What Do I Do When Fox Calls

My wife asked me today what I am planning to do when FoxNews calls me and asks me to come to New York to work for them. Well, I said, "I can work from home."

Of course, they won't call because I'm a bit more conservative than most. And of course they won't call because I'm a bit more full of myself than most, and of course, they won't call because I unwilling to sit passively while the "personalities" of 60 Minutes berate a sitting President because he is a bigger media draw than they may be.

To be honest, I could not work for any news outlet. I'd get sick to my stomach every time I heard some report walking toward the camera talking about some lame made up story they are trying to sell to the producers by highlighting the worst of America. I'm sick of ambush journalism and pornographic journalism. You cannot call a TV reporter a journalist any more than you can call Larry King a journalist. Larry and most reporter I see these days inject their personal philosophy into their stories such that you can't tell the two apart. Makes me sick.

My wife used to ask why I could not watch an Anaheim Duck home game on TV. Well, it's simple, their TV announcers are "homies" BIG TIME. They call the game as if the Ducks can do no wrong. They need to learn from some of the better sports announcers that call it the way it is as opposed to the way they want it. Larry King and 60 Minutes need to do the same thing. They are "homies" for the Liberal Left, for Hillary and Bill Clinton, for the Democratic Party, for the Socialist Nations and sometimes even for communist nations. Homies make me sick.

A New Nation of Republican's

If I'm not mistaken, the reason Senator Kerry is telling us not to get excited about the high voter turnout in the Iraqi election is he's afraid the nation is almost all RED. Hahhahahah

I'll bet the United Nations finds voter irregularities in Iraq. Something about how the presence of our troops near polling places was intimidating to the terrorists who have a right to vote also.

They are saying 72% turnout. That's almost matches the rolls of the dead that turned out in the State of Washington's governor race.

A dozen mortar and bomb attacks too place near polling places. They must have been associated with the exit polls and where looking for a way to influence an election in a manner the Iraqis could understand.

CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC and the other alphabet channels for elementary educated viewers have been focusing only on the violence occuring near polling places. CBS is claiming Senator Kerry is a clear winner due to the violence condoned by his wifee should the election not go their way.

Dan Rather said today, I have been provided with documentation that President Bush voted in the Iraqi election. His signature is right there -->> Senor Bush in hieroglyphics. Opps... Wrong country.

Larry King asked some tough questions last night of an Iraqi woman with a stained pointy finger. "You are saying that the Bush Administration forced you to stain your finger just so you could vote?".... "Mutilation, I tell you. It's abominable!!"

Mary Mapes put in her application for the job of Baghdad Bob. When asked how she would cover this election as the spokesperson for the new Iraqi adminstration she replied "We have investigated the matter and determined we will boil your bowels in peanut oil and there is no American soldiers at the Baghdad airport. But I have this interesting document that has been verified as authentic from the Sadaam Public Library. President Bush checked out two copies of Lilo and Stitch Hawaiin Adventure and only returned one."

Meanwhile CBS offered their nightly news anchor position to Baghdad Bob, provided he use the following phrases in his nightly broadcasts:

Camels
Guts
Boil in Oil
I will Join the Fighters and Fight to the Death.

Senator Kennedy offered his advice to the President on the outstanding library book. "Say the brakes failed on your oldsmobile...".

The manager of our local Starbucks offered this note on the Iraqi election, "We've designed a new drink in honor of the election, it contains two parts expresso, one part peanut oil, and one part camel hair.... we call it a "hairy bowel movement."

At last, my kids asked what this election meant and I replied, "it means our boys are one big step closer to coming home."

Thanks to our men and women over seas for making this possible.

Just Some Thoughts on Taxes & Numb3rs

Taxes
Today, I resolved to do my taxes and electronically submit them. Wow, I'd be about 2 1/2
months early. Normally, I wait until the last week before they are due.

While a agree we should all be paying a portion of our earned income in some form to improve our society infrastructure (roads, bridges, national defense), I don't believe I should have to pay for the welfare and social benefits stolen from our local governments for illegal aliens living here. Democrats believe we should allow anyone to live off the public dole. Republicans believe we should only assist those in desparate need and those that can work should pull themselves up by the bootstraps and get their butt to work. I believe "Don't Tread On Me". That means, no taxation without represenation. Therefore, those that live off the public dole should answer to ME on their needs, not some bureaucratic machine. That machine would dry up and die along with all those Civil Service Union jobs if we cracked down on illegal aliens receiving state benefits. That is why most Civil Servants are Democrats. They want that dole to continue so they can keep their cushy government job. I say, throw them out with those aliens.

Numb3rs
Statistically, you can predict the frequency dice will land in certain number combinations. You can predict statistically the frequency certain cards will appear during card games. You can predict the behavior of voters given enough known variables. So why do so many people gamble on line now in the poker rooms for Hold-Em? Because everyone believes they will be that next World Series of Poker winner for the millions of dollars. They believe that since they've had a bit of success, they too can win the BIG tournament. Well, I'm sorry to say, statistically, they are almost sure to fail. The number of hands played and the number of players are stacked against the amateur. There is little likelihood of success. Analyze that.

So What !!!

I'm told I don't contribute enough by putting my thoughts down on this blog. Yeah yeah yeah.

For those of you that don't know what a Title V permit is.... let me enlighten you. It is a mechanism for the EPA through the Clean Air Act to create useless information to be used in the public interest. I have to do mounds of reports every week, month, quarter than go into the bureacracy and don't reappear. It's a waste of time created by Congress to justify to their constituents the environmental laws they create are doing some good somehow. And killing lots of trees for the paperwork generated.

This Year's Utah Legislature

Well - we got some re-elected and some not. The one candidate I pesonally supported that had worked tirelessly in our name throughout District 1 lost a close election after the Republican party gerrymandered the district. While a Democrat losing to a Republican is not anything new in Utah, it was unexpected in District 1 where the encumbant was a conservative Democrat that often voted with the majority Republican Party on education, health care, job growth, and against urban sprawl. I'm sorry to see him go. After the last 4 terms, I can sum up his help for my industry as tireless. While we are unpopular (nobody likes a Hazardous Waste facility in their backyard), he made sure we were clearly distinguished with his collegues apart from the radioactive waste disposal business. He spoke positively of the need for business like ours to the press as he worked behind the scenes to secure the votes last year to assist overturning the previous years tipping fee increases.

Thank you Representative Eli Anderson for your service to Utah and good luck in your future endeavors.

Hazardous Waste Industry

Alot of people ask me what I do for a living..... well, it's complicated. I usually answer that I work for an Environmental Company. True. But most people automatically connect that with Environmental Activism or Ecological Research. Nothing could be further from the truth. You see, I work for a company that manages hazardous waste for disposal. Wow, you might say. Most people think this is a booming industry. But it is actually a shrinking industry. Let explain why.

When Congress created the RCRA (Resource Conservations and Recovery Act) in 1982, and CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response and Compensation Liability Act-Superfund) in the late 70's, the industry did boom for about 5 years until enough startup companies flooded the marketplace. At that time, most companies disposed of their hazardous waste (solvents, acids, bases, contaminated debris, etc.) at landfills. Later in 1988, Congress implemented the First Third Land Disposal Restrictions, which prevented about 80% of the tonage going to landfills from being sent their any longer. This was required because landfill design prior to that date was flawed and many of the solvents placed in the landfills, leached through the unit, through the clay and liner bottom (many early landfills did not even require landfills), and ultimately appeared down gradient in groundwater. By implementing the First Third, Congress mandated treatment technologies and numerical treatment standards for specific waste types. Land disposal was no longer an approved treatment technology for waste streams such as solvents.

Congress gradually implemented the Second and Third Thirds over the next 5 years that further restricted the types of waste going to land disposal facilities. This created a strain on hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDF's) that then were required to more carefully manage wastes accepted from generators of waste to make sure that waste was shipped to a facility that could properly dispose of it. If a TSDF in Phoenix accepted solvent liquids from a aerospace company, they generally had several disposal options for that waste stream. The TSDF rarely actually did the disposal but acted more as a broker for the waste streams they collected from many different industries and generator types. That Phoenix TSDF could elect to sent that waste to a hazardous waste incinerator (there are many in the U.S.), a cement kiln (has fewer emission control requirements than an incinerator), a recycler (solvent must be clean enough to be recycled), or out of the nation (Canada or Mexico). Typically, generators and TSDF's elect the lowest cost option that in the early 80's resulted in many fly-by-night companies popping up that took the money to take these wastes but dumped them on the side of the road or in a ditch rather than disposing as required by regulation.

To address this illegal dumping, Congress created DOT shipping requirements that created chain-of-custody's for every shipment. They also created a cradle-to-grave tracking requirement for generators and TSDF's. Each is required by rule to track their waste from the time they generate it to the time it is disposed. The generator is responsible for that material at every step of the process and thus could be held equally accountable if it ended up in a ditch, having to pay twice for its disposal. This created another new concept in this field - environmental audits.

More later.

Shrinking Deficit - Where is MSM?

I was reading on Powerline today how the deficity has shrunk by 1% of the GNP over the last month when it was found out federal income taxes have risen by 10% approximately in a SINGLE MONTH.

Golly. If President Bush's policy's of cutting taxes were not working, the MSM would be all over the looming budget crisis. But since they are working... gee, that's got to find something else negative to showcase this President. Why is the MSM so biased in reporting the facts of this and all previous republican administrations? I can't put my finger on it.... but perhaps.... it might be because of their own shame in being American's. But wait, most senior corrospondents are not even from this country (as I've recently discovered). I'm going to have to spend more time focusing on the specifics of each MSM top corrospondent. But it makes me sick to watch the alphabet channels (Already Been Circumcised [ABC]), (Never Been Circumcised [NBC]), (Can't Be Spayed [CBS]).

So with the looming catastrophe the MSM has been predicting with budget deficits as a result of lower taxes, they will have to focus on undercutting my website.

Not.

Fiddling with Social Security

Is it true that SS will be out of money once again by the time I retire?

I seem to recall several times in the last 30 years this same discussion and debate took place. Each time, Congress found some way to manipulate the source of SS funds and size and length of payouts to prevent the system from going insolvent. When I was in High School, Tip O'Neil told America how we needed to re-work the system so the Baby Boomers would could have something to retire with. At that time, a combination of fixes too place.

First, the retirement age gradually increased over several years in the next two decades delaying the start time when new recipients could receive payouts. Was this fair? Well, those that were close to retirement age had to wait anywhere from 6 months longer to 2 years longer until they could receive payouts and either continue to work or rely on any other cash or equivalent assets they had managed to accumulate during the years leading up to their retirement age. You may not remember the significance of this period but it was when the MSM portrayed the elderly having to resort to eating dogfood due to their reduced income (there were other reasons for this not described by the MSM that included mental illness, no family support). The MSM only looked at the elderly they found that were eating dogfood and that contributed to their theme. This is a typical tactic of the MSM, only pick those individuals that contribute to their theme and ignore that vast majority of retiree's that managed to prepare for their retirement. I remember many of my HS and College peers believing this was a prevalent condition of the elderly and not questioning or attempting to find the truth out for themselves.

Second, Congress increased the percentage contributed by the existing workers in America. Was this fair to the younger Americans forced to pay proportionately larger amount of their income to support existing recipients well aware that the SS system as they know it may not be solvent until their own retirement age? Younger workers generally have never questioned the withholdings on their paystubs. They've never known anything different in their lifetime. They've never know a time when taxes were not withheld from their check. This generation also lives to emulate the lifestyles seen on television. They believe they can have it all by using credit and not worrying about saving or preparing for the future. That's what every commercial, banking institution, Jone's across the street, etc. want this generation to believe.

Congress also limited the payount percentage increases, holding back any increases over the next few years or limiting it to only a percentage point or two annually.

As long as a retiree is prepared for that time when they can no longer work and rely on that consistent income through, stocks, savings, assets or land, etc. Any of the above scenarios's would not significantly affect your welfare. My folks were that way. They prepared for their retirement early. Dad had a retirement program that included medical benefits with his blue collar job. They did not invest significantly in stocks but were able to have their home paid off, no debt from credit accounts or vehicles, a modest sum in their savings accounts which they could only get into with difficulty, and managed to separate themselves from their children financially and not have to support any beyond what is customary for their generation. All the kids in our household were generally out of the home within a year or two following graduation from HS. Was that preparation by my folks or preparation of the kids for running and taking responsibility for their own lives?

So, that begs to answer the question of how we should fiddle with SS today to make sure exiting retirees continue to receive "reasonable" benefits, while new retirees around the corner or several decades away can expect to receive their fair share of what they have been contributing toward all those working years.

First, I propose a financial test for all new SS recipients. The stories of millionaires in Florida continuing to receive SS allotments should be checked out. If true, the loopholes in the system that allow payouts to those that have no need should be closed. With welfare, foodstamps, unemployment, there are limits built into the system by the federal government that prevent welfare moms from continuing to receive benefits. There are now job programs and limits on how long you can receive welfare during your lifetime. With unemployment, there are limits based upon what you made in your last job and limits on the length of time you can collect.

I propose similar tests that prevent someone from collecting more than their fair share or collecting at all if they are indeed wealthy. Why should the wealthy be allowed to collect unemployment or SS if they have no "needs"? I am baffled that our SS system is blind to this issue. Unfortunately, the retirement lobbies are indeed powerful.

I also propose limiting the expansion of new benefits and tying any increase in benefits to the economy. If the nation is profitable and growing, the recipients should have the opportunity to reap some of that windfall. I'm not sure how to do that, but in my job, when the company does well, they pass on modest annual increases to employees. The government should do the same.

I also propose creating alternatives to the existing SS system that allows middle age folks such as myself to choose my retirement mechanism. More or less risk should be based upon my desire and not the governments control. I've been doing okay with my 401K now, but sticking to SS may never allow me any income. I'd like to have that decision left up to me and not Senator Kennedy (D-MA).

I don't believe privatization of SS is good. I believe I should be allowed to make my own retirement choices after I have demonstrated a certain dollar figure of payments into existing programs. For example, if I have $250k or $350k in a 401K or other assets accumulated, then I should be allowed to choose my retirement options. If I have no accumulated assets which I can depend upon, then perhaps I would be required to pay into the existing SS system. Sort of the like the workers compensation insurance program setup by California for employers. They have the option to use their own programs, but at a minimum must use the California equivalent program.

Congress would never allow any of these changes. The retiree lobbyist's are too powerful. The contributions by those lobbyist's are too large. This generation is too silent to challenge the previous generations power in Washington. People like me are too few and far between. No one wants to fiddle with the system because it gives promises to give them something in the future even though it may not be what they paid in or expected.

I don't have a better solution. The status quo will only hurt me. Almost any changes would help me. What more can I do?

Ban on Prayer

Who is this guy that he thinks he can force his religious belief (agnosticism) on the rest of America? That is what is happening here. A religion of "non-religion" is being forced upon anyone that utters or even infers any remotely religious symbolism, icon, or words during or on any government or school or other public place at any time.

The pendulam has indeed swung far to the left in our court system that this agnostic (and ACLU for that matter) can gain media attention and court sympathy enough to get his request for injuction this far in the judicial process where it took a realistic judge with many years experience to deny in a less than forceful manner. I predict he will appeal today's decision to satisfy his own pride and continue to obtain the media attention he so desperately seeks.

More on this later.

Tell a Lawyer Joke, Go to Jail

Have you seen this article? It's getting so nobody can take a joke anymore...!?!?!?

Tell a lawyer joke, go to jail?

The Associated Press
Updated: 3:03 p.m. ET Jan. 12, 2005
MEPSTEAD, N.Y. - Did you hear the one about the two guys arrested for telling lawyer jokes?

It happened this week to the founders of a group called Americans for Legal Reform, who were waiting in line to get into a Long Island courthouse.

“How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?” Harvey Kash reportedly asked Carl Lanzisera.
“His lips are moving,” they said in unison.

While some waiting to get into the courthouse giggled, a lawyer farther up the line Monday was not laughing.

He told them to pipe down, and when they did not, the lawyer reported the pair to court personnel, who charged them with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

“They just can’t take it,” Kash said of lawyers in general. “This violates our First Amendment rights.”

Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance.” He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained.

Americans for Legal Reform monitors the courts and uses confrontational tactics to push for greater access for the public. The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers.

On Monday, however, Kash said he was due in court to answer a drunken driving charge from a year and a half ago. The men are due back in court on the disorderly conduct charge next month.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Did they break some cardinal rule here? No... they were providing entertainment. Can you honestly say the attorney's don't ever tell or even laugh at jokes about jurists? "Hey... how do you tell an honest juror from a dishonest juror?".... other attorney answers... "I dunno.... tell me when you find out."

What kind of tin-horn county is that anyway? They've got to be nuts bring charges up on these guys. Are they going to say they weren't funny? What witness are they intending on calling? These guys need to fight this and embarrass this court. Our tax dollars at work. Wasting, wasting, wasting our tax dollars to justify their own existence. They need to email me for a donation so I can help support their legal defense.

Blood Pressure & Obesity

The wife has been pushing me to go to a cardiologist for about a year. I finally succumbed and sat transfixed as the Doctor told me all the things I know already.

1. I am at the threshold between overweight and obiese. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I resolve to cut 15 pounds between today and the end of the first quarter of the year (that gives me about 2 1/2 months). Can I do this? If I'm down 10, then I'll claim that as a victory. He really wants me to cut more like 45 pounds. Let's take it one step at a time. No sense in having to go out and buy new clothes all at once now is there? And besides, the Doctor isn't exactly trim... so how bad can a few extra pounds be?

2. I am at the threshold between okay bloodpressure and high-bloodpressure. What he did not say is that if my bp was measured a year ago, it would have been fine. Since that time, the national standards for this have dropped, so what used to be okay is now considered high or marginally high. In 30 years, they will probably drop the number again and my kids will be scratching their heads wondering why it was not that way to begin with. I personally think this is a communist plot by the drug companies to help get more sales for those specialized drugs you have to take. No need for me to take drugs for this. It seems if diet, exercise, and weight are under control, then the bp should fall within normal limits.

3. I lead too sedentary a life-style. No disagreement there. It's winter. Everyone stays inside in the winter. Gotta be nuts to go outside when its 15 out there. [Have you seen that commercial from that cellular company with the father and mother looking through the front window of their house while there kids are outside shoveling snow? That commercial cracks me up..... it is exactly how I hope to stay inside when it is cold. "I'm not going out there.... it's freezing outside."] So, I suppose I can make a point at work of climbing to the top of the cross-over duct once per day (about 15 flights of stairs) regardless of the weather since it is always warm there with the heat coming from the kiln. It will just be terribly noisy. Hopefully, I won't embarrass myself too much and have to admit to my peers what I am doing.

4. I need to exercise more. Okay. See #3. It's freezing outside. I'll find something to do that at least get my heart-rate up. The wife bought me a small stair stepper for Christmas and I suppose I could do that while watching an NHL game. Wait. The NHL cancelled their season. Alright... then I suppose I could do this while watching "The Factor". The wife really will be watching me on this one. I better behave. You know.... there is a way to exercise with the wife and stay in her good graces.... I hear that gets the heart rate up too.

5. I need to cut my caffiene intake (you might as well ask me not to breathe). I don't eat chocolate or drink soda's much so we are really just talking about coffee. Okay.... I'll cut it down to 1 cup in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. Maybe a 3rd cup if I'm especially good. Fair compromise for now? We'll see how my productivity on the job holds up without the stimulants.

6. My diet needs modification. Cut out the salt. Cut down significantly on red-meat (this and coffee break my heart). We eat alot of fruits and vegatables anyway so getting the roughage won't be any problem. It's the salt and red-meat. "Fill up on water or a piece of fruit before a meal the Doctor says." Okay. I'll have to sneak it around the kids. I don't want them seeing me eating when I keep telling them to wait.

So that is the skinny. Where do I go from here? Another appointment next week to get some blood pulled for cholesterol checks. I already know the direction this is going to go.

I'm the typical Type A Male. I only go to the Doctor unless I absolutely have to. I once had pneumonia so bad my lungs were gurgling when I'd sing in church. That is how long I wait until I go see the Doctor. That is why the wife pushed, pulled, prodded, begged, kicked, and scratched until I went in today. She is usually right though. I should have gone long ago even though I already knew the answers, having a Doctor tell me may make the difference. Having the wife tell me.... well.... that's not something I can usually hear. You see.... my hearing is bad too in that ear (the wife ear I tell her).

After all, I'd like to see my kids have kids so I can spoil them like my folks do today.

[I forgot the most important part - stress reduction. I've got to find better releases for my frustration on the job, driving in traffic, or picking up dog poop. I think I'll take up knitting.]

Update: January 18th

My stress test on the treadmill kicked my butt today. If you've never done a stress test to see how your heart is functioning and you are over 40, have a family history of heart disease, have high-blood pressure or other symptoms leading to heart disease, then get prepared for a real test of you endurance.

While only 10 minutes on the treadmill, it took everything I had to keep my heartrate at the target of 160 for 3 minutes before jumping off to have someone tell you to hold your breath while they ultrasound your chest to monitor heart performance. YEAH - RIGHT!! I can't even come close to catching my breath and they are saying hold your breath so they can see the heart between the ribs.

Okay - so I exaggerated a bit. With legs cramping, huffing and puffing, I did exactly what the doctors and technicians ordered. They got the information they needed and everything so far looks normal. What a relief. Now, if I can only get the motivation to do that everyday.

Utah's Bankruptcy Rate

So Utah leads the nation in bankruptcy rates. Does it surprise you? Not me.

If you are LDS, you generally get married at a young age and buy a house when earning power is generally lowest. You have a low wage because you are starting your career. Mortgage payments then become that giant sucking sound you hear while all the nice things you want to furnish your house with are that second large giant sucking sound. You want the house and the furniture but can hardly afford either. But with Utah pressures to become a normal family very quickly, you succumb to the sweet aroma of having it all and run up those credit card accounts.

Then two or three months later, you are struggling to make even the minimum payments. five or six months later, you can't even make the minimum payments and are running late on a few. Within a year, you are defaulting on one or more major cards. What did you gain? Nothing but debt and frustration.

My wife and I have experienced that pressure and fortunately, been successful in managing our budgets in a manner consistent with our income. We don't have all the decorations around the house that our neighbors and friends have, but we are financially sound and don't have the anxiety some of our friends have. We sometimes disagree on the importance of buying a piece of furniture now versus waiting until we are in a better position, but we never disagree when we both know exactly where we are month-to-month on our household budget. I guess that is what differentiates us from the DINKs or LDS couples of the state. We chose to live within our means. Why can't the LDS folks setup counseling on this matter with all wards? They have counseling on pretty much everything else. Utah would be well served (since it is generally controlled by the LDS) to push this issue back on to the church.

No Wonder CBS News is Dying

Read the report on Mapes and the other CBS cronies. They wonder why their ratings are in the tank and yet the report does not go to the central theme of the problem. CBS is biased in its reporting of conservative issues and conservative candidates. Mapes was so blinded by her desire to see President Bush evicted from the White House that she geniunely believed in the authenticity of documents all of us (reasonable people) could immediately see were false.

How can CBS fix their broken down network news? HIRE CONSERVATIVES TO BALANCE YOUR NEWS STAFF. CBS is filled with liberal conservative haters. That is why I can't stand watching any of their news broadcasts and why I make every effort to avoid the other network programming. CBS needs to demonstrate they can indeed report fair and balanced. They need to demonstrate this over the long term. They need to can reporters and producers that unveil their bias through their pieces. Reign in the Mapes and Rathers by pulling the rug out from under them before a stunt like this hits the air again.

CBS is not going to close their network news. Although appealing to conservatives, it will instead rank in the bottom of the ratings until the next big story. Hopefully, they will take my idea and add diversity to their staff. Diversity would have asked the hard questions before this story hit the air. Diversity would have asked "why are we in such a rush to put this piece on the air when there are so many discrepancies that need to be investigated"? Diversity would have forced Mapes to show her hand earlier instead of bulldozing her story straight to the newsdesk.

CBS needs an Affirmative Action Program for conservative ideas.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Finally - Mary Mapes was fired today. After 4 months of investigation, CBS finally terminated her and asked several of the "60 Minutes Wednesday" producer staff to resign. If I'd have done something as blatantly partisan as she committed, my employer would have axed me in 15 minutes. I'll bet CBS had to use every minute of that 4 months looking under every rock in their attempt to protect her and finally realized they could not. All by itself, Mapes telephone call to the DNC that allegedly created the "appearance" of bias should have been enough to terminate this operative. Mapes has been sharpening her axe for this hatchet style reporting since the outset of her career in Washington State. Good ridance.

I hope she doesn't show up on Fox News like all the other liberal hacks. I am getting sick of seeing Fox hire hacks because they are accused of having some right leaning bias. Juan Williams is the latest example. He migrated to Fox and now I have to turn the channel because he pisses me off so bad.

Keeping Me Honest

My wife - I love her dearly - thinks I've gone off the deep end by starting my own blog. Well, she might be right. I am frustrated by not being able to discuss or publish my ideas on current events in a forum I can control. In that respect, she may be right. I've jumped off the edge into the deep chasm of blogger world where I will be swallowed up by the huge traffic of the internet.

With that being said, I asked the wife to post on my blog to keep me honest and help all of you discover when I'm ranting and reel me back in to reality.

Washington State - Steal this Election Why Don't You?

One of my favorite blogs "powerlineblog.com" has a well thought out opinion piece referenced on the Wastington State Governor race. I love this country. But the liberals are tearing it to pieces.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110006139

It possible, Rossi can still win this election:

"Similarly, when Christine Gregoire takes the oath of office as governor on Wednesday, she will still face a threat to her seat of power should the new media keep up the pressure and more evidence of a tainted vote count emerges in court.

She would do well to recall what happened in Minnesota after the 1962 election for governor there. Republican Elmer Anderson won a squeaker and was sworn in, but a recount of disputed ballots ground on. A hundred days into Mr. Anderson's term, a panel of three state judges ruled that Democrat Karl Rolvaag had actually won by 91 votes. To end the legal wrangling, Mr. Anderson dropped any appeals and calmly left office, allowing Mr. Rolvaag to move into the governor's mansion."

Michael Moore - Not My Choice

Well.... you have to wonder just exactly how he was able to pull it off and win an "award?" for his crummy film. Sensationalism sells. That's how. He claims the film truly represents the feelings of the people. WRONG. It is a manipulative deception of the truth canned as a documentary that seeks to capitalize on the political divisions of this country. He is out to make money. Not make a political statement. This film nothing more than controversy put on video to manipulate the emotions of those passionate liberals willing to fork over ten bucks and see a movie they believe was made to make a political statement. Well, they got more than they bargained for. They put about $2 bucks into his pocket every time they saw that movie. And he is no dummy. He knows the longer he can keep his film a central topic of discussion in the MSM (Main-Stream-Media), the longer he can keep raking in bucks from DVD, theatre and marketing sales. This is business - pure and simple.

Top Stories of 01/07/05 & Comments

1. Senator Boxer (D-CA), thank goodness we left California. With Senators like this, we'd be taxed to death, have no small businesses because they couldn't afford to pay worker compensation, have greenfields from one side of the state to the other, ride bicycles instead of commute in vehicles, be forced to send our kids to public school, and die with nothing to pass to our children because the state would control our estate.

2. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), thank goodness I don't live in New York and have no plans to live there. I'd probably write letters I'd regret and she'd probably ignore them. Talk about grandstanding and living off the dole of the taxpayers for one's personal gain. What has she really done for the State of New York anyway? What legislation has she sponsored or co-sponsored and seen passed that actually helped make my life easier? NONE.

3. Tsunami Disaster - My prayers are with the peoples affected by this horrific tragedy of Biblical proportions. Words cannot begin to convey my anguish for the families affected by this event. I thank this great country for its immediate and unconditional response to minimize loss of life and provide comfort, shelter, medical care and food supplies to those affected. Also, thank you to the Australian government for their assistance and immediate efforts. However, I am troubled by the similarity of the UN response to that protrayed in "Left Behind" by the GCC. The news events have strange similarities and parallels to those in that book series. Am I imagining things?

Day of Creation

For several months before the 2004 National Election, I've enjoyed participating in various blog sites discussing the relevant topics of the day leading up to the retention of the White House by the Republican Party and President Bush. I've learned enough details from these blog sites to realize I am not alone in my thinking on the direction this great country has traveled over the previous three presidental terms (1 with Bush and 2 with Clinton). I have grown to realize I have an opinion that I want others to hear and a forum to discuss my opinions and ideas in a manner of my choice.

Today, the Lilley Pad has been created to further that goal.

While my family has used the joke of the Lilley Pad numerous times to describe our various homes, now it becomes a permanent location where I others of similar or conflicting beliefs are free to voice their contribution on the soap box provided. I am not a well educated man in the manner of Ivy League schools nor am I as eloquent at grammer and the use of the english language. I am simply an Engineer, Manager, Father and Husband hoping to interact on a commonsense level and debate those willing to participate in this forum in manner that respects our backgrounds and beliefs.

Having stated that, I welcome my friends, family and associates to participate and kick off this blog spot in a manner befitting your political, religious or personal beliefs. No topic is too sacred and no topic will be avoided. Welcome to the Lilley Pad!!

[January 10th - It has already started, the UN is taking credit for work other dutiful nations are performing.]