!!

TAXES:
Accounts Receivable TaxBuilding Permit TaxCDL License TaxCigarette TaxCorporate Income TaxDog License TaxFederal Income TaxFederal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)Fishing License TaxFood License TaxFuel Perm it TaxGasoline TaxHunting License TaxInheritance TaxInventory TaxIRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),Liquor Tax,Luxury Tax,Marriage License Tax,Medicare Tax,Property Tax,Real Estate Tax,Service charge taxes,Social Security Tax,Road Usage Tax (Truckers),Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax,School Tax,State Income Tax,State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),Telephone Federal Excise Tax,Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax,Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax,Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,Telephone State and Local Tax,Telephone Usage Charge Tax,Utility Tax,Vehicle License Registration Tax,Vehicle Sales Tax,Watercraft Registration Tax,Well Permit Tax,Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians'??? What the heck happened?????

Eloquent...?

2008-03-19T21:02:00.004+07:00

People from all sides of the political arena very consistently comment on Barrack Obama's eloquence, his erudite elocution, his as President Bush might put it, “his abilitousness for good speachification.”

He should be giving his wife lessons in proper “speachification” to avoid the openly ignorant revelation that she has never been proud to be an American before. Or at least get her hooked up with a better speech writer! That was just plain dumb.

I’m sure also, almost everyone has seen bits and pieces, if not the entire event, of Senator Obama’s recent speech to address racial issues, and his stance on comments made by the pastor of the church he is a member of.

Well, did anyone else catch this line from Senator Obama’s speech?...

"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

WTF?

In case you didn’t catch it the first time, that was, "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

Say what???

I told you, he said, "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

Oh. That’s what I thought he said. Well, all I can think of to say in response to Senator Obama is…

There was also a recent policy question posed to Senator Obama regarding how he would progress the US Military’s mission in Iraq. Senator Obama replied his first act as President of the United States would be to initiate the complete withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq.

A follow-up question was asked about, what then would he do about Al Qaida? Senator Obama, put forward an obviously well informed and wise policy type response that, if after complete withdrawal of US Forces from Iraq it was discovered that Al Qaida was operating there, we would send troops back to deal with them.

Exsqueeze me? Uh… HELLO? Houston, we have a problem! Pardon me sir, but Al Qaida is ALREADY IN IRAQ!!! WTF?

So basically, it seems to me the Distinguished Gentlemen from Illinois, is an incredibly eloquent, yet badly misinformed, ...fool?

fool : noun
Text: 1 a person who lacks good sense or judgment
Synonyms: boob, half-wit, jackass, lunatic, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, nut, simpleton, turkey, yo-yo

A lack of good sense? Yep. That sums it up pretty well.

Let's say I break into your house

2008-03-16T03:37:00.003+07:00

A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!!! It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV.
Her point:

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal aliens.

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, 'No! I like it here. It's better than my house. I've made all the beds, and washed the dishes, and done the laundry, and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters:

You are Required to let me stay in your house
You are Required to feed me
You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan
You are Required to educate my kids
You are Required to provide other benefits to me & to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, [except for that breaking in part]).

If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket yourhouse carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.

It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house. And what a deal it is for me!!!

I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted elitist behavior.

Oh yeah, and I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE!!! so you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! If you agree, please pass this message on to your voting US Citizen friends (in English ). Share it if you see the value of it.

If not, you can blow it off......... along with your future Social Security funds, and a lot of other things.

A Father Daughter Talk

2008-02-28T23:12:00.003+07:00

This is for all my friends (and everyone else) who is thinking about voting for Obama or Clinton in the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election.

*****

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, she was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican - a feeling she openly expressed.

Based on the lectures she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his. One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs.

The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, and how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican party.'

*****

If anyone has a better explanation of the difference between Republican and Democrat I'm all ears.

There's no question we have issues to deal with in the U.S.A. There's no question we need more focus on social programs, but not by rewarding people for their lack of motivation to become self-supporting (i.e. off welfare). The Democrat's socialized healthcare program funded by governement subsidy won't work. or let me rephrase that... it will be a failure in quality.

Canada and countries in Europe and Asia already have government provided healthcare. I've been there, and I and friends and family have been through them. The quality of care is low, the ability to access care is low, the motivation of the government funded staff to provide good care and customer service is almost non-existant.

A friend in Canada with cancer needed an MRI, his local government subsidized doctor scheduled him for the first available appointment at the closest government funded hospital. He had to wait 7 months for his appointment!!! He got himself an appointment at a facility in the USA, had it done within 2 weeks, found out the cancer was stage 3, and then had to fight a legal battle with the Canadian healthcare beauracracy to get him into treatment immediately without a Canadian MRI.

I have a cousin in Thailand with a birth-defect in his heart - a hole between the two atrium's. He was scheduled for surgery 5 months into the future. On the day of the surgery, he and his parents sat in the lobby waiting to be admitted from 0600 until 1300. The surgery had been scheduled for 0830. In a normal hospital, invasive heart surgery would require an overnight stay the night before for preparation. Government funded hospitals are so overworked, overcrowded and underfunded they have to bypass certain types of procedures.

I have a friend who was traveling in Europe when his wife broke her arm. They went to the Emergency Room at the local international hospital. They both said it was like walking into a scene from the 1950's - just like Thailand they sat and sat and sat. When finally treated they wanted to insert a metal plate and screws and keep her in the hospital for a full week. They needed to be back in the USA in 4 days. So she got a shoulder to wrist cast put on, got back to the USA, had outpatient surgery the next day at a regular hospital, paid for by her HMO, and was back at work the following week.

Without even getting into talking about how Democrats would pay for it... subsidized health care doesn't work. It's inefficient, and unmotivated. It creates beauracy just like the civil service, and in many cases it endangers patients with that inefficiency!

Day late and a dollar short

2008-01-23T11:04:00.000+07:00

You know, one of the perils of living and travelling a lot overseas instead of staying in the USA is I always seem to be finding out about music, musicians, hits, hotties, and delicious divas waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy after everyone else.

Anastacia is the F**KING BOMB! She's been doing her thing for years already... Here we are in 2008 (2550 on the Buddhist calendar) and she's been putting out major league hot sh*t albums (can I still use the word album?) since 2000.

I know I've blogged about her before but she FREAKIN' ROCKS! She was a part of Divas Las Vegas and absolutely ooooooooozed sexuality, sensuality, unique style, all-around hotness, and vocal power every time she stepped onto the stage. But you know what? It was in FREAKIN' 2002!!! I'm 6 whole years behind the curve on this! WTF?

Check out this line up...

Celine Dion (Vomitus Divatius),
SHAKIRA! (Hispanicus Seductivus),
ANASTACIA (Oozingus Sexius),
Cher (Sultrius Oldchickus),
Stevie Nix (Wowus! Shestillalivus?),
Dixie Chicks (Whous Caresus?)

Okay so I'm being a bit hard on Celine. I liked her back when her first album (there's that word again) came out - what an amazing vocal talent! But then got kinda ticked off when she started hitting the charts after that using other peoples music. She was hitting the top 40 doing covers of other artists songs and I hated it... what a waste of a voice, and what a cheap-assed way to sell albums. Then came Titanic and the major massive male-only power vomiting. I got so sick of that song I'd get heaves everytime I heard a flute. Then everything you heard from her was a sappy love story ballad... blech. I like the occassional ballad, but c'mon! Do something, anything different once in a while... please?

Then I saw a clip of Divas Las Vegas 2002.

Celine Dion, Anastacia, and Shakira were made to work together!!! Their voices all have such great range, power, and that weird-but-cool warping back-of-the-throat totally unique vocalese style.

And strangely enough... I didn't vomit! Celine and Anastacia did a f**king awesome cover of AC/DC's "Rock me all night long"! Yeah... I know. Weird right? Celine Dion doing AC/DC!!! I said it before I'll say it again... WTF? She even admitted in backstage interview that AC/DC was her favorite rock band. Cool. I have newfound respect for her. I'm not running out to buy her albums, but I did buy a copy of Divas Las Vegas. :-)

And Anastacia? Babe you need to get yourself back into the USA market. We need more of you over here. The Europeans have had you long enough, time to come home... and I need to pay attention more to current music trends!

If you folks are interested check out the following two clips from the Divas Las Vegas 2002 show.

1. Shakira doing an incredible cover of Elvis's "Always on my mind"

2. Anastacia and Celine's cool cover of "Shook me all night long"

3. Anastacia Anastacia Anastacia! Compilation vid of her best songs over the years

Sense & Sensibility

2008-01-15T22:51:00.000+07:00

For any of you guys who have never been married, or have not been involved in a serious relationship with a woman... YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS STUFF!!!

9 WORDS WOMEN USE

1. Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

2. Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

3. Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4. Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

5. Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)

6. That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

7. Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you're welcome.

8. Whatever: Is a women's way of saying #!@* YOU!

9. Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking "What's wrong?" For the woman's response refer to #3.

...and if I owned a restaurant, I'd have this sign hanging at every entrance...

Seems sensible to me. :-)

TAG, I'm it!

2008-01-14T11:37:00.000+07:00

Curses! I've been tagged!

Here are the rules:
1) Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here we go with my 8 random factoids...

1. I hate being tagged. I'm such a sporadic blogger that I wind up feeling guilty if the person tagging me did it a week ago, but I don't find out because I haven't blogged in that length of time. Sorry.

2. My favorite sandwich is a banana sandwich. Banana, peanut butter, mayo, on whole wheat. Sometimes lightly toasted or do the whole thing just slightly warmed. AND must use crunchy peanut butter! YUMMY!!

3. I hate liver and I hate eggplant. Probably the only two food items that I simply can't stand. I'm not real fond of eating any kind of internal organ, but liver is simply disgusting - it's the texture that gets me.... blech!!! And eggplant is just plain yucky. I've eaten bugs, yak, llama, aligator, emu, zebra, giraffe, and all kinds of weird things (living in Asia will do that to you), but nothing grosses me out as much as liver and eggplant.

4. I'm a Dr. Pepper adict. No big surprise there. Somehow I managed to live 3.5 years in Thailand without Dr. Pepper. However, the first thing I did after arriving in the USA and stepping off the plane was walk straight to the nearest convenience store and buying myself a big bottl of DP!!! Now I'm happily drinking it buy the case again. :-)

5. I smoked marijuana once about 17 years ago. Hated it. It was thoroughly disgusting and made me violently ill. Yes I inhaled. It's the only controlled substance I've ever tried.

6. I have an opinion on pretty much everything. I just have the good manners (and good sense) to keep most of them to myself.

7. I hate spiders with a passion! Worst nightmare I ever had in my life involved spiders. Lots and lots and LOTS of spiders! ----brrrrrrrrrr---- gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!

8. I've had quite a few paranormal experiences. Some bizarre, some uplifting and inspirational, and at least 1 which was extremely unpleasant and left a lasting impression.

Now I'm supposed to list 8 people I want to "Tag" so they will also perform this exercise and bare their own deepest darkest secrets to the blogosphere. Problem is, most of my bloggy friends were listed by the person who tagged me. Except for...

1. Palola <--- blogs
2. Dr. Pineapple <--- blogs
3. Silicone Nitride Balls <--- dude! u haven't blogged in like a year!!
4. Zaphod Beeblebrox <---- doesn't blog
5. Stephen Hawking <--- doesn't blog
6. Mark Twain <--- doesn't blog
7. Darth Vader <--- doesn't blog
8. Siddharta Buddha <--- doesn't blog

I really need to meet more bloggy people!!!

Beans Beans that Magical Fruit...

2007-12-29T22:00:00.001+07:00

This is for my very good friend Kel. She'll understand why.

Kel, if you'd had this guy you woulda' won. ;-)

Killer Bean Forever - full Official Trailer

Points to Ponder

2007-12-24T21:54:00.001+07:00

Eight Thoughts to Ponder for 2008...

Number 8
Life is sexually transmitted.

Number 7
Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Number 6
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day, teach a person to usethe Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

Number 5
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Number 4
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

Number 3
Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200.00 and a substantial tax cutsaves you $30.00?

Number 2
In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world isweird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

Number 1 Thought For 2008:
We know exactly where ONE cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue as towhere millions of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located.

Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of Immigration!!!!

Gimme' some sugar baby!

2007-12-24T07:36:00.000+07:00

This is for my Biscuitish friend, who I must say looks rather fetching in a too tiny Mrs. Claus outfit decorating her trees in the snow. That's 'nuff said though 'cause I know she can whup my ass. ;-)

Cherry Pie
By: Warrant
Album: Cherry Pie
Circa: 1990

She's my cherry pie,
Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise.
Tastes so good make a grown man cry,
Sweet cherry pie.

Swingin' on the front porch, Swingin' on the lawn.
Swingin' where we want, Cause there ain't nobody home.

Swingin' to the left, And swingin' to the right.
If I think about baseball, I'll swing all night, yeah.

Swingin' in the living room, Swingin' in the kitchen.
Most folks don't cause, They're too busy bitchin'.

Swingin' in there cause, She wanted me to feed her.
So I mixed up the batter, And she licked the beater.

I scream, you scream, We all scream for her.
Don't even try cause, You can't ignore her.

She's my cherry pie,
Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise.
Tastes so good make a grown man cry,
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah.

She's my cherry pie,
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide.
Looks so good, bring a tear to your eye,
Sweet cherry pie.

Swingin' to the drums, Swingin' to guitar.
Swingin' to the bass, In the back of my car.

Ain't got money, Ain't got no gas.
But we'll get where we're goin' if we swing real fast.

I scream, you scream, We all scream for her.
Don't even try cause, You can't ignore her.

She's my cherry pie,
Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise.
Tastes so good, make a grown man cry,
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah.

She's my cherry pie,
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide.
Looks so good, bring a tear to your eye,
Sweet cherry pie.

Swing it!
All night long…
Swing it!

Swingin’ in the bathroom, Swingin' on the floor.
Swingin' so hard, We forgot to lock the door.

In walks her daddy, Standin' six foot four.
He said, “You ain't gonna swing with my daughter no more.”

She's my cherry pie,
Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise.
Tastes so good, make a grown man cry,
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah.

She's my cherry pie,
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide.
Looks so good, bring a tear to your eye,
Sweet cherry pie.
Sweet cherry pie…Swing it!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Music Video

2007-12-16T01:21:00.001+07:00

Written in 1953 by Jon Rox and Sung by Gayla Peevey.

This is for all my friends here
in the US of A,
and so many overseas
wherever you stay.
Wherever you are
and whatever you do
I hope you'll love
My hippopotami too!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Dogs Know

2007-12-11T23:34:00.000+07:00

Have you ever heard that a dog "knows" when an earthquake is about to hit?

Have you ever heard that a dog can "sense" when a tornado is stirring up, even twenty miles away?

Do you remember hearing that, before the December tsunami struck Southeast Asia, dogs started running frantically away from the seashore, at breakneck speed?

I'm a firm believer that animals - and especially dogs - have keen insights into the Truth.

And you can't tell me that dogs can't sense a potentially terrible disaster well in advance.

Simply said, a good ol' hound dog just KNOWS when something isn't right...
when impending doom is upon us...

Thai Music Video - LABANOON - Yaam (ยาม)

2007-12-03T02:35:00.001+07:00

Song Title: Yaam (ยาม)
Group: LABANOON

This is one of the few Thai language songs I actually like to sing karaoke. It always amazed my Thai friends or coworkers when I would sing in Thai.

Yaam is a security guard. This song is the story of a security guard who is in love with a lady who lives in the building where he works, but she doesn't know he's even alive.

I love this song in particular because years ago I worked as a security guard and understand what it feels like to be a non-entity to the people coming and going.

Thai Music Video - 4-Mod

2007-12-02T12:23:00.001+07:00

Song Title: hai jai pen tur
Group Name: 4-Mod

This is what I would call "Cute Pop". It was one of the most popular songs in Thailand back in 2004. There was no escape from the very catchy chorus of this song "Hai jai kao kuh hur tur. Hai jai auk kuh hur tur. Pen arai maak mai loy bap nee?..." It was everyone's ring tone. It was on all the cutesy commercials on TV. It was all over the radio. It was everywhere, and it was incredibly catchy!!

Personally, I don't think the girls have much real singing talent. What they have is incredible cuteness, and really good producers and writers.

I'll be posting more music from Thailand from other groups as I find them. Come back again if you want to listen. :-)

It's a HARD election to judge

2007-11-30T09:37:00.000+07:00

Viagra Pumps Up Thai Political Race

Bangkok, Thailand - Vote-buying is an old practice in Thai politics, but one candidate for December's Thai election has reportedly come up with a new tactic _ handing out Viagra instead of cash.

The allegation, made Thursday by a campaign worker against a rival party, comes as rules about handing out favors to voters have become stricter than ever, barring even the distribution of free T-shirts and soft drinks.

Sayan Nopcha, a campaigner for the People's Power Party in Pathum Thai province just north of Bangkok, said the drug used to treat sexual dysfunction in men was being distributed to elderly male voters at social functions.

Viagra is supposed to be used only on a doctor's advice, but is generally available over the counter in Thailand.

"The politician is giving out Viagra to gain popularity and votes," said Sayan, a local government official whose older brother is the PPP candidate. "I think this is a very bad way of vote-buying."

He would not identify the candidate who allegedly handed out the pills.

Under a tough new law, both the supplier and recipient of vote-buying can face criminal charges. Candidates can be disqualified and their party disbanded, as was the case with the old law, while voters who accept money of gifts can now face from one to 10 years in prison.

More than 4,200 candidates from 41 parties are competing for 480 seats in the lower house of parliament in the Dec. 23 polls _ the first to be held after a bloodless military coup ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in September last year.

(c) 2007 The Associated Press

No doubt in my mind why the capital of this fine country is named Bangkok!

Trust me, I lived there for more than 6 years, the guy from the PPP is actually saying "Dammit! Why didn't we think of that?!!!" And just out of curiosity, when this GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL said "I think this is a very BAD way of vote buying" - does that mean he believes there is a GOOD way to BUY votes? Well, knowing the PPP's past history (since they were previously known as TRT and were the party of the deposed crook... uh... I mean Prime Minister) they probably do believe there's a GOOD way to do it.

WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!

2007-11-26T01:34:00.000+07:00

SIX in a row baby! 'nuf said?

(I am sooooooooooo glad to be back in the land of the NFL and NCAA!!!)

Paranormal Wedding Pic

2007-11-26T01:28:00.000+07:00

Okay. This is just too weird. I love paranormal stuff, but if this appears in any of my wedding or anniversary pics... well, I live in the "Bible Belt", and I'll have to ask my lawyer, but I think SATAN appearing in your photo's is legal grounds for divorce or annulment or something, yes?

See for yourself here: Paranormal Wedding Pic

Did you know?

2007-11-15T05:11:00.000+07:00

Did you know it is really a US Law that you are supposed to stand, face the flag, and place your hand over your heart?

The real deal...

U.S. Code > TITLE 36 > Subtitle I > Part A > CHAPTER 3 > § 301

§ 301. National anthem
(a) Designation.— The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.
(b) Conduct During Playing.— During a rendition of the national anthem—

(1) when the flag is displayed—

(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;
(B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and
(C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.

Voices of Angels

2007-11-09T10:15:00.000+07:00

I love the way these ladies sing! Martina does a fantastic job and at parts really sounds like Reba, and Kelly is simply incredible! She's the best thing to ever come out of American Idol.

Big Money! Big Prizes!

2007-10-22T23:17:00.000+07:00

Damn. These internet test thingies are way too addictive. Thanks Bicuit for hooking me on them. Okay so it's not really your fault, but I did see that "Am I dumb" test on your blog. Anyway, since I was addicted this morning, and since I'm trying to start a new business from scratch, I thought I'd take another one and see how much I'm worth on the open market...

I need to start exercising more... I was really hoping to break that US$3M mark.

Can I hire a personal SPINNING instructor??? ;-)

I are too smart! Is you?

2007-10-22T22:20:00.000+07:00

I got this on Biscuit's blog. But I have to say... if I are so smart, why isn't I rich?

Am-I-Dumb.com - Dumb?

So, how smart is you?

Baring your assets in protest

2007-10-21T20:31:00.000+07:00

Women Send Panties to Myanmar in Protest

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Women in several countries have begun sending their panties to Myanmar embassies in a culturally insulting gesture of protest against the recent brutal crackdown there, a campaign supporter said Friday.

"It's an extremely strong message in Burmese and in all Southeast Asian culture," said Liz Hilton, who supports an activist group that launched the "Panties for Peace" drive earlier this week.

The group, Lanna Action for Burma, says the country's superstitious generals, especially junta leader Gen. Than Shwe, also believe that contact with women's underwear saps them of power.

To widespread international condemnation, the military in Myanmar, also known as Burma, crushed mass anti-regime demonstrations recently and continues to hunt down and imprison those who took part.

Hilton said women in Thailand, Australia, Singapore, England and other European countries have started sending or delivering their underwear to Myanmar missions following informal coordination among activist organizations and individuals.

"You can post, deliver or fling your panties at the closest Burmese Embassy any day from today. Send early, send often!" the Lanna Action for Burma Web site urges.

"So far we have had no response from Burmese officials," Hilton said.

I'm not making this up and here's the link to prove it: AP Newswire

In the whole of the Western World, when women send you their panties its a compliment.

In Japan when women send you their panties it's probably some freaky new game-show.

Only in SE Asia could this be an insult or a curse... this superstition had to have been developed by either an impotent old man, or a eunuch.

In any case, you ladies... send those panties on to the Embassy of Myanmar in your nation's capital! We'll teach those old impotent burmese eunuch generals a thing or two!

What "Love" Means...

2007-10-17T22:07:00.000+07:00

A group of professionals posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
- Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
- Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
- Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
- Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
- Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
- Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
- Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
- Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
- Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
- Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
- Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
- Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
- Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
- Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
- Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
- Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
- Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)
- Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
- Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
- Jessica - age 8

And the final one - a definite winner - was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

I think I'll ask my 5 year old what she thinks when I get home tonight. :-)

Stolen Monster.com Data

2007-10-13T21:18:00.000+07:00

We all heard about it when it happened. Well this is the first I've heard of any activities that resulted from it. EVERYONE needs to go read the following article on PC World:

Stolen Monster Data Put to Bad Use
The Trojan horse used to steal personal data from Monster.com sends targeted spam seeking recruits for money-laundering jobs.

I got one of the emails this morning. The subject line was ", Monster.com suggests You the new job"

So if you recieve anything with a similar title... BEWARE!

Political Games

2007-10-11T10:38:00.000+07:00

With all the debates and other political hullabaloo going on, I figured it was my turn to jump on the band wagon.

I've always wondered why all our wonderfully neutered.... er... I mean neutral news media (News Papers, Blogs, TV, Internet, etc.) never just listed the straight shi... er... facts about which candidates believed, or at least professed to believe in what answer to what issues. Are they pro or con? Are they for it or against it? Don't give me all that analysis crap. I don't care about he-said she-said. Just tell me what the hell they stand for in short, concise, minimalistic, Politics-for-Dummies style.

It's great that all you journalists (tele-journalist, bloggist, paper journalists, etc.) get paid so much for talking about who said what; who's wearing a pin; slumber parties in the Lincoln bedroom; who wants us to save money; who wants us to spend money; and what you think of it. However, other than enjoying watching you all shout at each other on the tube, or reading the rumblings of some new media frenzied blog-war, you're not really helping us narrow it down. You don't need to tell us what you think every half hour. What we'd like is for you to display a checklist so we can see exactly which candidate is for and which candidate is against the issues that are important to us. You know us... the people who watch all those damn commercials so you can get paid so much money for telling us your opinion.

What's that? Really? Hang on a tick... Someone's finally done it? Someone has actually built it and it works???!!! HOLEY MOLEY! That's almost too useful for someone to actually give it too us. Free you say??? Someone did it, and it's free and you don't have to sign up or contribute to a campaign to use it?? Will wonders never cease?

Yes friends! Not only has someone constructed a listing of ALL the pre-primary Republican and Democrat candidates stands on the issues, they've made it interactive!!! You can answer a specific questionaire, and it will actually generate and display a list for you of every candidate and who is your best match according to your beliefs!!!!!

Not surprisingly.... here's my result:

I guess I know who I'm voting for. Sadly though, IMMIGRATION policy and reform is my number one issue. The only candidate that agrees with my on that item is a guy I've never heard of and doesn't match up with any of my other positions.

How'd I rate with the Democrats? Check this out...

You can take the quiz and find your candidate here:

So, some of you may agree, many of you may not. That's okay. I'm alright with differences of opinion. We don't always have to agree. Disagreeing doesn't mean we can't be friends. Does it?

Vegetatortativeness...?

2007-09-26T20:42:00.000+07:00

Last night, my wife and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

She got up, unplugged the TV and then threw out my beer.

She is SUCH a Bitch......

;-)

1... 2... Buckle My Shoe

2007-09-24T21:05:00.000+07:00

Well I finally have internet service again. I've finally got everthing unpacked and pictures on the walls at the apartment. Though it's kind of a bummer to be living in an apartment again. Anyone want to buy a nice 3BR house in Thailand? It's still there, it's 90% furnished, and I still own it. :-( Oh well. At least I won't have to stay in a hotel when I go back for a holiday.

Now that I have internet again I've added a song to my playlist. I know you've all heard it from that iPod Nano commercial. It's a dammed addictive tune. I had to look up the lyrics for it though... and I've posted them here for you as well. I swear I thought she was saying "Oh those teenage ho's arrive at your door". Actually, if you replace the actual lyrics with that line in all the appropriate places, the song makes even more sense. :-) Kinda brings back some memories of some girls I knew too... but we won't talk about them (none of them blog but I don't name names, etc.). ;-)

(oh, and ignore the "teenage boys" reference in the last stanza... at least for my own personal memories)

Anyway, I'm back. I'm happy to be back. Some of you I've already seen, and I'm looking forward to another fun-filled mini-reunion with the whole gang in the not too distant future!

1234
by: Feist

One Two Three Four Tell me that you love me more
Sleepless long nights That is what my youth was for
Old teenage hopes are alive at your door
Left you with nothing but they want some more

Oh, you're changing your heart
Oh, You know who you are

Sweetheart bitterheart now I can tell you apart
Cosy and cold, put the horse before the cart
Those teenage hopes who have tears in their eyes
Too scared to own up to one little lie

Oh, you're changing your heart
Oh, you know who you are

One, two, three, four, five, six, nine, or ten
Money can't buy you back the love that you had then
One, two, three, four, five, six, nine, or ten
Money can't buy you back the love that you had then

Oh, you're changing your heart
Oh, you know who you are
Oh, you're changing your heart
Oh, you know who you are
Oh, who you are

For the teenage boys
They're breaking your heart
For the teenage boys
They're breaking your heart

Mohammed now #2 boy’s name in UK.

2007-07-20T13:20:00.000+07:00

Interesting title yes? I found the article posted on the Daily Adult Joke blog.

***

Didn’t take long. The Islamization of Europe is proceeding apace.

"Muhammad is now second only to Jack as the most popular name for baby boys in Britain and is likely to rise to No 1 by next year, a study by The Times has found. The name, if all 14 different spellings are included, was shared by 5,991 newborn boys last year, beating Thomas into third place, followed by Joshua and Oliver.
Scholars said that the name’s rise up the league table was driven partly by the growing number of young Muslims having families, coupled with the desire to name their child in honour of the Prophet."

***

So, if this is true, this is going to make things interesting in the school classrooms...

1. Taking attendance? Mohammed? "here"; Muhamed? "here"' Muhammud? "here"; Muhommed? "here"... etc.

2. Class photos? They'll be blank because everyone knows it's against Islamic law to create images of Mohammed, right?

3. School Lunch Menu? "What's this?" "It's a hamburger." "But I can't eat ham." "It's made of beef." "Oh. So it's a beefburger?" "No. It's a hamburger." "But you just said it was made of beef?" "Yes. It's a hamburger made of beef." "But there's no ham?" "No." "Then why is it a 'hamburger' and not a beefburger?" "Because it was invented in Hamburg, Germany you idiot!" "Oh. I see.... Is it Halal?" "AAAAAAAARRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrgh!"

Useless Holiday Photos

Don't get me wrong, I have no predjudice againts followers of Islam. I have many very good friends who are Muslims. I do however think some people carry things a bit too far. Christians, Jews, Hindus, and buddhists can be just as guilty of this. Reading that article though... it just seemed funny when I started thinking about it. ;-)

DEAD or ALIVE

2007-07-19T13:23:00.002+07:00

Well, I just saw the movie DOA: Dead or Alive. Not going to win any oscars, but in general, if you liked movies like Mortal Combat and TMNT, then you'll love DOA! Plus, it's chock full of cool action scenes with scantily clad drool-worthy hotties like Jaime Pressly and Holly Valance!!!

Jaime Pressly is my new goddess by the way. My apologies to Lucy Liu and Halle Berry, but Jaime (in my book) is a complete, 100%, without a doubt 10. Okay, Okay. So I also still think Lucy and Halle are 10's, but Jaime is my new 10. :-)

Oh and the fact that she was on stage with Paul Stanley just throws all kinds of brownie points in her direction if you ask me!

I was surprised to see Robin Shou in the movie. Man is he looking old in this flick! When was the first Mortal Combat made anyway??? Has it been that long that he's starting to look like an old guy with sunken eyes, and skin stretched thin and taughtly over bony features? Whatever the case, he's an awesome fight choreographer! I was watching the credits to see if he was the one who did the fight planning for DOA, but didn't see a credit for that position for some reason.

DOA in the opening scene with Devon Aoki is a bit wooden in dialog. Actually, there are a lot of scenes where the dialog is overly formal and ridiculously wooden. Nobody actually talks like that. "Princess Kasumi, you must not leave, or you will become shinobi and we must kill you!" So... waaaaaay too formal when it's supposed to be said by someone who's in love with the chick, and the delivery is so wooden you'd think it was a computer.

The fight scenes though, most of the fight scenes were pretty damn cool. Jamie's final DOA fight against the character Zakk, and Devon Aoki's (Princess Kasumi) fight against the HUGE Leon were the best in the movie. Holly Valance's fight at the very start of the movie is good, and very funny when she tells the cop to "Do me up." (meaning her bra). Love the Aussie accent.

So the movie could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse also. My wife says next time (if they make a number 2) she'll bring more tissue to wipe the drool off my chin for me. ;-)

Coolness!

2007-07-16T22:00:00.000+07:00

I love maps. I've always loved maps. When I was a kid, one third of my room was covered in STAR WARS posters, another third was covered by Farah Fawcett, the final third was covered by maps. Usually these were the really colorful, informative maps found in National Geographic.

Right now I have a giant map of the world framed and hanging on the wall outside my daughters room. I used to have colored pins stuck in it for all the places I've been lucky enough to visit (yes I even consider myself lucky to have been places like Pakistan and Majuro). I've taken those pins out though, not safe with a 5 and a 2 year old running around. My daughter and I regularly go to the map and we talk about where we live, where grandaddy is, where Nana lives, etc. She's gotten pretty good at it. For some reason she could actually read CANADA before she ever went to school and learned to read. I've always been puzzled by that.

Anyway, now I have yet another cool new map. This one is from www.ClustrMaps.com it's at the bottom of my sidebar. It visually displays where the visitors to your blog are coming from. I just installed it so it's blank for now. I don't get lots of hits, because I'm a fairly sporadic blogger, but it's still a pretty cool gadget goodie for the web.

It's free, you should try it.

AT LAST!

2007-07-16T20:29:00.000+07:00

Well today the moving company confirmed the date. Our stuff (at least what we are shipping back) will be loaded on the truck and sent to the port on 23 July! That's only 1 week from tomorrow! Then only 1 week after that we'll take off on our 24 hour oddessy back to the USA and all new and wonderful stresses, trials and tribulations. I can't wait! :-)

It's really sad that we haven't been able to sell this house here in Thailand. It may be even more sad we can't just take it with us, it's been a great home. Of course living in a house made of concrete instead of wood comes with a whole different set of issues, but it's been a very good home.

Oh yes... over here everything's built with steel reinforced concrete and brick. My house has pyramidal footers that run 3+ meters underground to reduce shifting (because concret doesn't flex right?) It's great when you have small kids though because it's a lot more sound-proof!

One thing I've always liked about the way things are done in Asia is there's no central water heater. Every bathroom and kitchen has it's own miniature tankless water heater. These things are great! No long waits for the water to run through the houses pipes to get wherever you want the hot water, and they don't waste energy constantly reheating a tank full of water. Conversely, one thing I really DON'T like in asia is there's no central A/C. Every room where you want A/C has it's own unit. That's wasteful also since each one of them uses almost as much power as a single central air unit in the USA. Oh well, everthing has pros and cons right?

Someday in the future the Thai government may loosen the restrictions on foreign ownership of detached homes and we can sell this place. Until then we're stuck with it.

Family Portrait and stuff

2007-07-12T12:51:00.000+07:00

I liked the Simpson's Avatar Creator so much, (not to mention that I am as of now incredibly bored) I decided to do an entire family portrait. Did you know that the Simpson's live in Springfield? Did you know that there's a "Springfield in every one of the the contiguous 48 states of the continental US? That's why Groenig picked that name.

By the way I just finished watching the movie "Bridge to Terabithia". Damn! It was a tear-jerker. My daughter (who cried when Dumbo's mother was locked up) was pretty much in pieces. They should warn you of those things on the labels! It's not fair to edit a preview to make something look like a fun romp through fairyland, and then hit you with tragedy when you see the real thing. >:-\ I'm really not happy about it.

I remember as a kid of 5 getting scared when the wicked witch threw the fireball at Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. I remember also, as a kid of maybe 7, getting sick and actually throwing up during the Passover scene of the 10 Commandments. The part when the angel of death was killing all the first-born children in the houses that didn't have the lambs blood on the door (I think it was the fact it was innocent children being killed that did it to me). I remember being unable to sleep and just laying in bed staring at my closet door for hours after seeing Poltergeist. I remember being scared shitless after watching The Omen and The Omen II. Movies based on my personal beliefs are always the scariest. I've never really been scared by the traditional scary movies. Most of them are pretty laughable, and I hate blood and gore just for the sake of grossing people out, it really doesn't cover the fact that the story sucks. However, stuff based on our actual beliefs like that Angel of Death scene? or the whole Damien series of movies... those bug me... a lot.

Doh!

2007-07-10T12:01:00.000+07:00

Thanks to Rick I have a Simpson's Avatar! How cool is that?!

You can make your own in Springfield!

I edited it a bit to add the Falcons logo (think they'll win any this year?), by the end of the football season I may have to edit it again with a paper bag over the head if he keeps wearing that shirt. We'll see. Oh, and I added the two-tone shirt. Other than that, the rest is from the Avatar creator on the Simpson's site.

Enjoy!

Spinning... ?!

2007-07-09T23:56:00.000+07:00

My good friend JY has become an instructor for "Spinning". I think that's really cool. However, I have no idea where that name for this activity comes from. What the hell is "Spinning"? To me it's the old joke about a kid with a bucket on his head making himself so dizzy he runs into a wall and knocks himself out. Or, maybe it's something to do with a guy named Rumplestiltskin. I just don't know how it applys to a bunch of people on stationary bikes. What part of them is spinning exactly? I used to ride bikes alot. I rode from Huntsville, AL to Mobile, AL (365 miles) once just for kicks, but I don't recall ever spinning while doing it.

Gyros spin, tops spin, the Earth spins, but people on stationary bikes don't spin, they pedal. Pedalling turns the sprocket which, through a chain, belt, or system of gears causes the wheel of a bicycle to rotate, or ...well... spin, but the person isn't spining, the wheel is. So why is it called spinning when it's an exercise regime performed by pedalling? It's really more accurate to call it resistance training right? Because isn't that what you do in a Stationary Bike exercise class? You simulate hills and level ground through varying resistance and pace? So shouldn't it be Stationary Bike Resistance Training? SBRT? If you say it quickly it almost sounds like Sport (but with more of an 'er' sound)

I tried to look it up - "Spinning" I mean. It's not included in any dictionary. Websters has the following definitions:

Main Entry: spin

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan; akin to Old High German spinnan to spin and perhaps to Lithuanian spesti to set (a trap)

intransitive verb

1 : to draw out and twist fiber into yarn or thread

2 : to form a thread by extruding a viscous rapidly hardening fluid -- used especially of a spider or insect

3 a : to revolve rapidly : GYRATE b : to feel as if in a whirl : REEL

4 : to move swiftly especially on or as if on wheels or in a vehicle

5 : to fish with spinning bait : TROLL

6 a of an airplane : to fall in a spin b : to plunge helplessly and out of control

7 : to engage in spin control (as in politics)

transitive verb

1 a : to draw out and twist into yarns or threads b : to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material

2 : to form (as a web or cocoon) by spinning

3 a : to stretch out or extend (as a story) lengthily : PROTRACT -- usually used with out b : to evolve, express, or fabricate by processes of mind or imagination

4 : to cause to whirl : impart spin to

5 : to shape into threadlike form in manufacture; also : to manufacture by a whirling process

6 : to set (records or compact discs) rotating on a player : PLAY

7 : to present (as information) with a particular spin

Now some of you may latch onto the 'transitive verb' definition number 4. Sorry, no. That only refers to applying "spin" as a verb, not Spinning the proper noun. Here's the actually Websters definition of 'Spinning'

Main Entry: spinning

Function: noun

: a method of fishing in which a lure is cast by use of a light flexible rod, a spinning reel, and a light line

Hmmm.... no mention of exercise. If you look up "exercise" you will see it is a noun, not a verb. If you look up a form of exercise with a proper title like say... Aerobics, you will see it is in the dictionary and also a noun.

Therefore, if "Spinning" is a proper title for a "form of exercise" then it's name must be a noun, but it's not in a dictionary with the other exercise programs such as aerobics, etc.

Okay, I'm narrowing it down. So, I went to http://www.spinning.com/ to see what I could see.

As it turns out, Spinning is not spinning at all. It's actually SPINNING which is a trademark name for a course of exercise and exercise products based on indoor cycling.

Indoor cycling? The bikes, excuse me, the SPINNERs don't move right? So shouldn't it be Stationary Cycling? There are indoor cycling tracks after all where people go with bikes that move when pedalled, and can't the SPINNERs be placed outside for the classes if you really wanted to? I don't know, I couldn't find that answer on the website.

So, if we sit on a SPINNER and pedal it, then it's called SPINNING? Um... actually, no. According to Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc. (owner of the SPINNING trademark), they say SPINNING should not be used as a verb or a noun, or to refer to a stationary/indoor exercise class that isn't using or taught by real SPINNER equipment and certified SPINNING instructors. It's simply a trademark, but it can be used for referring to the SPINNING exercise program. So people in a SPINNING class are not Spinners or Spinning right? Yep. They are just indoor (stationary) cyclers on SPINNERS taking a SPINNING course.

Alright, well I've beaten this subject enough. In my quest for knowledge I have learned how to not use a trademark as a noun or verb, but to apply it in simulated-noun form when refering to it's trademarked um.... thingy, and related certified equipment and materials while simultaneously not refering to those people utilizing said trademark thingies in any simulated-noun trademark related fashion. er... yeah. Someting like that.

All I can say now is, JY if you read this, if you head back south, I'll be signing up (at least for the winter months). :-)

Up on the Soapbox

2007-07-08T21:45:00.000+07:00

Okay. So, maybe that last post was a little over the top. I'm not usually so vocal or so prone to breathing fire. I just tend to feel very very strongly about that topic. Especially having been through the entire process of immigration processing with my wife. It's not cheap, it's not easy, it's definitely not quick, and I resent the puffed-up buffoons in the capitol who only care what interest groups think without consideration for either the voting public, the law, or the safety of our people.

Speaking of Safety... did you know that local and state police don't even have a method of communication with USCIS (immigration) enforcement teams? Local and state police have no jurisdiction within their own areas to enforce immigration law?

You as a US Citizen... all you can do is FAX a letter to a USCIS number in Washington DC and hope they'll actually read it. There's no email. There's no hotline. There's no actually process at all for us to report KNOWN illegals. Forget about suspected illegals, we can't even report the ones we have 100% proof positive about.

That's just plain stupid.

What is USCIS's Enforcement Division doing about it? Nothing. Not a damn thing. They have no real interest in it actually. They are up to their eyeballs in paperwork and bureaucracy.

They have a backlog of somewhere around 2 million applications. They process something like 800k refugee requests per year... and the backlog grows by something like 50% per year. I don't remember the exact statistics, but what is really staggering is - they still do it all manually with pen, paper, and filing cabinets. There's no computer automation. No electronic processing at all.

After 9/11 their budget for IT enhancement of their system was redirected for formation of DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and never re-budgeted in any fiscal plan afterward.

What's their solution? Raise the application fees. And what will the increased fees pay for? More clerks and analysts to manually process more applications.

Here we are in the 21st century, and our entire system for processing immigration applications and related materials is done by hand and courier.

Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't Somalia, or Burma, or Laos, Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan or some other developing nation, this is the United States of America. Surely we can do better than this?

Immigration

2007-07-08T15:34:00.000+07:00

I'm so tired of the yahoos on capitol hill. It's really the "lifers" that get in there, and seem to stay there forever like Strom Thurmond did, that annoy me. This whole issue regarding immigration reform, border control, and what to do with the illegals already here is a stupid, moronic, complete and absolute cluster-fuck of people with no balls trying to please constituents that can't even vote.

People... they've broken the FUCKING LAW! That's why they are called ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! What part of ILLEGAL do you not understand?

There is no question that many of them provide a needed service and an inexpensive labor force, but there is also no question that a large number of them do not.

They pay no taxes which means they don't contribute to national, state, or local infrastructure.

They pay no taxes which means they don't contribute to payment of national, state, or local law enforcement or other emergency services.

They pay no taxes which meanse they don't contribute to payment for our public school system.

If they are sick or injured and require urgent medical care, who pays for it? Taxpayers because they have no insurance.

If they are driving a vehicle and have an accident and people are hurt, who pays for it? The individual hurt because the ILLEGAL driver has no insurance.

My wife is a LEGAL immigrant. It took us THREE FUCKING YEARS of paperwork, appointments, large fees, and much patience to jump through all the USCIS (Immigration Department) legal hoops to get her Green Card. THREE YEARS! And these idiots in congress want to give a general amnesty to these 12 million people who've done exactly NOTHING to deserve it except BREAK THE LAW? NO.

Take a looks at this link from CNN and see if YOU still want to grant amnesty.

http://www.forthecause.us/media/ftc-video-CNN-AmnestyBillsWorstProvisions_070523.wmv

Absolutely lets fix the situation. But you guys on capitol hill can't see past your noses, and refuse to listen to the people who put you in office in the first place. But just in case, here's the solution:

1. Build a great big fucking wall from Port Isabel, Texas all the way to San Diego, California.

This isn't just to keep out farm and construction workers, this is to keep out drugs, weapons, terrorists, and other things we definitely don't want, but which cross the southern border daily.

Bring back chain-gangs, and build the wall using hard-time prison labor. Our prisons are overflowing, put the malcontents to some good use for all the tax dollars spent to feed, clothe, house, and educate them.

2. Grant the ones here a path to citizenship similar to that of the LEGAL immigrants.

Make them pay a penalty to at least partially compensate for the lack of taxes paid during their ILLEGAL adventure in our country.

Make them pay for the application and processing fees just like all the LEGAL immigrants

Make them take classes on US government and basic US history so they'll know what the USA is and stands for.

Make them learn to speak, read, and write ENGLISH! Come on, they use the same alphabet, it's not that hard! I worked in Mexico a total of about 3 months, what did I do? I made an effort to speak Spanish. I've lived in Thailand for 6.5 years, what have I done? I've learned to speak Thai (and they DON'T use an alphabet even remotely resembling English)

3. Creat a Guest-Worker Visa program

If you don't legalize it, you can't control it

Get them on the books

Get them a visa that grants them 1 year multi-entry and employment availability for the USA

Limit the types of professions the guest-worker visa can be used for... e.g. Agricultural and Light non-Industrial Construction.

Do not allow guest workers to work in Licensed professions. This includes driving, beautician, electrician, heavy equipment operation, welding, health care, etc.

Guest workers must be paid a national minimum wage. Keep in mind minimum wage still places people under the poverty income level.

Guest workers must pay taxes. I would suggest a reduced rate flate tax with the US and Mexican (or other government) sharing of the proceeds. Maybe a 75/25 split. With the 25% given to the foreign government being guaranteed for use on public education, and infrastructure improvements.

Bottom line is, we absolutely MUST regain control of our border if we are to remain safe in our homes. People in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California, but TX and AZ especially have people running through their yards, hiding in their sheds, and generally scaring the shit out of them on a regular basis either as they run from the border patrols or police on their way to find work, sell drugs and weapons, or just to have their baby in a US Hospital so their child can claim US Citizenship.

They've broken the law. They don't deserve special treatment. They aren't refugees escaping war, political or religious persecution. I've been to refugee camps in Africa and Thailand. I know the haunted looks of fear and desperation real refugees have. These ILLEGAL immigrants are just law breakers. Nothing else.

Let them come, but let them follow the legal process and enjoy the same rights and privileges and contribute to the common good just as we all do. It's the only way to ensure their own safety and equitable treatment, and the only way to ensure the security of our nation.

Eclectricitousness

2007-07-06T15:23:00.000+07:00

Okay, so don't yell at me too loudly for changing the music to pop-dance crap. I'm in a dance mood and I have very eclectic taste in music. I go through phases. Sometimes I live in the '80's, sometimes I immerse myself in techno and electronica (great for waking up in the morning); occasionally I hit a dark patch and switch to more metal sounds like Linkin Park, SoundGarden, AudioSlave, or similar; sometimes I prefer the sort of ethereal sounds of an Evanescence, Eta James, or Sarah McLachlan; other times I go all "golden age" and whip out the Dean Martin, Andrews Sisters, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Doris Day... all insanely cheerful, rose-colored glasses kind of music. Mozart will always be my all-time favorite composer, but I love Wagner, Rachmaninoff, and so many of the classics.

So there's no way to effectively sort my CD's. If I go by genre then sometimes their will only be one or two in a category. If I sort by artist name alphabetically that works okay, but then I'll wind up with the Amadeus soundtrack next to AC/DC, and the Motels next to Mozart, or (God Forbid) Destiny's Child (Bootiliscious) next to Doris Day (Que Sera Sera).... some artists just shouldn't share the same space... it's almost sacrilegious.

Anyway, if you don't like the music playing... just push "Stop". :-p

Good Times!

2007-07-03T12:50:00.000+07:00

Gathering of Middle-Aged Men in Search of Beer and Fun

If all my USA-based lady friends can have a Florida "GoG" (Gathering of Goddesses) [thanks to JY for the definition] then can all us poor deserted hubbies have a GoMAMiSoBaF?

Can we uh... have it in Pattaya, Thailand?

Just curious.

Done Deal!

2007-07-01T02:32:00.000+07:00

Well, I/We have our tickets. We're heading back. For those of you who asked (sorry it's taken so long to respond) "here" means H'patch. We'll be arriving on 1 August after a 25 hour trip from the other side of the planet. Our household items should arrive sometime before Christmas. You've heard of "taking the slow boat to China"? Well, it's that same boat that freights everything to the USA as well.

Apparently, all the delays and consternation in trying to work out the transfer offers over here in Asia have all been because of a global hiring freeze in the IT department the global CIO only just recently told everyone about. So, what have I been waiting for all this time?

Time to get on with life.

We've got a renter for our house over here (Thailand) for the next 12 months. HOORAY! That certainly makes things a bit easier now that we don't have to worry about the house being unattended. And we'll make it back to the USA just barely in time to get the kids in school by the 8 August start date! (assuming we've all recovered from the massive jet lag of moving almost exactly half-way around the world.

Steve: To answer your previous question; I'm in IT same as you. Formerly a network engineer and system architect. Microsloth and Cisco certified. Now though, I mostly manage the people conducting the day-to-day operations. The last couple years have been spent as the regional contract manager for Asia-Pacific for all the IT outsourcing contracts... 45 contracts across 11 countries, at 24 business units with 6 major suppliers. After that, I think everythings going to feel like a much slower pace, and I'll be happy to have a bit more personal time.

So, looking forward to getting home, and hope to see all of you again soon!!!!

Cheers!

Pony-up and Cowboy-on!

2007-06-12T13:50:00.001+07:00

Okay, so I haven't followed up on that "Nexus" thing in a while. It's because the Nexus continues to pursue me. It's the Neverending Story but without all the funky critters and flying furry dragon-dog thing.

So, yep there were lots of decisions to be considered, made, trashed, rethought, redetermined, trashed, rehashed, revamped, revised, redone, retrashed, etc.

It finally ended that on 1 June 2007 I submitted my resignation, provided them with 30 days worth of job-transition time to make sure I don't leave loose ends behind, and I even have a moving company coming to estimate the packing and relocation expenses. Then what?

Big boss says, "You're leaving Thailand? Great, I want you to come work here!"
uh...? Okay, what's the job scope, etc? "Let me work it out and get back to you later this week." Okay boss.

That was on the evening of Friday 1 June.
Saturday? Sunday? Monday? Tuesday?

Tuesday I got a call from someone else in the same company who'd heard a rumor I was resigning. Yep says I. "Great, I want you to come work here!" What's the job, says I. "Blah blah blah" Okay says I. Sounds interesting I'm happy to consider it.

Wednesday I got requested for an interview appointment. Thursday I had the interview. Friday they discussed it in the regional HR meeting. Friday evening he says it's approved and when would I like to start? I'll need to know what the package is before we agree to anything. "Great!" says he. "I'll talk to HR and get them to call you." Cool says I.

That was on the evening of Friday 8 June.
Saturday? Sunday? Monday? Tuesday?

Guys, you have 15 days to work it out.

Nothing like already having a plan to make your side of a negotiation easier. It's one of those things where I already had somewhere to go, so if they want me here, it's up to them to make it worthwhile. I've never liked that feeling employers try to convey that you are at their mercy so you should just bend over and take it like a roman soldier. This time it's my turn to drive. ;-)

So, my last day of work in Thailand one way or the other is 27 June 2007. I'll let you know as things progress (IF they progress). Otherwise I'll see you in H'patch before the kids school year starts. :-)

Decision Time Nexus

2007-05-12T15:43:00.000+07:00

You know those times in your life you can look back on, and you can see exactly where specific pathways converged and diverged with specific actions or decisions on your part setting your feet on the path to where you are now?

And I don't mean that time you decided to pee on a tree, or cop a squat instead of taking a 10 mile detour to find a gas station with a toilet. I mean those points of time where major influences where at work that set MAJOR directions in your life.

We all have major decision times, but these are truly significant Nexi or Confluences of pathways that determine your lifes true path. These aren't just prevailing winds, this is the Jet-Stream of your life.

Well I'm hitting another one of those in the next few days, and for the first time in my life I don't know which direction I want it to take.

I'm a very Yes/No person. I've always been very clearly decisive. I don't see the world in black and white, but I see my own decisions that way. Things are either done or not. Cook or get out of the kitchen. Shit or get off the pot. As Yoda said, "Do or do not. There is no 'Try'".

I think I'm more stressed by not knowing what I want, than by waiting for others to tell me what they want me to do. The options I will supposedly be given are...
1. Promoted and stay in Thailand
2. Promoted and move to Shanghai, China
3. No local promotion but accept a transfer to USA to take on a new focus area globally
4. Quit, go back to USA and do my own thing.

All of those are good things. So how do I choose? All of them mean better quality of life, better education for my kids, and better career prospects. Item 4 means starting my own business which has rewards and risks all it's own, but comes with a heavy short term price tag that means the first few years will be very very tight financially, but the rewards long-term could exceed anything I can receive working for someone else. Its just the financial risk when I have a family to care for that worries me. The first 3 all mean better salary, benefits and dependent support.

So how do you choose when everything looks good, and you want all of them?

I've got gail-force winds, a clear sky, and I'm ready to sail, but my compass is broken.

Why I drink...

2006-12-18T15:51:00.000+07:00

The "Buffalo Theory" of drinking

It's like this...

A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. When the herd is hunted, it is the
slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first This natural selection is good for the herd as a
whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of
the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake
of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain
cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a
faster and more efficient machine.

That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers!

Cheers!!!

kEEp oN tRucKiN...

2006-12-09T19:24:00.000+07:00

Credit to Siren for this one...

I've apparently visited 13% of the world. I hadn't realized that, but I've only lived in 3 of them - USA, Germany, and Thailand. The rest was all work or fun (mostly work).

And also thanks to Siren ...

I've visited 54% of the United States. Many of those for extended periods since my father was military.

create your own visited country map
create your own personalized map of the USA

Why I like Pattaya!!!

2006-11-12T20:08:00.000+07:00

This is for my friends Steve, Pineapple, RK, Neal (who doesn't blog), Mikey (who doesn't blog), and Siren's husband whose name I don't know (and also doesn't blog).

Why I Like Living In Thailand:
PATTAYA THAILAND

In the immortal words of Fatboy Slim: "Yeah. It's like that."

24x7... 365!

SHAZAM!

2006-10-16T16:41:00.000+07:00

Lightning exits woman's bottom
October 09, 2006 12:00am
Article from: "The Australian"

A WOMAN has suffered severe burning to her anus after being struck by lightning which hit her in the mouth and passed right through her body.

Natasha Timarovic, 27, was cleaning her teeth at in her home in the Croatian city of Zadar when lightning struck the building.

She said: "I had just put my mouth under the tap to rinse away the toothpaste when the lightning must have struck the building. I don't remember much after that, but I was later told that the lightning had travelled down the water pipe and struck me on the mouth, passing through my body. It was incredibly painful, I felt it pass through my torso and then I don't remember much at all."

Doctors at the city hospital where she was treated for burns to the mouth and rear said: "The accident is bizarre but not impossible. "She was wearing rubber bathroom shoes at the time and so instead of earthing through her feet it appears the electricity shot out of her backside," a medic told local newspaper.

"It appears to have earthed through the damp shower curtain that she was touching as she bent over to put her mouth under the tap. If she had not been wearing the shoes she would probably have been killed by the blast."

The local paper said the young woman had been released from hospital after being kept in overnight and was expected to make a full recovery.

(THIS IS A REAL STORY!!! Good thing she wasn't passing gas or she might've gone into orbit!)

Does it change anything?

2006-10-12T15:04:00.000+07:00

Well I finally saw "The Da Vinci Code" movie. I read the book when it came out, but never had a chance to see the movie. They did a good job with it. It's a storyline that really makes you think.

Realizing the story is a work of FICTION, it still is thought provoking. For me, as a protestant, does it matter if Jesus was just a man? Does it matter if he was married? Does it shake my faith in everything I've been taught to believe?

Hmm... um... er... ah... hrrm... after giving it an incredibly deep, objective, methodical 30 seconds of thought... no. Doesn't affect me one bit.

It doesn't change the things he taught (he never taught us to be unmarried and celibate, or not to dance or drink alcohol).

It doesn't change the amazing things he did (I can't walk on water, raise the dead, or turn water into wine... and neither can the Pope).

It doesn't change the message of salvation and love he spread (I still have trouble turning the other cheek when useless morons strap bombs around their belts or fly airliners into buildings killing innocent people)

It doesn't change the power of prayer (I've seen too many amazing things to not believe it)

It doesn't make him any less divine, and it doesn't reduce the importance of the sacrifice he made on our behalf.

It doesn't affect me because we, including the the men at the Council of Nicea are only human. We're falible. If those fellows got it wrong which books should have been included in the bible, do we shoot the messenger (Church)? No. We absorb the truth, adjust our understanding of history, and keep marching forward, because in the end the church is only a guide, the church is the house of God, not God Himself; and the church is run by humans, and humans make mistakes.

What it would possibly do is shake the foundations of the richest, most powerful religious organization in the world. The real question is, would the church - the supposed keeper of spiritual enlightenment - be willing to accept a change to themselves if it was proven without a doubt?

Would you?

Amazing Thailand

2006-09-20T19:49:00.000+07:00

Thank you to everyone! The comments and well-wishes are very much appreciated.

Thailand seems to be settling into the situation. There are discussions going on with a Thai gentleman who is the current head of the Bank of Thailand to take over the reigns as Prime Minister. General Sonthi has stated he will continue in his position as the head of the military reformer group for only two weeks as things are sorted out. My office will be open tomorrow so I'll head back to work. It's been a very calm day and everyone has handled it well. None of the social disruption you expect to see in this sort of situation.

The Thai people are amazingly resilient and should be commended for their ability to manage this episode with such calm and equinimity.

I'll keep you posted on events, but if you are interested you should also check www.nationmultimedia.com or www.bangkokpost.com for up-to-the-minute news.

Thanks again everyone!

Always,
Suthnuh

Outside Looking Inside

2006-09-20T07:25:00.000+07:00

Just letting you all know, as I'm sure you have heard on the news there has been a military coup d'etat in Thailand.

My company has closed until we understand what's happening. Bangkok is under martial law, but it's very peacefull. No shots fired and largely has the support of the Thai people after what PM Thaksin has done to this country for the last 5 years.

We're okay. Very far from the action. Schools are open. It's only the businesses that are impacted. I'll keep you posted and I'm working from home.

You know this is my third coup d'etat! I was in Indonesia when Suhuarto was deposed (that was dangerous). I was in Pakistan with Musharif took over (that was peaceful), and now Thailand. This should also be peacefull, though we'll see how it goes after Thaksin returns from New York and the UN HQ.

Thaksin, as a graduate of the academy has always enjoyed the 100% support of the National Police and some of the more junior Army commanders (Lt. Cols and Brigadiers). The coup Leader, General Sonthi is, from all accounts a good man, more tending to negotiation and planning than shoot first ask questions later. Hopefully it remains that way.

Love to all, Suthnuh

To See or not to see...!

2006-09-13T11:27:00.000+07:00

Blind man sentenced for driving
September 12, 2006 01:47am

London - A BLIND man who was convicted of dangerous driving after he admitted being behind the wheel of a car that touched 50km/h was given a three-month suspended sentence. Omed Aziz was also banned from driving for three years at Warley magistrates' court in Oldbury, West Midlands.

Mr Aziz, 31, who lost his eyes after an explosion in his homeland of Iraq, had been driving by following instructions on where to steer and when to brake from a passenger who himself had been banned from driving.

When police stopped the Peugeot 405 in April this year after it had erratically negotiated two traffic islands and a corner, Mr Aziz's passenger explained that his friend was blind. When Mr Aziz, who is also partially deaf, was asked to step out of the car and remove his sunglasses, the officer was surprised to see he did not have any eyes, the court heard earlier this month.

In his defence Mr Aziz, who also suffers from leg tremors and has only two fingers on his right hand, said he was testing his driving abilities.

At an earlier hearing he had admitted driving with no licence and no insurance.

A chicken says what?

2006-09-08T09:37:00.000+07:00

Well since I started this blog to talk about life in Asia in general, and Thailand in specific, here are a few gems to keep you occupied, satisfied, and probably a little mystified! True tales of cultural conantidisunambiguity. - Cheers!

Shanghai'd In Shanghai
I had to stay one more night so I could complete the work I was there for before leaving. That evening I called down to the reception.
"Neehow, good evening sir, how may I help you?"
"Hi, I need to stay one more night, will that be okay?"
"Excuse please?"
"I need to stay one more night, is that possible?"
"How may I help you?"
"I just need to stay another night for work."
"I see... and how may I help you?"
"I want to stay one more night here to finish work!"
"You check-out tomorrow sir."
"Yes, I know but I need to stay one more night."
"So you will leave and come back then sir?"
"What?! No no! I just want to stay another night for God's sake!"
"Please wait a moment sir." followed by the wonderful musical hold.
"Neehow, good evening sir. How may I help you?"
"I'm just trying to extend my stay for one more night."
"Oh, I see, you check out Friday night?"
"NO! Please. I want to check out on Saturday morning."
"So you will stay on more night sir?"
"YES! Thank you, yes. I stay an extra night here."
"But you check out tomorrow sir?"
"AGH! GOD! Please, try to understand this: I only want to SLEEP in this hotel for one more night. That's all!"
"Please wait a moment sir..." and the joys of muzak continued.
**************

Tripping the light fantastic...
A buddy I used to work with had never been to Thailand and came to visit a while back. So, naturally I took him around to Pattaya for drinks and er... drinks.

Jeff wound up meeting a very cute petit Thai woman and they ended up spending the night together. When he met me for breakfast the next morning he was rather glowing and full of himself and regailed me with tales of his newfound prowess and the young woman's energetic and encouraging screams of "Oh Jep! Jep! Jep!" He thought he was a superstar with a new fan club.

Sadly, I had to take the wind from his sails and inform him "jep" in Thai means "painful"!!!
*******
I've got tons more of these stories... some I better not share if I ever want to run for office... but yeah... it's definitely not dull over here!

Questions, Questions, Questions...

2006-09-08T08:59:00.000+07:00

Well, just thought I'd go ahead and post some answers to some of the questions on the front page instead of in the comments... but boy do I have a couple funny stories to share in a different blog entry. <--coming soon.

JY: Baby steps are good... but "What about Bob?" :-D
I've seen LOTS of jobs posted there with CSC, SAIC, Siemens, and a couple other big boys. Other than Monster, he should also take a look at www.theladders.com

SA: Marisa is in K-2 now. Different than the US school system. Here they have pre-school at age 2, then K1 to 3 Then 1st grade at 5 or 6 years old. She's 1 or 2 years ahead of where she'd be in the US system now - she does the alphabet, counts to 30, basic addition (in Thai and English). So, it's going to be interesting to see what happens when we do get back there. It's interesting to see but somehow she knows to automatically switch between Thai and English languages without being told. Oh, and in H'patch we plan on starting a business. The paperwork is all done... we just have to GET THERE! somehow.

Kelly: If a munchkin with a high squeaky voice singing "I was made for lovin' you" came at me I'd run too!!! Well... depends on the munchkin actually.

Hmmm... I think that's all the answers for now. Cheers!

Kit mai auk!

2006-08-30T15:54:00.000+07:00

"Kit mai auk" is Thai language for 'I don't know what to think' meaning I don't really have anything to blog about today. So instead I'll just share with you a pic of my house in Thailand.

If the picture looks a little funny it's because I had to splice 3 different images together to get the whole front in one image.

Things we have had to do to the house to live here?

1. Install whole house water filtration system (you don't drink the water in Thailand!)

2. Install a 5 stage filter in the kitchen for drinking water (works great! I've tested it and it actually tests cleaner than evian and other bottled waters)

3. Have all the locks on all the upstairs exterior doors and windows replaced. (original builder used cheap aliminum crap that warped in the tropical heat and broke apart. Now we have good stainless steel)

4. Replaced all the doorknobs on the exterior doors downstairs (again, cheap local materials replaced with good imported Yale locks and knobs. Nothin' like a good nobbin'!) ;-)

5. Lots of other minor little stuff like plumbing, toilets, new floors in bathrooms, new water pump, new shower fixtures, some nice good quality built-ins in the master BR. that kind of thing.

One thing about homes in Thailand. They're tough. The are made of solid concrete with rebar reinforcement. The places are pretty sound proof other than what comes through the doors. The floors take getting used to... no carptet. All our floors (even the baths) are polished granite. Looks great, easy to clean, but hell on your feet until you get used to it.

There's no such thing as central air. Every room has it's own A/C and compressor (my house has 5). You keep them turned off if you aren't in the room!

There's no central hot water heater. Every where you want hot water you install a mini "flash" water heater (that's a heating element that heats water quickly) so there's only one water supply pipe per bathroom, which reduces material costs. I love those little heaters! They fit under the sink cause they're just a little bigger than a shoe box, and you aren't paying for water or gas to constantly reheat the same water in a tank over and over.

I hate our kitchen. Well, I hate one of them. I'd barely call it a kitchen. It's HUGE, but it's completely disfunctional. It has no oven. It has no overhead fan. It has no real stove (just a little two burner cooktop). If we weren't selling the place we'd have it all torn out and a new one put in with real cabinets and stuff! When I say I hate one of them it's because most Thai houses have two - one inside, one outside. The outside one is covered and semi enclosed and is where 99% of all the real action is. Thai food can be very... um... aromatic so they do most cooking outside.

See, these houses if you buy them new are simply empty shells. No hot water, no A/C, no kitchen fixtures, no closets or storage, just walls with doors and windows in them. That way the buyer can fit the house out the way they want. Most Thais don't install A/C, and many time not even hot water. No thanks!

So there you go. For a guy who had nothing to say those are a lot of... um... words?

Oh yeah! That reminds me of...

2006-08-27T21:07:00.000+07:00

Just curious, but do the rest of you have music that brings back such specific and strong memories you can actually feel them?
I have several like that.

The earliest I can remember a song affecting me that way is (and don't laugh) Ray Parker Jr's "The Other Woman"... when I hear that song I can literally smell the chlorine in the pool outside the apartment back around 1982.

They don't even have to be really good songs, they just apparently were branded in my brain by circumstance like that stupid "Putin' on the Ritz" remake by Taco or whatever his name was. That one seems to bring back memories of the musty hallways of Grissom HS.

Then another one is "The Bird" by The Time. Remember that one from Purple Rain? I can still feel the wind in hair as we went flying down the road, all windows open, flappin' our arms outside, and laughin' our asses off. Um... names of other dudes in the car withheld to protect the guilty.

And speaking of Purple Rain... "Go Crazy"... THAT song brings back some memories that I won't discuss here... along with a strange scent of... menthol? Don't ask.

Then there's "My best friends Girlfriend" by The Cars. Weirdly enough that was the very first song that came on the radio as my best friend and I, who hadn't spoken for a month after he started dating my ex-gf... before she was my ex-gf. It's okay folks - he didn't know she was my gf at the time... but the bitch knew he was my friend... but anyway. he and I looked at each other rolled our eyes and just laughed. I can still feel that moment, the click of the radio, the hum of the tires on the road, the feel of the seat. Weird.

So those are a few of mine. What about you?

HAPPY! HAPPY! JOY! JOY!

2006-08-25T15:44:00.000+07:00

This is for you-know-who! :-)

BIRTHDAY WISHES:

Happy, merry, and felicitous birthday wishes!
It's an occasion for friends, family, and lots of sweet dishes!
Another year to add to your collection
of memories and dreams and sugar coated confections!
May they come to you in never-ending wealth
of joy and pleasure in family and health!

PS: For those of you visually challenged, the translation for the image at the top follows:

Hippo, birdy, two ewes!
Hippo, birdy, two ewes!
Hippo, birdy dear ewes!
Hippo, birdy, two ewes!

"Hybrid Mutant of Something."

2006-08-18T09:13:00.000+07:00

Yes I've been away from the blog for quite some time, but I saw this article and just had to post it for you all to see!!! For anything to have killed a Doberman more especially a Rottweiler in one-on-one competition? It must have been an incredibly viscious and strong creature. Here's a pic of the dead beast, and a link (click on the photo) to the article. Could the New Jersey Devil of the south Jersey Pine Barrens be next?

Look at those pointy ears like a cat, the heavy big skull, the short thick snout, and strange bulging eyes! I think I'd be checking that carcass for silver bullets!

That's no dog, wolf, coyote, hyena, or dingo. I've seen all of those. I've also seen hybrids of those, at 50 pounds this thing is heavier and thicker than any of them. This is something different.

The Dixie Chicks are at it again...

2006-06-21T15:00:00.000+07:00

I like Michelle Malkin's blog. It's worth reading on a regular basis. She's definitely a conservative (which appeals to me), but she is also generally fair in her observations. I happened to catch this on her blog:

Dixie Chicks Question Your Patriotism

Just goes to show you, you don't have to have common sense, intelligence, or shred of decency to be a celebrity.

Do you supposed Dixie Idiots singer Ms. Mains is somehow related to New Orleans Mayor C. Ray "Chocolate City" Nagin? Or maybe former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion "The bitch set me up" Barry?

Lots to say, but no time to say it

2006-06-20T07:47:00.000+07:00

Wow! Has it really been a full month since I blogged last? That's just not right. I have so many things to say and share, but I've just been too damned worn out to do it. So, as an alternative I shall leave you for now with this sage advice:

HOW TO MAKE A WOMAN HAPPY:

It's not difficult, a man only needs to be...

1. A friend
2. A companion
3. A lover
4. A brother
5. A father
6. A master
7. A chef
8. An electrician
9. A carpenter
10. A plumber
11. A mechanic
12. A decorator
13. A stylist
14. A sexologist
15. A gynecologist
16. A psychologist
17. A pest exterminator
18. A psychiatrist
19. A healer
20. A good listener
21. An organizer
22. A good father
23. Very clean
24. Sympathetic
25. Athletic
26. Warm
27. Attentive
28. Gallant
29. Intelligent
30. Funny
31. Creative
32. Tender
33. Strong
34. Understanding
35. Tolerant
36. Prudent
37. Ambitious
38. Capable
39. Courageous
40. Determined
41. True
42. Dependable
43. Passionate
44. Compassionate

WITHOUT FORGETTING TO:

45. Give her compliments regularly
46. Love shopping
47. Be honest
48. Be very rich
49. Not stress her out
50. Not look at other girls

AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU MUST ALSO:

51. Give her lots of attention, but expect little yourself
52. Give her lots of time, especially time for herself
53. Give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes

IT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:

54. Never to forget:
* birthdays
* anniversaries
* arrangements she makes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY:

1. Show up naked
2. Bring food and beer
3. Hand over the remote.

Oh Happy Day!

2006-05-16T14:29:00.000+07:00

For all my friends with parental duties, and even those of you who don't but have aspirations towards them, or even those of you who don't have those, but are female, or you know what... just to everyone in general... But especially my mom!

!!! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!

We Love You!

PS: I didn't actually forget, but in Thailand where I live Mother's day is August 12th because that is the queen's birthday. So none of my calendars have it on the western day. Sorry Mom!

My life in a nutshell...

2006-05-04T13:04:00.000+07:00

This is a test, this is only a test, had this been a true life evaluation you would have been informed ahead of time so you would know to be a better more stable person!

Got this from JY.

Okay lets hope pasting this in here works this time. I'm assuming a higher number is a good thing???

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7
Mind:	6.5
Body:	5.7
Spirit:	6.4
Friends/Family:	6.3
Love:	7.3
Finance:	7.9
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

I'll see your "Opening Sequence" and raise you one Google Search!

2006-04-30T18:19:00.000+07:00

Ok. I'm 39. I admit I'm middle-aged... but I am not senile, nor do I have alzheimers. I remember.

So, my friend Raleigh - whom I haven't seen in about 5 years or so has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged me on my walk down memory lane. Thus I present the following:

http://www.toontracker.com/waittil/waittil.htm

"Wait 'til Your Father Gets Home" was indeed an animated series. A cartoon.

car·toon Pronunciation: kär-'tün
Function: noun Usage: often attributiveEtymology: Italian cartone pasteboard, cartoon, augmentative of carta leaf of paper
1 : a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)
2 : a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor

Raleigh, you may be remembering it as the introductory segment of "Love American Style" before it got its own time slot. Similar to our beloved Simpsons and the Tracy Ulman show.

But hey... it's great to hear from you!!! For those of you who don't know, Raleigh is the one who really got me into computers back in 1989. Hard to believe that was 17 years ago!

I remember... part 2

2006-04-28T13:56:00.000+07:00

And who could possibly forget the "Ty-D-Bowl Man"???

Who the hell thought up that ad gimmick? I remember thinking as a child "what happens to him when they flush the toilet?"

For those of you who don't know, the "Tidy Bowl Man" was this guy in a mini-yacht who floated around in toilets promoting "Ty-D-Bowl" toilet cleaner.

Picture if you will, a man floating gently on the subtly rocking waves of an inland sea, star gazing, with a direct upward view of Uranus waxing full. Suddenly the weather sours and a horrible acid rain pours in a torrent over the inland sea disturbing the waters and drenching the poor man in his tiny yacht. Without warning the night is shaken as airborn explosions rips through the sky followed by some unspeakable monstronsity falling from on high to smash the boat into pieces. The poor man survives. Stunned and barely coherent, he clings desperately to the flotsam which remains of his vessel - now covered in some horrifying gooey smears of space debri - swimming against the buffeting waves which remain from the impact. Desperate and dehumaized he cry's out, "Why me? Why oh why me?" when suddenly he feels a tow of the current and realizes the mass that fell from the sky must have shattered the ocean floor as wave upon wave rises from below, and crashes into him on his perilous perch. It begins as gentle flow, building to a roaring crescendo, spining and twirling him around with the remains of his craft. Desperately he paddles and kicks to escape, though he is indeed drawn inexorably closer to the gaping maw of a birthing Charybdis. His last thought on his way to the bottom and vanishing into some submarin hell is "My life, my world, my investment in that beautiful boat, sucked right down the drain!" and with a loud **blurrurururb** he's gone.

These are the thoughts that went through my head everytime I saw that guy in the little boat, floating around in the bottom of the toilet bowl. And people who lifted the lid always seemed so happy to see the little pervert!

What kind of sicko thinks of putting some guy in toilet to stare up at people taking a... well... you know. ??? Yuck!

I remember…

2006-04-25T14:25:00.000+07:00

My friend Memphis Steve does this on a regular basis so I'm stealing his idea, but giving him credit. I've tried to stick with the 70's as much as possible in this one. More than toys, I'm trying to stick to U.S. events, cultural icons, media, etc. So, here's my first installment of Remembrance Tuesday...

I remember Walter Cronkite saying “and that’s the way it is”

I remember Gerald Ford taking the Oath of Office.

I remember CBS news starting with the archaic teleticker sounds in their opening

I remember when weathermen used map boards with the big red and blue lines for weather fronts, then switched to using erasable markers and drew on the maps to point out details.

I remember when pickup trucks cost less than cars because they were “low-class” (I always liked pickups though)

I remember when there was no such thing as an SUV

I remember full-service gas stations where they would pump your gas, clean your windshield, and check your oil all in about 5 minutes, and gas was only $0.25 per gallon!

I remember sticking playing cards in the spokes of my bicycle tires to make that clackety-clackety sound

I remember when bikes only had one speed and stomping backward on the pedals was your brake

I remember cartoons like “Speed Buggy”, “Spirit of ‘76”, “The Archies” and “Wait ‘til your father gets home”

I remember when comics cost less than $0.25, Batman and Superman were bosom buddies (blech!), and DC comics ruled!

I remember when women wore short shorts and Naired for short shorts. (loved thos commercials)

I remember the "Gee your hair smells terrific" shampoo commercials

I remember the beer shampoo (but not what it was called)... I wonder if any idiots tried to drink it?

I remember when Calgon could take you away

I remember Madge soaking ladies hands in Palmolive dish soap and telling them it was good for them.

I remember Rosie with the Brawny paper towels... "The quicker picker upper"

I remember Mr. Whipple yelling at the ladies who were squeezing the Charmin tissue

I remember the Maytag repairman being bored and sleepy

I remember when Sears had "& Roebuck" as part of the name

I remember Muppets and Fraggle Rock

I remember the Dr. Demento Show on the radio introducing me to Monty Python

I remember Hogan's Heroes (though the series started in the 60's it finished in the 70's)

I remember when hornrim glasses were things your grandmother wore… now they are considered fashionable?!

I remember when McDonalds didn’t have a drive-thru or serve chicken

I remember our Ford Pinto not exploding

I remember as a kid waiting in hour-long lines to buy gas in the mid-late 70’s when we lived in L.A.

I remember helping Woodsy spread the word not to be a dirty bird (anti-litter campaign) "Give a hoot, don't pollute!"

I remember Smokey the Bear saying “Only you!”

I remember Chief Iron Eyes Cody with his one tear in that national “Keep America Beautiful” anti-litter campaign… and that it worked! (who knew he was actually Italian!!!)

I remember Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal when the Globetrotters came to my hometown!

I remember Pan-Am and TWA

I remember the Apple-Dumpling Gang

I remember that movie The Doberman Gang with the dogs taught to rob banks

I remember when Dungeons & Dragons first came out

I remember when cereal companies would put those music single 45’s on the boxes and you could cut them out and actually play them! Like the Jackson 5, and the Osmond Family.

I also remember:

The Partridge Family
Family Affair with Buffy, Jody, and Mr. French
The Courtship of Eddies Father (Bill Bixby)
The Magician (also Bill Bixby)
The Incredible Hulk (also Bill Bixby) FYI... I was in a crowd scene in a couple episodes when they filmed at Pasedena Polytechnic campus which was down the road from our apartment. That was 6th grade so I was around 12 at the time. :-)
Disney's "Witch Mountain" movies (very cool)
Sigmund and the Seamonster
The Greatest American Hero
Night Court (still in love with Markie Post!)
One Day at a Time (Valerie Bertinelli = big crush)
Buck Rogers (with that little robot Tweegy, and Erin Grey in skintight flightsuit)
Happy Days (before Chachi)
The Waltons
The Love Boat
Fantasy Island
3’s Company
8 is Enough
Land of the Lost

(am I the only one who sees the amazing similarities between Holly in Land of the Lost, and Lex of Jurassic Park?)

Well, I think that's enough for this round. Gotta save some for next time. :-)

Outside Looking Inside

2006-04-23T06:47:00.000+07:00

Hmm... Well, to answer Kelly's question. I did post/blog about my trip to H'patch and seeing everyone. It was a really long post. It never showed up on the site... I don't know why.

So, let me just say now it was worth the 32 hours of travel time with an infant and a toddler in tow and then a 12 hour drive from Virginia just to see all of you again. I had a blast.

Hope we can do it again soon!

Oh, and since I didn't have my camera with me... here's a substitute pic. This one's for Memphis Steve...

Shakira

'nuff said?

Just like 1985

2006-04-16T04:11:00.000+07:00

Wow! Holy Crap am I tired! I'm back in Thailand now. Kids are asleep. I've unpacked the essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.), showered, and at 4am I'm ready for some well deserved shuteye!

The vacation back to the USA was too damn short. Only two weeks, and the first week the kids and I all had a nasty stomach flu. (sorry Mom). Then week 2 at Dad's we had a good time.

Seeing all (well almost all) my good friends from way back when (and a few new ones too) was an absolute blast. I can't believe it's been 20 years since I'd seen some of you last. Other than the gray hair and bigger beltlines it was as if we'd never been away. I hope we can all do that again, and not in another 20 years!!!

Siren... sorry I missed you this time around.
Steve... hope your Pop gets better soon!
JY, Kelly, Sam, Neal, Mike, Pam, Cheryl: What can I say except that I'm really glad we were able to plan this together!

Can't wait to see the pics on everyone's blogs!

C'ya! :-)

Bama bound...

2006-03-31T21:04:00.000+07:00

Okay H'ville friends. Just to let everyone know, it looks like we may not be able to get to H'ville until Sunday 9 April. We're driving down from Williamsburg, and with a 1 year old, a 4 year old it may take longer than normal. I know everyone has to work M-F sorry the schedule didn't workout to us having a full weekend in H'ville. :-(

I'll try to drive fast... careful but fast!

We'll be there through Friday though. I have to be back at work on Monday the 17th... never enough time to do the things you really want you know?