Guard Dog

So anyway, I left work a little early yesterday to have a drink with a lady I met last week. Afterwards she suggested we walk around a bit (we were in Overton Park) and we ended up walking in this art gallery. Now I am not a big fan of art, in fact the walls in my house are bare except for some military momentos, a few palques and my diploma. But I saw this picture and I just had to have it. I didn't even ask how much, I just asked if they could change the frame to red cedar. Anyway I paid way more for it than I intended but I really liked it. Well, after we left she suggested that she could help me find a place to hang it. That ended up meaning exactly what I hoped it meant. Apparently women find men who buy art from little art stores attractive. You might want to give that a try Wals! Next girl I take out I might try that again! Oh, here is the pic I bought. I had never seen it before but it is famous evidently.

He is not a fine upstanding human being thats for sure, but he may be right about some things. It's hard not to be worried when our own political leaders are calling regular citizens who oppose them "evil mongers" as Harry Reid did. Remember he got mad that Bush called Iraq, Iran, and North Korea evil. Apparently only regular Americans who want nothing more than to live their lives in peace qualify as evil to this man. He writes an Op-Ed with the Speaker of the House (who is supposed to represent ALL Americans) chastising people who do not want socialized health care saying is was Un-American to disagree with your government. It was fine and good to disagree when they were out of power, not now that they have it. Nancy Pelosi calls all of those self same hard working regular Americans a bunch of Nazis and that they were carrying swastikas. Never mind the fact that is was an outright lie. James Clyburn the third highest ranking man in the house said the people who don't want health care reform are just racists for opposing Obama. I see, so if I disagree with the President about anything I'm racist? Rep Shelia Jackson Lee said the same thing and also said we were going to get government health care whether we wanted it or not. John Dingel, a very high ranking Democrat Rep from Michigan said those who opposed health care were probably in the Ku Klux Klan. Commentator Bill Maher has openly said people who have publicly opposed UHC should be shot. Lets not forget the hatred and anger directed at the regular blue-collar folks at the tea-party protests over the past six months. These are just normal people angry about government corruption, and out of control spending. Sarah Palin has been publicly vilified for her "Death Panels" comment. While it was a little out in left field, Obama's own health care adviser Ezekiel Emmanuel has flat out said extended care for seniors is not guaranteed because of the high cost and low return since they are not productive citizens anymore (meaning they don't pay high taxes like a younger person). Another Obama adviser Cass Sunstein has written in favor of forced sterilizations and abortions in the name of population control. Add to all of this the fact that American citizens have been buying firearms and ammunition and a rate unprecedented in US history since Obama took office and that membership in fringe groups like the Alaska Independence movement and a those nutty militias are up. The Governor of Texas has a panel studying the legal and economic implications of secession and has openly spoken of it to the press as have a few others in the Texas State House. There are similar think tanks in Louisiana and Oklahoma doing the same things (privately without State sanction but with some popular support). I know political contention is hardly new in the US but it seems worse to me now than anytime in my lifetime. I will admit it. I am afraid we are on a road that might well take us to a very dark place. Rather than slow the descent, Obama seems intent on greasing the rails and Congress is working hard to paint the American people as the new enemy of the government.

How come no one has suggested LoF being Volourn's alt? He is pretty much the WOT's Volo. Volo is not motivated enough to make an alt

Pat Buchanan went a little nuts for a few years back in the 90's. He seems to have calmed down of late and his columns have been pretty good. Like this one that seems to repeat a lot of what I've been saying here lately. I think the US as a political institution is entering it's last phase of life. I believe a breakup is inevitable because no matter what the divisive issue is, the root of it is what power the federal government should or should not have. One side wants the see the Federalist system eliminated and for the national government to assume control of everything (note: this is not necessarily socialism or totalitarianism, but it could be), the other side wants to reign Uncle Sam back to his constitutionally defined role. The two viewpoints are fundamentally incompatible with each other. At some point one of the two sides must capitulate or they shake hands and go their separate ways, each taking half of the country with them. Lets hope it's one of those two, the third possibility is that one side seizes power and tries to exterminate the other. I sincerely hope that never comes to pass.

Ever notice how Krezack seems to think crazy and libertarian are all one word? You guys are making me break my own rule about not posting in one of LoFs threads.

Here are the odds line: Krezack 10:1, Pop 4:1, Deadly Nightshade 30:1, taks 10000:1, Walsingham 200:1, Kaftan 15:1, Guard Dog 10000:1, Laozi 80:1 Krookie 75:1, Rostere 100:1, Monte Carlo 90:1, Not an alt just a fool 2:1

Marlins lose a heart breaker last night against the Nats 5-3. C'mon Fish you gotta win games like that. Philly won, Rocks won, Fish lost ground. Kudos to Jeter for breaking Gehrigs record.

So would an individual state government, if it wished to, be able to organise universal health care for its own citizens? Have any done so? Would this be more acceptable to the public? I would definately support that, since it would leave accountability to a closer and to a lower level, making it more easy for the taxpayers to verify any fraud or mismanagement. The federal government would simply have legislate the mandate "universal healthcare guaranteed to its citizens" to every state would be enough. Whether if they would adpot the swiss model or the british one would be up to them as long as it was universal. @Steve: Oregon and Wisconson are working on this very thing right now. I believe it's on hold waiting to see what Obama and Congress are going to do. But their proposals are more manageable, far less onerouss and most importantly are constitutional. @Meshugger: The Constitution does not permit the Federal government to tell the states "Thous Shalt or Shalt Not Do This" about much of anything unless a program is either 1) Paid for by Federal money, this would not be, or 2) Pertains to inter-state commerce or dealing with a foeriegn power. This would not. If an individual state wished to privide UHC for it's citizens I am all for it.

I'm curious. What does everytone think of interleague play? On the MLB channel on XM this morning they were tlaking about the unbalancing effect it had on the playoff races. For example, The Rockies playes a weak interleague schedule compared to the Cubs and that accounted for 10 Rocks wins over weaker teams where the Cubs had to play in NY and Boston and lost 5 of 6. Remove the interleague games and the NL wild card race is a lot tighter. If I were in charge I think I'd limit the Interleague play to one home and one away series against a cross league "rival" (Cubs vs White Sox for example) and do away with the rest. Ideally I think we should expand the AL by two teams, eliminate interleague play and go back to a balanced schedule, but that will never happen. What are everyones thoughts on Interleague?

I think this is the right answer. More to the point, the no huddle prevented substitutions so they could not set the defense they wanted.

Good point. He probably could not. The days of shade tree mechanics are long gone. Heck I don't even do my own oil changes anyome. It costs more to buy the filter and oil and pay the disposal fee for the old oil than it does to take it in to a shop.

$800. Engine was shot. I bought a rebuild kit and a new carbuerator and 4 new tires for $500 so all told I had $1300 in it by the time it was drivable. My dad and I did all the work. Whatever I know about auto mechanics today I learned from him.

Titans @ Steelers Steelers repeat begins tonight Dolphins @ Falcons Atlanta in a close one Chiefs @ Ravens No QB no win for KC. Ravens win big Eagles @ Panthers Carolinas defense is good, Phillys offense is better. Eagles win Broncos @ Bengals No real opinion on this one. Bengals Vikings @ Browns Browns are in disarray, Vikes win Jets @ Texans Prediction, Jets will be elimated from contention by week 9. Texans win Jags @ Colts Gut tells me the revamped Jags running game overpowers small Indy defense. Jags win Lions @ Saints Bad team + rookie QB on the road = Saints win Cowboys @ Bucs Let the futility begin. Cowboys 49ers @ Cardinals I doubt they go all the way again but the Cards are way better than SF. Cards win Redskins @ Giants This will be a great game. Giants win close Rams @ Seahawks I wonder if anyone will watch this game? Seahawks Bears @ Packers Bears Bills @ Patriots This one will be ugly for Buffalo, Pats win Chargers @ Raiders Prediction: Chargers will get more sacks than the Raiders get touchdowns. Chargers win.

Week one is upon us, time for the picks! You can cut and paste this one: Titans @ Steelers Dolphins @ Falcons Chiefs @ Ravens Eagles @ Panthers Broncoes @ Bengals Vikings @ Browns Jets @ Texans Jags @ Colts Lions @ Saints Cowboys @ Bucs 49ers @ Cardinals Redskins @ Giants Rams @ Seahawks Bears @ Packers Bills @ Patriots Chargers @ Raiders

Good deal. Now you need a car, got one in mind? Bad choice letting your kid pick his/her first vehicle imo. Then they get the idea in their head that they can have anything they want but that's wrong and they need to be hit in the face. You get what you can take which is why I haven't killed myself for the two horrible jalopies that were handed down to me over the years. I do however get to pick my next vehicle and I'm basically just biding my time until something worthwhile comes along or the piece that I'm driving now falls apart and I'm forced to get a new vehicle. regardless, grats awsomness. Welcome to complete and utter slavery to your vehicle and of course the overly frightening experience of "blank driving" where your brain turns off and 15 minutes later you arrive at your destination with little or no recollection of the time spent operating your vehicle and the countless lives that you've likely endangered. Great times. If he gets a job and buys it himself he can pick whatever he wants. I bought my first cat at 17. It was 1978 Camaro, I earned the money cutting grass at a horse farm.

It would never pass. Simply put we (the majority of Americans) just don't want it. I know it's used in many other places and it works fine. We just don't want it here. It really is that simple. Heck I keep reminding everyone, the US in not Europe. It's not Austrialia. We may have far more in common than not but we have fundamentally different attitudes about what the role of government should be. Most of us do at least. That is not to impugn the viture of state run healthcare as it is practiced elsewhere. I know Krezack in particular is guilty of this but many non US posters here look at the US and wonder "why aren't they more like us?" We are the product of our history. If you really want to understand why the US is how it is I highly reccomend this book: http://www.amazon.com/5000-Year-Leap-Mirac...0994&sr=8-1 I know you were joking about the civil war part and while I do believe a break up of the US is certainly probable at some future point, I very seriously doubt there will ever be another civil war.

If that was my flagpole I know what flag I would fly:

Good deal. Now you need a car, got one in mind?

Just one more thought on this and I'll let it go. The Democrats have a super-majority in congress. They own it. The Republicans are absolutely irrelevant. They cannot filibuster or outright defeat anything. They could no more stop the Dems from passing this than they can stop the sun from rising tomorrow. There are three bills in the House and one in the Senate that do everything Obama wants including a government run public option. If this was such a god damned good thing then why have they not passed one yet? Heck they will not even allow a vote on it yet. Why? Becase they cannot even get all of the Democrats to go along with it. You don't need a singe Repub vote but when 1/3 of your own god damned party knows it stinks maybe you need to take another look at it before ramming it down everyones throats.

Not only does he want it he outlined exactly how to get it and is following his plan to the letter. For this example only, suppose he gets what he wants, a public plan to "compete" with private companies. This public plan is ostensibly not-for-profit and has no fiduciary responsibilities since if it runs short on cash the government simply gives it an infusion of cash by raising taxes, or worse simply printing the money as Obama has been wont to do this past year. Private companies cannot simply invent funds so they are already operating against an unfair advantage. Included in his plan is a law FORCING everyone to have insurance. There are a myriad of federal laws regulating insurance companies and what they can sell to whom and where. For example, if I wanted to buy my own plan there are over 1600 individual plans out there, I am only allowed to by 2-3 of them. So if the ones available are cost prohibitive I am forced onto the "public" plan. And you had better believe the big government hacks are savvy enough to ensure most people will be forced into that option by all means fair or foul. So once again, anyone can be placed on the public plan but the government who owns the public plan gets final say who the insurance companies can and cannot sell to. Once again, a very unfair advantage. Finally, because it has no fiduciary responsibility the public plan can undercut the private companies which will entice employers to drop private coverage and the coup is complete. Private companies go under, the government takes over and now by God they own you. Health care is the ultimate back stage pass into everyones lives. Want to outlaw smoking, drinking, scuba diving? They now have "vested financial interest" in your health and they will extrapolate that into the power to dictate how you live your life. I am not saying Obama wants to or will do all of these things but somewhere down the road someone will and all the groundwork needed will have been laid. No thank you. Not in my country. A very wise man once told me that the most intelligent way to look at government is to examine all of the factions and imagine what would happen if each of them got everything they wanted. Once you've done that you support the one that scares you the least. Obama and his ilk scare the hell out of me. Big Daddy Don Garlits told me that when I worked for him on his 1994 congressional campaign.

Actually I am a little bit of a Cards fan because the Redbirds, ther AAA affiliate are right here in town and I've been to almost a dozen games this year. But old loyalties die hard.

clearly something ole taks ain't gonna try. i already don't sleep... something like this would be negative sleep. taks Well, at our age that drink might cause heart failure. Either way the claim holds true. Once you pass 40 who has time to waste sleeping. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Just ask the local coyotes.

Awsomeness, please do me a favor and watch this video with an open mind. Remember, a law that seems innocouos or even benevolent today can be used to strangle you somewhere down the road.

There is dirnk called a Truckers ****tail you can try. Take a large cup (as big as you can get) put in a 5-hr energy shot (use 3 vitamin B caps 1 no-doz and a little apple juice if they don't sell those down there), 1 can of Red Bull and fill the rest of the cup with Mountain Dew soda. You might never sleep again.