Certain members of Congress are threatening to hold certain members of the White House staff in "Contempt of Congress" for not cooperating with Congressional investigations into various sordid affairs of state.
The congressmen are all Democrats... because it's a "partisan" thing, like 99% of what goes on in Congress.
Is there really something wrong with "contempt of congress"? Because I'll admit right up front - I've been guilty of that pretty much since I was old enough to pay attention. They better prepare my prison cell.
But... they'll need a lot of cells. The vast majority of Americans disapprove of Congress. (Compared with Congress, President Bush has a huge approval rating!)
Don't get me wrong - I've been very disappointed by much of what President Bush has done. (I'm a "small government is good government" adherent - and Bush has definitely taken us in the opposite direction. But the blowhards in Congress are so incompetent, and partisan, it's a pathetic joke. About the only meaningful legislation they've accomplished recently was giving themselves a nice raise.)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Our Shrinking Forest
Only yesterday it was a magnificent stand of mixed trees, for almost as far as the eye could see. Today it's a few stumps and slash piles.
THE GREAT CLEAR-CUT OF 2007
Surely this an even worse disaster than hit our urban forest in 2003 or thereabouts, when a careless smoker tossed a smouldering butt into the juniper ground cover.
Where was Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne when this was going on? Talk about being asleep at your post!
If only I'd known! I would've demanded a spotted owl inventory; I'm no owl expert, but I'm sure I've seen 'em nesting in the branches. I would've renamed myself Butterfly Boy, put on an Indian headdress, and lived in a treetop hammock high above the ground, to prevent this from happening.
THE GREAT CLEAR-CUT OF 2007
Surely this an even worse disaster than hit our urban forest in 2003 or thereabouts, when a careless smoker tossed a smouldering butt into the juniper ground cover.
Where was Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne when this was going on? Talk about being asleep at your post!
If only I'd known! I would've demanded a spotted owl inventory; I'm no owl expert, but I'm sure I've seen 'em nesting in the branches. I would've renamed myself Butterfly Boy, put on an Indian headdress, and lived in a treetop hammock high above the ground, to prevent this from happening.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Blah-Blah Nation
Are you ready? To stand in the midnight line (on June 28) to get your iPhone?The hype started a few months back. It promises to revolutionize wireless mobile communication, with its beautiful touch-screen and marvelous functionality. $500 for the phone and $100/month for the service? Small price to pay, to be on the leading edge for a couple months, huh?
What has happened to us?
Ten years ago, everybody - well, most everybody - got along just fine without being connected 24/7.
(And I've got to confess - my motivation to write these words stems partly from the fact that I love to be away from the phone whenever the opportunity presents itself. I carry a cell phone, but that's my boss's choice, not mine. And I love to pocket it and hope that it never rings. It really wouldn't need any buttons except the "answer" button, because I place an outgoing call on it maybe once a month.)
Nowadays, you see people yammering when they're driving, walking, shopping, eating in a restaurant, watching a movie. I imagine they use the little hands-free Star Trek earpiece thingie when they're making love... because they sure can't stop yappin'! How about when they're taking a shower? Is the iPhone water resistant?
Do you think it's important business they're discussing? Sealing that multi-million-dollar deal? Talking to Police Dispatch? Helping a lost child find his way home?
Guess again!
If you happen to overhear one of those conversations, there's a good chance it will be meaningless inane twaddle. What happened on "Desperate Housewives" last night. Or which dry cat food they like the best. Or how unfair Matilda is being to Hubert.
I assume that physical therapists are seeing patients with "cell-phone elbow." You know... the people who have injuries resulting from their elbows being cocked at a very tight angle, holding cell-phone to ear 18 hours a day. (And if Darwin is right about that evolution thing, maybe in a couple generations our descendents will have a normal size right arm, and a tiny little 8-inch left arm... just long enough to hold a cell-phone to ear. That would be pretty handy, huh?)
According to a survey of 1256 cell phone users in the UK, 1/3 of them wouldn't give up their cell phone for $2 million. 76% said it's a "social requirement" to own a cell phone. 85% said having a cell phone is "vital to maintaining their quality of life." (Click HERE to link to an article about the survey.)
Of course, only losers and dorks use regular cell phones. If you're anybody, you need one of those units that has the tiny keyboard, so you can send instant messages and email, and "surf the net" and look at pretty pictures.
(Which begs the question... why is it preferable to spend 2 minutes tap-tap-tapping out a sentence on a smaller-than-tiny keyboard - or numeric/alpha keypad - when you could call the person and speak the sentence in 10 seconds? Am I just too much the geezer to understand?) (I know... I know... I'm sounding more and more like Andy Rooney all the time!)
Well, starting Friday, only losers and dorks will use a Blackberry, or a "Q" (is that the one James Bond uses?), or a Treo. All the happ'nin' people will use an iPhone.
There have already been horrible auto accidents where one of the parties was trying to punch a message into his cell-phone keyboard while driving. I imagine the iPhone will just make matters worse. Generally, if I see a motorist make a really, totally stupid move, it's almost a sure bet they're operating that vehicle one-handed, because the other hand is taking care of cell-phone duties.
Here's a theorem... speak up if you disagree. Never in history has the quantity of "information" been better, than in 2007. Never has the quality of information been worse.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Fond Summer Memories
May I wax nostalgic for a moment.
It was great to grow up in Boise, back in the 60s. And summers brought particularly enjoyable pastimes.
Since we lived on the edge of town, with the "military reserve" a block down the street, it was like having the biggest, most awesome backyard... filled with trails and rocks and sagebrush and lizards and the occasional snake. I'd take advantage of that at least once a week, walking up to nearby "Eagle Rock," or maybe even over the top to Cottonwood Canyon. All that space and a pocketful of Matchbox cars... what else did you need to stay entertained?
We lived on a gently-sloping gravel road. It was always pleasurable to set the hose so water would run down the gutter, and then we'd build miniature earth-filled dams with roads, spillways, etc., in that gutter. (Mom indulged us, probably thinking I'd grow up to be the next Harry Morrison.)
The "Nat" (Natatorium city swimming pool, off Warm Springs) was a frequent haunt. We'd go there probably 4 afternoons a week, and spend a couple hours. (After the first week or so, we'd gotten all that sunburn stuff out of the way. I don't believe there was any such thing as sunscreen back in those days.) We'd go with the neighbors. Sometimes Mom would drive. Sometimes their mom would drive - I dreaded that because she always had a cigarette going. GACK! (We were suspicious of her anyway... because she'd holler at us when we'd play on her dirt "Stay off that bank!", and shoot our dog with her pellet gun when he was barking too much for her sensibilities. But I digress.)
Now and then, I'd splash a kid after getting the cease-and-desist order from the lifeguard. And get kicked out. Which wasn't so bad - there was a canal that ran right behind the pool. Usually my brothers and sisters would leave with me, and we'd head for the canal, which seemed a rather exciting, dangerous adventure, compared with that sparkling, clean swimming pool water.
Frequently after swimming, we'd stop at the Avenue Inn (now the Trolley House) and get a softie. 5 cents for small (pointy cone), 10 cents for large (flat-bottom cone). The proprieter - a rather gruff old fellow named Chris - didn't hear very well... you soon learned to ask for a "softie," and not a "cone." Because if you asked for a "cone," he'd often prepare you a "coke" instead.
Another favorite treat-stop was the Fanci Freez, on State Street (where it remains to this day). Strangely, it, too, was run by a rather sullen and somber old fellow and his equally-somber wife. They didn't have much to smile about, apparently. I usually got a large root beer float (30 cents). The most expensive thing on the list was a Boston Shake - 45 cents. It was a milkshake with a sundae on top. Fan-TAS-tic!! Dip cones were also a favorite.
Another cherished summer memory - weekday movies at the Ada Theater. (Now the Egyptian. In this age of VCRs and DVDs and satellite dishes, it just wouldn't be the same.) Mom would get us a season ticket for adventure movies on a weekday morning, at the Ada Theater. Sometimes we'd even get popcorn, or a soda. We'd always sit in the same place - first row of the balcony. And we'd watch a John Wayne movie, or Roy Rogers. Or maybe Sinbad, or Jason and the Argonauts, or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or Mysterious Island. The crowd was raucous - we'd cheer for the good guys, and boo the bad guys.
It's too bad you only get to be a kid once... because I sure loved it! (But as my mother reminds me, "You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.")
It was great to grow up in Boise, back in the 60s. And summers brought particularly enjoyable pastimes.
Since we lived on the edge of town, with the "military reserve" a block down the street, it was like having the biggest, most awesome backyard... filled with trails and rocks and sagebrush and lizards and the occasional snake. I'd take advantage of that at least once a week, walking up to nearby "Eagle Rock," or maybe even over the top to Cottonwood Canyon. All that space and a pocketful of Matchbox cars... what else did you need to stay entertained?
We lived on a gently-sloping gravel road. It was always pleasurable to set the hose so water would run down the gutter, and then we'd build miniature earth-filled dams with roads, spillways, etc., in that gutter. (Mom indulged us, probably thinking I'd grow up to be the next Harry Morrison.)
The "Nat" (Natatorium city swimming pool, off Warm Springs) was a frequent haunt. We'd go there probably 4 afternoons a week, and spend a couple hours. (After the first week or so, we'd gotten all that sunburn stuff out of the way. I don't believe there was any such thing as sunscreen back in those days.) We'd go with the neighbors. Sometimes Mom would drive. Sometimes their mom would drive - I dreaded that because she always had a cigarette going. GACK! (We were suspicious of her anyway... because she'd holler at us when we'd play on her dirt "Stay off that bank!", and shoot our dog with her pellet gun when he was barking too much for her sensibilities. But I digress.)
Now and then, I'd splash a kid after getting the cease-and-desist order from the lifeguard. And get kicked out. Which wasn't so bad - there was a canal that ran right behind the pool. Usually my brothers and sisters would leave with me, and we'd head for the canal, which seemed a rather exciting, dangerous adventure, compared with that sparkling, clean swimming pool water.
Frequently after swimming, we'd stop at the Avenue Inn (now the Trolley House) and get a softie. 5 cents for small (pointy cone), 10 cents for large (flat-bottom cone). The proprieter - a rather gruff old fellow named Chris - didn't hear very well... you soon learned to ask for a "softie," and not a "cone." Because if you asked for a "cone," he'd often prepare you a "coke" instead.
Another favorite treat-stop was the Fanci Freez, on State Street (where it remains to this day). Strangely, it, too, was run by a rather sullen and somber old fellow and his equally-somber wife. They didn't have much to smile about, apparently. I usually got a large root beer float (30 cents). The most expensive thing on the list was a Boston Shake - 45 cents. It was a milkshake with a sundae on top. Fan-TAS-tic!! Dip cones were also a favorite.
Another cherished summer memory - weekday movies at the Ada Theater. (Now the Egyptian. In this age of VCRs and DVDs and satellite dishes, it just wouldn't be the same.) Mom would get us a season ticket for adventure movies on a weekday morning, at the Ada Theater. Sometimes we'd even get popcorn, or a soda. We'd always sit in the same place - first row of the balcony. And we'd watch a John Wayne movie, or Roy Rogers. Or maybe Sinbad, or Jason and the Argonauts, or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or Mysterious Island. The crowd was raucous - we'd cheer for the good guys, and boo the bad guys.
It's too bad you only get to be a kid once... because I sure loved it! (But as my mother reminds me, "You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.")
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A job for the BATF(E)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (explosives recently added - probably a 9/11 thing) has a job to do, and also a reputation. Their job is to regulate the lawful sale of A, T, F and E, and to keep 'em out of the wrong hands. Their reputation, unfortunately, seems to be that they frequently go after law-abiding citizens who forgot to cross their 't's and dot their 'i's on the forms... those being easier to deal with (and locate) than real criminal-types.
I've got an idea for a service the BATF could perform that would be helpful to law-abiding citizens. It springs from a personal experience.
Ten years or so ago, I was in the market for a Glock 26 handgun. I didn't want to pay the high retail price at the local gun store. So, I started watching the classifieds.
I saw an ad in the Idaho Statesman - the gun I was looking for, at a price I was willing to pay.
I called the guy and made arrangements to go see the gun.
He lived in a trailer house in Garden City. It's unfair to judge people based on their appearance, but his appearance aroused suspicion. He was kind of a long-hair, tattooed, muscle-gone-to-seed biker-type looking guy, with kind of a semi-desperate gleam in his eyes.
The gun was in a gun safe. Cool. He took it out; I looked at it and liked it... looked like a showroom gun.
Because of the circumstances, I had some hesitation. I asked him to give me 24 hours to think it over, and made a mental note of the serial number (thankfully quite short on Glocks). My plan was to do some checking - make sure the gun was "legitimate." (Not stolen, or formerly used for a crime, or otherwise being sought by "the authorities.")
I called the local BATF office.
"I'm thinking about buying a gun from a private party. If I give you the make, model and serial number, can you tell me whether it's a fugitive gun?"
BATF: "No. We don't offer that service. You might check with the Sheriff's office."
So, I called the sheriff's office and asked the same question. I told them I had been referred to them by the BATF.
The officer I spoke to was sympathetic, but said they don't offer that service, either. He couldn't offer any suggestions; he said it's strictly "buyer beware."
I AM aware! That's why I'm trying to check it out!
I called Senator Craig's office. They too were sympathetic but not helpful.
I called the sheriff's deputy back. He finally and somewhat reluctantly did a serial-number check, even though it is NOT a service that they offer. The gun was okay... at least not on the Hot List. I bought it, and still have it.
SEEMS TO ME... it would be a good thing if civilians were able to identify guns that are fugitive in nature.
What would be the harm of having a web-based tool, where a person could enter a make/model/sn of a gun, to find out if it's on the fugitive list? Nothing more than that.
If a gun of mine were stolen, I'd LOVE anything that would make it more difficult for the thief to unload it. If I were shopping for a gun from a private party, I would LOVE to be able to easily check and see if it's fugitive. If I crossed paths with a fugitive gun, I'd gladly cooperate with the authorities in trying to get it off the street.
Frankly, if there's a down-side, I can't see what it might be.
I've got an idea for a service the BATF could perform that would be helpful to law-abiding citizens. It springs from a personal experience.
Ten years or so ago, I was in the market for a Glock 26 handgun. I didn't want to pay the high retail price at the local gun store. So, I started watching the classifieds.
I saw an ad in the Idaho Statesman - the gun I was looking for, at a price I was willing to pay.
I called the guy and made arrangements to go see the gun.
He lived in a trailer house in Garden City. It's unfair to judge people based on their appearance, but his appearance aroused suspicion. He was kind of a long-hair, tattooed, muscle-gone-to-seed biker-type looking guy, with kind of a semi-desperate gleam in his eyes.
The gun was in a gun safe. Cool. He took it out; I looked at it and liked it... looked like a showroom gun.
Because of the circumstances, I had some hesitation. I asked him to give me 24 hours to think it over, and made a mental note of the serial number (thankfully quite short on Glocks). My plan was to do some checking - make sure the gun was "legitimate." (Not stolen, or formerly used for a crime, or otherwise being sought by "the authorities.")
I called the local BATF office.
"I'm thinking about buying a gun from a private party. If I give you the make, model and serial number, can you tell me whether it's a fugitive gun?"
BATF: "No. We don't offer that service. You might check with the Sheriff's office."
So, I called the sheriff's office and asked the same question. I told them I had been referred to them by the BATF.
The officer I spoke to was sympathetic, but said they don't offer that service, either. He couldn't offer any suggestions; he said it's strictly "buyer beware."
I AM aware! That's why I'm trying to check it out!
I called Senator Craig's office. They too were sympathetic but not helpful.
I called the sheriff's deputy back. He finally and somewhat reluctantly did a serial-number check, even though it is NOT a service that they offer. The gun was okay... at least not on the Hot List. I bought it, and still have it.
SEEMS TO ME... it would be a good thing if civilians were able to identify guns that are fugitive in nature.
What would be the harm of having a web-based tool, where a person could enter a make/model/sn of a gun, to find out if it's on the fugitive list? Nothing more than that.
If a gun of mine were stolen, I'd LOVE anything that would make it more difficult for the thief to unload it. If I were shopping for a gun from a private party, I would LOVE to be able to easily check and see if it's fugitive. If I crossed paths with a fugitive gun, I'd gladly cooperate with the authorities in trying to get it off the street.
Frankly, if there's a down-side, I can't see what it might be.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Rock Stars Answer Life's Questions
"Rock stars - is there anything they don't know?"
- Homer Simpson
The smartest people rise to the top, and become celebrities.
Fortunately for us, many are quite willing to share their expertise with us common folk.
Currently, they are sharing their notions about Global Warming, and what we (we being us "common people") can and should be doing about it.
Sheryl Crow (known mostly to me personally because she was Lance Armstrong's girlfriend for awhile) has been on a "Stop Global Warming College Tour." (Evidently one of the best things you can do to stop Global Warming is to get on a biodiesel bus and tour the country.)
There's a story about their adventures in the Washington Post - click HERE to read about "The Biodiesel Bus Blog."
Some of Sheryl's ideas:
- "I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required. "
- Dining Sleeve: "I also like the idea of not using paper napkins, which happen to be made from virgin wood and represent the height of wastefulness. I have designed a clothing line that has what's called a "dining sleeve." The sleeve is detachable and can be replaced with another "dining sleeve," after usage. The design will offer the "diner" the convenience of wiping his mouth on his sleeve rather than throwing out yet another barely used paper product. I think this idea could also translate quite well to those suffering with an annoying head cold.
(She's joking - right? Somebody tell me it's just a joke!)
- Reality show - the contestant who lives the "greenest life" would get a recording contract.
Earth to Sheryl! Earth to Sheryl!
- Homer Simpson
The smartest people rise to the top, and become celebrities.
Fortunately for us, many are quite willing to share their expertise with us common folk.
Currently, they are sharing their notions about Global Warming, and what we (we being us "common people") can and should be doing about it.
Sheryl Crow (known mostly to me personally because she was Lance Armstrong's girlfriend for awhile) has been on a "Stop Global Warming College Tour." (Evidently one of the best things you can do to stop Global Warming is to get on a biodiesel bus and tour the country.)
There's a story about their adventures in the Washington Post - click HERE to read about "The Biodiesel Bus Blog."
Some of Sheryl's ideas:
- "I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required. "
- Dining Sleeve: "I also like the idea of not using paper napkins, which happen to be made from virgin wood and represent the height of wastefulness. I have designed a clothing line that has what's called a "dining sleeve." The sleeve is detachable and can be replaced with another "dining sleeve," after usage. The design will offer the "diner" the convenience of wiping his mouth on his sleeve rather than throwing out yet another barely used paper product. I think this idea could also translate quite well to those suffering with an annoying head cold.
(She's joking - right? Somebody tell me it's just a joke!)
- Reality show - the contestant who lives the "greenest life" would get a recording contract.
Earth to Sheryl! Earth to Sheryl!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
School Uniforms
Uniforms in public schools? It's a topic of discussion at my house.
My youngest daughter is just finishing up at South Junior High, which implemented Boise Schools' first-ever mandatory-uniform policy this year. And she's headed for Borah High, which is seriously considering doing the same, beginning next year.
Based on my daughter's comments, she's against
it, but not "rabidly" against it.
Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about it.
There are some letters to the editor in today's daily newspaper, arguing both sides of the issue. (Strangely, they're both from men... the affected girls seem way more animated about the issue, than the boys.)
David Everhart of Nampa says: "If somebody is wearing a revealing or offensive clothing, then the current code says send them home. Much like gun laws or immigration, enforce the current laws and new ones will be unnecessary.
"Spare me the notions of class equality. There will always be the 'haves and have nots.' You could force rich kid to wear the same uniform as poor kid, but are you going to ban him/her from driving his BMW to school? Are you going to tell them that the rich/poor barrier magically disappears after high school? There's lots of grownups in uniform right now who are fighting and dying for these kids' right not to wear one, so let it go."
I don't know about the kids' right to not wear a uniform, or people fighting for that particular freedom, but I agree with the rest. (I don't know if the First Amendment extends to attire as "freedom of speech.")
But then, Dan Fisher of Boise makes this point: "Some Borah High students equate uniforms with suppressed creativity. That's a shallow perspective. Remove the superficial exterior from the equation and perhaps students will begin to identify themselves with their thoughts, not their threads. For the truly original students I've known, it wasn't about what they wore; it was about what they thought."
It's hard to argue with either one of those persuasive arguments.
I suggested to my daughter a compromise - uniforms required, but the uniforms would be a costume as worn by your favorite "Village People." That would preserve "creative expression," while maintaining decorum, no? As she does ever-so-frequently, my daughter just groaned and rolled her eyes.
My youngest daughter is just finishing up at South Junior High, which implemented Boise Schools' first-ever mandatory-uniform policy this year. And she's headed for Borah High, which is seriously considering doing the same, beginning next year.
Based on my daughter's comments, she's against
it, but not "rabidly" against it.Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about it.
There are some letters to the editor in today's daily newspaper, arguing both sides of the issue. (Strangely, they're both from men... the affected girls seem way more animated about the issue, than the boys.)
David Everhart of Nampa says: "If somebody is wearing a revealing or offensive clothing, then the current code says send them home. Much like gun laws or immigration, enforce the current laws and new ones will be unnecessary.
"Spare me the notions of class equality. There will always be the 'haves and have nots.' You could force rich kid to wear the same uniform as poor kid, but are you going to ban him/her from driving his BMW to school? Are you going to tell them that the rich/poor barrier magically disappears after high school? There's lots of grownups in uniform right now who are fighting and dying for these kids' right not to wear one, so let it go."
I don't know about the kids' right to not wear a uniform, or people fighting for that particular freedom, but I agree with the rest. (I don't know if the First Amendment extends to attire as "freedom of speech.")
But then, Dan Fisher of Boise makes this point: "Some Borah High students equate uniforms with suppressed creativity. That's a shallow perspective. Remove the superficial exterior from the equation and perhaps students will begin to identify themselves with their thoughts, not their threads. For the truly original students I've known, it wasn't about what they wore; it was about what they thought."
It's hard to argue with either one of those persuasive arguments.
I suggested to my daughter a compromise - uniforms required, but the uniforms would be a costume as worn by your favorite "Village People." That would preserve "creative expression," while maintaining decorum, no? As she does ever-so-frequently, my daughter just groaned and rolled her eyes.
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