Happy Birthday Daniel

My son is 36 years old today.
(Crap, that makes me REALLY ancient...)

Here's to the best for ya lad for the coming years!

::clinks Guinness & drinks::

Others have Said It...

but go read this from Velociman.

Absotively funkin' excellent.

Political? Who, ME?

You are a Social Conservative (33% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (78% permissive) You are best described as a: Republican Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Found at Breda's place.

Just wish they had a "Conservative" category...

Happy Birthday

Mr. President.

Read This

right NOW.

Welcome to the Brave New World...

No, don't ignore the link- GO!

He's Got an Excuse,

he's 7 years old.

But when you're an actual grownup & you want a kitchen, a car, & a house, well, that's just a little different...

Gubmint Prints New Bill

for the USSA!

Should just be enough for your next grocery shopping excursion.

(stolen from Sipsey street irregulars)

Welcome to the USSA!

"United Socialist States of America"*

According to reports, it's a done deal.

Thank yous to Collins, Specter, & Snowe, for bringing us this salvation.

May you rot in Hell.


*it may not be all that "United" anymore...

Will the President be Attending?

Ford's Theatre packs in the stars for reopening

Hmmm?

Seems Only Fitting...

Vice President Biden to attend Special Olympics games Thursday

doesn’t it?

I mean, he's finally found an environment in which to play.

The Curse of Warming...

(not the global kind, you blockhead).

The melting is nice ‘n all, but problems arise when the rough ice & snow dissolves on the ice pack underneath, resulting in a nice smooth surface. Makes for some schlippery walkin’ I’m here to tell ya.

I was recently removing the battery from the plow truck, and as I was walking to the garage I did the cartoon “fast feet” routine. I was right at the entrance of the garage, & quickly thought “don’t let the battery smack on the cement floor- it’ll crack the case”. So I did the intelligent thing, & kept my hand under it to cushion the blow. Everyone remembers how heavy large 12v batteries are I’m guessing.

After I unbent my wedding ring with pump pliers, I managed to wash the loose skin & dirt from the resultant road rash. Nothing broken, but you coulda fooled me at the time.

Annnyway, I know better to leave the slippery surfaces untreated. Folks that burn wood already know that the ashes are an excellent traction aid. This is a mechanical, thermal, & chemical fix. Mechanical because the ashes are tiny, sharp little critters that grab the ice even better than sand. Thermal just due to the dark color attracting the suns heat, thus helping to melt the base. The chemical property is attributed to the potassium salts in the wood ash.

Knowing this, the garagineer wheels began to spin.

I rummaged around until I found an old drop spreader I salvaged from the dump (excuse me, “recycling center”). I drilled out the spreading holes to 3/8” & filled up the hopper with ashes.




Now I get a nice 20” wide walking path, thus sparing the old bones & attached hide from further damage.


WARNING: To maintain domestic tranquility, make sure your shoes are clean before entering the abode; the downside of the ash spreading is nasty stuff being tracked into living areas if one isn’t careful.
Don’t ask me how I know…

Time to Party Like It’s 1799…

I don’t usually go all serious on this blog thing, but I need to say something about this “stimulus” bill.

It’s crap, and it’s dangerous.

This is supposedly patterned after FDR’s “New Deal”, and will probably be just as effective. You see, FDR’s plan did nothing to relieve the country from the torments of the Depression, moreover prolonged the whole ordeal longer than necessary. Sure, it put some small change into the hands of the peasants, but that is NOT growth; it is no more beneficial to long term prosperity than dropping a buck into a panhandler’s cup.

What brought us out of the Depression was the revitalization of industry in preparation for World War II, and the attendant jobs that it created. After the war, those businesses, and the then-trained employees went on to create one of the greatest manufacturing powerhouses this planet has ever seen. That manufacturing CREATED goods, the only sure way to economic growth.

Back in 2002, I wrote an essay that was published in our state newspaper as a guest editorial. In the article, I groused about the omnipresence of Chinese made goods, and encouraged folks to buy American whenever possible.

In 7 short years, we have gone from having an option in purchasing, to having virtually all our consumer goods made in China.

Unfortunately, I think it’s now too late to revive this nation’s industrial base; too much has left, both in industrial infrastructure and the talent required to make it work. God help us if we need to restructure to a war (a big one) machine, especially if the potential foe is China.

This rant is not to rehash that issue, but to point out that throwing money around this time will be just like that dollar in the beggar’s cup- it’s gone. IT IS NOT ECONOMIC GROWTH.

*********************************

So what WILL we get?

Most likely money to line the pockets of a chosen few, with a few bones left to pay people to dig holes and then fill them up again (aka “rebuilding infrastructure”).

Increased taxes to pay for it all that will probably be generations in the repayment.

Loose money and increased taxes will launch inflation that will surpass anything seen in this country.

What we surely will NOT get is any real way out of this quagmire.

********************

So, get ready to party like it’s 1799, because this plan will generate an economy where the life in those times will be status quo for ours.

A Proud New Hampshireman...

and more so today.

See Bruce's info here.

AND...

The Next American Revolution?


Don't ya just get that tingle up your leg???