Reflection

There are a lot of things I wish I was and a few I wish I wasn’t. So as 2008 draws to a close I find myself, like many others I’m sure, taking inventory on who I am. I do this not just because it is the end of another year but because I think I have finally reached the proverbial midlife “crisis”, although I don’t feel as if I am in a crisis. I certainly could if I wanted to. This past year, as everyone knows, has been one of the most tumultuous since the year of my birth in 1968. But in the end I feel fortunate, for now.

I am fortunate for my son, my wife, my mother, the memory of my father, my family, and my friends. I am fortunate that even though we have our struggles and times when we can’t see the light, we have each other.

My son shows me the man I want to be. He makes me re-think all that I thought I knew. He makes me see the world in a different light, a joyous view of all things new and scary. He makes me believe in dreams.

My wife defines who I am. Her incredible strength in dealing with her illness inspires me. Her love for her son, me, and our home lifts me. She reminds me constantly that I am good person and that what I do makes a difference. She is who I am.

My mother made me who I am. Her unyielding and unconditional love for me and my family gives me strength. The example of her life gives me a rule book and a map in which to lead my life. Without her, I would be nothing.

My father and his memory move me. Every day, every hour, consciously or not, I ask myself what would Dad do in this situation. He is my moral compass. He keeps me moving on the path that is righteous. He is the example of the example I want to set for my son. I miss him terribly.

My other parents, Bob and Laura, keep me stable. I don’t like the word “Step” in reference to family, that is not who these people are to me. Bob shows me that life is a game with a many sided die and that each number, over time, will appear. We must be ready for it and enjoy it. Laura proves to me that there is nothing in this life that you can’t handle. Life is just a series of choices. You make yours the best you can and you deal with and enjoy the results.

My family and my friends teach, guide, and complete the man I am. I shouldn’t use the word “friends” here, because to me, they are family. I am truly fortunate for the random crew who became my family and I am incredibly proud of the people I chose to become my family. Mike and Stacy provide me with a great example of a fun and loving family that we should all want to be. Bryan and Lisa remind me that I am never alone and that I can always rely on my family. Mark and Whitney continuously challenge and inspire me to never stop learning and expanding my mind and my beliefs. Kyle and Marita Beth show me how wonderful and different our world is and how much fun our journey though it can be. Steve makes sense of it all for me and reminds me to keep my head in the game. Phil shows me how to experience the life I am living. Robert shows me how to not take all so damn seriously. Michelle reminds me that no matter how many punches are thrown your way, you have to keep ducking and fighting back with a smile. Kelli, Taylor, and Logan give me hope in things to come. Sean makes me proud of whom we are.

There are so many others that make up the man I am I could write for days and one day I will. But since I have probably lost most of you by now, I will end with a quote I heard as I child. I don’t remember who said it, but I really have tried to live my life by it.

“Don’t take life too seriously; you will never get out of it alive.”

Happy New Year to all!

Just Another Day in Illinois Politics.

Prosecutor: Blagojevich Engaged in 'Political Corruption Crime Spree'

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested in Chicago Tuesday on two counts each of corruption charges relating to trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat.

I particularly like the quote from from the FBI SAIC... "If it isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, its certainly one hell of a competitor"

The history of politics from Illinois and especially Chicago is a long and rich one. Looks like it just keeps getting better (worse).

The Beach Is Back?

I finally made it down to the beach. I had prepared myself for it not being that bad. I have talked with Bob on several occasions and he has used the term like “the Beach is back” and “amazed at the progress” but I was shocked at the destruction that was still evident. People use the term “like a bomb went off” all the time, but this is the only way to describe it. We are rapidly approaching three months since the storm and they are still pulling bodies from the debris. I was there Saturday after Thanksgiving where a group of our neighbors and friends gathered much like they have for many Thanksgiving, only this time it was to mourn the loss of the community we love so much, the community that I grew up in. I watched as some of the folks displayed there “Yes we can” attitude to rebuild and then slowly, as the alcohol too affect, watched that optimism turned to the reality that rebuilding make take more resources than individuals and government can provide, at least for now. Part of me is angry at the fact Galveston and the mainlands are receiving so much of the resources to rebuild, but I certainly understand. I just hope that when things are “normal” across the bay that the resources don’t just go away and forget about the Peninsula.

The above photo is of what is left of Fred's house. It is a rather optimistic photo with the lone surviving palm.

The sun coming up over looking the slab where The Beach House used to be. A make shift road now occupies the yard where so many Easter Eggs where hunted and so many Crayfish were boiled.

Physics professor on Christianity

Interesting article on a VERY controversial subject. It was the subject of one of my fist posts here at the Rant. The article attempts, but mostly fails, to make a point that I have tried to make for quite some time… that belief in a God and evolution are not mutually exclusive. Like I said, I don’t think the article goes nearly far enough to make the point but it at least provokes thought in the matter.

View article...

Excuse me sir, my I see some ID and how you voted?

In response to the comment left on the last post. I believe it to be too important to just leave as a comment and thus it is left as a blog entry.

I do not believe it to be partisan either. I believe that if the tables were turned then Colman would also be suing. My point is the hypocrisy by the people that jumped up against the Bush administration on the eavesdropping policy. I want to know where those protectors of freedom and privacy are now.
As for if this is a privacy issue or not, it is unbelievable that anyone could argue otherwise. The right for me to vote without fear of persecution is fundamental in our country. The people that voted absentee had an absolute expectation of privacy. For anyone to infringe upon that is mind boggling.

What is going to happen here is that Franken and his goons are going to go pounding on doors and asking these people how they voted. I wonder, when they find out that some of these folks voted for Colmen, what will that say to them. “Sorry to bother you, we are glad you were disenfranchised.” I’m sure when they find the ones that voted for him they will assign them their own personal attorney to sue to have their vote counted despite the fact that they did not meet the basic legal requirements to vote absentee.

It is one thing to stand out side of a polling place and ask people how they voted. I have been asked that before, presumably a pollster. It is another thing for someone to come knocking or calling, knowing my name, knowing where I live, knowing who I am and then asking me.
What is next, candidates and their representative are going to be allowed to stand behind you at a polling place and ask you how you voted? Are they going to be able to follow you home or to work? This is 100% unbelievable and indefensible. Everyone should be outraged!!!!

Hypocrisy

Those of you that know me know that one of the things I hate most in this world is hypocrisy. So I must bring what little attention I can to the Minnesota Senate race in which Al Franken is suing Ramsey County in order to find out the names of the voters whose ballets have been rejected. He also wants to know the reason behind the rejection.

So apparently it is ok to blow privacy out of the water when you are a Democrat and you are afraid you may loose an election but it is not ok to eavesdrop on the telephone conversations of suspected terrorist.

For the record, I don’t believe it is ok to eavesdrop on an American Citizen without a warrant. But I just want point out the hypocrisy. I hope the same Democrats that berated the Bush administration will step up and condemn a member of their own party.

Hello World

I have too many ways to communicate. This seems a very odd statement considering the fact that I get accused in both my professional life and personal life of not communicating enough. I suppose the two statements can be exclusive… plenty of ways to communicate but just not using them. But that is not the case. It seems I am communicating all the time. I will even receive a message using one medium and answer the person using another. I even have one channel auto-updating other channels. It’s crazy. Oh, and I then get suggestions that I need yet more channels an mediums to communicate because some people I know aren’t on any of the existing ones I use.

So let’s take inventory…
I have a home phone. (voice)
I have a cell phone. (voice)
I have this blog. (text,photo)
I have Picasa. (photo, movies)
I have 5 separate email accounts. (text)
I have a smart phone in which to receive those email’s. (text)
I have SMS on my phone (text)
I have Facebook (text, photo, voice, everything)
I have 3 instant messaging accounts (don’t really use too much) (text)
I have a web site which I need to update. (text, photos)
I have a Twitter account (text)
I have a BrightKite account (text)
I have a voice. (my all time favorite way to communicate, preferably with a beer in my hand).

So the next time someone tells me they were unable to get a hold of me, I will simply respond via 19 different channels.

And now for something completely different

OK, that last posting was way to serious… since I like to be fair and balanced here at the Rant I now give you this…

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5_OSsawz4

 

 

Popular vote vs. Electoral College

Yep, even though Mr. Obama won by a “landslide” the same debate over popular vote vs. Electoral College has made its quadrennial appearance. The same old arguments for and against are making their way into the media and bar conversations albeit with a little less fervor than in 2000.

So this year I decided to make my same argument for the Electoral College, but in writing for the entire world to see. I’ll try to be brief, but it is a complicated issue.

Popular Vote

Most folks who do not understand the Electoral College (and some that do) believe that it should just simply be a popular vote by all Americans. I mean, who could argue. We certainly have the technology to count that high that fast, if we didn’t Simon Cowell would not be as rich as he is. So why don’t we just let the voices be heard? But let’s look at what that means.

This is where it gets complicated. Politicians are… well… politicians which means they are a self serving breed that will do whatever it takes to get into office and once there stay in office. We all know that today the candidates concentrate their money in the few places they believe they can win. This should be evident to everyone by the now house hold term “Red States/Blue States”. Once in office, they do the same thing, they work hardest to keep the “majority” of the people happy. Sounds great right? Let’s look at what the majority means.

We all know (I know, big assumption) that there are 50 states plus D.C. that vote to elect the President. But did you know that the majority of the population is centered in just 9 states?¹ OK you probably figured that out, but I bet you didn’t know that it was only 9 and when you look at the percentage of the total it means that just under 18% of the states could decide what is best for 82% of the country. But let’s look at it bit deeper. A politician would only need to worry about the most populous metropolitan areas to get the votes needed to win. So how many mero areas is that? Would you believe that only 34 cities could decide who is elected? ²

Yes I know that would mean that every citizen in all 34 metro areas would not only have to vote, but vote for the same person. But the concept is what is important. The fact is that our country is concentrated in the big cities and utilizing a popular vote would give undue influence in those cities. Imagine if there were a government program designed specifically to garnish votes (hard to imagine isn’t it?). That program would not need to be made available to everyone, just the 34 or so most populous cities, leaving the rest of the country without. But more than that, it just isn’t fair. The fine folks in Wausau, WI and South-De Ridder, LA should still be represented. I think we all agree that problems in those places are not the same as problems in Los Angeles and New York.

Electoral College

So, the popular vote doesn’t really seem all that fair if you want to represent everyone? But is the EC any better? A little, but not much, for instance it takes a minimum of 11 states to win the necessary 270 EC votes. However, if you look at the most populous metro areas necessary to win those states, you will see that those metro areas’ populations spread into 33 states. And while states such as California and New York can be won by just campaigning in just 1 or 2 cities, other states such as Florida and Ohio would need multiple metro areas spreading the influence into the smaller communities.

But really what it boils down to is the way our government was set up. We are a group of states that have a federal system designed to do what is necessary to keep those states united. Without going into if that is a bad thing or a good thing here, it means that the States have rights granted to it by the Constitution. It was set up that way because the folks that settled in Delaware didn’t really agree with the folks that settled in Georgia. This holds pretty true today. The folks in Montana certainly have different values than the folks in Rhode Island. Our form of government means that for the most part, the folks in Montana can hunt their elk and fish their trout without having to worry about a law passed in Rhode Island prohibiting guns or fishing from ditches. Personally I think this works. So our very smart Founding Fathers gave it their best shot and came up with a way for the small states have a little more influence than their population would reflect. For example California has over 36 million people and 55 EC votes which is 664,604 people per electoral vote. Oklahoma has just 3.6 million and has 7 EC votes giving it 516,759 people per vote. This means that a person in Oklahoma has roughly the same amount of influence as the person in California. But it also means is that Oklahomans don’t need to worry about the wacked out laws that Californians tend to enact.

OK, I know it is still not perfect and it doesn’t really matter. Since it would take an amendment to the Constitution to change it, the likelihood that it will ever change is just about zero. So how do we make it better? More fair?

Part of the whole States Rights thing is the ability to decide how to “elect” the Electoral College. OK for those of you that don’t know, when you vote for President you are not actually voting for that person. You are voting to select a person who has pledged to vote for the candidate you favor. But the states get to decide how those folks are selected. Most states (48) have laws that select the entire allocation of EC representatives that a pledged to the candidate that receives a majority or a plurality of the popular vote of that state. However there are 2 states, Nebraska and Maine, that have a system that awards the EC votes based on congressional districts with two votes (representing the Senators) as a state wide vote. For example, Maine has 4 electoral votes. Two of those go to the candidate who wins the popular vote state wide. The other two go to the candidate who wins the popular vote within the congressional district they represent.³

To me, this is the way to go. So a congressional district in a Red state whose beliefs are more Blue are now represented in the selection of the President and of course vice versa. This means that the candidates would have to pay attention to just about every state and every area of the country. The Republicans would show up in New York and the Democrats would actually visit Texas. This to me seems the best and it would simply take a law change in the states to accomplish this. And as a bonus, a third party candidate might actually have a chance to make an impact as well.

¹ http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html
² http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/index.html
³ http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html

Tolet Games

I scored 24 goals but Jimmy from SAS scored 26. I guess you should expect the European to be better at tolet football.

The Promise

A good article. http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle+articleid_2768124.html

Glass Houses

I have already placed a few jabs on the President-elect and have already taken some criticism for doing so. I find this interesting. So I have been thinking about how I can react to not only this but to the election as a whole and to the new administration. Given my “protest” vote of not voting for President, a part of me feels as if I should not criticize because I did not offer up an alternate vote. But I have quickly gotten over that. I will not give Mr. Obama a break. I will not give him a chance. I will not sit back and simply see what happens. None of us should, regardless of who you voted for. That does not mean I do not support him, I do. He is our next President. As an American, it is my duty to do so and I take that seriously. But we didn’t just elect a new scout master, we elected the new leader of the free world, a leader that has just 4 years of major political office under his belt. If that does not scare the shit out of you I don’t know what would. He has to be perfect, he cannot make mistakes. He will of course, and I hope they are small and I hope that all of the people that have been so active to criticize the current President will be as active with the new one. I will.

Help Us

The largest market drop post election. I hope this is not a sign of things to come but I fear it is. Let us all hope he is smarter than the rhetoric he spewed during the election. As I sit in Germany listening to the European view I am both shocked and pleased that the “world” is reacting so positively to the results. I cannot see how that would be a bad thing. But I am very concerned that the markets are tanking even more that normal when a Democrat is elected. I fear that the business world actually listen to the crap spewed by the candidates and are now reacting.

Market vs Obama

15 minutes in to the Obama era and the Market is down nearly 200. I wonder how people expect business to expand when all thay have to look forward to is increased taxes.

Waiting

Waiting for my room to be ready. I'm too tired to react to the news yet. I will say that I wish him (and all of us) the best of luck.

Smart Taxi

My taxi driver informs me that Obama won. (I already knew from the Captain). I wonder how many American Taxi drivers can tell me who the German President is?

Off again.

As far as international trips go, this is an easy one. Non-stop from DFW to FRA, half day meeting. A gouple of dinner engagements then back home. But I still don't want to go. Glenda tells me not to bitch and she is right. I have a good job at a time when a lot of people don't. For that I am thankful. I just hope that after two years under Obama I can say the same since I and a hundred thousand others work for one of those evil companies that clearly doesn't pay enough in taxes. If AA has to pay more, how long can we last?

Nebraskans don't have to parent any more.

When I read this I thought “My RSS feeder is screwing up. It put an Onion article in the Fox News folder. So I clicked on the link and was absolutely horrified to find out that the article was absolutely serious. Nebraska has a law similar to a lot of other states in which you can drop off a baby that you as a parent cannot care for. This law, in most states, is meant to encourage mostly young and stupid new mothers to not kill their babies and dump them in a trash can, but instead place them at a place that will care for them and make them available to a loving family that wishes to adopt that child.

But then I read this article on the law in Nebraska that apparently allows you to drop off a child of any age. As I said above, I thought it was a joke. I saw the headline and funny one lines started appearing in my head. “I wonder if the hospital helps with homework, if so can I get a frequent abandoner card?” But in this case mothers are actually dropping off teenagers and leaving them for the state to deal with.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want the poor child to have to deal with a parent that doesn’t want them. However I am extremely offended that the State of Nebraska allows parents to do this without consequences. That child is toast. She will never be the same. The odds that this child will be a successful contributor to society as an adult is very slim. We can only hope and pray that some couple is out there that will adopt an older child and all of the emotional baggage that comes with them. But those are all things that would happen even if the parent is held accountable. But what is different about this law is that the parent is protected from consequences of being a shitty parent. These parents need to be held accountable. Thankfully, the Nebraska Legislator is taking up the issue and will likely add an age limit to the law.

The sad thing is that these parents will likely want their child back and the state will likely give them back. I have said it many times, if all parents had to go through the vetting and BS that we had to go through before adopting, the world would be a better place.

A good political Debate

Is raging on over at the KRuMB (http://krmb.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/fine-feathers/).

 

Just for the record, I voted in the state and local elections but I did not cast a vote in the Presidential election for the first time since I have been eligible to vote. I did so because cannot support any candidate on the ballot. Some will see it in a negative light but when I cast a vote it is a vote of support and confidence. Something I have for none of the men or women listed.

Better

I’m better today. Amazing what a nice weekend with a Longhorn victory will do for your spirits. Now if Glenda were only feeling better…

Sad

I need some happy thoughts. I’m not sure why (maybe it was the bad chicken from the cafeteria) but I have thrown myself into a funk. I started thinking about all the things in the past that brought me joy and are now gone.

My sister, my dad, Astroworld, the Beach House, friends I don’t talk to any more (David, Jorie, Leslie, Mike I, Donette, Mike L).

I guess it is just a day to remember.

 

Oops

Funny!!! I'm sure it was an accident, but it sure looks like he meant to hit him. I love Les Miles comments on the subject.

What Color?

When asked what color American would paint its new Boeing 787 aircraft since the traditional polished steel that American is known for will not work on the composite skin of the 787 CFO Tom Horton said AMR was looking into painting them a particularly ugly color: burnt orange.

 

Mr. Horton was playing to the boss. Mr. Arpey has his BA and MBA from the University of Texas, while Mr. Horton has his undergraduate degree from Baylor and his master's from SMU.

 

Personally I think it is a grand idea!

 

Bolivar Update

I was just reading the KRuMB regarding MB’s obvious lack of interest in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike (smiles) and realized that I too have been lazed in my updating of the situation at the Beach House.

I spoke to Bob a couple of days ago and he has spent a couple of weekends down there doing some clean-up and to assess the situation. As you know from previous posts the Brown House survived and Bob’s informs me that it is fixable.

My disdain for the main stream media is no secret (be sure to read the article at the KRuMB referenced above) and it comes as no surprise that they neither care to report accurate information nor do they feel any consequences when they are wrong. And wrong they are when it comes to Bolivar. The media was reporting that it would be at least a year before services are restored to most of the peninsula but alas, someone forgot to tell wonderful people at Centerpoint. When Bob went down a few weekends ago he was surprised to count over 200 Centerpoint (and other) power trucks lining the highway putting up brand new poles. While Bob was in front of the house a supervisor drove by and asked if he was planning on fixing the house (remember it was the only one left on the block). When he said yes, they guy marked something down on the clipboard and the next day a transformer showed up. Wonderful!!!

Centerport is now reporting that the lights should be on sometime in November! And the city is reporting that water will be back on around the same time. I guess you just can’t keep determined people down.

Bob says spirits are high and the feeling is that a lot of folks will repair or rebuild. His goal is to have the Brown House ready for our annual family reunion and crawfish boil. What a party that will be. Ya’ll come!

Texas #1

There is nothing better than seeing an empty half of the Cotton Bowl on the second Saturday in October. Texas is #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls for the first time since 1984.

Giant Catfish Eats Man

And yeah, I’m serious… apparently. Holy crap!

 

A fearsome fish has started killing people after feeding on human corpses, scientists fear.

They reckon that a huge type of catfish, called a goonch, may have developed a taste for flesh in an Indian river where bodies are dumped after funerals.

Locals have believed for years that a mysterious monster lurks in the water. But they think it has moved on from scavenging to snatching unwary bathers who venture into the Great Kali, which flows along the India-Nepal border.

The extraordinary creature has been investigated by biologist Jeremy Wade for a TV documentary to be shown in Britain.

“The locals have told me of a theory that this monster has grown extra large on a diet of partially burnt corpses,” Wade said. “It has perhaps got this taste for flesh by feasting on remains of funeral pyres. There will be a few freak individuals that grow bigger than the other ones and if you throw in extra food, they will grow even bigger.”

Wade discounted theories that crocodiles could be responsible for the carnage before turning his attention to goonches — among the world’s biggest freshwater fish.

He caught one which tipped the scales at 161 lbs and was nearly 6 feet long — a world record weight and far bigger than any landed before.

“If that got hold of you, there’d be no getting away,” he said

 

Death In The Family

I had a death in the family today. My laptop died. And as one would expect of a laptop in my world would do, it died in a grand fashion. I plugged it in at work as normal and the fan goes crazy and the thing shuts down… no life… no fussing… nothing. I figured I didn’t sit the thing correctly in the docking stations so I go to pick it up and just about burned my hand. The bottom was very hot. Not the kind of hot you want your computer equipment to be. So now I’m sitting around waiting for tech support to bring me a new one. All I have is a borrowed laptop that gives me access to the internet and email, that’s it. None of my usual applications. As you may guess, I’m being very productive.

Texas vs. OU

This is my favorite week of the year. A week where the heat gives way and fall announces its presence. A week where kids start thinking about what they want to be for Halloween. A week when the most ambitious of us start Christmas shopping.

And the week for the Greatest Rivalry in Sports! Texas vs. O.U.

I admit, I’m a bit biased, but not much. The Texas – OU game is consistently ranked by fans, players, writers and coaches as one of the top three rivalries in College Football and is unique in the manner in which it is played. Some facts:

This Saturday will be the 103rd meeting between Texas and OU.

When the series began, Oklahoma was not a state.

The game has been played in Dallas, which is equal distance between Austin and Norman, since 1912.

The game has been played in the Cotton Bowl, during the State Fair of Texas since 1929.

Tickets for the two schools are divided equally in half and split The Cotton Bowl at the 50.

Since 1945, either Texas or OU or both have been ranked in the Top 25 coming into 61 out of 66 games.

Since ranking teams began, the game has featured the number one team 11 times.

Since ranking teams began, the game has featured both teams in the top 5 11 times including 3 #1 vs . #2.

The first time the two teams met, neither had a nickname.

Texas leads the series 57-40-5.

WHAT TIME IS IT?!

I'll never ask again

I admit that I have had a few beers and then went looking for love from my wife… I guess I will reconsider from now on.

 

BENTONVILLE, Ark.  —  A 75-year-old woman told police she was "at her wits' end" when she shot her husband to death as he was sleeping.

Myrtle Marie Walter was being held Monday without bond in the Benton County jail on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Paul Walter, 74, at their home in Rogers.

She told police she and her husband had been drinking Friday night and she had four or five beers. She said her husband wanted to have sex but she did not want to, and she could no longer tolerate the mental abuse, according to court records.

She retrieved a loaded gun, returned to the bedroom and shot her husband once, then fired two more times when she saw him move, court documents say. Rogers police arrested her Saturday and recovered a .357-caliber revolver that was on the bed.

Myrtle Walker told police she aimed at her husband's head, but did not know where she shot him because the bedroom light was off, according to court documents. She said her husband was asleep, lying face down. She said she was sorry for shooting him, but relieved he was gone, according to court documents.

 

Kyle at the Beach House

This is the photo to which Glenda was referring. It was taken Easter (April) 2001, just two months after returning from Kyle's adoption in Russia. Kyle was 20 months old and it was the first time many of the family had first laid eyes on Kyle. I think all of us would agree that it was a different time in our world. Five months later the world would change.

Beach House Before and After

As I said earlier, Mom and Bob got down to Bolivar on Sunday. I managed to find a before and after shot from about the same angle. This really brings it home for me. I am saddened greatly. I know it is just material things and a lot of folks tell me it could have been worse, and it could of. I am thankful that no one I knew was seriously hurt or killed, but I can't help morn the loss of this spot of Earth that meant so much to so many of my family and friends and of course to me. It is really hard to put into words.

She couldn't keep her mouth shut

Not that any politician could, but Madam Speaker just couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She, thinking the vote could not fail, decided that it was a good time f*ck the American People and be sure to interject biased politics into the mix.

Pelosi also said the cost of the bailout "is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush administration's failed economic policies -- policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything-goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision and no discipline in the system."

This prompted enough changed votes on the right to ensure the bill failed and sent the market into its single worse points loss ever. Why is it that ignorant, stupid, idiotic people believe that the President has so much power that he can control the largest economy in the world? I know Pelosi is not an idiot, but anyone that believes this rubbish spewing from her mouth certainly is. SHE and her Congress has just as much if not more control.

I blame them all. Hell, I blame everyone. The stupid people who took stupid ARM loans, the idiots that approved those loans, the morons at the banks that bought those loans and now the incompetent Congressmen who decided that TODAY was the day to play F*ING politics.

I should have not paid my mortgage for all these years and stuffed the cash in my mattress… better yet, I should have bought a corn farm with it.

AP Has Gone Wild

Don’t get me wrong, Alabama had a great game and I don’t want to start in about the creditability of the Polls, but what the f*ck are is the AP thinking jumping the Tide from 8^th to second including 21 vote for first?

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?seasonYear=2008&weekNumber=6&seasonType=2

 

Must be all those folks that were voting for USC and now just can’t bear to vote for Oklahoma… who can blame them really?

 

As a side note, wonder which coach voted Texas number 1? HMMMMMMMM.

Beach House

Mom and Bob went down today. Photo says it all.

Back on Bolivar

They started letting folks back on Bolivar today. I talked to Mom and Bob and they are planning on going over on Sunday. I’m not sure I would be ready but Bob has several houses to check on, one of which is still apparently standing.

 

Guess they have secured what is left of the Rollover pass bridge and they are allowing 1 vehicle at a time to go over the bridge. Everyone must be off by 4 pm. Mom will take some photo’s and I will post them when I get them. I am not looking forward to them. I’m not going because I am headed to Austin for the Arkansas game that was postponed due to Ike.

How to Recruit a Longhorn

Kyle and his new friends.

Unbelievable

This story goes in the category of “what the hell are they thinking?”

A Marine who was already shot by friendly fire while hold up in a house with other Marines pulls a grenade that was tossed into the house under his body to protect the others. Holy f*&^ing wow!!!! Can you get to be any more of a hero? This really happened, it is not a plot from some wacko Hollywood movie. This kid saved the lives of numerous other men at the cost of his own. Can’t get much more heroic right? Well apparently the Marines won’t award him the Medal of Honor because the original friendly fire may have already sent him down the path to death.

I’m not even going to try to make sense of this. I can only hope that the morons at the Pentagon see the light of day and honor this young man in the manner in which he deserves.

Full article here…

Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor

Thursday , September 18, 2008

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —

The mother of a Marine who witnesses say covered a grenade with his body to save comrades in Iraq plans to appeal to Congress to award her son the nation's highest military honor after learning it was denied by Defense Secretary Robert Gates because of questions about his final act.

Rosa Peralta said Thursday she made the decision after a Marine general told her that her son, Sgt. Rafael Peralta, would be awarded the Navy Cross rather than the Medal of Honor because the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade.

"I'm going to see what can be done, because I'm not satisfied with what they want to do now," she said in Spanish.

President Bush singled out the Marine's actions in a 2005 Memorial Day speech, saying Peralta "understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them."

"The president spoke of him. So how is this now possible that they do this," Rosa Peralta said.

She said she was considering rejecting the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for valor in combat that can be awarded to a Marine. Peralta will be the 24th recipient of the Navy Cross for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I still don't know what I'm going to do," she said.

The question about whether to award Peralta the Medal of Honor centers on whether the mortally wounded Marine, who was shot in the head and upper body, could have intentionally reached for the grenade and covered it with his body.

"There was conflicting evidence in the case of Sgt. Peralta as to whether he could have pents, Peralta lay mortally wounded on the floor of a house and grabbed a grenade lobbed by fleeing insurgents. His body absorbed the blast and he died immediately.

In a rare move, the Marine Corps Thursday released a redacted copy of the Medal of Honor nomination by Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski and a investigative report detailing the "friendly fire" shooting of the sergeant.

The report found sufficient evidence existed to believe that Peralta was probably shot by a fellow Marine and that a gunshot wound to the head and injuries to the head from a grenade caused his death.

The nomination, which relies on witness statements, forensics, bomb fragment analysis and an autopsy, concluded that although Peralta was shot in the head, he made "a conscious, heroic decision to cover the grenade and minimize the effects he knew it would have on the rest of his Marine team."

The nomination details Peralta's actions in the final minutes of his life, with several witnesses recounting how the Marine lay face down and used his arm to pull the grenade to him. It also says a forensic analysis of Peralta's clothing and flak jacket show the grenade was underneath him when it exploded.

Peralta, who was assigned to Hawaii's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, moved to San Diego from Tijuana as a teenager. He was 25.

Going home.

The Beach House

Better photo's thanks to NOAA and Bryan for finding them. I have cut a before and after shot.


The before: (http://picasaweb.google.com/txterrill/HurricaneIke#5246418601619895890)





The After: (http://picasaweb.google.com/txterrill/HurricaneIke#5246419054707325730)

Sad Day... The Beach House Is Gone

Well, it looks as if it is gone! This is truly a sad day. I practically grew up in that house and was watching my son do the same. All my friends and family that have visited over the years... all the new friends and a lot of the new family met for the first time.... college parties... spring break... best seafood ever... Mama Theresa's... sitting in the swing with the cool ocean breeze with my coffee (or Bloody Mary)...

Too early to know if/how we will rebuild.

The best look we have had so far. See the larger image at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/txterrill/HurricaneIke#5246244312841290450

See the Coast Guard video at:

http://www.click2houston.com/video/17471901/

Ike Update

Night has fallen and after a hard day of traveling and working it is finally time to rest. We got a lot of work done here in Deer Park but there is still so much more to do. Then we need to go to Nonnie's and all the others.

You can view the photo's I took today at http://picasaweb.google.com/txterrill/HurricaneIke#

Although Mom has power (thank goodness) Trish and Uncle George does not so we are moving the generator back and fort in an effort to save the freezer and fridge.

One thing the news is not really sharing with those not in the area is the incredible amount of helpful folks just going around and doing things, anything. Not for money, not for attention, but just because they feel they need to do something. Amazing! Scratch that, it's not amazing. It's Texas!

In Houston

Damage and water everywhere

Aggies have power.

In Calvert. First place I see damage.

Mom has power!!!

On my way to Deer Park.

The Beach House

Not looking good. Thanks to Bryan for tracking down these photos. It is hard to tell, but I think this first one is a view of the Big Store which is about 2 miles from The Beach House.

Some other photos.

Help is on the way

Thanks to the generosity of friends I am headed down with supplies, generator, chain saw, and of course, beer. Let the clean up begin!

Thanks especially to Angie and Chad for use of their Generator and Bryan and Lisa for their gas cans and "body" cooler to hold a butt load of ice.

The real question is did the Beach House survive. Early reports don't look good.

I will report what I can from Deer Park.

Storm has Passed

Mostly. Still very windy but no rain. All are fine and Nonnie didn't even loose power!

From Mom...
Eye just pasd no pwr fence dwn all ok bt hot

Time is wrong

Just noticed for the first time that my post times are Pacific not Central. Wonder if I can change that?

IKE update

Worst is moving on shore now although the eye is still about 2 hours away. Sustained winds at 110 mph (111 is a Cat 3). Morgan's Point wind gauge is off line, but last check it was gusting up to 65 MPH.

Text Mom about 20 mins ago but have not heard back. Cell may be out. When I hear from her I will update.

IKE Update

Mom just lost cable. Power still on.

Update

Rain bands are moving into Deer Park. Can't even get to the NOAA web site to see what the storm surge is.

Mom still has power.

I 'm freaking a bit. I should have stayed.

Mom still has power

From Mom...

Neighbors across st decided to leave. Afraid of trees around house. :-O

Text from Mom....

Wind picking up now but still no rain

Update Ike

Just spoke to Mom. All OK and still not much wind and rain.

IKE Update 15:20

Storm surge on Bolivar is above 8 ft. Winds at 39 mph gust to 51.

Morgan Point (on the Channel near Deer Park) is at 6 ft. Winds at 20 mph gust to 31.

 

Mom says not much wind and barely sprinkling so far.

Some good sites to watch

Near real time wind speeds

http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/hgports/hgAllMET.html

 

 

 

Storm surge updates.

http://www.weatherforyou.com/cgi-bin/hw3/hw3.cgi?forecast=stormreports&use_state=tx&nc=forecast,pands,country&dpp=0

Update

Current wind speed in Deer Park is 25 mph gust to 36 mph. TS winds on Bolivar.

Update

Just talked to Nonnie and she is holding pat. I made her promise that if she loses power for more than 12 hours that she gets out. Of course that is if the roads will allow.

 

Just tried to call Mom, but the network was busy. She sent a text message and all is OK but she feels like she is in a cave because the house is all boarded up. Still sunny and little wind. For now…

 

Laura is also staying in San Jacinto county. I’m a bit worried about that because she did not board and she is in the middle of the piney woods. But she has lots of neighbors staying so she should be OK.

 

New forecast is that Ike will not make it to a Cat 3, so that makes me feel MUCH MUCH better.

Evacuated

Well, I thought I was going to be stuck down in Deer Park even though I had a seat out on the 09:20 flight this morning. Yesterday, when I couldn’t get out on stand-by, I had to take a taxi just to get someplace Mom could pick me up. Traffic was at a standstill all over Houston and especially on all roads leading away from the coast.

 

I was pleasantly surprised that there was nil traffic this morning at 06:00, so Mom dropped me off and out I went.

 

It’s 11:19 and according to KHOU.com, the Peninsula is already under water. I see a new shed at the beach house in my future.

The Beach House

Bob and the gang prepare the Beach House.

 

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1138292619/bclid1137896012/bctid1786849054

 

 

I45 North

I45 North is beginning to stack up as mandatory evacuations are being ordered for the Houston/Galveston area ahead of Hurricane Ike. I’m in downtown Houston at a postal conference but will be catching the first flight out in the morning. So far most of the family is holding tight. Aunt Brenda and Uncle Steve (Port Lavaca area) I believe are headed out since they are in the direct path. Kathy and Patrick will be spending quality time at the hospital where they both work even though La Porte is in the mandatory evacuation zone. Everyone else is staying put.. for now.

California Teen Accused of Posing as Soldier for Perks

In the “How sorry can you be?” category:

 

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. —  A California teen was arrested and charged with criminal impersonation in eastern Tennessee for allegedly fooling businesses into thinking he was a soldier to get discounts and other perks.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department arrested 19-year-old Damian Paul Castillo of Anderson, Calif., last week on 25 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, six counts of violation of the bad check law and one count of criminal impersonation.

Sheriff's Investigator Ben Waller says Castillo is accused of passing himself off as a member of the U.S. Air Force by wearing a military uniform. He's also accused of bilking nine businesses out of more than $14,102. Investigators say the Air Force confirmed he had never enlisted.

Some of the alleged scams included getting plane tickets upgraded, shopping tax-free or getting a military discount. Investigators say he's also accused of using a credit card that was not valid and writing bad checks from another fraudulent account.

 

Psychiatric Test Ordered for Accused Meat-Cleaver Killer

Do you really want to be Psychologist who examines this guy?

 

A judge has ordered a psychiatric examination to determine whether a former mental patient accused of hacking a Manhattan psychotherapist to death with a meat cleaver is fit to stand trial.

View article...

Sites From The Stadium

The Texas Flag

The Texas Flag

Game Day

There is NOTHING better than opening game of College Football! As you know I bleed Burnt Orange, but it doesn't really matter what school is your passion, it is the tradition, the friends, the history! I LOVE IT. Beat the hell outta FAU.

Hypocrisy

McCain announced that Governor Palin of Alaska would be his running mate. She was elected in 2006 as the youngest and first female Govenor of Alaska. In response to this, Bill Burton, spokesman for the Obama campaign had this quote…

 

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.”

 

 Hmmm, suddenly the Obama campaign thinks experience matters? I guess those extra 2 years in the Senate gave Obama all the experience he needs to be not a heart beat away, but the President himself.

 

The rumors of Mr. Burton’s gagging cannot be confirmed. Idiot.

 

 

On The Road Again

Back to LHR and Brussels. The is my bird over the pond.

Stupid and Vain

It is August 1 in Fort Worth, Texas and it is forecasted to be 106 degrees today. So when I see cars park on the roof I giggle at the stupidity.

 

This blond obviously did not want anyone to cause damage to her cookie cutter white Honda so she parked covering two spaces. I wonder if she knows that the inside of her car will reach upwards of 160 degrees shortening the life of the instruments, leather or fabric, vinal, plastic, and any thing she left behind?

Kyle's First First Class Trip

Just a short trip down to Houston. We had no choice to go first, coach was full.

The Baron von Raschke

Wabasha's favorite son?

While enjoying a 4th of July concert Under the Bridge in Wabasha we ran into one of Glenda's childhood heroes, The Baron von Raschke. The Baron was a famous wrestler from the 7o's and 80's who was know for "The Claw" (that is what The Baron and Kyle are showing you in the picture). The Baron was among the top in the world of professional wrestling for many years and even played Madison Square Garden to a sold out crowed.

Glenda was taken back to her youth and giggled like a school girl when she met him. It brought back very fond memories of watching the Baron battle it out with the likes of Andre the Giant and The Crusher with her dad on Sunday mornings.

Wabasha, MN

We decided to get out of the heat and celibrate the 4^th in Wabasha, MN. Home of the Lillies. AKA GaGa and PaPa. This is Kyle in GaGa’s garden. Yeah, that’s corn in the background. 

 

In the Category of things that don't suck

wow

4 dads, 6 boys, and a lake - Pig Boy 2008

A great Memorial Day weekend!

Words

When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you CAN make words mean so many different things."

"The question is", said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that’s all."

 

 

I am finding this passage to take on great meaning lately.

Selfish

I got upset today. I know that is nothing new nor is it something to really right about. I probably get upset more than I should. But that is not why I’m writing. I’m writing today because I got upset at my son for being selfish. Remember, he’s eight. Of course he is selfish. That is what little boys are. I know that, but I’m the dad and it’s my job to point out to him that being selfish is not a good thing to be. In actuality, I don’t believe that either, there are times when it is perfectly great to be selfish, but you don’t tell your eight year old that. So it got me thinking about our society and are we a selfish society in that we are selfish to a bad point? The easy answer, and I bet the popular answer, is yes. But I don’t know that we are. We do selfless things everyday but if we are not selfish, we don’t brag about it nor do we really notice when others do because we expect it. I did a cursory look around the net for some simple site where one can go to brag about a simple selfless act, but could not find one. Not sure if anyone would ever read a site like that, but I would think it would be uplifting.

Take Me Out...

Bryan scored some great seats.

Looks like the Simpson’s are Longhorn fans.

The Future

I wonder if we will see a much bigger Kyle with this pose at the ballpark someday.

The fun

Yea, traveling is glamorous.

T5

After an uneventful flight over (in first class) I feared the worst, a connection through the now infamous T5 at LHR. However it could not have gone more smoothly. Much better than T4. Of course I am carrying all my bags.

Space?

I'm off again, back to Brussels with a side trip to DC on the way back. This time I have a phone that will supposedly work over there. If so I can send updates on the road.

Now about the photo. Looks like a bad shot of a space magazine but it is actually the counter at Wolfgang Pucks at ORD.

Extreme bocce

Kyle playing extreme bocce at Eastwind Games.

Grandpa and coffee

Say goodmorning. You owe me a dollar.

News Flash: Obama is Black

 Well, it finally happened on the main stage. It was really only a matter of time before it did. Geraldine Ferraro made a comment that Barack Obama is the Democratic front runner because he is black.

 

This is the point where you are wonder which way I’m going to flop on this debate.

 

Wait no longer.

 

She is right.

 

Now before you go off calling me a racist think about it. He is the 46 year old junior senator from Illinois elected just 3 years ago. He is a prolific speaker and in fact gave the rousing speech at the DNC in 2004 which placed him on the main stage of American politics. He has very little experience and in my opinion hasn’t really offered much in the way of what he would actually do if elected… other than change things. So why is he wildly popular? Because he is fresh, young, and not seen as an old established politician. A huge part of that is due to the fact that he is black. Ask yourself if all things were equal except the color of his skin would he be the likely nominee?   

 

Now, all that being said, I don’t think this is a bad thing and I certainly don’t think that Ferraro is a racist because she said it. It is no less true that Hillary is where she is today because she happened to be married to Bill. It is no less true that W is in the white house because he is the son of GHWB. It is no less true that a big part of the reason McCain is where he is today because he was a POW. We all use our strengths to advance ourselves and our cause. Obama does and should use the strength of the color of his skin. I am just glad that society has finally reached a point that being black is considered a strength.  At least for some and as it looks now, enough to get him the nomination.

 

 

 

A Texan and His Word.

As you know I am a proud Texan. Something that endears me to some and is frowned upon by others. Regardless of how you feel about Texan pride one must admit that it is based on a profound history of brave and honorable men and women. Unfortunately since the time of the Carpet Baggers, not all those that make it in Texas government deserve the right to call themselves Texan.

This is true of Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. I have no idea if Mr. Patterson was born in Texas or not, but I can tell you he can't be a Texan. You see, the State of Texas received a generous donation of land near Big Bend under the condition that it be conserved. The deed stipulates that the land must remain in public hands unless written permission by the donors is received. Unfortunately Mr. Patterson instead decided to pull a move befitting the seediest Yankee lawyer and put the land up for sell to the highest bidder. When asked about receiving permission from the conservationists who donated the land, he stated that he would ignore that restriction in the deed because it is unenforceable.

That may be, but my daddy taught me that a Texan's word is gold. That a promise in Texas is stronger than any contract. Now I'm not stupid, I know that this is a quaint view, but damn it, if the State itself can't keep a promise what does that say about being a Texan?

Venus and Jupiter

It has been a while since I have left for work before 06:30 as I did this morning. So it was a surprise to be greeted to an astronomical event. The Venus and Jupiter, two brightest objects in the sky outside of the Sun and the Moon, were in the sky right next to each other. Now, I know very little about astronomy but this was pretty cool. I wonder how often this really happens.

Settle a few things

Had a great night last night with friends at the pub. Of course when you get me and my friends together and throw in some adult beverages it usually sparks some great and controversial subjects. I won't go into all of the debate points now, but I do want to clear up a few things.

1. The US is the worlds largest economy. I searched and searched for the "most fair" documented proof on the web and quite frankly could not find any source that did not say that the US was the worlds largest economy. They only thing that came close was the International Monetary Fund which lists the EU as a single country and was slightly bigger than the US. A point that can be argued at the next meeting is if the EU is a country.

2. The definition of mercenary is "Motivated solely by a desire for monetary or material gain." Therefor I think it is unfair to say that all of the US Military is mercenaries because while many may in fact join in part for monetary or material gain, I would have to say that the vast majority are also motivated by the desire to serve their country.

3. Prince's "1999" was debuted on the album "1999". Which was 1 year prior to the movie "Purple Rain". It is still, at this point, undetermined if the song was sung in the movie. It does not appear on the sound track.

A Rich Man

It is amazing that when some call, many come. That is the sign of a very rich man.