Leave it to the current US government and the scientists in their employ. Have you ever in your life experienced such a heartless crew? 2008, in almost every respect, absolutely sucked as years go. War, famine, bi-polarism run rampant, increases in crime rates, unemployment rates, oil and gas prices. The only thing that went down was the assets of the middle class----their 401-k, their houses, their pay......And the government is ADDING a second to 2008 to get all the atomic clocks in tune or some such gibberish!!!! And they claim waterboarding isn't torture?? Compared to what 2008 has wrought, they might be right. They couldn't have let that second get added AFTER midnight so 2009 was a second longer?? Wonder how much my 401-k will lose in that extra second........
Check out this video--the Pirate Dogs and I found it amusing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWiXy55OHyY .
The Pirate Dogs and their family wish that you and yours all have a Happy, Peaceful, and Prosperous New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Hair and There
It's everyone's time to do lists---resolutions for the New Year, favorite people, disasters, movies, t.v. shows, reality series, etc of 2008. And all ad nauseam. So while Keith does his "Countdown" of favorites and Chris Mathews does his, both on MSNBC, me and the Pirate Dogs figured we'd do a blog posting that doesn't include any such lists!!! Hoo-ray and arf-arrgh.
One thing to comment on is "The Hair"--of course that's Illinois gov. Rod Blagojevich.
One thing to comment on is "The Hair"--of course that's Illinois gov. Rod Blagojevich.
This guy is accused of trying to sell the President-elect's Senate seat. I repeat, he is accused of trying to sell the seat. Sen. Harry Reid has issued the declaration that whoever Blago appoints will not be seated. Even Obama says Blago's recommendations should not be accepted. After 8 years of Bush deciding on which American rights to violate and which laws to selectively enforce or ignore, I hope I'm not the only one out here getting nervous about people in power taking actions as if Blago's presumed guilt were a confirmed fact. Doesn't he get a trial or something?? He may be as crooked as ol' Tricky Dick Nixon, but it's a long way from accusation to conviction. I'm not saying we should accept any Blago nominee, but the reasons for rejection shouldn't be the allegations against him. Seems the Illinois legislature should require a special election or some other process that limits Blago's authority while he is under investigation.
Try to get a copy of The Economist for Dec.20-Jan2 (double issue). It's got great articles ranging from angels to music to lighthouses. You can check it out online as well at http://www.economist.com/printedition/index.cfm?d=20081220. The article on oysters is enough to make my mouth water but the Pirate Dogs said they can leave them.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Channeling
My late mother-in-law's birthday is this week-end. See http://zeesgowest.blogspot.com/ for a more serious treatment of this occasion. But Weets Elva has her own take---she channels her grandmother.
As can be observed in these pictures, Weetz (left) looks like "E" (right). Note especially the silver top knot of hair.
Now Weets has a personality like "E" as well. I used to call my wife the "old bat." "E" would call every Saturday morning very early CA time. I'd usually answer and call the old bat to the phone. "E" went over 10 years thinking I said "It's the old bat", not "It's for you, old bat." Needless to say this was a source of tension, unknown to either my spouse or myself, in the relationship with her mother. "E" could also be short when speaking to someone and rather insistent that her ideas and caveats be followed. A lot like Weets' nagging and harping at the other Pirate Dogs to go check out the outside or go to the window and harass some poor passers-by.
It would be fair to say we miss "E" and really wish she could be here to interact with the small doggie grand-daughter who has her hair, expressions, and communicative talents so well emulated. Then again, Weets does such a good job of channeling her that we think of her and appreciate her all the time.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Holiday Message
The Pirate Dogs and I were reading the New York Times online this Christmas Eve morn and came upon a message on the op-ed pages that we not only set as our desk-top background but felt we should share with all of you. Unfortunately we can't insert it in a good readable fashion, so here is the link:
Follow the directions and imagine.................
Monday, December 22, 2008
Questioning My Vote??
The Pirate Dogs are still howling unbelievably about the local church and some of its clientele. So they aren't participating in this posting.
To read the newspapers and listen to cable news is to begin to doubt the wisdom of my vote for Obama. He promised change and a joining of the American people in the middle, an end to the extremes of partisanship and red-vs-blue. Can't we give him a chance to get inaugurated and start work before bringing out all the insignificant b.s that drives the wedges between our peoples??
Take the cabinet choices---no Southerners. Well, the government representatives from that region's record hasn't been very positive in the Bush years. And as a whole, it's not Obama territory. We also do not have any good information on those he might have contacted that decided to continue in their present jobs rather than sign on to the new administration. A lot of Obama supporters are governors who might be of more benefit to the country and their states if they stay in their present circumstances. The other "big deal" about the cabinet is lots of Clinton people. Anyone have any non-Clinton folks with experience in a Democratic administration?? Ever consider we need people who know their way around Washington to really effect the change we need and Obama has promised?
Next is the kerfuffle about Rick Warren. Now I personally can take or leave him and the evangelical movement. Lots of gay rights groups are howling Obama let them down. Would they prefer Jeremiah Wright? Or how about Pope Benedict, who says homosexuals aren't evil but their acts are sinful? Let's give Obama a pass---he's trying to UNITE us, people, and what better way than to have as many of our disparate beliefs and foibles as possible represented in his administration and in the pomp and circumstance of his inauguration. We finally got it right---let's stop the nit-picking and move on!!!!!
To read the newspapers and listen to cable news is to begin to doubt the wisdom of my vote for Obama. He promised change and a joining of the American people in the middle, an end to the extremes of partisanship and red-vs-blue. Can't we give him a chance to get inaugurated and start work before bringing out all the insignificant b.s that drives the wedges between our peoples??
Take the cabinet choices---no Southerners. Well, the government representatives from that region's record hasn't been very positive in the Bush years. And as a whole, it's not Obama territory. We also do not have any good information on those he might have contacted that decided to continue in their present jobs rather than sign on to the new administration. A lot of Obama supporters are governors who might be of more benefit to the country and their states if they stay in their present circumstances. The other "big deal" about the cabinet is lots of Clinton people. Anyone have any non-Clinton folks with experience in a Democratic administration?? Ever consider we need people who know their way around Washington to really effect the change we need and Obama has promised?
Next is the kerfuffle about Rick Warren. Now I personally can take or leave him and the evangelical movement. Lots of gay rights groups are howling Obama let them down. Would they prefer Jeremiah Wright? Or how about Pope Benedict, who says homosexuals aren't evil but their acts are sinful? Let's give Obama a pass---he's trying to UNITE us, people, and what better way than to have as many of our disparate beliefs and foibles as possible represented in his administration and in the pomp and circumstance of his inauguration. We finally got it right---let's stop the nit-picking and move on!!!!!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Christmas Carol
There has been some digging by the Pirate Dogs. They have researched that most boring of Christmas carols that covers 12 days. In the alley behind our house they have excavated some ancient runes. Their research shows that for all these years, the last 3 verses have been wrong!!!!!!!
In fact, The Twelve Days of Christmas actually ends with:
"Three Pirate Dogs"
"Two Siamese"
"And AndromeClee guarding Cat Food!!
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS FROM THE PIRATE DOGS AND THEIR FAMILY
Monday, December 15, 2008
Of Pirates and Spinners
Captain 'Roid is really pissed off. When last seen, the intrepid Captain was begging her mother to make a new flag for the CPS Nargle proclaiming the "End of the United Nations." According to a report on tonight's BBC America newscast, the UN has signed some declaration allowing countries to pursue the pirates onto Somalian land. Now admittedly, Somalia is a failed state and its sovereignty is open to debate. But to allow other countries, including Iran, China, Great Britain, and the US (talk about politics and pirates making strange bedfellows!!!!) to invade in pursuit of the pirates?? Hopefully all those military men will review Blackhawk Down before doing the same foolish thing.....And why does the US, beacon of religious freedom and defender of the right to democratic processes, so fear an Islamic government in Somalia?? Isn't Islam one of the "Great Religions" alongside Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, etc?? Or is all this "Islamic terrorists are radical extremists" just a smoke screen and the US is really at war with Muslims-----shades of Richard the Lion-Heart and the Crusades...........
Do you remember The Spinners from the '70's and that massively "great" song "Rubber Band Man"?? Actually, I detest that song but all the "oldies" stations seem fixated on it.
But those aren't "the spinners" I'm writing about. I'm thinking about the auto-bailout/union busters and whether the Kennedys are more deserving of power as a dynasty than the Clintons, if MSNBC be believed.
GM and Chrysler are doing worse than Packard did in the 1950's. They hemorrhage cash, blowing through billions a month. Their management has been about as in tune to the needs of the average buyer and the concerns about the deleterious effects of automotive emissions on the decaying of the Earth's atmosphere as Bush and Cheney have been to telling the truth about Al-Qaeda in Iraq, let alone the total misinterpretation of the WMD intelligence.
Now, depending whom one reads, we are either headed for, or are already in, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. The government has bailed out the financial fat-cats but balks at doing the same for the auto-making fat-cats. The problem is that there are a lot of not-so-fat-cats that would be a lot more hurt by the death of the Big 3. About 1 in 10 American jobs is tied to the auto industry---from parts providers to transportation firms to the workers at the car plants themselves. If we want to see Great Depression type unemployment numbers (like around 25%), then let's allow the Big 3 shut down and add that 10% who lose their jobs to the present 11% without jobs. (I realize the current "official" unemployment rate is about 6% but that does NOT include part-time employees who'd like full-time jobs or those who have stopped trying to find work. That number is over 11%.) That's 21% unemployment. Wouldn't take many, if any, more Citibank job cuts to put us well over that 25% threshold.
But some Senators blame all the failings of the auto industry on the wage disparity between the union workers up north and the non-union laborers in the foreign plants south of the Mason-Dixon line. Taking a real crisis and scapegoating people who will lose their livelihoods to avoid taking action while changing the focus of the argument to something totally non-related is major SPIN!! Even if a UAW member makes $71.00 an hour, that's only $150,000/year!!! And that's nowhere near what an executive at either an auto maker or a financial firm makes!!!! As a matter of fact, it's 1.5% of the 10-million dollar paychecks and bonuses common in executive suites or a Major League Baseball locker room. So let's not blame the union. Deny the bail-out if you don't think management can turn around these companies but let's stop the b.s.
So Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg threw her hat into the ring for the US Senate seat formerly warmed by former first-lady Hilary Clinton (all this assumes she gets confirmed for Secretary of State and resigns). Caroline has a lot going for her. First, her maiden name is Kennedy. She's the only surviving child of JFK and Jackie. She's a major upgrade in looks from Mrs. Clinton and I think she's also better looking than Sarah McPalin (remember her??). So give her the job already. But first we need to watch interminable hours of every Clintonista with an axe to grind and all the MSNBC "analysts" and commentators who need to justify their salaries since the election is over stir up controversy. Who cares if Andrew Cuomo is divorced from one of Caroline's cousins?? What possible effect does it have on her qualifications for the Senate, which are about the same as Hilary's when she was first elected----a member of a family that was in the White House as well as being a lawyer. And Caroline even had a pony at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!!!!
So enjoy "Rubber Band Man" when you hear it and wish we only had to deal with the musical Spinners instead of the bozo spinners masquerading as learned gentlemen. Hang on to your money and hope January 20 comes faster. But keep your shoes handy just in case...........
Do you remember The Spinners from the '70's and that massively "great" song "Rubber Band Man"?? Actually, I detest that song but all the "oldies" stations seem fixated on it.
But those aren't "the spinners" I'm writing about. I'm thinking about the auto-bailout/union busters and whether the Kennedys are more deserving of power as a dynasty than the Clintons, if MSNBC be believed.
GM and Chrysler are doing worse than Packard did in the 1950's. They hemorrhage cash, blowing through billions a month. Their management has been about as in tune to the needs of the average buyer and the concerns about the deleterious effects of automotive emissions on the decaying of the Earth's atmosphere as Bush and Cheney have been to telling the truth about Al-Qaeda in Iraq, let alone the total misinterpretation of the WMD intelligence.
Now, depending whom one reads, we are either headed for, or are already in, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. The government has bailed out the financial fat-cats but balks at doing the same for the auto-making fat-cats. The problem is that there are a lot of not-so-fat-cats that would be a lot more hurt by the death of the Big 3. About 1 in 10 American jobs is tied to the auto industry---from parts providers to transportation firms to the workers at the car plants themselves. If we want to see Great Depression type unemployment numbers (like around 25%), then let's allow the Big 3 shut down and add that 10% who lose their jobs to the present 11% without jobs. (I realize the current "official" unemployment rate is about 6% but that does NOT include part-time employees who'd like full-time jobs or those who have stopped trying to find work. That number is over 11%.) That's 21% unemployment. Wouldn't take many, if any, more Citibank job cuts to put us well over that 25% threshold.
But some Senators blame all the failings of the auto industry on the wage disparity between the union workers up north and the non-union laborers in the foreign plants south of the Mason-Dixon line. Taking a real crisis and scapegoating people who will lose their livelihoods to avoid taking action while changing the focus of the argument to something totally non-related is major SPIN!! Even if a UAW member makes $71.00 an hour, that's only $150,000/year!!! And that's nowhere near what an executive at either an auto maker or a financial firm makes!!!! As a matter of fact, it's 1.5% of the 10-million dollar paychecks and bonuses common in executive suites or a Major League Baseball locker room. So let's not blame the union. Deny the bail-out if you don't think management can turn around these companies but let's stop the b.s.
So Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg threw her hat into the ring for the US Senate seat formerly warmed by former first-lady Hilary Clinton (all this assumes she gets confirmed for Secretary of State and resigns). Caroline has a lot going for her. First, her maiden name is Kennedy. She's the only surviving child of JFK and Jackie. She's a major upgrade in looks from Mrs. Clinton and I think she's also better looking than Sarah McPalin (remember her??). So give her the job already. But first we need to watch interminable hours of every Clintonista with an axe to grind and all the MSNBC "analysts" and commentators who need to justify their salaries since the election is over stir up controversy. Who cares if Andrew Cuomo is divorced from one of Caroline's cousins?? What possible effect does it have on her qualifications for the Senate, which are about the same as Hilary's when she was first elected----a member of a family that was in the White House as well as being a lawyer. And Caroline even had a pony at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!!!!
So enjoy "Rubber Band Man" when you hear it and wish we only had to deal with the musical Spinners instead of the bozo spinners masquerading as learned gentlemen. Hang on to your money and hope January 20 comes faster. But keep your shoes handy just in case...........
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Road Trip
Hi,
Remember me, Leny (that's pronounced like the "lena" in Magdalena which is my given name), First Mate of the CPS Nargle? Well this Thanksgiving I got to accompany my parents on a road trip to CA to visit my human siblings and their families. We drove thru NM, AZ, and a lot of CA---over 1300miles. Dad was glad gas is under $2.00/gallon.
I met my nephew Rocket, a Boston terrier. He's the canine member of the family with 5 kids, my dad's son 's family. Rocket is a typical male---couldn't keep his grubby paws off these beauteous buns. I really like the human pups and guarded them from any and all adults who didn't get clearance from me to visit them. They live on a cul-de-sac with lots of human puppies!! I felt it was my job to screen any adults I didn't know and make sure they had legitimate reasons for approaching the playing children. Can't be too careful in today's world, that's what ol' Crow's-Nest Weetzie always sez....
My mom made a sweater for one of the human pups and she looks so cute in it. I hassled my dad to do a video about the trip and here we go----you'll get to see him, me, Rocket, kids, and scenery. Thanks to Glenn Frey and Jackson Brown for writing the soundtrack song, the version is from the live reunion album Hell Freezes Over.
Remember me, Leny (that's pronounced like the "lena" in Magdalena which is my given name), First Mate of the CPS Nargle? Well this Thanksgiving I got to accompany my parents on a road trip to CA to visit my human siblings and their families. We drove thru NM, AZ, and a lot of CA---over 1300miles. Dad was glad gas is under $2.00/gallon.
I met my nephew Rocket, a Boston terrier. He's the canine member of the family with 5 kids, my dad's son 's family. Rocket is a typical male---couldn't keep his grubby paws off these beauteous buns. I really like the human pups and guarded them from any and all adults who didn't get clearance from me to visit them. They live on a cul-de-sac with lots of human puppies!! I felt it was my job to screen any adults I didn't know and make sure they had legitimate reasons for approaching the playing children. Can't be too careful in today's world, that's what ol' Crow's-Nest Weetzie always sez....
My mom made a sweater for one of the human pups and she looks so cute in it. I hassled my dad to do a video about the trip and here we go----you'll get to see him, me, Rocket, kids, and scenery. Thanks to Glenn Frey and Jackson Brown for writing the soundtrack song, the version is from the live reunion album Hell Freezes Over.
We got to spend some time with my human sister and her whippets, Mystified and the Lummox. I was my usual dominant self, even though the Lummox is pretty bad. I guess it's just me, so lovable!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I certainly did!!!!!!
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