beware the grillmaster
Finally got around to picking up a grill. A year and a half a summer too late, but hey better than never. The inaugural grilling consisted of what else? Ground sirloin burgers and real Wisconsin brats. It was yummy.
Dang, is it football season yet?
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Wednesday, July 20, 2005
saving jobs, the Earth and the Man!
So recently I've gotten in the habit of kindly returning those unsolicited invitations to amazing credit card rewards, discounted magazines subscriptions and the monthly invite to triple A. I mean they’re even kind enough to send paid postage envelopes so I don’t even have to waste a stamp!
Amazingly I have cut out a sizable amount of shredded paper that gets tossed and I feel in some way I’m keeping those kind folks at USPS busy. Oh and really doing a favor for those people that send me these things because since I’m not using them, they can reuse them for other people that might be interested! Wow, it’s like a triple win situation. There's even more fun in it if you mix and match!
Obviously I remove personally identifying information and anything that could be considered an acceptance of the offer. In fact, here are some tips for extra fun!
again with the punk ass kids
Sometimes kids do stupid stuff. Sometimes kids do stupid stuff that gets you fired. I caught a thread the other day about a kid who wanted to max out his geek cred so he decided to post pictures of the XBOX 360 being tested by his step-dad. Of course the thing isn’t supposed to be out till next year and I’m pretty sure Microsoft has a pretty tight reign on its NDA allowances. Suffice it to say, the kid got back on the Internet and tried to play the pictures off as a hoax, but it was already proven in that annoying fanatical internet way that they were indeed real. I found that a bit ironic considering it’s usually fake pics that get called out on the Internet.
So I’m not sure if Microsoft has caught wind of this yet or if they have handed this kid’s newly employed step dad his walking papers. Idiot.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2005
if you're never wrong you can be president
Those of you who know me are probably wondering why I’ve been silent on the current “scandal” in the White House. I mean here we have conclusive proof of the Administration’s shenanigans. Two senior level administration persons were identified as being involved in the leaking and subsequent outing of a CIA undercover operative. A Federal offense punishable by time served, or maybe even death since we're at war. We have an Administration caught in the middle of lie, or misrepresentation or at the very least another example of dangerously negligent lapse in judgment. I have actually been following the development of this story since the first of the month when I first caught wind of the speculation. And I swear I nearly lost it watching Ken Melman on Meet the Press attempting to twist facts to the point that they have the effect of exonerating and vindicating Mr. Rove, not implicating him. Er? What? It’s politicians like Melman, so blind to what’s happening in the real world and living in one of their own made up places that seriously damage the foundations of good government. I guess I thought perhaps this time the Administration would own up to some of its dirty tricks since it got caught red handed, but no, not so much.
It’s interesting to note that George Bush Sr. actually fired Karl Rove due to mere speculation that he leaked info to the press (to Bob Novak no less). And that was only while he was serving on the former President’s reelection campaign. Rove is now Deputy Chief of Staff (think Josh Lyman from the West Wing to get an idea of how high up in the administration he is and also being that whole “architect” thing) and has been plainly identified as being involved in the leaking of Valerie Plame’s identity to the press. And now the Administration is playing evasive and “waiting till the facts” come out (yeah, because sending a country to war in another country didn't necessitate waiting for the facts). Just yesterday in an interesting and I might add revealing revision of what action the President would take in this situation W stated that he would fire anyone convicted of a crime. I mean wow. This President, this administration actually thinks we are that dumb. To go from removing anyone found involved to anyone found guilty of a crime is a big leap. And knowing full well that there will be inconclusive proof, based on the technicalities of the law, that Rove, Libby or others involved in the outing of Valerie Plame will be found guilty of a crime, the President now asserts that he would fire anyone convicted. Convicted being the operative word since, even if things went to trial or special prosecution, Rove and others would still have to be found guilty and the end of what I'm sure would be a lengthy trial. I’m telling you guys it’s dirty and sickening. I mean hell, Bush’s father fired Rove just because he was suspected of leaking campaign stuff to the press. Now Rove works in the White House as Deputy Chief of Staff and was demonstrably involved in the leaking of a CIA convert operative’s identity and he still gets a pass? Really? And the administration is really gonna start playing technicalities and changing the rules to accommodate a loyal friend who is quite the sleaze? Dirty. Sorry guys, I know he was involved but you’re gonna have to prove he broke some law before I’ll say he did a bad thing and then maybe I might slap him on the wrist or something.
The other interesting thing that came out of Mr. Bush’s comment on the case was that he didn’t know all the facts of the case and didn’t want to prejudge anything. And I’m sure many people are asking well Mr. President, why don’t you know the facts of the case? In 2003 you were sure enough about the “facts” to have your press secretary repeatedly go out and tell the public, on your behalf, that no one in your administration was involved in the outing of Valerie Plame. And now you’re telling us you don’t know all the facts and you want to wait for all of it to be presented, not to prejudge (like say intelligence on Iraq and its WMD, ties to terrorism, threat to the US?) the case and not to listen to what’s being “played out” in the press? Karl Rove works for you Mr. President, you can’t just call him into the Oval Office and ask him directly, point blank (oh and Libby too) “What the hell guys? Were you involved or not?” then report to the press with a bit more confidence than “I don’t know all the facts”? I mean he is the President of the United States and their boss? Is he not?
I’m sure you can see ass covering going on here can’t you? The President has publicly stated he doesn’t know all the facts (let’s pretend all those comments in 2003 never happened) so if indeed the special prosecutor comes back with some wrong doing done by his Deputy Chief he can claim he didn’t know and just found out about it like everyone else (works very well with CEOs of pilfering companies) and even then he may still remain loyal to his best buddy Karl because though he was involved, he might not be convicted of breaking any laws. Oops, he made a mistake and probably shouldn’t have done that.
But the bigger picture here is that this is another example of this administration covering its ass and deferring blame for wrong doing because they are never wrong and are always doing the right thing (read this latest press briefing and tell me they aren't dodging). But we all know what the road to hell is paved with and how hubris works out in the end. Let’s just hope the damage done by this completely inept group of “leaders” doesn’t continue the death knell of “honest and integrity” that Bush was supposed to restore to politics.
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Thursday, July 07, 2005
i was listening, but not really
So I’ve been hearing this song on the radio for a while now, but I didn’t really think about it until the other day when I was stuck in a mind-numbing, there-for-no-apparent reason traffic jam on the way home from work. The song is Hollaback Girl by the is-she-supposed-to-be-hot? Gwen Stefani. I remember back in the day, kicking it in junior high when No Doubt first hit the scene. All the guys lusted for Ms. Stefani, yet I just couldn’t see it. Was it the platinum blonde, big pouty red lips look? Was it cause she was a rock star and gyrated? I dunno? I mean, Fergie IS FREAKING HOT, but Gwen? Just can’t see it.
Anyway, so I’m sitting in the car listening, but not hearing, the hollaback groove when I start wondering, what the hell is a hollaback girl? At first I was like, it sounds like she’s been around before but she’s not doing that anymore. By that I mean slutting around. So thus whatever playa is trying to roll up to her isn’t going to get any play just like that… or something. But that was just focusing on the chorus. Then I started paying attention to the actual lyrics. All of a sudden it was putting the pom-poms down and meeting behind the bleachers to rumble? So perhaps was this a lesbian thing that went awry? Maybe it was dude cheerleader that didn’t know? I dunno. But obviously since I can’t not know I hit up the trusty Google. Sure enough an explanation was found. Perhaps not quite the intention offered by Gwen when she penned the diddy, but a very insightful view nonetheless provided by those deep thinkers at the OC Weekly. Check it fo yo self… and holla back yo! (aw come on, you knew that was gonna happen as soon as you read what the song was!)
So I guess the message of the day is to maybe pay a little bit more attention to the lyrics to songs that you’re jamming to. Sometimes you might be surprised at what they’re really saying. Like that one Uncle Kracker song about infidelity or finding out in that In Lonesome Dove song by Garth Brooks that it was the mom that shot the banditos.
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