Sunday, March 19, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The Trillian Dollar Sky is Falling
So MSNBC is preorting "Cost of Iraq War could Exceed $1 Trillion"; and they say the costs are growing at 200 million per day.
Well, I have two things to say about that:
The most likely number on actual Iraq war spending is something like 130-170 billion per year; or between 40 and 50 million per day.
Of course that's still a lot of money, but that brings me to point two,
Perspective adjusting yet?
Well, I have two things to say about that:
1. Don’t trust the numbers. The proposed defense budget for this year is 426 billion, 200 million per day would be almost twice that at 730 billion a year, and at the low end 60% of the defense budget is spent on things other than Iraq.
They dont tell us where these numbers are coming from, or how they are derived; but they seem to be completely impossible based on real hard numbers available through open sources.The most likely number on actual Iraq war spending is something like 130-170 billion per year; or between 40 and 50 million per day.
Of course that's still a lot of money, but that brings me to point two,
2. So what
World War 2 cost us in comparison more than 50 times as much per year for seven years (from the beginning of increased war spending in 1938 until 1945, when there was a dramatic slowdown in production) nevermind the rebuilding costs.
Direct number comparison is a bit misleading, as the direct number cost to the U.S. of WW2 from 1938 to 1945 was appx 400 billion, which works out to about 5 trillion in todays dollars; or a bit more than 700 billion per year.
Our GDP during WW2 in inflation adjusted dollars varied from between 800 billion to 1.5 trillion. Over the 7 year period listed above, that GDP was 9.3 trillion (again in inflation adjusted dollars), divided by 7 is 1.33 trillion; or approximately 1/10th of what it is today.
Averaging the costs out over the same period gives you approximately 700 billion a year; or a little less than 50% of GDP.
Funny enough, that 700 billion per year exactly what the MSM is saying THIS war is costing us (and they are approximately quadrupling the real dollar costs as near as I can see), except our GDP today is approximately 13 trillion, and even using their inflated numbers, we’re spending about 6% of our GDP annually on this war; and more realistic numbers put it at more like 1.5-2%
The medicare prescription drug benefit should cost us more than that by the way. Not medicare as a whole, or Social Security; just the drug benefit.Perspective adjusting yet?
Friday, March 17, 2006
Patrick Day
My post from last year, nothings changed today...
But I won't jsut recycle the old, here's the new.
In Ireland, the only people "celebrating" patrick day (it's usually not called St. Patricks day) with wild partying, are the tourists (well... and the college students, but they'll celebrate a simpsons episode they havent seen with wild partyign so...). Everyone else is home relaxing for the day off, or if they're still pious, off in church.
To Americans, it's a drunkards day, but to the Irish.. or at least to those who still give a damn about Ireland, and what it means to be Irish, it's significance is something like independence day, memorial day, and thanksgiving combined. It's a religious holiday AND a national holiday, as one of the strongest worldwide symbols of Ireland there is.
For a long time it was illegal to celebrate patrick day; and the conspicuous display of green on this day could seee one arrested. It was considered raising rebellion against the crown... something my family has a long history of really (look it up, fascinating stuff).
The celebration of this day is a very strong reminder to those who care about being Iirish, what that means today, and what it has meant for the past 600 years.
Lest anyone think by these statements that I'm a supporter of the IRA, let me jsut say ohh ah FUCK THE RAH. It isn't 1921 anymore, and those bastards have done more damage in the last 30 years than I can describe.
What most don't realize, or even even hear of is that the IRA, and Sinn Fein (the peaceful political component) are a marxist organization. Yes they want a united Ireland; but they want it to be a socialist workers paradise like cuba.
Yeah I think you all know how I feel about that.
Of coruse the toher thing most don't know is, that since the late '80s most of the violence has been initiated on the protestant side.
The so called loyalists, and "protective associations" and other pathetic excuses for extortion gangs look at sectarianism as an ideal cover for their real goal; the control of the criminal underground of Northern Ireland.
If you want to know what someones opinion of it is, you don't need ask; jsut listen to what they call it.
If its "The Cause", then they'll be singing "Boys of the Old Brigade" tonight. "The Struggle" is for those who march in orange down the Shankill road. The rest of us jsut call it the troubles, and wish the lot of them to hell where they belong.
The worst part? At this point, The Irish dont want the north, and neither do the British. It's a gigantic welfare drag, with 20% unemployment, and massive dole roles, plus infrastructure costs that can't reasonably be borne... overall just a giant mess.
If you held a vote in all of Ireland today whether to unify the country, maybe half of the northerners would say yes, and proably three quarters of those in the republic would say HELL NO WE DON'T WANT YA.
Which is a damn shame; because the Irish SHOULD be one nation, and one people; even the english seem to accept that now; they jsut can't figure out how to extricate themselves from the situation while still doing right by her majesties subjects in the north counties AND saving face for the last 87 years of cockups.
So I think you can see why on this day, I find the singing of "rebel" songs to be a bit angering. My standard response is this:
The Patriot Game
Written by Dominic Behan following the death of 19-year-old Fergal O'Hanlon
during an IRA attack on Brookborough barracks in 1957
Come all you young rebels, and list while I sing,
For the love of one's country is a terrible thing.
It banishes fear with the speed of a flame,
And it makes us all part of the patriot game.
My name is O'Hanlon, and I'm just gone sixteen.
My home is in Monaghan, where I was weaned.,
I learned all my life cruel England to blame,
And so I'm a part of the patriot game.
It's barely two years since I wandered away
With the local battalion of the bold IRA,
I'd read of our heroes, and I wanted the same
To play out my part in the patriot game.
This island of ours has for long been half free.
Six counties are under John Bull's tyranny.
So I gave up my Bible, to drill and to train
To play my own part in the patriot game.
And now as I lie here, my body all holes
I think of those traitors who bargained and sold.
I wish that my rifle had given the same
To those quislings who sold out the patriot game.
But I won't jsut recycle the old, here's the new.
In Ireland, the only people "celebrating" patrick day (it's usually not called St. Patricks day) with wild partying, are the tourists (well... and the college students, but they'll celebrate a simpsons episode they havent seen with wild partyign so...). Everyone else is home relaxing for the day off, or if they're still pious, off in church.
To Americans, it's a drunkards day, but to the Irish.. or at least to those who still give a damn about Ireland, and what it means to be Irish, it's significance is something like independence day, memorial day, and thanksgiving combined. It's a religious holiday AND a national holiday, as one of the strongest worldwide symbols of Ireland there is.
For a long time it was illegal to celebrate patrick day; and the conspicuous display of green on this day could seee one arrested. It was considered raising rebellion against the crown... something my family has a long history of really (look it up, fascinating stuff).
The celebration of this day is a very strong reminder to those who care about being Iirish, what that means today, and what it has meant for the past 600 years.
Lest anyone think by these statements that I'm a supporter of the IRA, let me jsut say ohh ah FUCK THE RAH. It isn't 1921 anymore, and those bastards have done more damage in the last 30 years than I can describe.
What most don't realize, or even even hear of is that the IRA, and Sinn Fein (the peaceful political component) are a marxist organization. Yes they want a united Ireland; but they want it to be a socialist workers paradise like cuba.
Yeah I think you all know how I feel about that.
Of coruse the toher thing most don't know is, that since the late '80s most of the violence has been initiated on the protestant side.
The so called loyalists, and "protective associations" and other pathetic excuses for extortion gangs look at sectarianism as an ideal cover for their real goal; the control of the criminal underground of Northern Ireland.
If you want to know what someones opinion of it is, you don't need ask; jsut listen to what they call it.
If its "The Cause", then they'll be singing "Boys of the Old Brigade" tonight. "The Struggle" is for those who march in orange down the Shankill road. The rest of us jsut call it the troubles, and wish the lot of them to hell where they belong.
The worst part? At this point, The Irish dont want the north, and neither do the British. It's a gigantic welfare drag, with 20% unemployment, and massive dole roles, plus infrastructure costs that can't reasonably be borne... overall just a giant mess.
If you held a vote in all of Ireland today whether to unify the country, maybe half of the northerners would say yes, and proably three quarters of those in the republic would say HELL NO WE DON'T WANT YA.
Which is a damn shame; because the Irish SHOULD be one nation, and one people; even the english seem to accept that now; they jsut can't figure out how to extricate themselves from the situation while still doing right by her majesties subjects in the north counties AND saving face for the last 87 years of cockups.
So I think you can see why on this day, I find the singing of "rebel" songs to be a bit angering. My standard response is this:
The Patriot Game
Written by Dominic Behan following the death of 19-year-old Fergal O'Hanlon
during an IRA attack on Brookborough barracks in 1957
Come all you young rebels, and list while I sing,
For the love of one's country is a terrible thing.
It banishes fear with the speed of a flame,
And it makes us all part of the patriot game.
My name is O'Hanlon, and I'm just gone sixteen.
My home is in Monaghan, where I was weaned.,
I learned all my life cruel England to blame,
And so I'm a part of the patriot game.
It's barely two years since I wandered away
With the local battalion of the bold IRA,
I'd read of our heroes, and I wanted the same
To play out my part in the patriot game.
This island of ours has for long been half free.
Six counties are under John Bull's tyranny.
So I gave up my Bible, to drill and to train
To play my own part in the patriot game.
And now as I lie here, my body all holes
I think of those traitors who bargained and sold.
I wish that my rifle had given the same
To those quislings who sold out the patriot game.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Network and alertness issues
My network was down most of last night, and this morning. THere was some kind of service outage in the neighborhood last night, and my net didnt come back up when the rest of the neighborhood did.
So I had to spend an hour with Cox on my cell phone going through their IVR "diagnostic" menu, doing everything I'd already done for the last hour.
Yeah that was fun.
So for some reason, the cablemodem I've been using the last six weeks was de-provisioned, and they went back to my old cablemodem from my last house.
Kinda odd, but ok. So I had to reprovision my cablemodem, reset my router (again), flush and reset everything, and I managed to get network connectivity back around 11am.
Unfortunately I'd been up all night (for other reasons), and Mel had been sick all morning; so finally around 1pm I passed out and Mel took over.
I jsut got up about an hour ago, with a forecful reminder of how dehydrated you can get in this town.
In the mean time, blogger is hosed, and wont publish anything, and of course I'm still not ready for the .mu.nu move.
Joy.
So I had to spend an hour with Cox on my cell phone going through their IVR "diagnostic" menu, doing everything I'd already done for the last hour.
Yeah that was fun.
So for some reason, the cablemodem I've been using the last six weeks was de-provisioned, and they went back to my old cablemodem from my last house.
Kinda odd, but ok. So I had to reprovision my cablemodem, reset my router (again), flush and reset everything, and I managed to get network connectivity back around 11am.
Unfortunately I'd been up all night (for other reasons), and Mel had been sick all morning; so finally around 1pm I passed out and Mel took over.
I jsut got up about an hour ago, with a forecful reminder of how dehydrated you can get in this town.
In the mean time, blogger is hosed, and wont publish anything, and of course I'm still not ready for the .mu.nu move.
Joy.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Getting ready to move over to MuNuvia
Well, I've got my template MOSTLY worked out, I've still got to fix some .css issues and little things with the main template; then the archive template and the .rss feed; and I'll be ready to move us over to http://anarchangel.mu.nu .
When we move over, this site will be maintained for the archives and comments; because there is no way to import Haloscan comments into Moveable type (at least as far as I know). Oh and because it's going to take me weeks to fix all the absolute links in other posts; and to re-categorize the posts.
John OC was making the point t'other day that if someone would just script up a conversion tool from blogger to MT that the blogging world would kiss their feet. It shouldn't be too hard to do, because the MT import format is simple.
You can also export haloscan comments into a standard format, and MT imports comments in a standard format along with post import, so it would be technically possible to do some perl munging and import the comments.
Unfortunately no-one has bothered to do it yet, probably ebcause most folks only ever want to move one blog, and dont feel it's worth the time.
Personally I'm not doing it because I hate debugging perl in ways that shouldn't be described in polite company.
Anyway, check out the new site, and let me know what I should change to make my readers happier, and bugs bugs bugs. Readers eyes seem to be infinitely better at finding screwups than mine.
When we move over, this site will be maintained for the archives and comments; because there is no way to import Haloscan comments into Moveable type (at least as far as I know). Oh and because it's going to take me weeks to fix all the absolute links in other posts; and to re-categorize the posts.
John OC was making the point t'other day that if someone would just script up a conversion tool from blogger to MT that the blogging world would kiss their feet. It shouldn't be too hard to do, because the MT import format is simple.
You can also export haloscan comments into a standard format, and MT imports comments in a standard format along with post import, so it would be technically possible to do some perl munging and import the comments.
Unfortunately no-one has bothered to do it yet, probably ebcause most folks only ever want to move one blog, and dont feel it's worth the time.
Personally I'm not doing it because I hate debugging perl in ways that shouldn't be described in polite company.
Anyway, check out the new site, and let me know what I should change to make my readers happier, and bugs bugs bugs. Readers eyes seem to be infinitely better at finding screwups than mine.
Bad shopping and comfort food
Mel:
So I just returned from a thoroughly depressing shopping experience. I was shopping for interview clothing and encountered a sea of brown and white. For some reason brown is the color this season, and while I love brown in conjunction with jeans, an all-brown suit seemed kind of... well, let's just say I don't want to look like anything Shai pulls out of her diapers. Worse than that, however, was the sea of white linen suiting. Putting aside the inherent difficulty in finding the right undergarments for that, well, I have kids and that wouldn't stay clean for more than two seconds. Plus, pure white plus pale skin and rosy cheeks... ah, no. So I left empty handed.
I came home in a bit of a funk, of course; I hate trying on clothes just to find they all make me look gawky and red-faced. So I opted for a bit of comfort.
Whenever I am sick or just plain pissed, there is one thing that will ALWAYS make me feel better, and that is cooking. And comfort food is the best. Anyone who has been around me for very long knows that visiting me is a kind of tasty Russian roulette: 1 visit out of 5 I have just baked, cooked, or done both. Half the time these are "kid treats", i.e. cookies, cake, or other sugary, "unhealthy" foods. There are days I think one of the reasons I am surrounded by men is that they know when they visit they will be "forced" to have some of my various baked treats in order to please the hostess. Because, after all, manners are always a good reason to break a diet.
Now the holy trinity of comfort food is fat+sugar+carbs. If you are a woman, add cocoa and chocolate and that's all that is ever necessary. But since I have two kids and a husband, I opted for the easiest and most universal of quick comfort foods: cereal treats.
Cereal treats are essentially:
Fat (butter or margarine)
Marshmallows, and
Cereal (most famously rice krispies)
and, possibly, an addition of peanut butter, cocoa, or other flavor
Today I opted for Cheerios treats, because that's what my kids happened to pull out of the cupboard for me. A stick of butter, an entire bag of marshmallows, and a cup of peanut butter all melted together and then mixed with half a box of cereal. There's nothing easier in the world, provided you remember to grease the baking pan you are shmushing it into for cooling.
I quickly considered where the pan would be the safest while the marshmallow cooled, and thought of putting it in the bedroom with Chris so the girls couldn't reach. Then I realized that was possibly MORE dangerous.
So they are here with me while I cool. And assuming that the entire lot isn't gone by 5, I am sure that John will accept one of the treats I will "force" on him before the guys leave for poker.
Mel
Just call me Mel, everyone else does.
So I just returned from a thoroughly depressing shopping experience. I was shopping for interview clothing and encountered a sea of brown and white. For some reason brown is the color this season, and while I love brown in conjunction with jeans, an all-brown suit seemed kind of... well, let's just say I don't want to look like anything Shai pulls out of her diapers. Worse than that, however, was the sea of white linen suiting. Putting aside the inherent difficulty in finding the right undergarments for that, well, I have kids and that wouldn't stay clean for more than two seconds. Plus, pure white plus pale skin and rosy cheeks... ah, no. So I left empty handed.
I came home in a bit of a funk, of course; I hate trying on clothes just to find they all make me look gawky and red-faced. So I opted for a bit of comfort.
Whenever I am sick or just plain pissed, there is one thing that will ALWAYS make me feel better, and that is cooking. And comfort food is the best. Anyone who has been around me for very long knows that visiting me is a kind of tasty Russian roulette: 1 visit out of 5 I have just baked, cooked, or done both. Half the time these are "kid treats", i.e. cookies, cake, or other sugary, "unhealthy" foods. There are days I think one of the reasons I am surrounded by men is that they know when they visit they will be "forced" to have some of my various baked treats in order to please the hostess. Because, after all, manners are always a good reason to break a diet.
Now the holy trinity of comfort food is fat+sugar+carbs. If you are a woman, add cocoa and chocolate and that's all that is ever necessary. But since I have two kids and a husband, I opted for the easiest and most universal of quick comfort foods: cereal treats.
Cereal treats are essentially:
Fat (butter or margarine)
Marshmallows, and
Cereal (most famously rice krispies)
and, possibly, an addition of peanut butter, cocoa, or other flavor
Today I opted for Cheerios treats, because that's what my kids happened to pull out of the cupboard for me. A stick of butter, an entire bag of marshmallows, and a cup of peanut butter all melted together and then mixed with half a box of cereal. There's nothing easier in the world, provided you remember to grease the baking pan you are shmushing it into for cooling.
I quickly considered where the pan would be the safest while the marshmallow cooled, and thought of putting it in the bedroom with Chris so the girls couldn't reach. Then I realized that was possibly MORE dangerous.
So they are here with me while I cool. And assuming that the entire lot isn't gone by 5, I am sure that John will accept one of the treats I will "force" on him before the guys leave for poker.
Mel
Just call me Mel, everyone else does.
I do so love my friends
So my friend Ben points me to this seriously screwed up AMV(Anime Music Video). For those of you who don't know, AMV's are things that geeks with far too much time on their hands, and extensive collections of pirated movies, and music do with final cut pro (and others of course, but FC is definitely in the lead by a big margin).
Eh, mac geeks... no accounting for taste, or sanity (the AMV's not for owning a mac, which I am currently lsuting after).
Anyway here's a little snippet of our conversation illustrating some of Bens thought processes...
Eh, mac geeks... no accounting for taste, or sanity (the AMV's not for owning a mac, which I am currently lsuting after).
Anyway here's a little snippet of our conversation illustrating some of Bens thought processes...
Chris: Dragon Ball Z clip with Metallica behind it
Chris: BLASPHEMERS!!!
Ben: hey now, if ya trimmed down all the MANY overlong fight scenes, that anime does have some grand bits. Mostly through Cell and nothing after
Chris: Can't stand it
Chris: "Ahhhhh must... build... more... power... by... straining.. to... squeeze... out... this... gigantic... constipated... SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!
Ben: I found it like reading a Charles Dickens or Thomas Hardy book... Over-long, but when you've put up with the characters for that long, ya start to care about 'em
Chris: ...
Chris: ...
Chris: ...
Chris: I was about to say I can't believe you made that comparison... but actually I can. Not that it's an apt comparison, but that you made it
Ben: You tell me it doesn't fit.
Chris: Thomas hardy?
Ben: 'Jude the Obscure', 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' and others
Ben: British
Ben: somewhat famous
Ben: and annoying
Chris: Yes I know who he is, I'm just speechless at the thoughtBen: amazingly depressing stuff
Chris: British literature is ALL amazingly depressing stuff
Chris: Hell, even the A&E versions...
Chris: Oh, and you must know, I'm blogging that little exchange
Ben: oh?
Chris: Oh yes... Comparing DragonBall-Z to "The Mayor of Casterbridge"
Chris: It's Geekerific
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
No, that was not predictable at all...
Mel's result:
You're Satan, the embodiment of all that is evil.
For now, you've chosen the shape of a hot woman and are dating a mortal. You enjoy a
steamy night in bed, a good movie, tea, pestering religious zealots and being able to torment high profile souls. You are also quite naturally a really bad loser in games.
However, your job is still a punishment and can get rather annoying. Especially when Dante shows up.
Test-o-mat! Which character from Casey & Andy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
For now, you've chosen the shape of a hot woman and are dating a mortal. You enjoy a
steamy night in bed, a good movie, tea, pestering religious zealots and being able to torment high profile souls. You are also quite naturally a really bad loser in games.
However, your job is still a punishment and can get rather annoying. Especially when Dante shows up.
Test-o-mat! Which character from Casey & Andy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Casey and Andy fanboyism continues
You're Quantum Cop.
Your deductive skills make you
nearly as powerful as a deity. You nearlynever lose your temper
and you never lie. You use your powers in the way that benefits
your society best - namely by being a mundane cop
in a town that houses Satan and two mad scientists.
You've gotten so many Nobel prizes that you can't
keep track of them all. However, you just don't seem
to realize that there is a woman in your close vicinity
who would give up the world for you.
Test-o-mat! Which character from Casey & Andy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Your deductive skills make you
nearly as powerful as a deity. You nearlynever lose your temper
and you never lie. You use your powers in the way that benefits
your society best - namely by being a mundane cop
in a town that houses Satan and two mad scientists.
You've gotten so many Nobel prizes that you can't
keep track of them all. However, you just don't seem
to realize that there is a woman in your close vicinity
who would give up the world for you.
Test-o-mat! Which character from Casey & Andy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
And to go with the best Irish pubs...
| You Are Guinness |
 You know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world. Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them. When you drink, you tend to become a bit of a know it all - especially about subjects you don't know well. But your friends tolerate your drunken ways, because you introduce them to the best beers around. |
I don't drink Guiness outside fo Ireland, exept in two places I know in NYC, and two I know in Boston, because they pour a pint that isnt nasty (they import directly rahter than going through local distribution; and they teach their people how to pull a proper pint).
Outside of Irleand, Guiness is nasty shite, because it’s pasteurized and has perservatives added. In fact, the further you go from Dublin, the worse Guiness gets. Even different pubs in the same area have a different quality of Guniess, because it’s sensitive to handling. Hell the only reason Beamish is still around is because GUiness in Cork is piss poor compared to Guiness in Dublin.
Good guiness has molasses, coffee, and chocolate flavors, with a very light bittering, and a creamy mouth feel; almost literally like drinking cold coffee with whipped cream.
Bad guiness tastes sourish, and bitterish, with a burned peaty flavor. Unforutnatley that's what most people in America are drinking most of the time they order a Guiness; the real problem is you can never tell what you're going to get before hand; and lifes to short to dirnk bad beer.
There are three genuine Irish barmaids (as in they are from Ireland, and work in Irish bars) who live across the way from me, and we've talked about this; thery're as convinced as I am that all Guiness in this country is shite, except a few folks who import it unpasteurized and extra cold on the sly; and even then most barmen here don't know how to pull a pint so they ruin it.
Beamish is at least consistent (in fact for years their marketing against Guiness has been based on it, because when you order a Beamish you KNOW you're getting the same quality of pint every time unlike guiness); but I don't much care for it, so I don't drink Irish stout outside of Ireland. In fact, Irish STYLE stouts are ruined by pasteurizing so I generally wont drink one outside of Ireland unless it's a homebrew.
I will however drink other stouts and porters if I'm in the mood. English porters are more heavily bittered, as are russian imperial, so you still get a good drinking experience; assuming you don't mind the bittering (I don't).
No, if I feel like something sweet, smooth, and heavy in the beer line, in most bars I'm out of luck. I won't drink a porter or stout I don't know in a bar unless it's brewed onsite, because why pay $4 for something that will probably suck. I usually end up going for a Newcastle if they have them (a nut brown ale, slightly sweet, and lightly bittered). I've also got a few cases in the back room.
Oh and lately I've found my drinking has been going the hard cider rout, but the bulmers/magners/archers/whatever name they are using to sell irish and UK cider over here has off flavers, so I mostly stick to domestic micro brew ciders, except fot the Woodchuck crisp apple, which is quite light and tasty.
HT: Warbs
Monday, March 13, 2006
The reason for the comics lovin
One might note, I just had two comics posts from a previously unlinked comic.
There are several reasonas for this. My friend John sent me a link earlier in the day, and I've been archivesucking ever since. Anyway, reading through thearchives it turns out I know the guy. Or anyway I think I know the guy, because I used to live in Fremont, and I'm almost certain I know the guy who inspired lord milligan, the comic strip pinpointing lord milligans house is where he used to live etc... and he has friends Andy and Casey, which would be somewhat odds against not being him.
Anyway, It was an odd coincidence.
But it turns out the comic is pretty damned funny, plus, in the words of John the cartoonist is "a classic example of someone unable to stop using their brain hammering away at the inside of a solid shit eggshell of leftist indoctrination..."
Thus making it clear once again why John is my friend.
Anyway,I came across this news post from 2004 and jsut had to share:
There are several reasonas for this. My friend John sent me a link earlier in the day, and I've been archivesucking ever since. Anyway, reading through thearchives it turns out I know the guy. Or anyway I think I know the guy, because I used to live in Fremont, and I'm almost certain I know the guy who inspired lord milligan, the comic strip pinpointing lord milligans house is where he used to live etc... and he has friends Andy and Casey, which would be somewhat odds against not being him.
Anyway, It was an odd coincidence.
But it turns out the comic is pretty damned funny, plus, in the words of John the cartoonist is "a classic example of someone unable to stop using their brain hammering away at the inside of a solid shit eggshell of leftist indoctrination..."
Thus making it clear once again why John is my friend.
Anyway,I came across this news post from 2004 and jsut had to share:
" October 1, 2004
As the US Presidential election draws near, I ponder: What the hell gave Hollywood stars the impression that I give a shit about their political opinions?
Like, is there some mandatory course in American Political Sciences that they give at the studios that makes Susan Sarandon or Roger Ebert experts on what is best for the country? See, I have this theory. My theory is that movie stars, pop singers, etc. don't know jack shit about politics. At least, no more than anyone else. So when you hear one of them babble incoherently, pretend it's some guy at a bus stop.
In fact, the guy at the bus stop will probably have a more valid opinion, as he is less likely to be a drug addict.
My personal favorite idiotic political view comes from Carlos Santana (lead singer of Santana). He believes that instead of one President we should have seven, and they should all be women, and they should represent 7 specific races (one White, one Black, one Native American, etc.). Wow. Let's bask in the wisdom of Mr. Santana's proposal that we place restrictions on the Presidency based on gender and race, and have SEVEN of them. I guess when they disagree they can mud-wrestle or something.
Stick to making idiotically repetative music, Carlos. It's what you suck marginally less at.
WARNING: As the election gets closer and closer, I'm going to be more and more likely to ramble about how sick of politics I am. But, as always, it won't find its way into the strip.
-ATW"
This is why I LOVE history
History isn't about dates and places, its about motivations, decisions, and consequences.
Anyone who studies history knows just how important the law of unintended consequences is.
Anyone who studies history knows just how important the law of unintended consequences is.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Days like this, I miss Ireland.
It's a beautiful gray drizzle out there, 94% humidity, intermittent rain, about 45 degrees... It's exaclty what it would be like in Dublin around now.
In fact:
Plus we've been talking about traveling to Ireland on the NoR forums, and hell, St. Patricks day is next week, so I thought I'd post a list of my favorite pubs in Dublin city, So. Co. Dublin, and North Co. Wicklow.
Heres goes:
Now I don’t know about the best pubs outside of Wicklow and Dublin (actually I know the best pubs in Athlone, but that’s a long story); but I’ve a good notion of the best pubs from Northside quays down to about Arklow.
First things first, no matter what anyone tells you, stay out of copperface jacks (theres a reason it’s called slapper face jacks, or jsut slappers).
In temple bar, I like Eamon Dorans, and the Quays. The porterhouse has great brewed on site beer. The temple bar, Farringtons, and the Turks Head are all right. Oh and when in temple bar for gods sakes stay out of Gogartys unless you like packing yourself balls to buttcheeks in for the “oirish”.
My absolute favorite pub in all of Dublin is TP’s (tp smiths) Abbey and Jervis street (just north of the liffey and west of O’Connell street). The Oval at abbey and O’Connell is pretty good too, and has a great view.
If you like a good shithole bar, you can’t miss fibbers. It’s at O’Connell and Parnell streets, in the basement of what was the aquarium bar, but is now called Bacchus.
Actually Bacchus is a nice pub in itself; and fibbers is definitely not nice. Hit is from 7pm and later on a Friday through sunday and you get the goth and metal crowds. Lots of barely dressed folks rockin it.
Yes, I was there just about every friday saturday and sunday for three years.
Frazers around the corner on O’Connell is also a decent place, with good food; and the basement hosts a nasty late bar for the vampire crowd called dominion.
Oh and the best meal in city center is Shannahans on the green. Best steak in Ireland by a long mile; and a world class whiskey bar.
Now, on to the pubs local to where I lived.
In Ballbridge the embassy folks all like Crowes (and it's a decent place), but If you’re gonna drink in ballsbridge, Cullens is probably the best bet. Toners in Baggot street is a nice one too, a bit north. Theres this great place just a bit east maybe sandymount road… cant remember the name,buit its got a black horse head sign. Also Rumms in landsdowne road is nice.
Oh and not a pub, but you can get a half decent coffee and breakfast at the Bewleys restaurant.
Heading south out of Dublin I like Byrnes Galloping green on the Stillorgan rd. near RTE.
Oh and while you’re heading south, you might as well visit Johnnie Foxes. They bill themselves as “The highest pub in Ireland, and if you’ve rented a car it’s a pretty nice but twisty and kind of dangerous drive. It’s food is over priced, and it is full of tourists half the year, but the food is pretty good and they get good music in.
To the DART line on south now.
In Booterstown jsut off the DART is the Old Punchbowl, a decent place.
Blackrock has the Wicked Wolf, a great pub just off the dart station; and the grange pub a couple miles up.
In Dun laighaire the best pub is probably Weirs, on georges street, about 1/2 way between the two dart stations (dun laoghaire and sandycove). Walters has decent food, but it’s not much of a real pub. It's nice and fancy, but it's very yuppyish. I DO love the big couches and private booths in back though. The purty kitchen down the old sea road is a nice hole in the wall, good food, good folks, no parking. If you want to look for celebrities, the best place to do it in Dun Laoghaire is 40 foot, but otherwise it’s a crap place staffed with nothing but foreign students and wall to wall attitude.
In Glenageary, the graduate up the Glenageary road is an OK pub, with good food, but it’s mostly yuppy types (the same problem Walters has). I used to live 500 feet from the deerhunter, and I’d still walk down the hill the extra mile to Weirs; the place is full of skangers from the council estate down the road and manky old slappers.
Oh and the best restaurant in Dun Laoghaire is Toscana on the sea road. VERY good italian, for reasonable prices. Try the tiramisu.
Heading south, the best pub in Dalkey is the Queens; but it’s packed with wankers trying to get a look at Bono and Andrea Corr (both of whom live just down the road a pace, and frequent the Queens). McDonaghs isn’t as irritating, and they pull a better pint. Honeslty, when it's not full of wankers the Queens IS a great pub, with a really nice front terrace. It's a beautiful time to watch the folsk go by on a nice day, and the food is pretty good.
In Killiney you want the druids chair, another hangout of the rich and famous in Ireland. It has short hours though so get there early.
In Shankill go to Bradys, which is actually a four in one place; with Micky Byrnes bar, Bradys Lounge, Bradys restaurant, and a chinese retaurant upstairs (that’s actually half decent).
If you find yourself in Bray, Leave. If you can’t leave, go to the Porterhouse on the strand road, or the Veevay inn on the veevay road. There is really no good food in Bray, but they have one of the best chippers in Ireland just by the DART station, Henry and Rose. It has late hours, and it's famous for it's gigantic burgers with lots of weird stuff on them, which by Irish standards are flippin brilliant, and by American ones arent half bad for a chipper.
In Greystones go to Danns, the Horse and Hound, or the Delgany Inn. I quite literally used to live in the Delgany inn, the building it’s in is a 400 year old courtyard style farm, and on the corner is “the ivy cottage”, a rooming house I lived in for a few months when I first moved to Ireland.
On and The Hungry Monk in Greystones is the only decent restaurant other than a pub or hotel (the delgany inn sometimes has great food but they keep losing chefs, the horse and hound is not bad) you're going to see for another 30 miles south.
Lesse, the best pub in Wicklow town is probably the Old Forge, and Brittas bays not bad. Near Ashford it's probably the Honeypot. I'm thinking I've got the name wrong, it's a big yellow place with a honey bee sign off to the west of ashford in between the N11 and Killiskey or Newtown. The mariner is half decent there too.
Down in Arklow, the Wagon Wheels is a decent place.
Now I'm about three years out of date, so some of these places may have changed or closed since I was last there, but hey, I've listed enough you should be able to get by.
Well, lesse Twentymajor savage my list now shall we.
In fact:
Plus we've been talking about traveling to Ireland on the NoR forums, and hell, St. Patricks day is next week, so I thought I'd post a list of my favorite pubs in Dublin city, So. Co. Dublin, and North Co. Wicklow.
Heres goes:
Now I don’t know about the best pubs outside of Wicklow and Dublin (actually I know the best pubs in Athlone, but that’s a long story); but I’ve a good notion of the best pubs from Northside quays down to about Arklow.
First things first, no matter what anyone tells you, stay out of copperface jacks (theres a reason it’s called slapper face jacks, or jsut slappers).
In temple bar, I like Eamon Dorans, and the Quays. The porterhouse has great brewed on site beer. The temple bar, Farringtons, and the Turks Head are all right. Oh and when in temple bar for gods sakes stay out of Gogartys unless you like packing yourself balls to buttcheeks in for the “oirish”.
My absolute favorite pub in all of Dublin is TP’s (tp smiths) Abbey and Jervis street (just north of the liffey and west of O’Connell street). The Oval at abbey and O’Connell is pretty good too, and has a great view.
If you like a good shithole bar, you can’t miss fibbers. It’s at O’Connell and Parnell streets, in the basement of what was the aquarium bar, but is now called Bacchus.
Actually Bacchus is a nice pub in itself; and fibbers is definitely not nice. Hit is from 7pm and later on a Friday through sunday and you get the goth and metal crowds. Lots of barely dressed folks rockin it.
Yes, I was there just about every friday saturday and sunday for three years.
Frazers around the corner on O’Connell is also a decent place, with good food; and the basement hosts a nasty late bar for the vampire crowd called dominion.
Oh and the best meal in city center is Shannahans on the green. Best steak in Ireland by a long mile; and a world class whiskey bar.
Now, on to the pubs local to where I lived.
In Ballbridge the embassy folks all like Crowes (and it's a decent place), but If you’re gonna drink in ballsbridge, Cullens is probably the best bet. Toners in Baggot street is a nice one too, a bit north. Theres this great place just a bit east maybe sandymount road… cant remember the name,buit its got a black horse head sign. Also Rumms in landsdowne road is nice.
Oh and not a pub, but you can get a half decent coffee and breakfast at the Bewleys restaurant.
Heading south out of Dublin I like Byrnes Galloping green on the Stillorgan rd. near RTE.
Oh and while you’re heading south, you might as well visit Johnnie Foxes. They bill themselves as “The highest pub in Ireland, and if you’ve rented a car it’s a pretty nice but twisty and kind of dangerous drive. It’s food is over priced, and it is full of tourists half the year, but the food is pretty good and they get good music in.
To the DART line on south now.
In Booterstown jsut off the DART is the Old Punchbowl, a decent place.
Blackrock has the Wicked Wolf, a great pub just off the dart station; and the grange pub a couple miles up.
In Dun laighaire the best pub is probably Weirs, on georges street, about 1/2 way between the two dart stations (dun laoghaire and sandycove). Walters has decent food, but it’s not much of a real pub. It's nice and fancy, but it's very yuppyish. I DO love the big couches and private booths in back though. The purty kitchen down the old sea road is a nice hole in the wall, good food, good folks, no parking. If you want to look for celebrities, the best place to do it in Dun Laoghaire is 40 foot, but otherwise it’s a crap place staffed with nothing but foreign students and wall to wall attitude.
In Glenageary, the graduate up the Glenageary road is an OK pub, with good food, but it’s mostly yuppy types (the same problem Walters has). I used to live 500 feet from the deerhunter, and I’d still walk down the hill the extra mile to Weirs; the place is full of skangers from the council estate down the road and manky old slappers.
Oh and the best restaurant in Dun Laoghaire is Toscana on the sea road. VERY good italian, for reasonable prices. Try the tiramisu.
Heading south, the best pub in Dalkey is the Queens; but it’s packed with wankers trying to get a look at Bono and Andrea Corr (both of whom live just down the road a pace, and frequent the Queens). McDonaghs isn’t as irritating, and they pull a better pint. Honeslty, when it's not full of wankers the Queens IS a great pub, with a really nice front terrace. It's a beautiful time to watch the folsk go by on a nice day, and the food is pretty good.
In Killiney you want the druids chair, another hangout of the rich and famous in Ireland. It has short hours though so get there early.
In Shankill go to Bradys, which is actually a four in one place; with Micky Byrnes bar, Bradys Lounge, Bradys restaurant, and a chinese retaurant upstairs (that’s actually half decent).
If you find yourself in Bray, Leave. If you can’t leave, go to the Porterhouse on the strand road, or the Veevay inn on the veevay road. There is really no good food in Bray, but they have one of the best chippers in Ireland just by the DART station, Henry and Rose. It has late hours, and it's famous for it's gigantic burgers with lots of weird stuff on them, which by Irish standards are flippin brilliant, and by American ones arent half bad for a chipper.
In Greystones go to Danns, the Horse and Hound, or the Delgany Inn. I quite literally used to live in the Delgany inn, the building it’s in is a 400 year old courtyard style farm, and on the corner is “the ivy cottage”, a rooming house I lived in for a few months when I first moved to Ireland.
On and The Hungry Monk in Greystones is the only decent restaurant other than a pub or hotel (the delgany inn sometimes has great food but they keep losing chefs, the horse and hound is not bad) you're going to see for another 30 miles south.
Lesse, the best pub in Wicklow town is probably the Old Forge, and Brittas bays not bad. Near Ashford it's probably the Honeypot. I'm thinking I've got the name wrong, it's a big yellow place with a honey bee sign off to the west of ashford in between the N11 and Killiskey or Newtown. The mariner is half decent there too.
Down in Arklow, the Wagon Wheels is a decent place.
Now I'm about three years out of date, so some of these places may have changed or closed since I was last there, but hey, I've listed enough you should be able to get by.
Well, lesse Twentymajor savage my list now shall we.
Rain, blessed rain...
This morning, after 140+ days of no precipitation in the Valley, we woke up to pouring down rain. It would be lovely, if I didn't have to drive 60 miles of curvy, hilly, moutainous two lane highway this morning on my way to work. Because Valley drivers all have one thing in common: they see so little rain that they actually think they know how to drive in it. Ah, the pleasures of fish-tailers and the perennial stream of those who fall under the Stupid Motorist Law. How many people this year will have to pay the costs of having the fire department rescue their asses out of the flooded wash they just drove into?
Anyway, since my work involves tourists I am sure the day will be slower than molasses in such weather. But it's money, and it's a chance to get out of the house.
And Starbucks is looking really good at this moment...
Mel
Just call me Mel, everyone else does.
Anyway, since my work involves tourists I am sure the day will be slower than molasses in such weather. But it's money, and it's a chance to get out of the house.
And Starbucks is looking really good at this moment...
Mel
Just call me Mel, everyone else does.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Rachel Ray is freak nasty...
So why is it that whenever I see Rachel Ray in pant's they're tight to the point of cameltoe?
No seriously. I'm watching 30 minute meals at the moment, and theres no way she could eat a bite of what she's cooking, her jeans would split wide open.
Oh and yes, I know about the FHM pics.
No seriously. I'm watching 30 minute meals at the moment, and theres no way she could eat a bite of what she's cooking, her jeans would split wide open.
Oh and yes, I know about the FHM pics.
Have I ever mentioned...
Just how much I hate the smell of burning human flesh?
This is especially true when it's my own.
I bring this up because I have a lovely 2" long second degree burn on my left palm, because the pot holder I was using to move the 550 degree cast iron skillet (I was re-seasoning it after sanding it down smoothe) slipped. Thankfully I was able to recover the skillet before it took out something flammable, like my boxers for example; but the end of the handle lovingly burned itself into my tender... okay somewhat rough and calloused... flesh.
Most kinds of pian I have no problem shutting out; unfortunately burn pain isn't one of them; and of course it's on my palm, jsut about the worst possible place. Burn pain is different from other kinds of pain, in that every nerve in the area repeatedly signals it's displeasure with you, and your piror actions, unlike other pain which generally waits for some external stimulus to bitch at you (like moving your knee when you really shouldn't). Being on the pal of course this particular burn will have the additional pleasure of repeated rouch contact; thus ensuring said nerve cells the fullest opportunity to gripe.
The blistering was fun, and quite puffy, and there's a full skin layer there that I'm going to have to cut off in a few days. Then the REAL pain beings as I manage to successfully jab, poke, and otherwise mangle the irritated flesh in every way possible for the next six weeks or so until the scar forms.
Can you tell I have some experience in these matters? My hands and forearms are covered with these little reminders that I am a moron at least once a day; and often around things that can hurt or kill me.
Actually so is the rest of my body from one thing or another. I've had stitches thriteen times on my left hand alone. You should see the rest of my scars; oy.
This is especially true when it's my own.
I bring this up because I have a lovely 2" long second degree burn on my left palm, because the pot holder I was using to move the 550 degree cast iron skillet (I was re-seasoning it after sanding it down smoothe) slipped. Thankfully I was able to recover the skillet before it took out something flammable, like my boxers for example; but the end of the handle lovingly burned itself into my tender... okay somewhat rough and calloused... flesh.
Most kinds of pian I have no problem shutting out; unfortunately burn pain isn't one of them; and of course it's on my palm, jsut about the worst possible place. Burn pain is different from other kinds of pain, in that every nerve in the area repeatedly signals it's displeasure with you, and your piror actions, unlike other pain which generally waits for some external stimulus to bitch at you (like moving your knee when you really shouldn't). Being on the pal of course this particular burn will have the additional pleasure of repeated rouch contact; thus ensuring said nerve cells the fullest opportunity to gripe.
The blistering was fun, and quite puffy, and there's a full skin layer there that I'm going to have to cut off in a few days. Then the REAL pain beings as I manage to successfully jab, poke, and otherwise mangle the irritated flesh in every way possible for the next six weeks or so until the scar forms.
Can you tell I have some experience in these matters? My hands and forearms are covered with these little reminders that I am a moron at least once a day; and often around things that can hurt or kill me.
Actually so is the rest of my body from one thing or another. I've had stitches thriteen times on my left hand alone. You should see the rest of my scars; oy.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Car Wash Update - Part Two
Remember what I said about a newly washed car totemically calling rain?
Yeah, it rained just long enough to leave nasty waterspots, and turn the pollen into papier mache.
Some days it's not worth chewing through the leather straps.
But hey, that was yesterday; today all I had to deal with was a two year old who thinks her poopie is finger paint, and a wife who was one giant exposed nerve.
Did I mention I love being a husband and daddy?
Yeah, it rained just long enough to leave nasty waterspots, and turn the pollen into papier mache.
Some days it's not worth chewing through the leather straps.
But hey, that was yesterday; today all I had to deal with was a two year old who thinks her poopie is finger paint, and a wife who was one giant exposed nerve.
Did I mention I love being a husband and daddy?
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