Bill Awards

"Checkered Floor"

1. Bill Awards
Zero Academy Awards time for me last night.
And the Oscar goes to... www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/82/nominees.html

Of the "Best Picture" nominees that I saw, here's my ranking:
  1. "Up in the Air" 4 bill-stars
  2. "District 9" 4 bill-stars
  3. "Up" 3 bill-stars (barely)
  4. "Avatar" 2 bill-stars (barely)
Of course, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was a 5 bill-star effort, so there. Ha!

I'm glad "The Dude" won for Best Actor, and "Crazy Heart" won best song with "The Weary Kind". Excellent!

2. Forbes Shape

QOTD

"One state retiree, 49 years old, paid, over the course of his entire career, a total of $124,000 toward his retirement pension and health benefits. What will we pay him? $3.3 million in pension payments over his life and nearly $500,000 for health care benefits--a total of $3.8 million on a $120,000 investment. Is that fair?"
- Chris Christie, gov of New Jersey, source
Steve Forbes' outstanding article on the New Jersey state government budget and what new governor, Chris Christie, is doing to fix it.

The Shape of Things to Come

Here's the 2nd (stupefying) anecdote from the article.

QOTD2
"A retired teacher paid $62,000 toward her pension and nothing, yes nothing, for full family medical, dental and vision coverage over her entire career. What will we pay her? $1.4 million in pension benefits and another $215,000 in health care benefit premiums over her lifetime. Is it 'fair' for all of us and our children to have to pay for this excess?"
- Gov Christie on Jersey budget woes
Christie uses the term "fair".
I dislike it.
  1. These teachers and state employees just signed up for the deal they were offered.
  2. The term is inflammatory, only used to appeal to the emotions.
Of course, fair/unfair/whatever are the modus operandi of the left... but to get things fixed in Jersey, maybe it's worth using this crappy tactic.

This is the same setup we find in many programs: social security, medicare, etc.
Many (most) people get more out than they put in, but the price is risk... you're name isn't on the money, so some pol some day might come saying that your deal is not "fair".

OK, last QOTD from Crazy Heart's winning song.

QOTD3
"And this ain't no place
To fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart
And give it one more try"
- "Weary Kind" lyrics from "Crazy Heart"
weary kind... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Monday, March 08, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Flavors of Funny

1. Intentionally Funny
Funny satire by Christopher Buckley offering some new tax ideas to the Obama administration.

But Enough About You IRS, Mon Amour

My fave: taxing non-smokers. He he!



2. Unintentionally Funny
Just as funny, but unintentionally so:

Less stimulus for minority firms
Did you catch those stats?
  • Latinos own 6.8% of all US business, but have received only 1.6% of the Obama stimulus kitty.
  • Blacks own 5.2% of all businesses, but have gotten only 1.1%.
Nice going, President Obama.
funny... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Sunday, March 07, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

I heart dot dot dot

I heart minor league baseball
Minor league baseball teams really, really want your business. They cater to you. They try hard. This is the exact opposite approach than you see at MLB teams like the Chicago Cub.

Here's a great story about the Peoria Chiefs, the Cub class A minor league team... they're leasing out their skyboxes to fantasy baseball leagues for their draft meetings. For $35 a guy, you get the luxury (cough) suite, all-you-can-eat buffet, beers, and a ticket to a future Chief game. Sweet!

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704187204575101392538296222.html

I heart minor league baseball.

"I heart Scrabble too"

I heart my crock pot
RIP Mable Hoffman... author of “Crockery Cookery”, an early and popular crock pot recipe book.

Mable Hoffman WSJ Obit

I heart my crock pot... and Mable too, I reckon.

"All in"

I heart Ronald Reagan
Book: “Tear Down This Wall” by Romesh Ratnesar
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... meh

This book is very dry and kinda boring. This is hard to fathom, given how interesting the subject matter is. The other irritating thing is the guy sprinkles in his politics into the thing here and there. The big two that bugged me:
  1. Reagan's optimism was naivete
  2. Gorbachev ended the cold war, not Reagan
OK, poindexter.
Reagan's optimism and belief in the human spirit defined him.
The author's incredulity likely defines him, and maybe this is a defining trait of your average leftie.

One of the best anecdotes from the book was by a girl attending a talk Reagan gave in Moscow. Russian security officials picked which students would sit where for Reagan's speech. They were told, "Don't make any movements with your body. If you get up, you will be shot." Well, that'll discourage those distracting potty breaks during an event, eh.

QOTD
“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
- Ronald Reagan, Jun 12 1987, speech at Brandenburg Gate in (then) West Berlin
I believe the difference between Reagan and other presidents was an actual set of values which drove his decision-making. His values: small government, personal freedom, optimism. If you know what President Obama's values are, please chime in and enlighten me.

Reagan was stricken with Alzheimer's a few years after leaving office. He penned a final correspondence, a sort of goodbye, before losing his faculties.

QOTD2
“In closing, let me that you, the American people for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.”
-Ronald Wilson Reagan, Nov 5 1994 letter
I heart Ronald Reagan

"Indy museum"

I heart our great sunny weekend!
run faster... yow, bill

PS - A couple photos of Reagan in front of the Berlin Wall on Jun 12, 1987.

...

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posted by williamt on Saturday, March 06, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Retro Sheet

1. Retro Sheet
I turned on the tube after the market closed yesterday, and there it was on some MLB channel that I don't know why I have...
May 17, 1979
Phillie 23, Cub 22


Excellent.
So, google, google, google... and giggle, giggle, giggle... here's the boxscore from that game:

May 17, 1979 - Phillie 23, Cub 22 boxscore

Checkout the "Play by Play" section at the end of the file... every batter and move in the game is detailed. Amazing.

Read, read, read... the guys that pour in the time to do this are:

www.retrosheet.org

QOTD
"Retrosheet was founded in 1989 for the purpose of computerizing play-by-play accounts of as many pre-1984 major league games as possible."
- Mission statement of RetroSheet, source
Mike Schmidt homered in the 10th off Bruce Sutter for the 23-22 win

Couple observations:
  • Jack Brickhouse was the broadcaster... perfect guy for a simpler time.
  • The Cub crowd was decidedly younger... the voices chanting "We want a run" sounded like a school choir.
  • I remember that game... or I think I do... because I would turn the Cub on after coming home from school. When you come home, and the score is 22-22, there's a good chance you'll remember it.
  • The Cub today are not as much fun as those ever-losing Cub of yesteryear. Either that, or I'm an old goat. Who can tell?
2. Financial Fasting
Certainly, confusing economic times... tough tough tough, and then you can't get into a restaurant on a Tuesday night. I don't know what the heck is going on.

This is a fun article on a 20-something doing a "financial fast" for 21 days... basically cutting back on all discretionary spending.

I'm fasting - Financially, that is

No fast food, no credit cards, no paid entertainment... oh my!
Can you say "Scrabble"?

3. Bumper Sticker of the Day (BSOTD?)
Saw this (too funny) bumper sticker last week:

He he.
peace out... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Today's Puritans

Today's Puritans are busy.
I just posted this QOTD on Facebook:

QOTD
"Individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB"
-new (mandated) signs outside every MLB clubhouse. Idiots.
This fucking stupidity is, of course, in response to the Gilbert Arenas gun nonsense. For merely carrying a gun, Arenas will face legal charges and lose millions of dollars as part of his NBA suspension. A number of Arenas' teammates were fined by the NBA for laughing at Arenas clowning about the incident.

Now, this photo got a snowboarder sent home from the Olympics:

Source: www.tmz.com/2010/02/19/olympic-medalist-packs-up-after-biting-photo/

Here's the story: www.abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=9892724

The big winner in the snowboarding, whatever the hell his name is, got slammed for swearing off camera after learning he won the gold.

Did you know that the US Olympic Committee (USOC) has a new required "Ambassador Program" that is "aimed at improving the etiquette of Olympic athletes". Source

Tiger just spent 20 minutes groveling for the world.

Can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?
What's happened.
What's happening.
It's like we're regressing.
We're progressing in every area, except tolerance for each other.
Tough to figger out, to be honest.
It seems to be bigger than left or right at this point... the sanctimony.

Well, you can always come over to The Castle and swear and drink and take pictures with hot chicks or whatever you'd like.
regress... yow, bill

PS - That's one hot Puritan to the right over there. Oops, that's inappropriate. Jeez, glad I'm not in the NBA... or MLB... or Olympics... or golf... or...

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posted by williamt on Friday, February 19, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

NBA Nerds, part 2

1. NBA Nerds
Only foreign-born NBA players read... American players play video games. Sigh.

NBA Nerds

The two causes are obvious:
  1. Crappy public schools
  2. Coddling of athletes from a very young age
Ah, nuts to that, here are some awesome dunks:
  1. Vince Carter literally jumping over some poor schlep in the Olympics: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMrPjl-927Q
  2. Michael Jordan, with two hands, dunking on 7'4" Mark Eaton in Utah: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhdMHcI2dRo
  3. Kevin Johnson dunking on Hakeem: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kidpegzfFc

2. Obama Malaise
My fave, the Mad Hedge Fund guy, puts the odds at 50/50 for a Jimmy Carteresque ending to the President Obama story:

blog.madhedgefundtrader.com/2010/02/10/the-mad-hedge-fund-tradertuesday.aspx?ref=rss

QOTD
"If you’re over 50, and all of this sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because we’ve been through it all before. Remember Jimmy Carter? Remember the “misery index,” the unemployment rate plus the inflation rate, which hit 30, and catapulted Ronald Reagan into an eight year presidency?"
- the Mad Hedge Fund guy, source


Who knows?
In any case, it may not be the best time to buy and hold in the stock market. IMHO.

3. Poll wording
Finally, it's nice to confirm the obvious... the wording of a poll can dramatically effect the results.

QOTD2
"Seventy-nine percent of Democrats said they support permitting gay men and lesbians to serve openly. Fewer Democrats however, just 43 percent, said they were in favor of allowing homosexuals to serve openly."
- Poll results based on "gay" or "homosexual", source
Good one.
peace out... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Monday, February 15, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

EARTHQUAKE!

EARTHQUAKE!
Magnitude 4.3 earthquake rattles Illinois

Definitely felt it at The Castle.
Cool.

Oh, and a pol/global warming quickie...
  • $2B in stimulus money
  • 6,000 jobs
  • That's more than $300K/job
  • And they're temporary
  • And... (drum roll)... the jobs aren't even in the United States
Good one:
Wind Energy Stimulus Money Not Creating US Jobs; Most of $2 Billion Going Overseas

That's Obamanomics (?!?) for you.
Ok, maybe we'll just stick to ObamaCare. He he.

And windmill farms are a blight...
earthquake... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Pols, Beautiful Pols

1. Pols, Beautiful Pols
Ah, my fave... pols.

QOTD1

"I know I'm the people's senator, but do I have to hang out with them?"
- John Edwards on attending county fairs, source
Here's a snarky review of a silly book about John Edwards in the WSJ.

The Hazards of Loyalty

It's silly because the author is a knucklehead named Andrew Young, former chief sycophant to pol John Edwards. Neither of these guys is the least bit credible.

It's snarky because the WSJ takes the book semi-seriously.

So, why mention it here at williamt?
A stupid book but these QOTD's are too delicious to pass up.
Pols are different than you and me.

QOTD2
"It used to be civilized.
The media was on our side.
We'd get our work done by one o'clock and by two we were at the White House chasing women."
- Teddy Kennedy, source

pretty crappy myspace site: www.dcbikiniteam.com
2. Health Care Anecdote
Here's an amazing health care anecdote for Australia, where they've had some flavor of socialized medicine for years, I guess.

Capitalism to Blame for Sub-prime?

QOTD3
"But the politicians who pushed through the National Health Scheme are no longer around to see the effects of their good intentions. The very people the National Health Scheme was intended to assist are its major victims. Standing on the sidelines now, observing what has come to pass, I can only wonder if the US will follow the same path as Obama attempts to resurrect his own National Health Plan."
- Ray Barros, source
3. Favorites
It's funny how I'm starting to squirrel away favorite links here... it's easy to search and find them later.
peace... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

That Hopey Changey Stuff

1. Mortgage Banker Payback
Funniest story of the day:

Mortgage Bankers Association Sells Headquarters at Big Loss

Even funnier QOTD...

QOTD
"We have come to the inescapable conclusion that owning our own building was the smartest long-term investment for the association."
- Mortgage Banker's Association in 2007, on buying their building
I guess foreclosure would have been more appropriate, but still... pretty funny.

2. Hopey Changey
Sarah Palin's "Tea Party" speech was chockful 'o Obama zingers.
Back to that in a second.

QOTD2
"Now, a year later, I got to ask the supporters of all that...
how is that hope-y, change-y stuff working out for you,"
- Sarah Palin, source
Hopey, changey... jeez. good one.

It dawns on this addled observer... why is Sarah Palin the only one calling this guy out?
Even this crappy blog pulls punches, I must admit.
Why?
Is it a black guy thing? Or social pressure? Fear of not dating hot 40-somethings?
I honestly don't know.
Processing...

QOTD3
"I think instead of lecturing, he needs to stop and he needs to listen on health care issues, on national security."
- Sarah Palin
Cha.
I read that now Obama is calling for a meeting with repubs on health care.
Now.
NOW!

Fucking idiot.
You've had a year... the Senate... the Congress... 53-47 victory over an 80 year-old stiff... 10% unemployment... few trillions in debt... and NOW you want to talk about health care reform.
Pathetic.

I have a better idea... more talks with Iran.

3. Book Review
Book: "The Night in Question" by Tobias Wolff
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... very good

Good read.
I am much more a novel guy than short stories, but still good.
Thanks, Matt for the rec.

QOTD4
"He was big in every direction - tall and rotund with a massive head, a trophy head."
- Tobias Wolff, "The Night in Question" page 191
BTW, the best short story of the bunch was the shortest and the last, "Bullet in the Brain"... about a guy who... well, just read it.
He he he.
hopey changey not... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Monday, February 08, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Snickers win

1. Betty White
Best Super Bowl commercial... Betty White.

Betty White Snickers Ad

Dammit, that's funny.
All the Super Bowl ads are at that link, BTW.
How do young people even know who Betty White is?

2. Argentina
Ah, the world would be so much better off if hot chicks were running things.
Um. Don't tell that to Argentina, where the girls are just as corrupt as the boys.

Argentina Seizes Central Bank

Argentina girls: President Cristina and Central Banker Mercedes

I will say this... it looks like they're having fun.
I don't know how much fun hyper-inflation is going to be for your average joe (jose?) in Argentina, but whatever.

3. Milwaukee School Choice
Speaking of corruption... Dear President Obama. Dear Arnie Duncan. School choice is working in Milwaukee and DC and NYNY and...

Milwaukee Voucher Graduates

QOTD
"In 2008 the graduation rate for voucher students was 77% versus 65% for the nonvoucher students, though the latter receives $14,000 per pupil in taxpayer support, or more than double the $6,400 per pupil that voucher students receive in public funding."
- School choice stats in Milwaukee, source
So great that money can't buy results.
So great to see freedom working.

It's a smooth ride... arguing for choice and personal freedom.
How's that anti-freedom argument working... Obama and Arnie and the teacher's unions and other lefties.

All you have to do is allow for a little risk... the risk that people will take care of their own stuff (like kids) better than anyone else.
No risk with the gov plan... you know it will suck.
an easy choice... yow, bill

PS - "bikini school choice"

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posted by williamt on Monday, February 08, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Crazy Heart, Crazy Pol

1. Crazy Heart
Movie: "Crazy Heart"
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... really good

Let's see...
  • Outstanding performance by Jeff Bridges.
  • This is a fun, slow movie with lots of fun country music
  • Good ending
  • I'm definitely buying the soundtrack
It's a great date movie... or maybe I just had a great date... who can tell?

QOTD
"Falling feels like flying... for a little while"
- some good, ole, hard-drinkin and hard-livin country lyrics from "Crazy Heart"
2. Crazy Pol
Book: "End the Fed" by Ron Paul
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... worth reading

OK, Ron Paul isn't crazy, and the book is OK.
Ron Paul is an ideologue who takes his beliefs and extrapolates... gets kind of old after a while.

Here's Paul's basic argument, as I see it... "The Fed", since it was established in 1914 or something, has too much power and is corrupt and has led to the ruination of the United States.
OK.
Well, the obvious problem with this argument is that, under our current system, we have ascended to being the lone superpower in the world, both economically and politically.

To his credit though, Ron Paul puts his money on the table. He says that unless we go to a gold-based monetary system pronto, we're doomed.
So, when the US crashes in flames, I'll come back and give Ron Paul his props.

That said, I absolutely agree with Ron Paul's call for an end to Fed secrecy and shenanigans. There is no reason for the Fed to operate outside of scrutiny and without being audited.
I also absolutely agree with Paul's implication that far too much power has shifted to Washington DC in our country.


3. Quirky links
A couple-a quirky links por vu...

Art blog - www.a-pic.co.tv

It's so tough to be an artist, right? You can be completely amazing and you're likely to be completely poor and obscure at the same time. In just a few minutes of trolling, I found some really cool stuff on "Art blog". Check it out... these click are definitely worthy:

Source: A single sheet of paper


Tone Matrix - http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

This is a weird, fun music site. Click away on the squares and enjoy.
crazy, crazy, quirky... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Sunday, February 07, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

The Global Warming Terrorist and the Nuke-ular President

1. The Global Warming Terrorist
A classic.
Global warming believer, Osama Bin Laden chimes in on cap & trade...

QOTD
"... bin Laden warned of the dangers of climate change and says that the way to stop it is to bring "the wheels of the American economy" to a halt."
- OBL, Bin Laden blasts US on climate change
Applying the Obama doctrine that we're provoking these poor guys, I hope I'm not out of place suggesting that OBL's motivation here may not be pure. It's possible that he's just jealous of Gore and Obama and is gunning for a Nobel Peace prize of his own.

2. The Nuke-ular President
And our leftie dream President chimes in on nuke-ular power:

Obama Pushes Nuclear Energy

QOTD2
"I see an evolving attitude on energy by the president... up until now, the administration has been pursuing a national windmill policy instead of a national energy policy, which is the military equivalent of going to war in sailboats."
- Sen Lamar Alexander, source
It'd be "the best" to see nuclear power actually gain traction under President Obama. Hey, I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

BTW, Wikipedia says this about power output:
  • Your average nuke plant puts out 500-2000 MW (mega-watts)
  • Your average wind turbine generates 1.5 MW
So, you pick... one nuke or 1,000 windmills littering the landscape.

Osama global warming and Obama nuclear power... too funny.
nuke me... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Friday, January 29, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Vedicts

1. Movie Verdict
Movie: "The Verdict"
Review: 5 bill-stars (out of 5)... outstanding!

Why 5 bill-stars for this tiny, tiny movie?
Paul Newman, Jack Warden, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason... directed by Sidney Lumet.
Magic.

QOTD
"I know how you feel. You don't believe me, but I do know.

I'm going to tell you something that I learned when I was your age. I'd prepared a case and old man White said to me, "How did you do?" And, uh, I said, "Did my best." And he said, "You're not paid to do your best. You're paid to win."

And that's what pays for this office... pays for the pro bono work that we do for the poor... pays for the type of law that you want to practice... pays for my whiskey... pays for your clothes... pays for the leisure time we have to sit back and discuss philosophy as we're doing tonight. We're paid to win the case.

You finished your marriage. You wanted to come back and practice the law. You wanted to come back to the world. Welcome back."
- "The Verdict", (evil) James Mason on paying Charlotte Rampling to back-stab Paul Newman
I can't find (and snarf) a good picture of Charlotte Rampling from "The Verdict". Dang it.
I did find a fun article on some dude's fave scene in "The Verdict": The Paul Newman Scene I Can't Get Out of My Head



2. Global Warming Verdict
Ah, crazy 2 byte characters: Bjørn Lomborg.
øøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøø

I heart Bjørn Lomborg.
He's a common sense voice on global warming and in today's WSJ points out the obvious: even if you believe in global warming, the answer isn't carbon taxes or caps or whatever... it's innovation!
Rethink Global Warming

Lomborg calls for a sort of international research effort. None is needed, of course. As long as big money lies at the end of the rainbow, companies and countries will vie for the prize to the best of their abilities.

Funny one... I saw an op-ed by Joe Biden in today's WSJ titled, "The President's Nuclear Vision", and had a quick flash on President Obama (finally) calling on nuclear power as a part of our energy solution. Dop. No, it was some crap about nuclear weapons. Sigh. Other than the vapid "green jobs" mantra, the Obama administration continues the tradition of not having an energy policy in the US. Dop.



3. Socialism Verdict
Is America in the process of telling socialism's most buxom salesman to pack her bags and hit the fucking bricks? Golly, wouldn't it be great. Almost too much to hope for. But aren't we leaning that way? Just a little?

The President Obama buzz/cult of personality seems to be waning a bit. Not his personal popularity. That will not be impacted by anything. Look at Bill Clinton. But President Obama's agenda is ebbing: health care, can & trade, massive government spending and intervention.

And where are the repubs during this void? I mean, Obamacare has been knocked on its ass... where's the repub retort?!? Competition across state lines. Tax credits for people who can't afford it? Malpractice reform?

Or, where is the Newt Gingrich for 2010's redo of the 1994 elections?
Where is the dang Contract With America for 2010?

I heart America and her defining tradition of freedom and rugged individualism. I believe!
peace... yow, bill

QOTD2
"Your Honor, with all due respect, if you're going to try my case for me, I wish you wouldn't lose it."
- Paul Newman, "The Verdict"

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posted by williamt on Friday, January 29, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Blatant

1. Blatant bias
There has been a shift. I think.
In the last decade, the notion of even pretending to be an unbiased news network has been completely discarded. FoxNews leans to the right. CNN is now the FoxNews of the left. MSNBC is a train wreck. ABC/NBC/CBS... who cares.

A little anecdotal evidence of this (from a rightie site, Newsbusters)...
The MA election of Scott Brown was "important" and was expected to have a substantial impact going forward, especially if the repub guy won. The Newsbusters article below shows how much of each candidate's acceptance speech was covered by each network:

Blatant vs. Balanced

I detailed here at williamt what jags CNN were when this Scott Brown guy won.
At this point, I know of no unbiased news source on the tube.

2. Movie Review
Movie: (500) Days of Summer
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... just ok.

Pretty vanilla girlie movie about a girl named Summer. It was pleasant enough... hence the 3 stars. Yawn. It was a good date movie, I reckon.

This decidedly 20-something movie is replete with 70's and 80's music.
Why don't 20-somethings have their own music? Curious.

The role of Summer is played by a girl named Zooey Deschanel. She's quirky hot, I reckon (again):

Zooey?

Anyway, she sort of reminds me of quirky hot 40-something Nancy Kerrigan:


Please don't email me that I said Nancy Kerrigan is hot. I know I said she's hot. Look, I'm not saying she's brilliant or a role model for my many children or going to win the Nobel Peace Prize (on second thought)... I'm saying she's a quirky hot little 40-something.
So get bent.
cranky in the morning... yow, bill

PS - Fun spam this morning... courtesy www.modcloth.com, here's a dandy outfit for that trip you're taking to the psychiatrist to up your meds.

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posted by williamt on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Sarah Palin, alternate universe

1. Air America Crashes
Tough week for the lefties.
  1. Health care wilting: Obama health plan in doubt
  2. Stock market crashes on Obama hating on the banks: Market plunges on Obama bank crackdown
  3. Yet another global warming oops: UN climate chief admits mistake on Himalayan glaciers warning
  4. And more symbolic than anything else... adios, leftie radio:
Air America Radio Closing
I don't think I've ever heard Air America, to be honest. I think they're in Chicago, but I don't know. I must say, however, if your claim to fame is Al Franken and Rachel Maddow used to work there... um, Houston, we have a problem.

2. Alternate Sarah
I saw Sarah Palin on FoxNews for the first time.
Sigh.
She's getting bad advice.

She was answering questions on what she does to relax. I'll paraphrase. Run. Hunt. Fish. Relax.
The friendly interviewer (O'Reilly) looked at her like she was an alien.
"So, you've got like a refrigerator full of animals you've hunted or something?"
"Yeah."

There's an alternate universe where Sarah Palin asks me for advice:
  • Stay as governor of Alaska. You can do that for 12 more flipping years, kick ass, and still be a young presidential candidate.
  • Sell your books. Make some $$$. Get paid to lecture. Make more $$$.
  • Don't be a FoxNews girl. Don't play the game for max cash... play the game for max longevity.
  • Stay in Alaska. Let the world come to you, rather than vice versa.
  • And guess what. If the world never comes calling... you've got millions of $$$, and a wonderful family and lifestyle.
Sarah Palin, now a correspondent for Fox News, will join John McCain in his Senate campaign in March. Photo / AP

Why the advice? Trolling with the media, even media friendly to you, for the cash... it's not good. Stay away from that. And Washington.
On Sarah Palin's course, she'll be consumed by the (fucked up) system surrounding her.
She's trading max $$$ for serenity, real accomplishment (as a governor), and (hopefully not) more.

I heart Sarah Palin.
peace out... yow, bill

PS - Throw this one into the fire: Jobless claims rise in latest week. The economy and employment turns on President Obama, then... yikes, it's gonna get ugly. I don't think (or hope) that that's going to happen though.

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posted by williamt on Thursday, January 21, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

New feature: Recipes

1. Some repub guy won!
So, some repub guy from MA won... hopefully stalling Crappy ObamaCare. I ought to trademark "Crappy ObamaCare (TM)". Who knows if this election is really important, but it certainly garnered the news spotlight last night.

The guy is Scott Brown. He had that great "the people's seat" tag line.
So, pretty big deal.
Pretty big Obama setback.
So, I invested 10 minutes in "legitimate" media.
CNN.
And CNN's coverage:
  1. The repub guy won.
  2. Showed some bizarre nearly naked photos of him from the 80's (no, I not kidding)
  3. Called the guy a few names, like "obscure", "inexperienced", "populist", etc
  4. Blamed the loss on the guy's dullard dem opponent, Marcia Coakley or something
CNN is the Fox News of the left. No diff.
MSNBC is so stupid, I don't think they call themselves a news channel any more. I don't think.

Oh and Teddy Kennedy... who's your Daddy, loser!

Ah, that felt good.
Anyway, I still believe, hook or crook, they're going to pass something. I mean they're not just going to flush the whole first year of hope and change down the crapper. Right, President Obama? Right!!!

2. Buffet QOTD
Warren Buffet, a big Obama guy, chimed in on President Obama's proposed bank tax.

QOTD
“Look at the damage Fannie and Freddie caused, and they were run by the Congress. Should they have a special tax on congressmen because they let this thing happen to Freddie and Fannie? I don’t think so.”
- Warren Buffet, source
Cha!

3. New feature: Recipes!
First off, my fave recipe site is www.allrecipes.com.
Here are my first two reviews.

Recipe: Lasagna Alfredo Rollups... recipe link
Review: 4 bill-stars... excellent!

YUMMY!
I had help from the beautiful and tiny M in preparing this bad boy. Fun fun fun.
Add more garlic next time, but it was great with red wine. Like everything else, I know.

Recipe: Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole... recipe link
Review: 3 bill-stars... very good!

Ty and I whipped this one up.
I need to spice it up a little, but it was a good start.
Ty had seconds! And didn't puke!
yow, bill

PS - I watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" again last night. 5 bill-stars. Wonderful!

PPS - That hot bikini girl is some actor's girlfriend. Who cares. He he.

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Self-interest

Self-interest #1 - PBS
PBS has a novel proposal... have the feds "bailout" media to the tune of $30B/year:

www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2010/20100118180116.aspx

This is one of the most "out there" QOTD's I can recall.

QOTD
“This is sort of the number a free society pays to have credible journalism”
- Dude, on giving $30B/year in taxpayer money to media, source
If I were gulping down some milk, it would have shot out my nose after that blooper.

Self-interest #2 - Teacher's Union

And my least favorite group that favors their own interest over (seemingly) anything... the teacher's unions.

This article describes the teacher's unions attempts to derail funding for charter schools in poor districts in New York City:

New York Fights Over Schools

Lowest of the low, the teacher's union guy uses special ed as why charter schools are successful. Easy solution... pull special ed money/costs out as a separate thing. You'll still see funding for public schools far out-pacing their private counterparts, while significantly under-performing.

Speaking of teacher, this little bikini girl (and teacher) actually has a story:

Teacher Moonlighting as Bikini Mate Cut Loose
excellent... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Nearly Null

QOTD
"My pictures are really old but it's about substance right?"
- fave (sarcastic) quote from a POF girl-fishie profile
That's all. Wrapping a good, productive MLK Day for me.

So, that's it... fun QOTD and bikini shot.
But what a bikini shot. Jeez.
yow, bill

PS - Oh yeah. Sorry, not buying the story line: charismatic MA repub wins Teddy Kennedy's seat (I mean, the people's seat vacated by Teddy Kennedy... he he!) tomorrow and then derails crappy ObamaCare. It's all made up. They're just selling newspapers, folks. The whole f'ing Obama train doesn't derail only 12 months in. ObamaCare will pass in some form; they don't much care about form at this point. It has to pass, so victory can be claimed, and claimed it will be. Done.

QOTD2
"I'm an Illinois boy. I've lived on both coasts for work, but moved back to Illinois for the weather and the view. LOL."
- my own humorous (cough) POF email to a girl-fishie

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posted by williamt on Monday, January 18, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Loser IL Repubs

Heard this one on the radio this morning...

QOTD

"Mark Kirk is not a pedophile.
But because he helped cover-up pedophilia...
Mark Kirk is a de facto pedophile."
- Andy Martin, radio ad against IL repub senate opponent Mark Kirk, source
Wile E. Coyote was perennial loser.
Um, the Washington Generals.
Who else?

Illinois republicans are losers too, it seems.
Who the hell is Andy Martin?
You got me, but how delusional do you have to be to run ads like this?
I guess earlier in the campaign Andy Martin tried to "out" Kirk. Whatever.

In closing, I humbly apologize to all coyotes and all past, current and future members of the Generals... they were losers, but they weren't assholes.
like andy martin... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Friday, January 15, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Prohibition 2010

1. Prohibition
Quick/interesting summary of the Prohibition era:

Prohibition: A Cautionary Tale

The spirit of prohibition, the religion and fanaticism of it, can be seen now in cigarette bans and global warming fanaticism, for example.

2. Run!
Guy who recommends running/exercising even more:

Why More May Even Be Better

I agree. But the problem is injury. If you run 5+ miles a day, you're talking replacing body parts (knee, hip, etc) in 20 years. Not good.

Also, a little padding (cough) is good in this cold weather.

3. Japan
I hope we're not Japan.
image887.png
Source: Crossing Wall Street blog

That's the picture. The stats are:
  • Japan peaked 20 years ago at about 39K
  • Today Japan is about 10K
Dop.
I don't think we're Japan.

4. Daddy

QOTD

"When faced with economic uncertainty, people don't want freedom. When they can't see their economic future, they want the nanny state."
- John McLaughlin, source
I hope McLaughlin is wrong.
I suspect he's not.
People want a Daddy... and if you've got a Daddy (e.g. a government check) you'll do anything and everything to keep them checks a-coming.
no daddy... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Monday, January 04, 2010 and has 0 comments


 

Christmas Fish

QOTD1
"Illness is the night side of life, a more onerous citizenship.
Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick."
- Susan Sontag
It sure seems that some (many?) need illness and adversity to realize what they have.
Count me out. I gots it all, and I know it.

QOTD2
"Calling Rapp a counterterrorism operative was essentially a polite way of ducking the truth. When everything was stripped away, the reality was that he was an assassin. He had killed, and killed often, for his country, and in his mind 9/11 was proof that he hadn't killed enough."
- Vince Flynn, "Memorial Day"
I heart these Mitch Rapp books.

QOTD3
"... we got 95 percent of what we called for"
- President Obama on the health care bill, source
This guy is a 3 dollar bill... bald-faced liar.
The economy better not turn south, ya tourist.

QOTD4
"My wife gives good headache."
- Rodney Dangerfield
He he.

QOTD5
"Everything you need to teach your fish amazing tricks."
- R2 Fish School, www.r2fishschool.com/
Kim39 got Ty a Christmas goldfish.
We're supposed to train him to play soccer and make toast.
Stay tuned.

Finally, XKCD has a good, nerdy Christmas strip: Christmas Plans

Merry Christmas.
yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

Al Gore's Poem

An instant holiday classic... just a minute and a half of goodness... the Al Gore global warming poem.

Al Gore Reads His Global Warming Poem

And here's the poem:

One thin September soon
A floating continent disappears
In midnight sun

Vapors rise as
Fever settles on an acid sea
Neptune's bones dissolve

Snow glides from the mountain
Ice fathers floods for a season
A hard rain comes quickly

Then dirt is parched
Kindling is placed in the forest
For the lightning's celebration

Unknown creatures
Take their leave, unmourned
Horsemen ready their stirrups

Passion seeks heroes and friends
The bell of the city
On the hill is rung

The shepherd cries
The hour of choosing has arrived
Here are your tools

QOTD
"Wow.
I'm so glad you read that.
I was, really, I'm very happy... I'm happy to hear it in your voice."
- CBS talking head fawning over Gore reading his poem
Dammit, that's funny.
smile... yow, bill

PS - And could socialized medicine be collapsing?!?!? Here's a Howard Dean rant... again... he he... get it? Dang, Santa, I hope you're out there. He he... I mean, ho ho.

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

Boffo Weekend WSJ

Boffo WSJ this weekend!

1. Warren Buffet peers into the abyss
A great summary article of the 2008 meltdown from Warren Buffet's perspective.

Buffet Looked Into the Abyss

QOTD1
"I bought my first stock in 1942, and this roller coaster surpassed anything that I've seen"
- Warren Buffet on 2008's crash of the financial system
I'll admit. I don't understand how Buffet is looking into the abyss in 2008, and then just a year later, nearly every economic indicator is (green-) shooting positive. This blog post is a great summary of that, BTW, with lot of tasty charts:

Key Economic Indicators Suggest the Worst is Behind Us

BTW, I know this will change at some point, but look how fucked up Berkshire Hathaway's web site it: www.berkshirehathaway.com. He he he. Reminds me of williamt.com a decade ago or so.

2. Health care radical improver
I heart this guy. Jonathon Bush, CEO of athenahealth. They're a hi-tech company bringing 21st century software products to health care practitioners.

I haven't read a better article summarizing the real answer to improving health care in the US: creativity, innovation, freedom, choice, competition. What a great article!

Health Care's Radical Improver

QOTD2
"If we feel like rich people should pay more for not-rich people's health insurance, that's fine. But just give them the money. It's [Obamacare] totally inefficient wealth redistribution because they can't get creative with it. They're not allowed by law to get creative with it."
- Jonathon Bush, CEO of athenahealth
Imagine applying the creativity and competition we see in the cell phone market, but to health care. Now, that's a solution! That's power!

3. Naked (and nonsensical) Copenhagen
To the pols and the media, global warming means tax hikes and greater governmental/centralized control of our economy. Here's an article by a guy, Richard Muller from Berkeley (oh my!), who believes in global warming (I think) and uses common sense to argue against nonsense like cap-and-trade or other carbon tax schemes in the US:

Naked Copenhagen

QOTD3
"But the bottom line is that 80% cuts in U.S. emissions will have only a tiny benefit. The bulk of our effort is best directed at helping the emerging economies conserve energy and move rapidly toward efficient solar, wind and nuclear power. Developing cheap carbon capture and sequestration is also a priority. Above all, we need to recognize that make-the-West-bear-the-burden Copenhagen proposals are meaningless."
- Richard Muller, Berkeley physics prof
Believe in global warming or not, the plan to raise taxes and increase the role of government here in the US to combat global warming is a canard.

Nice work WSJ. Excellent.
sunday morning, sunday music... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Sunday, December 13, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

Sarcastic Sacrifice

This is too delicious to pass up this morning.
It is big "news" when a US senator takes a commercial flight to the bogus global warming conference in Copenhagen.

Sen. Kerry Will Travel to Copenhagen Global Warming Summit by Commercial Airliner

And one of Tiger's girls protests...

QOTD
"I resent being put in the same category as the other women."
- Holly Sampson, porn star and Tiger girl
Ms. Sampson (right) wishes to rise above the fray because she only had sex with Tiger at his bachelor party.

OK.
Better than parody or sarcasm is when people expose their true character in their own words/actions. I will say, I still have the buxom Ms. Sampson higher on the character scale than Sen. Kerry. But that's an easy call.

I do, however, wonder... who has a greater impact on global warming? The senator or the porn star? Perhaps many, many research $$$ can find the answer to this important question.
he he... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Friday, December 11, 2009 and has 1 comments


 

Hi-YA!

1. Hi-YA!
Hey, President Obama is a karate brother. Hi-YA!

Source: O-bam-a! U.S. President shows off his martial arts skills on visit to South Korea

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posted by williamt on Friday, November 20, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

The Marines know

1. Fake Media
It feels like prohibition or something... we're mired in some stupid, nonsensical period that you figger has to end sooner or later. Hopefully, sooner.
This fake media nonsense has to end, right?
  1. Newsweek hit piece on Sarah Palin with a sexist photo on the cover: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091117/pl_ynews/ynews_pl984
  2. MSNBC uses fake Palin photos from the internet: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2009/11/13/msnbc-uses-fake-sexy-photos-sarah-palin-air-will-network-correct-apo
Newsweek and MSNBC are completely illegitimate. Hacks.
Not FoxNews, journalism with righty commentary. No. Complete hacks.

And where is the feminist left on these Palin attacks. The women's groups.
Oh yeah, forgot... the feminist left is a joke as well.

2. W, then Obama Video
I'll take my own, little-to-no substance, cheap shot.
W greets the Marines a ways back. Then, President Obama.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHz5tevLAw

I post this mostly because it's just a great video.
Also, it's jarring to hear W's forthright, heartfelt talk... stark contrast to the last 10 months.
yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

John Sullivan RIP 6 years

John Sullivan RIP... killed in Iraq 6 years ago today.

www.williamt.com/johnsullivan/index.htm

I can't believe it's been 6 years. Never forget, baby.


1. Dislike

I dislike Yahoo.

Yahoo circulates their "news stories" pretty frequently.
This IMPORTANT FUCKING BREAKING NEWS story has lasted almost 24 hours on their top 5 list of stories at www.yahoo.com.

FACT CHECK: Palin's book goes rogue on some facts

I have noted this phenomenon before: Arabs pooped rubies out of a flying pig's ass
Same old, same old... just so irritating to deal with these fakers.


2. Hate
I hate the AP.

Under the guise of a news service, the AP generates partisan BS like their little "FACT CHECK" (the caps are theirs) story above. The AP has 11 bogus "FACT CHECK" items. Here are my three favorite:
  1. Sarah claims frugality... FACT CHECK - she spent (brace yourself) $3,000 on a trip to NYNY as governor of Alaska.
  2. Sarah correctly attributes that President Obama said that cap and trade will cause electric bills to "skyrocket"... FACT CHECK - Obama has now changed his mind, sort of, on this and will give people some money to offset some of the, um, skyrocketing.
  3. Sarah dares to claim that she is in politics for altruistic reasons... FACT CHECK - AP proclaims this a lie as all politicians are only in it for the power and the dough. Oh, really. I'd like to read the AP article on what bullshit "hope and change" is and how the Obamas are merely interested in power and prestige.
AP, you fucking liars.
I don't mind the HuffPo, Daily Kos, MSNBC, or any other partisan venue for doing what they claim to do. But the AP claims to be a non-partisan news service.
That's an out and out lie. How's that for a FACT CHECK.
F U AP. Punks.

3. Love
I love Sarah Palin.

I have a Sarah Palin fantasy.
No, not that fantasy.

I'm talking about the fantasy where Palin isn't changed by all this fame and fortune. Where she doesn't bend to all the political advisers and talking heads and wannabes. Where she stays in your face and gives crappy interviews and doesn't water it down and keeps her goofy "Great White North meets Fargo" voice affectation. The one where she runs for president in 2012 against the current faker-tourist in the office just as herself... and rolls the dice.

But Sarah will change, if she hasn't already.
I'll wager that she'll be less creepy than the average pol, but she'll change.

And F U AP.
and thank you john... yow, bill

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posted by williamt on Saturday, November 14, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

Politically correct. Callous. A new level.

QOTD1
"Our diversity, not only in our Army, but in our country, is a strength. And as horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse."
- General George Casey, source
I am big military guy. I know General Casey ran the show in Iraq for a while.
I don't know a lot more about him, but buddy, if I'm president... you're fired.

Of course, I guess the guy's just saying what he thinks the president and people want to hear.
I guess. 13 people gunned down in cold blood by this murderer, and Casey is concerned about diversity and political correctness.

I don't personally know the level of tragedy and grief that the families of the 13 people who were killed are going through. But Casey's comment is one of the most callous quotes I've ever... just a head-shaker. Hard for me to even believe.

QOTD2
"I’m concerned that this increased speculation could cause a backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers. And I’ve asked our Army leaders to be on the lookout for that."
- General George Casey
You're on the lookout for a "backlash"?
How about a little attention to something like this never happening again?

You know, I guess I'm an ignoramus.
How many Muslims have been hunted down and killed in the streets of America by radical, racist Muslim-haters?
13?
Any?
Have you heard of a single case? In the 8 years since the 9/11 attack by Muslim terrorists, have you heard of a single case of a Muslim guy being pulled out of his house or car or whatever and killed by an angry mob of Muslim haters?
ONE FUCKING CASE!

No.

We need a word, an adjective, to describe when things in reality get substantially (hyperbolically) more ridiculous than an Ayn Rand novel.
I'll work on that... once I can clear my head of this new level of nonsense.
peace... yow, bill

PS - And yes, irony of ironies... Happy Veteran's Day
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_c4lI_RmcJrs/SqFRKwHBU9I/AAAAAAAACj0/I3ttGh_zsd0/s400/American+Flag+1.jpg

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posted by williamt on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 and has 0 comments


 

Bull market bikini

QOTD
"My attitude is, that since you are paying my salary as taxpayers, you should have health care that is at least as good as mine."
- President Obama, source
Um, actually President Obama, none of Medicare/Medicaid recipients will have health care as good as you and the members of Congress... your vaunted "public option" excludes your health insurance plan or the plan of any other federal employees. Funny how that works out.

Faker.

Bull Market Bikini
I should stop reading bear market blogs, but it's pretty much for entertainment purposes only. This is a classic whining, blathering post at one of them: The Distressing Tally. That Slope of Hope blog is like so many other bear blog offerings: when the market goes up, don't buy... just bitch about it. I prefer to ride the wave... up or down.

We're heading up, so I humbly present a bull market bikini.
sell higher... yow, bill

PS - Have you seen this crazy shit? I heard about these fancy, custom mouthguards watching some NFL game on the tube. What are these guys promising if you use their mouthguard? Oh just... "immediate improvement in posture, range of motion, flexibility, balance, and strength". OK.


www.makkaradvantage.com/what-is-ppm

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posted by williamt on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 and has 0 comments