Monday
February 11 , 2008
Interpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art.
Susan Sontag, author and critic (1933-2004)
I almost finished my taxes last night, my taxes are pretty simple. The
people managing my IRA withhold taxes, I tell the IRS about Cindy, Christian,
Calie, Monica, Autumn and my In-Laws and they give me back all my money...
simple. I couldn't finish them last night because I needed Frank & Donna's
SSN's. I E-filed at 1100 and went to the MMM to celebrate with a cup of coffee.
I got Christy's battery replaced we figured out what killed the old one,
the kids had gone out to hunt for some cola bottles under the seats and turned
the lights on, then forgot to turn them off, the battery was completely drained,
this is at least the fourth time it has been run down like that and even the new
battery technology has it's limits.
I went to see "Bucket List" with Jack Nicolson and Morgan Freeman, I wasn't
going to go see it because the movie got terrible reviews from the pros... I
talked to George Kubota today and he said it was really good... He was right the
professional critics were totally full of shit. I laughed and I am glad I was
sitting alone when I cried like a baby. I guess I will just listen to George
from now on.
Calie has another game in Spokane tomorrow, I will be going I guess, it
will be her last game if they are beaten. The problem is that Trevor wants to go
and so do Monica and Amanda, I would like Christy to go but that would mean that
we have to take Autumn too... just too big a logistical pain in the butt...
we'll see what happens.
Orv found a site [http://vetrecs.archives.gov/ ]
that will let you download your DD214... sorta, you can send in an
electronic request form and FAX a signature form and they will mail it to you, I
sent off for mine because I lost my originals somewhere... there here at the
house but I can't find them...
"As far as history goes and all of these
quotes about people trying to guess what the history of the Bush administration
is going to be, you know, I take great comfort in knowing that they don't know
what they are talking about, because history takes a long time for us to reach."
"Secondly, I
believe the Iraq democracy is going to take hold and--it's very hard to write
the future history of America before the current history hasn't been fully
written."
- President George W. Bush "FOX News Sunday" Feb. 10, 2008
I will always be dumbfounded but the fact that so many people voted for
this imbecile. One of the reasons has to have been the Republican Candidate and
Republicans vote for
Tuesday
February 12 , 2008
It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw.
Calvin & Hobbes
Abraham Lincoln was born today in 1809... for some reason I had not put the
fact that when he was murdered by that maniacal little coward J. W. Booth on
April 15th 1865 he was only 56 years old. I do not understand what flaw in a
person's DNA, what deficiency in a persons mental processes would allow one
person to take another's life to make a political point.
Wednesday
February 13 , 2008
If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your
virtues.
-Edward Bulwer-Lytton, author (1803-1873)
We always pick and
choose what we want to believe. We will inevitably deem to be fact that which is
in line with what we already believe.
Town Council meeting tonight... they are doing some logging South and East
of and folks are upset. I want to be but I'm not, the people doing the logging
are being fairly responsible and they have filed with the state so everything is
above-board... besides, this is the forest and that's what happens in timber
country, it's how we survive...
Had a long talk with one of the folks here in town, he is going through a
pretty stressful time in his life. Separation from his girlfriend, custody of
his son, lawyers, court orders, lies, he is up against a wall and feeling pretty
helpless. He asked me for some help and I tried my damnedest, I even asked him
to come up to the house so Christy could lend me a hand but the reality was that
we couldn't do much to help. The girlfriend is an unknown to me, I have seen her
and heard a lot about her from friends of his, not too flattering but even so,
it is only one side so I don't have all the facts. The consensus is that she is
a self-centered hedonist and a manipulative Machiavellian tramp, but a very
pretty one. I know she is tearing this fella apart though and the whole town
wants to help but there is not a damn thing we can do.
Follow the court orders to the letter, make sure that she holds up her end of
the deal, document everything so that when the time comes you can show when she
was being unreasonable and show what you have done to be a positive influence in
your sons life. Make your time with your son as full as you can, let time sort
things out.
Thursday
February 14 , 2008
No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a
democratic country.
-Alexis de Tocqueville, statesman and historian (1805-1859)
Happy Valentines Day,
I am tired, long not particularly interesting day, I went to Colville to
deliver Amanda to the dentist, did a little shopping at Wall-Mart and looked at
some trucks at the Toyota Dealership... saw a used All Wheel Drive SUV but
unfortunately it was a Ford... I would have a hard time spending money on
another Ford.
I was going to go to the Chamber of Commerce Meeting tonight but I forgot
all about it.
I talked to a lady named D', she lives in a trailer on a piece of property
north of town. She told me that someone here in town turned her in for not being
hooked to the sewer. It's a 5th Wheel and she has it pumped out... just
harassment. She is causing no harm, she is actually a hard working and pleasant
to talk to, a few rough edges but she has had a rough life. I had hoped that we
could get away from the small-minded, petty, sanctimonious elitism but I guess
that in every society of two or more people someone will deem themselves to have
the authority pass judgment on others.
Live and let live, don't make waves, mind your own business, turn the other
cheek, let sleeping dogs lie, and There but by the grace of God go I. I will not
understand why people can't just let each other be. If they are not causing harm
then leave them alone, if you don't like them on a personal level then avoid
them, shine them on... it just seems to be so simple.
Some demented jerk in Illinois anointed himself with the right to kill a
bunch students, he felt that whatever was torturing him gave him the right to
take the lives of innocent people... How could this sort of person gone
unnoticed. When this all shakes out there will be a dozen folks who will say
that they saw it coming and that they knew he was unstable, a hundred clues and
red flags that should have been acted upon... shoulda' coulda' woulda'... shit, what a waste.
Friday
February 15 , 2008
That money talks
I'll not deny,
I heard it once:
It said, "Goodbye."
Richard Armour
Lets see, something happened today... brain locked up...
Autumn fights me when I go to get her out of bed, it has always been a
hassle. I have learned that trying to force her is an exercise in diminishing
returns, the harder I try the harder she resists and she has absolutely nothing
to lose so she wins. I learned a long tome ago just to go very slow, walk away
at the first sign of resistance and she will come to me eventually, and if, it
doesn't work then Oh well... she misses school. Lately though all I have to do
is mention Kirbi and Anna and Autumn just says, "Anna Kirbi Me bus!" and she
gets out of bed all by herself and we are off to the races.
I know who Kirbi is and I think I have met Anna but I am not real sure
which one she is. I had an opportunity to thank Kirbi today and I took it. She
is a very sweet girl, she is a year younger than Autumn but she is a year ahead
of her in school.
I went to the Awards Ceremony at the High School, it was a tedious affair
made somewhat amusing by Ray Villegas. One of the teachers, Mrs Wier, had a
birthday today and he picked on her mercilessly, it was really pretty funny. He
also did a good job keeping the whole affair light with a lot of good natured
kidding, Calie and Monica got 3 awards each and Amanda got six of them!
Amanda calls Monica "Mokie", if anyone else did that Monica would take
their head off.
I had to file an Amended Tax Form 1040X. I had downloaded all the tax data,
1099-R Forms, from Smith Barney... at least I thought I had... unfortunately one
of them wasn't there, I received it in the mail today... damn... I have to give
them back $11.00... hell of a hassle for only $11.00... but damn, my heart
almost stopped when I saw that 1099-R form.
Saturday
February 16 , 2008
In spite of all evidence to the contrary, the entire universe is composed
of only two basic substances: Magic and bullshit.
(I
would appreciate knowing if someone can find the origin of this quote )
On
this date in 1568 The entire
population of the Netherlands, three million people, were sentenced to death by
the Roman Catholic Church for heresy.
Not much going on today, we got some
snow last night, maybe a fraction over an inch, enough to make the roads slick
and to cause two accidents locally, a log truck up on Tiger and a pick-up over
by the dam went off the road, no one hurt.
Nice argument with Pete this morning, Rick and Jerry
joined in but no one had their mind changed and no one felt like they failed to
make their point. The argument revolved around whether the last sentence of a
little article at the MMM was reality. The line said that people 'out there'
don't communicate. the Implication being that things are worse now than ever
before in the history of man. Sorry, I don't believe that, I don't think that
big cities are evil, I don't think that the people who prefer to live somewhere
else are crazy, deluded or losing out in any way. My way is the right way for
me... period.
It is an old subject for me, I am still struggling to
present my argument concisely. It really sucks when you have strong views and
you can't express them compellingly. The problem I seem to run into is that
folks don't want to think that that there is more than one 'right'. That some
concepts are three dimensional and complicated.
I watched Bill Maher with some political pundits
talking about the Presidential Race and other things, it was really
entertaining, I am not that big a fan of Bill Maher, to me he is operating with
the same focus on his constituency as Rush Limbaugh, He is looking for the
zinger and trying to presenting a one dimensional I would like it if he was
really objective and open minded but he is really focused on setting the hook.
Sunday
February 17 , 2008
It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they
seem so absurd... Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still
believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build my hopes on a
foundation of confusion, misery and death... And yet... I think... This cruelty
will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.
Anne Frank
John Young, Great- Great grandson of Brigham Young, died today, it has been
a long time coming and he put up a good fight but I imagine that he was ready to
go, he had been in a lot of pain and unable to really communicate, that for John
would have been intolerable. He is at peace and I guess that is that. I will
remember him for being a good friend and not laughing at me when I did something
stupid... at least not to my face. John had a full life and did things his way
and at his own speed. He had some strange beliefs and an unconventional attitude
toward life but he was true to himself and well liked. I will miss him...
now.
John Young
November 16, 1937 - February 17, 2008
A
Fart....
A fart it is a pleasant thing,
It gives the belly ease,
It
warms the bed in winter,
And
suffocates the fleas.
A
fart can be quiet,
A fart can be loud,
Some leave a powerful,
Poisonous cloud.
A fart can be short,
Or a fart can be long,
Some farts have been known
To sound like a song......
A fart can create
A most curious medley,
A fart can be harmless,
Or silent, and deadly.
A fart might not smell,
While others are vile,
A fart may pass quickly,
Or linger a while......
A fart can occur
In a number of places,
And leave everyone there,
With strange looks on their faces.
From wide-open prairie,
To small elevators,
A fart will find all of
Us sooner or later.
But farts are all bad,
Is simply not true-
We must never forget.......
Sweet old farts like you!
Kinda brings a tear to your eyes don't it?
MONSTERS OF OUR MAKING
BY ROSA BROOKS Los Angeles Times
Happy Frankenstein Month. Yes, this month marks the 190th
anniversary of the publication of "Frankenstein," Mary Shelley's novel about a
man who dreams of reshaping humanity but ends up creating a monster. And you're
probably wondering: "Just how should I observe Frankenstein Month?"
Hallmark seems to be slacking off here -- I couldn't find a single
Frankenstein's 190th anniversary card. Fortunately, you can still mark the
occasion just by skimming the newspapers, which contain an above-average number
of "Oops We've Created a Monster!" stories from the world of foreign policy --
many starring the U.S. government as a modern-day Dr. Frankenstein.
Start with last week's big story from Pakistan. According to the New York Times,
Islamic militant groups funded and nurtured for years by the Pakistani
intelligence services -- with U.S.
backing in the 1980s -- are now completely out of control. The Pakistani
government, which hoped to use militant groups to further its own interests in
Afghanistan and the Kashmir region, now finds that the militants have instead
"turned on their former handlers," carrying out "a record number of suicide
attacks last year, including some aimed directly at army and intelligence
units."
Making matters worse, many analysts say that the Pakistani intelligence services
are riddled with agents who support the militants and their extremist agenda.
Despite this, the Bush administration continues to shower Pakistan's military
and intelligence services with aid. Long-term U.S. strategy? None. Score:
Monster, 100; Frankenstein, 0.
Next door in Afghanistan, six years after we "liberated" the Afghans from the
Taliban yoke, Frankenstein re-enactments are also taking place. The Washington
Post fronted a major story last week about the deteriorating situation: "After
more than six years of coalition warfare in Afghanistan, NATO is a bundle of
frayed nerves and tension over nearly every aspect of the conflict."
Warlords -- some supported by us -- control many Afghan regions, the Taliban is
resurgent, and a new "Taliban offensive (is) expected in the spring, along with
another record opium poppy crop." Suicide bombings are up by 30 percent, and
there are signs that al-Qaida is regrouping.
We've already found reason to regret our 1980s policy of arming the Afghan
militants who later became the Taliban (we liked them when they were fighting
the Soviets). Yet the United States is contemplating arming additional southern
Afghan tribes to help fight the resurgent Taliban. Exit strategy? None. Score:
Monster ahead, eroding early gains by Frankenstein.
Then there's Iraq. Deaths are thankfully down, but the lack of political
progress has left a tenuous, still-violent stalemate, sustainable only if U.S.
troops remain indefinitely. Iraq's defense minister said last week that Iraq
couldn't provide internal security until at least 2012 and wouldn't be able to
defend its borders until at least 2018.
Even our apparent successes have bred new problems. Arming local tribal and
religious leaders has undermined efforts to strengthen Iraq's fragile central
government, and Iraq's greatest success story -- the relatively stable Kurdish
region in the north -- has been marred by escalating conflict with Turkey over
claimed Iraqi havens for Turkish rebels. In Iraq as elsewhere, we have no exit
strategy; the monsters we created continue to run rings around us.
So here's my proposal: Let's join together to mark Frankenstein Month, a
national period of reflection on foreign policy hubris and unintended
consequences.
Rosa Brooks is a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center in
Washington, D.C.
Incident report:
2/15/2008
G'ma & G'pa went to Chewelah [there is an Indian Casino there. Trevor,
Calie's boyfriend, was over to help Calie clean her room and to share some
Chocolate Fondue with her and us. Trevor parked his little yellow Amiga where
G'pa parks his car. When G'pa game home he laid into Trevor like he had
committed a mortal sin by parking there when in reality there was no way Trevor
could have known when or even if G'pa would return. Even if he had known, there
is no excuse for yelling at him like that. I am angry, disappointed and
embarrassed by his behavior.