March, 2004, Week 3

Monday  March 15, 2004

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.

Pericles, statesman (430 BCE)
 

Mike went back to school.

Autumn met Lisa at CCS for her evaluation,,, SOS, I am just not impressed with CCS... sorry.

Dick Cheney is Put to Sleep

WASHINGTON, DC — Vice President Dick Cheney, who had remained eager to please despite increasing health troubles, died last week.  President Bush and First Lady, Laura, went along with a doctor's recommendation to put Dick, as the longtime Bush family friend was known, to sleep, according to White House spokesman Allen Abney. He had suffered a series of heart attacks recently, including one this week, he said.  "The President and Mrs. Bush and the entire Bush family are deeply saddened by the passing of Dick," W

ite House press secretary Scott McClellan said in a statement. "A loyal and loving companion, Dick was a beloved member of the Bush family for nearly 15 years. He will be missed." 

Dick Cheney was no stranger to the White House. He used to ramble there with former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, in 1989. 

The friendly Vice President was regularly seen ambling around the West Wing and the South Lawn alongside the energetic Bush dog, Barney, a black 3-year-old Scottish terrier. Dick and Barney were routinely brought out to greet the President upon his return to the White House from trips, no matter the hour, and often traveled with the Bushes to Texas or Camp David. Dick was always the more obedient, dutifully clambering onto a helicopter or Air Force One with no prompting while Bush often had to chase Barney down and hand him off to an aide to be carried aboard.

Mrs. Bush has often said that, especially with Bushes' two daughters off at college, talking about and playing with the Dick and Barney and the family's much more reclusive cat, Willy, make up a significant portion of the First Couple's entertainment.

Mike Pasternack

Tuesday  March 16, 2004

Now, you will know the concept of the Deja Vu. The feeling, I've done this, been here before. It's quite disturbing. Even more disturbing is the feeling that I had, from time to time, throughout my happy fairy life, a feeling in the night-time, in the darkness, of Non Deja Vu, a sense of loss of something that I should have been, but hadn't, a sense of being thought and being done.

David Edgar

IEP for Mike

Suzuki in to Cycle Rider to be sold

Lunch at Don Cuco's

I am rarely circumspect. My beliefs are still evolving and I'll take a shot at running them by anyone I think might be open to assisting with the process. I have always been searching for a justification... meaning... purpose... A part of me envies those folks who are content with their faith and comforted by their beliefs. 

For me however, very essence of the concepts of 'faith' and 'belief' are the hang up. I could never be content without true knowledge, and I fear that I am doomed to never knowing the answer to even the most fundamental questions. I am beginning to suspect that the answers to my questions aren't really answers at all... The other revelation is that, though the insight derived from the search can be satisfying to me, others are unimpressed.

Everyone brings a different perspective to the question and to the quest and everyone takes away a different knowledge. When I try to examine the fundamental truths taught by the ancients I have been awed by the forehead-slapping simplicity of their insight. Reading Buddhist teaching has been a comfort (When I can understand the lesson), Zen comes very close to satisfying me, the answer is that though there is no answer you must never stop looking... it's the latent Hippie in me I guess...

Wednesday  March 17, 2004

Life offers two great gifts--time, and the ability to choose how we spend it. Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.

Richard I. Winword

I spent the day working on the floor, it is a tedious process, for something that costs so much it should be easier to install. Every corner, niche and cranny needs to be thought out. The boards look like tiles, we had a choice of buying boards that looked like tiles and boards that looked like boards... we should hav bought the ones that looked like boards, if we had then it wouldn't matter where one board started and another ended, but with tiles... it's critical... damn

Thursday  March 18, 2004

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

William Penn

Working on floor

"B" to BJ

Thinking about Spain, it seems sort of tacky to be having all this political maneuvering going on over there before the blood dries. I have learned not to trust decisions made during the heat of passion. ...but I am glad they have kicked out the arrogant jerks and I am glad to hear the Spaniards are turning a critical eye toward the good olde US of A.

I see that Poland is finally finding her backbone, Spain may be the Domino that topples Bush... I hope so.

We are still being governed by a businessman, and a failed business man to boot. He is under the impression that he can dismiss anyone who doesn't agree with him and will condemn any foreign leader who stands up to his policies.

Kerry says he has the support of several foreign leaders but he refuses to name them, I don't blame him, Bush is a vindictive SOB. 

Friday  March 19, 2004

The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open.

Günther GRASS German novelist and Nobel Prize winner (1927-)

I went to Dr. Sagerman to see my favorite hygienist, her name is Serppa (sp?), she is Finnish. I used to work with a lady named Sirkka and I am assuming they are using the same spelling conventions. I like her because she has an interesting perspective on the world. She is fun to talk to, it would be nice if there was more time to talk when she didn't have her fingers in my mouth.

Christy took Autumn to Dr. Nathan, Autumn's Neurologist, Dr. Nathan was impressed with Autumn's progress. We increased her medication by one Lamictal in the morning and one in the evening. She is still taking a very low dose.

PARAMOUNT OPTIONS BOOK OF JOB

Bible Pic to Star Adam Sandler by Andy Borowitz

In the wake of Mel Gibson’s smash hit “The Passion of the Christ,” Paramount Pictures today announced that it had optioned the exclusive motion picture rights to The Book of Job as a vehicle for comedy superstar Adam Sandler.

Paramount grabbed The Book of Job after passing on The Book of Revelations, which one studio spokesman said “was way too expensive, special effects-wise.”

In announcing the “Job” pic, Paramount exec Colin Mish said that the storyline was perfect for a summer blockbuster and was “not a downer at all.”

“It’s about a nice guy who has all this bogus stuff happen to him,” he said. “As I read it I was like, whoever wrote this must have been thinking of Adam Sandler.”

To acquire the “Job” rights, Paramount reportedly ponied up $8 million to its author, God, who is represented by The William Morris Agency.

William Morris beat out several other top Hollywood talent agencies two weeks ago in the competition to represent God, whose literary properties have never been in greater demand.

“Signing God as a client was huge,” said one Morris rep. “It really made up for losing Chloe Sevigny.”

While in the past God has had a reputation in Hollywood for being difficult, Mr. Mish of Paramount had only positive things to say about working with Him thus far.

“I’d heard He was vengeful, but I haven’t seen a vengeful side of Him,” Mr. Mish said. “He did turn my assistant into a pillar of salt, but she was late with that cappuccino.”

I went to see Secret Window, staring Johnny Depp... if you like suspense thrillers, this is a good'un

Saturday  March 20, 2004

While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.

Stephen Covey

I took Cindy Monica and Cindy's friend Heather to see what was supposed to be a Comedy starring Jim Carey... it was a good movie but it wasn't funny. I feel bad because I talked them into seeing it... definitely not a kid flick...damn. I promised them that I would take them to the movies again to see a another movie. I went out in the evening again to take Christian to see his girlfriend, I took Calie too and we went to see "Spartan" with Brad Pitt... it was a good thriller... Brad and his peers were guilty of laying it on a little thick every once and a while but it was still a good flic. 

Sunday  March 21, 2004

Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.

Frederick Nietzsche

More movies today, I didn't go but I took the kids and dropped them off, Christy, Cindy and Autumn and I went out to eat at a Chinese Buffet called the 'Super King Buffet' the food was not as good as the 'Blue Koi' but there was an awesome variety and it reasonably priced, I got very 'Piggy' but I did manage to stay away from the sweets... tomorrows scale readout will tell.

 I got that Urban Legend about Congressmen's retirements and the rant from someone claiming to be Limbaugh talking about the compensation for 9-11 victim's family members vs what a soldier gets paid... it always irks me when I get it I will plug in my reply here for future reference:

I have seen this several times before (Limbaugh denies writing it by the way) I am not sure what the point is, the Victims and families of the WTC attack were innocent pawns. The Military casualties entered into their arrangement with their eyes open and facing the enemy and knew the dangers going in. Comparing the two seems unreasonable and a bit cruel, it belittles the loss of the WTC victims and potentially inflames the military.

The first part of the e-mail is true... As far as it goes, what it doesn't bother to mention is:

1. Servicemen are offered a $250,000 insurance for $20 a month that is theirs unless they decline it.

2. None of the people killed in the WTC volunteered to be put into harms way.

3. Much of the money donated to the victims came from people like me to be given to the families of the victims without thought to anything but assuaging our  grief. To imply that they are somehow less deserving of compensation is pretty petty... It seems to me that they should get every penny donated... But they aren't:

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/charity.htm (to his credit, Limbaugh (Along with O'Riley and Oprah) really is affiliated with this one)

The entire second part about Congressmen is an Urban Legend that was appended to the original 'Limbaugh' diatribe by some one with another axe to grind... It has been around since the last election with Bradley and before that it was someone else, I have seen it with Hillary Clinton and several others (Always Democrats, never Republicans).
http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/congressionalpensions.htm