The Chancellor of My University Was Sitting Next To Me In The Theatre When I Saw This Movie

And I think he laughed harder than I did.

I Bin Recognized!

And it wasn't in a police line-up, either. Maybe now I can put that whole sordid affair behind me.

Old Cloots at KOTGD says I is Excellent...in a Bill and Ted way.




Now I have to tap 10 others

Alex
Admiral
Count
The Hostages 2
SoCal
The Rott
CIA
April
and in the postumous category:
Barista
Dick

Pot Vending Machines in LA.

LOS ANGELES - The city that popularized the fast food drive-thru has a new innovation: 24-hour medical marijuana vending machines.

Are they drive thru too? After all, it must be adowner to have to get out of the car for that. Its bad enough that the 7-11s aren't equipped with drive-thrus.

Patients suffering from chronic pain, loss of appetite and other ailments that marijuana is said to alleviate can get their pot with a dose of convenience at the Herbal Nutrition Center, where a large machine will dole out the drug around the clock.

"Herbal Nutrition Center". Mheh. Is that like going to see the "doctor" when you run out of stuff?

"Convenient access, lower prices, safety, anonymity," inventor and owner Vincent Mehdizadeh said, extolling the benefits of the machine.

...money from the monkey on your back...check!

But federal drug agents say the invention may need unplugging.

Uhh, you think?

"Somebody owns (it), it's on a property and somebody fills it," said DEA Special Agent Jose Martinez. "Once we find out where it's at, we'll look into it and see if they're violating laws."

I wonder how you get that vending license, anyway.

At least three dispensaries in the city, including two belonging to Mehdizadeh, have installed vending machines to distribute the drug to people who carry cards authorizing marijuana use.

Step right up, folks, step right up.

Mehdizadeh said he spent seven months to develop and patent the black, armored box, which he calls the "PVM," or prescription vending machine.

A patent for a machine to dispense a prescription? Apparently the DEA and FDA have no freinds in the patent office. What about the pharmacist's union?

Convenience and privacy

Which I could understand, except nobody has any shame any more.

A sliding fence protects the tinted windows of his dispensary, barely distinguishing it from a busy thoroughfare of strip malls, automobile dealers and furniture shops. A box resembling a large refrigerator stands inside the nearly empty shop, near a few shelves stocked with vitamins and herbs.

Can you say "front"? I knew you could.

A guard in a black T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Security" on the front stands at the door. A poster of Bob Marley decorates a back room.

Yeah, because Bob Marley and the black t-shirt that says "Security" inspires that certain feeling of confidence.

The computerized machine requires fingerprint identification and a prepaid card with a magnetic stripe. Once the card and fingerprint are verified, a bright green envelope with the pot drops down a slot.

Fingerprint? How polite of you to do the Fed's work for them. Can you say 'Subpeona Duces Tecum"? I knew you could.

Mehdizadeh says any user approved for medical marijuana and registered in a computer database at his dispensaries can pre-purchase the drug and then use the machine to pick up.

Because this is the 21st century, and computerized customer lists are ALL the rage these days.

The process provides convenience and privacy for users who may otherwise feel uncomfortable about buying marijuana, Mehdizadeh said.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Stop! You're killing me!

At the Timothy Leary Medical Dispensary in the San Fernando Valley, the vending machine is accessible only during business hours. An employee there said the machine was introduced about five months ago, and provides speedy service.

Only on Cali would you have addicts so utterly brazen to get their fix at the 'Timothy Leary Medical Dispensary'. Unbelievable.

"It helps a lot of patients who are in a lot of pain and don't want to wait around to get help," Robert Schwartz said. "It's been working out great."

Yeah. Pain, yeah, that's it. I'm in pain.

Mehdizadeh said he sought the advice of doctors, and decided to limit the amount of marijuana per user to an ounce per week. Each purchase from the machine yields 1/8th or 2/8th of an ounce. By eliminating a vendor behind the counter, he said, the machine offers users lower drug prices. The 1/8th ounce packet would cost about $40 — $20 lower than the average price at other dispensaries.

Doctors. Riiiggghhht.

'It's to medicate'
A spokesman for a marijuana advocacy group said the machine also benefits dispensary owners.

Well DUH!

"It limits the number of workers in the store in the event of a raid, and it'll make it harder for theft," said Nathan Sands, of The Compassionate Coalition.

Sounds like you're planning on illegal activity to me, Sport.

Marijuana use is illegal under federal law, which does not recognize the medical marijuana laws in California and 11 other states.

And letting all those folks come up from Mexico and hang out here is illegal too, but California doesn't seem to be too concerned about that, either.

The Drug Enforcement Agency and other federal agencies have been actively shutting down major medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state over the last two years and charging their operators with felony distribution charges.

Maybe they need to start hurting some people when they do it. Just sayin, s'all.

Mehdizadeh said the Herbal Nutrition Center was the target of a federal raid in December. He said no arrests were made and no charges have been filed against him.

Because they want to get everyone involved, no doubt.

Kris Hermes, a spokesman for advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, said the machine might benefit those who already know how much and what strain of marijuana they're looking for. But he said others will want to see and smell the drug before they buy it.

Ahhh, yes. In walks the predictable conoisseur snub.

A man who said he has been authorized to use medical marijuana as part of his anger management therapy said the vending machine's security measures would at least protect against illicit use of the drug.

Pot for anger management therapy. Effectiveness doesn't equal legality, and did they warn him about the side-effects? When he finds out how much weight he's gained, he's gonna be pissed.

"You have kids that want to get high and that's not what marijuana is for," Robert Miko said. "It's to medicate."

Yeah, you crumbsnatcher. Keep your hands offa my stash. Go get an adult to buy you some beer or something.

I heard it this morning and it was too good not to share.

A caller to the radio show:

"I'm suffering from electile dysfunction. I just can't get aroused about any of the candidates."

I almost crashed my car.

This is the COOL Elvis.

Man, I love his early stuff.

Some Day I'll Get Tickets to See Him Live.

Until then, YouTube will have to do.

This Made Me Stop and Stare At The TV...

...while blogging tonight. Mrs. BiW said I had the mastercard look on my face. Then she said "Oh God. You're going to put this on your blog, aren't you?"

Because I hate to disappoint you, ma'am:




UPDATE: She just went and read the page. Now she's the one with the "Priceless" look.

Maybe we can send it to someone who needs it. Does anybody have Adrian Curry's email addy?

Well, if you weren't questioning the wisdom of this before, you should now.

WASHINGTON — The $146 billion stimulus package intended to jolt the economy by giving taxpayers rebates up to $1,200 includes cash returns for illegal immigrants who pay taxes.

Brought to you by the same ding-a-lings who thought that it would be a good idea to give terrorists a state.

Under the plan passed by the House, illegal immigrants who qualify as "resident aliens" and earned a minimum of $3,000 would be eligible for rebates of between $300-$600, FOX News has learned.

Thus proving that Congresscritters are utterly and completely incapable of grasping the meaning of the word "Illegal".

Only those illegals who have been assigned an Individual Tax Identification Number that allows them to file income taxes would be eligible. Resident aliens are defined as people who spend a "substantial" amount of time in the U.S. and have not been deported.

Am I the only one who has questions sprouting up like daisies...like "How in the name of Chithuilu does an illegal alien get a freaking TIN?" Or "How does not being deported grant you a 'resident' status?"

The provision has irked illegal immigration opponents, who say the assigning of TINs and collection of taxes from illegals sanctions their presence in the country.

Duh, and see above.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told FOX News that the bill will certainly stimulate "more illegal immigration."

How could it not? The coyotes are getting rich now.

The stimulus plan met with overwhelming bipartisan support Tuesday, passing the House 385-35 with little debate after House leaders and White House negotiators came to agreement last week.

Opponents of the illegal immigrant eligibility provision point out that the House considered the bill under "suspension of the rules." Suspension provisions allow the House to expedite bills and don't open them up to the usual amendment process.

Rules like those that make it illegal to sneak into the country and steal services from those who actually pay for them?

The plan, which would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least $3,000 in income— with more going to families with children and less going to wealthier taxpayers — faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Yeah, sure. And monkeys are going to fly out of my butt.

Senate Democrats and some Republicans support a larger package that adds billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and reduces the rebate for individuals to $500 and $1,000 for couples.

Because the Senate can out bribe the House any day of the week. And we expect them to. Am I the only one hoping that adults will return to Washington in my lifetime?

The Senate version written by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus would deliver checks even to the richest taxpayers, who are disqualified under the House-passed measure.

Which would make even more sense if we didn't give anything to people who DIDN'T PAY TAXES. Attention Congress: Mr. Webster is calling. He takes issue with your abuse of the word 'Rebate'.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blasted the proposal to send rebates to those with higher incomes, saying it "causes me to want to gag." The feeling is widespread among Democrats, he added, saying the "the gag reflex is coming upon everybody" over the plan.

Spoken like a true communist with no understanding of the English language. The best part? He gets to draw his pay for the rest of his life, which we can only hope will be mercifully abbreviated.

President Bush and House leaders urged the Senate to take the bipartisan agreement and pass it quickly, even as Baucus, D-Mont., planned a Wednesday vote in his committee on a larger package that could face a slower path.

Which goes to show that if you stay in DC long enough, you too could suffer dain braimage.

"We need to get this bill out of the Senate and on my desk," Bush said in the Oval Office.

You'd think he was running for re-election. Hey, Genius, how about real tax relief in the form of permanent cuts for those of us who actually PAY them?

Congressional leaders are aiming to send the measure to Bush by Feb. 15. But the divergent plans — and bids by Senate Democrats and Republicans to swell the package with more add-ons — could drag out that schedule.

Happy belated Valentines. Does anybody smell bacon?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she hoped the Senate would "take this bill and run with it."

All the way to her [illegal] constituents.

Reid, D-Nev., said that was unlikely in the freewheeling Senate, where members have elaborate wish-lists for adding to the bill, including food stamps, Medicaid and heating assistance for low-income people and spending on infrastructure projects, among other things.

How dare they try to tie it into something, even if the value is dubious.

"I think that there's 51 Democratic senators without exception who believe this package can be made better," Reid said, adding that he also expected to have enough GOP support to change it.

A vote-whoring we will go!

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said reopening the deal would be inappropriate.

And your point is???

"This is not a time to get into some kind of testing of wills between the two congressional bodies. This is a time to show we can rise above partisanship, do something important, and do it quickly," McConnell said.

Do something important? And break with years of tradition of stoking the fire of unenlightened self-interest? Seriously, I don't expect legislation that means a damn being introduced in either house until a few more terrorist attacks happen here on American soil.

The House plan brought together Democrats and Republicans, both of whom surrendered cherished proposals to reach a deal and cautioned against adding items that could hinder an economic recovery or scuttle the agreement.

Like giving away money we don't have to people who didn't pay it in to begin with? No. That really wouldn't hinder an economic recovery, would it?
"It's important that this bill not get overloaded. I have a full agenda of things I would like to have in the package, but we have to contain the price," Pelosi said. "We made a decision, because that's where we could find our common ground."

Because the bourgoise middle and upper classes still won't let us seize their property outright. We need to finish collecting their guns, first.

Americans "expect us to find ways to work together, not reasons to fight with each other," said Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, who forged the agreement with Pelosi in consultation with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson.

Fight. Please. Show a glimmer of reason.

"The sooner we get this relief in the hands of the American people, the sooner they can begin to do their job of being good consumers," Boehner said.

If everyone spent it, it would be a measly 2% increase in GDP for THAT quarter, making it a whopping .5% for the year. Pull the other leg. It plays "Jingle Bells."

The measure would send rebates to some 111 million people, including roughly 35 million families who don't make enough to pay income taxes. Individuals with adjusted gross income of $75,000 and couples making $150,000 would get rebates equal to the taxes they paid, up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. Those making more than that would see their rebate go down by 5 percent of every dollar of income over the limits.

Thus demonstrating the analogy that the poorest guys at the lunch don't buy any of it.

Taxpayers would get at least $300, even if they paid less than that in taxes — or $600 for couples. That's also the case for those who don't pay income taxes but earn at least $3,000.

Uhhh...REBATE???

All eligible people would get an additional $300 per child.

Cash in on those anchor babies, Rosita Juanita.

In the Senate, Baucus' proposal removes the income caps and would send rebates to some 20 million senior citizens not covered by the House plan because they don't have income. Baucus' plan also extends unemployment payments for 13 weeks for those whose benefits have run out, with 26 more weeks available in states with the highest jobless rates.

He got conused. The license to print money is opening a McDonalds next to a day care center or a Taco Bell on a college campus.

The Senate measure would restore a business tax break dropped during the House negotiations that would permit corporations suffering losses now to reclaim taxes previously paid.

Wow. A broken clock IS right twice a day.

Both packages include roughly $50 billion worth of tax incentives for businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.

This being the second time.

To address the mortgage crisis, the House bill would raise the limit on Federal Housing Administration loans from $362,790 to as high as $729,750 in expensive areas, allowing more subprime mortgage holders to refinance into federally insured loans. To widen the availability of mortgages nationwide, it also would boost the cap on loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy, from $417,000 up to $729,750 in high-cost markets. Those measures would expire at the end of the year.

Interesting. Tell me more.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y, said Tuesday that he plans to ensure those changes are part of the Senate stimulus bill.

Schumcky Schumer, Arbiter of Truth (tm).

Don't Say I Never Explained Anything, Mark.

Just To Keep Things In Perspective

Sorry about the link. The embed was disabled. The Point should remain clear, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GcVnhNjWV0

More linky love

As y'all know, the policy is once I start playing in your sandbox and vicey-versy, I give a link. I did that with the Hostages. Apparently there is a drama or misunderstanding, so fer the time bein', we'll link both corners of the blogosphere that they hold down, hence the Hostages 2...Because there must be a sequel link.

And for some reason, Pajama Momma, one of the Hostages has apparently taken a shine to me, we'll link her too.

Thatisall.

Update

Heir No. One looks like he was in one hell of a fight, but I think he'll be OK. He still managed to play all day, and his head didn't hurt until he came home. A little ice, a little neosporin and some tylenol. He also asked for my hard eye patch to cover his eye before bed.

It WILL leave a mark, and yes, it WILL hurt in the morning.

Pics as promised.

All views are either out the back upstairs slider or the front door.

Snow.

I woke up at 4 am thinking that it was much too bright for it being 4 am. I looked out the window to see a blanket of white on the ground and more flakes falling from the sky.

I grew up in Michigan. I know how to drive in this, and it doesn't scare me at all. Unfortunately, the other drivers here on the road in the Puget Sound scare the crap out of me. Whether it is the knothead in the SUV who doesn't realize the that the four-wheel drive isn't going to help him stop, or the ding-a-lings who want to bury their right foot on the floor, then seem shocked when their cars start swinging to and fro all over the road. I waited until well after daylight before driving in. I took some pictures which I will post later. Tonight, we will dip below freezing again, and the weather report calls for more snow overnight and in the morning.

Heir No. was outside less than five minutes at Papa and Nana's in the snow when he went down the slide face first and ran it into a post. Don't ask me how. The report said that "Crash" has cuts, swollen face, and will have at least one dilly of a black-eye. I hope that child services doesn't end up on my doorstep. I think they still prosecute for dismembering clueless bureaucrats.

Brave New World

I told y'all that this kind of stuff was coming...I was just talking about the pros. Leave it to America's Youth to commit 'youthful indiscetions' that thanks to the intartubewebbie thinggies may be with them forever.

Considering the Feds' willingness to prosecute for this kind of publication, I think there is a sobering lesson for parents of both boys and girls.

As for these two sweethearts? I'm sure their parents are ssssoooooooo proud. I'll sure make church attendance uncomfortable for a while, I'm sure.

Something to Ponder

I got this in an email from a client. I haven't vetted it, but I found the perspective to be interesting.


Theo Caldwell, National Post (Canada) Wednesday, December 26, 2007



An obvious choice can be unnerving. When the apparent perfection of one option or the unspeakable awfulness of another makes a decision seem too easy, it is human nature to become suspicious.



This instinct intensifies as the stakes of the given choice are raised. American voters know no greater responsibility to their country and to the world than to select their president wisely. While we do not yet know who the Democrat and Republican nominees will be, any combination of the leading candidates from either party will make for the most obvious choice put to American voters in a generation. To wit, none of the Democrats has any business being president.



This pronouncement has less to do with any apparent perfection among the Republican candidates than with the intellectual and experiential paucity evinced by the Democratic field. "Not ready for prime time," goes the vernacular, but this does not suffice to describe how bad things are. Alongside Hillary Clinton, add Barack Obama's kindergarten essays to an already confused conversation about Dennis Kucinich's UFO sightings, dueling celebrity endorsements and who can be quickest to retreat from America's global conflict and raise taxes on the American people, and it becomes clear that these are profoundly unserious individuals.< /SPAN>



To be sure, there has been a fair amount of rubbish and rhubarb on the Republican side (Ron Paul, call your office), but even a cursory review of the legislative and professional records of the leading contenders from each party reveals a disparity akin to adults competing with children.



For the Republicans, Rudy Giuliani served as a two-term mayor of New York City, turning a budgetdeficit into a surplus and taming what was thought to be an ungovernable metropolis. Prior to that, he held the third-highest rank in the Reagan Justice Department, obtaining over 4,000 convictions. Mitt Romney, before serving as governor of Massachusetts, founded a venture capital firm that created billions of dollars in shareholder value, and he then went on to save the Salt Lake City Olympics.



While much is made of Mike Huckabee's history as a Baptist minister, he was also a governor for more than a decade and, while Arkansas is hardly a "cradle of presidents," it has launched at least one previous chief executive to national office. John McCain's legislative and military career spans five decades, with half that time having been spent in the Congress. Even Fred Thompson, whose excess of nonchalance has transformed his once-promising campaign into nothing more than a theoretical possibility, has more experience in the U.S. Senate than any of the leading Democratic candidates.



With just over one term as a Senator to her credit, Hillary Clinton boasts the most extensive record of the potential Democratic nominees. In that time, Senator Clinton cannot claim a single legislative accomplishment of note, and she is best known lately for requesting $1-million from Congress for a museum to commemorate Woodstock.



Barack Obama is nearing the halfway point of his first term in the Senate, having previously served as an Illinois state legislator and, as Clinton has correctly pointed out, has done nothing but run for president since he first arrived in Washington. Between calling for the invasion of Pakistan and fumbling a simple question on driver's licenses for illegal aliens, Obama has shown that he is not the fellow to whom the nation ought to hike the nuclear football.



John Edwards, meanwhile, embodies the adage that the American people will elect anyone to Congress -- once. From his $1,200 haircuts to his personal war on poverty, proclaimed from the porch of his 28,000-square-foot home, purchased with the proceeds of preposterous lawsuits exploiting infant cerebral palsy, Edwards is living proof that history can play out as tragedy and farce simultaneously.



Forget for a moment all that you believe about public policy. Discard your notions about taxes and Iraq, free trade and crime, and consider solely the experience of these two sets of candidates. Is there any serious issue that you would prefer to entrust to a person with the Democrats' experience, rather than that of any of the Republicans?



Now consider the state of debate in each party. While the Republicans compare tax proposals and the best way to prosecute the War on Terror, Democrats are divining the patterns and meaning of the glitter and dried macaroni glued to the page of one of their leading candidate's kindergarten projects.



Does this decision not become unsettlingly simple?

h/t to Scott

A Guest Post From Dick

Dick and I were discussing the fact that Haloscan kept coughing up a hairball yesterday, so he couldn't add this in the comments. I made an open invitation to him to guest post whenever the mood struck him, so here it is:

1. What time is it?
An irrelevant question.

2. What's your full name?
Dick

3. What are you most afraid of?
Nothing. Death's a piece of cake and Liberals readily bleed.

4. What was the last movie that you saw in a theater?
Harry Potter something.

5. Place of birth:
Dallas, Texas

6. Favorite food
Rib-eye steak, grilled corn on the cob, and baked potato.

7. What's your natural hair color?
Strawberry blonde. It used to be fluorescent red when I was a kid.


8. Ever been to Alaska?
Yep, why?


9. Ever been toilet paper rolling?
I called in an artillery strike once or twice and ran a couple of ambushes. Does that count?

10. Love someone so much it made you cry?
Bawawawawhahahahahahahaha!!!!! You're shitting me, right? At least this is funny.

11. Been in a car accident?
Yep, helicopter crash too.

12. Croutons or bacon bits:
I'm leaning towards McCain now that Fred's out of the running. Wikipedia him and you'll see why.

13. Favorite day of the week:
Ya know, most people believe that a weapon has to be saturated in oil to function properly. Wipe all of that shit of, would ya?

14. Favorite restaurant:
None. Kelly's culinary artwork stomps the shit out of every restaurant on the planet.

15. Favorite Flower:
Dead or free. Take your pick.

16. Favorite sports to watch:
Fucking Cowboys... Jessica Simpson is the Devil.

17. Favorite drink:
Cuervo Black tequila. No ice, no salt, room temperature. The pussies that waste it to make margaritas should have their asses removed.

18. Favorite ice cream:
What the fuck ever...

19. Disney or Warner Brothers:
Doesn't matter, they both suck.

20. Ever been on a ship?
Yep, been kicked off one too.

21. What color is your bedroom carpet?
What carpet? The bare concrete is a natural gray.

22. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
Is this a test for idiots?

23. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Kelly, she wants a dog...

24. What do you do when you are bored?
I'm never that bored. Sorry about your life.

25. Bedtime:
Kelly'd get pissed if we started yakking about this kind of shit. So let's not and just say we did, m'kay?


26. Who will respond to this [post] the quickest?
Who cares?

27. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond?
I won't send this crock of shit to anybody I like.

28. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses?
Nobody around here makes my house payment, so honestly, I could care less.

29. Favorite TV show:
None

30. Last person you went to dinner with:
My wife.

31. Who do you think will be President?
The high yeller mooncricket, at least according to the current level of stupidity within this country.

32. What are your favorite colors?
Black. I'd paint a room with a color darker than black, then trim in out in black to lighten it up a bit.

33. How many tattoos do you have?
None. Surprised?

34. How many pets do you have?
None, but I have a few cats who reside in the same residence.

35. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
What are we cooking?

36. What do you want to do before you die?
Skin alive the assclown who thought up these dumbass questions

37. Have you ever been to Hawaii?
No.

38. Have you been to countries outside the U.S.?
Yes, all of them.

39. How many people are you sending this [post] to?
Fuck off.

40. Time this survey ended:

No shit.

For Me

I was playing this in my car this morning. LOUDLY.



Another of those people who seems to know everyone in the business. It doesn't hurt that he writes well and his voice has a very earthy character to it. I'm sure Rod Stewart will burn in Hell for his despicable cover of "Broken Arrow". Some things are just inviolate, ya know?

How do you like your country? Original Recipe or Extra Socialist?

I see Fred dropped out today. That leaves the choice of Socialism ala Dhimicratic Party, or Socialism Lite as practiced by the RINOs still in the race. Do we surrender our paychecks now, or do we at least get to hold them for a minute first?

40 Questions (Stolen from Mark)

1. What time is it?
Excellent Question.

2. What's your full name?
Blackiswhite, Imperial Agent Provocateur

3. What are you most afraid of?
Zombies and Epidemics. Neither sleep and can be fiendishly clever to outwit.

4. What was the last movie that you saw in a theater?
27 Dresses.

5. Place of birth:
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

6. Favorite food
Chicken Curried Fried Rice From Cantonese Gourmet South in scenic Flint, Michigan

7. What's your natural hair color?
Blond, with grey.

8. Ever been to Alaska?
Not yet.

9. Ever been toilet paper rolling?
Oh yeah. I was a champ in High School.

10. Love someone so much it made you cry?
And that would be your business because?

11. Been in a car accident?
No thrill like rolling a car. Trust me on this.

12. Croutons or bacon bits:
Bacon Bits. It keeps the muslims away.

13. Favorite day of the week:
Thursday, and no I don't know why.

14. Favorite restaurant:
Rio Bravo Cantina. I really wish they had one here in Washingtonistan.

15. Favorite Flower:
Rose

16. Favorite sports to watch:
Hockey. Go Sens, eh!

17. Favorite drink:
Hornsby's Crisp Apple Cider

18. Favorite ice cream:
Mooney's Blue Moon

19. Disney or Warner Brothers:
The mouse.

20. Ever been on a ship?
Do Washington State Ferries count?

21. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Beige

22. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
They have tests for it?

23. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Princess Safi, a female student form Bourkina Faso who desperately needs my help. No one told her not to ask me. Mheh.

24. What do you do when you are bored?
Go over to Mark's site and look at the tramp stamps.

25. Bedtime:
Whenever I fall asleep.

26. Who will respond to this [post] the quickest?
SohoS.

27. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond?
Barista...maybe she'll read instead of calling this month..

28. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses?
Dick

29. Favorite TV show:
NCIS

30. Last person you went to dinner with:
My wife.

31. Who do you think will be President?
Does it matter?

32. What are your favorite colors?
Royal Blue

33. How many tattoos do you have?
None.

34. How many pets do you have?
Do children count?

35. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
The chicken, of course. It tastes like rattlesnake.

36. What do you want to do before you die?
Head a clandestine agency that gets to mess with all enemies, foreign and domestic.

37. Have you ever been to Hawaii?
No.

38. Have you been to countries outside the U.S.?
Yes. Eh?

39. How many people are you sending this [post] to?
Anyone silly enough to read my page.

40. Time this survey ended:
I agree. Le chat est mort.

Interview

On the way home, I was listening to David Boze interview Jonah something or other who recently wrote the book "Liberal Fascists".

I must buy it. The guy blows apart a lot of the myths that the American Left tries to use to beat up the American right.

It may go on the same shelf as "Red Star Rogue" (That entire CIA operation always facsinated me), "By Way of Deception" (which explains why you don't want to trust the Mossad), and "Secret Soldiers" (explaining the role of the more "creatively inclined" in securing the victory of the good guys in the Second World War).

I'll let you know how it is.

Quiet

Mrs. BiW and I had dinner and a movie on Friday. It was nice to go out on a date and just be with each other with no distractions for a few hours.

Saturday, we took Heir No. Two to the doctor. Little guy has a double ear infection and a sinus infection. I feel awful for him,and with Mrs. BiW still getting over Bronchitis, it made sense to just stay at home.

Last night, we lost power for about two hours. Don't know why. I fell asleep around 11, which was fine because I had to go to work today. Little heir was awake and crying at 2:20 am. Mrs. BiW brought him to bed with us, and he would not stop crying. I woke up at 4 to hear her grumbling at him about going back to sleep and quitting squirming. When my alarm went off at 6, he wasn't in bed with us any more.

Sorry. Nothing exciting to report.

Hey! This tastes just like last night's steak!

Cloned meat safe to eat or not? YOU be the judge!

More Linky-Love

I started reading her courtesy of Mark...everyone say "Hi!" to The Upset Waitress.


Thanks to SohoS' comments section for The Hostages...almost as much fun as Dick's blog when he was having fun blogging.

How the heck can I get paid for making these earth-shattering discoveries?

This deserves to be filed in the "Duh!" file. Astounding! And the rest of us have to work for a living.

What Were They Thinking?

Don't get me wrong. I love Michigan. Great Lakes. Beautiful Scenery. I bleed Maize and Blue. But Romney? Geezzz. Apparently, Y'all sat down and had a heaping helping of stupid. Unbelievable.

Oldies but goodies

Nice to see that some things don't change.

It is comforting to know that disaster is always just around the corner. It makes me think of the insurance commercial about risk never sleeping. Pestilence doesn't either. Yipee skipee.

My Rockin' Album Cover

Since SohoS tried to Tap Everybody, I'll Tap Folly, SoCal, And Alex.

The Rules are simple:


Go to……
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post!

Looking at mine, you'd think I have issues or something...

I Want to Like the Olympics, Really I Do, But...

...when I read stories like this one, it just makes me shake my head. Have they asked the guys running what THEY think? Recalling my days running track, the sprinters were all highly competitive, egotistical guys. Now, presumably some of the world's best are being kept form competing against a guy who has no legs? Can you imaging the shame potential here? Amputee sprinter: "I can't compete in the Olympics. They're all afraid of me beating them." The potential here is endless.

For Mrs. BiW

See? I do listen to you.

Remember the American Caliphate Litigation Unit When It Is Your Loved Ones Being Body Bagged On The Evening News

WASHINGTON - Americans born after Dec. 1, 1964, will have to get more secure driver's licenses in the next six years under ambitious post-9/11 security rules to be unveiled Friday by federal officials.

Gee. Only 6 freaking years! The Government really pulled out all the stops!

The Homeland Security Department has spent years crafting the final regulations for the REAL ID Act, a law designed to make it harder for terrorists, illegal immigrants and con artists to get government-issued identification. The effort once envisioned to take effect in 2008 has been pushed back in the hopes of winning over skeptical state officials.

Yeah, the illegals may have to go through two or three steps to get their IDs.

Even with more time, more federal help and technical advances, REAL ID still faces stiff opposition from civil liberties groups.

What? How could that possibly happen?

To address some of those concerns, the government now plans to phase in a secure ID initiative that Congress passed into law in 2005. Now, DHS plans a key deadline in 2011 — when federal authorities hope all states will be in compliance — and then further measures to be enacted three years later, according to congressional staffers who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an announcement had not yet been made. DHS officials briefed legislative aides on the details late Thursday.

Ahh yes. The leaks, from whence all real news arises.

Without discussing details, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff promoted the final rules for REAL ID during a meeting Thursday with an advisory council.

A government official speaking without giving details? How could that happen?


"We worked very closely with the states in terms of developing a plan that I think will be inexpensive, reasonable to implement and produce the results," he said. "This is a win-win. As long as people use driver's licenses to identify themselves for whatever reason there's no reason for those licenses to be easily counterfeited or tampered with."

Yeah, underage drinkers are all miffed that the cost just when up for their fake IDs.

In order to make the plan more appealing to cost-conscious states, federal authorities drastically reduced the expected cost from $14.6 billion to $3.9 billion, a 73 percent decline, according to Homeland Security officials familiar with the plan.

A billion here, a billion there...

The American Civil Liberties Union has fiercely objected to the effort, particularly the sharing of personal data among government agencies. The DHS and other officials say the only way to make sure an ID is safe is to check it against secure government data; critics like the ACLU say that creates a system that is more likely to be infiltrated and have its personal data pilfered.

Yeah. And the scumbags they make a priority would not want the competition.

In its written objection to the law, the ACLU claims REAL ID amounts to the "first-ever national identity card system," which "would irreparably damage the fabric of American life."

Hyperbole. Exaggeration. Fear-mongering. Piffle. A stumbling block to terrorist's otherwise unfettered access to free movement.

The Sept. 11 attacks were the main motivation for the changes.

Although wanting to stop illegal immigration would certainly be a plus.

The hijacker-pilot who flew into the Pentagon, Hani Hanjour, had a total of four driver's licenses and ID cards from three states. The DHS, which was created in response to the attacks, has created a slogan for REAL ID: "One driver, one license."

Which should make it harder at election time in Chicago and King County Washington.

By 2014, anyone seeking to board an airplane or enter a federal building would have to present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, with the notable exception of those more than 50 years old, Homeland Security officials said.

Which should spark a rash of elderly suicide bombers. On the bright side, maybe Social security can stay solvent for a few more years while the government readjusts its strategy.

The over-50 exemption was created to give states more time to get everyone new licenses, and officials say the risk of someone in that age group being a terrorist, illegal immigrant or con artist is much less. By 2017, even those over 50 must have a REAL ID-compliant card to board a plane.

Wow! 2017! Nine years! Now THAT'S security!

Among other details of the REAL ID plan:

_The traditional driver's license photograph would be taken at the beginning of the application instead of the end so that should someone be rejected for failure to prove identity and citizenship, the applicant's photo would be kept on file and checked in the future if that person attempted to con the system again.

Thus the ACLU's squealing like a stuck pig.

_The cards will have three layers of security measures but will not contain microchips as some had expected. States will be able to choose from a menu which security measures they will put in their cards.

Giving government officials money and choices: like giving whisky and car keys to teenage boys.

Over the next year, the government expects all states to begin checking both the Social Security numbers and immigration status of license applicants.

Except in the "sanctuary cities", of course.

Most states currently check Social Security numbers and about half check immigration status. Some, like New York, Virginia, North Carolina and California, already have implemented many of the security measures envisioned in REAL ID. In California, for example, officials expect the only major change to adopt the first phase would be to take the photograph at the beginning of the application process instead of the end.

And we all know how good Cali is a catching the illegals. Maybe we should save ourselves the time and effort and surrender now.

After the Social Security and immigration status checks become nationwide practice, officials plan to move on to more expansive security checks, including state DMV offices checking with the State Department to verify those applicants who use passports to get a driver's license, verifying birth certificates and checking with other states to ensure an applicant doesn't have more than one license.

And how does one verify a birth certificate, exactly?

A handful of states have already signed written agreements indicating plans to comply with REAL ID. Seventeen others, though, have passed legislation or resolutions objecting to it, often based on concerns about the billions of dollars such extra security is expected to cost.

Only 17? Give it time.

Where No Man Has Gone Before

I've been enjoying a lot of things about the intraocular lenses the eye doc put in my eyes when he took the old ones out with the cataracts...the crisp distance vision (reading license plates four cars ahead is COOL!), the vivid colors (they were designed to let in a broader spectrum of light than a natural lens, so yes, I probably do see colors beter than you) and only having to wear glasses to read or see detail a foot or less in front of my face, but the absolute best thing? Mrs. BiW noticed that when the the light is just right, I look like this guy.



The title of the post is a nod to the episode. Kirk shoulda whacked him a whole lot sooner, but it woulda made the show last less than an hour, so...

I lied

Ignore the visual...it is just weird, but I always loved this song.

I'm Tired

I was up in the middle of the night with a nightmare, it was cub scout night tonight, and I had to take both boys with me. It has been a long day, and I am tired. Talk to you all tomorrow.

The Barista Called This Evening

She wanted me to pass the following along:

1. She says "Hugs and Kisses to everyone"...you know who you are.

2. She is having trouble retrieving her old blog...there is much "wailing and knashing of teeth."

3. Her new job has her very busy and I quote "the big penises she works for have been making life difficult for her."

In the Same Vein

Yep. I sold her Liquor and Lottery Tickets every week.

Significant of Nothing

Fyreman had a post that made me think of the bad old days growing in post 1979 Flint. I'm sorry if I came on a bit strong, Doug. I still have dreams about that place and those times, and not the good kind. Michael Moore may be an asshole, and I may have issues with some of what he portrayed in Roger and Me, but over all, he hit the right tone. I remember this like it was yesterday...they just showed it on the news. I was a kid, but I never forgot it.

I think I picked the right date

I read on Comcast tonight that Dr. Phil is 'concerned' about Spear Britney! I think i picked the right date for the count's pool.

Busy, busy, busy

Nahhh, it wasn't post-holiday letdown as SoCal suggested, just busy. End of the week craziness on Friday...two rush projects at work...I love it when the Boss walks in my office at 1 and says client x needs a comprehensive Non-Compete Agreement by 3, with these specific provisions (pulling out a full legal size page of notes with an attachment) and I have already advised them about the potential issues, but make sure it all goes with the coverletter as well, and then giving me another rush project at 4. I was pretty tired when I got home, but still not ready to sleep.

Mrs BiW and the boys were sick yesterday and today, so in taking care of them, doing the laundry, and taking the Christmas tree down (it takes forever to get all those ornaments back into their individual boxes!), it was a busy day again. Was 378.3 at the morning weigh-in, in case anyone cares. Also got a phone call from my brother Alex, which means AT&T fixed his modem. Sounds like life is still ok in Britanistan, but I have to confess, I hope when he is done with this assignment at Ford, he applies to Boeing and moves out here. It would be cool to have a partner in crime again.

I woke up this morning with a gutterspike-in-the-eyesocket headache, but I still had to run something up to church for the F-I-L, and get all the sheets in the house changed, run more laundry, keep the boys from killing each other, etc. Not that you care about any of this, but it at least lets you know that I wasn't sitting on the couch, eating Doritos and watching westerns all day long. Did see a fun movie last night, though. "I Married a Witch" with Frederic March and Veronica Lake. Kinda risque for the time period, relatively tame by today's standards, but I had to laugh out loud at his distress at finding a deshabile' Veronica Lake in his bed. I can name several potential reactions, but distress would not have been one of them.

Scarcity of Posts.

Yeah, I know I made a committment to daily posting, but today was very busy. I went to check out a Rotary group, and was gone for 2 and a half hours, which may be normal because of the drive, so as much fun as the group is, I'll really have to think about it. I'm still leaning that way. The member who invited me, and has invited me is a hoot. She's a CPA I work with sometimes. She's kind of like the cool aunt who the family tolerates, but just barely. I usually have a good time when I go to meetings with her.

Then it was the rush to review the bills at work. Never a good time. Then an examining attorney at the USPTO is trying to give me a bad time about a trademark application. I don't mind if you refer to rules sections in the action notice you send, but at least get the damn references right. Because she was so wildly off in several of the references, I basically spent a chunk of the morning and afternoon in the Trademark and Patent Examiners Manual trying to find the correct sections so I can find a way to get her to approve the damn mark so my client can proceed.

I stopped to get dinner for Mrs. BiW on the way home, as she is trapped at work with year-end stuff. The home to finish heir No. One's homework with him and get him to bed. Then on to the computer for more work...not work related, and done for fun, but still work. Now I am finally at the point where I can start to think about going to bed in a few hours.

Iowa. If you ever needed proof that Iowa means precisely squat to the political process, just look at the results. Hucklebee? Please, show the clown where the door is. I don't care if he exits gracefully or not. As for the Dhims, who cares? Really? I'm waiting for Fred to come alive, and reveal all the rest of them for the insincere, power mad, baby kissing poseurs that they are. Serious times. Serious candidates only, please.

Another Blog Game...Your Drink Mixture.

The Recipe For Clint

3 parts Humor 2 parts Shrewdness 1 part Sass Splash of Instinct Chug!

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

H/T to the Admiral

Another Overdue Link

She's commented here before, and apparently linked me.

Sorry. I'm kinda slow about this stuff.

Everyone welcome April.