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June 30, 2005

Programming Language Inventor or Serial Killer?

Hat tip to Tom v over at KIP

Posted by RobF at 04:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Queue the Jaws Music

It must be summer time because the news media is ranting on and on about sharks in Florida. The endless shrieking about seeing sharks from hotel rooms, shark attack statistics, and beaches opening and closing is ridiculous. I enjoy swimming in the ocean and scuba diving and I enjoy playing Frisbee. If I’m out playing Frisbee in the Serengeti and a lion comes along and bites my leg off, the chances are everyone would just say, “Well, I guess you shouldn’t have been playing Frisbee on the Serengeti where lions live”. However, if I’m boogie boarding in the Atlantic Ocean and a shark swims along and bites my leg off, suddenly there are an alarming number of sharks and everyone that is bitten by a shark is national news, beaches are closed, shark specialists are called in, and shark population statistics are analyzed.

Hello… If there were thousands of people running around playing Frisbee on the Serengeti every day, I’ll go out on a limb and say that more than a few of them would be chewed on. Does that mean there are an alarming number of lions on the Serengeti? If you enjoy swimming in the ocean, you need to accept the fact that something might come along and take a little taste.

I wish another celebrity would go on trial for doing what celebrities often do so we could get back to some relevant news affecting the masses.

Posted by RobF at 03:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 29, 2005

Bulldozer Dreams - Raze to Raise

If Freestar Media, LLC gets their way and they're able to begin development of the Lost Liberty Hotel then I would like to make a suggestion.

Sell time slots in the seat of the bulldozer that razes "Justice" Souter's home to raise money for the development. If they did this then I would have only one question:

Where do I send the check?

Posted by RobF at 10:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 27, 2005

Rosie Posey

To say that my wife and I love dogs is an understatement. Kobi, our first Boston Terrier, was my wife’s first year wedding anniversary gift. Murphy, our second Boston Terrier, was my wife’s second year wedding anniversary gift. A few years later we ran across Ben, a white Boxer, on Petfinder.com in a local Pet Adoption League shelter and he soon joined our pack. Adopting Ben was an incredibly rewarding experience and we thrived off watching him blossom. You could just see the love and appreciation in his eyes and you could tell that he finally felt home for the first time in his life. We were inspired to search for a fourth as we felt we had enough room in our life for one more dog. We contacted a number of Boston Terrier rescue agencies before we met Wanda from ABTR. She sent us an application, which we promptly filled out, and the process of adopting a new friend began. We had a difficult time finding someone to do our home inspection and we saw several dogs come up for adoption with ABTR and adopt to other homes before we could be approved. It was heart breaking but just as we were about to quit and look through more local shelters, we were finally able to complete the approval process.

Rosie Posey belonged to a woman in Oklahoma who passed away. Her surviving children threw Rosie and her two siblings in the back yard without food for an indeterminate amount of time. By the time Animal Control found the dogs, Rosie was the sole survivor. The poor old girl was on the verge of starving to death. Animal Control placed her in a shelter and, Rosie was lucky enough to be subsequently placed with Wanda at ABTR. So, the starving little old lady from Oklahoma somehow, through the grace of God, found herself in Wanda’s tender care. I believe that Rosie was with Wanda for about a month before we were approved to adopt. She was almost completely deaf but she had already put on a few pounds and was well on her way to being back on her feet. Her story tugged on our heart strings and we asked Wanda if we could adopt her. About a week later we met little Rosie Posey at the Pittsburgh International Airport and brought her to her forever home.
Rosie has been with us for about sixteen months now and she has put on several more pounds. Our vet estimates that she is about 12 years old. When she first came to live with us, Rosie was very shy, nervous, and withdrawn. She would let us touch her but she preferred to do her own thing. She had a difficult time trusting me. It was as if she were saying, “I trusted my people once, and they almost killed me”. Rosie was a survivor. Over time she began to relax more and more and to come out of her shell. It’s not unusual now for her to hop up in my lap or lay down on my chest to get attention. She gets very excited at breakfast and dinner time and she dances. When she sees her harness and leash she actually sings she is so happy. She has fallen in with our routine and she thrives as part of the pack.

About four or five months ago, Rosie was diagnosed with cancer. We brought her to our vet because of a sore on her stomach which they removed. Our vet said that there was a good chance that Rosie would have other lumps internally but that there was really nothing they could do short of chemotherapy. Right now Rosie is showing no signs of sickness whatsoever. We’ve decided that we will not put our little old lady through any sort of treatment as she is happy for probably the first time in her life. At twelve years old, we would just like to see her live out her twilight years comfortably. She may surprise us and live quite a long time yet. She is still pretty active for an old girl and, given the choice, she would trot on the end of a leash all day long.

I spend a great deal of time with our dogs. I know their moods and we can read each other like a book. I can talk to them without saying anything and they can talk with me. It’s a silent language that only another dog owner understands. We know and trust each other completely. Rosie and I often find ourselves alone early in the morning before anyone else has gotten up, or late at night after everyone else has gone to bed. It’s then that she talks to me. She’ll lie next to me and let me pet her gently. She has these soulful little brown eyes and she looks up at me and sighs deep down in her chest. She tells me that she’s grateful, she’s happy, and that she trusts me. From a little old lady that has traveled such a harsh road, I couldn’t possibly ask for anything more. She has a thousand ways to tell me she loves me, and she never misses an opportunity.

Posted by RobF at 03:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 20, 2005

Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

Doing my best to feed the hate machine.

Posted by RobF at 11:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 18, 2005

Hat Tip - Roger

Curiously, in the current dialectic, the right to keep and bear arms – a right expressly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights – is deemed less fundamental than implicit protections the court purports to find in the penumbras of other express provisions. (citations omitted) But surely, the right to preserve one’s life is at least as fundamental as the right to preserve one’s privacy. [Concurring opinion in Kasler, 2 P.3d at 602]

The quote is from a collection of Janice Rogers Brown's decisions.

They'll say it and say it and say it and the media will play it and play it and play it. When Constitutional purists are considered "right wing extremists", it's time to lock and load.

Posted by RobF at 08:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 17, 2005

Three Kinds of Liberals

Nothing bothers liberals more than the truth. In my experience, the simplest explanation is almost always the truest. The way I see it, there are three kinds of liberals, the sincere liberals, the insincere liberals, and the ignorant liberals.

The Sincere Liberals
It’s become the rage on conservative blogs to post pictures of liberal donks preening, masquerading, protesting, and generally making absolute imbeciles out of themselves. However wrong these individuals are, they are sincere in their wrongness. They honestly believe in their backward agendas and socialist policies. They march to the beat of an angry anti-American drum and they’re not shy about screeching their dissent. They are pro-abortion fem-Nazis, socialists, communists, hippies, Hollywood elites, and environmentalists. A good example of this kind of liberal is Janeane Garofalo. She absolutely believes every foul, craven, absurd word that comes out of her liberal mouth.

The Insincere Liberals
In my opinion, these are the most dangerous of the three types of liberals. The insincere liberal uses liberal policies as a device to protest or counter conservative politics. Liberal policies are entrenched in Stalinist principles and encourage class envy. Insincere liberals use class envy to pit one group against another and therefore find support amongst the poor, uneducated, outcast, and vulnerable of society. The Democratic Party is fraught with insincere liberals. They know that their policies are outdated, unrealistic, and hopeless. They are fully aware that, in the end, their liberal policies will harm those they promise to protect. Only one thing motivates an insincere liberal, absolute power. Most civil rights leaders are also insincere liberals. They continue to find racism and bigotry where it does not exist simply to maintain their own relevance. The list of insincere liberals is endless. Harry Reid, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and Jesse Jackson are obstructionist insincere liberals of the most shameless and deceitful nature. They are liars, bent on raising issues, obstructing justice, and inciting conflict to gain political leverage.

The Ignorant Liberals
This group, while not the loudest or scariest, is by far the most numerous and most damaging of the three. Ignorant liberals are everyday people who gallivant through life enjoying the freedoms made possible by the sacrifices of thousands of brave American Soldiers. If you ask them about their position on a specific issue, they will often answer but will have very little in terms of an actual explanation of their conclusion. The ignorant liberal is a tool for the insincere liberal. They are spoon fed their news and they think with their heart. When forced to have an opinion, they are easily swayed by typical liberal tactics that play on humanity’s emotions, fears, wants, and sympathies. They are complacent and willing to let others make decisions for them. With all of the modern creature comforts that we enjoy in the United States, ignorant liberals are apathetic and pay little attention to issues that decide the future of their freedoms and lifestyles. The ignorant liberal is fodder for the insincere liberal and the sincere liberal. They are vast tides of humanity sloshing within the republic and threatening to allow the insincere liberals to drown our freedoms forever.

Posted by RobF at 11:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

PETA - People For the Extensive Trashing of Animals

More information today regarding PETA and their "ethical" treatment of those with whom we share our planet.

(AP) - Two Hampton Roads employees of Norfolk-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have been charged in Ahoskie, N.C., with animal cruelty after dumping dead dogs and cats in a shopping center garbage bin, police said Thursday.

Investigators staked out the bin after discovering that dead animals had been dumped there every Wednesday for the past four weeks, Ahoskie police said in a prepared statement.

Police found 18 dead animals in the trash bin and 13 more in a van registered to PETA. The animals were from animal shelters in Northampton and Bertie counties in North Carolina, police said. The two were picking up animals to be brought back to PETA headquarters for euthanization, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said Thursday.

Neither police nor PETA offered any theory on why the animals might have been dumped.

Local officials and veterinarians said they were told that PETA would find homes for the animals, not euthanize them. PETA has scheduled a news conference for Friday afternoon to discuss the charges.

Full story here

PETA's humanity bashing provokes a very tasty hate indeed. However, when you compliment their caricatural, whacked out, unrealistic views of the world with some fresh hypocrisy, the hate is simply delicious. I find it's best served rare.

Posted by RobF at 08:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 16, 2005

Biblical Flood

I have just finished sorting through all of my back mail following my vacation. This came from a dear friend and it made me giggle like a school girl.

Ethics Test Question This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally. The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision. Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous. Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line. You are in Florida, Miami to be specific.

There is chaos all around you, caused by a hurricane, with severe flooding.

This is a flood of biblical proportions.

You are a photojournalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless.

You're trying to shoot career-making photos.

There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

Suddenly you see a woman in the water. She is fighting for her life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer. Somehow the woman looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is. It's Hillary Clinton!

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take her under . . . forever.

You have two options--you can save the life of Hillary Clinton, or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most powerful women.

So here's the question, and please give an honest answer:

Would you select high contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Posted by RobF at 11:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wearing Red

I'm not really sure where the Headmistress got this idea from, but I suppose I'll need to make a semi-annual trip to the shopping mall to look for something shockingly red to wear tomorrow. Perhaps Mrs. Cocked and Locked would be up to the task? If it means a trip the mall with the opportunity to spend spend spend, I'd say it's a safe bet.

You will soon see a lot of people wearing Red on Fridays. Here's why .....

The Americans who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are
not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are.

Many Americans, like yourself, would like to start a grassroots movement
using the membership of the Special Operations Association, and Special
Forces Associations, and all their friends, simply, to recognize that
Americans support our troops. We need to inform the local VFW's and
American Legion, our local press, local TV, and continue carrying the
message to the national levels as we start to get this going. Our idea
of showing our solidarity and support for our troops are -starting
Friday, and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is over,
that every red - blooded American who supports our young men and women,
WEAR SOMETHING RED.

Word of mouth, press, TV -- let's see if we can make the United States,
on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a
University.

If everyone of our memberships share this with other acquaintances,
fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be
long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know
there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better
all day Friday when you wear Red!

Let's get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE
BRAVE. FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!! GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Posted by RobF at 10:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 15, 2005

Cookie Annan

Linkies

Posted by RobF at 01:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

This Gives Me a Major Case of the Jibblies

Why is it that the $#@%!& liberals want absolutely EVERYTHING regulated except abortion?

I thought of the countless photoshopping opportunties that this little diddy presented but I just can't bring myself to go there.

Good grief...

Posted by RobF at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mellow Out Maverick

Don't worry brother...

There's still hope.

Posted by RobF at 11:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 14, 2005

Media Freak Show

I suppose I’m shocked at the outcome only because I hear so many people claiming that justice was served. I’d like to make two points about this whole fiasco and then I will hopefully never write another word about Michael Jackson again (save the unlikely *cough cough* event that this doesn’t happen again in a few years).

The prosecution bungled the case
There was no reason to go after Jackson on the conspiracy charges and put the criminal mother on the stand. I heard sound clips from the jurors stating that they could not convict Jackson because of the mother’s lack of credibility and past behavior. Now common sense tells me that the mother’s past behavior has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not Jackson diddled her little boy but I guess I’ll just have to chalk up another blown conviction to media frenzy, fame, defense lawyers, and ignorant jurors. Sneddon was a fool to pursue the conspiracy charges when he had such solid ground for molestation. If the mother never took the stand, Jackson would be in jail.

The media and the jury have given Jackson special consideration because of who he is
I could make the obvious comparison of Jackson’s behavior with my own, i.e. let’s say I was sleeping in the same bed with my neighbor’s children and there was solid credible evidence, including past history, that I was a child molester. I think everyone can agree on the outcome of that scenario, I would be currently residing in a correctional facility and nobody would have thought twice about the justification behind my conviction. However, I think an even better point resides in a comparison between Jackson and one of his peers. Let’s take Marilyn Manson for example. They are actually quite similar. They are both famous as musical “artists”, exhibit bizarre behavior, wear outlandish makeup and clothes, and have been known to undergo some rather extreme cosmetic surgical alterations to change their appearance. Let’s replace Mr. Jackson in the criminal trial with Mr. Manson and leave everything else exactly the same. Would the testimony of the boy’s shady mother convince the jury that Marilyn Manson was not molesting her boy given the evidence to the contrary including Manson’s own admission to commonly sleep with young boys? Holy heck… The media would have eaten Manson alive and the trial would have been over weeks ago resulting in a conviction and very little second thought.

Mr. Jackson’s behavior is not only incriminating, it is disgusting and savage. If I found out that a 46 year old man was sleeping in the same bed with my child, I would take great pleasure in snapping their neck. I don’t care if they were the “king of pop”, a heavy metal moron, or a member of congress. It’s wrong, yet somehow we’ve set legal precedence saying that it’s okay for a 46 year old man to sleep with someone else’s children, as long as those children come from a trashy mother who doesn’t care if her child is sleeping in the same bed with a 46 year old man.

Unreal…

Posted by RobF at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 13, 2005

Aaaargh!!!

More fun over at 100 Words or Les Nessman.

This time it's a Tale of Piracy

“Pray for the mercy of the almighty”, my father bellowed as swarthy feet pounded on the deck. My eyes burned from the smoke and the air was filled with the screams of God fearing folk. A hairy rogue rose before me like a demon. My nostrils were assaulted with the stink of urine, rum, and sin as my father stove in the pirate’s skull with a table leg. I stood and ran but my feet slipped in the blood. My father hauled me up by an arm and in one smooth motion, flung me over the side of the ship.

I can see this becoming a rather habitual time waster...

Posted by RobF at 01:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Body Blow

"I've never been able to understand his appeal. Maybe his mother loved him, but I've never met anybody who does. He's never won anything, as best I can tell," Cheney said in an interview to be aired Monday on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

Link

Posted by RobF at 11:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 01, 2005

100 Words

Things have been pretty sparse around here lately and, for the few regular readers that I may have, I'm sorry for that. However, the Red Sugar Momma has come to my rescue with a little bit of much needed inspiration. Thank you Tanya, I've been so sick of news and politics, it feels good to write something just for fun.

See the first of my efforts on 100 Words or Less Nessman.

The inspiration

My 100 Words

I wonder if anyone will get it?

Posted by RobF at 09:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack