Adult Highlights

I found this image on the BBC which is a decent read if you believe that by virtue of your breathing you may enjoy a God-given right to the labor and output of other men through compulsory means. If not, I commend your individuality and invite you to simply enjoy the unintentional porn in this shot, iffn' you can find it!

I guess it was a 'futurist' that named the Polar Bear Knut.

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FED-up

Whosoever shall be found without the soul for getting down (on their knees) shall stand and face the hounds of hell in the form of the new, user-friendly IRS.

Hmmm...I thought that old Michael Jackson tune had a different ending but so far as the Brown's are concerned it's a way of life these days and suitable to our purposes here.
The IRS declares that Ed and Elaine Brown, pictured here, are in arrears on their tax bill to the tune of 1.5 million dollars. Indeed, the Browns are happy to pay this bill inclusive of all the penalties and interest if the tax man would be so kind as to show them the compulsory law. Thus far, no literature has been forthcoming but the threats and intimidation are seemingly in limitless supply.

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Media manipulation for the purposes of painting the Brown's as evil, dastardly citizens has been quite the challenge. We all remember the Branch Davidians at Waco but may not be so clear as to the details of the propaganda used to rally the hoi polloi behind the ATF. In the war of words do you recall that it wasn't the Branch Davidian Farm but rather the Branch Davidian Compound? The word Compound lends itself to a militaristic bent as does insertion of the word 'Bunker' used to describe what is best summed up as their barn. Or a church. I have visited this site and can attest to the veracity of this summation although not much was left standing when Janet Reno gave the order to murder our fellow citizens, children included. We were told about the horrors of the 'cult' and witnessed psychological harassment as Nancy Sinatra's 'Boots were made for Walking' was blasted across the loudspeaker day and night.

In the end, when public sentiment (I assume) had reached whatever level some bureaucrat thought acceptable CS nerve gas was injected into the building, gung-ho 20 year old's with automatic rifles mowed down whatever moved, and a giant fireball went barreling down the hallways incinerating everything in it's path. Indeed, CS gas is known to cause muscles to constrict in virtual immediacy and some smaller children were found broken in half, backward, where their heads were near the heels of their feet. In the gas chamber, at least one is strapped down first. When the hearings about the incident were in front of congressmen apparently the huge, brass front door made to be the marker of 'who shot first?' went missing according the FBI. How convenient.

In comparison, we have what I consider to be some quite ordinary looking Americans living in an ordinary town in extraordinary conditions. It's not so easy to make them out to be Satan's Spawn and there are some concerned neighbors willing to fight, armed if necessary, to be granted a Right of Redress of Grievances guaranteed in the Constitution and ignored in modern-day practice. The idea that we are compelled by the butt end of a rifle to comply with laws without support, taxation without representation, and government run amok is so far being a free people in a free society that we should all vigorously support the brave few who have decided that enough is enough. Dissension is part of the process to be addressed not smeared and subdued with threats of mortal injury. I hope this noble standoff is settled peaceably without need for a GPS to be embedded in the door.

Me Chinese, Me Play Joke

I've been concerned about China for some time particularly in reference to their discipline. The U.S. is their number one enemy, according to the Chinese ministry, and it seems they're assiduously preparing for a confrontation on all fronts, not just militarily. Now, preparing and actually engaging are two entirely different things but in the event of a shore invasion on Taiwan, or knocking out a spy satellite they're uncomfortable with, they'll be ready...and readier every day.
It was disturbing to pull my head out of the ground only to see our national sovereignty disappear before my very eyes. The Chinese decided to rattle the saber of liquidation of American Treasury Bills, bonds, to the tune of 1.5 Trillion, that's with a T folks. What it means, in essence, is that our economic health is no longer in our hands and they can, at any time decide to 'cash in' sending our economy in a downward spiral. To compensate, the Federal Reserve would be forced to just print money, since we left the gold standard (foolishly) years ago and replaced currency backing with 'I.O.U.'s. Terrific. What happens when the Fed just prints money, you say? Typically the result is interest rates in the nose bleed section, in double digits the likes of which would make even Jimmy Carter blush.
This is not a lesson on the economy, or economic policy, but rather a wake up call to those who value some semblance of security in this land by the lever-pullers in the House and Senate. To say they've failed miserably is an understatement of massive proportion and many times it takes years to uncover the effects of the incessant graft & corruption made manifest in our esteemed leaders.
I believe the threat of liquidation by China, and it is indeed a threat, is in response to a backlash against tainted imported Chinese goods. From dog food, to tooth paste, to children's toys to the hot-off-the-presses embalming fluid found in pajamas, the business practices of that country shall not be interfered with from a pesky American consumer. Plus, Washington dare not attempt to stifle the imports or add fuel to this fire lest their suicidal game of selling out the country to the highest bidder be revealed for one and all to see.
At least we know how honorable the Chinese are as the toy company president took his own life from the embarrassment of the public scandal. He certainly was not bumped off to give that appearance. Wink. Nod.
At the end of the day though it's not the fault of foreign countries for supporting our financial infrastructure in light of the heretofore stability of our currency. It's our fault for not saving individually, for spending and borrowing like there's no tomorrow on a national level, and not making our lawmakers accountable for all the unconstitutional giveaways that bankrupt the country but generate votes. It's all coming to a head and it's going to be very, very painful.

Back Breaka

The blisters have already purchased real estate on my hands with an expected move-in date of tomorrow, when I arise. The welcome committee will likely consist of creams, ointments, and the occasional pain-induced aggravated bitch-session. That's what ya get when working with cement, hammers and boards in 100 degree heat after a steady diet of paper-pushing.
Somewhere between hosing myself down and guzzling up vitamin water by the gallon I thought it'd be a good idea to get some exercise and haul 80lb dead-weight Quick-crete blocks to form support for new decking. The hammer was completely unforgiving as it shredded my tender skin thumbing it's nose at the tough-man work gloves. What a sissy I've become, I thought, testing out the ability to be ambidextrous and switch the hammer to whichever hand hurt less, at the moment. At least there was no webcam.

Jesus is it hot out here! I could even hear the shingles requesting a relocation package and one or two of them demanding hazardous work pay. It was heat-induced delerium that lasted a grueling 6 hours before finally releasing it's grip. Ultimately though, that evening, there was an odd sense of accomplishment and I thought about the word teleos, loosely translated from Greek into 'living as a thing is meant to' but then quickly dismissed that thought for fear it might be accurate!
Tonight I sleep like a baby with my baby hands and dream of keyboards, A/C, and a whole stack of paper just begging to be pushed.

Poppa's Best Boy

I can't imagine life without dogs. I don't think there has ever been a time that there weren't at least two, of wrestling size nearby to add their weight in gold to value of my life account.

The above picture is my best boy Scooter, who came with the name after being rescued from a bad environment having multiple homes and no one to commit to the responsibility for his care. He was called 'Homer' at the 2nd to last foster parent's home and while I like that name much better, as it seems more suitable, I just didn't have the heart to change the poor dog's name again. Certainly it's fun to incorporate all variations of his name including songs. There's the theme to Mission Impossible, using 'Scooter Pie' for the first three stacatto beats following up with 'good boy'--g'head, try it out--you know you want to!
Sadly the picture does not do him justice so I'll get creative and post a short video so the dear reader can experience his inimitable cuteness, straight on.

She's Simply Wuvwee

Haven't felt like a school-boy in what feels to be 100 years or more and was shocked, shocked I say, to encounter a gal that was so appealing I couldn't keep my eyes ON her. In situational happenstance fate demanded we interact for half an hour or so in a private setting and after 5 minutes I could already detect mild perspiration around the collar and slightly elevated BP. Is this a prelude to a heart attack? It was a peculiar feeling and thinking I can always rely on my golden tongue I had this unnerving worry that I ought not test it now. Brevity, lest you live to regret verbosity was echoing between my ears.

We used to semi-joke that "if you think there's something going on, there is" which was really a tribute to one's intuition insofar as if the idea crosses your mind there's likely an inherent trigger. Although we're talking about human chemistry an apt analogy might be if you're watching a movie and are suddenly aware that someone in the film is acting. It ought to never cross your mind, and seldom does, except when there's an actor so stark in their pitiful performance that you're jolted into this recognition.

I'm not sure where one's idea for what is womanly or manly stems from and indeed it's the topic for another discussion. But for my purposes here "Susan" was the epitome of what I would consider 'womanly.' There was an enchanting aura about her, stunningly attractive with the ease and grace of some majestic earthbound view with what seemed to be the perfect balance of assertive professional and Sunday couch snuggle bunny.
If I allowed myself closer proximity there's no doubt she would have smelled like fresh honeysuckle so I placed an imaginary separator between us in an effort not to inhale deeply in the nest of her flowing hair, and then get smacked.

Something interesting happened. For the lurkers who do not know me it should be known that generally I'm considered chivalrous and not just to outrage Patricia Ireland, which is an added bonus, but more just as evidence of an innate respect for women cultivated by my adolescent(and adult)respect for my own sister. I had truly decided to give her lots of social space employing Mr. separator but by the time I realized what was happening, thrust into cognition by the touch of her hand, I had reached up and was assisting her down 3 somewhat insecure wooden steps. There was no overt reaction on either part, just an old-fashioned pleasantry extended during discourse of whose subject I certainly cannot recall.

Then it happened again but with a much more telling feature. This time there were 3 brick steps, obviously sound in their structure but perhaps a bit narrow. Upon reaching the bottom my hand instinctively arose and while she could have traversed them easily in the time it took to reorganize, she scurried to free a hand which was bogged down with papers, folders, etc in an effort, I believe, to thank me for the gesture. Awwwww.

It would be impossible, in my view, for a woman such as this to not be the apple of someone's eye homicidally jealous with tree-trunk sized biceps. Even so the warm feeling I got in the many times I found my mind wandering to the memory today may just be worth....well, something more than I would normally sacrifice to get to know her. Plus, she never spit, even once! Is this a keeper or what?

Your Feind and Mine

Did you know that in the IRS employees handbook there is a description of how to collect taxes after a nuclear war? Imagine having survived, standing there with your hair falling out and skin glowing in a light shade of green...when suddenly this bloodsucker arrives, likely armed, to take some of your worthless money or confiscated property/food for the government! There was once a time, in the good old days, when the tax collector would come by and be promptly tarred and feathered by the townsfolk never to extort that pound of flesh again.

Enough is enough of these predators somehow subverting the old axiom of 'can't get blood from a stone' by doing just that. Main problem: you're a stone buddy. Let's implement the fairtax, swiftly.

The Snoop

Engaged in quite unsavory computer detective work today. The subject is an out of control 16 year old girl (redundant, I know) causing her mother incredible amounts of angst. Had she been 18 I would have declined the work based on privacy issues but as a minor I can justify the search for images, videos, nasty text and the like in an effort to rescue her from the inevitable pregnancy.

Surprisingly when I did encounter some more salacious material I realized that I had, in no way, any desire to actually route through it. Instead, I simply copied all the stuff to a flash drive and let the mom do what she thought best. I did however have a dry-heave reaction to her written words, if it's still English that we all speak. I can let slide the acronyms such as JIK, OMG, WTF, but the handling of basic sentence structure is horrific! Here's some copy:

him and joycelyn had been
broken up for like 3 months and so he was explaining about her and
everything and then when we're the mall i guess she stalked his page or
something and saw i was hanging with him and she FLIPPED HER SHIT and called
him and was like wtf! and then left him a comment...

Perhaps when we're old these will be the 'adults' who take care of us, man the
government offices, and generally decide the direction of the country. Comfortable?