Happy Birthday

Michael,

Just a little note to wish you a happy birthday and may we have many many many old people moments together. I love you.

And just for you...

The Nazi's Made the Jews Wear Flair

Sunny - Hi 108 Lo 85 for Baghdad, Iraq
Sunny - Hi 110 Lo 82 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Scattered Showers - Hi 79 Lo 63 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Three Imaginary Boys, The Cure - 1979

I have always loved The Cure-- I think it was 1981 when I first remember hearing them... Boys Don't Cry... I had such a crush on Robert Smith.... before the heavy make up and huge Aqua Net hair... as he became more of a caricature, the more dark and brooding the music became... and I obediently followed. As much as I would have liked to think of myself as dark and brooding.... I could only sustain that darkness for so long... although it is a place I am quite comfortable even to this day... it gets awfully lonely... it is better to be surrounded by light and love.



Ramble:

OK... So... the President has a beer with a racist and a cop (and the "VP").... Cash for Clunkers is already without funds...so the House has approved another $2 billion...nice... You have Nancy Pelosi calling insurance companies the villains.. and the House of Representatives has voted to place a cap on what bankers can make in pay and bonuses.... then my favorite... The White House now accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express from dining guests... when they are from "big evil business". And this is the stuff that is happening here in the United States... The insanity taking place globally is just as frightening...maybe even more frightening...

So... that's enough...for this week... I can't take anymore of this... Saturday, Scooter Trash Husband and I went to see The Hangover. Oh dear gawd... this movie is so funny... so sophomoric... it's up there with Office Space, Anchorman, Wedding Singer, Wild Hogs, and There's Something About Mary-- except... even more raunchy and even more sophomoric... My sis in law would absolutely HATE this movie. Lots of guy humor... The language is repulsive and there is full frontal nudity... of men... yep... that's right...lots of boobs too... at the end of the movie. Dude from The Office, Ed Helms is too funny. I love him even more now.

All right.. so, I'm on Facebook now... trying to figure that out. I'm in to double digit friends now, so that's good and I'm not feeling completely friendless. So, anyway... there are these games... I'm not quite following the purpose of them, but apparently I am playing and gaining points.. how, I'm not quite sure... in any event... I guess I'll keep playing until I can figure out how to make them go away. However on a fun note, my niece sent me a piece of Flair... and I love it... This caused me to go and seek out more Flair...

What is Flair you ask? According to Urban Dictionary, the most popular definition is, "Buttons and other decorative accessories added to a work uniform, esp. at chain restaurants. Almost universally despised by restaurant workers and customers alike."

The common everyday person became aware of Flair after the 1999 movie, Office Space. However, I think the first movie to introduce Flair was Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Mike Damone, the ticket scalper had a certain Flair... usually only one or two pieces at any given time.

I have a confession... I have my own Flair.. My Flair predates both movies... My Flair is now called vintage...(ooohhhh... ahhhh....) circa 1980.... nearly 30 years old... Back in the day, I wore my Flair on my Dad's USMC wool overcoat or on one of my many army surplus purchases... So I must thank dear Shauna for reminding me of this. Here are a few photos.... click to enlarge











Walk across the garden
In the footsteps of my shadow
See the lights out
No one's home
In amongst the statues
Stare at nothing in
The garden moves
Can you help me?

Close my eyes
And hold so tightly
Scared of what the morning brings
Waiting for tomorrow
Never comes
Deep inside
The empty feeling
All the night time leaves me
Three imaginary boys

Slipping through the door
Hear my heart beats in the hallway
Echoes
Round and round
Inside my head
Drifting up the stairs
I see the steps behind me
Disappearing
Can you help me?

Close my eyes
And hold so tightly
Scared of what the morning brings
Waiting for tomorrow
Never comes
Deep inside
The empty feeling
All the night time leaves me
Three imaginary boys sing in my
Sleep sweet child
The moon will change your mind

See the cracked reflection
Standing still
Before the bedroom mirror
Over my shoulder
But no one's there
Whispers in the silence
Pressing close behind me
Pressing close behind
Can you help me?
Can you help me?


Have a great week everyone!

Sad iPod

Today... Scooter Trash Hubby and and I are mourning the losses of our iPods... STH's iPod went through the wash...Based on Google research, we have been instructed to let it dry out for 2-4 weeks in a baggy filled with rice to absorb the moisture. Today mine went kaput... I received the sad iPod icon... I don't know what I am going to do...I have become so dependent on it. I am a talk radio junkie and podcast is the only way I have of listening to some of my favorites... Bill Bennett, Dennis Prager, G. Gordon Liddy...What to do... what to do...?

Hey Rocky! Watch Me Pull a Rabbit Out of This Hat

Sunny - Hi 112 Lo 87 for Baghdad, Iraq
Sunny - Hi 108 Lo 74 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Isolated Thunderstorms - Hi 85 Lo 64 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), Richard Wagner



The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner is a romantic opera. Wagner's earliest opera was based on the legend of the Dutch captain who defied Satan to prevent him rounding the Cape in a storm. He was condemned to sail the seas until Judgment Day, unless redeemed by a woman's love. Read more here.

Podcast of the week: Sandy Rios: Behind the Fake Façade--A Firsthand Look

Young Americas Foundation
Chicago talk show host Sandy Rios reveals the horror stories of life in socialist countries. This speech took place at Young America’s Foundation’s Midwest Conference. Running Time: 00:43:09

Ramble:

Scooter Trash Husband and I have been hitting the history books of late. We've been watching lots of documentaries all the while trying to keep up with the rapid pace of all that is occurring today. Americans have been witness to extraordinary times. My grandparents stand in disbelief as events unfold. I can not imagine their point of perspective on this.. For God's sake... they fought this form of tyranny 60 years ago. We have forgotten already? There is no doubt we are marching towards Socialism. There is an apathy and indifference that has taken hold of the people. Who can forget the young woman during the elections that believed when then President-elect Obama would get into office, she need not worry about paying for gas for her car or her mortgage? In observing young people today... those that have just entered the work force do not go beyond what is absolutely required to perform their job duties. And even younger people (those in high school)do not see anything wrong with spreading the wealth... Yes... yes indeed.. timing is everything.

In looking at Socialism and Communism throughout history, there is this slow ooze of change... if ever so slight... for a very long time... little things really.. nothing of any consequence or real substance but then all of a sudden and virtually overnight with a fury of lightning speed major changes occur and for the common working soul it is overwhelming and there are so many things happening simultaneously, it is hard to keep up with all of it.

What are the "slow oozes of change"? Well, seatbelt laws and smoking bans would have been unheard of in the 1950's. Sure sure.... we can say we didn't know the safety and health risks... ok... what about baggy pants laws? If some dopey goofy kid wants to walk around with his pants hanging down to his hips and his parents are too stupid and pathetic and apathetic to say no... who am I to dictate what is fashion? I can always say no--- no shirt, no shoes, no baggy pants in my establishment... Why does this have to be mandated by government? What about Zero tolerance laws? Are you kidding me? Yah... the 16 year old girl with Midol gets expelled from school... unreal... What about neighborhood association rules? You know the ones I'm talking about... You as a HOMEOWNER can not paint your house purple with pink polka dots... or You as a HOMEOWNER have to have a particular type of mailbox or have to store your trash cans in a particular area... or You as a HOMEOWNER can not have 150 pink tacky plastic flamingos in your front yard (we have 2 in our front yard so that's different... thanks Rob and Jo) or You as a HOMEOWNER can not put your 4 beater cars up on cinder blocks in your front yard... Sure... these are all to keep the neighborhood free of looking like Hillbilly Heaven... but what about You as the HOMEOWNER not being permitted to place a flag pole in your front yard? What? You can't fly Old Glory? No common sense in anything anymore... Has anyone checked the Constitution on this? Does anyone realize these are all UNCONSTITUTIONAL? But because, we are more interested in aesthetics... well... we'll just let that slide...

So while the masses are entertained by Panem and Circuses such as the Paris Hilton's and Perez Hilton's and Michael Jackson's (or err uh... ex-Michael Jackson's) we have handed our banks over to the Federal Government... We have handed over 2 car manufacturers to the Federal Government... The House of Representatives has passed cap and tax.... Honestly... on Global Warming? We are on the verge of having nationalized health care. How many Executive Orders has President Obama issued? How many Czars has President Obama appointed because there were not enough seats at his Cabinet table? What exactly does a "Special Master of Compensation (Pay Czar)" do? All the while the undertow of becoming a Godless nation continues. The bias of mainstream media is blatant... I'm not writing about Democrats vs. Republicans... Like a growing number of conservatives I have little use for any politicians. I'm writing about conservative vs. liberal, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, real science vs. junk science, religion vs. new age.... I'm talking about common sense. I'm talking about the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. AHHHH!!! I'm so frustrated!!

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

An interesting timeline of the rise of Nationalsozialismus (Nationalized Socialism) can be found at Shoah Education.

Have a great week everyone!

Tossing Tea Bags!

The Cincinnati Tea Party was a success. These are a couple of my favorites... The rest can be viewed at Cathy's Flickr.

Among those in the photos are my Scooter Trash Hubby, Mom, Friends Rob, Jo, baby girl River and Kyle.

The speakers were pithy and terrific. The crowd happy to be there.... polite, smiling, friendly... and if you work downtown... spend tons of money at Graeter's... not just because it is the best ice cream ever... but because he wasn't selling tea...

Click on each picture to enlarge....

Today the 2nd Amendment...

Sunny - Hi 88 Lo 69 for Baghdad, Iraq
Sunny - Hi 69 Lo 46 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Rain - Hi 65 Lo 43 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Damn Right I Got the Blues, Buddy Guy



Podcast of the week: Dennis Prager - Trivializing Nazis, The Dennis Prager Show. Running Time: 54:55

Ramble:

It is hard to keep up with all the national and world events. One that has caught the collective eye of many of the blogs I read is Bill H.R. 45.... Michael and I were at a little party and a comment was made in response to a comment I made about Armageddon being around the corner. The reply of the young lady turned my blood cold, as it is someone I love very much. She said that this was a scare initiated by the NRA.... Now, I have no doubt her flippant reply was in response to my flippant comment, however, her sentiment is one that can be read all over the Internet. My Grandfather's voice is in my head... "The Socialists in this country are going to do their best to disarm the American people."

"It" is H.R. 45: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009. This bill was introduced in the 111th Congress by U. S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) on Jan. 6, 2009. Failing to attract any co-sponsors, it was referred for consideration to the House Committee on the Judiciary, where it now rests awaiting further action.

This bill is sweeping in its gun control proposals. Its summary description reads, "To provide for the implementation of a system for licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes."

If enacted, this bill would prohibit anyone from owning any type of handgun without obtaining a license for such ownership. The same would be true for any semiautomatic firearm that can accept any detachable ammunition-feeding device.

Further, all sales of these firearms would have to go through a licensed dealer. The bill also directs the Attorney General to establish and run a federal record-of-sale system. And it would make it a criminal act not to register as an owner of a firearm.
Read more at ESPN Outdoors.

Here is a link to the Bill: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (Introduced in House) H.R. 45

Stop the ACLU has details on the bill. A few things that caught my eye in the bill are: gun owners would be required to be photographed and thumb printed, testing would be required--- and the gun owner is required to notify the feds of any change of address, or if your gun is lost or stolen, but the best catch all- any other subjects, as the Attorney General determines to be appropriate.

There are fewer and fewer of The Greatest Generation to remind us of tyranny and what can happen when our rights are slowly and quietly taken away... "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." We are on our way folks...if we do nothing...

Call your Congressman (I have links on my sidebar)... So far this is just sitting in Committee... let it die there.

I'm working on a new blog idea-- I'm calling it The Slippery Slope. It's not quite ready, but feel free to take a sneak peak if you like. I intend to keep track of all the initiatives, executive orders, policy changes, and laws that erode our liberties... starting with seat belt and helmet laws, smoking bans, and baggy pants laws. This is the slippery slope that leads to legislative proposals such as gun control laws... If you have something you would like to contribute, please let me know... it is going to be a huge task but I hope to illustrate how our liberties are at risk.

Scooter Trash Hubby made an interesting observation in the car the other day. We were listening to the radio and national news came on... One of the items reported was about a car accident killing 5 or 6. Now no doubt this is profoundly sad... but why is this NATIONAL news?

Next week we'll chat about the 1st Amendment...

Have a great week everyone!

Self Diagnosis: ADHD

Sunny - Hi 70 Lo 47 for Baghdad, Iraq
Mostly Sunny - Hi 67 Lo 47 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Partly Cloudy - Hi 38 Lo 25 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: A Sort of Homecoming, U2



In the darkest days of winter, when I am blue and sun deprived, this song somehow brings me back. It brings me back to the people and places that are most important. It is a simple reminder that winter does indeed come to an end and spring will soon arrive...

Podcast of the Week: Dennis Prager: The American Trinity

Nationally-syndicated talk show host Dennis Prager talks to college students about the American Trinity of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. This speech took place at Young America's Foundation’s West Coast Leadership Conference.
December 15, 2008 - Running time 43:33

This is an excellent speech and gets to the heart of what America is and should always be. Go get a cup of coffee and listen. You will not be disappointed.

Ramble:

What a week. First let me just whine momentarily about the weather... I'm done. Half a foot a snow covered by half an inch of ice covered by another half a foot of snow does not make for a fun commute to work. You see we here in the midwest forget how to drive in it every single time we have a "weather event"... by the way... when did weather become an "event"? ugh. I am sure I would be of a different mindset were I able to telecommute to work... but alas... I can not... Scootertrash Husband and I were fortunate, we only lost power for about 5-6 hours. So not bad at all. There are still folks without power... not a good thing in the winter time. River's Mommy's Mommy was still without power as of Friday. Please report in Marti if you are able. I freely admit it was breathtaking and continues to be quite a spectacle. During the second snow storm I was convinced I was in a Currier and Ives snow globe. The trees look like they are covered in diamonds. The sun was actually out yesterday and made for quite a show.

Scootertrash Husband made the comment that all the fun stuff occurring in Washington D.C. has motivated him to start blogging again. He has posted a couple of interesting ones. Go check him. Nice perspective from a conservative atheist.

Yes... since I am in a new blog home, I thought I would revisit things about my husband and me that new visitors may not know or old timers may have forgotten. I thought about a list... but no one in life walks around with a list... That's not true... I have two separate lists in my handbag this very moment...

See that.. I'm back to the rambling... it's been a while...

OH! DC Roe has contacted me about Project 2996. After last year, I offered to help him in anyway possible because I have found this to be such an important remembrance. Dale wants to get started early. So this is my plea to all my techy friends... DC is looking for a way to automate issuing names for those that want to participate. Please contact me. We need help for this huge annual undertaking.

I have been playing on Twitter and LinkedIn all weekend. Twitter is great. I have become a follower of a bunch of Washington Insiders- have sent off private notes and read what they have to say... I can see now why it is so addictive. Let me know if you sign up for Twitter-- I'll follow you too! DragonLady was my first--- follower. And because of the economic climate- I have been working on my LinkedIn account. Despite my optimism about my current position, nothing is ever guaranteed so... It's also fun to find people I know LinkedIn.

Superbowl... We'll be watching. Who is playing by the way? KIDDIN!! I know! Who do I want to win? Well.. I don't really care... but I don't like the Steelers... but I'm told I shouldn't like the Cardinals either... go figure... All I know is that Scootertrash Husband is making all kinds of food and we have our 3-D glasses... It's going to be a great game...I guess. Do I care if Bruce is doing the halftime show? It depends... if he does something goofy and makes some obnoxious political statement, we'll flip the channel over to Animal Planet and watch the kitten half time show. I want Prince back. His half time show was the best. Ever. Except for this one in 2002. Do you remember?



And lastly... something to warm your heart..and inspire... Purple Fingers...

Iraqis held their most peaceful election since the fall of Saddam Hussein on Saturday, voting for provincial councils without a single major attack in a poll that demonstrated the country's dramatic security gains.

“The purple fingers have returned to build Iraq,” Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said after the polls closed, referring to the indelible ink stains on index fingers that show voters have cast their ballots.

There was something of a holiday atmosphere in many parts of the country. In normally traffic-choked Baghdad, children took advantage of a ban on cars to play soccer in the streets.

“How can we not vote? All of us here have always complained about being oppressed and not having a leader who represented us. Now is our chance,” said Basra voter Abdul Hussein Nuri.

Read the rest here.

Have a great week everyone!

Embracing What is "Wright"...?

It is a rare occasion for my Scootertrash Husband to write a post... He has offered his thoughts on Reverend Lowery and poet Elizabeth Alexander.... EW.

Go check it out here- Really - go. now.