one cannot make this stuff up

bacon loving muslim

found via five feet of fury

happy christmas to all!

i am being held hostage by the weather

my daughter and i came down to williamsburg to have an early christmas with my parents. (they have other plans for the actual day) my plans included going home, which requires I-95 travel through virginia, today. with a blizzard about to hit washington dc, i am stuck. when i do arrive home tomorrow, i will have to plow my way from the car up the stairs. that is assuming i will have a space to park my car. worst of it is, i did not bring a coat, suitable snow clothes or shoes.
i just feel helpless and i hate that feeling.

update: i arrived home. it took 6 hours rather than the 3 1/2 it normally takes. what a delightful surprise when i saw that some guardian angel had not only cleared my parking space, but the stairs and walk leading to the front door!! god bless that kind spirit.

my daughter is on the run again

and going to australia - jan - march
she will be going to friends in melbourne (who knew she had friends there) and then visiting other bits on her own.
any suggestions for getting around safely (after all i am her mother) and cheaply?
thanks in advance!

uh, this pretty much sums it up

another excellent opinion piece from maggies farm, who carry on the spirit of the olde new england our ancestors settled as they escaped tyranny in order to lead a free life according to their beliefs.

People ask me why we seem so predictably and boringly preoccupied with the health care and climate change issues.
There is a simple answer: Those are the two topics which are currently being exploited to the max by Leftist totalitarian-minded folks, who believe themselves to be our moral and intellectual superiors, in their endless efforts to control our lives and to chip away at our freedom and our dignity as sturdy, intelligent, competent, free-thinking adults and families in a free nation with (semi-) free markets.

read the rest of it here maggies farm

the first sign of goreball warming

behind my house.. and the poor laurel tree that always takes the worst hit

photo credits go to my daughter and her iphone

i hate shopping

and i spawned a daughter who loves shopping. the perfect day for her is in a mall.. with all its lovely choices. i am bored by it all. when i decide i have to shop, i go and buy what i need and usually know where to find it. in and out in record time. spending endless hours at tyson corners is my daughters dream. i rarely let her endulge herself. one of the main reasons i hate tysons in particular are the aisle kiosks with their assualts as i just try to walk to where i need to go. lucky for me i can feign deafness. its easy when we are walking together, signing as we go. only once did i go off on one aggressive sales person. my daughter was walking ahead of me and a sales woman tried to catch my daughters attention. and as my daughter, oblivious to her verbality, walked on, the woman started shouting at her about how rude she was. well.. let me tell you.. don't you dare yell at any one like that if you are trying to sell something. i stopped in front of her and said, she didn't hear you she is deaf. but she kept yelling after her. and i repeated myself, she is deaf, she cannot hear you. then she went off on me. i stopped, looked at her and said, honey you are in the wrong business if you are yelling at people in the middle of a mall. and once again repeated, she is deaf, she didn't hear you. don't assume someone is rude. i hope she finds another job.

i am adding another entity to my daily reading list

lately, it seems the germans are the only ones daring enough to report the truth

to post or not to post

a friend of mine sent a link regarding some wanker who is spewing forth hate. since he is not really known in this country (and probably not even out of his own country), do i post this information? is it aiding and abetting this wanker, giving him publicity he does not warrant? i don't want to give this nonentity the time of day, but is it my responsibility to out him and his ilk?
until i resolve this dilemna in my own head, i will post a pin up for your edification.

a swiss citizen service announcement

What the Swiss citizens have just done is actually a very clever and—unsurprisingly, from such an excellent people—a very diplomatic thing. The referendum calls for the ban on minarets, on account, rightfully, of being and I quote "symbols of Islamic power". But it doesn't call for a ban on mosques, the Koran, or the practice of Islam.
Ergo, what the vast majority of Swiss are saying to the minority of Swiss Muslims is: "We're fine with the personal religion thing, but you've got to drop that nasty 'submit, convert or die' habit of yours."

Read it all over at the Dissident Frogman. i couldn't have said it better myself.

joys of muslim women

Joys of Muslim Women
by Nonie Darwish

In the Muslim faith a Muslim man can marry a child as young as 1 year old and have sexual intimacy with this child. Consummating the marriage by 9.

The dowry is given to the family in exchange for the woman (who becomes his slave) and for the purchase of the private parts of the woman, to use her as a toy.

Even though a woman is abused she can not obtain a divorce.

To prove rape, the woman must have (4) male witnesses.

Often after a woman has been raped, she is returned to her family and the family must return the dowry. The family has the right to execute her (an honor killing) to restore the honor of the family. Husbands can beat their wives 'at will' and he does not have to say why he has beaten her.

The husband is permitted to have (4 wives) and a temporary wife for an hour (prostitute) at his discretion.

The Shariah Muslim law controls the private as well as the public life of the woman.

In the West World (America) Muslim men are starting to demand Shariah Law so the wife can not obtain a divorce and he can have full and complete control of her. It is amazing and alarming how many of our sisters and daughters attending American Universities are now marrying Muslim men and submitting themselves and their children unsuspectingly to the Shariah law.

By passing this on, enlightened American women may avoid becoming a slave under Shariah Law.

Ripping the West in Two.

Author and lecturer Nonie Darwish says the goal of radical Islamists is to impose Shariah law on the world, ripping Western law and liberty in two.

She recently authored the book, Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.

Darwish was born in Cairo and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza before immigrating to America in 1978, when she was eight years old. Her father died while leading covert attacks on Israel. He was a high-ranking Egyptian military officer stationed with his family in Gaza .

When he died, he was considered a "shahid," a martyr for jihad. His posthumous status earned Nonie and her family an elevated position in Muslim society.

But Darwish developed a skeptical eye at an early age. She questioned her own Muslim culture and upbringing. She converted to Christianity after hearing a Christian preacher on television.

In her latest book, Darwish warns about creeping sharia law - what it is, what it means, and how it is manifested in Islamic countries.

For the West, she says radical Islamists are working to impose sharia on the world. If that happens, Western civilization will be destroyed.


Westerners generally assume all religions encourage a respect for the dignity of each individual. Islamic law (Sharia) teaches that non-Muslims should be subjugated or killed in this world.

Peace and prosperity for one's children is not as important as assuring that Islamic law rules everywhere in the Middle East and eventually in the world.

While Westerners tend to think that all religions encourage some form of the golden rule, Sharia teaches two systems of ethics - one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims. Building on tribal practices of the seventh century, Sharia encourages the side of humanity that wants to take from and subjugate others.

While Westerners tend to think in terms of religious people developing a personal understanding of and relationship with God, Sharia advocates executing people who ask difficult questions that could be interpreted as criticism.

It's hard to imagine, that in this day and age, Islamic scholars agree that those who criticize Islam or choose to stop being Muslim should be executed. Sadly, while talk of an Islamic reformation is common and even assumed by many in the West, such murmurings in the Middle East are silenced through intimidation.

While Westerners are accustomed to an increase in religious tolerance over time, Darwish explains how petro dollars are being used to grow an extremely intolerant form of political Islam in her native Egypt and elsewhere.

Former Muslims United

risk

i went out tonight, just to get out of the house, not expecting to network. i have now two viable leads for a job. i am excited. both leads are with people that are starting their own business. yes it is a risk, but i have never been afraid of taking risks. i have been doing it all my life, and it has led to a weath of experience. we will see what happens in the next few days. every entrepeneur needs someone in the office that can take care of the foundation of the business.

UPDATE:
last time i had to apply for a job postage was 29 cents and sending resumes via the internet was not an option. (i found three 29 cent stamps in the folder with my stationary ;))

wishing everyone a happy thanksgiving

wishing all my yank readers a blessed thanksgiving. we have a lot to be thankful for, mainly living in the greatest country in the world. i am thankful for my friends (met and unmet), my family, and their health. pray for those not so fortunate, give to the needy, and always keep compassion in your heart. no, i am not really preaching, i am reminding myself. may god bless each and everyone one of you.

now who is attacking whom?

not quite the backlash the country was expecting
founding bloggers

i am still looking for a job

and applying to any and everything. if any of you know of a need for a most fantastic and excellent executive assistant.. any where in the world, please let me know. i have no problem relocating.
in the meantime, i am thinking about taking a short trip to the land where my heart is.. scotland. while i can

an excellent view by paco

oh he didnt really say allah ahkbar

happy birthday to the united states marine corp

During the American Revolution, many important political discussions took place in the inns and taverns of Philadelphia, including the founding of the Marine Corps.
(from the site www.marine.com)

A Legacy is Born
During the American Revolution, many important political discussions took place in the inns and taverns of Philadelphia, including the founding of the Marine Corps.
A committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern to draft a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore.
The resolution was approved on November 10, 1775, officially forming the Continental Marines.
As the first order of business, Samuel Nicholas became Commandant of the newly formed Marines. Tun Tavern’s owner and popular patriot, Robert Mullan, became his first captain and recruiter. They began gathering support and were ready for action by early 1776.
Each year, the Marine Corps marks November 10th with a celebration of the brave spirit which compelled these men and thousands since to defend our country as United States Marines.

happy birthday to all you brave men and women of the u.s. marines. thank you for all you are and do.

re-shape those tatas

first there was news of the comeback of the bullet bra
but now theo spark breaks the news of the new inflatable bra
">

bikini girl

november third.. a day to celebrate

for its MY birthday!

“This is your moment, now is your time, let your voice be heard.”

from gateway pundit

singing - frank sinatra style - start spreading the news...

its halloween again and gone

">happy new year all you celts

from the "oh good grief" file

i was going to ignore this article in our local rag, but since it is now on the fox news site, i will not ignore it.

racist rantings

one of the commenters on the site said this

I'm outraged as a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Cultivating People (aka Farmers)these insensitive decorations look like farmers hanging from trees... With their flannel shirts and blue work jeans... All their missing is a John Deer hat. I'm pissed. Where's my interview?.

but then the mayor backs down
he will hear from me on that!

siding with the taliban, hatemongering and all that

i received this email and thought i would share it

"Something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about, and that is: he doesn't deserve the award...we all are on the same side as the Taliban."
-Rush Limbaugh

Dear (missred)

As destructive as the Republicans have been to this nation over the past eight years, they're finding new ways to drag America back into the grips of the failed Bush-Cheney-Rove policies.
They've proven they'll stop at nothing in their blind quest to destroy President Obama and regain national power--even if it means siding with the Taliban in criticizing our Commander-in-Chief.
When President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, it sent a powerful message to the world: America is returning to her rightful role as a symbol of hope, justice, and promise on the international stage.
That should have been a proud moment for all of us. But the Republicans have yet again taken something great and used it for callous political maneuvers. And it's not just their right-wing, Limbaugh-loving fringe...the chairman of the national Republican party, Michael Steele, even issued an attack on the President within hours of the Nobel prize announcement.
It's time to tell the Party of No that their anti-American political posturing must end. Click here to voice your outrage at the GOP and support President Obama by signing the Democratic Governors Association's petition.
Remember, this isn't the first time Republicans have shown their true colors, not by a long shot. Republicans didn't waste a minute cheering for America's failure at the Olympics...just because President Obama was working for our success.
Then think about healthcare reform. To finally be working toward a solution to this national crisis should be the dream of every legislator -- but not for Republicans. They see it purely as Obama's "Waterloo."
Let's not forget President Obama's speech to kids about staying in school and working hard to accomplish their dreams. Only the most vicious partisans could find something wrong in that message -- but that was all we heard from the GOP for days.
And before that, when the President launched the stimulus package that ended our freefall into a second Great Depression and stabilized the country -- Republicans tried to smother it before it got off the ground.
In every case, what started as an unprecedented opportunity to unite as Americans was turned into negative, anti-American posturing and obstructionism by the GOP...all because they've placed their party above their country. It's shameful. But it's the Republican way.
Click here to tell the Party of No that we've had enough of their anti-American rhetoric and anti-American obstructionism. Sign the DGA's petition today and show your support for President Obama.
Every voice we add to the DGA's petition will make our message even more powerful. So please sign it now and forward it on to every friend and family member you can.
Together, our voices will rise above the din of Republican hate-mongering and show that America wants and deserves progress, not partisan political games.

Thank you for joining this critical cause.

Sincerely,

Colleen Turrentine

Democratic Governors Association

P.S. This is your chance to tell the Republicans that their anti-American cheerleading is a disgrace to themselves and our country. Click here to sign the DGA's petition and stand with President Obama now, then keep building the power of this message by inviting your friends and family to add their names as well.

© 2008 Democratic Governors Association

decisions, decisions, decisions

i have been working with an outsource agency, and had an interview with a job agency today. and i discovered alot about me.. one of which, i am not afraid to make a decision
evidently in this business climate it seems to extraordinary for individuals in power to make decisions. i have seen this in my former employer many times. no one wants to take responsibility for making a decision.
how absurd.
when did we lose our sense of competence. or our sense of what we believe in. or whatever else it is that prevents one from making a decision.
personally, i have no problem with making decisions. i had to make a lot as a single mum of a deaf child. yes, i probably made the wrong decision at times, but i don't regret them. i had to make those decisions based on the best of my knowledge at the time. as anyone who has to make decisions. i stand by them and gained respect from the school and my friends.
and i continued to make such decisions in my professional life. if i had not transferred divisions to work with one of the best vice presidents in the company, i probably would still have my job. he had to make a decision and unfortumately it cost me my job. he explained his decision and i respect him for it.. and understand.
because of a decision, i now have to move on to a new job. a new chapter in my life.
and i embrace it.
and i hope my next boss will be able to make decisions.
enough of fiddle faddle.

a very sad article

the article is linked at the bottom
from gunny john @ write on the right

bikini girl

yes, it's marilyn again

a true picture of the old south

from the dissident frogman

and related
found at el campeador

and the second of one of my all time favourite jokes

A Scotsman stranded on a desert island comes across a woman who has washed up onto shore. The Scotsman helps the woman and welcomes her to the island.

Later on that day, the woman says, "I don't suppose you smoked before you were stranded on this island, did you?"


The Scotsman explains that he most certainly did smoke before becoming stranded on the island. So, the woman produces a cigarette from her bag, and they enjoy a smoke together.


A little later, the woman says, "I don't suppose you drank before you were stranded on this island, did you?"


The Scotsman explains that he most certainly did drink before becoming stranded on the island. So, the woman produces a flask from her bag, and they enjoy a drink together.


Some time later, the woman says, "So, you've been on this island for ten years without a woman, huh?"


"That's right," says the Scotsman.


The woman continue, "I don't suppose you'd like to play around?"

"Good God lady," exclaimed the Scotsman, "you have a set of golf clubs in that bag too?!?!'

one of my all time favourite jokes

Saddam Hussein was sitting in his office wondering who to invade next when his telephone rang. "Hallo! Mr. Hussein," a heavily accented voice said. "This is Paddy down in County Cavan, Ireland. I am ringing to inform you that we are officially declaring war on you!"
"Well, Paddy," Saddam replied, "This is indeed important news! Tell me, how big is your army?"
"At this moment in time," said Paddy after a moment's calculation, "there is myself, my cousin Sean, my next door neighbour Gerry, and the entire dominoes team from the pub-that makes 8!"
Saddam sighed. "I must tell you Paddy that I have 1 million men in my army waiting to move on my command."
"Begorra!", said Paddy, "I'll have to ring you back!"


Sure enough, the next day Paddy rang back. "Right Mr.Hussein, the war is still on! We have managed to acquire some equipment!" "And what equipment would that be, Paddy?" Saddam asked. "Well, we have 2 combine harvesters, a bulldozer and Murphy's tractor from the farm."
Once more Saddam sighed. "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 16 thousand tanks, 14 thousand armored personnel carriers, and my army has increased to1 and a half million since we last spoke."
"Really?!" said Paddy "I'll have to ring you back!"


Paddy rang again the next day. "Right Mr. Hussein, the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves airborne! We've modified Ted's ultralight with a couple of rifles in the cockpit and the bridge team has joined us as well!"
Saddam was silent for a minute, then sighed. "I must tell you Paddy that I have 10 thousand bombers, 20 thousand MiG 19 attack planes, my military complex is surrounded by laser-guidedsurface-to-air missile sites, and since we last spoke, my army has increased to 2 million."
"Faith and begorra!", said Paddy, "I'll have to ring you back." Sure enough, Paddy called again the next day. "Right Mr.Hussein, I am sorry to tell you that we have had to call off the war."
"I'm sorry to hear that" said Saddam. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Well," said Paddy "We've all had a chat, and there's no way we can feed 2 million prisoners."

from the oh good grief file

Jesse Jackson and the rest of the race merchant industry have pressured NASCAR about the low number of Black drivers.
found at theo's place

Welcome to the big leagues, rookies.

msm responds to the white house war on fox news
from surber via jules crittenden

title courtesy of drake in comments

more from maggies farm

and cannot forget paco!

a few quotes

from theo's site

bikini girl

beautiful norma jean

my all time favourite band!

wolfstone

too bad embedding is disabled with so many videos at youtube

a wonderful video

thank you minicapt

the royal scots dragoon guards
UPDATE:
who are award winners as well

then and now

still good after all these years

another favourite

">echo and the bunnymen

and my all time favourite video with song

this is how a heart breaks

i know i have posted this one and the previous one before, but they are still my favourites

and i need to dance *snapping fingers, moving hips, shoulders and feet*

after all my serious posts it is time to dance

its still my favourite song

a true american

you go sheriff

we need more of him

in reference to my previous post

this is what we will face under obummercare

a repeat of a may 20 post. about the nhs

we really do not want any version of a national health service

THIS IS AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION I HAD WITH A FRIEND.. NO EDITS
and this is what our country wants ... please do not copy this conversation. it is mine alone

he was murdered courtesy of the NHS
he had cancer. he was 82... we said ok deal with it,, Surgeon said no we can cure him. its small
he went for it.. did really well in IC
sent him to general ward....... and fuckin neglected him
he needed help in and out of bed,, they hid the buzzer
he had bowl cancer....
he was 'nil by mouth',, they accidentally fed him
so when his bowels moved, he had no control
when they got to him 4 hours later
they put him in a bath..... hosed him in cold water......
left him while they went to look for a towel
these bastards should not be working in McDonalds let alone a hospital
i had been there 3 fuckin hours earlier. and trusted they bastards
he was drowning....... screaming for help. they told him to shut the fuck up and laid him flat
closed the door on him!!!
only that a nurse checked him and realised. i will never forget the screams
he was drowning........ coming up for breath
they drained his lungs.. attached him to a fuckin ventilator
only good thing was he died.. lookin peacefull but i know he wasnt
he lived for 14 days
fuckin cunts would not let us stay with him.... phoned us at 3 fuckin am... we just made it. but he was unconscious

other famous susans

those that actually accomplished something

1978 Congress coddles NO NADS with Susan B. Anthony Dollar

from a real sucess from our government, courtesy of my friends at PIGazette

Susan B. Anthony was the first woman to be honored by having her likeness appear on a circulating United States coin. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin Act into law (Public Law 95-447). This law amended the Coinage Act of 1965, changing the size, weight, and design of the one-dollar coin. On July 2, 1979, the U. S. Mint officially released the Susan B. Anthony coin in Rochester, NY, the home of Susan B. Anthony during the most politically active years of her life. In 1979, 757,813,744 coins were produced. Additional coins were dated 1980, 1981 (numanistic items only), and 1999. Ultimately, the United States Mint produced 888,842,452 Susan B. Anthony coins for circulation.

In 1997, Congress passed the United States $1 Coin Act (Public Law 104-124, Sec. 4), replacing the Susan B. Anthony dollar with the golden dollar coin. The golden color of this new coin, combined with a smoother edge and wider border, helps to more easily differentiate it from a quarter. The act also authorized the Secretary of Treasury to continue to mint Susan B. Anthony coins until such time as the production of new golden coins was ready. In 1999, the final 41,368,000 Susan B. Anthony coins were minted. The coins continue in circulation today.

(All figures are provided by the United States Mint.)

i wonder how many vending machines got rich off this fiasco

common sense on health reform

">

oh good grief..

fact checking comedians?

this is me.. heading towards the future

new horizons to explore

my job has been made redundant

once i get over the initial shock (they called me an hour ago so i wouldnt have to make the commute into work - how kind) i will post my thoughts

UPDATE:
the upside of not having a job

i have time to paint my kitchen
i dont have to set the alarm to wake up before dawn
i dont have to make the 100 mile round trip commute
i can play on the computer all day
i dont have to learn how to use the new copiers
i can watch ballykissangel every day
i can look for creative ways of not spending money
no wear and tear on my car
my work clothes will last longer
i will have time for my new hobby - rifle shooting
i am no longer trapped by the golden handcuffs - my job benefits
i am free for all happy hours
i can work/ sit in the garden

i was there (and he bit my neck)

i wasnt going to say much about the polanski brouhaha
i was living in LA the time and there was a lot of goings on in jacks house
while the press said nowt all of the business knew
jack had young girls.. and so did roman
i remember all of the hollywood scene talked about it.
this wasnt the first of the young girls raped
she was in a long line that roman wanted to fuck
all of hollywood knew this and condoned it because they were all doing it

hypocrites exposed again.

i was trawling the internet and found this clip via Margo's Maid

">this happens so much i dont know whether to laugh or cry

i am back from my travels - more to follow

aloha

regular posting will resume on my return. until then, enjoy the show.

missredipenni loves james bond

i have been watching the bond film festival on the telly. actually i like them all. call me a bond slut. they all have served their purpose.
sean connery wasnt so handsome to me in my younger years. he was bit rough. roger moore was more suave.. some say he was more the guy ian fleming wrote about. lazenby served well as the man who got married. timothy dalton had his day. i looked forward to pierce brosnan but i think the bond brand let him down. i like daniel craig.. he has that twinkle in the eye all the bond men have had.
so yes, i love james bond.. who cares who protrays him

my tribute to teddy kennedy

ted kennedy was a rogue who was constantly re-elected by a constituency who remained enamoured by the false ethos of a family. in my opinion he was nothing but a blowhard who erroneously thought he was the champion of the little people. he helped promote and prolong the war in northern ireland. he fled the scene of an accident to save himself and let an innocent woman drown. he had a false belief in his "inheritance" of the jfk legacy; camelot was a term coined by jackie onassis to save her cheating husband's legacy. the only comparison to camelot is that lancelot had his way with guinevere. in such a manner the kennedys had their way with our great country.
rip, i won't miss you

red head bikini girls have more fun!

ok its not a bikini.. sue me ;)

the cost of obama care

from gunny john

afternoon funny

The graveside service just barely finished, when there was massive clap
of thunder, followed by a tremendous bolt of lightning, accompanied by
even more thunder rumbling in the distance.
The little old man looked at the pastor and calmly said, 'Well, she's
there.

at long last - the moment you all have been waiting for

not bad for a first time shooter
that bulls eye shot was the first one with the 270 sniper rifle. that is one sweet gun.

what was once was is now again

By Parija B. Kavilanz, CNNMoney.com senior writer
August 17, 2009: 10:46 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Like a lot of their patients, doctors are sick of long waits in the waiting room and dealing with insurance companies.

That's why a growing number of primary care physicians are adopting a direct fee-for-service or "retainer-based" model of care that minimizes acceptance of insurance. Except for lab tests and other special services, your insurance plan is no good with them.

In a retainer practice, doctors charge patients an annual fee ranging from $1,500 to as high as over $10,000 for round-the-clock access to physicians, sometimes including house calls.

Other services included in the membership are annual physicals, preventive care programs and hospital visits.

Doctors argue that this model cuts down their patient load, allows them to spend more time per patient and help save the system money.
doctors shunning insurance

i still say, without tort reform, any conversation about health care reform is bogus

tuesday bikini girl

right on target

i thoroughly enjoyed myself at the rifle range yesterday. it has been years since i have shot with a gun, and from what i recall, i was really bad then.
we started off with a .22 ruger semiautomatic, i did ok with the .22 - managed to at least hit the target and by the second round was putting most of the shots in the kill zone. it had a scope so that made it easier ;)
then moved on to the ar 16. it did not have a scope, just one of those red light thingys. i again managed to hit the target, with about half of them in the kill zone. not too bad, i thought.
and then came the piece de resistance. the remington .270 (with a scope) and a BIG kick. first shot.. bulls eye!! second and third shot were nothing to be ashamed of. i couldn't do more than three shots at a time due to the kick. i also loved the bolt loading feature.
keith said he is now officially scared of me.
i kept all my targets - but scanned in the bulls eye for your viewing pleasure. go ahead.. throw flowers

photo will have to wait until i figure out how to change it to a jpeg

UPDATE: i changed the file to a jpeg at work, but blogger says it is corrupt. oh well. help anyone?

off to practice my 2nd amendment right

a friend is taking me for target practice, so let us hope i dont actually hurt anything innocent. unfortunately there are no "healthcare forums" happening in this area, so i will have to settle for the range targets. one thing i do hope to learn from this is what sort of firearm is suitable for me ;)

ps.. at least put the empties in the recycle bin

a chance encoutner

one day i was driving to work, avoiding the mess, so i took to the hills of hollywood, i came to the stop sign and there was frank himself. we both smiled at each other. it was lovely. he did have that twinkle in his eyes when he smiled. he went his way and i went mine.. but, *sigh* he had that twinkle ;)

i am going back in time to some of my favourite songs

">oh she is good

love not fade away

a great lunch

i had a great lunch today. not only did i take the dc metro system for the first time (and that was an experience) i got to meet one of the most wonderful bloggers, paco. a real gentleman as well as a dapper fellow, who really does wear a fedora. the conversation was fun and we went to a great restaurant that actually served me a rare (i saw it move) hamburger.
thank you, paco,
also for your kind words

tis nice to meet those we communicate with online and hope to get to meet some others as well

because you asked for it

bikini girl

something very very fishy

i found this great site..
it speaks for it self

do go visit

open thread

does anyone read me? *sigh*

i suppose i cannot complain too much, for i am guilty of reading blogs and never posting a comment ;)

my dear caledonia

">

thank you john, mini capt

one version of taking it to the streets

">

can any one identify this plant

and then they morph into this:


and this


and it will morph further..

Thursday morning funny

Son asked his mother the following question:

'Mum, why are wedding dresses white?' The mother looks at her son and replies:

'Son, this shows your friends and relatives that your bride is pure.'
The son thanks his Mum and goes off to double-check this with his father.

'Dad why are wedding dresses white?'
The father looks at his son in surprise and says:


'Son, all household appliances come in white.'

my letter to obama about government takeover of healthcare

Dear Mr. President,
There are too many contradictory reports on what your proposed plan really is, do you intend in the end to have a government takeover of healthcare?
if so, you will leave healthcare options open to the political whims of the country .. republicans and democrats will change the rules as each one comes into power and that will only create chaos.
think again before you try to do this disastrous intrusion into our private lives.
sincerely yours
a citizen

my public television rant

i hate public televion fund raisers..
during their fund raisers they cancel all normal broadcasting and put on whatever they think will raise money. but when i turn on that channel i want to see their normal broadcasting. they interrupt their normal broadcasting to try and raise money but they lose me because i dont want to see their "specials" that they only broadcast during their fundraisers. i want to see what is normally broadcast during that time. while the specials may spectacular, thats not what i tuned in to see.

so i do not send them money

healthcare in..... uno due tre

one two three

a beautiful sound

thank you capt john

">the simon fraser university pipe band. 2008 world champs<

bonus question.. how does one tell who is the pipe major in a circle of pipers

in just five weeks i will be here

in the hills of tuscany
enjoying this

and this

raphael saadiq

wonderful

caught him late nite on the telly and this guy is fantastic!!! i have been dancing all night and the cat is scared!

what is an american

from the free state of PIG

What Is An American?

This first appeared a year and a half ago, as a Top Story. Since then it has gathered dust in my private archive, until today. With an America hating Marxist in the Oval Office, doing everything in his power to destroy this once great nation, it's much too easy to lose touch with our national identity. Being an American means something, and it's about f-ing time that we cut the crap, shake off our politically induced lethargy and reassert ourselves by proudly proclaiming: "I am an American, so back the hell off, Commie Asshat Sparky."

What is an American? The answer to that depends on whom you ask:

Osama, Mahmoud al-Gilligan, and all their Jihadikaze home boys will tell you that an American is evil personified. They will insist that an American is a demon who inhabits the Great Satan, their term for the United States of America.

Messiah Al’s disciples will tell you that an American is a carbon-spewing, energy swilling junkie who is callously destroying Mother Earth.

Hugo "Skipper" Chavez and his Marxist cohorts will tell you that an American is a capitalist exploiter who is enslaving the underclasses.

Cindy Sheehan class peace punks will insist that an American is a war monger who won’t rest until he has trampled defenseless nations underfoot and enslaved the denizens of those nations.

Before we can get a meaningful answer to our question, we need to seek the answer to another, equally important question: What is it that defines a national identity like "Italian", "Canadian", or "American"?

Ethnicity: Many national identities (Japanese, for example) are based, in part, on a shared ethnicity. That’s a viable standard, but it won’t work for America, because Americans can, and do, come from any/every ethic group. There is no ethnic/racial litmus test that will exclude someone from becoming an American.

Culture: Another common criteria for a national identity is a shared culture that stretches back centuries or millennia. That won’t work for Americans who have a propensity for remaking their culture on the fly. Americans, routinely, borrow elements from other cultures, especially when it comes to foods, fashions and terminology.

Geography: Being an American isn’t tied to a certain portion of the North American continent. It’s not the land itself that makes someone an American. An American is an American, no matter where he, she, heshe or it lives.

Longevity: In some instances, a national identity is based on how long a group of people have lived in a certain place. Excluding Siberian-Americans, those most commonly identified as Americans have only been living in the New World for 400 years, at most.

Obviously the usual traits that define a national identity don’t seem to apply to ‘American’. The ‘American’ identity isn’t limited by ethnicity, culture, geography and longevity. We need to dig deeper for the answer to this question.

What is an American? It’s not the vile things that our critics claim and it defies the conventional criteria for a national identity. The essence of being an American was shaped by this land, but not defined by it. The essence of being an American was, and is, enriched by the many ethnicities that inhabit this land conceived in liberty but isn’t limited to any one of them. The essence of being an American is demonstrated by, not defined by, American culture.

The traits that define an American aren’t anything tangible. Being an American is an attitude, a singular mindset, that we carry inside each and every one of us who are proud to state "I’m an American". The central fact about Americans is that their national identity was created, from scratch, by those rugged individuals who made their home here.

We are, as the open borders crowd insists, a nation of immigrants. Each new wave of immigration has put its own mark on the American character, redefining what it means to be an American, in the process.

The first immigration wave to the New World was undertaken at least 10,000 years ago, in the waning days of an ice age. Leaving the world they knew, those original immigrants - those individuals I call Siberian-Americans - gazed upon the land bridge spanning the Bering Straits and boldly began a long journey into the unknown. They were the embodiment of that classic human trait that makes us seek the answer to the question: "I wonder where that leads?" They started out on a dangerous journey into unknown territory to face its dangers head-on. Why did they risk it? Because it’s a primal human impulse to find out what’s around that next turn in the road, beyond that hill on the horizon, or across that dangerous stretch of ocean.

The next wave of immigration began when determined individuals in Europe started out on their own dangerous journey in boats that were barely up to the challenge of a notoriously unforgiving stretch of ocean. They landed on the new world and began to populate its eastern shores with men and women who dared to dream of a bold, untried form of government. Many of those who started that journey never lived to finish it. Some of those who completed that dangerous passage, didn’t survive the rigors that the New World imposed on them. Those who emerged from that trial by an unflinching Mother Nature laid the ground work for that singular individual we call an American.

Americans are, by nature, innovators, risk takers. An American is an individual who wants to test, his, her, hisher or its personal limits. An American wants to see how far, how high, their intellect, talent and hard work can take them. An American seeks "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" without Nanny State interference.

That seems to explain why people around the world spend years jumping through bureaucratic hoops, and surmounting countless hurdles for the right to become an American. Many of them understand what it really means to be an American better than most native born Americans. In many cases, these newest Americans put us to shame with their classically American work ethic, their determination to build their lives from scratch, and make their mark on the world, without Nanny State assistance.

There’s a lot we can learn from these legal immigrats who work so hard to enter America through the front door. They have much more to offer than exotic foods, fashion trends and new terminology. They are a badly needed lesson, a warning, that we are allowing the Nanny State and its social safety net to strip all the real meaning from an American’s national identity.

It’s my considered opinion that too many native born Americans have lost their way. The Nanny State’s siren song of artificial rights and safety nets that ‘spare’ us the essential, character building, life lessons is destroying us. Those life lessons, those blows, that the Nanny State absorbs, are vital, when it comes to forging the American character. We have become fat, lazy and much too complacent, while the Nanny State chips away at our birthright of inalienable individual liberty. We are, in short, our own worst enemy, when it comes to the erosion of that rugged individualism that is the solid foundation which gives being an American its unique meaning.

We’ve lost our way, but the situation isn’t hopeless. Many - perhaps most - of America’s legal, front door, immigrants harken back to the essence of what it means to be an American. They don’t want a handout. They don’t want a safety net. All they want is their chance to become that self-reliant, that self-made individual, an American.

What is an American? If you still don’t know, ask any legal immigrant. Ask any of those determined individuals who walk that long, torturous, path that ends at a ceremony where they are sworn in as a certified American. Ask those eager immigrants who dip their toe into those teeming capitalist waters with that donut shop, convenience store, dry cleaners or gas station. Ask that endlessly patient individual who is on that years long waiting list, ready, willing and eager for permission to realize that dream of becoming an American.

What is an American? An American is a dreamer, an innovator, an arrogant, swaggering pain in the butt, who dares to tell the rest of the world: "I’m living proof that there’s a better way."

how is that hope and change working out for you?

justice ;)

my carshare partner keeps me from yelling out the window when i see a car plastered with not only the obama/biden stickers, but all the other facist crap, "so this is what stupid looks like"

rhubarb

one of the things i miss alot about scotland is the ability to buy rhubarb yogurt. it is positively my favourite yogurt flavour. so i bought a couple of stalks and some plain yogurt with the hopes of somewhat recreating the delictable treat i miss. the problem is.. i cannot find a receipe to cook rhubarb without adding sugar. a lot of sugar. does anyone know if cooking rhubarb on its own will produce a taste that is worth adding to the yogurt?
thanking anyone in advance

a little sunday humour

I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much. And I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing. I have never figured out why men think with their head and women with their heart.

FOR EXAMPLE:

One evening last week, my girlfriend and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says, 'I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me.'

I said, 'WHAT??!! What was that?!'

So she says the words that every boyfriend on the planet dreads to hear...

'You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man.'

She responded to my puzzled look by saying, 'Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?'

Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep.

The very next day I opted to take the day off work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, big unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfit s. She couldn't decide which one to take, so I told her we'd just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said, 'Lets get a pair for each outfit.'

We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings. Let me tell you... she was so excited. She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck. I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know how to play tennis

I think I threw her for a loop when I said, 'That's fine, honey.' She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement. Smiling with excited anticipation, she finally said, 'I think this is all
dear, let's go to the cashier.'

I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, 'No honey, I don't feel like it.'

Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled, 'WHAT?'

I then said, 'Honey! I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while. You're just not in touch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman.'

And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, 'Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?'

Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either....but at least that bitch knows I'm smarter than her.

my days are numbered

i sent an email to the our esteemed president telling him his healthcare overhaul was bogus, so i am sure that my days here on a blog are numbered. if you hear about some redhead's blog being deleted.. oh well
i said my piece
and i am laughing!

a little bit of my life

through facebook a man i dated found me. he is jordanian and has been in this country since he was 13, so quite americanised. and a catholic as most palestineans who were located to jordan are. (bad sentence structure.. sue me) his family left jordan for the US because they saw that the plo was busy inducting and indoctrinating their sons.
when we dated, it was quite fun. i met a lot of interesting friends of his. one was a member of the "esteemed" pflp. actually "P" was quite amusing.. a big guy who thought he was gods gift to women. but he respected me.. in an amusing way.

i learned to belly dance as well.. and not the belly dancing that is popular with america.. the real stuff. i also learned to cook some fabulous arabic dishes

my best friend and her husband (i ended up working for him) were orthodox jews.
so here i was, dating a jordanian, with radical palestinan friends, working for orthodox jews.
oh and by the way, i am a christian who believes that those that support israel are blessed by god.

a sprititual war went on in my heart
i didn't marry him

so now he is working for homeland security.. he applied after 9/11 because he loves this country.

so a little bit of my life

my democratic friends were right

stolen from my favourite pigs - from the free state of PIG

Juan McCain
As much as it pains me to say this, I have to admit it, my Democrat friends were right.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the nation's hope would deteriorate, and sure enough there has been a 20 point drop in the Consumer Confidence Index since the election, reaching a lower point than any time during the Bush administration.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the US would become more deeply embroiled in the Middle East, and now, tens of thousands of additional troops are scheduled to be deployed into Afghanistan.

My Democrat Party friends told me if I voted for McCain, that the economy would get worse and sure enough unemployment is approaching 8.8% and the new stimulus packages implemented recently have sent the stock market lower than at any time since the Islamic Terrorists attacks of 9-11.

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "crooks" in high ranking positions in Federal government and sure enough, several recent cabinet nominees and Senate appointments revealed resumes of scandal, bribery and tax fraud.

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "Pork at the trough" in Federal government and sure enough, 17,500 "Pork Bills" showed up in Congress since January 2009.

I was also told by my Democrat friends that if I voted for McCain, we would see more deficit spending in Washington D.C., and sure enough, Obama has spent more in just 30 days than all other Presidents together - in the entire history of the good ole USA.

Well I voted for McCain in November and my Democrat friends were right... all of their predictions have come true!

So, when will white America be off the hook for sins of the past?

A very ugly thing is going on in America. Due to a lack of education regarding our history, the Constitution and what has made America great, politicians are extremely successful spewing divisive rhetoric, entitlement, victim-hoodism and class envy. "Hate the rich! Hate Whitey! Vote for me! I'll give you their stuff! I'll MAKE them do right by you!" Totally disgusting! This is NOT my America.
Lloyd Marcus, Singer/Songwriter of the "American Tea Party Anthem", is President, NAACPC (National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of Color).

sense at last from the naacp. click on lloyds name and read the rest of the post .. found via founding bloggers
correction: it is not the naacp- they are evidently still stupid. Mr. Marcus is from the naacpc.

wishing everyone a happy independence day

a must read: washington's farewell address
Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports

the reason for racism in america

“Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color, way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama. Michael did with music what they later did in sports and in politics, and in television. And no controversy will erase the historic impact,“ Sharpton said.

the perpetual myth of racism in america comes from the so called black leaders
before michael jackson, may i remind you, idiot sharpton, there was
bb king, nat king cole, sammy davis jr, sidney poitier, and the entire roster of motown, to name just a few.
yes, there were stupid laws before the 60s but those laws did not have an impact on the great musicians and actors of the 50s and 60s. we honky white folk did love our black music..
you stupid ignorant (words i cannot type)get a real job and maybe you can gain some credibility

a great song

the waterboys
it started up in fife, it ended up tears

nero fiddle while rome burns

or let them eat cake
via gateway pundit
i find this absolutely despicable. he has done nothing but throw this wonderful country into chaos while constantly partying on tax payer monies

wild flowers in a dreary scotland

another blessing from martin

letter to america's leadership

sign the petition as well

~84 rules

first i got goosebumps

then the small tears ...and as i closed my eyes i was transported to the beach at luss where the scent of peat and the water of loch lomond completely surrounded me and i forgot i was at work... thank you minicap this is wonderful
">farther along octet

Quote of the Day

Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, one by one.

Charles MacKay, 1841
~taken from USAA magazine

Who is standing up with Sarah Palin?

Sarah Palin is and it looks like no one else has the 'nads'
via ace of spades, via the free state of pig

love

a silly headliner

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/5487823/Cricket-and-cucumber-sandwiches-in-North-Korea.html

cucumber sandwiches are lovely but adding crickets to them is just not my cup of tea

but after reading some of bingbings posts at tizona i wouldnt be surprised

i am home, but here is a tribute to those who did not come home on june 6

RONALD REGAN 4OTH D-DAY ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

We’re here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers — the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.

These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.

Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender’s poem. You are men who in your “lives fought for life . . . and left the vivid air signed with your honor.”

I think I know what you may be thinking right now — thinking “we were just part of a bigger effort; everyone was brave that day.” Well, everyone was. Do you remember the story of Bill Millin of the 51st Highlanders? Forty years ago today, British troops were pinned down near a bridge, waiting desperately for help. Suddenly, they heard the sound of bagpipes, and some thought they were dreaming. Well, they weren’t. They looked up and saw Bill Millin with his bagpipes, leading the reinforcements and ignoring the smack of the bullets into the ground around him.

Lord Lovat was with him — Lord Lovat of Scotland, who calmly announced when he got to the bridge, “Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” as if he’d been delayed by a traffic jam, when in truth he’d just come from the bloody fighting on Sword Beach, which he and his men had just taken.

There was the impossible valor of the Poles who threw themselves between the enemy and the rest of Europe as the invasion took hold, and the unsurpassed courage of the Canadians who had already seen the horrors of war on this coast. They knew what awaited them there, but they would not be deterred. And once they hit Juno Beach, they never looked back.

All of these men were part of a rollcall of honor with names that spoke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore: the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Poland’s 24th Lancers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of England’s armored divisions, the forces of Free France, the Coast Guard’s “Matchbox Fleet” and you, the American Rangers.

Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.

The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought — or felt in their hearts, though they couldn’t know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4 a.m., in Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell.

Something else helped the men of D-day: their rockhard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we’re about to do. Also that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”

These are the things that impelled them; these are the things that shaped the unity of the Allies.

When the war was over, there were lives to be rebuilt and governments to be returned to the people. There were nations to be reborn. Above all, there was a new peace to be assured. These were huge and daunting tasks. But the Allies summoned strength from the faith, belief, loyalty, and love of those who fell here. They rebuilt a new Europe together.

There was first a great reconciliation among those who had been enemies, all of whom had suffered so greatly. The United States did its part, creating the Marshall plan to help rebuild our allies and our former enemies. The Marshall plan led to the Atlantic alliance — a great alliance that serves to this day as our shield for freedom, for prosperity, and for peace.

In spite of our great efforts and successes, not all that followed the end of the war was happy or planned. Some liberated countries were lost. The great sadness of this loss echoes down to our own time in the streets of Warsaw, Prague, and East Berlin. Soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They’re still there, uninvited, unwanted, unyielding, almost 40 years after the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today, as 40 years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose — to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we hold are memorials like this one and graveyards where our heroes rest.

We in America have learned bitter lessons from two World Wars: It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent.

But we try always to be prepared for peace; prepared to deter aggression; prepared to negotiate the reduction of arms; and, yes, prepared to reach out again in the spirit of reconciliation. In truth, there is no reconciliation we would welcome more than a reconciliation with the Soviet Union, so, together, we can lessen the risks of war, now and forever.

It’s fitting to remember here the great losses also suffered by the Russian people during World War II: 20 million perished, a terrible price that testifies to all the world the necessity of ending war. I tell you from my heart that we in the United States do not want war. We want to wipe from the face of the Earth the terrible weapons that man now has in his hands. And I tell you, we are ready to seize that beachhead. We look for some sign from the Soviet Union that they are willing to move forward, that they share our desire and love for peace, and that they will give up the ways of conquest. There must be a changing there that will allow us to turn our hope into action.

We will pray forever that some day that changing will come. But for now, particularly today, it is good and fitting to renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it.

We are bound today by what bound us 40 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We’re bound by reality. The strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies. We were with you then; we are with you now. Your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.

Here, in this place where the West held together, let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for. Let our actions say to them the words for which Matthew Ridgway listened: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”

Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value [valor], and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.

Thank you very much, and God bless you all.

Ronald Reagan – June 6, 1984

the best song ever

=

i am travelling

and will be computerless - maybe. the only hint i am giving about what i will be up to is:
she lives her life in such a way that when her feet hit the floor in the morning satan says, oh shit, she's awake
;)

our liberty, their blood

Determined to lead by example, PIG refuses to forget, ignore and dishonor. From the bottom of our PIGish hearts we thank them...we thank each and every one of them. We begin by thanking Crispus Attucks, an escaped slave who was, arguably, the first individual to die for American liberty when he was shot down on March 5, 1770 in the Boston Massacre. We continue by thanking all those who followed over the next two centuries. We conclude by thanking all the men and women in uniform who are, at this very moment, in harm's way while they're defending this nation that was conceived in liberty.

read the top story at pigazette here

a celebration

evidently this blog is one year old today. i only know this because i started my blog the same day paco and kae started theirs (inspired of course by them.) i cannot possibly keep up with their superior blogging skills, but i will go off to the pub to celebrate with them (inabsentia of course). the drinks are on me ;)

let us remember those who gave their lives for our liberty

Twenty One Steps
Arlington where the Unknown Soldier lies
The place to honor those who gave their lives
Those that died that generations be free
May we remember them through eternity

This Unknown Soldier guarded day and night
By the choice of a few and with all their might
To show mankind their respect and dignity
To those who defended our lives and liberty

Twenty one steps, he takes twenty one steps
Eyes locked in honor for the Soldier he guards
And twenty one seconds before he turns
To honor the soldiers who never returned

Twenty one steps until the end of time
For our lost soldiers we cannot find
They gave their lives for you and me
The price paid to preserve our dignity

So let's take twenty one steps, just twenty one steps
Lock our eyes in honor for our soldiers that died
And think for twenty one seconds about their sacrifice
To preserve our freedom us all .

author unknown

my personal outrage

one of the generous benefits my company has given was the ability to carry over unused vacation time 225 hours. we can get paid off unused vacation when we leave the company.
i have been there 16 years and the ability to carry over 225 hours is quite easy over that time. especially when one gets 5 weeks a year vacation after being there 5 years. i take 3 weeks (much convincing is involved) to go to scotland every year. and then a week here and there and a few fridays off to make up that time. yet i still built up the 225 hours. now they want to take away 75 hours of that unused leave and cap it at 150 hours. that means this year i have to take off 7 weeks. and its the month of may. and i didnt go to scotland this year because i am only taking two weeks off to go to Italy with my family
this all due to the fact that our ceo didnt meet his revenue projections .. because he inflated them to try to get a big bonus. silly ass
so now he is trying to take away from me what i have rightfully earned. i can probaly take off those extra two weeks, but it means i dont have that cushion in case some catastrophe happens.
isnt there a law against changing written benefits?
i would love to hear from a lawyer about this.

a conversation with a friend in scotland about the NHS

THIS IS AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION I HAD WITH A FRIEND.. NO EDITS
and this is what our country wants ... please do not copy this conversation. it is mine alone

he was murdered courtesy of the NHS
he had cancer. he was 82... we said ok deal with it,, Surgeon said no we can cure him. its small
he went for it.. did really well in IC
sent him to general ward....... and fuckin neglected him
he needed help in and out of bed,, they hid the buzzer
he had bowl cancer....
he was 'nil by mouth',, they accidentally fed him
so when his bowels moved, he had no control
when they got to him 4 hours later
they put him in a bath..... hosed him in cold water......
left him while they went to look for a towel
these bastards should not be working in McDonalds let alone a hospital
i had been there 3 fuckin hours earlier. and trusted they bastards
he was drowning....... screaming for help. they told him to shut the fuck up and laid him flat
closed the door on him!!!
only that a nurse checked him and realised. i will never forget the screams
he was drowning........ coming up for breath
they drained his lungs.. attached him to a fuckin ventilator
only good thing was he died.. lookin peacefull but i know he wasnt
he lived for 14 days
fuckin cunts would not let us stay with him.... phoned us at 3 fuckin am... we just made it. but he was unconscious

my new grand nephew welcome to the world, benjamin

the family is growing

why the socialist party of america has been quiet

too true

an irishman walks into a bar

An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin, orders three pints of Guinness and sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finished all three, he comes back to the bar and orders three more.

The bartender says to him, 'You know, a pint goes flat after I draw it; it would taste better if you bought one at a time.'

The Irishman replies, 'Well, you see, I have two brothers.

One is in America, the other in Australia, and I'm here in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised that we'd drink this way to remember the days we all drank together. 'The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there.

The Irishman becomes a regular in the bar and always drinks the same way: he orders three pints and drinks the three pints by taking drinks from each of them in turn.

One day, he comes in and orders two pints. All the other regulars in the bar notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, 'I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your great loss the Irishman looks confused for a moment, then a lights dawns in his eye and he laughs. 'Oh, no, ' he says, 'Everyone is fine. I've just quit drinking

the people i work with

i work with a diverse group.. of course we all do. a few of them are 'african americans'. and a few are real africans. those from africa are a lovely group.. hard working, polite and have a great sense of humour. they are nothing like their "african-american" cousins. in fact they are insulted by the black americans. real africans work hard, have an ethical work habit, but "african americans" just look for excuses not to work and reasons to make sure that if they arent performing up to par its because their bosses are racists.
just my observation

a bad joke but its the weekend!

It was once said that a Black man would be president when pigs flew.
Well behold........100 days into his presidency, the SWINE FLU!

from a marine

http://writeontheright.blogspot.com/2009/03/open-letter-to-liberals.html

i am feeling needy ;)

i need to take a break. things are going on in my life i need to grasp. there are things in my mind i need to take care of. i need to paint.. both on canvas and walls. i need to read. i need to turn off the computer (hard to do when my only contact with my family these days is through email) and i need to take a break from the news.. it is depressing me. i dont know when i will post again, and i hope my few readers will miss me. in the meantime, feel free to help yourselves to whatever is in the fridge (i just made some wonderful soups - they are in the freezer) and the bar (just restocked) - but leave my lagavulin alone. i need it!
i could have just disappeared but i am that needy that i need you to know ;)
till we meet again, take care, my friends x

a new generation

is born
meet penelope, the daughter of my godson and nephew and his lovely wife
born april 5th 12.38 am