The 'Nuge' for President!

Next election for POTUS I'm writing in 'The Motor City Mad Man' Ted Nugent.



"Not in all my years in Florida have I known of a gang attack by raccoons on an individual." That being said, had this woman been packing your basic squirrel gun this never would of happened.

Over at Reason, they reason about gun ownership. The comments following the article are as interesting as the article itself.

Credit to my sometimes brilliant friend Billy Bob for inspiring this post.

Good-bye Summer

Click on the photo for a full sized view.

I took this photo of my front porch on the 21st of September, 2009, the last day of summer.

Yesterday I tuned up my furnace, put away the lawn mower and the power washer and wound up all of the yard hoses and raked up some leaves. If you're viewing this photo today, Sunday, October 4th, 2009 it's almost certain I'm in some flannel pants sitting in my overstuffed leather chair with my feet up watching some football. It's Fall and I love this time of year. Nothing to grumble about today.

Life is good. Hope you're having a great day also.

- Larry

Yes, It's True

Dogs love The Beatles too.

- from freakingnews.com

The Wisdom of a Grandfather…

Today, most of the American populace thinks it improper to spank children. My own father used to beat me with a belt and I really didn’t think too highly of the technique. Ultimately I don’t think it had much effect on my behavior (unless of course I knew he was in town) so I used other methods to control my own children (and now my grandchildren) when they became or become unruly.

One method that I’ve found to be quite effective is for me to just take the child for a ride in my car.

I’m not sure if it's the vibration from the car, or the time away from any distractions such as TV, video games, computer, IPod, etc. One thing that I have noticed in particular is that their placement in the vehicle is important. Don’t put them in the back seat or anywhere else where they can avoid eye to eye contact. Eye to eye contact seems to be a very important component of this ‘therapy.’

I have found that almost without exception they usually calm down after only a few miles on the road together.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my oldest grandson, in case you would like to use the technique yourself.

Thanks to my Uncle Lee for passing on this knowledge to me.

A Word to The Wise

In the late 1400’s there were some trees, some cotton, some hemp, some metal forming technology and the wind and the water. It all came together one day and people began to sail away from the European continent and discover new ‘worlds.’

In simpler terms there were boats and water and that’s how new land was discovered, new countries were created and how they were connected to one another.

Then came mining, electricity, the telegraph, lights, the telephone, automobiles, refining oil, chemistry, medicine, the industrial revolution, flight, plastics (light weight speed boats), aluminum (light weight jet airplanes) and a whole bunch of other mind boggling stuff including fiber optics and lasers. Maybe not in that exact order but now, as a result… everybody seems to be in the same boat.

You’re looking at China when you watch American Idol. You’re pulling Viet Nam (yes, Viet Nam) up to your waist, one leg at a time when you put on your pants. A good part of your breakfast came from Brazil and you drove to work courtesy of the hard working folks in Japan. Your after dinner drink came from Ireland, Mexico or Sweden and if you had any tech or financial issues earlier in the day you probably talked to someone in India.

That’s why you need to be concerned about Iran and Afghanistan and Iraq and Jews and Arabs. They are all right in your backyard.

- Me Self

Couric / Beck

I missed this when it was originally aired. You can find it all over the web but I’m going to post it here for myself as a matter of convenience, so I can come back and find it with ease because, I am going to watch it again.

It’s about a half hour long and Katie asks Glenn some tough questions...



...and he doesn't cry, even once (I cried for him).

Note: the audio on this video is not so good. I have searched various sites, including YouTube and they all seem to be the same. So, it's not your computer.

Regardless of who you think Glenn Beck is, to date, he’s had a huge impact on awakening the apathetic and stimulating a much needed debate in our society. Why else would Time Magazine put him on their cover? We’ve all been asleep for far too long.

Forget what Katie is asking this man, forget his answers. For conquering his own demons and having the courage to speak his own mind I see him as an incredible individual, at the very least an inspiration.

I'm an amoeba in the blogosphere. I have a verifiable audience of about 150 people and I’m getting hate mail just for playing around on my computer and venturing into the public with some of my thoughts and opinions. I can't even imagine what Glenn Beck has to put up with. He must spend hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in legal retainer fees alone and even more gobs of money for the personal protection of his very life for simply speaking his mind.

A sad comment concerning our society?

It is people like Glenn who risked their very lives to form this great nation. I take my hat off to him.

To all of you who want to criticize me for assisting in spreading Glenn’s wacko opinions let it be known I also take my hat off to Bill Maher for his courage to also speak his mind, even though I think he is a living, breathing oxymoron - a brilliant idiot:

“Beck's a bimbo and he's a crazy one. I'm telling you - it is not that long before we're going to find Glenn Beck dressed as a woman or playing with his feces or something." - Bill Maher

If you have some time to waste here's some more on Maher.

Don't be too judgmental. He appears to be in it for the money and that's OK by me. And, don't forget, first and foremost he is a comedian.

- Larry

More unbelievable meddling by government...

A DHS spokesperson would not comment on the specifics of the case but says they have no choice but to comply with state law, which is designed...

...wait for it...

...to protect Michigan children.

10 + 8 = -2, bad math or an evil plot?

Okay, so summer is over and I've put my grill away and have started raking the leaves from my yard. So I'll put this behind me for now. But come next spring, if things don't change there's gonna be trouble.

If only I had a gun...

I frequently get emails alerting me of outrageous bills being presented in Congress. Many of them are indeed, outrageous. However, the more outrageous they are the more likely they are to be DOA.

Here's a good article explaining why these bills exist and a good place to keep track of them.

The Evolution of 1 and 0 and A/V

About 7 years ago I purchased a computer with a TV tuner and DVR built into the video card. As far as TV went, I was interested in only a few sitcoms, the History and Discovery channels, the NFL and NASCAR and the news, but I felt like sitting in my living room or lying in bed and watching was a colossal waste of time. I figured if I could watch TV on my computer I could work at the same time.

I was right , I could do my finances, pay bills, do work I brought home from my job (even extra credit stuff), check and respond to personal as well as business emails, keep up my personal journal and continue to educate myself with things related to my life by doing research on the web.

That’s when I started using two monitors. If you don’t use two monitors you don’t know what you’re missing. Even when NOT watching TV on one of them. It’s like you’re in college studying for a test and you’re in the library and you have multiple books open and spread across the table. You can have several programs and/or windows opened up at the same time on each monitor. So the ease at which you can bounce from one reference to another or one application to another increases your productivity.

The TV? Well I could open it up in a separate window and size it in the corner of one of the monitors.

But then came HD and the idea of watching movies while I worked.

So now I’m at three monitors. One dedicated, when I wish, to entertainment as I work.

As things have evolved in my digital experience now comes along online or internet, world wide web video and ‘on demand’ television viewing.

Remember when MTV first debuted? We were all mesmerized. Nonstop eye candy coupled with music with NO commercials or any other interruptions, 24/7.

I stumbled upon this video web site last night, as I did in 1977 with my discovery of MTV and couldn’t stop watching for over 2 hours: www.isofa.tv.

Make some popcorn and check it out. Simply amazing… give it at least 15 minutes. You’ll see some fascinating stuff.

I’m betting it won’t be long before it’s riddled with commercials.

The 10th Amendment

The federal government has no more authority to compel the states or the counties to do anything, no more so than the Prime Minister of Canada has.

This separation of the two spheres is one of the constitution’s structural protections of liberty. Just as the separation and independence of the coordinate branches of the federal government serve to prevent the accumulation of excessive power in any one branch, a healthy balance of power between the States and the Federal Government will reduce the risk of tyranny and abuse from either front.

An Incredible SAND Animation

This is one of the most incredible pieces of performance art you will ever lay your eyes on. Kseniya Simonova is the artist, she’s portraying the German invasion of Ukraine in WWII.

Alice in The Army

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Bubba that being in the the U.S. Army beats working for old man Billy Bob by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Bubba all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay, practically nothing.

Men get to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Bubba you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on 'route marches,' which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A 'route march' is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Bubba with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting back at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges, they come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that 'thug' Jordan from Baltimore, Maryland. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6' and 130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Bubba to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Alice

Two Old Masters

- From freakingnews.com

Sunday Morning Humor

What's wrong with this picture?

So much I don't even know where to start. In addition most would agree it's unfair. But it is fair to say the artist did an excellent job in getting across his point. I actually stumbled upon it after I composed the following:

When it comes to conflict between governments and their citizens the natural progression in ALL societies appears to me to be:

1. Discussion, debate.
2. Peaceful protest coupled with civil obedience.
3. Civil disobedience.
4. Violent protests.
5. Revolution and/or civil war.

In corrupt, oppressive and dictatorial societies, where the rulers have enough power, this progression is usually deterred somewhere between civil disobedience and violent protest or shortly thereafter. It is only when the people have enough power and the collective will to push back that the conflict(s) will erupt into a full blown revolution or civil war. After that, all hell breaks lose and the most powerful entity will prevail.

One of the methods used by evil leaders and corrupt governments to prevent this progression from even starting is to oppress their citizens and depress their economies to the point when just getting through a day takes up all of their time. The average man then has no voice or even the time for proper thought about such things. A good method of achieving this is through retaliation of speech and the redistribution of wealth and taxation. Suppress free speech or even more deviously, while lauding free speech, pass laws or use your authority to suppress at the very least, debate. Keep them down and certainly don’t let anyone get too rich to oppose you.

Enter Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama.

A Republican Congressman from Wisconsin wanted to put up a bill stating all of Congress subscribe to the same healthcare Obama wants America to have. Pelosi would not let the bill go to the floor. NO DEBATE ALLOWED.

A ‘Common Sense’ bill introduced into Congress referred to as the RTBA (Read The Bills Act) has to date been prevented from being allowed on the floor by Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps she is bewildered by the term, ‘fiduciary responsibility’. NO DEBATE ALLOWED.

Here is the proposed bill in PDF form.

Barack Obama has not had an honest discussion with any Republican Congressman or GOP group since April 2009 concerning the formation of a bipartisan health care bill. That’s mainly because the Democrats currently control all branches of the government and feel they don’t need any input from an opposing party. They, including The White House itself are no longer OPENED TO DEBATE.

Last week-end Barack Obama granted interviews to no less than five mainstream news outlets. Yet he shunned by far the most popular and most viewed one, FOX News because FOX admittedly and openly question his health care reform philosophy. NO DEBATE ALLOWED by Obama!

I predict the backlash on these people is going to be huge come the next election cycle. Unless they can create a diversion like many accused the Bush administration of doing by toppling a couple of skyscrapers and causing thousands of deaths in some American city.

- Larry

Everyone in the theater is quiet until the building catches fire...

Dear Billy Bob,

There is a time when unrest and civil disobedience is not only justified but needed. You should understand that yourself as you grew up in the 60's and are surely aware that it was the demonstrations and marches, the general protesting and unrest that ended the war in Vietnam and helped to improve the status of minorities and women in this country.

I'd like to point out that our representatives are elected by the majority of the people who vote and that these people are hopping mad because those representatives are not listening to those who elected them. Our representatives have become elitist who do and act as they please. They need to be yelled at. Many should be railroaded out of office. Some should be arrested and jailed and a few should be executed for treason (offensive language). They have allowed and even promoted a federal government that has become so large that it is on the verge of becoming uncontrollable; a behemoth riddled with waste and corruption.

I'm glad to see that there are people in this country who are not asleep, who are not afraid to stand up and point and shout at unjust people and policies. The SHOUTING and SCREAMING today is in direct response and in proportion to the amount of waste and corruption that exists in our government.

You can spend all day or an entire month or a year not listening to TV or the radio or reading a newspaper, a blog or a news site on your computer. You can go camping or fishing or stroll downtown, go catch a movie, eat out at a restaurant, drive across country, do whatever you want. But whatever you do and wherever you are (yes, of course there are exceptions) you can't help but notice how peaceful it is to live in this country.

There's a reason for that. People in this land have a history of not letting others push them around. And yes, before it's all sorted out there's going to be some SCREAMING and SHOUTING and even some DEMEANING behavior. It's only human nature.

Larry.

Another Key West Sunset

Two of my lovely daughters where I'd love to be right now. These photos were taken in June of 2004 and I merged them together about a year later.

Liberty Mule

Here is the original 'Mule'. A camping trailer I built in my backyard and unsuccessfully tried to market under the DBA, 'Liberty Mule'. This photo was shot on a test run in Sun Valley, Idaho.

My Great Grandma Houtz

I took this photograph in 1973 in Miami, Florida where I believe she spent her whole life. I have no idea how old she was at the time. I didn't really know her but what I remember is that she was a small, rugged and perky old woman. She was working in her garden when I took this photo; she was fun to be around. I was 23 at the time.

North Beach - San Francisco, California

It was about 2:00 a.m. and I was trying to photograph the couple sitting on the steps off to the right. As soon as I pointed the camera at them they got up and actually ran away.

The Broccoli of Logic

Makes me want to gag.

Mandated health insurance is now being compared to auto insurance. If you drive you must have auto insurance. I agree with that. Good idea. The flawed logic that follows is that if you are alive you must have health insurance.

This logic, 'spoon fed' to the masses by the Obama administration and propagated by the mainstream media, is like being forced to eat broccoli, or lima beans or in my case, asparagus. What's next, mandated life insurance? Burial insurance?

Many people don't even own a vehicle. Some who do never intend to drive them. Can you imagine the outrage of New Yorkers who walk, bicycle or use mass transit if they were forced to purchase auto insurance via a government mandate?!

Ironically, if you do own a vehicle and drive, your mandated auto insurance covers medical expenses for at the very least, someone you hurt in an accident (you can choose to exclude yourself).

The solid logic that follows the above is that not everyone needs or wants health insurance.

Here's a very enlightening video from Reason TV illustrating how some people, by their own free will, choose to spend their hard earned money on other 'stuff:'



- Larry

The Ignoramuses Rule

The airport serves about 20 people a day, and the only flights are to Washington, D.C. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of news outlets covered this story of waste over the last several months, after the airport snagged an additional $800,000 in stimulus funds to pave a backup runway.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) proposed an amendment to stop the insanity. He sums the situation up (house floor video) tidily and bleakly. "This is something we need to stop. If we can't stop it, we can't stop anything."

The bill was DEFEATED!



- From Reason.com

I'm Being Tortured by Stories of Torture!

What's the big deal?

Here's a list of the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques as reported by ABC news:

• The Attention Grab torture.
• The Attention slap torture.
• The belly slap torture.
• The Long time sanding torture.
• The cold cell torture.
• The water boarding torture.

So far I've been lucky, I’ve never been captured by anyone for any reason and yet have endured much more torture than that which is listed above.

The following is a list of tortures I have endured:

• The silent torture (coupled with the I don’t hear you torture).
• The won’t shut up torture.
• The wash your own clothes torture (coupled with the make your own bed torture).
• The "don’t touch me!" (cold shoulder) torture.
• The "it wasn’t me" torture, and,
• The absolute mind breaking, over the line, demonic torture, delivered by hand picked, hardened teen-aged torturers, the 'I know more than you do' torture.

I have to admit, I’ve never been water boarded but apparently there must be some appeal or amusement involved with the process as two C.I.A. prisoners took the ride 266 times before they decided to 'open up' to their interrogators.

- Larry

'Rub-on Viagra'

Finally, the big pharmas are making some sense.

'Naked' Salad

Now before anyone gets upset, it’s only carefully placed food and it’s as risque as you’ll ever see on this blog.

Be careful how you word your reply the next time your waitress asks you what dressing you prefer on your salad. Here's what I was given when I replied with the single word, "naked."

No one at the table was upset or embarrassed. Perhaps because there were no women seated.

Anyway, it was delicious and matched the centerpiece, an ice sculpture of the Venus de Milo.

All were amused except Robert. He was more than amused. He carefully put his salad in a Styrofoam container and took it home with him. When I asked him why he replied, “It doesn’t come with any warnings about headaches, high blood pressure, dizziness or four hour erections.” ;-)

- From a small café in the art district of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Idiot Wind...

...blowing across your teeth every time you speak.

                                                                - Bob Dylan

Just after Obama's glorious victory somewhere I read an op-ed that seemed pretty logical. It stated that the best thing about America electing a black president was that race could no longer be used as an issue. America elected a black man and that in itself was a ringing endorsement and a clear sign that America had finally come of age and shed her racism.

Then came comments from more foward thinking people who feared that the race card would be played everytime someone disagreed with Whitehouse policy. If you are critical of Obama and his ideas, policy, leadership or anything else it is only because he is black and nothing else and you are therefore, a racist.

Enter Jimmy Carter, the Sultan of Stupidity trumpeting his latest "Idiot Wind" and Maureen Dowd apparently inspired by voices being channeled through her cat.

I can't link you to Maureen Dowd. You need to Google her yourself and see if you can find a source that doesn't make you register with a left wing newspaper in order to view her words.

- Larry

P.S. - I just discovered a back door link to Maureen's op-ed. It's at the bottom of this article.

U.S. Government-Management Track Record

It seems we are hung up in arguing about the details of government health care which always leads to partisan accusations and fighting. That keeps us citizens divided. Without needing to read a health care bill or arguing about the cost and details, the following are legitimate reasons we shouldn’t want the government involved in managing health care:

• Social Security - Broke
• Medicare - Broke
• Vietnam War - Failed
• Discover Weapons of Mass Destruction - Failed
• Postal System - Broke
• Katrina Relief - Failure
• Border Security - Failure
• Energy Independence - Failure
• Financial oversight - Failed
• Fannie Mae - Failed
• Freddie Mac - Failed
• Congress - Corrupt
• Judicial Branch - Politicized
• White House - Corrupt
• Budget Management - Failure
• Immigration Policy - Failure
• Medicare Fraud - Out of Control
• Modernize Air Traffic Control - Failed
• Deficit Control - Failed
• U.S. Dollar - Falling
• Alternative Energy - Failed
• Nuclear Containment - Failed
• Mustang Ranch in Nevada - Failed ...these folks can't even manage a Whorehouse and sell booze and sex and make money!

~ Health Care? ~ Please just give us all a BREAK, Hello!!!?

Credit to my friend DSG

P.J. O’Rourke on the automobile (and other topics)...

A very enlightening video interview from the legend himself (15:37 min.).

- Via Drew Carey and Reason TV

A Haunting in Congress

If you've ever watched the TV series, A Haunting, on the Discovery channel, whether you believe the stories or not they will creep you out; send chills down your spine.

Today, shivers ran down my spine as I believe The United States Congress has been themselves, overcome by evil. And so I find myself creeped out again, big time.

Under the guise of enforcing House Rules, under the guise of reprimanding a man for breaking decorum, they officially condemned a man for speaking his mind.

In reaction, Dennis Miller stated that Congress has been infected with a severe case of "sickophantis assinintis." It's worse than that. I believe the consequences of this action are so far reaching that it may forever change the face of politics and further erode our freedoms in this country.

Congress, a group of men and women who are supposed to represent our population and who each and every one took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of The United States of America formally, officially and publicly rebuked a man for his right to exercise his freedom of speech!

He did not yell "fire!" in a crowded theater. He was not vulgar or vile and caused no harm to anyone. He was not publicly intoxicated. He did not incite a riot. He did not contribute to the delinquency of a minor. What he did may have been rude, he may have broken decorum in the strictest of minds but he broke no law and should not be punished.

In many people's mind he simply blurted out, in loud frustration, a two word truth; "You lie!"

He did not call the other members of Congress liars. He called one man a liar and immediately apologized to that man and that man accepted his apology. The demand that he apologize to all of Congress, and then be punished for his refusal to do so, is not only irrational but smacks on the wretched surface of stagnant and polluted waters.

It's time to drain the swamp.

- Larry

Gasping For Air

It was enthusiastically reported today that the recession is over, based in part because of a 2.7% surge in retail sales in August.

I bought some stuff I didn't need last month. Even I need to come up for air once in awhile.

But I'm going right back into my foxhole until Christmas. And then back in again, I'm guessing, until... next spring?

More Famous Quotes

"You know the one thing that's wrong with this country? Everyone gets a chance to have their fair say."

- Bill Clinton

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"

- Lee Iacocca (chairman of the Chrysler corporation)

"Solutions are not the answer."

- Richard Nixon

And two from my top ten list:

"My main hope for myself is to be where I am."

-Woody Harrelson

"They misunderestimated me."

-George W. Bush

Right Wing Talk Shows

The following is a list of all of my objections concerning Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, O'Rilley and all other "right wing" talk show hosts.








Followed by my rants against Maher, Franken, Maddow, Maloney, Olbermann and all other "left wing" talk show hosts.








;-)

- Davey Kilban

Women

I’ve been surrounded by them my entire life. As my father’s only son I had four sisters. I’ve been married twice, both times to women. Like my father, I had one son and four daughters. My mother was a woman as were all of my aunts and even my grandmothers and mother-in-laws.

When I was in grade school, during recess I used to chase them. Once I got in trouble for kissing one of them after a successful ‘catch.’ Thus, my first ever pang of guilt was felt because of a soon to be woman.

Oh, make no mistake; many of them are evil, all are annoying. Estrogen is kryptonite to any real man.

It’s said that behind every great man stands a women. What they don’t say is that behind every man’s fall, everyman’s most insane and stupid act stands a woman. Remember Delilah and Pandora’s Box?

Yet they are nice to touch and easy on the eyes. Adorable and loving; intelligent and strong. In the end they level the scale and are indispensable.

I’ve often toyed with the idea of ‘dropping out’ by becoming a mountain man. Then it hits me; I’ve got to find a mountain woman first. So far I’ve been unsuccessful.

- Larry

An after thought: I think it was a good idea, attributed to God, to leave the decisions and actions of 'war' to men.