Friday, 29 June 2007
(1 post today - last: 6:45pm)
Immigration Reform that *will work*
(6:15pm) - URL: Lou Dobbs gets a lot of grief for being "anti-immigrant" and isolationist. In my opinion he's got the right ideas. It's his televised delivery (rants!) that hurt his cause and give that negative impression.
This article has what I believe is the best & only solution to the immigration debacle we're now facing. Dobbs says, "First, fully secure our borders and ports. ... Second, enforce existing immigration laws, and that includes the prosecution of the employers of illegal aliens. ... Third, the government should fund, equip and hire the people necessary to man the Citizenship and Immigration Services."
He goes on to say, "At the same time, the president and Congress should order exhaustive studies of the economic, social and fiscal effects of the leading proposals to change immigration law, and foremost in their consideration should be the well-being of American workers and their families."
Thorough study & planning, as well as enforcement of existing laws, are the only workable option. Read the full commentary for the details.
Thursday, 28 June 2007
(3 posts today - last: 6:15pm)
Coolest sports watch ever made
(11:15am) - URL: It's called a "Sports Schedule Watch" and I saw it here. It always shows the upcoming game and plays a melody at the starting time of every game your team plays, or every race your NASCAR driver races.
It also comes with a USB cord so you can connect the watch direct to your PC and download the next season's schedule from the Internet ... wow. 'Tis a dream!
Friend staying at haunted hotel ... ooo ooo !
(4:15pm) - URL: It's called "The Windsor" and it's in Americus, GA. My friend Tracey is going to be staying there this weekend cuz her daughter's orientation at Georgia Southwestern State University. Here's the website, complete with period music, ghost stories and a long, interesting history ...
Politics of overreaction ...
(6:15pm) - URLs: I read a couple articles on Wired.com I'd like to recommend. They say most of our reaction to terrorism (both international and Internet) is irrational:
FIRST: "Portrait of the Modern Terrorist as an Idiot"
A lot of what's done these days in the name of the "war on terror" is based on fear, not reason. The media helps encourage this. For example, consider that "the 'Lackawanna Six,' those terrorists from upstate New York who pleaded guilty in 2003 to 'providing support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization ... entered their plea because they were threatened with being removed from the legal system altogether. We have no idea if they were actually guilty, or of what."
SECOND: "Vigilantism Is a Poor Response to Cyberattack"
An army general says, "history teaches us that a purely defensive posture poses significant risks ... if we apply the principle of warfare to the cyberdomain, as we do to sea, air and land, we realize the defense of the nation is better served by capabilities enabling us to take the fight to our adversaries, when necessary..." Unfortunately, we can't respond militarily online. Internet terrorists require police action, not military. "A cybersecurity policy that condones both active deterrence and retaliation -- without any judicial determination of wrongdoing -- is attractive, but it's wrongheaded, not least because it ignores the line between war, where those involved are permitted to determine when counterattack is required, and crime, where only impartial third parties (judges and juries) can impose punishment."
Read em ... if you want, email me with your thoughts (my addy is in the footer of this page). I'll respond to your email publickly here :)
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
(4 posts today - last: 4:15pm)
A little more on this job search
(11:30am) - TEXT: I left my previous job on Feb 20th of this year, and started this job on June 15th. My friends would logically consider that five months of loafin' around! I'd just like to state that, on the contrary, I was rather busy.
My surgery was March 21st, and once I moved up here on April 18th, I almost immediately began work with my brother-in-law. Although it was part-time, I spent *a lot* of time over at their house (in York, SC, about 20 miles from the lake house in Belmont, NC). I entertained and baby-sat my 7 yr-old nephew and 2 (now 3!) year old niece.
So in any event - just sharing that I kept myself busy and viable during my 5 months of non-employment. As a matter of fact, it's a little depressing spending so little time in York now...... You likely get the picture.
Until next post ... Peace!
Cheney is evil. But setting a good precedent.
(1:30pm) - TEXT: I just read the 1st of the four part article in the Washington Post (availabe here). My stomach is churning at the violations of Constitutional and accepted international law this article ascribes to Dick Cheney and the people around him. He made sure his fat fingers and ears were in every room and on every slip of paper within the Executive Offices of the White House. "Cheney preferred, and Bush approved, a mandate that gave him access to 'every table and every meeting,' making his voice heard in 'whatever area the vice president feels he wants to be active in,' [White House Chief of Staff Joshua B.] Bolten said."
He has secretly used his power and influence to affect so much, including Presidential and Justice Department decisions, that his fingerprints could probably be found on Alberto Gonzales' rear end. "Close aides to Cheney describe a ... one-way valve inside the office, with information flowing up to the vice president but little or no reaction flowing down."
The key is all of the actions he's taken: *He* seized the initiative. *He* has self-defined the Vice-Presidential role far from the vague & short description outlined in the Constitution. Thus the flap: Cheney's "general counsel has asserted that 'the vice presidency is a unique office that is neither a part of the executive branch nor a part of the legislative branch,' and is therefore exempt from rules governing either."
With little exaggeration that can be seen as a barely-perceptible tilt at the top of a long, slippery slope into complete disregard for Constitutional law. As I said before, Kerry telling Cheney funding will be cut unless *he himself says* he's part of the Executive Branch will not work. He needs to be told, reigned in, and maybe even disciplined.
What's the precedent? Giving better definition to the Vice-Presidency, that's what! As negative and hurtful as Richard Cheney's actions have been, he's at least given a framework on which to hang more detail about the office ... maybe even enough to flesh out an amendment to the Constitution.
I'm dreamin' I know ... but hey sometimes that's all we got, eh?
Peace ... out.
Happy Birthday, ATM machine!
(3:15pm) - URL: I found a pretty cool blog called "Mass Historia" (available here). It's written by a former "Daily Show with John Stewart" writer.
ANYWAY ...
The point is, today is the 42nd birthday of the ATM machine (double word intended!). See the site for details.
*Huge* Lego Aircraft Carrier
(4:15pm) - URL: I found this on Digg:
It's a huge, electrically wired & lit aircraft carrier (and a couple support ships with a submarine (!)) made entirely of Lego bricks.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
(3 posts today; last update: 5:00pm)
About my job search process
(3:45pm) - TEXT: I took a relaxed approach to finding a job this time. Since this job is #16 since I graduated from college in 1991, I had to step back, take a spiritual deep breath, and unflinchingly face my failure to hold on to a job for even just two years.
I had to do a lot of soul-searching, and facing up to facts about my past work history I don't like. Whenever I was outwardly relaxing, inside I was going over a random job and analyzing my actions (and more important, my *thoughts* about mine and other folks' actions) that I turned into daily habits. I acknowledged any of those habits that were negative or outwardly showed negativity.
For example, at Pizza Hut I developed a terrible habit of hurrying up the customer on the phone. I was so focused on finishing every call super-fast that I treated customers rudely ... not just once but habitually. This habit translated to more than a few other jobs.
As a second example, I turned the concept of *enthusiasm for work* on its head. Instead of being relaxed and myself, at every one of my jobs I decided I had to be quick quick quick about everything. It become a rote thought I repeated to myself not to slow down for anything at all, even to think. Better to make a quick decision and be wrong than to take too much time deciding - and maybe show indecisiveness, I often repeated.
There's lots more examples I could ramble about, including times of extreme absent-mindedness, Tim Conway-like bumbling foolishness, and extreme selfishness. Suffice to say I went over it all.
(NOTE: this is not to say my work experience was entirely negative. There is a lot of good in my work history as well. For my purposes in this blog, though, I'm summarizing the negative just to keep it short.)
To wrap this up, after intense introspection I decided to continue my pattern of enlisting the aid of job placement firms, including Insight Global and my current employer, TekSystems. I mention those two by name because they have treated me very well lately, and both have a national presence.
In short, I took it easy, slow, and with much forethought (and maybe too much after-thought, but that's another column ... LOL). Everything is good now, and I enjoy this work. I am stubbornly holding on to what I have, and I *fully intend* to be working here for at least five years!
Unless the seminary drags me away ... but I don't see that happening!
More facts about Cheney
(4:15pm) - URL: Although I may be biased myself, you've got to wonder about what's coming to light. Here's a second source (reuters.com) of information:
It says in part, "His office told the National Archives that it was not an 'entity within the executive branch.'"
It goes on to say Democrats in Congress demand that they "proposed cutting funding for Cheney's office unless he clarifies which branch of government he is part of."
They're asking *Cheney* to clarify? He'll clarify himself straight into that fourth branch. Kerry and the rest evidently don't understand the part where Cheney doesn't have the power to define his own role: he's a part of the Executive branch and that's that. There's no clarifying necessary....
A prime example showing the ineptitude and spinelessness of the Democratic party. Methinks Libertarians wouldn't have any trouble at all *telling Cheney* which way is up :)
Anyway ... Peace! Out ...
Indiana Jones 4 news & video!
(5:00pm) - URL: I'm back quicker than expected :)
There's a "First Day of Shooting" video from the movie set over here:
http://www.indianajones.com/community/news/firstday.html
Whoopee! Hip, hip, hooray!! I didn't know they'd started already. June 18th, 2007 was Day 1 ...
Buckle your seat belts, boys & girls! This is gonna be a long, exciting ride!
Monday, 25 June 2007
(4 posts today; last update: 3:15pm)
Apologies and general update...
(1:00pm) - TEXT: First off, I gotta apologize once again for not updating this page in a couple of eons. The last post was May 17th, over a month ago, and I had promised a couple of folks that more would be coming forthwith. However, I let them down.
Here's what has happened since May 17th:
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I found a job. I was hired by a clearinghouse in the Health Care industry to do tech support for their secure (health insurance) claims processing software.
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My cat, Hobbes, was diagnosed with malignant cancer, and had his right rear leg amputated.
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I've been back to Atlanta twice, and have brought back a car load of stuff each time. My little apartment is getting full, and I've left things I don't need in Atlanta in the master bedroom (now a storage unit ... lol!).
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I finished working part-time with my brother-in-law on a short-term project he needed to fulfill for Charlotte (NC) - Mecklenburg Utilities Department.
I'll go into more detail on all of these as time permits!
Cool stuff I found online
(1:15pm) - URLs: Did a little reading of my Target and Iomega emails before I deleted them ... found a couple cool things:
Target: White Portable Ice Maker - $289.00 (but they say it can make a load of ice in SIX seconds!)
Iomega: 100GB portable storage drive - $104.95 (fits in your shirt pocket!)
Name Change *BACK* to "Tatterdemalion"
(1:30pm) - TEXT: Yeah, yeah, yeah ... so sue me already.
This is my blog and I can change its name as much as I want :) But ... eh, I just felt better going back to the original. "UMMM" was a great name, but too long. "AHR" wasn't as good, and a little obscure. I feel more *myself* by calling the site "Tatterdemalion" so that's what I've decided to do ... the original is always the best, right ?!?
tatterdemalion \tat-uhr-dih-MAYL-yuhn; -MAY-lee-uhn\
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noun:
1. A person dressed in tattered or ragged clothing; a ragamuffin. -
adjective:
1. Tattered; ragged.
In case you had ANY doubt Vice President Dick Cheney is pure unadulterated evil...
(3:15pm) - URL: Read this article in the Washington Post. Or just read (part of) the beginning here:
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Shortly after the first accused terrorists reached the U.S. naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan. 11, 2002, a delegation from CIA headquarters arrived in the Situation Room. ... From that moment, well before previous accounts have suggested, Cheney turned his attention to the practical business of crushing a captive's will to resist. The vice president's office played a central role in shattering limits on coercion of prisoners in U.S. custody, commissioning and defending legal opinions that the Bush administration has since portrayed as the initiatives, months later, of lower-ranking officials.
Well whaddaya know??? It's a four-part essay!
Would I be showing my bias if I compared Cheney to Jabba the Hutt? And not just a *gangster* type Jabba the Hutt, but a secretive, malevolent, behind-the-scenes operative sort of Jabba the Hutt? Yeah, I guess that would be biased ...
:) PEACE!