Some Home Remedies

As a fan of "The Old Farmers Almanac" - I enjoy the home remedies for most anything - here are a few I thought people might find interesting. 

A sealed envelope – Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm…)

Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze.

To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.

Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.

Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?) LOL


Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.


Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.

Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.

Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.

To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.

Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.

Ants, ants, ants ! everywhere … Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.

When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly
and easily.


Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer…….. Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.
Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water
and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.

Don't Steal Diet Cokes....

Sunday Thoughts: Islam And the Neccessity of a Savior. Mercy & Justice.

Islam claims that God can simply forgive you and there is no need for a savior or intermediary such as Jesus Christ. Islam also believes in the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  

However, in the Garden of Eden, there were a few commandments and conversations given that we still have record of.  For partaking of the forbidden fruit, the lord told them that Genesis 2:17 But of the ^atree of the ^bknowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the ^cday that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely ^ddie. 

If according to Islam, the God who was in the garden of Eden, could simply forgive them, then why did they still die? Clearly God couldn't simply forgive them - something different needed to happen - and on this precept regarding the need of a savior is where Christianity differs from Islam.

Further, if this was given in the beginning, then we would have to say for God to say that he could simply forgive them and therefore they wouldn't die - then God would be a liar - and then God would cease to be God and would have ceased already and would not be.

So, the question is simply, can God lie?  If not, then there needs to be a Savior.

Mercy cannot rob justice.   God cannot lie.  And God is perfect - we are His children - our potential is to become like him (Matthew 5:48, Romans 8:16- 18).  This in mind, our potential is infinite if we follow the commandments given and become like our Father - but in the meantime - we have been given the freedom to choose. We are not free to negotiate the terms that lie before us - they existed long before us - our gift is the freedom to choose - but we are only free to choose who we will serve or make our contracts with.  

And so, life being what it is - we are faced with a dilemma and a choice - "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve."  But mercy cannot rob justice.   Below is a nice sunday school lesson on this principle - I think it illustrates just how generous our Heavenly Father truly is and just how brilliant.

My Family: Meet the Jetsons Age....TOTALLY COOL!

Okay - I know we've had cell phones for a while now.  They were newly out when I was in the military - the military didn't require them but I wanted one - but when I got one I found out the military required you give them your phone number and be available at all times on it and you had to answer.  It was not worth having one in that case.  It was essentially the equivalent of PAYING to work more. 

Anyways, my family is now conversing from Oregon with the family in Florida - by Skype and video conferencing.

I just poked my head over to see my Brother in Law - CD on the video set.  WOW!  Okay - I know it's been out a while but - it's really the first time I've done this....and to think when I was a kid....James Bond with his teleconferencing and the Jetsons with their TV screens.....were a thing of the future and now....I'm in it!

Okay, so maybe it's not that big a deal.  But think of this, for all our technology and advancements - how many people actually contribute to these progress leaps....um, like less than 1% I think.  Most of us?  Just use it, tweak it out, and then act like the skillful inventor for having bought one and being able to tell someone else about it - like we're the inventor of it.  I'm sure the inventors appreciate our doing this however.

When I was a kid home-made radios could be made, then CB's came out and being able to talk on a CB was all the rage.....and now in my front room my wife and kids are talking on a pice of plastic that's about 1 inch thick on a flat screen and talking with family live real-time across the continent.

So - I just wonder how the world would have been different had these technologies been available way back when.  Napoleon with computer technology?  World War II with something better than "the purple machine"?   At any rate, it was really a trip to see my Brother in Law CD who I totally enjoy hanging with but haven't seen since 2008 Christmastime live all of a sudden.....along with the baby I haven't seen. 

So I know kids today will be like "Yeah, we know, yadda yadda" - but the things they may not be aware of is - this wasn't always available - and it was my generations that bought into it all and made it possible - so PBPBPBPBPBPBPBPBPBPB! on them.

But still - such a trip!  Who knew! 

DEMOCRATS "WIN" 2010: THE SPIN BEGINS!

So the Dems are preparing their spin for the 2010 elections.  Now what would be a "rebuff" would be 100% of the seats in the house are won by Republicans.  I wouldn't mind seeing 100% of all candidates be won by the conservatives.  But anyways, we know that they aren't going to win 100% - WHICH MEANS THAT Americans, OBVIOUSLY, aren't through with the democrat party - there's still some belief and hope there - and the places where the dems win will be where "intelligence" is present.  SOMETHING - just wait and watch for it.   But we all know the democrats are corrupt anyways so this shouldn't be a surprise - but anyways, here's an article with the beginning of the spin: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44448.html

Now, how's this spin? Because anything that doesn't fit this will be a SURPRISE!  And a victory! WHOO HOO!   Nothing is what it seems with these guys.  Nothing. 

US MEDIA = PROPAGANDA ARM OF DEMOCRAT PARTY

From Dan Rather lying about National Guard documents - now to this - we already know the media doesn't actually report.  They are the propaganda arm of the democrat party.  Here's CBS again involved in the same stuff.  http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/10/30/anchorage-cbs-affiliate-caught-on-voicemail-conspiring-against-alaskas-gop-senate-candidate/

However, I can only imagine how hard it is for these people to be journalists when you know they want to forcibly come in and make people live the way they want them to and force them to vote the way they think they should. I actually think these guys in the video also work for CBS.  I'm not sure of the education level of the guys with the weapons at the polling place and why they are so confused about why people are so interested in filming them.....apparently they've either never been to a voting poll in America or never paid attention to what's in them and that you don't dress in military garb with a weapon and stand out front.....although I did notice there was a white lady standing BEHIND them - but anyways - that's just me being fair in observation - I also noticed the white lady didn't appear to be walking freely past them.

I don't know if I wrote this already....

But something just reminded me of it and I had to post it because I really can't tell with the stupid/useless google searcher on this, my free blog that google lets me use for free while advertizing for them.  If I did write it - oh well - if not - I want to document it somewhere - for now - my blog will do!

Anyways, something just reminded me, a few months ago, we laid my step-father's remains to rest.  And I was offered the option of having a piece of his ashes in a vial or something.  Normally I wouldn't - realizing that in my religious beliefs we're all going to be resurrected and those things should (if possible) be kept together (still realizing some people have been seriously scattered - God's marvelous and can do anything - yadda yadda).

I had thought of having his ashes compressed into a "precious stone" which is something people are doing with loved ones here in the US.  I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but here, the seeming attitude in protestant christian America is that our bodies aren't us - and aren't our loved ones - just their remains - they move on.   But at any rate, I didn't have time to think when they asked me about it at the funeral home and so I said yes - picking the option that leaves me the most options down the road.  Make a stone - I don't know....too much pressure!

So they gave me a small urn and a bag with some ashes in it - and I got an uneasy feeling about it because I was taking part of "him" and it really should be together.  I thought out loud "to" the feeling, "Ah, Rich, you were overweight anyways, you could stand to lose a few ounces, won't hurt you."

So I brought home the box with the urn and - guess what?  A small plastic bag with what looked to be a crushed bone in it even.......strange day.....strange event......just.....wasn't ready for the question.  

They put it in a box that looks like a restaurant-food take-home box and my wife - ever the food lover - sees me come home from lunch with my mom with "left-overs" and asks "what'd you bring me?"  Realizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that would never repeat itsself and always up for an "opportunity"....I hand her the box and she opens it thinking it's food and there's a plastic bag with a bunch of ashes and what looks to be a bone sticking out of it right in my wife's face...and she realizes its the cremated remains of "Rich."

"EW!"

I couldn't not laugh.

I got told how wrong that was and "what are you doing bringing that home????" 

Yeah - I asked myself the same thing......you be on the spot realizing you only have one chance to answer and you may change your mind and aren't ready for it.....anyways..........

What's the point?  That I brought home a bit of ash?  Or that my wife thought she was getting a meal and opened a box of cremated remains which immediately killed her appetite?  Or that I'm tasteless?  I don't know....but I still smile when I think about it.....but I can imagine the look on rich's face if he saw me do that - I think he'd laugh after the fact but even that is too much for him....

Movies I've Watched: With Honors (1994)

It's an oldie - but a goodie, and so applicable to our current political situation in our country -  with Joe Pesci and Brendan Frasier.  Brendan is in Harvard, and is about to graduate with honors.  He's a political scientist and is about the most cynical piece of work on the planet and very self absorbed.  The catch isn't that he turns around - no - that's not it.  He does turn around.  But, a bum, (Joe Pesci) who lives in the basement of the Harvard library, ends up hooking up with "Harvard" (Brendan Frasier) and ends up accfompanying him to class and really teaching him a lot about life - things we can all relate to having thought when we were young and dumb.

But perhaps the greatest lesson from the movie is when the bum answers a question to the dean after being insulted  in the middle of a political science class for being a bum and an alcoholic about what makes the "Crude constitution" such a success.  "Because the founding fathers knew one thing that all great men know: That they don't know everything.  They knew they would make mistakes and so they provided a way for future generations to fix it.  The genius of the constitution is that it can be changed."   And he goes on, but I'll leave you to watch it.

At any rate, it's one of my favorites, I highly recommend it. It's not a touchy feely teen film like some Hannah Montana Disney movie where she really learns that all horses are equal or all dogs go to heaven or something - no - it's pretty deep and not in the sophist fashion either - its pretty real - and I really recommend it. That and Joe Pesci puts a nice spin on negotiation and bargaining and what "needs" and "life" are. 

Space Shuttle Cockpit

If you've ever flown - this is a bit more complex than anything I've flown but very impressive: http://www.space-images.com/wallpapers/space-shuttle/06/shuttle_06_1280x1024.jpg

A view from the space shuttle in orbit......I don't see a throttle or yoke or stick though......am a bit confused.

Simplybecauseitis: Changing?

I realized tonight while talking with my Brother in Law, Jonathan, currently in college working on his pre-reqs, that my sense of humor isn't "politically incorrect" here on "Simplybecauseitis." Nope.

It's satire.

Should I change the blog description when I get it back up?  I don't know - but it was just a thought.  Satire is different from politically incorrect.  In person I have a very dry sense of humor that you have to be paying attention to in order to catch.  My wife says I cross the line too often. My purpose isn't to cross the line but to illustrate with satire things that are just naturally....well....yes, naturally screwed up.  Organically screwed up?  I don't know.

Anyways, perhaps I'll label my blog as being a satire, but for now I'm just thinking out loud.

SH! We don't say Merry Christmas - so instead we....

So, you're not supposed to say "Merry Christmas" in the US in public anymore - it's forbidden - verboten - prohibited.  It oppresses people with a religious holiday and shackles them with the drudgery and slavery that is religion and forces it down their throat.  I had no idea that telling someone to essentially have a "happy holiday" could do all that.  While I was in home delivery, we used to do deliveries to Jehova's Witnesses houses who were very upset about me coming at Christmas time wearing a santa hat....and it really got on my nerves....so I used to sing the catchiest Christmas carols I could think of while I was in there and pretend not to notice - it's hard to be mad at someone who's cheerful.  Yes, obnoxious I suppose - on both our parts.

But I think it's strange that while we aren't allowed to say "Merry Christmas" something else is changing.

When I was little - the Christmas decorations in the store came out after thanksgiving.  Then they started coming out a week before - then two - then three - and now?  I'm seeing Christmas decorations going up at the end of September!

So....you can't say it.....but you can sell it?

Or are stores compensating for not being able to say it?

I love Christmas.I know we're not there yet in terms of holidays - but - honestly?   Linus in Charlie Brown Christmas summed it up perfectly from the book of Luke. 





For what its worth, in terms of a religious holiday, Thanksgiving is my favorite from the religious standpoint.  I made it home from the military, some didn't make it home......and to sit at a table with good food and realize all I had to be grateful for.  I had seen a minefield, had seen people run across a minefield to try to make it to freedom and some didn't make it....picked some up.....had just seen the desperation of a human spirit yearning to breathe free.....and what one was willing to do for freedom.....I *AM* thankful.  One of the founding fathers noted that no nation in the world had such a beginning as ours - or at least that ours was one we did NOT need to be ashamed of.....one who's beginnings were founded in the desire to serve the Lord according to the best of their abilities and understandings.  For this reason I believe the land was given into the hands of those who came over. 

But for now, I suppose every generation needs to discover its self, personally, socially, politically, historically and religiously - I think Linus got it right and I think I will need to remember that this season.

Random Acts of Kindness.....

Death By: CAFFEINE! (And some personal thoughts on death)

Yes, a man died of caffeine overdose.  If you've ever wondered whether what you're drinking is good for you - here's a detailed description of what a mega-caffeine overdose looks like.  You'll have to imagine for yourself what it feels like: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/health/man-dies-of-caffeine-overdose-ncxdc-102910

I'm wondering if this will qualify for a Darwin award.  

I really don't think death is funny.  Came too close to it too often in the military.  It saddens me in some cases, in others, I am happy for people because I believe better things await - but - death by caffeine?  I can think of worse ways - but I'd really rather either die in my sleep or be able to tell my loved ones goodbye after I go.

My wife's disability is excruciatingly painful.  The time will come when she will be finished with her mortal sojourn, and in some ways, it makes me sad to think that the day she is finally released from the prison of the painful flesh - I won't be able to share that moment with her to hug  her when she doesn't feel pain and see her be happy to be free of it.

Morbid?  I don't think so - but...sobering? Yes.  Death is a stranger in America, by and large.  But in many cases, I think of it as liberating and wonder the state of the souls of those who go and hope when they do they were ready and they finished what they came to accomplish here on earth.

Sometimes it makes me marvel to think that God knows and loves EVERY single person on this earth, and knows our weaknesses, our purpose, who we were before we came here, and while he may not like all the things we do - to think that he understands why we do things......just boggles my mind.  Even when I used to fly - I used to look down on houses and marvel that for as many as I could see, God knew every single person in them and every detail.

My father in law finally was able to help me understand how God knows everything regardless of the distance from here to wherever he is. Light only travel's at 186,000/miles per second.  But truth?  Truth just is.  It's instantaneous and omnipresent.  It doesn't have to travel.  It just is.  Simplybecauseitis.  In mortality we may struggle to express it, understand it, find it or interpret it - but to a perfect God?  Truth is. 

Anyways - all that from a death by caffeine.  I hope his family is well - an obligatory hope at the very least I think since I took the time to write about him in my article.

Going Forward

Well I'm working on getting started on going back to flying - I'm quite excited. 

I may see about trading in my Acura to get the down payment for something small like a Cessna 150 - anyways - we'll see how that goes.

I also managed to secure my second academic letter of recommendation for my doctoral degree.

You know what I'm not looking forward to in some ways?  For a doctoral degree in psychology - I have to spend a year in psychotherapy as a victim...I mean "patient" and my mental stability will be assessed for fitness for the profession among other things - they will take notes on all my dirty secrets to blackmail me if I ever run for political office. 

I know I have attention deficit - DUH - part of the reason I stopped flying the first time around because, while I function fine and was in the military without medication and even graduated my nuclear training without it - socially I do better on it.  Anyways, there's a new license out that I can probably qualify for but we'll see how that goes - I may be blocked depending on a few minor details.  My friend Mike, the non-communist Romanian Certified Flight Instructor - is going to call me back and help me figure all this out. 

Along with the attention deficit - I swear I'm mini-bipolar.  No wait - tourettes.  Yes, I have tourettes.

For example, one time I was requesting entry to final coming down in the Columbia River Gorge with some pretty intense downdrafts and crosswinds and I was all "Ground, Cessna 45659, I'm approximately nine miles out from the east requesting entry to final  $#@!$ ITS !$#! WINDY UP HERE! IS THIS !$#!#$ SAFE????"  Meanwhile I'm being shaken around enough to churn butter and wondering if I'm going to live.

 Takeoffs are optional - landings are mandatory.

Yes, tourettes and mini-bipolar and ADD account for the creativity in my blog - by which you know me - and the content of which my wife sometimes finds objectionable.  Actually I take that back.  OFTEN finds objectionable.  I'm going to blame biology and claim I can't help it and pull the "liberal" card on this one....until I repent.

Anyways. 

Good times in life.......in its darkest days and most difficult times....we have been blessed. 

If only life gave us more time and less at the same time and any time we wanted......

30 Days - to Convert A Pacifist To A Gun Culture.....

This is a really interesting website - it has a bit on a woman who's anti-guns who went and lived in the middle of Ohio with a family - the father is a Marine Veteran - and their family are a bunch of shooters.

Pretty sweet that she agreed to work in a gun shop and was open minded enough to and do this - after such a tragic event in her life of having a friend gunned down.  You gotta give her props for being brave enough to try it. 

What's interesting to me - is how many of us veterans oppose weapons after stuff like that....my father saw some massive action in Viet Nam - and he's a gun advocate - Grandpa shot some BIG GUNS in the Navy in World War II and he supported gun rights - though it wasn't as much an issue in the 60's and 70's - and then of course me.....

Anyways - this is a pretty good video: http://splodetv.com/video/30-days-gun-nation-episode

Public Strip Searches To Fly On Commercial Aviation

Okay - not really.  But since the Department of Homeland Security Janet's Napolitano is so useless and Obama's so spineless and seems to think everything's just a joke and they just enjoy screwing things up - they could at least make airport security checks fun and entertaining involving some props rather than being groped by some smelly guy with rubber gloves.....know what I mean?

I wonder if everybody in the US, when they went through the line, got REALLY EXCITED and started fighting over who gets to get groped first and we kept asking the guys and girls at TSA to "Please - double check.....make me feel safe!" and leered at security, and smiled, or laughed like it tickled, if we could make them all feel so uncomfortable they would all quit.   It would have to be a group effort though - you don't want to be the only one - of course then you could get your own row on the plane.

You know I was designing a global aviation sales network at one time - and - you can own your own plane for ~$300/month and not have to go through security.  Or just get your sport pilot license that only requires a drivers license and go for it......but in the meantime - I am starting to think I'll just take the train.

pic of the day

what is WRONG with this guy?

Why can't the kenyan in chief speak without a teleprompter?   What's up with that?

NUTZOID......seriously....

 I mean - how can you even take yourself seriously if you have to be surrounded by those ALL the time?  Does he see anyone else using them? What would he be without them?  I mean - really?   What's his rationale?  Does he use them in bed or the bathroom?  I mean - seriously....it's actually starting to creep me out.

Anyways - here's something supposedly from woody allen......

No - really?  Why?  Seriously - speaks to schoolkids - needs a prompter - does townhall - needs a prompter - takes questions - needs a prompter.  This has been going on for TWO YEARS now - CONSTANTLY.  Before I just thought it was strange but now it's just bizarre - like - abnormal scary bizarre.  Who's writing the speeches?  Does he have all this time to write them?  Who's REALLY in charge?  What gives?  Anyone else think this is like starting to get freaky?

Cat From Heaven (A True Story)

The Cat

A pastor had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down. 
The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.
He did all this, checking his progress in the car frequently, then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further forward, the rope broke.
The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.
The pastor felt terrible.
He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.
A few days later he was at the grocery store and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?"
She replied, "You won't believe this," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it!"
She told the pastor, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes.
A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her."

Get THIS stuck in your head.....

http://www.leekspin.com/

I'm just wondering how long you'll listen to it - or if you can keep track of how long it goes or if it repeats its self.

Some Aviation Humor (In memory of my flying days)

A KingAir had just rotated (lifted-off the runway) at take-off when there was an enormous bang and the starboard engine burst into flames. After stamping on the rudder to sort out the asymmetric thrust, trying to feather the propeller and going through the engine fire drills with considerable calmness and aplomb, the stress took its toll on the Captain... He transmitted to the tower in a level friendly voice: "Ladies and gentleman. There is no problem at all but we're just going to land for a nice cup of tea." He then switched to cabin intercom and screamed at the passengers: "Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. Engine fire. Prop won't feather. If I can't hold this asymmetric we're going in. Emergency landing. Get the crash crew out." The aircraft landed safely with the passengers' hair standing on end. 

In 1978 I was a trainee Air Traffic Controller under supervision at Collage Station Texas, Easterwood Tower. This is a true story of a radio discussion one afternoon:
Unknown Aircraft: "Hello?.."
Easterwood Tower (me): "Please say again."
UA: "What?"
ET: "Who is this?"
UA: "This is Joe"
ET: "This is Easterwood Tower, where are you?"
UA: "I'm in the plane!"
(I looked down the flight line, checking if someone was sitting in a parked plane playing with the radio. I didn't see anything, and the senior controller was becoming more interested in my handling of the situation.)
ET: "Joe, where is the pilot?"
UA: "He got out when the engine quit.."
(I could only imagine a bizarre scenario in which the pilot had jumped from the plane.)
ET: "Joe, what does your airspeed indicator read?"
UA: (Long pause) "Zero?"
(So the plane was now in a stall I thought.)
ET: "Joe, whatever you have in front of you - a stick or a steering wheel - push it forward - you need to get airspeed over your wings!"
UA: "Are you sure?"
ET: "Yes Joe you need to push it forward... (pause)... What does your airspeed indicator read now?"
UA: "It's still zero."
(I thought, oh my god, Joe's plane was in a falling leaf spin. I couldn't help him. Joe was going to die. I did not know what to do. I looked to the senior controller. He said, "Ask him where his plane is.")
ET: "Joe, where is your plane?"
UA: "We are parked down at the end of the runway, the pilot got out when the engine quit and walked back to the hanger.."
ET: "Joe, get off the radio." 

A story from the late 1950's Navy flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas. Instructors were known to party hard at night, even before a 'hop' the next morning. A common 'cure' was to put on the mask and breathe the pure oxygen while the trainee got the craft airborne. The SNJ training aircraft had a tandum cockpit with intercom for personal communication between the instructor and the trainee. These 'private' communications would be broadcast on air if the intercom switch were accidentally left open. One such morning following a heavy night for one particular instructor, not long after the flight was aloft, the following was heard over the air: "Boy, am I ever f...ed up this morning." After a lengthy pause a young lady air traffic controller demanded: "Aircraft making that last transmission, please identify yourself." There was an even lengthier pause, and then a voice said: "Lady, I'm not that f...ed up."

While taxiing at London's Gatwick Airport, the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming: "US Air 2771, where the hell are you going?! I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!" Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically: "God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?" US Air 2771: "Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded. Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking: "Wasn't I married to you once?" 

German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They, it is alleged, not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.
Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway."
Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven." The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"
Speedbird 206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."
Ground (with quite arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?"
Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark,... and I didn't land."  


Pan Am 727 flight waiting for start clearance in Munich overheard the following:
Lufthansa (in German): "Ground, what is our start clearance time?"
Ground (in English): "If you want an answer you must speak in English."
Lufthansa (in English): "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?"
Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): "Because you lost the bloody war." 

A military pilot called for a priority landing because his single-engine jet fighter was running "a bit peaked." Air Traffic Control told the fighter pilot that he was number two, behind a B-52 that had one engine shut down. "Ah," the fighter pilot remarked, "The dreaded seven-engine approach."


Control tower to a 747: "United 329 heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock, three miles, Eastbound."
United 239: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this... I've got the little Fokker in sight."

"TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees."
"Centre, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?"
"Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?"

More on the Racist Pizza Receipt

Okay - some more on the racist pizza receipt. (Go back a few entries in my blog - to the one that looks racist)

I kept thinking about how horrible it was that his Martin Luther King Junior day was ruined by this event - by being referred to as a "Big black" man.

Since Martin Luther wants people to be recognized for the content of their character and not the color of their skin, I was wondering if they should have put "Racist man" on his receipt.   Or even "emotionally sensitive" man.  Or "Likely to sue if he doesn't get it HIS WAY" man. 

Or - we could argue that since he was only standing in line - they didn't have time to get to know the content of his character until AFTER he started being petty about the whole thing - but "big black man" would have applied and let it go at that. 

I'm wondering how many people assumed the people who wrote "big black" on his receipt were white.  He could have been at an oriental pizza hut....a latino pizza hut.....but if he was, I wonder if he would have complained - or was it just the MLK day issue. \

However - maybe he hasn't seen this ad - and could benefit from this.


Discrimi-Nav - Watch more Funny Videos

I'm just sayin....anyways - now THIS is racist (PG-13 language) - LOL - if you don't know - after this guy gets done doing this - he's a professional comedian - he lets people know what he's doing and gets their permission to release the films and they sign a waiver - he's rarely met any opposition once he lets people know what he was doing - but - DANG! lol. Maybe it's from living down south and a bunch of other stuff - some people don't think it's funny - though trying to get his parking validated was pretty entertaining.....

Stats on Millionaires and the affluent.....

I personally know some millionaires and they were part of my training in business - I know one thing about them for sure: They aren't wealthy because they are stupid and don't know how the world works. No. That's what they tell you about rich people if you live in the ghetto so you can compensate for your inabilities and hopelessness by being proud of your ignorance so you don't make something better of yourself.

Millionaires and the wealthy? They are that way BECAUSE they KNOW how the world works. So - here's some interesting stats on them!




By: eLearners.com

pic of the day

 

I wonder how many times she fell in before they got this right and who's idea it was and what kind of person says..."yeah....me on a log in a swamp with my hair in swamp water wearing a nice dress on a slimy log....yeah....yeah....I'll do it!" 

Obama's plans in pictures......derailed....or whatever......

Your problem is.....YOURE RACIST!

http://consumerist.com/2010/02/dear-pizza-hut-thanks-for-the-racist-receipt.html

So - some guy on his receipt where they didn't know his name at Pizza hut but wanted to make sure they gave it to the right person  - wrote his order for the "big black" guy.

He was big.

And he was black.

But apprently he's ashamed of it.  Or in denial.  And in need of Rehabilitation.  "Hi....my name is Rasheed Wallace...and.....I'm black...." "HI Rasheeed!" "I been black most my life, but, I been talkin like da...I mean...I have been talking like a caucasian human would speak for two days now..."

And it's not polite to point it out to him.  It's like pointing out someone's handicap.  We don't talk about it, ignore it - even if you're pushing the wheelchair of the individual - yhou just DONT MENTION IT - because their psyche's (black people) are so fragile that to bring it up is just devastaing to them......until they go for a scholarship or need to cut in line for a job.

And the fact that they did it on Martin Luther King Day! OH THE HUMANITY!   At least it didn't happen at Kentucky Fried Chicken after picking up some watermelons during Kwanzaa.I wonder if the "big black" man cried.   Actually - racist would have been writing "big black" on his receipt, taking his money - and not giving his pizza and throwing him out for his skin color - with a lynching afterwards.

So they buy him off with $100 in gift cards - but "I don't think they've addressed my problem" says he.

The problem? 

YOURE RACIST!!!!

Yes I think they did. Now it's your turn mr. big black man with $100 worth of free pizza.

Not like in my time down in the DEEP south nobody ever referred to me (the only white guy in a sea of blacks) as "The white guy."

COME ON!  Lets have a sense of humor about it!  What if they said "Nappy hair" on the ticket?  "Dreadlocks?" or "sounds like barry white?"   What about "Green jacket" and then you switch jackets and don't get your pizza because you came back wearing a blue one?

I'm glad my black friend is nothing like this guy - my friend married a white scottish girl  and have beautiful kids and he's a convert from Islam and agreat leader in our church and my kids and his get along just great together.

HOW TO REPORT THE NEWS! (PG-13)

This has a single bad word in it - but then - I wouldn't expect less from the Brits.  Anyways, this really does make Ted Coppel and all those other idiots look stupid...er than they already look - with their supposedly sophisticated (LOOK AT ME! I'M SO SMART! I MUST BE! I'M ON TV TELLING YOU HOW IT IS!!!) presentation that really is performable by any teleprompter chump/chimp. 

But if you pay attention to the news - like I do - this is totally true - the people who present this stuff really are a bunch of simpletons (can you tell I'm in a bad mood?).  I'm kinda peeved because here in the Portland area - I haven't seen TWO (I've seen ONE but not TWO) "Wu" signs for congress - EVERYTHING ELSE is for the republican Cornilles - and the pollsters are predicting Wu (demon-crap) is going to win.  How does that happen?  I mean - seriously - this may as well be Cornilles-town or something or living in the state of Cornilles - it's fricking EVERYWHERE - and how does a democrat stand to hold his sea....oh wait.  I forgot.  Dead people and illegals are voting.

Oregon's the only place I know that votes republican on everything local and democrat on everything national - it's insane!  anyways - here's now HOW to present the news - with an expletive thrown in - although I do remember in the navy I used to not even hear swear words.

Anyways - you can see from this presentation just how feeble minded liberals are because they are the ones who put it together and are the ones who fall for this stuff - they write it for each other and for themselves....and this?  Decides who's going to be your president and what your life is going to be like.


How To Report The News - Watch more Funny Videos

it's not that some people are gay......

It's not that some people are gay.  It's that some people are so stupid to think that the fact that people are gay is what bugs people.  What bugs people (like me) is not that some people are gay, but that some people are are completely unable to tell that it's not the same thing as heterosexuality and want to label it things like "love" or whatnot and indoctrinate my kids with their nonsense/idiocy/stupidity/satanic-logic and pass laws to recognize their idiocy because they know darned good and well no person in their right mind would think that way and because their perversions will not produce offspring of their own.  

The following is a gay gallery however in the spirit of tolerance and equality.  I hope those who are gay feel represented by these photos.  If you are gay and do not feel that way and find them offensive - then so do I - and am quite happy with "don't ask don't tell."

New Use for Goats! Get Your Brush Clearing Goat Here!

Okay - nobody judge me because this is on treehugger.com or whatever it is - but - this is pretty sweet for using goats to clear areas where it's more disruptive to use heavy machinery or try to get permits and stuff.  Although I think that the reason for using them such as "fosters a sense of community as people come out to watch the goats" is really reaching for it.  I mean - I would probably stop to watch the goats with my kids because they would make me watch them - but I'm not going to want to form a relationship with some other dude who also stops to watch the goats without kids.....not happening.  Stand around and sing "Kum...ba....ya.....my goats.....kum...ba....ya......some goat's eating my lord.....kum....ba....ya....." while smoking a joint and enjoying a moment of transcendental meditation-ism.  Actually - I could totally see that here in the Portland area. 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/rent-a-ruminant-goats-clearing-brush-photos-before-and-after.php

Why Geeks & Nerds Are Better

Since I'm married - this doesn't apply to me - I was young and good looking (no really) and very athletic - and even showed up the football jocks a time or fifty in PE which set me up for an after school beating that somehow required three of them to gang up on me......I was (am) small - 5'6" and 130lbs but could run a 5:15 mile and do situps and pullups forever as well as was a marathon bike rider......(not anymore - but the older I get the better I was).....but I was.....a nerd.....a geek.  Anyways - here's a tribute to my fellow geeks in the world - if you're not hitched yet - here's to hope.  Some girl wrote this and somehow I ended up with it but here you go.



*****DISCLAIMER****** THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NERD AND A FREAK AND A PSYCHO NUTCASE!!!!  NERDS, GEEKS=OKAY. PSYCHOS, FREAKS, NUTCASES=BAD!!!! ******* PSYCHOS FREAKS AND NUTCASES = POTENTIAL STALKERS WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW HOW TO DO IT***********

That being said....continue. I didn't write this - supposedly a girl did - or some really twisted guy. Either way....continue.....

1.) While geeks and nerds may be awkward, they're well-meaning 9 out of 10 times. That smooth dude with the sly grin and the spider hands? Wonder what HIS intentions are... plus, I've never had a geek guy not call me when he said he would. Score major points THERE.

2.) They're useful. In this tech-savvy world, it's great to have a b/f who can make your laptop, desktop, and just about anything else that plugs into a wall behave itself.

3.) They're more romantic than they're given credit for. Ok true, their idea of romance might be to make up a spiffy web-page with all the reasons why they love you, with links to pics of you and sonnets and such... but hey. It lasts longer than flowers, plus you can show your friends.

4.) Due to their neglected status, there are plenty to choose from. You like 'em tall and slender? There are plenty of geeks/nerds who are. You like 'em smaller with more meat on their bones? Got that too.

5.) They've got brains. Come on now, how can intelligence be a bad thing?

6.) Most are quite good at remembering dates. Like birthdates and such, especially if they know it'll make you happy. Due again to their neglected status, they're more attentive than guys who 'have more options'. Plus, with all that down time without a steady girlfriend, they'll likely have mental lists of all the things they'd love to do once they GOT a girlfriend.

7) (Edited) Something to do with a virgin wrote the Kama Sutra - someone with all that pent up time thinking about what they aren't getting - not likely to leave you "out in the cold."

8.) They're relatively low-maintenance. Most can be fueled on pizza, Twinkies and Mt Dew. No complicated dinners needed here, so if you're not the best cook, eh. Can you order a pizza?

9.) Most frequent bars as often as slugs frequent salt mines. You won't have to worry much about your geek guy getting his 'groove' on with club hotties because, frankly, he'll be too busy rooting around under his computer wondering where that spare cable went. You won't have to worry about him flirting with other women because, 9 out of 10 times, he'll zip right by them in a perfect b-line towards the nearest electronics store. I've seen this happen.
Me: 'Eww. Victoria Secret's Models... They're so skinny. How is that feminine? You can see her ribs!'
Geek Guy: 'ooooooo...'
Me: 'Hey!' *notices he is staring lustfully towards the computer store*
Geek Guy: 'What?'
Me: 'Never mind...'

10.) Although he may not want to go to every outing with you, you can arrange swaps, as in, you'll go to his Gamer Con dressed as an elf princess if he'll take you to the ballet. Plus, if he doesn't want to go someplace with you, you won't have to worry much about what he's up to. You'll probably come home to find him asleep on his keyboard in a sea of Mt. Dew cans with code blinking from the screen. It's ok. He's used to this. Just toss a blanket over him and turn out the light.

11.) His friends aren't jerks. I can't stress this enough. You'll more likely get 'Omg! A GIRL!! Can I see?!' than 'Hey hot stuff back that up here....' They're awkward geeks too and will, 9 times out of 10, treat you with the utmost respect and, more than likely, a note of awe. A cute girl picked one of their clan to date? It could happen to them! Hope! Drag some of your single girlfriends over, open up a pack of Mt. Dew, crack open the DnD set and get working. Nothing impresses geek guys more than a girl who can hack-n-slash (well ok maybe if she can code... a geek can dream).

12.) They're rarely if ever possessive. They trust you, so you can be yourself around them. You like to walk around the house in a ratty t-shirt for comfort? He won't care. He does too! They won't get upset if you don't wear make-up or don't want to bother primping your hair. If you gain a few pounds, they won't try their best to make you feel like crap.

Couldn't help myself but to put this in here

13.) They're usually very well educated. Physics majors and the like. See #5. You won't have to listen to him blathering on about his car (ok maybe a little), he'll have loads of other interesting things to talk about. Politics, world events, how much the chicken burgers down at the local place rock, so long as you douse them in hot sauce...

14.) You'll almost never have to hear, 'Yaw dawg whazzap!!' plop out of their mouths. Unless it's in jest. They spell properly, use correct punctuation, and are able to tell the difference between the toilet and the floor. They almost never get 'wasted', so you won't have to worry about coming home to find him and his friends passed out on the floor amidst a pile of beer bottles. Mt. Dew cans, perhaps...

Look how happy they are!

15.) And the final reason why geeks and nerds make great boyfriends: They actually give a damn about you. Not how you look (though that's a plus), not how skinny you are, not how much make-up you primp yourself up with, but they like you for you. That kind of thing lasts longer than 'DaMN baby!!!' Believe me.

Here.....get this stuck in your head

If it gets stuck in your head....GOOD....it's in mine - and I want company on this one......

Liberalism IS Genetic! They can't help it y'all......it's not their fault.....

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/weird/Scientists-May-Have-IDd-Liberal-Gene-105917218.html

Thought so.

Actually, the Freudian underpinings of liberalism show that liberals are about the most dysfunctional group there is.

We're all just victims of biology.

UNLESS - Christ was right when he said "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" - meaning - GET OVER IT AND GET UP AND RESIST IT! Don't just succumb going "woe is me, woe is me poor widdle wiberal wuss who can't help himsewf.  It's my biowogy!  I just want to be wuvved - is that so wong?"

Anyways, I liked the psychiatrist in 2008 who compared liberalism to a mental disorder:

"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

"A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity – as liberals do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population – as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state – as liberals do."

from here.

So.....does this mean that the liberals are "undesireables" and conservatives are the "master race" and we should exterminate them?  Or try to convert them? 

Democrats Still Evil & Corrupt - and funny quotes

Now that I got the obvious out of the way - here's some entertaining quotes I obtained from around the world wide web, compliments of Al Gore.

An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.

I want to get a vending machine, with fun sized candy bars, and the glass in front is a magnifying glass. You'll be mad, but it will be too late.

My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don't really know what's happening down there. Who is the real hero?

 A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer.

The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how good I get, I'll never be as good as a wall.

Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something.

Wearing a turtleneck is like being strangled by a really weak guy, all day. Wearing a backpack and a turtleneck is like a weak midget trying to bring you down.

I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, "You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit." As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit. Unless you are a table.

I used to do drugs. I still do drugs. But I used to, too.

( All supposedly from Mr. Mitchell Hedberg)

been busy!

Well, I wish I had the usual sarcastic commentary today - but honestly I've been so on-the-run that I haven't had much time to do so, other than to acknowledge the common corruption that comes with democrat politics.

That being said, I filed my first copyright today for a document I've been working on.

Also I managed to drop off two packages to two Ph.D's in order to schmooze a recommendation for my doctoral degree program. 

At any rate - I'm exhausted - but it was a good day.  Now if I can only remedy the rest of my sins, not just to God but to never do them again, I think I'll be good to go.

1. Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. 
    
   Sigh - someday.  For now....it was a good day. 
   
   
   So - to celebrate - here's a weird photo of a glass of something interesting looking getting spilled and a graph of a normal human phenomenon I'm sure guys AND girls are both familiar with.

American Gold Medalist Lindsay Vaughn Forfeits Gold Medal!

The International Olympic Committee announced today that it has taken back the gold medal previously awarded to American skier Lindsey Vonn, and given it to U.S. President Barack Obama.

 Olympic officials said Obama deserved the medal more than Vonn because no one has ever gone downhill faster than he has.

(I wonder if he will get a medal for his intentions as well......)



Just to make you think - some oxymorons

1. virtual reality

2. original copy

3. old news

4. act naturally

5. pretty ugly

6. living dead

7. jumbo shrimp 

8. rolling stop

9. constant variable

10. exact estimate

11. paid volunteers

12. civil war

13. sound of silence

14. clever fool

15. only choice

USMC Humor

Having served his time with the Marine Corps, a man became a high-school teacher and before school started he injured his back. He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn't even noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest and most delinquent students in the school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window wide and sat down at his desk. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took a stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.

He had no trouble with discipline that year...

Bizzarre Family Life Uncovered - that DOESNT involve something perverted!

Hm!  This was a pleasant surprise!  I don't even know why I clicked on the link other than morbid curiosity - but normally some "secret life" means someone was either a man and is now a woman or married one of their kids and had children and had to tell the kid their grandfather is actually their uncle AND their dad or something like that.  But having entered herself into her own "witness protection program" and changing their identities to get away from the abusive father and having the kid find out just before her wedding because she can't get valid photo ID?  That was refreshing actually!  http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25331112/detail.html

Although I'm wondering how the fiancee is going to feel now having found out that his bride-to-be, Melissa, is actually named Eva - and that after having already been off the emotional cliff of having confessed all the usual pre-newlywed stuff to each other about their skeletons in their closet and deciding they were okay with everything - suddenly finding out she has not just a skeleton but a zombie in the closet and way more baggage than he OR she thought including his soon-to-be mother in law going to prison and his wife-to-be needing to do prison visits on the other side of the country now and that he's marrying into a family with a warrant out for its arrest and trying to schedule the wedding around court hearings.

I wonder if they will have to re-do the wedding invites - re-print them?  Or just cross the name out and write the new one in?  

Anyways, she can go by Mrs. Husband's Last Name anyways so that wouldn't change a whole lot.

But - this is just whacked out!

HARRY REID CAUGHT IN ELECTION / VOTE FRAUD!!!!

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/25511115/detail.html

HA HA FRICKING HA HA!

HA!

HAAAAAAAAAAA!

Except - the election fraud is giving him votes.

Now, granted I don't know that there's any way that Reid could be responsible for his name already being checked on a machine - nor do I think he's that smart, given the corruption of politics though, there's no way that anyone's going to remember that - they are going to automatically suspect him.  HA HA!   Take that you dishonest crooked politician!  HAVE AT YOU!  Maybe you need to read the owner's manual like you read the healthcare bill. I'm not going to go over the story - you may want to - but the main thing is - Reid's name is already checked on machines and people trying to vote for Sharon Angle are getting ticked off - the voter registration place is saying "oh but the screens are so sensitive" - to what?  Air?  Electricity?  They just get excited by being used and start checking names?

No seriously - anyways - it's time Harry Reid retired. Here's a video about the 2004 voter fraud allegations - Kerry dupes were as stupid as Obama-bots - but anyways, 

Bush vs Kerry (Voting Machine) - Videos

If you're going to do your fifteen minutes of fame......

Make sure it's something you actually want to be remembered for......well - I can think of worse....

HARRY REID TIED TO TERRORISM.....or handcuffed to it....

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/25/exclusive-aide-to-harry-reid-lied-to-feds-submitted-false-documents-about-sham-marriage/

EL - OH - EL!  OH EM GEE!   HA FRICKING HA HA! HA! HA!

Harry Reid's aide was involved in some coverup for a sham marriage to some lebanese national who was investigated for ties to terrorism.  OH WOW!   Can this come at a better time? Yeah - like it wasn't planned.

I'm laughing - good luck undoing that one.....just a few days out of an election.  I'm not even going to go over the rest of the article because IT DOESN'T MATTER!!! HARRY REID IS TIED TO TERRORISM!!! That's all anyone's going to remember!

So - now that I'm laughing at him - I wish we could have some honesty in politics....about along the lines of this:(Gratuitous video time - no seriously - imagine this in politics if we could be this honest and in the media)

Road Trip! Oregon! Newport! Glass Blowing!

I don't know how well these came out - but if you didn't know, glass-blowing is a pretty popular art here on the Oregon coast.  There are glass blowing shops all up and down the coast with quite a few exotic wares being sold here and there - many of them making exotic glass floats.   Anyways, I managed to get some pictures of a glass-blower doing his work at a shop on the far side of Yaquina bay.  Depending on Google's settings, previously you used to be able to get a higher resolution picture of these and click them and open them in a separate window - but I don't know if you can do that now anymore.  Anyways, these pictures are in reverse - from finished product at top to the near start at the bottom.

Anyways - you can see the glass glowing pink-hot from the kiln/forge/furnace - whatever it's called.  I've learned to do a lot of things in life - including blacksmithing and stained glass windows - but blowing glass isn't something I ever learned how to do.

Below are some pictures of the storm I wrote about in the earlier blog entry.  The camera is trained/programmed to let in more light on dark days.  And it was a DARK day - so this is about ten shades lighter than it was.  Not bad for a cell phone camera.  The winds here were about 40mph or so.   Here the waves were coming up into the river and headed up to the sidewalk under the bridge on the far side.  Normally the surf is like 500 feet to the left.

If you didn't know, something unique to Oregon Architecture is the concept of arches.  Most of the bridges going up and down our coastline and even inland have deliberately integrated the arches as part of our regional architecture.  It was strange in my travels overseas in the military how many people knew Oregon just from our scenery - and how much I could see the architecture styles when I came home - I still notice it today.  There's a quasi federalist-empire-classic style of architecture here in Oregon that's pretty unique - most notably on our bridges usually.  Speaking of bridges, Portland Oregon, in addition to being the City of Roses is the City of Bridges as well.  Sometime I might have to do a photo essay of all of them, beginning south in Oregon City there's the pioneer bridge that was originally built in the 1800's (Yes, new for you Europeans but old over here) then up to Sellwood, Ross Island, Freemont, Marqham, Steele, Broadway, Burnside, Morrison, Hawthorne, Saint John's, Abernathy, Glenn Jackson and Interstate Bridges and you can see at least one other one from any  one of them.

 

Here's a nice shot of where the sidewalk ends - or "Land's End" headed off into the Pacific - pacific.....meaning peaceful.....mmmmm no.   It doesn't look too bad in the pictures but this is after it was settling down anyways - I've seen worse - been out at sea on a Navy Fastboat in 20 foot waves or whatever picking someone up out at sea with sea spouts coming down on us - yadda yadda - it's all true - uphill both ways in the snow.....blah blah.

 

 Here's Yaquina bay - my friend Mike - when he gets his Seaplane license we're going to go get a seaplane and I want to fly under the Yaquina Bay Bridge and land in the harbor on the other side and tie up and go to dinner.  Just....something I want to do. 

Anyways, this is a picture of "trouble" camping - having way too much fun - and already filling her dad with horror as to what kind of guys shes going to attract with that pretty face some day and she's only four....hopefully someday she brings me a good son in law - not some douchebag who's ears I have to box for being a deadbeat husband.  I don't have any pictures of Matthew this trip - him and I were too busy sparring with me showing him how to knock a knife out of someone's hands with your feet and how to keep your eyes on your opponent through your roundhouse kicks.  OH!  At one point though - we're all camped out and "roughing it" and Rachel suddenly says ".....I wanna go to the mall.....can we go to the mall?"    Yeahhh....I hope not too high maintenance.