Can I get an opinion from you people? We all seem to think that the least worst option for these posts is leveraging the limited wit (such as it is) of the front-page posters here 24/7. We then wait on these posts to appear so we can all touch base and get over the issues we all have.
Oftentimes, we give each other a heads up on the news of the day. I do feel that it’s my bad sometimes if we can’t maintain a sense of normalcy, or can’t keep moving forward.
I just felt a need to reach out to you people for a clue to help make this the winningest blog. Although I could care less if you know where it’s at. I suspect that this will be a case of me finding out something that’ll learn me.
Well I’m confused (which is really a pretty normal state for me anyway). After who knows how many posts on this site over how many days, weeks, and years, you are now soliciting our “opinion” on something? At least you didn’t ask how we “feel” about something.
After I deplane this blog can I get a two or three-time loser to wait on me hand and foot and ask me how I feel?
IncendiaryDrayage………………………once more in ENGRISH por favore?
I was going to give the advantage on beer to the UK over the US, but in this day and age even that isn’t true. So advantage in everything goes to the US; especially dental care.
G’Morning all
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it………………
Are you new here?
Little family history. On this day in 1936 my father was issued the Patent for the Lufkin Pumping Unit. (“Pump Jack”, “Grasshopper”). I don’t have a clue as to how many millions of them there are in the world. I am very proud of his accomplishment.
BTW, The Lufkin Foundry gave him $100.00 and lunch with the president, so, no, I’m not rolling around in royalty payments.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2048119.pdf
I had an uncle that was an inventor, but he lacked stick-to-it-ivness. He’d try something and if he didn’t succeed right away he just gave up. Some of the ideas he had that could have worked if he had just stayed with them:
6 Up
Motel 5
Super 7 Motels
7-10 stores
I obviously have not had enough caffeine yet. When I first scanned that I thought it said “Pumpkin Luffing Unit”. I was wondering why in the heck someone would want to luff a pumpkin. But OK. Your way is better, and very cool history.
Some of us old country boys will try anything.
Pumpkin luffer.
I’ve designed systems to control the luff on drill pipe, casing, and even people. But never pumpkins. I wonder if that might be lucrative?
“Pommie” is a somewhat derogatory word used to refer to the British. Most often, the object of their hatred is towards people they labeld as “Wogs” or “Woggies”, referring to persons of another race, usually Oriental or Indian. The most public display of this hatred was done in the British Tabloid Press of the time wherein roughly drawn cartoons that resembled doodles more than professional work would portray these people in a negative light and emphasizing racially stereotyped physical features.
So, you can understand my apprehension that this subject might lead to Pommie Woggy doodles all the day.
I was beginning to get worried there for a while. But have no fear. Things are getting back to normal.
Doooooooooooooood: I remember, way back in the early 80′s working with and sometimes operating “cherry pickers” and they had no luffing function – it took a little concentration and 3 or 4 hands to keep the load constant relative to the fixed block while you were telescoping the boom in or out.
#9, 10: ON occasion, I think on the Discovery channel, they will have an entire show on different kinds of “pumpkin chunkers”. Redneck engineering is a thing of beauty.
How much luff can a pumpkin luff if the Lufkin Pump luffed pumpkins?
Interesting choice of words there, too.
I mean, they almost make it sound like good news.
#13
How many bad economic news events in a row before they’re no longer “unexpected”?
This You tube piece will make you want to pull your hair out. I do not for one moment put it past the elitist, nannystater, we-have too-many-people-on-the-planet, global warming, scaremongers to do the things spoken of in the video. This is not the first time I have seen something like this. One very brief bit which was taken from a news cast stated, “2 studies now show that the mercury in vaccines may “enhance” brain function”. I thought everybody knew that mercury degrades brain function and causes insanity hence the phrase: mad as a hatter.
Pursuant to our discussion a couple weeks ago, here’s a review of the F150 Twin Turbo EcoBoost.
Global Warming takes another hit.
And its no luffing matter.
Dang, I like the thought of that EcoBoost. I need to milk at least another year out of the ole Hemi though. For a while there I was considering downsizing to a VW diesel Jetta, but I really like having a pickup in the family. I think that Ford will fit the bill nicely when the time comes.
#20 Hamous:
That is about twice what I am willing to pay. That squeaking sound you may hear is me walking. And yes, I do have fish hooks in my pocket to prevent me from reaching my wallet.
Morning, Hamsters. I never heard the term “pommies” before. From context, it seemed like it means Brit, but now I’m not so sure. From Merriam-Webster online:
Pyro, what did you intend for “pommies” to mean?
Who cares what those snobby Brits think anyway? Thay talk funny.
I’m not into pumpkin luff sports, so I’ll check y’all later.
My favorite phrase to hate: I could care less.
I mean, if you COULD care less, you obviously have some interest in whatever you are trying to claim you do not care about. If you COULDN’T care less, then you have no level of interest whatsoever in the topic. You have reached the lowest possible level of apathy about the subject. I believe the phrase “I could care less” is because people are too lazy to use the extra syllable “n’t”.
My next pet peeve: Using adjectives for adverbs. For example:
I went quick to pick up the mail.
Drive slow if you want to be safe at that corner.
I’ve seen pictures of street signs where someone has added “ly” after the word “slow” when the sign said to “Drive Slow”. Those people are my heroes.
#20 Eco-booster: I would like to read a report from an owner with at least 3 months and 5000 miles under his belt. I wanna know what kind of real world mileage it gets and how it responds in the normal grind of commuting to work, which is how the bulk of the miles are accumulated. What kind of mileage does it get at a steady 75-80mph for a road trip, what does city driving do to it, assuming one can keep his foot off the firewall, how hot does it tend to run, does the A/C get the cabin cold enough to hang meat, how quiet is it while running down the highway? Those are the kinds of questions I have and the answers to same dictate how easy the rig will be to live with.
Kevin Williamson is one of my favorite contributors to NRO, and this is an example of why that is the case. He links to the Egan-Jones downgrade I mentioned a few days ago. Didn’t catch that bit of reality in the news, did you? Hmmmm…
#25 TT: It is kind of funny when you hear the announcer on a golf match say “oh, he hit that one fat and is short of the green” . I believe the proper grammar would be “oh, he hit that one fatly and did not reach the green.” I don’t think I have ever heard a golfer, other than me, say that he/she has hit it fatly.
#28 Bone
Well, if I were to ever take up golf, I would always hit the ball fatly. I have no choice. /sigh
/off to check the diet
One of Hubby’s most/least endearing traits is his inability to correctly pronounce the word “frustrating”. He cannot pronounce the “FR” sound for some reason, so he pronounces it “flustrating”. I guess he does get flustered when he’s frustrated, and it’s now part of his vocabulary, so I have learned to stop gritting my teeth when he says it. Now, if I can only get him to quit saying “we was”.
Nothing like moving through multiple axes simultaneously, eh? The controls for these beasts are interesting. I hadn’t gotten into that until a couple / three years ago. It’s especially interesting in the arena of oilfield stuff, where they’re operating in hazardous areas.
.
I say “I’m is” a lot, but it’s just to aggravate certain people.
Who’s hungry?
I’m is!
#27 doooooooooooooood: from your linkie thingie comments:
We must insist that all Fed spending be cut back to FY2007 levels immediately. After that is accomplished, we start serious cutting from there. Then we move to a national retail sales tax and chunk the current tax code in the dung heap where it belongs.
Some people have waaaaaaaayyy too much time on their hands.
It is impressive, though.
#31 doooooooooooood: The skill at which I have seen some heavy equipment operators function caused me to stare in awe. I once watched a guy with a D9 cat bulldozer rake wissin grass and not tear up the turf underneath. Watching the crane operators load pipe on the deck of a work boat while it is pitching and rolling 6 or 7 feet, and not having it slap the deck is nothing short of mind-boggling. I was the monkey on the deck that had to unhook the load and dodge the pipe as it was rolling port to starboard – not exactly what you would call un-hazardous.
#26 Many of those questions are essentially answered by looking at the horsepower and torque numbers. Those are very impressive. And 2000 rpm at 75 mph? Impressive as well.
Real world mileage
#34 TT: That was impressive and so was the next video. Poor girl, she musta had a real serious birth defect, as she now has her butt on her chest.
12 Sarge
That, sir, goes beyond any reasonably established boundaries.
#36 Now that is what I call a “real world” report, thanks.
Oh yeah, that’s definitely hazardous. My use of “hazardous” was in terms of the presence of flammable / explosive gas in the area in which the equipment operates. There are myriad regulations, ratings, certifications that electronics must adhere to in order to be used in certain areas. It’s not enough to just understand electronics any longer. It’s a whole heap of liability that you must design your controls around when the stuff is in the vicinity of the well.
Yep. Fifty grand for a pickup is pushing me out of the market.
#37 Boney
I think you were watching a different video. Mine was a Rube Goldberg machine, and there were no butts or boobs anywhere.
TT: The next video, after the Rube Goldberg machine is where the girl is.
Yess! 63% of Americans believe We can’t guarantee Social Security checks won’t go out is a scare tactic.
It’s about time, from Rush yesterday:
The libs usually respond in the same way when faced with budget problems: The first things they suggest would have to be cut are always police, fire, and teachers on a local level and on the nat’l level, it is SS, Mediscare, Medicaides, military pay.
I have stated many times what I think we should cut and where we should start.
If you want my comments on the blog, I would recommend separate articles on current events or topics that are important to us all so that we can find all the comments that pertain to that in one place and be able to discuss only that topic and not have to read thru the whole “open comments” column to find the opinions of others and a separate “open comments” for everybody else to vent from. And I’ve always liked pictures that we can make funny captions to as a release mechanism to make humor out of that situation.
Yeah, well, it is what it is….yo.
Well LQQKs like we’re all a bunch of terriorists!
Yanno it might be funny if it were not so dang STUPID!
Oh,…Mornin’ Gang
#24 mh42
I intended it in the derogatory sense that the Ozzies & Kiwis use.
If you look at the article in the link, I think I managed to weave about 2/3 – 3/4 of their annoying phrases into the OP above.
n.b. – I had heard two other origins for “Pommie”:
) had a difficult time giving up the habit that had served them well in the homeland, but were distinctly out of place in their new home. They were then labeled Prisoners Of Mother England – P.O.M.E., which then became pommie.
1. Their uniform coats were the same color as the inside of a pomegranate.
2. The Brits immigrating into Australia & New Zealand oftentimes (
#35 –
I be (crappy grammar notwithstanding) proudly one of those! With all sizes of Dozer, Loader, Scraper (aka earth mover), or Blade (aka maintainer) I might add………..
#34 TT
I thought it was going to start a pot of coffee after the wave reached the kitchen…
Mine:
Saying “I could of” instead of “I could have.”
Using the word “Orientated.” There is no such word. The proper word is “Oriented.”
There’s a guy on one of the radio stations I listen to that says “also too” which is a redundantly repetitive phrase—-
Everyone knows it should be “coulda”.
………………still waiting for WB to re-pose his initial interrogatory in one short, sweet, succinct sentence (3 syllables or less per word preferred)
Fixtdit
People using “then” when they should be using “than” aggravates me. And there’s a certain someone that frequently violates the “i before e except after c” rule and its many exceptions
Mine?
Any use of the alleged word “irregardless”.
Just go ahead and shoot me.
#48 SD: from your linkie:
He could “of” stopped at the bolded section and covered the entire fed beauro-crazy govt. Look at my hand waving over here, don’t mid that hand reaching into your pocket or stabbing you in the gut.
I am reminded of my mother’s second husband, a gentleman of French Canadian heritage, of which there are many in NH. Those folks have an English usage pattern similar to Cajuns (as they have a common ancestry) that is based on French sentence construction. This was illustrated to me succinctly one day. He was in the cellar and shouted up to my mother:
“Janet, throw me down the stairs my shoes.”
#49 Pyro
Yanno, I always thought those were mostly prisoners being exiled far from Mother England.
I guess what still has me confused is most of the hated Americanisms are offered up by Brits who still live in the UK, so how are they Pommies?
And yes, I enjoyed your use of the phrases they hated in your introduction.
#57 – BINGO – one of mine as well! Sadly – as with “aint” and many others………..this one has been used so derned long it now shows up in dictionaries……..
irregardless
I’ll chime in with “accept” vs. “except” & “effect” vs. “affect”………….my business partner is BAD about these 2 pairs!
I’m like, you know, like just sooo, like you know, really just, you know, like soooo irritated by like, you know, some, you know, people who, like, you know, can’t seem to, like, you know, say anything, like, like, you know, like, really repeating, like, you know, certain, you know, like, words. Oh my god! You know? LOL.
#62 Whiskers: how about ensure vs insure
#59 Sarge
I think of that sentence structure as Germanic, and descended from it, Yiddish. As in the lyrics
“Throw Momma From The Train A Knish, A Knish. Don’t Leave Her Hungry Behind”
Don’t forget “their” versus “they’re”.
Then there are all the new age business school words and phrases I use on my Bull$h!t Bingo cards:
synergy
at the end of the day
proactive
empower
bottom line
heads-up
no-brainer
Oooh! And low-hanging fruit.
Continuing the treatment program for Floridaphobia:
Massachusetts man unhappy with automobile purchase returns vehicle to NH dealer.
English spelling was hard even back in the days before the gubmint schools started caring more about “self-esteem” than the 3 R’s. If I got uptight over every ignorant language error I encounter, I’d be dead from a brain aneurysm a long time ago.
One that bugs me is excessive and / or incorrect usage of “literally”.
Overheard a coworker on the phone: “A picture is literally worth a thousand words”.
I’d be interested to see the metrics for how he arrived at that conclusion.
#69 I don’t see Florida in that story — ?? Just saying there are turkeys in every state?
Floridaphobia is incurable. There is only treatment. The treatment is to provide examples of Florida-like behaviors in other regions or states. The treatment seems to be more effective the further north those examples originate from. However, Canadian examples seem to have no effect at all.
#64 – Perhumps not as often times an erred upon juxtaposition – but still a good one!
#67 – I cannot believe a Floriduh Dude as yaself would have left out:
“when you get through talkin” (aka ‘at the end of the day’ or ‘bottom line’)
or as it is spelled in the Redneckese Dickshunnerry:
“when yall git thru tawkin”
who saw THIS coming?
Do as we SAY, not as we DO.
Shoot, many school teachers send their own kids to private schools, if they can afford to.
My first reaction to the headline was “Duh, ya think?” and “What took you so long?”
Then I read the article, and I realized that it was “blame the Republicans again” (emphasis mine):
And this:
No, it has nothing to do with the ramrodding of spending legislation through a Democrat controlled
crisisCongress.I want some of his drugs.
67 Hamous,
You must have been held captive at a 6-Sigma meeting.
Simple
The next person to write or say the word, iconic, will be shot by a firing squad tomorrow at dawn.
78 mharper,
I have a daughter who is a teacher in Klein with 10 years of service. Regrettably, her husband is not a business magnate, but rather a teacher ;himself.
They cannot afford private school for their two boys.
Simple
Robert M. made some good suggestions in comment #46.
#82 Texpat
Especially for you, sir:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304203304576446021394040178.html?mod=WSJ_article_onespot
#84 Texpat
Yes, that would be nice. Speaking for myself, however, I am usually putting a post together either in the waning hours of the evening or the wee hours of the morning. This is one reason why I may sound punch-drunk at times. Other times, I am trying to throw something together before my work day begins in earnest. (Boy, that must hurt Earnest!) Anyway, I’m lucky to have enough time or snap to put together one post.
#34 crazy aunt
I gotta give the guy some style points.
He used a polo mallet.
#83 Simple
I have lots of neighbors that are not magnates by any means, who send their children to schools associated with churches. Sometimes I think every church in northwest Houston has a school. I’ve been to quite a few church properties to attend public meetings, civic events, mobile medical screenings, etc. and am often surprised to find the room we are directed to is a school auditorium. So I wasn’t actually thinking about any hoity toity private schools in the Museum District with my earlier comment.
Even if they’re referring to a particular genre of art?
Indeed! More than one.
Well git off your happy ass and start writing some
#89 WB
Use of the adjectival form is expressly forbidden.
Usage of the noun form is restricted to Russian religious artifacts only.
#86 Tedtam
The last 8 or 9 months in the life of Lone Star Times, I put up from five to nine articles per day, at least five days a week. Writing, besides being time-consuming, is very hard work and as I became busier, my time to create original content diminished to a point where I was exasperated. If my children were still young and I didn’t have my office in my home, there is no way I could have done it.
I do understand. Even a group blog is difficult when most everyone is consumed with responsibilities. I used to do most of my writing, research and editing between 10 PM and 2 AM each night. It wears on you when you are up at 6 the next morning.
It seems to me that this refuge for wandering LST commenters was never intended to be the type of blog Robert envisions.
A well done, full blown, multi-topical, current/responsive blog requires an enourmous amount of man hours and dedication.
You can take it to the bank that any blog Texpat is ever involved in producing will not have an Open Comments section.
Sad, But what a ride; Space Shuttle Comes Home for Final Time.
Man, the weather babe on CBC right now needs to fix herself up a little if she expects to get any dates.
Unless of course I win the Lotto, retire and in a moment of sheer insanity decide to take on the moderator position. Which is highly unlikely. After all, before LST, Squawk was a vibrant, tall Brad Pitt lookalike. Sheesh, just look at the poor old broke down sucker now.
I would love to move away from the “open comments” form.
Is it time to turn Greece into more of a museum than it already is?
#99 Wagonburner, et al
I use my arms, hands, fingers, and (parts of) my brain to write. I don’t know how the rest of you do it. I really don’t think I want to know.
Really. I don’t.
Are you a trendy hipster looking for a faith community but are turned off by all that Jesus stuff? Well look no further:
Personally I think Crüe would be much hipper than Cru. I wonder if they’ll have motocross on stage. Or maybe a Cirque du Soleil-style ministry. They could make Jason Mraz hats standard issue for all men.
Too European.
They should go old school with sackcloth & sandals.
100 WB
Great piece.
#104 / RE: #100 – Wow no kidding and spot ON!
(do we truly believe it would take an entire generation to clearly display the historical, repetitive, and inevitable failure of Communism ?)
102 Hamous,
I think you should conduct a 6-Sigma project to find a new name for Campus Crusade for Christ and a new theme.
Simple
#104 Shannon
Yeah, it is sadly, tragically ironic the people who gave to mankind the gift of democratic ideals is now a desolate pit of all the failed anti-democratic fallacies of the last 150 years.
100 WB
Sometimes you have to let stupid people do stupid things; else they remain stupid and have
the potential to do stupider (sic) things.
Simple
#107 corrected.
Yeah, it is sadly, tragically ironic the nation of people who gave to mankind the gift of democratic ideals is now a desolate pit of all the failed anti-democratic fallacies of the last 150 years.
103
Dont forget the banal 21st century praise music.
That stuff really sticks to your ribs.
#83 Simple:
There were a number of years while our daughter was growing up that I was doing freelance work and barely keeping our heads above water. There were a lot of weeks where we lived on beans and rice; no cable; no vacations; no new cars….. but we managed to keep our daughter in a private school where she actually learned something and was not indoctrinated with all of the crap that public schools are overrun with.
It was just a matter of setting priorities. . . . . .
This is an exceptionally good explanation of the Israeli -”palestenian” dispute. TAke the 6 minutes of video time and look at the historical facts vs the commonly told lies.
#57;
Irregardless of the consequences? No thanks.
Time to hunt me down a certain Mormon.
Oh, and another word peeve – which you have all heard before but I’m listening to the radio and this is driving me wissin’ nuts!
It is the DEMOCRAT party, not the democratic party! The proper noun is not the adjective, sorry! The DEMOCRAT PARTY is not a very democratic party, and DEMOCRAT ideas are not democratic ideals, either. Don’t give them the credit.
Governor Boggs?
Oh, no, just Shannon. (Phew). Yeah, we’ve heard that before. We’ll just come back stronger.
It feels like Texas here.
At 5 PM, we registered 100 degrees and about 64% humidity.
117
‘Bout time to start working on that snow blower, again, eh?
After cooling down the last few days it looks like Houston is now about the same as New York/Jersey.
Texpat
What’s the early snow date for that neighborhood ?
Southwest is running their annual $59 one way special. Must travel by 12/15.
#120 – Betting September………………..on rare occasions………..
Well I took Dude and Lowrents’ advice and visited my local Prosperity Bank today during lunch. What a nice bunch of people! I think I met everyone in the whole bank including the president. Ended up moving from BOA (at least starting the process). They asked how I heard about them so I dropped Lowrents name since I know he banks at that location. They asked “Which Lawrence?” It was then I realized I didn’t know how to pronounce his last name (dang weird Czech spelling), but they knew exactly who I was talking about. The president asked how I knew him and I explained through political circles. He said “Well, we’re gonna get along just fine!” As I was leaving the new accounts lady (Connie) said “Come here hun and give me a hug!” Heh.
So if you’re thinking about changing banks you’ve got at least two locations of Prosperity Bank with satisfied customers.
122 Kat
I have this recurring nightmare of getting weather-diverted to some hole-in-the-wall airport in, say………HORRORS!!!!!!!!…..florida.
Or West Virginia.
Or Pittsburgh.
Or Cincinnatti.
Savannah would be nice in the Fall.
Figures. Lowrents is highly regarded in banking circles.
Gotta give props to Mrs. Dude (at least for me) for her suggesting that bank to me. We now have 5 accounts set up with them and they have been nothing short of wonderful to work with. Outstanding customer service is what makes the difference.
#107 Texpat
I feel the same way about Italy. I look at today’s Greece and Italy and wonder how on earth they had ancestors who invented western civilization.
Wow. Southwest started 2 daily nonstops HOU / NEWARK
one year ago this month.
I love the guy. But he shows up in Bellville once a year to show off his $75,000 classic car at the car show, tries to pay for burger lunch for everyone with a $1000 bill. Tips with twenties.
It’s just so damned embarrassing.
Video: Police officer threatens concealed-carry driver with execution, beating; Update: Officer relieved of duty, under investigation
Copper’s got a big potty mouth as well. He f-bombs all the time in the video. (Oh, I guess that should be warning to viewers). My advice, if the law requires informing a cop of carrying a concealed weapon, then just tell them when they arrive. Don’t be quiet if this is a legal requirement to do. Also, as soon as an officer learns of a concealed weapon and sees the permit, just take the weapon if it is deemed necessary. As soon as the situation is over, return it.
I’ll be glad to serve Lawrence a hamburger. With cheese even.
129
But we do enjoy making fun of Lowrentz’ snap-brim cap, driving gloves and hand-me-down, corduroy jacket with the elbow patches that that elitist Texpat sends him.
I provide that large blockquote to set the scene. Retta seems to be a great person and very personable. Now, Obama said more than once that he would like to see abortion reduced. What’s Retta doing? Reducing abortions. Six in one day in fact. So, what does the Department of Justice do to Retta?
I’m sure any sitting president who wants to see the number of abortions reduced would take some concern about the DOJ’s accusations against Retta.
Amazing.
Shannon,
In 2010, the first snow fell here the day after Christmas, again 4 days later and then a huge snowstorm on New Year’s Eve. It continued to snow every few days until the beginning of March.
Last winter broke all records for total snowfall. It seems we were well over 100 inches for the winter.
127 mharper,
Read The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but be warned it is not reading for the faint of heart.
It took the Romans just slightly over 500 years to wreck the Roman Republic and it was a slow demise. Gibbon’s Decline and Fall is no less a slow read, but worth it to anyone seriously interested in History.
It you want a shorter and more light hearted read, then I suggest The Golden Asse by Lucius Apulieus. It is a second century (AD) satire of a man who is transformed into a donkey and then his “Perils of Pauline” adventures illustrate the many problems in the empire, which was already in serious decline. This book is over 1800 years old and I still laugh when I read parts of it.
I see us making many of the same mistakes that the Greeks and Romans did with their early Democracies and Republics. A smart man (woman) would learn by looking at the mistakes of others, but over and over we try to change the outcome of same bad actions.
I wonder if the Chinese will become the next great Democracy and “Leader of the Free World”.
Simple
Shepard Smith.
The most annoying anchor in television news.
That’s probably true but…uh…um…did he just give his concession speech 15 months in advance?
You guys are too funny!
Boy, if I had as much money as you think I have, I’d really have some!
The folks at Prosperity Bank still believe in personal relationships, which is what banking is still really all about.
#117 texpat
It was gorgeous the past couple of days in central Alberta. Highs In the low 60′s.
#124 shannon
You just do not want to get a flight shot out from under you in Moline.
#135 Simple
If you, or anyone else, wants to bet that will happen, I will take the wager and because I am a generous person, even offer odds in your favor. The amount of the bet can be as much as you can afford or borrow. Put all the zeros you want to on it.
#139 WB
I have a friend down in Rockport whose wife has MS. He bought some property on a lake and built a nice cabin in Alberta so his wife could spend the summers up there away from the Texas heat and humidity. In fact, another friend of mine who moved to Calgary says the woods are full of those damned Texans in the summer.
#130 Darren: I have had encounters with cops like that, though not as bad and fortunately no weapons were involved.That cop has no biz in law enforcement in any capacity. How did he ever pass the psych evaluation?? He defines bad cop, I hope he goes to jail. One of the commenters mentioned his partner, who did absolutely nothing to restrain an obviously out of control partner. Had the driver not stayed unbelievably cool and calm he would likely be dead now, murdered by an out of control, drunk with power cop.
There is a convenience store that has all the features I look for in such an establishment. Every surface in the place could be used as a plate for your food, it is so clean. They charge 99 cents for a 10lb bag of ice – not 2 dollars for an 8lb bag like the competitor
around the block. The clean store offers my required decaffeinated coffee; a special blend. The other store only has regular coffee and a location that requires an extra turn.
It isn’t unusual to find me making an extra turn to go into the dirty store and coming out with regular coffee and a two dollar, puny bag of ice.
But only because there’s a woman at the clean store that runs the register who graduated from the Shepard Smith School of Communication and
YELLS EVERY WORD SHE SPEAKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I work with several Canadians who made the trip in the opposite direction from the Calgary area (Red Deer). They seem to enjoy the low cost of living and the relatively greater degree of freedoms they have here. Really good folks, most of ‘em.
I was going so good on a bubbleshooter game a minute ago whenthe power flickered off. But at least he power flicker was due to rain. For us this is the second day in a row with decent rain.
That’s good.
Sounds like how government works.
Bonecrusher;
I think about that in situations like in the video. I felt terribly bad for the foul mothed officer and wondered if it would be better to restrain his partner on the spot or just work with it (and make sure he doesn’t **do** illegal hamr on the person in custody) and “have a chat” with him somewhere else.
#135 Simple
I’m already familiar with the broad outlines of the decline in Europe, through required history classes at UT some decades ago, but don’t recognise The Golden Asse by Lucius Apulieus. Thanks for the recommendation and I’ll look into it after I retire. (I have put a memo in my notes file.)
I’ve lived through the decline in the US. I’m hoping it’s not too late for us and that we can recover some of our standing before I die.
Tips with twenties.
I’ll be glad to serve Lawrence a grilled 1/2 Lb hamburger. With sharp chedder cheese,
evenbutter fried onions, fresh tomatoes,Jalapeño’s on a buttered grilled bun.FIFY#141 Texpat
I don’t know betting lingo so I can’t tell if you think the Chinese will run the world or not! Or are you just saying it won’t be a “Free World” ?
#148 Darren: I marvel at the restraint of the driver. He never raised his voice, even though his rights were being serially violated. I was getting bent out of shape just watching that bully cop go off. That cop desperately needs a severe azz whippin.
My #150 “Your comment is awaiting moderation.” WHAT?!?! No bad words at all? Am I on Hal’s $#17 list!?!?
Is “Lawrence” a bad word now?!?! I’m SOOO confused!
151
Just in case Texpat’s gone off to cook some exotic fare…
Let’s just say that he’s less than enthusiastic about jumping on the Chinese bandwagon.
A lot less than some others.
Re the cop video: did they ever ask for or get permission to search the car?
Just in case some didn’t get the joke, everything i said about Lawrence was a joke. The cheap mofo.
BwhahahhahahahaahaaAaAaa!
Super Dave – you used the forbidden acronym.
Regardless of how you feel about Jimmy Dick I got a chuckle out of this. I don’t think Begala got the memo:
¡Pobrecito! Or as Granny would say, “That poor little feller, bless his heart.”
Tex – Harper – Shannon,
No bets and no bandwagons. I think the US still has some gas in the old gal, but of late I have become more skeptical about we the American people turning things around.
I don’t know if it will be the Chinese, Brazilians, or the Indians who will be the next major players on the world stage. The Chinese are no longer Communists; they are Capitalists, but they are a long way from being a Democracy.
My brother travels to China quite a bit these days. He is about as staunch and right wing a Republican as one could meet and my brother is very positive on China’s future. We shall see.
Simple
Hambone “Super Dave – you used the forbidden acronym.”
Sorry, I didn’t get the memo, I’ve been real busy of late and only check in once in a while…..Sigh,….Is there anything else that I need to know?
I don’t see any concept of rectitude in Chinese culture. They’ll steal anything they can — Patent or Copyright, too bad; pollute anything they can — plastic resin in toothpaste and pet food, tough luck; just no golden rule there. I saw that when I read Pearl Buck’s “The Good Earth” 50 years ago. A Chinese man gets his start in life when he stole something during a civil insurrection, and used the stolen treasure to buy a piece of land. His life and legacy after that were based on theft.
As with muslims, I think those who have left their culture and immigrated to the west are the better individuals.
162, Was our manufacturing so different in the 19th century? The FDA came about because of such practices here, which regrettably still happen from time to time.
Simple
FWIW; ……Oops, do hope that I’m NOT using another “FORBIDDEN ACRONYM.”Nobody can dampen my spirits today, Daughter has a wedding in Clear Lake on Saturday and is spending the night here @ my house, on Sunday morning, Daughter, Her Hubby, The Boy and his Bride and my Wife and I are taking the new Sea Ray out to Taylor Lake early Sunday morning. YES Lord, life is good!
P.S. I’ve not been on the old “Obrien 7 Slalom Ski” in at least 8 years, BUTT, it’s just like riding a bike, and other than getting tired quicker than I used to, I’ll still be able to drag my elbow in the water in the sharp turns.
My suggestion for different topics doesn’t require the same person come up with all the topics. It should be like a group of reporters, either each handles different aspects like world, state or local news or a rotation of reporters who pick a topic that is dear to their heart and let that be the opening for the discussions. I just wasn’t keen on having to read all the “open comments” to find all the discussion on any one particular topic of discussion. You want to be able to read all the comments in one place and then comment on the comments.
China has huge social, cultural, financial, educational and economic problems. Huge, I said. Oh, and I forgot to mention political problems that will only expand with whatever commercial successes they bring to themselves.
We have spent the last decade arguing, fighting and debating whether we can export some semblance of American democratic and republican principles to Iraq, Afghanistan and other Islamic, Middle Eastern countries. Nations who have no memorable history of democratic or cultural institutions and traditions devoted to Enlightenment principles which are mandatory for the cultivation, much less the survival, of those principles and the governing rules derived from them.
And now I am faced with daily encomiums of the Chinese momentum, frightened xenophobic whackjobs, ignorant pundits like Tom Friedman of the NYT pronouncing China as the next great world power.
So the entire Ummah, the Islamic Caliphate, requires all these tools, but the 1.3 billion Chinese are just going to pull them out of their derriere and dance happily through Tiannemen Square like nothing ever happened there ?
My opinion of this crap cannot be printed on this page.
Just how stupid can people be ?
Some days I am convinced America has been reduced to a nation of spittling, drooling idiots….until, that is, I start reading the international press and realize we are just the least dumb among the dumber and dumbest of the world.
…and thank G-d for that.
#163
To answer your question, yes, an emphatic yes. They were very different.
Let me try to educate you here.
When the Founders, in the period leading to and after the Revolution, were debating the rights of private property and individual human industry and ingenuity, they created the basic laws enumerated in our Constitution governing patents and copyrights and the limits to be applied. We had, and have today, an American concept and legal philosophy consigned to that area of citizen’s activity.
After the Civil War, as the Industrial Revolution exploded across this nation and the energies and creativity of Americans was unleashed, there was no regulatory or statutory framework in place to enforce the principles conceived by the Founders. The nation and its courts and agencies had to catch up.
The historical panorama of China, of brute force, of strong-man war lords is a far and distant cry, and not the least bit comparable, to the original philosophical foundations of the United States of America.
I see these sorts of comparisons, analogies and justifications drawn constantly in the revisionist compulsions of the Left and it, frankly, drives me crazy for its ridiculous ignorance.
#165 Robert M
Your comments, I am sure, are well taken here. Thanks for being a reader.
Frankly, I enjoy the OC more than specific topics. It’s a rollickin’ fun time in the OC!
167 Tex,
Hamous must pay you by the word.
Perhaps the Chinese are in the process of catching up with their own industrial revolution. We are still in the process of perfecting ours.
I hope they don’t, but folks tend to forget the more painful and ugly things. You know like the Bonus Army, the Colorado Miner Wars of 1880 – 1900, New Orleans Anti-Italian Riots, Race Riots from 1955 to 1970, …………………………..
It is more likely that a young person today could name the last three record releases of Lady Gaga as tell you any significant detail about these aforementioned painful events in our history.
Simple
FWIW I could not name one of Lady Gaga’s singles.
But I do have a specific topic set up for tomorrow, just to please those who want a specific thread. I only hope it’s worthy of its own space.
#165 RM
We had that capability for a while, when Hammy was experimenting with WordPress. You could start a comment thread under each and every posting. While that was convenient in some respects, you didn’t have automatic chronology. Each time you came back during the day, you’d have to browse through everything again to see what was new. At least, that’s my recollection of how it worked.
My own personal favorite experiment was the 10-most-recent-comments link at the top of the entry page. Could see who had posted and jump right to it.
Some times are more fun than others.
My suggestion for RM: just skim the comments, don’t read everything. You’ll soon develop a taste for some posters and read their stuff, so skip the rest.
#170 Simple
If I were paid for everything I write, I could buy out Rupert Murdoch and send him to live at your house.
Regarding the rest of your response, I have absolutely no idea what it has to do with my commentary in #’s 167 and 166.
THIS is gonna leave a mark.
THIS will hurt, too.
Even Carville’s bunch has bad news (but keep in mind, those are the same folks who said Perry would lose Texas to Obama)
Both of which, hopefully, might be the reasons why this is happening.
Posty in the bucket
#170 Simple
But what philosophical underpinning do they have? What motivation to conduct business in a moral manner? Sure, many have strayed and still stray in The West, but there is an ideal here to “do the right thing”. I believe most Americans still adhere to that ideal.
Sarge, I released your penned up comments. Too many links,I guess.
Yah, figgered that, but all four needed to be in there, so I went ahead and diddit. Thanks
#170 Simple
No, I try diligently to post only those opinions and observations that I can defend intellectually and honestly. I don’t just go around the internet making cryptic comments and obscurantist quips praying serious people do not take notice. I take this forum as earnestly as I would any other in the realm of ideas.
Obviously, others do not.
Ace seems to think this helps Rick Perry.
Sez he:
But didn’t Walker get changes to the union positions in his state? More conservative, like? And Texas is a very unionized state…oh, wait, crap —
Yeah, Walker’s success is a fluke. Couldn’t have anything to do with conservative ideals. And that’s BOUND to hurt Perry, right?
/gags
#183 Tedtam
No to your question.
Read this again:
I was referring to the liberal slant on this. If Perry has such a following already, and his claim was job creation, then by pointing out Walker’s success they hope to diminish Perry’s record.
It was on that interpretation that I was gagging.
#185 TT
All those distinctions will be lost on the general public anyway. Americans will be voting straight pocketbook in 2012.