Dick Cheney Is Right.... This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

.... Yeah, for a change. Maybe for the first time. He called Barack Obama a one-term president and I think he's going to be proven right. The Economist Magazine is calling him a failure in its latest issue though they certain feel he can change this still. If there were an election today with Obama and a viable candidate that didn't offend me, I wouldn't vote for Obama. My disappointment with him grows daily. He talks a great talk, but there's nothing behind him. He's done nothing, he's rapidly losing his supporters because his floor is littered with broken promises. It's not that he doesn't mean well, but he is learning you can't change Washington in a day or even a year. He's made promises he had no way of ever delivering on. Too bad. He meant well, but I do not think there's a change he'll be re-elected if he doesn't accomplish things and make some massive changes.

My next disgruntled comment about our government pre-dates Mr Obama but I don't fault Mr Bush either. The Department of Homeland Security, the people charged with protecting us, has lost a few guns. They've ended up in the hands of gangs and criminals. These guns were lost because many were not properly secured, left in unlocked cars, and so-on. How many is a few? 200. As the article says, "It reflects the competence of the officer." Nice work, guys. If an officer loses a gun because of incompetence, fire the officer. Seriously.

Speaking of security, Reuters has an interesting article on Apple's security. Fake Steve Jobs picked up on the article as well and has a snarky title to go with it. Blogger's spell checker dislikes the word 'snarky' for the record. And while we're on the subject of Apple -- don't you love how I related the threads together -- there's this great piece from Fake Steve Jobs.  The point on his Apple vs Google comparison is also worth considering: We charge $99 per year for a MobileMe subscription. Google gives you the same stuff and all they ask for is, um, permission to totally invade your privacy and to “monetize” your personal information. You think your personal information is worth less than $99 a year? Then you’re getting a hell of a deal with Google. The rest of us would rather spent $99 and keep the contents of our email to ourselves. That is absolutely true, and don't forget it. Google isn't any better or worse than any other company. You get their products for free, but you give something up for them. That's why I don't use Gmail and why I disabled Buzz. It's not why I'm abandoning Blogger, though that is soon to happen if I can get it worked out.

In an unusual move one of the largest Seti@Home crunchers in the world has offered himself up for auction. He's #21 in the world. Steve from our team bid $200 to lure him to our team and I threw in another $50 -- donations go to the Seti@Home coffers. The thread is here. I posted that yesterday. Today I got an e-mail from someone saying "Good ... he'll be your burden if you win. We don't want him anymore" Interesting. How harmful can having someone on a team where most members don't know each other, where we have no forums, where we don't talk, nor even email regularly. Weird. Sour grapes perhaps? Dunno. Mostly amused, I guess. If I were a dick, I'd send the email to the guy we're bidding on. But I won't.

Next up, a rare work-related post. We don't have a work blog or I'd put this there. We will have a press release at some point but it's not ready. Together with a Taiwanese partner, I've designed a new screw. We took the German version of their screw, added some special features, and made some adjustments for the US market, and did a few other things to ensure the best performing screw money can buy.

It's fully patented and the parts are due in about two weeks. A few of my friends have seen this page. It was available for weeks, but it was private until it was released earlier today. It's now on-line for everyone to view. I can't begin to tell you how awesome this screw is. I've played with the prototypes. We've got about a quarter million or so coming in on the first order and we're very much looking forward to seeing how the market reacts. If any of my friends want a handful to try at home -- they're especially great on decks -- shoot me an email and I'll bring you some. I'll give blog readers a 15% discount for orders placed prior to their arrival at dock if you mention the blog when ordering. There is a video of the screw as well (scroll to the bottom of the SKT page).

I'll quote from our page: "The features of the patented SKT-II® BiMate screws are many: from the specially designed patented SKT-II® BiMate cutting notch, to the self piercing point, the screw is designed for rapid installation. The special angle, asymetrical High-Low thread grips the wood surface preventing slippage and the low thread is serrated to prevent the wood from cracking. In addition, we've added a type-17 auger point to help in applications that require it. We've incorporated a Quadrex® drive which means you can use a Quadrex® bit, a Phillips bit, or a Square (Robertson®) bit without trouble. And, on top of that, on screws 1-5/8" and longer we've added a type-U knurl above the thread to increase performance. It's self-countersinking with not four, but six (6) self-countersinking nibs. To guarantee no corrosion problems will manifest themselves, this part is made out of 316 (A4) stainless. The screw is then dry-waxed for lubricity. And to be sure you're getting the real patented SKT-II® BiMate screws we've headmarked the part with both the SKT mark and the A4 mark."

Ikea Airlines, Sarah Palin, and Joe The Plumber Comes Out This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Before I start my actual entry, this was sent to me be a few people and deserves to be here. First credit to Paul. A much larger version of the image without the added text is here.

Yeah, that kid would be me. It's the sort of thing I'd say. Fail? No. It's a WIN!

Now on to politics. I am not a Republican. I think everyone knows that. I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative. That would put me somewhere in the middle. Mostly I prefer Democrat candidates because it's hard for me to vote for most modern Republicans. I have friends who are Republican and I actually understand why they feel the way they do and I respect their opinions. We disagree on a wide range of topics from abortion, to gun control, to gay marriage, to economic theory but everyone is entitled to an opinion even if it isn't mine. No big deal, friends manage to be friends despite disagreements all the time.

I didn't think McCain was a bad choice for president and he'd certainly have done a far, far better job than the nutjob before him. I was okay with him until he picked that offensive creature as his running mate: Sarah Palin. I do not understand how anyone finds her remotely of value as a candidate. First, she makes Bush Jr look like a liberal. Second, she makes him look smart and that's no mean feat. Other than her looks and homey personality, "where's the beef" to quote Clara Peller. She's bad news. Even "Joe The Plumber" came out against Palin today.

As much as I hate Obama's wiffle-waffle totally worthless healthcare "reform" package that will do everything except reform the system, I'd prefer another four years of his so-far ineffective administration than one second of Palin. I'd rather Bush come back. Seriously. I had a lot of hope for Obama. I really did. I never did like his health care plan, though we do need one. So far, though he's done nothing. We've got the making of another Carter. A really nice guy, but totally ineffective. Anyway, enough politics. You can read them elsewhere in this blog. I just happened to see Palin's face today and became nauseated at the thought.

Ikea is going into the airplane business. I know, I didn't believe it either, but this came  from both Dave and Sue who sent it to me. If Ikea didn't design that plane, who did? I thought so. This is a South African airline, BTW. If you want really large versions of the pictures click these links and then you can click "view all sizes" and "original size" after that: Picture 1, Picture 2 , Picture 3, Picture 4 , and Picture 5.

I am itchy, headachy, and tired.

Silly and Serious This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

We'll start with silly. Dan Haun's ongoing efforts to be the number one contributor to my blog continue with his submission of "Charting The Beatles" As you may recollect I had mentioned before the flowchart of Hey Jude, well this is way beyond that. Rather enjoyable (once I used a utility for the visually impaired to make the screen large enough to read the tiny-type).

I follow many RSS feeds and rarely mention them here, but this picture from Fail Blog resulted in a real spit-take so I had to share it. Well worth a quick click. I won't even discuss the Late Night wars which are turning into something worse than Iraq but a whole lot funnier. Leno's getting the worst of it. While I don't watch him, someone told me even his own audience was sending boos his way. And he's going to be helming the legendary Tonight Show? Yeah. Right. As if.

A link for you MacHeads: Welcome to Macintosh is a documentary in which filmmakers Josh Rizzo and Rob Baca trace the evolution of Apple computers from the Apple-1 to the iPhone in this documentary. They combine criticism and history with an unapologetic celebration of the company that helped revolutionize home computing. The film is 80 minutes so if you're not patient or that interested, here is the trailer. Thanks to Erin for that URL -- her blog is back up again if you are into sports.

So on to serious. When Obama started running, I fully supported him, thinking he was going to bring change. And considering the disaster we had anything would be an improvement, and indeed Obama's an improvement. Then again, Hu Jintao (胡锦涛), would be an improvement over what we had so that's not saying much. I still like Obama. He means well and his heart's in the right place even if I don't agree with some of his policies (Health Insurance fiasco, for instance). What's my problem, then? I'm not sure what he's done. He made promises and most have not been kept, much like most other politicians so I'm not picking on him. And he's not screwed things up worse. I didn't expect a miracle fix to the economy -- and only idiots think there should have been one. Other than failed bailouts and cash-for-clunkers (another failure) I am hard pressed to tell you anything he's done with the exception of pulling our reputation as a country out of Satan's arse where Bush shoved it. It's a lot easier to be an American overseas now that Bush is gone. But as an American, I want our president to do something besides be a great speaker and look good on television and I don't have that many answers for critics. Would I have voted for McCain in retrospect? Not as long as Palin was running with him. But had he picked someone who wasn't so Cheney-like as his running mate, maybe so. I am discouraged for sure. I am told Biden is our vice-president, but he's scarcer than a 1913 Liberty Head V Nickel (or Walter Mondale, if that means nothing to you.)

Obama needs to get off his arse, stop worrying about the current Health Care plan and take care of all the other things he promised. He's only trying to run this through because it's a huge thing. It won't work as written, which I've said before. The bottom line is the people of this country don't want what he's proposed. The fact that the Kennedy seat was lost to a Republican in Massachusetts, the most liberal state in this country, proves Obama's going down the wrong path.

Boogers And Obama's Insurance Plan This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Boogers have nothing to do with this post, but sometimes a random post needs a random subject line.

* * *

It's Halloween and I've spent most of the evening handing out candy to munchkins of various ages. Now that it's later, it's older kids. Soon I'll turn off the outside light and call it a night. How the hell are there still trick-or-treaters after 9PM? I have the legendary Higgins Panther Pumpkin as my welcome sign.

I've sent most of my clocks back an hour already. I'll do the rest before bed. Don't forget if it applies where you live.

Today I saw Timmy and we went shopping for the new work laptop. I bought a Bluetooth mouse at CompUSA (aka TigerDirect), which I paid for because it's for me and I won't share it. I got a firewire 800 cable because mine has gone totally AWOL. And, most importantly, I got a new 2TB hard drive. That will become my Time Machine drive. I'll reformat the 1.5TB Time Machine drive and it will become my secondary drive. That will give me 2.5TB of space (1+1.5) and 2TB of backup, which is more than I'll ever need. I'll probably have to leave this thing to run overnight since the copy is going embarassingly slow. The 2TB drive is a 5400 -- as fast as they come right now, but it was only $179. It's amazing how cheap drivers are becoming. My first HD was 10MB and was $999. This is two hundred times bigger and 20% of the price. Technology.

We also went to the mall (boring) and I got insanely pissed off because most of the stores already had Christmas decorations up. I remember when they weren't put up until the day before Thanksgiving. Recently it started drifting back to the middle of the month, then early in the month, and now it's in October. I despise this. As recently as two years ago, Nordstrom's had a sign explaining they wouldn't put up holiday decorations until the day before Thanksgiving, but not sure if they still do that. Bless them if they do.

We also went to the bookstore which has become far less interesting as it's been totally overrun with vampire books. I ought to write one just because it'll make me rich. Except I just don't give a shit. I do want to write something, but I can't get motivated.

I left and called Erin (no answer), Karen, Stan (no answer), Jose, and Dad to check up on everyone. When I got home, I tested the mouse, installed the hard drive, and then went to Publix where shopping was more of a pleasure than usual because the entire staff was dressed up. I unloaded the shopping and left again and had dinner at Pollo Tropical before beginning today's Halloween festivities. While I did the candy passing, I watched the end of the UM game -- they won but didn't deserve to, and the coach should be fired immediately. Cal won, barely. I was watching the Hockey Night In Canada game (Leafs at Montreal) and eventually switched over to the Panthers game, though I can't find it in HD.

The copy of the TM hard drive continues and is now at 1.6 million of 3.6 million files. Ugh.

* * *

(Hey, should I got to three dot journalism style of blogging ala Herb Caen?)

Lastly, this is from my message boards where I went on a rant against Obama's current health care plan:

I'm sure you know my political leanings tend to the left on most things, though in some areas I'm definitely a traditionalist. I feel the need to post that disclaimer as it's relevant.

So, Mr. Obama is pushing his new Health Care Plan (I will call it HCP in this post). First, I do not have a fundamental objection to a governmental HCP. There's nothing inherently wrong with one. It works well in many countries, and the fact is it works well in far more countries than it doesn't work.

Secondly, the many claims of "Death Panels" are absurd. There are no facts or even reasonable implications that can make you come up with that. That's simply right wing bullshit, through-and-through.

Yet, I find myself in opposition to most of my friends because I am adamantly against this plan for a number of reasons.

First, the numbers don't add up. Anyone who says they do can't add. Period. There is not enough money to support this plan -- and that's based on projections. When has the government ever come in under budget. Never. So there's not enough money for the projected costs, the ideas to get more money are nebulous at best, and there's no accounting for overruns.

Second, this will dwarf Social Security and Medicare in scope and costs. Show me the money. You can't. It's not there. Ultimately me and you are going to pay for this in higher taxes. Certainly not short term while Mr. Obama is president, but in 10 years you will see your taxes rise -- I'm guessing at least 10% -- to cover this.

Third, as a business owner let's talk the penalty clause. They're going to fine businesses who don't provide some form of healthcare coverage. Our company currently pays $350 per employee per month for our 36 employees. That's for an HMO which is a mid-tier plan ($5000 deductible  but with full Rx coverage and Open Access).  Mr Obama intends to fine businesses that don't provide health care. Those fines will come to around $250. If you read it, you'll see it's based on a percentage of what the business would have paid compared with what an individual would pay for an open market policy. For us, we guess around $250. As a business owner which would I rather pay? $250 or $350? I'd rather pay the fine*. All my employees are suddenly uninsured. They go on the government dole. And ultimately all the working people of this country end up paying.

Fourth, there are ongoing arguments about whether or not illegal immigrants will be entitled to coverage. Will they? No they will not be covered. Will they end up being covered? I believe so. Many benefits in many states are extended to illegals. That sticks in my gut. Deep down I bet within five years, they'll be covered. There's no part of it which makes it hard to change down the road.

Fifth, the "public" option. I'm actually for that. Why? Because the current insurance companies are FOR PROFIT and that is why our rates are high now. They need competition. Aetna reported profits for FY2008 of $282 million dollars. Look it up. That was Tuesday. I'm not picking on Aetna because they aren't any worse or better than all the other leeches insurance companies.

That brings me to my point. I think there's a much easier fix. If all health insurance companies were not for profit, that would force rates way down. They'd be concerned with their patients' health and not how to beat me, my doctor, my pharmacy, and my hospital out of one more dollar. There'd be less arguing over getting the drugs and/or treatment you need to be healthy.  Look at the good works the American Red Cross, Habitat For Humanity, Robin Hood Foundation, and so on do. Non-profits can do great work. For-profit insurance companies have [i]absolutely no incentive[/i] to do anything to make you healthy. It's far cheaper for them if you're dead.

This plan is bad. How anyone can be for it confounds me. Yes, there needs to be a plan. I fully support that. It's just this particular plan that's bad. It was rushed through without any proper thought or consideration of the effects on people and what will happen long term. I don't care whether the plan is socialist, communist, or anything. I just care that it works. This plan won't work. It's a disaster in the making.

* I would never actually do that to my employees because I feel a moral and ethical obligation to my employees, but I'm sure you realize many business owners don't feel that way.

A busy day This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

First up, an update on the Nucor saga. Next week our State Representative is coming to have meeting with me at our office to see what we're about, why our industry is upset, and then to decide how involved he may get. I'm working on a presentation -- I'm missing that laptop right now, let me tell you. I'm leaving the date/time a secret until after the fact. I will report what I am allowed. Yay!


Second, this cool video is by way of Dan Haun. He posted it over on Facebook, not even knowing this is one of my favourite songs. This rendition is very unlike the original, but I like it. A lot.






I encourage you to take a watch. You can read about the song here. The original version is here until the studio has it pulled. (And don't panic. There's no message intended here other than I like the song.)

I will be picking up a copy of Playboy this coming month. Everyone's favourite yellow-skinned hottie is going to be on the cover. Yes, Marge Simpson will be in the current issue of Playboy. And I absolutely promise you, I am going to read the article. Really. Will I look at the other pages? I'll take the fifth :)  The full news story is here courtesy of the AP.

Good luck the people injured at a Saint Louis Blues NHL game when the escalator was possessed by the devil and ate them. The AP story is here. I had to post this only because one doesn't read about escalator malfunctions very often which result in 13 injuries. Yes, hockey season has begun, and our home opener is tomorrow night.

Barack Obama, the president, won the Nobel Peace Prize today. Shocking really. I am an Obama supporter, fading, but still a supporter. The Peace Prize really ought to be awarded to someone who has done something for peace and he hasn't. Period. End of sentence. On the other hand, I get the fact that by simply replacing George "Moron" Bush as president, he's probably done more for peace than anyone else in the past eight years. He has changed the world view of our country back to what it was. Either way, kudos to Obama for donating his winnings to charity, and, sir, I do hope you actually do something worthy of this honour.

I have ordered a very awesome hoodie. I don't even wear hoodies, but it was so cool, I've always wanted one, and now they're finally for sale. I will post a picture of me wearing it when it arrives. Late next week I suppose. My Beatles boxed set has yet to arrive and I am anxious to have it.

Today was an important doctor's visit. Details available privately.

Today's thoughts This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

I meant to post this earlier. It was sent to me by Dave. I've made several posts criticizing Obama's poorly thought out monstrosity of health-care "reform" as he calls it. This is a rebuttal. I'm presenting it to be fair, however I maintain my original position that while we need reform, this isn't it. I could go on and on about it, because it certainly drives me crazy. Still, that's not the purpose of this. It's to give some voice to the other side. I've taken quite a bit of grief from my friends over my position on this, but it's just bad news. The end.

The NHL season is rapidly approaching and that's cause for some excitement and the NFL season is due to open soon. And college football as well. Some things to cause distraction. Yay.

MacLean's magazine had an interesting article on Dinosaurs and how close scientists are to actually being able to reproduce one. It's Jurassic Park all over again. I saved it for William. 

Later tonight I'll have continuing updates in the other place. It's best you check regularly as I won't keep reminding those of you who read there.

Obama's Health Care Reform Plan This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

I was an Obama supporter, and mostly I still am. In my earlier post, I meant to share this article because it's how I feel as a business owner. I want to thank Paul who sent it over.

Of course, I also realize to hire good people you have to offer competitive benefits, so this isn't actually realistic. But I get the sentiment. The supporters of this plan think it's free. It's not free. Someone is paying for it, and it's going to come out of your pocket somehow or another. Don't you forget it.

All these "rich" people are, indeed, people whose companies are "S" corporations. They will all be taxed to death. We won't cut benefits, but if we have to recoup $40,000 or so to pay for it annually, we'll cut an employee. Or two. Maybe one of these people will be your family member or friends. This is an ill-conceived plan at best. We do need a health-care system overhaul, but this isn't it. The numbers don't add up. And, quite frankly, I don't recollect where the government even has the constitutional authority to do this. But I'm no lawyer so I won't speak on that.

I just had to throw in a few more cents. I'm still aggravated by this. I hate when I find myself opposing my own party and candidates but you have to do what's right. This isn't it.

Brief Medical Update + Other Stuff This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

First, I am having a stress test on Monday. That alone is stressing me out. The doctor also sent a prescription in to Walgreens (I watched it transmit) only they don't have it. So now, I have to wait a day to start. My doctor's office is closed Thursday so I am concerned that I may not be able to get it tomorrow either. Ugh. The whole medical list is stored using "Care 360" though it's scary how much information is in there and not just from one doctor. Not that I care that every doctor using it can see everything -- that's an excellent thing, but more about what happens if someone gets in and can see everything you've ever taken? I haven't gotten a Darvocet refill in years and yet it was still in there. Having been the victim of identity theft multiple times and had some people do some pretty bad stuff using my name (see blog posts from the past few years), I am leery of this.

Second, I start physical therapy tomorrow for my physical injuries. It'll be my first real session. I went once before but it was evaluation only. My lip is driving me nuts, though the pain is minimal the lack of feeling in the lower right quarter of my lip is quite bothersome. I forgot to ask the doc about it because I was so focused on my heart.

Third, in 2011 a new museum will open in Las Vegas dedicated to the mob. The U.S. courthouse in downtown Las Vegas is being renovated to make way for the Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, city officials said. It sounds very interesting and I hope to be able to visit it. Speaking of Vegas, I hope my sister enjoys her first trip there. I wish I could be there and give her the grand tour.

Fourth up, I ate a little more than usual this morning. I have not lost any more weight but my total drop was near ten pounds. As much as I'd like to lose another ten, this isn't the way to do it. This has been an absolutely hellacious 2009. I guess it started in late 2008 (December 5th) when Scooter died, and life never really recovered. The amount of bad things that has happened to me in this short period of time has just been overwhelming. So if I seem worse off than my usual cranky self, I probably am.

Next up, I wish to report my AC is still not behaving properly. I don't think it's the thermostat but that's my next thing to test. I'll get a new one this weekend and see how that pans out.

This last bit from a friend. This is from the White House Blog: There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov. My friend commented to me "Please take this opportunity to report my fishy statements about government health care to the authorities so they can properly deal with my dissent." (I won't name him but he can out himself if he wants.) I agree. This is just a bit odd. I am opposed to the government's new plan because it's got more holes than any government program in recent memory and the numbers just do NOT add up. It worries me they want to know who's saying what. This is far too big-brother for my tastes. I give Obama a big fat "F" on this.

Crashing Airplanes and Obama This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

First, a little bit on the USAir crash into the Hudson. I had mentioned how fascinating the video of the actual crash was and many of my friends said "Video? There's VIDEO?" There is, indeed a video of the plane gliding in for a perfect landing in the river as well as the ferrys coming to rescue everyone. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7834853.stm

Second, I want to congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the newest president of the United States. And to Little Shrub I say, "Ding, dong, the wicked witch is dead. I hope the door hits you in the ass on the way out. And yes, there's plenty of hard feelings."

I took peeks at the proceedings but I was at work today and I was working so I didn't see a whole lot. The CNN website simply overloaded and was unable to feed video and kept saying "Try back later" or "Wait and we'll connect you" which never happened. MSNBC mostly worked though so that got me video on and off. I did watch Aretha sing and Obama swear in. Other than that just snippets here and there. I felt a sense of hope. Yay, hope.

A speedy recovery to Ted Kennedy who had a seizure during the innaguration. While he's not a perfect person, he's done a great deal to this country. He'll be remembered as a great American and he should.

Welcome to the Blogsphere Evan. Good luck. He joins a number of my other friends (many of whom can be found in the blog-roll to your right). I add/remove people based on how often they do (or don't) update. If you have a blog, please link back to mine. I'll give you, at the very least, a mention in my next post if you let me know you've done so. (Hey Evan, that means you!)

More Election Thoughts and Detailed Analysis This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

In my previous post, I said and now, we boldly go into a new future for America, Americans, and the World. I want to throw lots of stats out to show you what the world things. I have mentioned before that I subscribe to The Economist, a decidedly stodgy old conservative British publication. They opened a poll for their readers around the planet to vote on who they would vote for IF they could. The poll is here. Go look at the map. The entire planet except four countries* is blue (among those casting enough votes to count). 9115 to 213 were the electoral college votes assigned from 53,000 votes. In 56 countries, Mr. Obama's margin of victory was at least 90% of the vote.

I want to go over some statistics (7 pages from CNN) about this election here in the USA as well. These aren't hypothetical. These are factual from our election. The racial divide is obvious, so I'll just skip that. Blacks were overwhelmingly for Obama. Whites were close to split. Gender was a bigger spread with Women evenly split and Men leaning slightly towards McCain. (We'll get to the brainpower behind them later). What many found interesting was that Hispanics were overwhelmingly in the Obama camp. I define overwhelming as 60% or more. In terms of age groups, they start at the youngest as heavily Obama and as it moved towards the older, it became more towards Obama but only the over 65 set was fully in support of McCain. Older people are more change adverse, more closed minded, and more influenced by stereotypes. This is to be expected, though certainly not applauded.

What was surprising to everyone was the vote by income. The poor clearly went democratic and that was a surprise to nobody. The middle class was evenly split. What shocked everyone is the very wealthiest -- those making over $200,000 a year -- the ones who should never vote democratic in order to preserve their wealth -- voted Obama by a solid margin. That proves that the uber-rich actually voted not in their self-interest, but with those of the country.

Not surprising is the race/education split. Those who are white and are not educated were very strongly in the McCain camp whilst those who are educated were in the Obama camp. This says a great deal about the Quality of his voters. Draw your own conclusions. Liberals and Moderates voted overwhelmingly for Obama. But Only 78% of conservatives voted for McCain proving he wasn't the right candidate.

The Republicans have to learn to stop pandering to the Right-Wing Zealots. Those embarassing excuses for humans are not enough to win/lose an election. If McCain would have been himself and ignored them, he'd have fared NO WORSE in the election. Maybe he'd have done better if he wasn't like a flag in the wind: always changing direction. Voter feelings were an issue too. If McCain were elected 53% of the country was concerned or scared. You can't even be elected with that number.

The religious vote was pretty cool. Only protestants voted for McCain. All other religions were predominantly in the Obama camp including Catholics. And if you break it down by actual chruch attendance instead of simple identification the results are almost laughable. Even the Evangelical vote wasn't good for McCain. He lost 24% of that, too. Yeah, Evangelicals for Obama. Really.

The marital status divide wasn't significant so I'm going to skip that. However gun owners where overwhelmingly for McCain. That's not a surprise but at least he did solidly win one category. I'm not sure he should be proud of that. While military members were for McCain, 54% is not a huge margin. And if you are so concerned about Obama being a "star" the polls also show that Clinton would have beat McCain too. He wasn't going to win this election. The numbers are convincing. I was amused at the fact that nearly a quarter of gay voters were in the McCain camp. Why would you vote for someone who hates you?

In terms of region Urban voters were for Obama, Suburban also for Obama but less convincingly, and only rural voters were for McCain. (So to keep track so far: we have uneducated, racist, evangelical hicks for McCain. I'm kidding, it's not quite like that but it amuses me greatly.)

In the vice presidential sweepstakes 66% of the people thought Biden was qualified to be President if necessary. Palin? 38%. That had to hurt McCain. Palin was offensive to many people. It cost him votes, hurt his credibility. She's so far right it makes Bush look liberal. I also think she's a moldy (insert word that rhymes with punt), but that's my opinion.

Where Obama was hurt was experience. He needs to address that by surrounding himself with the best and brightest. Confidence in his experience level was split almost 50/50 and that can't be good. McCain clobbered him in this area, and rightfully so I will admit. And as to whether the candidates were "in touch with people like you" -- Obama won that by mind-altering proportions. Though I don't believe any politician is in touch with someone like me. Seriously.

Those negative TV ads really did a number on McCain too. Only 49% of the people thought Obama's ads were unfair but 64% of people though McCain's were unfair. That's nothing to be proud of. And, as Bill Clinton reminded us, and the voters clearly remember: it's the economy, stupid. The numbers are huge. And that's probably what did it. I think many people who normally wouldn't vote for a Democrat, a Black, a Liberal finally said "I'm mad as Hell, and am not going to take it anymore"** and collectively sent a big "fuck you" to the Republican party. The bailout, for the record, is overwhelmingly opposed by the entire country. The war in Iraq is overwhelmingly disliked. And 75% of our population thinks the country is on the wrong track and that is a repudiation of the the Bush administration, and a well-deserved one too. Sadly 9% of the people voting admitted that "race was a factor" -- how many people didn't admit it. Yet Obama won in spite of that.

The vote wasn't close -- a 7 million vote spread in the popular vote tells you, it is time for a change. Everyone has figured it out, and many of the McCain supporters are gracious about it, much like he was. But not everyone. Over at my message boards, there is at least one person who just doesn't get it. And he's the sort of person that has put America in the straits it is in. Some people continue to vote for self-interest over interest of the country as a whole. The president is by the people and for the people. The president is not for YOU. The president is for US. These are the people who claim to be patriots, but they are the worst our country has to offer. I don't really want to pick on this person, but besides the few people still posting I've received a few notes from my Republican friends asking "what is wrong with him" and I just can't answer. Myopic tunnel-vision, I suppose.

Life will go on. America is a new country. A shining beacon for the world, once again. The president of France has announced an initiative to change his country because they thought what we did was amazing. And people around the world danced in the streets over OUR election. That ought tell you something. When was the last time that happened? Oh, right. Never.

You experienced history in the making.


* Iraq, Cuba, Congo, and Algeria went with McCain. I would assume the first two are because of a high us military presence with Internet access. But even those four the margin was NOT substantial.
** Howard Beale (Network, Peter Finch, a classic)

Barack Obama: President Elect. Congratulations! This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama for winning a decisive, historic victory. The electoral college will show a huge win. The popular vote will show otherwise -- it's pretty close like the last two elections. Less than 10% is still close, but it is a mandate by the people and a sign that it's time for change.

And while McCain's concession speech was very nice and gentlemanly, his audience seems to be rather uncouth as they are not bright enough as a group to follow their leader and be graceful. Obama's speech was not quite as good as McCain's but Obama seems presidential. McCain's speech was very presidential and maybe if he showed that he might have had a better chance. But Palin cost him the election.

America proved it has come a long way. As a whole the majority of us picked the right candidate. It wasn't divided by region. It was a collective vote by all the people realizing we need to change the course of this country. Our freedoms have been compromised, our ideals sold out, and now, maybe, we can fix it.

And now, we boldly go into a new future for America, Americans, and the World.



PS: Palin can now go get her daughter an abortion. Good riddance to Palin.

Just More Stuff This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

A few people have asked about my jokes list. If you're not on it, it's here. I will warn you that at some point you will be offended and your complaint about it will fall on deaf ears.

My elliptical exercise machine arrived today. My exercise bike is now redundant. I will begin using it regularly starting next week. I did five minutes today. I'm going to start at 5 minutes a day for the first week, maybe 10 the second or third week. Build myself up. I must lose weight. What brought this on? My stomach. That's the story I'm giving to everyone. It's not the real reason, but it's all you get. Figure it out on your own if you're so smart :)

I went to the chiropractor today and had the usual treatment along with some acupuncture. I hope it helps. I remain doubtful. Adjustment was nice.

I also want to ridicule someone. No names, but I'll just call him "101" for short. He's on my hockey boards. He knows a bit about hockey, and while I often disagree with him, he can at least explain his answers using his "Ranger Fan" logic -- this is different than real logic, I must point out. I am not even going to ridicule him because his views are different than mine. Everyone's views are different than mine, and I don't much care. I stopped caring recently if you've been paying attention*. Some people are insufferable because they have no logic, no ability to learn, no ability to properly debate a topic. There's nothing worse than someone who makes a statement and then, when proven wrong, uses opinion to support his side. You can't use an op-ed piece to support a position. You have to use facts. When there are no facts to back up your opinion, you've lost. He's an idiot. He deserves Sarah Palin. I'd say "I hope he gets her" but that would punish me, too.

Anyone want to help me get UK or Canadian citizenship in a hurry? Just in case. I really need to figure this out and I don't want to go through the process. I am so miffed that I blew my chance at Canadian citizenship due to not understanding the rules. Half credit to Mom for at least trying on that count.

As the election gets closer, my concerns about an effort to literally steal the election grow stronger. I hope I'm wrong. Another friend accused Obama of being a socialist, and I will agree he's got some of those tendencies. But it's better than what we've got now. McCain's refusal to concede points when he's wrong and proven wrong** (such as on the war) means he shouldn't lead as does his selection of a nut-case as his running mate. She may be attractive, she may like hockey, but she's not overly bright -- nor is she a moron -- and she's dangerous.

Your right continue to be eroded in the name of national security. You have less rights and you're not any safer. Vote for Obama. Many of you don't like either candidate, and I respect that. Neither candidate I would have HAPPILY voted for is running. But if you vote for a fringe or write-in candidate, the only statement you make is "I'm a fucking idiot" because in a close election -- and this will be very close -- that's basically a vote for McCain because you take one away from Obama. Don't waste your vote. Please.

And to those who replied to that last thread via comment or e-mail, thanks for your support. Everything weighs in on a decision I make.


* I really must thank the person responsible. I'm not sure if this is sarcasm or not.
** Much like 101.

A busy blog post today: Politics, Promotions, Gay Marriage This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

COMPANY VIDEO
First, I've posted a short video of Interstate. It's not a commercial but a promotional video. The real difference is a commercial is trying to sell you something. We're just telling you a bit about us. This was shot by a private contractor working for BellSouth/AT&T to attach to our Internet ads for next year. So starting 11-1 when you visit our online ad at the Yellow Pages you're supposed to get this video. The online quality is a bit low but it's cool.


Giving it a high rating would be appreciated if you view it on YouTube.

GAY TREK
Secondly, congratulations to George Takei and Brad Altman who got married today in California where gay couples can now legally wed. A Scottish bagpiper led Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, to the reception on the grounds of the Japanese American National Museum. On the way, the couple, along with their maid of honour and best man (Takei's former "Star Trek" co-stars Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig) flashed the "live long and prosper" hand sign to photographers and friends.



Live Long And Prosper. Indeed! Congratulations, Sulu! Make it so! Engage! Etcetera. Exactly why are people opposed to this? What a happy couple.

STUPID BUSH ECONOMICS
And who is to blame for this mess that is our economy? I'd like to tell you it's the Republicans, but mostly it's the American Public who lets greed and empty promises overrule common sense. Yeah, basically it's your fault. And you know who you are.

People bought $500,000 houses and didn't think to question how it was just $799 a month* and wondered when their payments ballooned to $3500? It just means you're an idiot. That's nobody's fault but yours. There are tons of cases like this and 99% of them are the fault of the borrower who thought it made sense and the lenders who fought each other to make high risk loans. Let it all fall out. And it's starting. Lehman Brothers, bankrupt. Merrill Lynch, sold. Washington Mutual is about to be another casualty by many accounts. And of course let's not forget Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The government finally has decided to stop bailing everyone out, and it's about damn time.

Certainly this specific administration which has its eyes on the wrong goals is at fault for allowing our dollar to become devalued against most major currencies. The C$ moved to par before settling back to $0.92 from $0.56 and the £ went to over $2.04 before settling back to $1.75 from $1.48. That's a crushing imbalance, all other things being equal.

All that is the fault of a myopic administration. But the destruction of Lehman Brothers? Not their fault.

ROBBER OIL BARONS
The price of oil has raised the cost of everything owing to the spectacular failure of the Bush administration's energy policies -- and make no mistake this is their single biggest error: selling our country's soul to foreign interests in even bigger ways than before. The Saudis are NOT our friends and they OWN us. They're using our money to buy our country.

The price of oil has plummeted 5% in one day -- as of 2pm today, so it may have adjusted -- on weaker economic news plus reports that Ike wasn't what they expected (no offense, Texas, but you got off easy). Oil is expected to close below $100 for the first time since early March.

However gas at the pump remains nearly 70 cents a gallon higher than that same week. So who's getting the extra 70 cents a gallon? EXACTLY. Check doe.gov if you don't believe this.


SUMMARY
And of course every one of you is earning LESS in real dollars than you were four years ago. The fact that the market dropped 500 points is a bit much.

In the Washington Post, David Ignatius (A McCain fan) writes: McCain made the most important command decision of his life when he chose Sarah Palin as his vice presidential nominee. Two weeks later, it is still puzzling that he selected a person who, for all her admirable qualities, is not prepared by experience or interest to be commander in chief.

Because of Palin's dynamism and political appeal, she's being hailed as an "inspired choice," to use President Bush's words. And she certainly has energized the Republican ticket: The polls show it, as do the enthusiastic crowds. And if a politician's primary responsibility is to get elected, this may indeed have been a sublime choice. But was it the right one? And what does it tell us about McCain?"

One party is talking about the economy and fixing it. One of them is talking about gay marriage. Which is a bigger threat to our nation? Our dependence on oil and the failed economic policies of a myopic administration interested only in preserving the money in its pockets? Or perhaps Gay Marriage.

That being said, if you're still voting for McCain and Palin (from an Oil State) in this election, you're deluded. The president is supposed to represent our nation as a whole and do what's best for us as a group (whether or not we agree). Ronald Reagan -- whom I am not a fan of -- was the last Republican to manage that. McCain is not Ronald Reagan by anyone's measure.

And to end on a fun note, with thanks to Maury, here's a great Barack Obama set to the tune of Les Miserables:



*Math: 799 x 12 months x 30 years = $287,640 without interest. Did you think the bank was giving you the rest of the money and not charging you interest? That is VERY simple math. If you can't handle that, go move in with your parents. I have no sympathy for you.

Obama. Yay. This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

I watched Obama's speech last night and I thought it was one of the better political speeches I have ever heard. I'm sure it caught the other camp off guard. It offered some specifics. It offered generalities. It was well delivered and it made some very strong points against the other camp without being an offensive attack. Obama took the high road and I hope McCain does the same thing. Obama even praised McCain's record.

And today I got a shock because I was certain McCain was going to pick Mitt Romney though I was terrified he'd take Rudy Guliani because I thought Rudy could give him some serious momentum among undecided and independents because Guliani is so moderate. Obama's single biggest obstacle is many people say they will vote for him but when it comes to voting, they won't press the Black Button in the ballot box. America is still very much a racist country.

McCain is guaranteed to sweep Alaska now. Oh wait, he was going to win it anyway. It's an oil state. Oops. I think McCain thought he was going to get some of the Hillary vote with this pick and he may, but Palin is very conservative and also pro-Life which will scare off most of Hillary's supporters. Still, I think if Obama lets slips Hillary is getting a high-level cabinet position (such as Secretary of State) he can really hold on to those voters. The Clintons were surprisingly gracious. Good for them.

Picking Palin is not a good move for McCain. He probably thought picking a woman would allow him to show he's still a maverick by associating with another maverick. But Obama promises true change and not the illusion of change. I hope this miscalculation costs McCain the election, though all studies show a running mate has never helped decide an election. My great fear is the return of McCain because another four years of present policies will destroy our country.

Palin is younger than Obama and she has less experience than Obama. Would you really want her as president? Not likely. And my friend Erin points out that McCain can't even to play the race/minority card because Palin's husband is an Eskimo. Though an Eskimo is a true American unlike most of us.

I really, deeply, want Obama to win this and hopefully by a landslide showing it's a mandate from the people. Why? Because he has 4 houses instead of 12. Not really, but I had to toss that in. Ask yourself, seriously, are you better off or worse off than the last election? You know the answer. You're working much harder for less money -- and you have less to show for it. Maybe you didn't like Clinton, but how did you fare economically under his administration? I thought so. Check your 401k, your IRA, and your broker accounts: if you still even have them. Down? Imagine that. "It's the economy, stupid." People have always lost their homes but not in these record numbers, people are suffering because our government has let them donwn. Government can't do everything, but it shouldn't do nothing. Nothing? Well the post-Katrina government comes to mind.

I have many complaints against Obama. As a business owner, his programs are going to screw me and my company over. Who do you think is going to be stuck paying for the health plan, extra sick days, and so on? My company. It will raise our costs and ultimately your prices. But since I have a conscience, I can't vote for McCain. Four more years of having our personal rights sold out and support for an unjust war just doesn't work.

Repudiate Bush. Impeach Him. Try him for High Treason. Save America. Vote for Obama. And if you can't vote for Obama, just don't vote. No real American can possibly vote for McCain because his policies are four more years of what has already failed. America is not a theocracy, but those are the interests we've been beholden to for eight years. Nobody loves Bush but the evangelical zealots and, one assumes, Bush's own family. He's as close to evil as this country's ever seen.

Obama said in his speech we have reached a turning point. We, as Americans, must vote to change the course of this country and show we reject our current totalitarian regime in favour of a kinder, gentler country. We need to be the leaders in the world because what we do is right. We do not need to be leaders by force. Restore the American dream for America.

Heavens to Murgatroid This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Thanks to Snaglepuss for today's subject line which has no bearing on anything at all!

Two quick book reviews. First, Cruel Zinc Melodies by Glen Cook, another novel in the Garrett PI series. As all novels in this series, it was enjoyable. There has been less and less humour in each successive novel. That's not a bad or good thing, just an observation. If you're into this for the humour fantasy bit, this one isn't for you. It's also swinging more and more toward the detective side and further and further from the science-fantasy side. Still, I enjoyed it. Definitely a nice read.

Next up we have Steven Brust's latest novel, Jhegaala which is the new Vlad Taltos book. I was going to read the new Artemis Fowl book but Jose said this was good and so I changed my reading order. He's right it is good: very good. This one's a full Vlad book and not much else which, to me, is a great thing. Vlad spends the book in the East and I was thoroughly entertained. I read it all in (almost) one sitting except for the last 40 some-odd pages. It's very engaging and introduces a new character, Meehayi, who I hope makes a return appearance. This is certainly a return to the old Vlad Taltos, which I enjoyed because I did not enjoy the Sethra Lavode cycle nearly as much as the traditional books in this series -- I thought the Lavode cycle was a bit long winded and bordering on pretentious. My opinion, certainly. Highly recommended. One of the best yet. Long yet it seemed short, which is genereally a ringing endorsement.

I am looking at a new phone to replace my v330i. No iPhone for me because it's still AT&T only through 2010, asApple just extended the contract. So although I really want an HTC Diamond (their iPhone clone which is not technically available in the USA), I suspect I will end up with either a Blackberry Curve or Motorola Razr2 v8 -- and I'm leaning heavily towards the second unit. Advice and such from friends is welcome. I am sticking with T-Mobile, of course.

My neck is killing me but the spinal doctor is seeing me Monday, and sadly, I am looking forward to going even though I suspect all he'll do is order an MRI.

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to Adrian. I saw Timmy today for the first time in ages -- Wall*E was the last time I saw him and KungFu Panda before that. And I will never get used to this G4 keyboard because I keep making typos. I miss my other one :(

Also as the campaign from Hell wears on, I find myself growing more weary of Mr. Obama. He's starting to backtrack and do other things that make me realize despite all his fancy words, he's not going to bring change or be something new as he claims. He'll be more of the same old politics we've had for decades. Mind you, he's still going to be better than Mr. McCain who will be four more years of Bush: our country cannot survive that, so I will still vote for Mr. Obama. I can't imagine any sane, intelligent person voting for Mr. McCain. If your mind can reason and think, McCain cannot be your choice. Which is why all the religious nuts will vote for Mr. McCain.

Firefox and Politics This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Virtually all Windows PCs ship with IE, giving it a 72% share of the browser market. Firefox, which is typically downloaded rather than factory installed, has a 17% market share, followed by Apple's Safari at 5%. This is a nice improvement over the old days when IE was well into the 90%. Firefox is slowly eating away at IE and that's a good thing.

Today Firefox are going to overthrow the world by trying to be the most downloaded software ever. You can get Firefox3 at http://www.getfirefox.com and installing it. I had many false starts and stops when the servers crashed under the load placed on them when it rolled out just past 10am PST -- the clock ending 24 hours later at 10am PST tomorrow.

I've installed at work on the PC without incident. Sadly, I'm going to have to hold out a few days on the Mac version at home. I've downloaded it as a show of support but due to banking issues with my bank, it will be a few weeks before I can use it. Firefox3's default skin/theme is horrible beyond measure and I recommend AeroFox which is very nice (it's what I've installed until Noia is upgraded soon to work with FF3. Both are by the same guy.) And don't forgot to install your dictionary if you want automatic spell checking.

I have an RGA from WD and am working with CBL on my drive issues still. I will issue a full report when I can, and will add a glowing recommendation of CBL but I'm holding back because there's still stuff going on (but nothing bad against CBL if you're in need of recovery services).

And, lastly, from Razzie this awesome video "Why I'm voting republican."




And, for the record, as stated in an earlier post, barring a surprise entry by Colin Powell, I will be voting for Barack Obama. If you vote republican, you're buying for more years of hell for our country. It's time for a change.

In defence of Barack Obama This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

In defence of Barack Obama. There's been a lot of crap said about Mr. Obama. Like all politicians some of it true, some of it untrue. But some if it's just horrible. So, here's an interesting video that will appeal to all parties.



It visually debunks all those stupid-ass Obama myths: he's a Muslim, won't wear an American Flag pin, won't swear on the Bible, associates with terrorists, and all that stupid stuff. Here's proof it's all hooey with some help from our current incumbent no less. If you can't trust a random YouTube video, you can always read the facts for yourself at the extraordinarily unbiased and trustworthy Snopes.

You're free to hold your own opinions, but at least form them based on truth and not lies. That is the democratic and patriotic thing to do. Don't let small minds who are stupid, mornoic boors tell you how to think. Read the facts and make your own decision.

Where was I? This blog has moved to http://quagmire.darsys.net

Before I go on to updating you on various things, congratulations to Mr. Obama for winning the primary. Yo, Hillary, just give it up. I will be honest and say my candidate of choice did not make it far in this election. He's long gone. Actually, my real candidate of choice didn't even run. So I have to either (A) vote for the lesser of two evils or (B) vote for a candidate that has no chance of winning. I suppose I could not vote, too, but I don't see that as an option. So, I officially declare that the candidate I will vote for in 2008 is Mr. Obama despite the fact I am not totally comfortable with him. I could give you many reasons to vote for either candidate, but it all comes down to the war. McCain will be four more years of Bush and he wants the war to go on, and he wants to expand the war to Iran. That alone proves he is unfit for office. That is not will of the American People. He's already said he's not going to listen to you, and yet people are still going to vote for him? Idiots, the lot.

I did more car shopping last weekend. I peeked at the Infinity (built not so well), and some other models. I also went to a different dealer and looked at the Rover again. I went and looked at the BMW X5 which I was predisposed to dislike as I've never liked the BMW line. Well, I must say, I really liked it. Not quite as much as the Rover, but damned close. It's now at number two on my list behind the Rover I still can't justify in price. Not done yet, but that is an update for those who care. I will need $600 in tires on my current vehicle soon, so trading it in is looking even more exciting.

I went to my GI doctor today. I got there early because traffic was surprisingly light. I was in the elevator and he walked in. I hadn't seen him since November but he recognized me right away and said 'hi' to me before I said 'hi' to him. Then I sat and waited nearly an hour before I was called in. I hate that. HATE HATE HATE.

The news is basically the same. I have tried to wean myself off and/or down on the dosage of Nexium, but if I take one Nexium per day, my symptoms return. If I take two per day, my symptoms are mostly at bay if I am careful what foods I eat. Nexium is clearly marked "not for use for more than six months" and I again asked the Doc about that. He said it's based on Prilosec (true) and he's had patients taking that for over 20 years with no side effects. The one side effect that I can count on is that due to the way these proton pump inhibitor drugs work, is that over time you will develop large polyps in your stomach as they work harder to produce more acid because they think you acid level is low. They are always benign. What I've read on-line (Google is great) tends to bear this out. The consequence of me not taking these drugs is an almost certain painful and possibly fatal case of esophageal cancer as the acid eats away at me. I prefer not to go that route. $385 a month for the damned things so thank god for my insurance.

Went to the Chiropractor again today. Nothing like good news to cheer me up. Too bad he didn't have any. I am much better than I was after the car accident (you will remember some stupid bitch rear-ended the car I was a passenger in), so that part is good. However, he thinks my neck will have some permanent damage he cannot fix. It's too soon to tell, but he thought he'd prepare me. Other than that, the visit was good as always. It's hard to find a Chiropractor who isn't a quack but I got lucky. He actually seems to know what he's doing and isn't some twit who tells you they can cure everything that ails you. (I went to one who claimed she could cure your cold, and other nonsense). He even has a licensed massage therapist on staff as well as a real nurse. He's got a real degree from a real school and not Jorge's School of Chiropracty and Transmission Repair.

I have to pee, so I'll post this and go :)