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March 29, 2005
Thanks MajorMom!!!!
I've just watched one hour of "Who's Line Is It Anyway?"
Need I say more?
Feeling the IQ points dripping out of my ears, but still on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 09:51 PM | Comments (4)
March 27, 2005
Latest High Tech Device for Angry Liberals
And here, from the Seattle Times
Device lets you out-Fox your TV
I guess I just don't get it. Why would someone pay $8.95 for one of these devices? Is the siren's call of the FoxNews Channel that strong that even the most bitter politically motivated can't resist it?
There are plenty of channels on my cable lineup that I choose not to view...but I hardly think that I need anyone else's help to avoid them. After all, I'm paying money to bring the signals into my home...why would I pay this would be "Edison" money to keep them from reaching my television?
Maybe I just have an incredible discipline to resist MTV, CNN, MSNBC, WE, and all the other "surf over" channels that wiggle their way down the coax into my home. I've never found myself challenged to the point where I couldn't change a channel if I chose to do so...and I've never watched anything that I chose not to (okay...okay. You caught me a in a fib. Any husband or father from time to time has to watch an episode of the Ashley Simpson Show or SpongeBob Squarepants to keep the peace.)
For those of you with venom dripping from your fangs...you can buy your FoxBlocker at: www.foxblocker.com . For those of you in my camp, we're going to track this "inventor" down and give him an Atomic Wedgie. By the looks of the picture in the article referenced above, it won't be his first.
See you on the high ground...in control of his remote and viewing habits.
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 07:09 AM | Comments (4)
March 26, 2005
Tax Freedom Day...May 31st
Well now, isn't that just dandy!
Tax Freedom Day 2005 falls on 31 May.
The average American works from January 1st through May 31st now to pay their share of the taxes...am I the only one that sees anything wrong with this? I suppose the bottomline is that I'm tired of working for 5 months to allow others not to work at all.
I fail to believe that there's a lack of skills...what I firmly believe is that there's most definitely a lack of will on the part of far too many. We've trained an entire class of people that make very poor choices, but aren't being forced to learn from the consequences.
Puzzled on the high ground...
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 08:06 AM | Comments (5)
March 23, 2005
Bye...Bye...Big Barry!
Well, here's something you don't see very often at "Cursed by a Classical Education" but here we go...a sports story.
It's really not about sports, although the focus of this rant certainly is a major player in major league baseball OR at least he was until his recent scandal.
While listening to Rush Limbaugh this afternoon on the way back to work, I heard Rush talking about Barry Bonds' meltdown yesterday in Arizona. I guess Barry, who is currently on the mend following knee surgery, showed up at a Spring training session to watch his team work out. This also comes in the midst of him being embroiled in the steroids in baseball scandal that recently made an appearance on Capitol Hill with a bevy of major league stars testifying to Congress.
Barry Bonds was absent from that line up, as well as the Giants lineup this Spring, due to his being investigated by a grand jury looking into the wrongdoings of the Balco pharmaceutical company.
The article above goes into the meat of Bonds' comments, but the bottom line is that Barry thinks he's the target of some sort of conspiracy. No Barry, that isn't the problem...you are the problem.
Here's an older article, but I think it's every bit as true today as it was in 2001 when written.
Barry Bonds Strikes Out On Endorsements
Barry Bonds is not a well liked figure, but this is something he's done to himself. He's an arrogant prima dona both on and off the field. Go ahead and watch him stroke one out of the park some time. As a former player (no, not in the 'bigs') I know what it feels like when you really get hold of one, but at least I'd start running down the line before the ball went over the fence.
He's mouthy to the press. He's not beloved by the fans. He violates one of MajorDad's major rules of life whenever he gets in front of a microphone...
Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut
Or one of the favorite's my mother used on a young, impressionable MajorDad...
Don't say anything at all if you don't have anything nice to say.
Barry, if you want people in your court you need to show a little more humility and certainly not piss off the press. You could use a little good ink right about now. Time to grow up and act like a man.
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 07:28 PM | Comments (2)
March 20, 2005
Well, it's about time....
From what I'm getting from the Drudge Report, it looks like the Terri Schiavo case is far from over...
Senate Passes Legislation in Schiavo Case
The Senate's passed legislation, President Bush is rushing back to Washington, DC, and the House of Representatives is preparing to vote sometime after midnight.
Where the democrats and liberals thought that they could block this effort, it looks like they might have been outmaneuvered by the Republicans.
I can't see how trying to allow a woman to die is a good thing...and never did. Even if this legislation doesn't go through, it sure would appear that fate of Terri Schiavo was held by the Democrats all along.
How can that be bad for the Republican Party?
The MajorDad solution:
1. Jeb Bush grants an immediate divorce to Michael Schiavo allowing him to continue on with his life.
2. Jeb Bush reinstates Terri to the care of her parents.
3. The parents make the decisions about their daughter's quality of life and decide her fate.
Seems to me that everyone gets what they want...basically.
See you on the high ground. (Contemplating getting a living will done soon!)
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 07:45 PM | Comments (9)
Thank You STYLEMONKEY!!!
Well, it looks like I finally found my codebreaker...and his name:
I posted a cry for help on the Movable Type forum for template and tag help and had an answer and a workable solution in MINUTES!
I'm working on getting something things tweaked, but I couldn't have done it without the help. You too Bruce for recommending the solution!
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 12:58 PM | Comments (6)
March 17, 2005
Now I've Heard It All...
Well, our forward thinking neighbors to the north in Canada have come up with a new one that's got my head shaking...take a quick read on this story from FoxNews.com
Vancouver Tries Free Heroin Program
This is completely off the wall! For those of you that didn't decide to frequent FoxNews for whatever reason, here's a quick summary.
Vancouver has a heroin problem. Addicts and product coming together.
Vancouver seems to think that it's simply easier to provide addicts free, safe naroctics to fuel the habit.
Vancouver has given up, lowered the bar of decency, and decided to provide the addicts three free hits of smack a day.
Somebody stick a fork in me, I'm done. I'm trying to figure out how providing for a dope fiend's each and every need is what these people need. Rather than trying to stem the tide of this poison into the country or working on the rehab solutions, our Canadian neighbors have simply thrown in the towel and will allow addicts to visit clinics in Vancouver three times a day to get their fix administered by doctors/nurses on the Canadian taxpayers dime!!!
While I agree that this MIGHT cut down on problems such as petty crime to pay for the ILLEGAL stuff and it MIGHT cut down on the spread of disease through needle sharing, I KNOW that this can't be good for the people that are now allowed to abuse drugs with the government's seeming approval.
Maybe it's time where I just embrace this kind of thinking and start petitioning for a program that's similar to the one that Vancouver's implementing. Mine would sound something like this...
1. You're a bum.
2. We know you're going to drink, smoke, and play the lottery.
3. We, the government, know that we cannot break this chain...so we'll step in to HELP.
4. Each day, after you wake up just give us a call. We'll send a limo for you. (Sleep as late as you like...it doesn't matter, we'll have transportation 24/7).
5. We'll drive you past the 7-11 store to pick up some cigarettes, lottery tickets and a quart of Olde English Malt for the ride to the seedy bar.
6. At the seedy bar, we'll give you a voucher for as much as you can humanly drink and bar food enough to keep you going.
7. We'll repeat the cycle until nature takes its course and you're no longer a problem to society.
Of course folks, this is strictly satirical in nature...but doesn't it point out just how ridiculous this Canadian program is? If you go back and read the article...at least there are some addicts out there that "get it." They say, "don't you realize that this might kill us?"
I guess all isn't lost after all.
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 07:45 AM | Comments (3)
March 14, 2005
HomeSpun Blogger Symposium XVI
Senator McCain, who has his own personal non-profit organization which allows him to bypass his own campaign finance reform law, would like to see blogs taken down a notch.
Why should anyone in this country support his law as it exists?
I'm beginning to think that campaign finance reform is completely broken...based on how huge amounts of money are being spent on influencing the way we act inside the voting booth. On the other hand, this legislation would seem to have built in loopholes that make the intent of it impossible to achieve.
Who will take a stand and get their "representatives" to rescind this law?
I think that the "who" might just be us out here in the blogosphere...the writers and the readers. If it takes an email campaign to plug the holes in the current legislation...or recommend new legislation, it might be time to start pushing representatives now.
What did we see during this last campaign which shows this law is of value?
I sure don't know if there was anything out there that would show any value, but there certainly were plenty of politically motivated folks throwing their money around. If you look at how effectively Dean was in raising money on the Internet and how much George Soros plucked out of his piggy bank to bankroll a multi millionaire (how much sense does that make?) you might see where the laws could be tightened up.
On the other hand, recent talk is that the Internet and blogs like this one might be subject to control through the McCain-Feingold law as it currently exists. I think that what I spend on Internet, hosting and blog software fees don't even come close to the limits on personal donations...but who knows?
Do I get credit for answering the question? This was another toughie...unless you're willing to dig a little for information.
I'm beginning to think that the candidates shouldn't be out begging....and giving the impression that they might be buying future votes with contributions. If they want to run, they can run on their own dime.
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 08:14 PM | Comments (1)
March 13, 2005
Strange Taxes - On Illegal Substances?
Just wait until you see what I've got for you this morning...if this doesn't make you say "Hmmmm?" I just don't know what will.
Apparently the problem with taxation is far worse than you'd think; follow this link to an article posted at CNN.com. I'll be here when you get back. Strangest Taxes...
Here's an excerpt on my "favorite" tax...with my commentary interspersed in a bold font.
Illegal drug tax: On Jan. 1,
Okay, what am I missing here? Based just on the title of the tax, it would appear that we've got some double jeopardy going on here. Not only will you get in trouble for being in possession of illegal substances, but you're also subject to a tax for not registering your possession of an illegal substance. What the hell?
Just let me try and get this straight for a minute. Let's say I'm an addict of some sort...for the ease of discussion, we'll pretend it's marijuana. I've purchased two ounces of the substance. Now according to the laws of 23 states, my first responsibility as a citizen is to dutifully report to a government office to report my purchase and pay tax on two ounces of dope?
If I'm willing to break one law, buy possessing and using drugs, what makes anyone think that I'll obey another? Isn't this something of a voluntary donation?
In
Another, "hmmmmmm?" here. I have 48 hours to report my ill-gotten acquisition. How in the Sam Hill is any state entity going to know when I purchased my dope? Last time I checked, people out on street corners in crack neighborhoods aren't accepting MasterCard, Visa OR the American Express card. These same dealers aren't providing their customers with a time stamped, printed receipt either. I guess we're going with the "honor system" here. I suppose the times have changed so much while I've had my head in the conservative sand that now there is honor amongst criminals and lawbreakers.
Don't worry that you might get in trouble for admitting you have enough drugs to fuel a rave party for years. You need not provide identification to get the stamps and it's illegal for revenue employees to rat you out.
Yet another, "Hmmmmm?" Now you're telling me that the "revenuers" don't have to share information with "John Law," but in the event you make a bust...they're only happy enough to inform the "revenuers" that no "tax stamp" was found on the little vial of crack, baggie of weed, or aluminum foil container of heroin?
Didn't we all make faces when it came to light that federal law enforcement offices weren't sharing information when it came to terrorist activity? I think we've thrown stones at the FBI, CIA, and local agencies for this. Why would it be okay for a state's revenue agency not to cooperate with the state and local law enforcement officials?
Still, next door in
Wow!
The fact that 79 people voluntarily paid their tax and 72,000 were taxed (notice, I didn't say paid taxes...because I'd bet that unless drug kingpins got nabbed, like most petty criminals the offenders didn't have two nickels to rub together) pretty much demonstrates that a voluntary system just isn't cutting the mustard.
Doesn't this windfall sound more like fines than taxes? People had to be caught before the money was recouped. Even so, that only probably happened when the authorities picked up the big players in the illegal substance game. 72,000 people paying $78.3 million dollars averages out to over $1000 per offense, doesn't it?
Okay, now how do we make a dent in the problem of illegal drugs?
First, we must make the punishment fit the crime. If we say that drug use is unacceptable in American society, then it must be treated accordingly. Illegal drug use is a drain on the economy in terms of disability payments, medical and mental health care. Until people are more afraid of going to jail than they are of not satisfying their addiction, the situation's not going to get much better.
Secondly, if there are laws on the books that require a certain amount of payment of fines and penalties, then they need to be paid. To me, we have an incredible amount of labor sitting idle in our prisons today. What would the harm be to make the inmates work not only to pay off their restitution, but also their room, board, and other expenses of their incarceration? It seems to work in certain prisons around the country...why don't taxpayers require this to be the case for all public prisons?
President Bush seems to think that there are jobs that American workers simply choose not to do. His solution to the problem is to allow foreign workers into the country to perform this labor. Why not tap into the prison population?
As far as I'm concerned, if you're sent to prison you deserve to lose personal freedoms afforded to those of us that play by the rules.
Why can't we encourage inmates to perform labor to sustain them while locked up? Prisons should run farms to grow food, sell products made in their factories and workshops, and the Lord only knows that weeds and trash along the highways and streets still piles up. It's high time that we put the punishment back into the penal system, rather than simply putting people into cages.
Finally, we have to come to grips with the fact that drug use and distribution are NOT victimless crimes. We know that organized crime has chosen this as one of their high return on investment crimes...and terrorist organizations have jumped on board with this as well. If we start reducing the demand for their product because people are afraid of the type of incarceration they'll endure, then maybe we can start stemming the tide.
For states to turn a blind eye to lawbreakers only undermines the effort. Rather than trying to raise revenues from the activity, perhaps they should look at cutting the budgets wasting funds on nonsensical efforts like I've just discussed in the past thousand words.
See you on the high ground...
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 09:51 AM | Comments (6)
March 10, 2005
Privacy Rights for Kids?
New technology helps schools keep tabs on students...read more about it here at FoxNews.com.
Student ID Badges Raise Privacy Questions
Apparently the privacy kooks believe that knowing where children are on campus is far too invasive for our youth. It would seem to me that those kids that play by the rules have nothing to worry about. Those that choose to buck the system will simply be "apprehended" and disciplined sooner rather than later.
"We don't want our children to feel like a piece of inventory," was one of the mantras chanted by those that feel this is an intrusion to a child's rights. Inventory control and youth security cannot be compared. I would much rather have shoplifters carry away a store before I'd want kidnappers take my children. If this badge can help prevent abduction, cut down on truancy, drug trade, etc in school...so much the better. (I'll let you in on something, Buddy...kids never have had...nor will they ever have too many rights.)
"Aren't we trying to instill the feelings that we trust our children?"
NO! WE'RE NOT! Weren't you ever a child? Children by nature will try to push the edge of the envelope with discipline and order...and it is OUR job as adults and parents to help kick them back into the play and keep them between the lines.
I'm sorry, but if children could be "trusted" we certainly wouldn't spend so much time coddling them, teaching them, training them and preparing them for the rest of their lives. (An aside here...hell, I'm tracked from building to building on a daily basis at work. While I'm sure that my "badge" gets me places mostly for security purposes, the folks at the security desk can at least tell when I'm in a building...and if they're watching the cameras, even when I leave. I'm not pitching a privacy fit here, am I?)
I am a parent...and while I love my children to death, I don't think that I trust them as far as I can toss them just yet. Ask MajorTeen...she's been of legal driving age for nearly a year now...but is not quite "there" yet as far as me trusting her behind the wheel of a multi-thousand pound petroleum fueled, four-wheeled missile.
Keeping track of people isn't something that just happens to kids, like I mentioned before it's part of life. When they grow up and get a job, most likely they'll be handed a "badge" of some sort to identify them as a legitimate employee...and quite possibly to monitor their activities throughout the workday. I believe that employers have the right to keep track of their employees and ensure that they're being as productive. As a stockholder and taxpayer I certainly don't want to subsidize somebody's propensity towards slothfulness.
As a parent, I don't want to turn a blind eye towards something to assist our educators in keeping track of my kids for the 8 hours a day I entrust them to their care.
See you on the high ground. I'll be wearing multiple badges!
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 09:53 PM | Comments (2)
March 06, 2005
Steroid Use and Statutes of Limitations
Good morning, gentle readers.
Here's a story that caught my eye and thought I'd jot down a few thoughts about it...
Critics Slam Schwarzenegger on Steroids
As you've just read, it appears that Governor Schwarzenegger's prior use of steroids is becoming the latest barb used by his Democrat/liberal enemies. Boiling things down,
These critics need to take the following into account before they get too disdainful when it comes time to throwing rocks inside their glass houses.
In the era that Mr. Schwarzenegger was competing in the bodybuilding "game" steroids were legal.
- 1975 - International Olympic Committee bans use of anabolic steroids.
- 1988 -
- 1990 - Possession of anabolic steroids without a prescription becomes illegal.
Like it or not times, medical treatments and vices change. If this were not the case alcohol would still be illegal, your family doctor would still have a jar of leeches sitting on the shelf and we'd all be swilling "Dr. Phantasm's Magikal Elixir" chock full of cocaine and opiate products.
For liberals and Democrats, there's some sort of statute of limitations for "youthful indiscretion." However, if you're a conservative (or heaven forbid a neo-con) or Republican, your background can be peeled back to before you were even born. (Anyone remember the controversy about the Schwarzenegger ties to Nazi Germany?) Isn't this the same party that seems proud to trot out names like?
- Senator Edward Kennedy (Chappaquiddick, need I say more?)
- Senator John F. Kerry (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months of service in
- Senator Robert "Sheets" Byrd (Joined the KKK in 1943 to fight Communism...but weren't the Soviets our allies in 1943? Hmmmmm....)
- Senator Joseph Biden (Problems with plagiarism in law school and on the stump in 1988!)
- Former President Bill Clinton (Take your pick of the scandals...there's plenty to choose from....my favorite is the “Devil in the Blue Dress, Blue Dress, Devil with the Blue Dress On" affair)
In closing, I was continuing to do a little more research about what
Based on the timing of this piece, it's pretty clear that it appeared with all the other "hatchet" jobs run just days before
The "high and mighty" tone of this article seems to want to compare the use of legal substances (now outlawed in more learned times) with the drugs that celebrities, athletes, and runway models seem to want to use to dull the pain caused by their chosen professions (I'm still trying to figure out what kind of pain I'd have it my bank accounts were 1/10th as flush as theirs)
Whether it's right or it's wrong to outlaw substances like marijuana, hashish, opium, heroin, cocaine and all the other narcotics that seem to draw the irresponsible wealthy like bees to honey...THESE SUBSTANCES ARE ILLEGAL TODAY...AS IS THE USE AND POSSESSION OF THEM! Arnold and countless other bodybuilders that juiced themselves up to incredible size did so at risk to their health...but under the care of doctors dispensing legal substances of the day.
The fervor swirling around this issue seems to be the inferred response to the following question that was never asked...
"Governor Schwarzenegger, if you were an up and coming bodybuilder today would you use illegal steroids to gain a more competitive edge?"
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 02:14 PM | Comments (2)
March 01, 2005
HomeSpun Blogger Symposium XV
Harvard University president Lawrence Summers has been criticized, and may have jeopardized his job, for stating that the gender gap in the sciences and engineering may be due to inherent differences in the way men and women think.
Meanwhile, Colorado University is weighing a possible buyout offer to professor Ward Churchill in the wake of his condemnation of the World Trade Center victims on 9/11 as "Little Eichmanns". The university, apparently fearing an expensive lawsuit, is hesitant to fire Churchill, who has been denounced for years by Native American groups for falsely claiming Indian heritage and recently exposed by Michelle Malkin and others for passing off the works of others as original art.
Should these men be protected for exercising their rights of free speech?
I guess I'm wondering what kind of protection they're expecting...they both most completely exercised their rights of free speech and are now reaping the harvest of sowing their seeds.
They're not being tried, sentenced and executed for speaking their minds...they're simply getting the kind of attention that they've grown accustomed to getting.
Bad taste and stupidity aren't against the law...but John Q. Public doesn't have to be expected to be happy with it either.
Does an employer have the right to terminate an employee for statements that are contrary to the employer's beliefs?
Hmmm. This is a good question, but I think it's a relatively easy one to answer.
As a federal employee, I don't have the same freedoms of speech that the average American worker does. Not to go into the particulars, but I would say that were I to engage in discussions that hinge upon gender, race, religion or sexual preference...I could be brought up on accusations of creating a hostile work environment. And for those actions, I'm sure I could be dismissed.
I believe that this is true of just about any employer. If an employee's speech interferes or runs contrary to the conduct of day to day business I think management has every right to terminate an employee.
As far as the two academians in the initial question go, one is working for a private institution...the other for a public institution.
In the case of Lawrence Summers, I believe he is pretty much at the mercy of Harvard's board of directors. As a private institution, I think they they can much more easily make him "go away" as a result of his bad judgement.
On the other hand, with Mr. Churchill...I believe that the issues will be somewhat sticky, but still surmountable. While the University of Colorado can't do much about the "Chickens Coming Home to Roost" essay, I think that they need to take a look at how Mr. Churchill was hired. If he has used his false claim of being a native American to his advantage to gain his position...I believe that the University could quite easily terminate him on the basis of his dishonesty. Another nail in the Churchill coffin could be the troubles with plagiarism that he's made in the past. Intellectual dishonesty and ethical troubles, coupled with his misrepresenting his background and heritage will be Mr. Churchill's undoing.
Are these cases similar?
I think they're similar, but if I were asked which man has committed the most grievous error in judgement, I'd have to vote for Ward Churchill, in spades.
As far as I'm concerned he's got at least three strikes against him. First, he lied and misrepresented himself to be something which he is not. Ward Churchill is NOT a Native American and is deserving of ANY consideration as a minority. Second, he's a documented plagiarist. While that doesn't seem to make a difference if you're a congressman (ask Joe Biden), in academia it should and does. Finally, Ward Churchill pulled the scab off of wounds that have hardly healed since 9/11/2001. Not only the wounds of those impacted by the attacks of that day...but also those incurred by the recent and ongoing military operations around the world. Mr. Churchill, you can say whatever it is that you want to, but I and millions of others like me would like to inform you that we don't have to take it lightly AND WE CERTAINLY WON'T.
Mr. Summers is simply guilty of not thinking before he engaged his mouth.
See you on the high ground!
Posted by MajorDad1984 at 11:16 PM | Comments (1)
