New FlickR photos Up Please click on the FlickR link at the top of the Menu, I have put about 30 more pics up, didn't realize I was so far beind, last pics were in mid Feb.
Posts
Read your Bible this is going around the net, though it may be apocryphal its very funny Laura Schlesinger, the radio sage, recently she told her audience that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, she had noted that, according to Leviticus 18:22, homosexuality is an abomination, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. It turned out, however, that some of her audience also read the Bible. One of Dr. LauraÂ?s listeners e-mailed her as follows, and posted his rejoinder on the internet. Dear Dr. Laura: Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them: 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I m...
Sometimes I just wake up mad This would come as no surprise to my mom who used to call me the bear, or my wife for that matter. But I don't wake up angry at anyone in particular, just the stupidity of the world in general. Here are a few: For 30 years, Scientists (those are those men and women who actually study and learn about their field) have been decrying the CO2 problems in the atmosphere. Instead of listening to these learned people we elect Politicians and their junk science who say: no these learned people are wrong. Pachyderm loving SUV driving Americans. Who needs them. All down through history there has always been a category of people who Think-They-Know-Better-Than-You-On-How-To-Live-Your-Life. This debate fueled the Federalist Papers in fact. Now a days it seems that all the telling how to run my life comes from the Right. And they are in power. And it makes me angry. I live in America, land of the FREE. I don't need some pasty paunchy late middle aged poli...
The Friday Five! 1) Of the various cultures, ethnicities or nationalities you belong to, which most strongly do you consider yourself? I really want to indentify with my Arab background. I really do. But the way the world is today, it's frankly difficult with all the stupid violent things done in the name of "Arabs". I am very much a Anglophile, I love British culture (mostly) and British humor. Hawkwind. Dr Who. Monty Python. etc. 2) Is there a culture you cannot claim heritage from but which you feel quite close to? Some of the Eastern cultures. The Tao and some Buddist thinking is more attuned to how I (want to) live my life than other cultures. 3) What's one language you wish you knew fluently? French, then Arabic. 4) If you could move anywhere in the world and be guaranteed a job, etc., where would you go? Either London or Paris. 5) If you had a time machine, and could witness any one event without altering or disturbing it, what would you want to see? The fu...
Thirteen Things about Mikey My most important or memorable concerts. 1. 25+ Grateful Dead shows. 14 in the 20th Anniversary tour alone. Wonderful memories of shows with my brother, wife, and friends. 2. 4 NEARfest, going on 5. Best collection of Progressive music of any concert "festival" series going on now or in the past. Bands are in reverse order of appearance. NEARfest 2002 Day One Nektar Echolyn Isildurs Bane Miriodor La Torre dell'Alchimista Day Two Steve Hackett Caravan Enchant Gerard Spaced Out NEARfest 2003 Day One Magma The Flower Kings Tunnels Alamaailman Vasarat High Wheel Day Two Camel Änglagård Kraan Glass Hammer Sleepytime Gorilla Museum NEARfest 2004 Preshow The Musical Box Day One Univers Zero Mike Keneally Band Richard Pinhas Pallas Yezda Urfa Day Two Strawbs Planet X Sean Malone Metamorfosi Hidria Spacefolk NEARfest 2005 Preshow PFM Proto-Kaw Day One IQ Present Steve Roach Frogg Café Wobbler Day Two Le Orme...
The week that was and is. Sunday - Really slow day at the shack. However the day was saved by D&K coming out from NH and taking us to Outback. We had a wonderful time as we usually do with them and ate quite well. I had the Jackaroo Chops which I am embarrassed to say I get EVERY TIME! Got my teaching call on Monday for my fave 5th grade class so with that I was requested and booked all the way through the week. Monday - Ended up very pleasant, as the "seatwork" the teacher had left was challenging for them, especially the maths so I worked one on one going around the room teaching improper, mixed and adding fractions. Very nice day and the BSA meeting was pleasant too. Tuesday - Pre-K. Cake. Especially since BOTH women were out and they subbed a certified teacher for the TA. I provided the structure as I been in that room a lot before, and she dived right in and did most of the actually work, like circle time etc. I've asked for her again if the Teacher and TA...
What You Need To Believe To Be A Republican: Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex. A good way to fig...
Dems not faring much better I don't know how much plainer life can make the opportunity facing the Democrats in order for them to recognize it - and act upon it. With the majority of people recently polled by Time Magazine describing Bu$hCo as "incompetent", one has to ask (in a most exasperated tone) Why Doesn't the Democratic Leadership in Congress Start Holding Bush Accountable, Instead of Getting Upset with Feingold for Being Outraged? When asked, U.S. voters want Democrats in power! What is it going to take? Only a few of the Democrats seem to understand the nature of the crisis. Senator Durbin backs up Feingold's motives on censure on television Sunday, and Senator Harkin supports Bush censure. But that seems to be it. For all the talk about Hillary (ACK!) seeking the 2008 nomination, this would be a perfect time to step forward and make a stand, much as Bobby Kennedy did in 1968. But the heat in the kitchen must be too much for her, as she isn't willing...
Tell us again about red-state self-reliance great piece from Salon We would never do anything to inflame the passions of the red-state/blue-state divide. It would be wrong. And besides, it's isn't really a fair fight anymore. According to a SurveyUSA poll out this week, George W. Bush now has majority support in just three states: Utah, Wyoming and Alabama. But if you just can't help picking a fight with your red-state friends and neighbors, here's some ammunition you might use the next time one of them starts talking about the virtues of personal responsibility and self-reliance. In a study released today, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation reveals that -- to a much greater degree than their azure kin -- red states continue to rely on the largess of the federal government. The top seven charity cases -- and 13 of the top 15 -- are states that cast their votes for Bush in 2004. First in line for handouts is New Mexico, which scores $2 for every buck it sends to Washington, ...
3 bloody years later, what do we have? A military operation called operation swarm, which is just a huge photo op to make us feel better about the Iraqi "military". A Presidential address where we are urged to have patience and "feel good" becuase Iraqi politicians "dont like" the violence. A country where there are more dead civilians from three years of fighting than the previous five. A Democratic party which has no solutions to even offer for this quagmire. The constant eroding of American Civil Liberties in the name of "anti-terrorism". The beginnings of a true Civil War in Iraq. Extreemist anti-American groups "democratically" elected in Palestine and Iran. Still no WMD's and documents showing there never were any. Nice Job Mr. President. Whats the encore?? OUT
The Friday Five! "Lights Camera Action!" 1) If you were to star in a movie, who would you want to be cast as your love interest? Oh thats easy! Sandra Bullock. 2) What genre of movie would you most like to star in? Sci Fi action flick. 3) What song would you insist be on the soundtrack? Something by Hawkind, maybe Motorway City. 4) What would you wear to the premiere of your movie? A Pierre Cardin Tux with stand up collar, black tie. 5) Who would you thank in your Oscar acceptance speech? The Friday Five people, my agent, my cat Nutsky as well as my wife.
Thirteen Things about Mikey My Favorite or Most Memorable Books or Author/series. 1. Lord of the Rings . Have read or listened to unabridged once a year since I was eleven years old. 2. Andromeda Strain . Ok I haven't read it in 30 yrs, but when I did I read it in a day of being sick from school. First book I couldn't put down. 3. Jack Chalker , may he rest in peace. Specially favorite are the Well World Series, Four Lords of the Diamond and the Five Rings. 4. The Past through Tomorrow . Heinlein's great future history using short stories. 5. Atlas Shrugged . Ann Rand Bloody Brilliant. After reading you just say, was that really 1000+ pages? 6. The Glass Bead Game (Magister Ludi). Herman Hesse This might be one of the first fantasy(esk) novels ever written. Absolutely stunning book. 7. Mike Moorcocks Tales of the Eternal Champion Series , the Omnibus Hardback series in particular. 8. Carlos Castaneda's "Don Juan" series. Very thought provoking. 9. The Hitchike...
The letters not yet sent I have carefully scrubbed the letters clean of any referrences to names or places, but you can glean the gist of the two. I have been counseled caution in sending the Superintendent letter as apparently the man has "good and bad" days. However I think it is extreemly professional and I just can't see how anyone could react to it badly. OUT Dear ______ Family Please accept my deepest apologies for the incident that happened on Monday March 13, 2006 with your daughter during my substitute teaching of Mrs. _____'s class. While explaining a problem to the math class, your daughter began wandering around the room causing a disruption. It was after three attempts to have her sit down that I called her a "smartass" for walking as slowly as possible back to her seat during this math period. This was of course completely unprofessional and I do apologize profusely. I am quite happy to write this letter of apology, as this is language that...
Wow 500 Blog Posts! Not shaping up to be a good week. Woke up this am at 3am with cramps going BOTH legs, I guess what you would call my groin muscles. Excruciating pain. Took 5 min to walk and stretch it off in the middle of the night. Spoke to the Principal this am, and yes she wants me to write the family a letter of apology. However the Superintendent was very quick to tell her that I wasn't to sub in that School at all. She was not too pleased to tell me. Felt like a punch in the tummy, though I have only subbed in that school maybe 7 times. Once I draft the apology note, I'm going to type up my handwritten incident notes and write a letter to the Superintendent appealing to just not being able to do 6th grade in that school. Which I would never want to do anyway. I'll be using the word Draconian in my letter. L's mom won't be going under the knife till at least Friday and is in a lot of pain. I don't have the whole story so I don't know why it ...
What is it about weekends recently? I just don't seem to get on the blog and write. It was an uneventful weekend mostly. Sunday I utilized the laptop at the store and a very slow day to burn 22 shows I had received in lossless compressed form on 3 data DVD's. Took most of the day so it's good I was able to do it during the down times at the store. Can't think how long it might have taken if I had tried to do it during my home down time. Monday was unfortunately not uneventful. I got my substitute call this am to go to another Primary School which is not my usual place to substitute for a 6th grade class. The 3 teachers there are doing a great idea in that they have the classes move from classroom to classroom as they do Math, Science and Social Studies. The teacher I was subbing for teaches Math so I had three Math classes in succession today. The problem arose during the middle period which was full of possibly the rudest students I have ever had so far. The sh...
The Friday Five! "Time in a Bottle" 1) 10 years ago what did you think you would be doing now? Let's see 1996, I had just started at CableShoppe, and I assumed I would be still working there. I had promised the owner a minumum of 5 years, but figured I could grow with the company, perhaps end up in a General Manager's position. 2) Where do you think you will be in 5 years from now? Teaching Primary, preferrably 4, 5, or 6th grade. Finished with my Masters and considering further education. 3) Do you live life one day at a time or look to the future. I have lived my life one day at a time for too many years, now I'm taking stock and looking to what's left of a future for a 44 yr old Man. Thats a min of 30 more years teaching and working, especially if I go onto a College level educational track. 4) Do you wish you could go back in time and undo something in your life? Very much so. I would have listened to my family and gone into higher education by getting...
Thirteen Things about Mikey's home that we want to improve. 1. Put in thermopane windows. 2. Raise the floor of the Sunroom and put radiant hot water heater pipes under. 3. Cut the wall between the Sunroom and the Kitchen just below where the cabinets are now and open that up so we can serve light meals in the Sunroom. 4. Fix the plumbing in the laundry area so the water flows decently. 5. Push out the window wall of the Kitchen in order to make a breakfast nook. 6. Do some finishing of the basement. This may be dreaming though, as it is a dirt floor and stone slabs instead of a poured foundation. 7. Repaint the house completely, including the front porch. 8. Put in a back porch, I'd like to put it over the sunroom, not sure what L has in mind. 9. Completely rip apart the "attic", pull the lanoleum, the wainscoating, then insulate, clean and make into a real room preferrabley for "A". 10. Put a bow or bay window in the "home office" make...
Hump Day already Of course that whole concept for me is a bit foreign because I work seven days a week. It's been a weird week too, what with the normal RS night off Monday, then not teaching Tuesday. Today I was an art teacher and had a ton of fun, but I have not gotten a call yet for tomorrow and fear the worst. The lesson plan for today for the K - 3rd grade was to read a poem "The North Wind Doth Blow" (all three verses) and have them draw a picture of the Imagery. First we had to understand the concept of an image, then a mental image. I had them tell me what they thought of when I said "a hot summer day" and then "a cool crisp fall day." This seemed to work. Then I read them the poem with their eyes closed, and then with them open, and let the rip. Needless to say it was fun as heck. The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow what will the robin do, poor thing he will sit in a barn and keep himself warm and hide his head under his wing, poor...
A rare day off Well I never got that call, so officially had a school day off on Tuesday. I did get a bunch of stuff done, like getting all my trading hobby responsibilities finally burned and in envelopes, including some surprise gifts for some non trading friends. I also played "Battle for Middle Earth", which I just got recently as it finally dropped to $19.99 (the most I'll pay for a PC Game). I was not completely off, as I had RS as well. But instead of having to go to the store, I attended a required meeting at the Rotterdam store regarding the new Americans with Disablilties Act. I learned such revelationary things as not to call an Autistic a "mongoloid idiot" (yes that was in the manual) and that we have to spend millions of dollars (as a nation not RS) to change the signs from "Disabled Parking" to "Accessible Parking". Ah America. Where any idiot with a lawyer can wreak havoc in Corporate Daily life. OUT
The weekend and more. Not much going on this weekend, and I was just gassed by Friday night, so somehow I didn't hit the blog Saturday or Sunday. Work was a total bust, very quiet on Saturday and Sunday, only sold two cell phones all weekend. I did get alot of reading done however. Finished the Narnia books and caught up on some of my Economist's. I was able to avoid going to a meeting on Satuday from 10am to 1pm and THEN going into work till 930 thank god. They made one more meeting time on Tuesday evening so I can go during what would be my normal work hours. I told my boss that I just couldn't add any more hours, especially on a Saturday. This way I do the meeting on Tuesday instead of sitting around at the store, as the weeknights are VERY quiet. Had a 1st, 2nd, 3rd Special Education assignment today, one which I chose over two other possible assignments. I like a good challenge. We had some fun, and they even told me the way I was teaching them the short and long vowel...
The Friday Five! "I'm Hot For Teacher" 1. Who was your favorite all time teacher(s)? Tough one as I was lucky to have so many great teachers. Of course I barely remember some of the names, but for my High School: My Psych teacher, the TV/AV teacher who ran the Radio/TV station at school, Mr Peasley my History and Anthroplogy teacher. College: Rudi Volti who taught me Sociology and the Zen of Motorcycles; Bob Albert who taught me about Gifted Child Psych and why Health Care should be a right not a luxury; Al Whachtel who taught me Sociology and opened my mind up to Epic and Scripture; Harry Senn my French Teacher who also wrote a monograph on Werewolf legends of Romainia. Pitzer really had an amazing staff back then. But the teacher I think of most when I teach is Mrs. Ustruck. She treated us like adults though were are 8 and 9 yr olds. Called us "people!" when we misbehaved, and taught us with love, respect and disipline. 2. What did they teach? Well see abo...
Thirteen Things Mikey believes you may not have known. 1. Health care is a right not a luxury. 2. A woman has the right to decide in the first trimester if she wants to carry to term. 3. Fundamentalism, be it Christian, Judiaism, or Muslim is the greatest threat to Democracy today. 4. Its the moral responsibility of Government to take from the haves and give to the have nots. It is the moral responsibility of the wealthy to care for the indigent. If they cannot or will not the Government must step in. 5. Left to their own devices, Corporations will, take advantage of their workers, to the workers detriment and the Corporation's profit. This is the Walmart Scenario. 6. Left to their own devices, especially in a monopsonistic situation, Corporations will price gouge and generally overcharge as much as they can. This is the Exxon Scenario. 7. Every person has the right to privacy from his or her Government, and that Government does not have the right to abrogate this basic hu...
Closed on my loan. In our ongoing debt reduction process, I just closed on a loan to retire a revolving credit card that was gouging me hugely on interest rates. I thought I was saving 10% over the revolving with the consolidation. However when I was signing the paperwork, the interest rate was an additional 2 points lower. This made my day big time. So in five years my biggest credit balance will be gone. Combine that with reading the "addendum" entry below and you will see I had a great day.