Opinari.net
Opinari - Latin term for Opinion. Opinari.net is just what it seems: a cornucopia of rants, raves and poignant soliloquy. |
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Why Olbermann Should Go Back to Doing SportsCenter:
There is a reason Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show maintains its lowly place as the “Cable Show More Americans Avoid Than Any Other”.
From the Media Research Center:
Olbermann uses his podium to attack his non-liberal media competitors, especially FNC host Bill O’Reilly, whom Olbermann disparages as "the big giant head" or "Ted Baxter," the dim anchor from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. O’Reilly has been a target 42 times; in contrast, Olbermann has only badmouthed Saddam Hussein twice, most recently on Friday after learning that the ex-dictator’s "hunger strike" actually amounted to skipping only a single meal.
O’Reilly 42. Saddam 2.
When you air a segment ingeniously entitled “Worst Person in the World”, you really should consider your nominees better, even if your audience is mostly liberal. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
4:43 PM
Powerline Blog on the Star-Tribune and the liberal media double standard::
A DFL-endorsed Congressional candidate has publicly applauded cop-killers: Not a story!
Rush Limbaugh takes Viagra: Story!
Keep that in mind next time the liberal media self-righteously tell you that they have to blow the cover on the administration's anti-terror efforts because they're so concerned about the privacy rights of Americans.
I think that about sums it up.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:10 AM
Thursday, June 22, 2006
The most special time of my day is evening time, when I put my oldest son to bed. Each night, we read a few of his favorite stories, usually Clifford, Bob the Builder, Me and My Dad (my personal favorite), etc. Then we pray, usually for our family, his grandparents, and sometimes someone unexpected, like the dog, or an uncle.
Following that, we sing songs. "Jesus Loves Me" is almost always selected. This week, he started singing it himself, and he knows almost all the words, although he inevitably begins the song singing "Jesus loves me, yes and no." Heh. Then I put him down, cover him up, and tell him that I love him.
I don't know if other people have as much fun putting their kids to bed as I do mine. If they don't, that's too bad, because I always walk away smiling. It seems to make the stresses of the whole day melt away.
Ironically, I used to pray that God would give me the wisdom to show my son how to be a good Christian. It turns out that in reality, my son is showing me how to be. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
9:36 PM
Homeschooling and the “Nanny State”:
My wife and I are committed to homeschooling our kids. Our reasons for doing so are beyond the scope of this post. I bring up our intentions so that I can properly convey my anger at this article.
Read the beginning:
“In today’s Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen Bob Van de Voorde, the spokesman of Frank Vandenbroucke, the minister of Education, says:
“One of the conditions [for homeschooling] is that the homeschoolers must sign a document in which they promise to rear their children along the lines of the UN Convention on Children’s Rights. These parents have not done this. This is why the ministry has started an inquiry.”
The parents Mr Van de Voorde is referring to in the paper are my husband (TBJ editor Paul Belien) and myself. The “inquiry” is a threat to prosecute us.
Homeschooling is a constitutional right in Belgium. We have homeschooled four of our five children through high school. Only the youngest is still being homeschooled because the others are already at university. And yet, as if they have nothing better to do, the Belgian police and judiciary are conducting an “inquiry” into our homeschooling to see whether we “rear our children along the lines of the United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights.”
A promise to rear the children as per government declaration. As I assimilated that sentiment, I became incensed. How dare the EU intervene in the lives of these parents and make such ludicrous demands? This is a compelling reason to never live in the EU, and a more compelling reason for the US to avoid signing any international treaties espoused by the UN.
You see, if the USA were a signatory to this policy, no doubt American homeschoolers would be under similar fire. Never mind that I object to much of what is taught to school aged kids today. The fact that an international body can make such a demand infuriates me.
Read further and you will learn how homeschoolers are treated in Germany:
Since Adolf Hitler prohibited homeschooling in 1938, Germany is the worst place for homeschoolers in Europe. Many parents have already been fined, and even sent to jail. Last March a court in Hamburg sentenced a German father of six to a prison sentence of one week for homeschooling his children, while the children were forcibly sent to school by the police, who pick them up each morning. The father, a conservative Christian, had previously been sentenced to a fine of 1,500 euro, but this did not persuade him to stop homeschooling. The court did not imprison the mother, but said it would not hesitate to do so if the parents continue violating the law. The bill prohibiting homeschooling is one of the very few Nazi laws that are still on the books in Germany. Today other countries, such as Belgium, seem intent on copying Germany’s Nazi system, whilst invoking the UN Convention.
All of this is just a means to and end, that being the state maintaining control over as much of its citizenry as possible. Since homeschooling is anathema to statism, the end result is coercion and intimidation. In the US, in 2006, this would never happen. In the EU, it is apparently the norm.
There is a lot about the US and its current cultural and social climate to which I object. However, reading articles such as these make me grateful that I live in this country.
Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
5:10 PM
More IT Antics:
So we have a remote site in Alabama. They have a production schedule that ties into ours. Their production front-end application ties into our SQL Server. Hundreds of units per hour run through this system.
Our network requires both Novell and Windows authentication. Novell serves as, among other things, the controller for the domain. Remove Novell from your client machines, and you cannot access the network, ergo the database, ergo the production schedule.
For some unknown reason (I’m blaming some sort of religious epiphany), the sysadmin at the remote site, someone who obviously is overpaid and underqualified, decides that Novell is taking too much space on the client machines. So he/she/it removes the Novell client.
Bye, bye, network access.
Sayonara, database access.
Arrivederci, production schedule.
Idiots. If you can’t trust remote sites with desktop support, who can you trust? If this person was my son, and this was how he drove my car, I would lock the vehicle up in the garage and bury the keys in the backyard. Hell, I might even consider locking my son up in the garage.
Sigh. Today has been a day of repairing other people’s mistakes. The end of the day cannot come soon enough.
Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
3:41 PM
Voting His Conscience:
There are very few things I miss about Connecticut. My friends, the memories I have there, and my old job are just a few. One of the non-personal things I miss about the Nutmeg State is Joe Lieberman. Lieberman has never been one to give fiery motivational speeches. His antics are largely subdued and matter-of-fact. His politics sometimes lean more to the left than I would like.
However, I trust him as a statesman. I believe he has good, sound, rational judgment. I believe we need more Congressmen like him in Washington, even if they vote in ways I wouldn’t.
Today, Senator Lieberman voted against both of the Senate bills designed to establish a timetable for withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The Senator did so despite being in the extreme minority of Democrats on the issue. Furthermore, he did so all the while knowing his political future could be in jeopardy. Lieberman is being challenged by a pacifist candidate this election year. Many of his supporters are even trying to convince him to run as an independent because they fear he may lose the Democratic primary.
Still, Joe votes against the conventional wisdom of his party.
“I fear this amendment would not just underline the message the Iraqi leadership has clearly already received, accepted and shares - that America's military commitment to Iraq is not open-ended and unconditional. I fear that it would also send another message to our terrorist enemies and to the sectarian militias in Iraq, that America is not prepared to see this fight through until the Iraqis themselves can take over.
The war in Iraq, whatever one thinks of how we got there, is now a war of necessity, a war we must help the people of Iraq win or the security of we the people of America, our children and grandchildren, will be gravely endangered.”
Were I still residing in Connecticut, I would most certainly vote for this man. And, I believe that the citizens there would do themselves a great disservice if they do not re-elect him. Truly, the Congress needs more Liebermans and less Kerry-Feingold-Kennedys. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:43 PM
That Insidious Button:
As a public service, I am posting today about something that has seemingly taken over my employer. It is something that has taken over the hearts and minds of many of the staff members. It has affected both hourly and salaried, both American and international, both male and female. And it has shown no signs of being stopped.
But, today, here on this blog, I am going to announce to all the world how to avoid similar situations in your office. I am going to outline a process that could very well save your sanity.
So what is the “something” you may ask. Well, if you did ask, I’m glad you did. Here’s the “something:
The Reply to All Button.
Yes, thousands of emails are sent annually to people who don’t want them, don’t need them, and would love to avoid them. And why? Because some less than brainy individuals decided that it would be a good idea to reply to EVERYONE on a corporate mailing list. All it takes is one stellar individual to mistakenly Reply to All, and that spawns several more stellar individuals responding with such sentiments as “Please remove me from this mailing list” and “Stop sending these emails.” Before you know it, hundreds of myrmidons are hurriedly clicking, you guessed it, Reply to All, and tossing in their own commentary. Thus, we have an internal spam attack on our hands caused by the ineptitude of the wonderful user.
Five divisions. Dozens of central operations. Vendors and subcontractors in all fifty states, and seven countries. These are the destinations of the menacing emails. Just in the last two hours, twenty-three of these doozies have been sent from none other than Monterey, Mexico.
I beam with pride knowing how sophisticated our users are. I am tempted to respond to the sinister note myself by explaining how long it will take to clean up our already overworked Exchange servers, but that would be feeding the beast.
So, today, I am offering you this insight in hope that you can avoid such a debacle in your own organization. Simply do this. Do not click Reply to All. Ever. Under any circumstance. It is evil incarnate. Avoid it. The minuses far outweigh the plusses. And, if you’re feeling especially charitable, lobby your CIO/CFO to allocate extra funds for more Exchange servers. Odds are, if you have users like these, you’re going to need the hardware.
Thank you, and good day.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
8:58 AM
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Pay as you Go.
That sure sounds like a good mantra for reining in profligate spending in Washington, doesn’t it? Who can argue with the logic that you shouldn’t spend it unless you have it? Well, most Americans would agree with that in theory, but not in practice. If we did, very few people would own automobiles, and even fewer would own homes. We spend more than we make on a daily basis.
But instituting steadfast rules would surely limit how much the federal government can spend, right? Well, not according to a Wall Street Journal editorial:
.. in practice all they really do is constrain tax cuts, not new spending.
That's because paygo rules apply only to new or expanded entitlement programs, not to those that already exist and grow automatically with user demand. Thus spending for Medicare, growing this year at an astounding 15% annual rate, would continue to run on autopilot. Ditto for Medicaid. So-called "discretionary" programs (education, Defense) that Congress approves each year are also exempt. Democrats somehow forget to disclose that those notorious "earmarks" stuffed into spending bills are also exempt from paygo.
The real game here is to make tax cutting all but impossible. Under paygo, tax cuts must be offset with either other tax increases or entitlement cuts. This usually means pitting tax cuts against cuts in the likes of Medicare, which is a very hard political sale. Paygo rules are one reason the 2001 tax cut was so paltry and phased-in and thus economically ineffective. Had paygo still been in force, the 2003 tax cuts that have done so much to spur growth and increase federal revenues would never have passed.
Now, on a personal level, I can certainly limit what I spend on discretionary items, but if I chose to exempt some area of expenditure, I’m not really addressing the problem. The same holds true for the federal government. I’m all for paygo rules, as long as they are uniformly applied and enforced. As history tells us, they aren’t, nor will they be.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
4:14 PM
Now you can listen to your iTunes/podcasts while doin’ your business. Yippee!Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
3:07 PM
NBA Finals:
Well, since I’m a Texan now, I was really pulling for the Mavs to pull it out, but it didn’t happen. I’m simply going to make a few remarks about the series and then leave it at that.
- First of all, the NBA will never, ever, allow a Mark Cuban owned team to win a title if it can prevent it. I just believe that to be true. The guy says what he thinks, takes his medicine (fine), and goes on from there. Many in the Lone Star state are embarrassed by Cuban. I’m not. I think he has a point, and it’s frustrating not to be heard.
- Which gets me to my second point. How badly does the NBA want Dwyane Wade to be the next MJ? Badly enough that he got every possible call in the series. The number of foul shots this guy got was not only insane, but downright scandalous.
- Pat Riley. I’m not sure how great a coach he is, but I know one thing. He knows how to play the system. His offensive scheme is lethargic, and predictable. But that translates to wins in today’s NBA, especially if you can get to the line disproportionately.
- One final observation. I don’t really follow the NBA. I only watched a few games this season, and the NBA finals showed me exactly why I no longer watch. Not since Bird and Magic, The Doctor and Moses have I cared to watch much of what is called professional basketball these days. If only we could go back to that era.
Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:53 PM
Think North Korea is a fun place to live? Check out these photos.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
11:25 AM
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Darwin Award for Avians:
A funny thing happened to me on the way to work this morning. Alongside the highway, there was a large pile of roadkill of some sort, probably a deer. As I moved into another lane to avoid it, I glanced up and saw what was freakishly similar to the scene in “The Birds” where Tippi Hedron ducks into a phone booth to escape the avian onslaught. Making a beeline for the breakfast venison was a large crow, obviously famished to the point of distraction. His focus on his entrée was such that he failed to notice a rather ample sized pickup truck being guided by none other than yours truly entering his airspace.
Before I knew it, my windshield was introduced to the feathered beast. The scene was initially unnerving, seeing a creature collide with my window at a speed of at least 75 MPH (accounting for the fact that I did not even attempt to slow down, and the bird likely had a WTF moment and tried to slow down or swerve my vehicle). After regaining my composure after a few seconds, I looked back to see the crow launch into the air limply and plop down directly on top of his intended meal.
I checked the windshield, and there was no visible damage, so I continued on my way. A mile or so up the road, some cracker in an SUV decided to honk at me and give me two thumbs WAY UP. I can only assume making crows look like idiots is some sort of sport in these parts.
Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
5:07 PM
Have you ever been listening to the radio and wondered “What’s the name of that song?” Or maybe thought “I wonder who sings that tune?” Well, mobile users can now access a WAP application at mobile.yes.com. You can even search back in time for a prior song. My wife determined that her ride home consisted of “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “The Joker” and “What it Takes”. Of course, the mobile app doesn’t account for musical taste. Heh.
An aside: My wife doesn’t want my oldest to know about the content of the aforementioned Motley Crue song, so she refers to it as “Squirrels, Squirrels, Squirrels”. She says my son likes the motorcycle revving during the intro. I found her choice of nomenclature to be quite amusing.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
4:53 PM
After hearing about the bodies of two young servicemen being discovered in Iraq, and after hearing that they had been visibly tortured, this is the comment that I made to my wife:
Funny how we can treat Muslim prisoners decently and get chastised in the media, but nary a peep comes from them when two of our fighting boys are found dead and visibly tortured. I’m so sick of moral equivalence, and even sicker of a complicit media.
No thinking person can equate “atrocities” at Gitmo and Abu Ghraib with the antics of the barbarians who capture, torture and kill soldiers, and who seek refuge behind their women and children. How our media and the American left can continue to make such comparisons is beyond me.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
4:46 PM
Technobabble:
Ever since the advent of iTunes, I have stayed away from them like the plague. Why? Because I hate being locked into a proprietary medium, and I hate that I cannot use the purchased product as I choose. For example, if I want to view my iTunes video on my Treo, I have a real problem.
In the past, I just used bitTorrent to download DivX files and watch them on the PC. I could use Kinoma Producer to encode them into compatible formats for my Treo’s Kinoma Player, and I would be set for trips. The problem is that I don’t like wasting hours ripping files into MP4 format. I should be able to download an iTunes MP4 and watch it on my Treo without the hassle. Right?
Well, now I’m one step closer.
I broke down and downloaded two iTunes videos, South Park’s “manbearpig”, and CNBC’s Jim Cramer (who I find utterly entertaining) for viewing on my PC. However, I flat refuse to buy a video iPod, and I have a perfectly good Treo 650. So I decided to try a little app called TuneBite to record my iTunes into a DRMless MP4. The CNBC podcast is already DRMless, so I was one step ahead of where I wanted to be.
Then the trouble came.
It turns out that iTunes is encoded in H.264, which is not part of Kinoma Player, which means, yes, I could not view my MP4 files in what I thought was a perfectly good MP4 viewer.
And here is where I went against the grain again. I normally avoid open source apps, simply because I have had bad experiences with them. But I decided to try a little Palm OS app called TCPMP and it puts the proprietary Kinoma software to shame. More importantly, it contains an H.264 codec. Not only that, but I can watch DivX/XviD/M4V files to my heart’s content.
So if you are a Treo owner like me, and you would like access to iTunes content without requiring a second device, I highly recommend TuneBite, TCPMP, a high capacity SD card, and an external card reader.
Now, I’m off to lunch with my wife and kids. I think I’ll watch South Park while I’m waiting on them. (Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:18 PM
Monday, June 19, 2006
There is an interesting discussion going on in a Knoxviews post about Al Gore’s new flick, “An Inconvenient Truth”. Now, I’m no climatologist – of course, neither is Al, but that’s not stopping him, however, that’s beside the point – but it seems to me that the debate shouldn’t be about the presence of global warming.
Although, there is ample evidence that the global climate has changed in the last several decades, the more relevant question is how much of that change is anthropogenic, and how much is related to solar activity. Environmentalists instinctively want to blame the Western world for all of the ills of mankind. Some even want to blame the Bush administration, as the Katrina hysteria showed. However, I think that the jury is still out on how the industrial lifestyle has affected climate. In fact, I seem to recall a study that was done not too long ago that directly correlated sunspot activity with mean global temperature. (I’ll link to it if I can find it.) If that is true, it seems to me that man’s contribution to climate change is minimal at best.
My point is that even decades of data aren’t enough to satisfactorily answer the question of anthropogenic versus solar contribution to global warming. In fact, the absence of unqualified proof of anthropogenic global warming is enough for me to be dead set against initiatives such as Kyoto. With such uncertainty, there is no reason for us to ruin global economies just to gain what are assuredly nominal changes in carbon gas emissions. And there is no reason for sensible people to give Al Gore a platform for his environmental policies.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:15 PM
Sunday, June 18, 2006
A Father's Day Ode:
"See those fans, Daddy... Like those fans at our house!"
"See the truck. It's dirty!"
"Daddy, we're going to Lowes!"
"Daddy, last night, the silence wake me up!"
These are the phrases of my oldest son, on Father's Day. And today, I couldn't be happier.
Most people blogging about Father's Day are probably writing about their dads in some way. Well, today, instead, I'm going to write about my kids.
My oldest keeps growing, maturing almost daily. He sees things around him that fascinate him that most of us would see as mundane. Yesterday he watched a spider subdue an ant. He learned firsthand about the order of nature. These are things I would have never looked at before. My son makes me see things differently. He can be both fatiguing and energizing. He has required more of me than anything I have encountered prior to now in my life.
My youngest is but a babe, a wee one in the midst of larger humans. He is loud, just like his brother. He has an insatiable curiosity, just like his brother. He possesses the same ironic feature as his older sibling - he both motivates me, and drives me to tears.
And you know what? I love them infinitely, and wouldn't trade where I am now for anything on God's great earth.
Because of them, Father's Day is the most special day of the summer to me. It reminds me that I have been given a gift, and a responsibility. It reminds me that I have more fortune in two tiny lives than I could ever have in money, or fame. It reminds me of how grateful I am that I met my beautiful wife, and how blessed I am to have watched her give birth to these little boys.
On this Father's Day, it isn't about me, the father of my sons. It is about them, Ethan and Aidan. To them, I say "Thank you for being my boys. I love you both."
And to those of you out there who are fathers, I hope you realize how lucky you are. So go find your kids, if they haven't found you already. Give them a hug, and tell them how much you love them. Remember, without them, you wouldn't be a father in the first place.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:44 PM
Friday, June 09, 2006
Zarqawi speaks from beyond. WARNING: Vulgarity alert, but oh, so funny.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:42 PM
Another thing about these SQL Server classes... They aren't cheap. For 5 days, the tuition per seat is close to $3000.
So anyway, there's this kid next to me, a self-proclaimed "network analyst", who has done nothing but play Solitaire and Minesweeper.
$3000 for a day of time-killers.
I'm sure his employer would be proud that their money was spent so effectively. (Interestingly enough, his employer is in the public sector. Somehow, that doesn't inspire confidence in taxpayer-funded institutions.)Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
11:30 AM
This week's work agenda has consisted of intensive SQL administration training. One student in particular just makes me laugh out loud.
One exchange with the instructor:
Student: So I was wondering what effect load balancing would have on my production servers.
Instructor: I cannot answer that without knowing more about your servers.
Student: Oh.
- pause -
Student: Well, I was just wondering what effect load balancing would have on my production server.
These conversations have happened daily. You can see the frustration on the instructor's face. The student just cannot understand that the instructor cannot, or will not, answer his question. I keep hoping that the instructor will give him a convoluted response just to satisfy him.
Student: So I was wondering what effect load balancing would have on my production servers.
Instructor: Yes! In fact, it might even save you money on your car insurance!
Student: Wow! Really? That's the best news I've had all day.
Maybe that sort of answer would be sufficient, because obviously "I don't know" isn't working.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:48 AM
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Hyperbole of the Week:
Brooke Anderson - "Not since Jesus has a baby's arrival been so eagerly anticipated..."
This about Brad and Angelina's baby.
Please.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:34 PM
Here in East Texas, we have a little public works project called Loop 49 that is supposed to help with congestion in an ever growing Smith County. Because of the amount of time it will cut off any driving to the Dallas Metroplex, I'm all for the project.
The new Loop will also be a toll road. While I am generally anti-tax, I am usually a supporter of user fees. I think tolls encourage responsible use of thoroughfares, plus they help to pay for maintenance costs.
This August, the first section of the Loop is scheduled to open. The new Loop will not be a toll road until November.
Now, all of this is well and good, but what really frosts me is that the public officials have decided to have a parade celebrating its opening. That's right, a parade.
So why does this perturb me so? Because I think it takes a lot of nerve to fund a road with tolls under the assumption that we cannot afford to fund it publicly, and then turn around and take money out of the public coffers to give yourself a big pat on the back.
Why not just use the money for something more productive, like paving some of the spurs along the inner loop? Or for paying someone to come out and repair the road sign that marks the entry to my neighborhood?
Furthermore, the parade route will be along US Highway 69. This route accommodates 15,000 cars per day or more. And it's darn near the only way into town. In fact, the new Loop is being touted as a means of bifurcating traffic flow along 69.
And so, to celebrate the logic of a new route, our county officials have decided to shut down traffic temporarily that day and have a block party. Smooth move, guys.
I have a better idea. Open the loop. Advertise its opening in the paper. Write an op-ed touting its use. And use the party money elsewhere.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:26 PM
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
The Anti-Green Thumb:
It's hot here in Texas. Mighty hot. People say that the growing season is long, and lawns, with the proper care, can be lush and green. Well, I wouldn't know. That is, except for my neighbor's lawn which looks like a piece of artificial turf.
I just don't get it. I applied the recommended amount of weed-and-feed to the lawn at the proper interval. I water the area the same duration as everyone else. I fertilized when growing season started. I mow and trim and pull weeds and...
Sigh.
It just isn't happening for me. I've been on this property for 11 months. The lawn still looks like a splotchy montage of yellow, brown, and green. The shaded areas are lush. The areas that get sunlight are... well, not. I suppose that means I should put St. Augustine sunscreen on my sod, but I doubt it will help any.
I have a theory though. I think my neighbor is benefitting from my irrigation techniques because his lawn is below mine. I theorize that my water is just running off into his lawn. That's got to be it.
Sigh.
Oh, and don't get me started about my tree. Apparently the builder uses hired help instead of a landscaping company to do the planting. Nearly a year later, my tree in the front yard resembled the old Christmas tree from the Peanuts' special. Well, the wife and I decided not to rely on the builder to replace it. We picked up a nice, robust pecan tree and planted it with care.
Will it grow? Given my track record, likely not. I'm guessing I'll be looking at a vertical post protruding from my yard, sans leaves, of course. If I wasn't so cheap, I'd hire a professional.
Green thumb. Bah. Who needs one?Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
9:40 PM
Today's forecast here in East Texas says "Sunny. Hot. High of 95°." Tomorrow's forecast says "Sunny. Hot. Sultry. High of 96°."
Unbeknownst to me, I have discovered the definition of sultry.
Sultry - the condition of being at or above 96° F.
Who knew?Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
8:53 AM
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Major League Baseball apparently has a sense of humor. Tonight, on June 6, 2006 (6/6/6), the Devil Rays play the Angels. Let laughter ensue. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:09 PM
Friday, June 02, 2006
Today, an editorial in my newspaper of choice, the Dallas Morning News, ends like this:
This leadership vacuum is not going to be filled before the fall campaign, and there's little evidence at this early date that the Democrats have settled on a compelling agenda to set them apart decisively from the GOP.
"Had enough?" might simply have to be enough this year. It won't be for 2008.
This is exactly the point I have tried to make with all of my Democratic friends. As a voter, I need to align myself with something, not align myself against something. I want a coherent message; something which can be followed.
I have never voted for a Bush for President. I probably wouldn’t in 2008 either. I believe the president has been wrong on a number of things. From a policy perspective, I think the executive branch has dropped the ball on many things: school reform, government-funded prescription drugs for seniors, and immigration come immediately to mind. Furthermore, the president and his lieutenants have failed to advance important planks in their agenda, such as entitlement reform.
Many voters like me would gravitate to an alternative were one to present itself. Like the News, I believe that none exists. I don’t see the demonization of the oil companies and the advocacy of a minimum wage increase as election-pivoting issues.
What’s important to me as a voter is an agenda that rests upon sensible, growth-oriented tax and fiscal policies, a consistent, tough national security stance, and fair immigration reform. It is upon these issues that my vote will hinge.
Ironically, I’m not sure the Republican Party is up to these challenges. Certainly there has been no movement on reforming the alternative tax. Certainly, frugality has not been one of this Congress’ virtues. I’m not always sure where the current incarnation of the federal government stands on security policy either. (Note to Washington: creating a bureaucracy to address security issues was a bad idea.) And debating the administration’s immigration policy is a whole new post.
But are the Democrats any different? Would things improve with Speaker Pelosi or Majority Leader Reid? Are you joking? A 2006 Democratic legislature would consist of one goal: undermining President Bush. That seems to be the Democrat’s raison d’etre. And quite frankly, I don’t find that to be a compelling reason to change elected officials.
So maybe I’ll hold my nose and vote GOP this time. Or maybe I will take a flyer on an independent party. At this point, the only truth that is evident is this: “had enough” is not enough.
Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:52 PM
| |
Recommended Reading
|
