January 31st, 2009 by Max
“There are no good Irish restaurants! Its a whole race of people that can’t cook. Its no wonder we left The Island! Our most famous meal is corned beef and cabbage and like every other Irish meal that’s just thrown in a pot of water and boiled till all the taste is out of it” – Again not a direct quote. There’s some long number of years in between then and now, and I heard this second hand. Its not testimony … however …
I was raised by an Irish mother. I went to school with PA LENTY of Irish Catholics. Most said they loved Corned Beef and Cabbage. I always doubted it. I never remember eating at the home of an Irish friend where I loved the food.
I know I’m going out on an “ethnic stereotype” limb. Sue me!
The retelling of the Irish food joke is still one of those memories. And no matter how many times I repeat or rephrase it, with whatever variations that I may add, the memory is more enjoyable than the retelling. Even if I am now the one that’s getting the laughs!
I think of Mr Crane as a man of wisdom, and I don’t think I ever even met him.
Posted in Other People's Theories | 2 Comments »
January 30th, 2009 by Max
I never met my old roommate’s dad.
From time to time I still ponder a couple of gems, that came my way from Mr Crane, via the roommie. Today’s lesson … ?
Women always get what they want.
They don’t always know what they want! But … and this is not a quote …
What they end up with – that’s what they wanted.
[Now don't go yelling. No one is talking about abuse here.]
Posted in Other People's Theories | 3 Comments »
January 30th, 2009 by Max
Car adds run all year around. Beer adds and Drug adds run all year too. Between now and the superbowl, check out all the food adds!
Posted in Economics | No Comments »
January 29th, 2009 by Max
One of my favorite stories, and a telling story about me, is when my Uncle, [my mother's brother] and my Dad took a drive to the lake. [Everyone says I take after the Unc's side of the family (but then that's another story). Its telling because these two represent both sides of me.]
Its not about the lake or that drive really.
Now I miss my Uncle very much, despite his impatience and stubbornness and general Donohue-ish-ness. He meant well and we were buds. He was an accountant and a realtor and a conservative. But like I said we were buds!
And I love my Dad. My dad is soft spoken, gentle, smart – NON political! He doesn’t tell people what to think, but he thinks.
So they were getting into the Unc’s small American pickup, to take Dad to the Unc’s cottage to do a little work.
Unc: You don’t mind if I put on Rush Limbaugh do you?
Dad: That old windbag???
And then they stumbled through
“I can change it”
“No play what you want, I don’t care”
Neither wanting to offend the other.
I truly miss my Uncle. But I love my Dad!
—
It didn’t surprise me when The Fat Fascist said that he wanted Obama to fail.
Dear Ole Dad thinks highly of this President. Right now, I think even the Unc would agree with Dad.
Posted in Politics | No Comments »
January 29th, 2009 by Max
Jon and Scott of TTN podcast http://www.totaltalknonsense.com/ have a name for the new pope. Now bein’ an ex or shall we say lapsed Catholic, I have a special place in my heart for the Church. I kinda liked JP2. He seemed humble, hard working and rational [if a little strict]. So when I heard that there was an ex-Hitler youth in the running for the job, after the death of JP2, I thought “Pick the black guy!” and “Just don’t pick the Nazi!” But alas as white smoke came pouring out, and the famous “Habemous Papam!” was heard, I sighed.
But I was still not comfortable with calling the man … Pope Bein’ A Dick … till today!
Pope Bein’ A Dick un-excommunicated 4 Bishops, one of whom … now get this … DENIES THE HOLOCOST HAPPENED! Now the Jews think he’s a fascist. The Muslims hated him from last year [when he said somethin' about them being evil, I forget what] and all the good work done by John Paul II, to make amends for years of less than godlike papal behavior go straight out the window!
So much for all the good will of JP2. So much … for not bein’ a dick!
Posted in Max's Theories, Other People's Theories | 1 Comment »
January 27th, 2009 by Max
folks. Its cold. Behind the dam the water is frozen though the river is still running. The nest that was abandoned last year, seems to have a new couple … and … they seem to have a kid. Izzat possilbe?
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Beautiful day, this is right by the nest.
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There they are in opposite corners
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I think its an eagle. Its from behind and across the river.
Posted in My New York, Photos | 1 Comment »
January 27th, 2009 by Max
On a scale of natural disasters, last night was a tremor. Plus I still have my job, which puts me ahead of 20,000 people at Caterpillar and another 184 who work for the same company that I do.
But when its January. Its cold. And when you’ve already had a “pipes bursting” disaster in the house you bought 4 years ago, it can be a bit eerie when you walk into the house and the temperature is 48.
1 $90 handyman visit and a night getting off the couch every 15 minutes to restart the furance and the erieness is gone. An 88 cent sensor and the cats are warm again. The pipes the pipes are no longer calling.
Come to think of it, it wasn’t natural, and it wasn’t a disaster … but it still sucked!
Posted in Economics, Max's Theories | No Comments »
January 26th, 2009 by Max
President Barak Obama instituted some strict new ethics rules the other day. No one, who was in his administration, can lobby his administration if they leave – for the rest of the term. Good stuff. Obvious stuff. And long overdue.
He also said that no registered lobbyist, will be hired by his administration, to work in the area that they had lobbied, for 2 years. More good stuff. “Ever” would have been better. But this is good. WAY better than anything we had [I believe] for many a year.
Into this steps the president’s choice of Raytheon lobbyist William J. Lynn to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense.
“Given the President’s new stricter rules requiring his appointees to recuse themselves from matters or issues on which they have lobbied, the Senate Armed Services Committee will need further information before proceeding” with Lynn’s nomination, [Michigan Senator Carl] Levin said in a statement.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday that “even the toughest rules require reasonable exceptions,” and that Lynn was “uniquely qualified. . . to serve the public interest in these critical times.”
This guy will control 200 billion in defense spending dollars says ABC news.
Its too early to bail on my guy Obama, but, I had a canary when W. put all industry insiders, especially oil industry insiders, and his cronies, in positions that were intended to serve the public good.
I need to point a skeptical finger at this appointment.
Still Obama’s got a million miles of good road, before he starts walking in the footsteps of the W.
Posted in Politics | No Comments »
January 26th, 2009 by Max
Did you notice on Inauguration Day, that almost everyone was wearing purple ties, or a splash of purple somewhere? Obama has said that this isn’t a red state country or a blue state country its a purple country. He wore a nice purple scarf to emphasise bipartisanship.
I watched a bunch of Sunday political talk shows yesterday. Didn’t see any purple.
Posted in Politics, Social Commentaries | No Comments »
January 24th, 2009 by Max
Here’s my latest take on LOST:
It appears that Locke is right, and that faith is the answer. The only way that the world can be right again, is if the Oceanic 6 have faith in the Island. They show this by going back!
It looks like faith is winning. Locke is Jesus after all! And he will be coming back from the dead
But its really science, because Dr Jack saves the world by bringing the Oceanic 6 back to the Island. The thing of it is, is, he HAS to save the Island because he DID save the Island because he did and science can prove it. And we have Dr Faraday (great name btw) for that. Space time must do what we need to have done, because it was already done in space time. He already HAS saved the world.
Ego science wins QED!
But they’ll wimp out and say that the science proves the faith and faith proves the science.
Posted in Arts, LOST | 3 Comments »
January 23rd, 2009 by Max
Come on ... its funny!
Posted in Arts | No Comments »
January 22nd, 2009 by Max
I was surprised, at the level of emotion from the African American’s I saw being interviewed this week at the inauguration. Its like they didn’t think we would vote for a black person.
Then I realized. They were surpised too.
We did!
Posted in Changes in the World In My Lifetime, Politics | No Comments »
January 22nd, 2009 by Max
I’d almost forgotten all about it. I watched the retrospective with what I assume was Damon Lindlehoff and JJ Abrams talking about the previous and upcoming seasons. It made things clearer.
So now I think I get it that:
Ben is the one that put the wreckage at the bottom of the ocean. Maybe he used dead Dharma people. And that his daughter wasn’t really supposde to get killed and that Sayid will regret the day he started working for Ben.
That Widmire really has the best interests of the island at heart (guess) and that he will eventually get our friends off the island by taking it out of the ‘skipping’ that’s going on but that they really do have to go back.
The producers said that this would be a season of much more action and story resolution.
But right now we know that Linus has to get all the people together in the next 70 hours which will be tough because they’re still resistance and separated. And that when they do all get on a plane (naturally) to get to the Island, the next problem will be finding it!
So TELL me. What don’t I get?
I’m a loyal LOST watcher – but I’d watch Kate if she wasn’t doing anything. I like the characters. With time and obfuscation, sometimes I’ve Lost the plot.
What you YOU think? What am I missing?
Posted in Arts, LOST | 2 Comments »
January 20th, 2009 by Max
[from Barack Obama's inaugural address today]
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
…
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
…
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
…
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive… that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”
Posted in Changes in the World In My Lifetime, Other People's Theories, Politics, Social Commentaries | No Comments »
January 19th, 2009 by Max
I listened to a bit of C-SPAN today. The question was, what would you like to hear President Elect Obama say in his inaugural Address on Tuesday. The responses were woeful. At least in the aspect of answering the question. Mostly the people who called in were hopeful. They spoke of how excited they were for this coming day.
One person said Obama was a terrorist and he hated him.
It is an imperfect union, that we live in.
As for myself, I would like it to be a big dream, with dignity and challenge for something from each of us, for all of us. I’m looking for a Kennedy-esque speech which raises hopes and hearts. I think Social Security reform, by a graduated extension of retirement years might be a huge challenge to us all. And it may help save the economy. Anyone under 60, might be asked to work another year. Anyone under 30, may not retire till they’re 67 perhaps. After all when the retirement age was set at 65, American’s only lived to 63!
I want to hear how we will not buy oil from our enemies within ten years. What a change to the world that would bring. It would be ok with me, if we counted the Saudis among those.
I would like to hear that we will supply the electrical grid with all the power America needs, from sunlight in the desert!
I want a theme, like the New Deal, the Great Society and the New Frontier.
At the very least, I want to hear a New Hope, or New Justice or perhaps a New Beginning. I want a great speech.
Candidate Obama once said that America’s original sin was slavery and of course he was right. During a time of such promise, as was the writing of our constitution, that those brilliant men could overlook such an injustice, proves the imperfections of even the great among us.
But Obama has tried to reach out to all segments of America, and to truly unite us, not merely speak to that. ideal. I think he can help this country, once again, feel united, as I believe FDR did. As Martin Luther King hoped for and of which he so eloquently spoke. I know that black America has a special affection for Obama, but we all need him. We need him for the dream, and we need him for the good job I think that he will do.
If he cannot complete, the pragmatic improvements to our economy and our reputation in the world – some of our hopes will have been in vain.
So my fellow Americans, let us hope. Let us hope the hope of a people who need a spiritual moral and constructive rebirth. A new beginning where all boats are lifted, and all of our most peaceful and prosperous dreams, sail successfully into the New Dawn of a truly New America.
Posted in Politics, Social Commentaries | No Comments »
January 18th, 2009 by Max
My last rant on Bush
Ok. I’ll get into the celebration after this, but I’m not finished with my say on the perils and down right depravity, the unconstitutional and the strangely not right, policies and practices of the George W Bush – Dick Cheney debacle that was the last 8 years. I’m going to rant, and I only hope that I can remember all of the things that they did that were so destructive to my beautiful, my almost perfect constitution. Then I’ll celebrate like the rest of the world!
First. They should have been impeached. Here’s why, as well as I can remember, and only from what I know. There’s more. Particularly with Cheney and his own miracle “treat as classified” stamp. This stamp. Which is so outrageous, makes me wonder if we’ll ever know all of the mischief that he has done. This stamp, the human sized safe in his office, and the usurpation of the powers of the president as presented in the Washington Post and in the book “Angler” make me think that the only way we’ll ever know all of the mischief that Cheney has perpetrated, is if he had been impeached. He should have been. His secret meeting on the first week he was in the white house – oh excuse me – the first week he was vice president, with all the “oil” leaders of the country including Enron, would probably provide a map to Baghdad. I want those meeting notes. I want what’s in that safe. I want him arrested for the drunken shooting of his friend while hunting. And of course, I want him impeached for the Alberto Gonzalez/Andrew Card mission to sneak John Ashcroft’s signature for an illegal wiretapping procedure.
“Mr. Comey [acting attorney general while Ashcroft was in a hospital ICU] said that on the evening of March 10, 2004, Mr. Gonzales and Andrew H. Card Jr., then Mr. Bush’s chief of staff, tried to bypass him by secretly visiting Mr. Ashcroft. Mr. Ashcroft was extremely ill and disoriented, Mr. Comey said, and his wife had forbidden any visitors.”
The May 16, 2007 issue of the New York Times continues …
“Mr. Comey knew that other top officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, wanted to continue the program.”
Cheney sent those weasels on a mission to get the signature of Ashcroft, who was technically not allowed to give it. The noted Conservative Ashcroft – actually, heroically refused to sign a document he believed was illegal and send Gonzalez and Card packing. My hero, John Ashcroft!
During all this, Cheney was acting without the authorization of Bush, but he told Card and Gonzalez that he had received that authorization. Liar!
Now. As to Bush.
Mr. Paul O’Neil wrote in his book that this administration was planning from the first week in power, on going to war in Iraq. The Bush Doctrine, as we all now know, was that pre-emptive war was acceptable to prevent a war. War for peace. George fucking Orwell!
Bush should have been impeached for the Bush Doctrine. He should have been impeached for starting a war where there was no justification in fact – though the war was sold – no – marketed to the American people as necessary and inevitable. None of which was ever true. If Bill Clinton was impeached for lying under oath about a personal matter that impacted the nation to the most minimal degree, then lying to the people, and to the Congress, and yes, withholding information from Congress [a lie of omission as they taught us in Catholic School] rises to the level of highest of crimes!
And that’s just the beginning.
These signing statements. Where Bush said that the law says the sky is blue, but I’m going to interpret that to mean the sky is red – those must be made illegal. It is up to the president to interpret the laws (that’s for the court). He is not allowed to make law by writing a statement at a signing ceremony (That’s for the Congress). If its not impeachable – it should be. Its certainly not constitutional. He was all branches of Government! A total usurpation of Article I and Article III of the United States Constitution. This much damage could never have been done to the Constitution by any small group of terrorists. Plus …
He’s a moron. Really. Come on. He can’t make a complete sentence in his native language. Admit it. He’s a moron. Then how did he take so much power you ask? Cheney told him what to do, or just did it himself! Bush couldn’t have done this on his own. C.f. “The Idiot” from Salon magazine.
He claims to be “Pro Life” but shouldn’t that include the lives of American Soldiers and Iraqi civilians? I won’t quibble with the war in Afghanistan, from which we were attacked – though in truth, we were attacked by the Bush Family friends, the Saudis. We should have gone to war with the Saudi’s. Cheney could have taken their oil! But wait. The Saudis are our friends right? Well, no, not really, they’ve just cut oil production so that American gas prices will go up. But they are longtime friends with the Bush family.
He should be impeached, for saying “Oh really?” When he was told that the price of gasoline in this country was about to hit $4 a gallon. He was too stupid to realize that this was an unbearable tax on the average American, and that it would soon damage the economy in a real and substantial way. He could have released part of the Strategic Oil Reserve [created btw, by Jimmy Carter for just such a circumstance] but instead he said he believed in the “free market”. He didn’t realize that his friends at Morgan Stanley were artificially controlling the price of oil by messing in the oil futures market. Investment banks interests in oil futures increased by an order of magnitude compared to anything ever before. He also couldn’t understand that OPEC was a cartel. Cartels are illegal in this country. Proof that the “free market” didn’t play here.
He his lieutenant (Henry Paulson) asks for government money to bailout those private banks to the tune of 700 billion dollars – now he’s ready to intervene in the free market. No consistency. No integrity. Just expediency. He’s destroyed the American economy. Actually, that was being done already when he spent so much American treasure on a war we shouldn’t have started, and where we simply LOST billions of dollars, borrowed billions more for it, and most outrageously, took it off budget so that it didn’t appear as an expense in the budget. I’d like to not have to account for my oil bill this winter! “Sorry, its off budget!”
Katrina!
Mission Accomplished!
Gitmo!
Extraordinary Rendition!
Torture!
Yes. I’m going to say that twice, because he said “The United States Doesn’t Torture!”, while we were torturing people! Torture! We tried Japanese soldiers for doing this – He calls it harsh techniques. The United States has prosecuted these same techniques as torture in the past. Not to mention that they played the “Barney” song all day for people who were chained hand and foot to the floor in cold rooms with little clothing for 20 days at a time! You sit there for that long with your hands and feet bound and in the cold and listening to the sing song voice of Barney singing “I Love You, You Love Me” and tell me that you wouldn’t confess to killing JFK or MLK or fucking Abraham Lincoln just to make it stop!!!
SUSPENDING THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS – or at least trying to! Many American’s don’t understand this, but it is, perhaps, their greatest constitutional protection. Yes Lincoln suspended it. Mr. Bush. You are no Abraham Lincoln!
“Ordering and authorizing the Attorney General to override judicial orders of release of detainees under INS jurisdiction, even where the judicial officer after full hearing determines a detainee is wrongfully held by the government.
Authorizing secret military tribunals and summary execution of persons who are not citizens who are designated solely at the discretion of the Executive who acts as indicting official, prosecutor and as the only avenue of appellate relief.” – from Ramsey Clarks article’s of impeachment.
HAMDAN!
He’s lost every time he’s gone to the Supreme Court except when Scalia appointed him in the first place in a ridiculous ruling that state that it was a one time event and held no precedent. That’s like calling time out in kickball, while the ball is still in the air!
The fact that the war effectively began with an air campaign nearly a year before the March 2003 invasion and months before Congressional approval for the use of force. In the book US V. Bush et al, Elizabeth de la Vega proves that Bush should have been impeached for authorizing air attacks, before military force was authorized by Congress, which attacks would be likely to kill more than 8 civilians. This requires General Staff authorization so there are documents to prove this happened a year before the March 2003 initiation of the war and before the Congressional Authorization of the use of force.
The Downing Street Memo …
“C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.”
I have a guess who “C” is.
These bastards were hell bent for war.
He didn’t even know there were two kinds of Muslims (there’s more, but let’s keep it simple) and that the minority controlled the majority in Iraq.
Bin Laden lives! The worst terrorist attack in US History. Billions spent. Thousands and Hundreds of thousands killed, a wrecked economy. More terrorists than ever and he’s not even captured the guy responsible for 7 years. Incompetence. But not by our military. George took his eye off the prize.
Oh yeah, and one more thing. September 11th! Remember the presidential daily briefing of August 6th 2001? “Bin Laden determined to attack inside the United States!”
I’ve never seen such a complete failure. This is the greatest combination of arrogance and ignorance that I have ever seen. And arrogance and ignorance is the worst combination of human failings. It has provided devastation to my county, the world, and most importantly to the United States Constitution. The same Constitution he avowed he would defend.
The man was a menace to the world. He should have been removed years ago.
Posted in Politics | No Comments »
January 17th, 2009 by Max
I love Barack Obama. I really think he can do good things for the country. Maybe great things. I’m filled with hope, that’s why I voted for him. And what’s more, I hear the word hope, and other positive notions coming from Republican pundits and conservative skeptics upstate here in Republicanland where I live. However I would like to point this out.
I knew, as soon as I’d heard that every enterprise that George W had ever been in charge of had become a financial disaster, that our economy would go into deficit. He is what he is.
I knew when I read “The Idiot” in Salon magazine, that our foreign policy would get more abusive and less collegial. Boy did it. And our rights and status would be reduced at home and diminished around the world. Boy did they.
While I approve and applaud and truly celebrate the change and upcoming changes in our country, I’m not sure that we’ve completely become a post racial America – this much I do know. Only George W could have gotten a black man elect president this soon!
Posted in Politics | No Comments »
January 16th, 2009 by Max
Shouldn’t the Dem’s have just allowed Burris to become the 2 year US Senator from Illinois?
And how is it, that this guy Rush? Bobby Rush? Hints that denying Blogo’s pick would be a lynching? How did the Democrats let Blagojevich usurp racism as his issue? This is nuts.
Hairman becomes the defender of Black America? Really?
If Blagojevich gets his man in, Burris, who has not enough pride to say no to a tainted appointment – so what? He’s legal. Its legal. He’s screwed the Democrats (remember he IS a Democrat). Now what? He gets impeached. Removed from office. Indicted. Convicted. And his man is a US senator for 2 years.
Does it suck? Yep. Did Harry Reid make it worse?
Shit…
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
January 16th, 2009 by Max
That pilot that saved everyone on the plane today, that landed in the Hudson – saved everyone on the plane today. It wasn’t a miracle. It was skill and training.
Posted in Science | 1 Comment »
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