Guard Dog

I remember when I was a kid I got into an argument with my father when he told me professional wrestling wasn't real. That was pretty embarassing now that I look back on it. I could make a better case Santa Claus was real.

GD how much of this do you agree with "And the source of allegiance? We’re supposed to believe that Trump’s support stems from economic stagnation or dislocation. Maybe some of it does. But what Trump offers his followers are not economic remedies — his proposals change daily. What he offers is an attitude, an aura of crude strength and machismo, a boasting disrespect for the niceties of the democratic culture that he claims, and his followers believe, has produced national weakness and incompetence. His incoherent and contradictory utterances have one thing in common: They provoke and play on feelings of resentment and disdain, intermingled with bits of fear, hatred and anger. His public discourse consists of attacking or ridiculing a wide range of “others” — Muslims, Hispanics, women, Chinese, Mexicans, Europeans, Arabs, immigrants, refugees — whom he depicts either as threats or as objects of derision. His program, such as it is, consists chiefly of promises to get tough with foreigners and people of nonwhite complexion. He will deport them, bar them, get them to knuckle under, make them pay up or make them shut up. " It is arrogant in the extreme to convince yourself you know the mind and motivations of millions of people you have never met. It smacks of leftisim even though Kagan is by no means a left winger (yes Bruce I know who he is... I actally read the newspaper, several of them, everyday). It means he believes his political philosophy is so correct the only way this neophyte Trump could get so much support is by appealing to folks baser instincts and they are all such unsophisticated hayseed yahoos that they are suceptible to that. Now it may be many of them do. But if they are voting for Trump under the belief he's going to deport everyone not from " "round herya " they are going to be disappointed. Now he can and will I believe go back to actually prosecuting people who cross the border illegally, like the other 205 countries on the planet do and like we did before Barry O stopped doing that. That is not a bad thing IMO.

This is what I hate about the Washington Post. You can practicaly hear the contempt dripping from the writers words. Especially when he went out of his way to discuss the professions of the people in this piece. He is practially shouting "Who do these dirty peasants think they are?" http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2016/05/21/armed-with-guns-and-constitutions-the-patriot-movement-sees-america-under-threat/

Strawberries for breakfast!

No it wasn't. It's screed disguised as an op ed. Ohhhh scary Trump is a strongman facist ohhhhhh vote for Hillary because it's who we are supporting anyway. Even of Trump was everything they fear he is, the President of the US in NOT all powerful. Nor does anyone want them to be. If they have half a brain at least.

Do you suppose Loras told the High Sparrow about the Tyrel's complicity in Joffery's murder? Would that have been what he told Tommen in confidence? If so is it possible Cersi is bringing the Tyrel army into Kings Landing to ambush them the way the Freys ambushed the Starks? That would be a big plot twist.

You guys are putting entirely too much stock in what a Presidential candidate says. Suppose Trump were elected and wanted to build that wall. He has to get Congress to actually pass a bill and appropriate the money. And that is just the first step. The only way he can absolutely make that wall happen is if he takes his Home Depot card, a really big pickup truck and builds it himself. Hillary is talking a good game about using executive action to make assault weapons illegal. Forget for a moment all other aspects of the gun control issue... if she actually made billions of dollars of privately owned goods illegal the very least that would happen is she is guaranteed to be a one term President. If she did so bypassing the congress, the only body that actually has the power to DO that, then she will have taken the US a very long step towards a dictatorship, something even the left leaning folks here would not want. As for leaving the country because of the outcome of an election, grow up. There have been 44 Presidents of the United States. Quite a few of them have been s--t. They can't wreck the country because the office isn't all powerful. Although our current one has tried very hard to change that he's only moved the needle a little... too much IMO. But in a practical sense is the US really all that different after 7 years of Obama BS that it was under Bush BS? Everyone is forced to BUY health insurance now. The military is weaker, the foreign wars are still going on. There have been a few more on the way. Guantanamo is still open and we still go to work every day and pay the same bills we had seven years ago. The NYSE still trades everyday, the Patriots still cheat and the Kardashians still destroy every man they meet. Stop putting so much stock in this crap. If you want to leave the country don't let the door hit your ass on the way out but don't do it thinking you are escaping some right wing corporate state or some left wing bananna republic. After four years of whichever of these two imbiciles gets elected if the country is different it will only be by degree.

I can't figure it. The silicon valley types are so opposed to government censorship of speech, government regulation of business and the internet. But they support the Democrats who want very much to do all those things. Makes no sense to me.

I picked almost all the strawberries in the garden this morning. There must be 20 lbs ( 9kg give or take ) of them. So I'm spending my day making strawberry perserves and a strawberry & peanutbutter sandwich for lunch, and a strawberry salad for dinner, strawberry pie for dessert.

Here is a prediction: The next President of the US will be a big government autocrat who knows nothing (Trump) or cares nothing (Clinton) about the US Constitution, the limits of the office, or the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of the country whose government they have found themseves (by virture of being least awful of only awful choices) at the head of. If that strikes you as negative well... doesen't make it not true.

Chess on chess.net. I've won or drawn 17 games in a row... until tonight. Kinda bummed now.

No I only have the base game that came with the pre-order. I didn't like the interface, camera angles, voice acting... just a total miss for me. I was hoping it would recapture the IWD or BG I & II magic for me but it never came close. PoE did... but not this.

Yeah this sums me up too. I tried for the last time this morning. To hell with it

According to Chris Creamer's crew over at www.sportslogos.net this will be the Panthers new logo. I don't love it... but I don't hate it either. Not as good as what they have now:

A respectable 3rd party challenge would make an already entertaining farce of an election even more so. Personally I wish more people would give the Libertarian Party a look. To quote Tyrion Lannister "Give freedom a chance. See if it doesn't taste every bit as sweet as what came before"

Now reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind about William Kamkwamba. As a self educated teenager in Malawi this young man began building windmill powered generators out of tractor and bicycle parts and using them to bring running water to impoverished villages. He is a pretty remarkable man and a very interesting story.

Unless your job is prison inmate this is not cool.

Tommy went back to the vet yesterday morning. He lost the infected tooth, the one on each side and one other one and got a cleaning. Poor old guy. He isn't happy now but he'll be feeling much better today. Plus he's on soft food only for a few days so I know he won't hate that. His bill was over $500 but considering four extractions and a cleaning all under anesthesia, it's a better deal than my dentist gave me.

Congrats Enoch!

As horrified as I am by the despicable people in line to become the next president I must admit his has been the most entertaining election in my lifetime. As soon as you get past the fact that no matter who wins the next persident will be a freedom hating, power mad, authoritarian figure this has been a real hoot.

It's hard to stop a motivated dog.

Now Hillary supporters are shooting at Bernie supporters: http://www.weeklystandard.com/article/2002438 Ironic since Hillary is so pro-gun control. Maybe she should start with her own people.

I had to take Tommy to the vet today. He hasn't been eating. It turns out he has an infected tooth that has started to abscess. That poor dog... no wonder he wouldn't eat. Well tomorrow morning that will get fixed. He's on pain meds now and I made him scrambled with boiled chicken cut into very small pieces for dinner. He scarfed that down willingly enough.

I can sum the DNC's reaction up this way "who do these bloody peasants think they are?" http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/reids-nevada-democrats-warn-dnc-violence-sanders-supporters

I really cannot decide which is more disgusting to me. The Democrats cynical and power-mad attempt to use the government to silence free speech, or the death threats and nasitness it provoked. It's like trying to find the cleanest pig in the sty. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/17/first-came-the-drudge-link-then-the-death-threats.html