This is a fantastic insider account of what it's like to be an athlete in the Olympic village once the competition is over. They sound.. um... excited, to say the least.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4582421.ece
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
cats and dogs, living together
Growing up, my family always raised cattle. It was a hobby, never really relied on it for money, but still, everything I and my family knows about farming has to do with beef cattle.
So, here we are, years later, and our farm has been idle for a while. Mainly because: once I left home, my dad didn't have cheap labor anymore. He sold all the cows, got a riding lawn mower, and got really lazy. Along comes my brother-in-law, who decides he wants to raise sheep.
Now, for those of you who don't know this, it's a historical fact: cattle ranchers and sheep herders don't get along. In the old west, they used to shoot at each other. Shepherds like fences, cowboys like open range, etc, etc. So, not only is my brother-in-law brazenly acting in opposition to family tradition, but he's also dragged my dad into it. Neither of them know anything about raising sheep, they are buying books on Amazon to try and learn, and sheep keep doing dumb things that cows would never do. Stupid sheep.
Anyway, my point is this. I try to be an optimist. The only good thing we've gotten out of this is a really great sheep dog named Rosco. I'm a dog lover in general, but this guy has really won me over. Two pics coming, one of him with my nephew, and one of him taking my mom's dog Molly for a walk. He's apparently going to be 140 pounds some day, God help us...
So, here we are, years later, and our farm has been idle for a while. Mainly because: once I left home, my dad didn't have cheap labor anymore. He sold all the cows, got a riding lawn mower, and got really lazy. Along comes my brother-in-law, who decides he wants to raise sheep.
Now, for those of you who don't know this, it's a historical fact: cattle ranchers and sheep herders don't get along. In the old west, they used to shoot at each other. Shepherds like fences, cowboys like open range, etc, etc. So, not only is my brother-in-law brazenly acting in opposition to family tradition, but he's also dragged my dad into it. Neither of them know anything about raising sheep, they are buying books on Amazon to try and learn, and sheep keep doing dumb things that cows would never do. Stupid sheep.
Anyway, my point is this. I try to be an optimist. The only good thing we've gotten out of this is a really great sheep dog named Rosco. I'm a dog lover in general, but this guy has really won me over. Two pics coming, one of him with my nephew, and one of him taking my mom's dog Molly for a walk. He's apparently going to be 140 pounds some day, God help us...
weird things I like...
I love quotes by famous people that basically make me say "I wish I had said that". Here are a couple for today.
"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."
--Mark Twain
--Michael Phelps
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Financing
Things will get worse before they get better:
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSSP21695020080819
i.e. wait a few more months before buying that new house. Prices are going down, and mortgages will get easier. Try 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSSP21695020080819
i.e. wait a few more months before buying that new house. Prices are going down, and mortgages will get easier. Try 2009.
Informed readers
Interesting article about informed readers. Atlantic readers rate the highest.
http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1356
Another interesting tidbit, people who listen to Rush are a) better informed and b) better educated than people who watch John Stewart. Maybe that's because John gets more viewers who are still in college, and thus don't count as grads yet, but still. Very interesting.
http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1356
Another interesting tidbit, people who listen to Rush are a) better informed and b) better educated than people who watch John Stewart. Maybe that's because John gets more viewers who are still in college, and thus don't count as grads yet, but still. Very interesting.
McCain wasn't tortured...
.. if you believe Bush/Cheney's definition of the word. All the things John McCain endured in prison camp are techniques that this administration uses against detainees. Oh, and John McCain, by supporting the Military Commissions act, in effect says that you should respect him because he endured torture for his country, but that it's ok for us to torture detainees. Huh?
The various ways in which Republican logic breaks down with even the smallest amount of scrutiny is really just beyond what a rational individual can tolerate. Trust us with the budget, although we've doubled the national debt in 8 years. Trust us on national security, although we are clearly incompetent at finding guys like Bin Laden and rebuilding Afghanistan.
No rational person should be able to buy into all this, which means that Republican messages have to be about emotion, and not reason. Symbolism helps too. Things like patriotism, winning wars, freedom, etc are all things that everybody likes, but that everybody defines differently. So there's no downside to wrapping yourself in those and hoping that it works in terms of getting people to vote for you.
Interestingly, Obama does the same thing, with words like hope and change. But he also provides enough depth to his policy discussions so that there's something in his message for everybody.
The various ways in which Republican logic breaks down with even the smallest amount of scrutiny is really just beyond what a rational individual can tolerate. Trust us with the budget, although we've doubled the national debt in 8 years. Trust us on national security, although we are clearly incompetent at finding guys like Bin Laden and rebuilding Afghanistan.
No rational person should be able to buy into all this, which means that Republican messages have to be about emotion, and not reason. Symbolism helps too. Things like patriotism, winning wars, freedom, etc are all things that everybody likes, but that everybody defines differently. So there's no downside to wrapping yourself in those and hoping that it works in terms of getting people to vote for you.
Interestingly, Obama does the same thing, with words like hope and change. But he also provides enough depth to his policy discussions so that there's something in his message for everybody.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Bikinis are not torture
Ah, I'm back from the beach, sporting a nice tan. Let me tell you, California beach towns (from Santa Barbara south) are really monuments to immodesty. The number of men and women I saw strutting around in almost nothing, in places like grocery stores, was almost silly. Almost.
Gotta love Laguna Beach!
And if that's not enough, here's another reason why California rocks. It's the only state to threaten people who participate in torture with legal action.
http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0814-15.htm
Gotta love Laguna Beach!
And if that's not enough, here's another reason why California rocks. It's the only state to threaten people who participate in torture with legal action.
http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0814-15.htm
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