This place was created near the end of the twentieth century just for the heck of it..
Friday, December 29, 2000
Here is another, ( the last of this year, I suppose ) story that will get their goats, as my mother used to say. Just what is the origin of that expression?
And POTUS (s)elect bush/Cheney have given us another flash from the past, this time going back to the Ford years. Any of you remember President Ford? This old timey cold warrior will certainly complete the Cheney led push for the star war madness. Come to think of it why don't they name Reagan as special advisor to the POTUS for stupid ( or as another President Bush used to say) " voodo" ideas.
But the real news of the day is that the South which has been said "will rise again", has and in numbers that are big time. Of the 285+ million Americans, 100,236,820 are in the South. Only 53,594,378 are in the Northeast. The Mid-West has almost 65 million and the West, a little over 63 million---most of that being California.I will leave it to you to digest and ponder over what this might be forecasting , if anything.
So the year that started off as a fake--remember the myth that this was the first year of the new millenium when it was really the last year of the old millenium--couldn't resist that, sorry--is finally coming to a close. Let the real new millenium begin----in a few days. See you then, Y'all---if you can't lick 'em join 'em.
Thursday, December 28, 2000
It is beyond my ability to understand this kind of madness being part of so-called peace negotiations but maybe it is. Or maybe the others are right and there never will be anything but this madness between the Arabs and the Jews. And I am getting sick of having to use "madness" to describe events, but what other word?
Now will this find become yet another cause to go around killing one another. Why not?
Jumping around a little bit, here is a company that you will hear more about in the future. They were hired by the State of Florida, specifically by the Harris woman to purge the voter rolls of dead people and felons and the same company that somehow misnamed about 8,000 felons almost all of whom were black. As they say on a popular TV show "...coincidence? I don't think so". This will be future news. Or ought to be.
Bush/Cheney will be back in Washington today, I suppose to name more cabinet appointees. I assume that Gov. Thompson of "let's get rid of the welfare queens fame" will be among them for HHS. How about a cabinet job for someone who will get rid of welfare queens like Archer Daniels Midland and all the others. Probably not.
And finally today don't you just love this kind of good old fashioned politics by Bill Clinton. Way to go. Make them squirm and hate you more. And Bill, err...... I mean President Bill, why not do this too. You know what that would do to them.
Wednesday, December 27, 2000
And it's about time that they came up with a new term of art instead of "going postal" for this sort of madness. The past several cases have been anything but USPS employees. Stop dissing the USPS!!
I am actually grandkid sitting today for the entire day. I can't begin to describe how daunting that can be. Thankfully they have invented things like video games. Only problem is that I have to answer every question the little guy asks me with "...not only do I not know the answer, I don't want to know!!" and the little guy just sigh's and mumbles "ok grampy" I have tried to get him to watch C-SPAN with me or listen to me talk about the up-coming next really big political deal, but he has the same level of interest in that as I do in MegaMan or whatever. Five year olds...
And for another little while at least, there is still hope for Clinton's Peace Plan. Didn't you just know when he said during the impeachment, that he intended to work at being the POTUS until the last minute of the last hour of the last day, he meant it.
I didn't know this stuff about presidential transitioning. Fairly interesting. I guess the POTUS- (s) elect will not have to worry about his restoration project after all.
Tuesday, December 26, 2000
I hope that your holiday break was as fine as mine. But I have to tell you, mine was a hard act to emulate.
So last night, just before going to bed the news was that there was a better than good possibility that President Clinton's proposal for a Mid-East Peace settlement could be accepted by both sides. Then, this morning I see this news. The war at any cost guys seem to be at it again. But, hope is still in play and Clinton and Arafat and Barak could still find a way to do this deal. And wouldn't a White House ceremony signing a peace deal around January 19th or so be something else!
Speaking of President (s)Elect Bush/Cheney, my paper has as it's lead this morning this feeble stuff about Bush/Cheney's first moves as POTUS. The article includes this direct quote from President -----errr, I mean Vice-President (s)elect Cheney's office."We intend to submit regulations imposed during the previous administration to a strict and thorough review," said Juleanna Glover Weiss, a spokeswoman for Dick Cheney, the vice president-(s)elect and transition chief.
And somehow, they expect us to take this Bush character seriously. Isn't it obvious that the silly little guy is not going to be allowed to do anything for himself except to read some phoney baloney "let's heal all the wounds and I am going to restore honor and ---what is that word again--- and I am a leader and a uniter kind of guy" speech once in a while. GIHSMFAT
One more thing. This Ashcroft guy, you remember him as the ex-Senator who got beat by a dead guy, is a genuine threat with his theocratic outlook on law. He has to be stopped or somehow de-fused in this effort to make him Attorney General. When he gets this kind of Wall Street Journal Editorial support you know he is scary. I will and you should write to your Senator demanding that they do not "advice and consent"on this one.
Friday, December 22, 2000
In an interesting turnaround from yesterday, C-SPAN had as their first guest this morning, an old timey Democrat and liberal of the old school, Jack Germond. You can read some of his recent columns here. Buy his latest swan song book here. And understand why I like him by letting me paraphrase something he said this morning. In talking about the first George Bush as president, he not only called him vacuous, he said that you could judge how little he thought of his office by realizing that he picked Quayle, not only once but twice and that he picked Clarence Thomas. Germond perceives that as the ultimate insult of the system by Bush the first. However, he would not go on to attack Bush the second prefering in the way of genuine old timey liberals to "give him a chance" to perhaps beat the odds and not be equally vacuous and insulting. Fat chance.
Well, I have decided to shut this down for the Christmas Holiday. When There You Have It returns next week, I hope to be more or less fully recovered from the shock of a Bush/Cheney selection. As Jack Germond said today, we survived one Bush we probably will survive another.
So, have a nice Christmas. Relax. Don't fret. Listen to the audio link on this interesting page.
Thursday, December 21, 2000
For some reason or another, I spent a lot of time this morning watching C-SPAN as I used to do before I got caught up in whatever trap I have been in for the past few months. It was kind of revealing as well as appalling. Their two featured guests were outspoken Bush shills. One guy was a representative of what will be a new life form, an non-Jesse Jacsson black guy.--- (I think his name was Caldwell and he was an attendee at the big "faith-based" thing yesterday.) ---That is a black guy who the wackos see as an acceptable leader for "the black folks" to follow as opposed to Jesse or Sheila Jackson Lee or Sharpton or Representative Waters or Kwesi Mfume or anyone that black people may actually like. We will see more of these non-Jesse's throughout the Bush/Cheney days.
Another C-SPAN guest was a wacko, Marshall Whittman, from the Hudson Institute who used to be legislative director of the Christian Coalition. He also sang the praises of non-Jesses and a lot of the calls were from people put onto that theme as one of the themes of the day by the Bush/Cheney crowd. His other job was to talk a lot about the faith-based baloney and how wonderful it will be since the money will be distributed to the needy with certain quid pro quo that only religion can ask. I am telling you this is awful scary stuff. that they are going to try to slip into place. It's all far worse than when the old fool Reagan used to just get on TV and whine about welfare queens. Everyone could see through his hateful rhetoric. This "faith" stuff challenges anyone who opposes it to be seen as being against god, for crying out loud.
Wednesday, December 20, 2000
It's a nice day outside ( here anyway), it's lightly snowing and there is about 2 inches of white fluffy snow on the ground. Pretty as a picture as they say. Just thought I would let that fact be known.
In Washington, where it also snowed yesterday the Bush/Cheney ticket isn't even in place yet and their wacko allies are starting to use these newspeak tricks to try to establish the reactionary stuff promised by the (s)elected ticket. They are a determined bunch of zealots. A not so pretty picture. And the effort is coordinated. Here is a Wall Street Journal editorial from today.
This is only the start of this sort of baloney. The little guy will be having a meeting today with a bunch of religious "leaders" to talk about other so-called faith based distributions of tax money. This is the stuff of very scary social engineering.
While the little guy's obvious stupidity makes him seem more silly than dangerous, he is even more of a threat because of that. Yes he is stupid, but he is also a right wing wacko zealot and a willing pawn of his handlers in this regard. Even Reagan wasn't as bad as Bush with this potential semi-theocracy stuff.
Tuesday, December 19, 2000
And today, having been to the mall yesterday, wouldn't you know that we may have to go back out somewhere( but not a mall) since we forgot to get the one thing we really needed to get.
The mall was everything I expected and worse.Only thing was I didn't hear anyone grumbling about the recent (s)election, or chads or the Supreme Court or any of that stuff. Some guy in a motorized wheelchair ran over an old ladies foot and she scolded him and the guy in the chair went ballistic at her and was last seen driving away uttering a stream of expletives that shouild have been left for the current political situation, but other than that and every other person, it seemed, talking on a cell phone it was just like last years trip to the mall. Fruitless and pointless.
I talked to a friend yesterday and he said that he was looking forward to the Red Sox and their fierce 3,4,5 hitters lineup for next season. I asked, but doesn't a guy getting $30,000 per at bat bother you at all. He said yeah, but.... I said, I suppose! Well, the season is still a few months away, but pitchers and catchers will report in less than nine weeks. I have time to get over my funk.
No wonder I couldn't get one!
Monday, December 18, 2000
Over the weekend President select, ( GIHSMFAT ) Bush /Cheney was joined by another character who will steal the stage from him, and that is obviously Powell. I have no great admiration for Powell, but it was fun watching the little guy Bush, introduce him and then say I will take a few questions and watch the press ask Powell some stuff and ignore Bush.
Now Bush/Cheney are insisting that they will push full steam ahead with their wacko agenda. ( they have to do that. Just look at one of the wacko rights web sites and read all the stories written by the sharp knives that will be out of their sheaths if they don't) But, I don't argue with that. This healing baloney or finding the middle baloney doesn't wash with me either. You are what you are. Hopefully, reason will win the day.
Now, it's just dawned on me that Christmas is just around the corner. Haven't had the one mall visit yet, have to go to get some of that good Munson's Candy. Their chocolate fingers are the best. We will go today for our annual dose of "why no one should ever go to a giant shopping mall" medicine. It's a must at this time of year. Like a flu shot.
So Mrs. TYHI and I are off to the mall, fa la la la la and all that!
Friday, December 15, 2000
So, President Select, ( sigh, giggle, gasp and groan ) Bush/Cheney was in full swing around town yesterday. They are even letting a Democrat, John Breaux---well he is from Louisiana, but still says he is a Democrat---go to Texas to have a talk with the little guy. Meanwhile , Mr. "Big Time" is all over the place saying that they will hit the ground running and will have cabinet announcememtssoon and then there is all that healing and coming together cumbayah baloney-fat.
Well, not to rain on the parade, but here are two columns that I wish I could have written. Yes, both by "liberals" but both by guys who can see through the haze. Oh, here is the other one. Both are on the mark.
But the little guy and wife Laura did go to church to pray for guidance yesterday. That gives me confidence.
See you Monday.
Thursday, December 14, 2000
Gore's speech conceding that Bush/Cheney will become the next POTUS was very good. Better than any one imagined it would be. Along with a lot of others, I was both moved and impressed.
I did listen to the next POTUS Bush read his speech too. He did a pretty good job ( for him) of reading what he would have wanted to be a gloat, but what had to be a little humble. But his handlers still had him saying stuff that reminds us that he is their boy. All this talk of working together is baloney. The wackos still want to privatize ( read end) social security, they want to give the entire health care industry to the providers, they want to reduce taxes for the powerful and they want to eliminate public education. And they will try. There will be a few more days of this phony "healing" talk---whatever that is supposed to mean, and a few more weeks of the silly bipartisan rhetoric, but then they will start to point out that this is the first time since 1952 that they have their chance with both houses and the executive in the hands of the GOP along with an extremist Supreme Court to support them. And they will try to seize the moment. I am telling you, watch out. It is going to be a war. The little article I cite here is just the start of the all out push from the wackos.
Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Luckily, I went to bed around my usual time last night and missed the announcement of the US Supreme Court, and therefore the endless analysis and chatter. So I got a good night's sleep and was spared the awful reality of the meaning of the ruling. I got to hear it in the light of day this morning and it's a lot less foreboding in the light of day. Still awful, though.
I will not try to be the smartest kid on the block here and say something clever about the ruling . The ruling will be talked about for the rest of the history of the Republic.
I will, though, talk about the hapless lightweight who will become POTUS. He will be President Bush. Legitimacy is not the issue. The people, thinking fairness, will give the guy that. Competency will be the issue starting today or whenever he tries to read whatever they have written for him. I can't imagine him passing that test. Not now, not ever.
And here, read the longest deepest sighing noise that you can imagine.
Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Even though there isn't much (yet) for me to talk about today, I just thought I'd give you some of the more far out stuff that I have been looking at about the little guy over the past few hours. You know that all I usually accuse Bush of is extreme dumbness and being a puppet of the wackos, but there is a world of stuff like this, and even this out there. Don't take it all to seriously though. But it is fun isn't it.
I did listen to the arguments at the Supreme Court...much of it anyway. I have to admit that I like that stuff.. Of course the little guy didn't listen. He had a manly workout at the gym and then let his people tell him that he was cautiously opto..something or other.
On other fronts, my once beloved Red Sox did this and some other team did this. Now this is truly out of control baloney. These guys will be getting $30,000 to $45,000 per at bat for crying out loud. Years ago, when I was on the road selling, I used to stop to watch high school kids and sometimes college kids play baseball. It was fun, it was pretty entertaining baseball. It was real. Some guy getting $45,000 to stand at the plate, scratch himself, look menacing at the pitcher and take ball four or argue with the umpire over wheter a pitch might be a tad out of the strike zone and maybe get a hit every third time is neither fun nor entertaining, nor real.
And the average fan will watch these guys do their thing several times a game and each time get paid more for his at bat than the average fan will get for an entire years worth of real work. Am I the only one that thinks this is insane?
Monday, December 11, 2000
Here is an interesting story about new stuff to worry about. And the odds are about the same for George W. being able to understand what has been really happening for the past 34 or 35 days. I am afraid that this small story will come true and that the little guy will actually be seen on television sometime in the next couple of days reading something that seems to talk about "his election"and maybe his "mandate" and being a uniter not a divider.
I know I have given him the election several weeks ago. It has been a foregone conclusion that he is the POTUS elect (probably) part of the Bush/Cheney ticket. But to have to listen to him make this kind of speech that will be prepared for him by his hacks will be too much.
All this fuss over such a lightweight.
Sunday, December 10, 2000
The wackos of the right who figured that their little harmless seeming puppet could get them what they wanted, a Supreme Court that would turn back the clock on most of us, have succeeded in dividing all the countries institutions in a way that even they didn't predict. And the silly little guy they are using doesn't even seem to be aware that it's going on. He still thinks this is about a tax cut for the wealthy. And that his little speech about being a uniter, not a divider is real.
Meanwhile the Supreme Court they wanted, and that many of us feared was coming is already here.
Saturday, December 9, 2000
It's still Saturday, the middle of the afternoon and..........
EXTRA! EXTRA!...well not quite the end of the world, but the end of the road? The "big time" Supremes, not those little guys in Florida, have chimed in and what do you know, their 5-4 decision is stop the count and since this court is more supreme than the other court.....
And I still say all this fuss over little George W. and Al Gore is really very funny.
*****************************
Well, in that mysterious place of packets, nodes and other wonders, my super-fast cable connection to the vast information superhighway is working again and in addition to a pile of e-mails telling me that I still have the chance of a lifetime to get in on this deal or buy that special thing I have had a chance to read a lot and realize that all this Battle of the Millenium stuff over the Election would really have meaning if the candidates involved were in any way up to the standards of the battle itself.
The battle going on now is finally at the point of a genuine constitutional fight. Not quite a crisis but getting there. But it doesn't feel real. The men who the fight is being waged over are Gore and Bush for goshsakes.Gore, an able and smart guy but that's all and Bush, at best a jerky nice guy, but at worst a puppet for reactionary right wingers. Wouldn't it be great if this huge battle had at it's center men who were as big as the fight itself. Or even men who could be worthy of this historic and genuinely titanic battle. Then, it would not only feel more real, it would be real.
Here is an item from the wackos WorldNetDaily that was actually funny, and a pretty good comment on where we were yesterday and where we probably still are despite the new recount.
Friday, December 8, 2000
Wouldn't you know that with today and the weekend looming "big time" as decisive on the political scene, my internet connection via Cox and their affiliation with the Excite @ Home service is not working very well....again. I seem to be suffering from downstream packet loss, whatever that is, or is it upstream, I forget . They are "rolling a truck" here next Wednesday afternoon to have a look........ The deal is done anyway as I have been saying for the past few weeks. But I would like to be able to follow the events here as well as on the radio and TV.
Here is a little link, I hope it's a link if the stupid packets will permit me to link it, that I sort of enjoy for obvious reasons. I ranted about this the other day some of you will note. Along these lines there will be many more whines and pressures on the Cheney/Gore team from the extreme right of the GOP to form an administration that is truly wacko right.
Forget it. I am quitting for today I can't find anything I am looking for. I will resort to my old AOL and modem to try to get this issue up and on. And if you feel like it assume I have added add other phony baloney words here
Thursday, December 7, 2000
You know, with all the stuff going on with respect to politics right now and with some of the absurd and patriotic rhetoric being used, especially by the wackos, it's easy to forget that this is the anniversary of "The day that will live in infamy", the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Listen.
So I will spend some time today re-remembering that time. And not to much on on this baloney fat.
Wednesday, December 6, 2000
Now I recognize that I predicted that the US Supremes would "punt" when last Friday I said that they would say that they shouldn't have agreed to hear this case. I was only a little off. What they did, according to this article was to use a "sophisticated punt." I want credit for being right anyway. I need to pile them up for being ultimately wrong in the race for POTUS. Still hard to believe. Both that I was wrong, and that the little guy actually will get the job.
Now a thought or two about Gore. It's not hard to understand that this guy is reluctant to give it up. He did win the popular vote in a squeaker, and probably won the Florida vote too if those who went to the polls with the intent to vote for him actually were able to complete their votes.(Mickey Kaus has a different and better angle on this stuff.)The exit polls on Election night were probably correct in the initial analysis. So, sure I understand his feelings. But as a pragmatist, I can see it's not going to go his way until after the little guy and his godfather are in power. And that was true since the day after the voting when it was clear that the fix was in in Florida.
So no poor Gore stuff from here. I still say that he should have cleaned the little guy's clock and won by ten percentage points. So he, Gore is a loser, big time as the new Veep( just about sealed) in waiting would say. But the little guy says something else. (if that didn't work, try this and then click on play)
And real Texas men don't use other sissy words either.
Tuesday, December 5, 2000
Just about a month ago we ( some of us anyway) went to the polls and voted. Today, a month later there is still no official winner for the job of POTUS. But there is a President ( just about certain ) Elect ( gasp, giggle, sigh, ohmigosh) and that is Cheney/Bush. The only thing that hasn't been decided is if they will let the little guy give his own acceptance speech.
Maybe I will apply for a job.
Monday, December 4, 2000
I cheated some( ok--- a lot) and looked at the TV over the weekend. The more I see of the President (almost) Elect( giggle, gasp, sigh, shiver) Cheney/Bush as they appear on TV the more afraid I become. They aren't even trying to make beleive that the stupid little guy will be allowed to make any decisions.
This item on the wacko right wing fringey edge of the web today is fun. This Ruddy guy is one of the dudes who still maintains that Vince Foster was murdered by Hillary et al.
And down in Florida, I have to take my hat off to the lawyers on both sides in the case that was on TV for all of the weekend including a fourteen hour stretch on Sunday. They are both smart and enduring. I was impressed. Here is another article that talks about one aspect of the court battle that I enjoyed.
I will spend more time today trying to figure out a way to think about something else. Kind of wish I had a job...well, not really but you know what I mean. A boss or a deadline or a whatever....................I think I will buy a feather-duster today. The sun is hitting my machinery at an angle that shows all the little dust particles by the kazillions and maybe that's why I sneeze all the time. Now, should the feathers be multi -colored or monochromatic, plastic handled or wood, hmmmm.
Saturday, December 2, 2000
I am so tired of it all that I will take the entire weekend and maybe more off..... from everything! I mean it. I haven't looked at this or this or even this so far today and that's a true fact!
Wish I could join President (almost) Elect ( giggle, gasp, sigh)Cheney/ Bush down at the ranch for some R&R and small talk with the boys.
Alas, I have no ranch.
Friday, December 1, 2000
In a sense it is still the night of November 7th , isn't it?
Otherwise, my newspaper had some of these stories on it's front page this morning. A baseball player will get nearly ninety million dollars for playing every fifth day of the season for the next six years. That's about $460,000 per game. As much as I love baseball I am growing weary of this sort of absurdity.
And speaking of absurdity, Ryder Rental trucks got a kazillion dollars worth of free advertising from the thousands of pictures and stories like this all over America yesterday.
My guess is that all the hype about how the Supremes will go is for nothing. I think that they will decide that they shouldn't have taken the case.
Today, I am going out to help an old geezer I know from a long way back buy a radio. A plain old AM /FM analog dialed, giant 6 "D" celled powered portable radio that gets very good AM long distance reception. I have one and they are great. Only problem is that they are hard to find. We will try K-Mart, that's where I found mine at a discounted price of less than forty dollars several years ago. Now isn't that more information than you ever wanted about something you couldn't care less about.