We are all news hounds. Why else look around such places as Townhall and FreeRepublic? You wouldn't take the time to read this unless the subject interested you. I have been lazy about writing, but I have a lot to say.

I live in the Panhandle of WV, about an hour from DC. It's January 6th, and we have not seen any snow yet. My older brother lives in Denver (nothing more to add, huh?) Yesterday, I was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals, while OUTSIDE cleaning out the flue on my wood stove. I even broke into a mild sweat!

My wife drives a Nissan 300ZX, and absolutely loves to ride with the T-tops out. She walked out to go to work, then walked back into the house, got a scarf, and took out the T's. She came home last night with them still in their storage bags under the hatch. She did have to turn on the heat, though, since it had dropped to an unbearable 55. She left them out last night, and though cooler today, is still planning on driving with them out.

She sells cars, and told me that yesterday was a "looky-loo day". It seemed there were a large number of folk wishing to "test drive" a convertible. Did I mention this is January 6th, and it made it to 72!!!? Normally she is selling 4x4's this time of year, so people can escape their driveways.

________________

I have a dalmation (Spot) who loves to run. I like to hike, so it seems a perfect match. The only problem is that he loves mud puddles, and HATES baths. We drive 15 or so miles most days, so we can hike on a mountain ridge over in Sleepy Creek WMA. It rained Friday, and when we drove over yesterday, I decided not to let him get so dirty. Instead, we re-rerouted and went to a local development, with miles of paved roads, and little traffic. He loves the place.

He gets excited as we approach, and jumps from side to side in the back of the car. Upon entering, it is a steady steep grade uphill, for almost two miles. I stop long enough to open the back door, and he leaps to the ground, and heads up the hill as fast as he can run. He likes to race the car, and I am glad to help tire him. I have clocked him (with my GPS) at a steady 28mph UPHILL, and over 30 on the flats. He seems tireless, running 5-8 miles tat a steady 15-18 mph, with occasional stops to mark. I guess that is what carriage dogs used to do...

I can usually tell when he is ready to go home. I will stop, reach back and open the back door, and he comes toward it. But, he won't go directly into the door. Instead, he Always goes around the car at least once, then jumps in. I keep the back window rolled part-way down, so he can stick his head out (I know some people don't like that, but he sure does!). My next action is to get myself out, grab the frisbee and a water bottle, then pour until he is sated. He splashes it allove the outside of the car, rather than inside.He will then ride most of the way home with his head hanging out the window, jowls flapping in the breeze (gale?), cooling himself.

Coming home, we stopped at MickeyD's for a hit on their $1 menu. Two double cheeseburgers, and a senior Coke make a good snack for us. I get mine without onions. He doesn't care what's on his, as long as I get one of them is for him! Of course, he also wants a good chunk of mine, and I usually oblige. Their "senior Coke" is the best deal they offer. I can buy a refillable cup for 35 cents. The same size on the regular menu is $1.09. I'm not cheap, just "frugal"!

______________

All this week, the Dims have been celebrating their take-over in Congress. I am so tired of Ms Squint and Mr. Squeeky. These slimes are the ones touting the "culture of corruption" among the Pubbies, all the while Harry is dining on lobster from the proceeds of his dishonest dealings, and we still have no explanation about that cash in Wm Jefferson's freezer. Ms. Pelosi uses illegals in her vineyard, and pays less than the minimum wage she is promoting.

On their card is higher taxes, more regulation, and sticking us with a ban on drilling in the Arctic north. They are also going to help Sr. Jorge get his wish to further establish their North American Union, and shaft the people that pay the bills. Social Security is going into the toilet, and he wants to flush. They will jointly meter the water, and charge us by the drop.

"NORTH COUNTY ---- A state report quietly released last spring shows illegal immigrants made up the largest single group of those giving birth at taxpayer expense in the state and in San Diego County in 2004.

The May report, "Medi-Cal Funded Deliveries," states that of the 14,350 taxpayer-funded births in the county that year, 5,814, or 40.5 percent, were to illegal immigrants. That is an 18 percent increase over the 4,916 Medi-Cal-funded deliveries to illegal immigrants in San Diego County in 2001, as shown in an earlier state report..."
-http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/07/news/top_stories/20_40_021_6_07.txt

Our government is no longer "of the people, by the people, for the people". I'm not sure when it changed, but I suspect the Income tax and New Deal had something to do with it. I do know that within my lifetime, we have seen a total disregard for the common man, instead preferring to reward sloth, and buy votes (see Katrina, New Orleans for prime example).

Regulations choke our small businesses, reward big businesses, and send people bills for failing to file a required form or application (to wipe your butt). Courts reward those who promote this change, with the bill for their lawyers (ACLU payments last year were in the hundreds of MILLIONS), EVEN when they lose.

Queers (no, I don't think they are normal, I think they are PERVERTS!) demand equal rights, then get MORE rights. Special education means more dollars for the teachers unions, and more administrators, so children are drugged and thrown into a classroom of likely sex predators. Homosexuality is TAUGHT in the public schools, and anyone who protests is nothing more than a homophobe.

"ROCKVILLE, January 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Board of Education of Montgomery County, Maryland, is set next week to consider a new curriculum for middle and high school students on sex education. The new program is being put forward after a group of parents had objected that a previously developed curriculum was too one-sided on homosexuality and denigrated religious beliefs that homosexual activity is a sin... -"http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07010506.html

I am not a homophobe. I just despise those who think their deviant sex life should be encouraged. Queers will try to get a young guy to go along, and will not take no for an answer. Lesbians are learning fast. NAMBLA members are able to survive, instead of being hunted down and hung. I hope you are as offended by them, as I!

Yesterday's news brought an article about a 17 yr teacher being found with pics on his computer, of little girls peeing!

"A longtime fifth-grade teacher accused of secretly videotaping women
and girls while they used the bathroom in his Woodinville home is
facing three counts of voyeurism.

Carlo "Nick" Calcagni resigned from his job at Moorlands Elementary
in Kenmore last week, days after investigators questioned him about the
video clips that were allegedly found on his computer..." -http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/298339_teacher04.html

What I want to know is, who is going to say enough? Certainly not these new folk in Congress. They are all looking for a way to bring the illegals into the voting booths, and find better ways to steal our hard-earned savings!

Ramblings as the day progresses...

I read this morning that a meat cutter used to make an average $19 an hour starting wage, and now it's around $10. I wonder how many meat cutters are named Jesus?

I watched my daughter load her iPod with music and photos. It's the replacement for the replacement, of her original one. She's had this one longer than the others. They were all made in China. Apple is up on the stocks market again today.

If you had invested just $5000 in Apple stock three years ago, you could now be a millionaire. Along with the iPod, Apple has made inroads in the PC market with Intel chips, and beautiful computers that don't crash (unless you decide to run Windoze for some exotic chase car game).

Apple stock sold for around $13 just three years ago. It is just under $90 as I type. Last week it was $94-95. But, over the three years, an astute observer would have had his stock increase in value and split. When it got back around $85, he would have sold last year. It then plummeted to the $50's and a buy back would now make you a millionaire by holding on.

Don't sell if you're in. I did, and then watched in chagrin as it continues to rise.They are going to be making more inroads with new products. They are good at marketing good computer stuff. Can you say iPhone? That is just one rumored project. Zune is cursed with Windoze...

iPods are quite elegant little computers, replete with hard drive and color monitor. She regrets not waiting to get one for video, but instead bought a PSP for music videos, and games. It has a larger screen, but Apple is rumored to be working on that as well.

We stopped at a pawn shop yesterday, and she bought a couple of little DVD's for the PSP (paid $14 for $45 retail value, used. She loves to shop like daddy...). She then watched "Kill Bill" in all it's gory detail, while I navigated home.

We're taking a cruise on the Norwegian Pearl this month. We will visit Cozumel, Mexico. It is a different kind of place, and has a decent sized ex-pat community. The beaches are great, the mayan ruins are all over the island, and the key lime pie at Tony Rome's place is rumored to be the best available anywhere. Since we stop in Key West first, I will compare and report back.

I am a travel agent, and like to cruise. One of the reasons I chose to do this (a)vocation is for the good discounts, and great places to visit. I like the idea of "unpack once", while visiting numerous sites and cities. The food is always good, and if you know how to wash your hands, you won't suffer ill effects while others snort and sniffle. My 17 yo daughter is going, and I will rarely see her on the ship, if it is like our other cruises These cruise lines do take good care of the kids, with lots of activities. But, I don't worry too much. She is never far out of my sight! She knows how to defend herself, as well!

There are no free cruises. Though sometimes you don't pay for accommodations, you always end up spending plenty. NCL awarded me the cruise in a drawing among other travel agents. They gave away 20 cabins on the ships first Caribbean trek. We can't wait to board it. They gave us the first leg, but we are paying for the rest, so we can spend more time away. Hey. It's 31 outside right now, and supposed to be 14 tonight!

NCL is still celebrating their 40 years and still giving free cruises to ANYONE that signs up. Go to the site, and maybe you can win one like me! There are only a few days left.

Another Great Quote from Ann Coulter in her latest column:
 "The Democratic base is at a fever pitch with visions of storm troopers listening to their phone calls and ruthlessly torturing innocent accountants at Guantanamo, where the average inmate has his own lawyer, his own prayer rug and is wondering what to do about that extra weight -- known as the "Gitmo 20" -- he's put on since being captured. They are oddly copacetic about actual storm troopers' daily harassment of actual citizens at airport security checkpoints. Liberals have no problem with government oppression as long as it's mandatory and applied equally to all Americans..."

I am driving to Miami, from WV, to board the ship. It's about 16 hours driving one way. I figure we will save around $300 cash plus 10-12 hours of not sitting around waiting, nor standing shoeless in wavy lines. I despise the lines. I hate to take off my shoes, for the TSA to do what?

I am looking into charter for some groups so they can get around some of this crap. People don't like to fly for a variety of reasons. Why don't they just put an armed Marine on every flight, sitting behind the cockpit door. There would be a procession of them down the flight corridors, heading onto each flight ramp as they go. Who's going to screw with the Marines? (Disclaimer: I was never a Marine. I was US Navy. There is a difference!) The folk in the cabin don't need to see him. He should have a first class quality seat, a video player, and great food. Pamper him, and tell him to stroll through every now and then to the head. I doubt he would even need to be armed!!! He would certainly breed confidence!

Who is winning the war on terror? Those Imams ranting allah akbar and making fools of themselves on an airplane should be placed under arrest, not giving g press conferences and staging protests. Deport the lot of them. Oh yeah, they can just come back across the Mexican Border, or the Canadian border, or they can just drive down Broadway in an armored van loaded with explosives. Or, are they going to barricade it , too?

Why can't we just seek out our enemies foreign and domestic, and take them down. Where is Rambo when you need him? Chuck Norris needs to find some followers, and go kick some islamofascist butt. I'll bet he could find some Marines! cocked and ready...

I would love to see him as head of some Party, but I would like more to see him lead the R's. He has character, polish, and a great sense of humor. He is not just another pretty face, or political debtor. I could vote for him on a top ticket, in either position. He could beat Hitlary! But, the Massa has spoken. I hope Mr. Steele will not take TOO much offense...

I still hold my R registration at the Courthouse, though. Here in WV, I am a Poll worker. In Berkeley County, we had 3 Pubbies and 2 Dims at each precinct. I hauled the finished ballots to the Courthouse, and waited while they loaded the stats from the cartridge from our Votronic machine, and confirmed it had worked. In the bag, were the tapes from the printer, that confirmed the votes, register. That is the way it needs to be, in order to minimize the corruption we now see around the country. We still need to see whether we did right.

I was glad they used electronic voting here. We had a variety of young and old, men and women, many of which had never even used a computer. this machine helped them understand the process, and the paper trail left them resting easier. Until they were assured of the paper tape, they wanted paper ballots. I wanted them to use the machines (next time they will handle provisional votes on it, but this time they were all on paper) but many balked. I know how easy it is to fudge (lose/find) with paper ("they suddenly found how many bags uncounted in WA?"). With the Votronic machine and a paper tape register, it has backup, hence more integrity available.

We did not have many truly young people in our precinct come out to vote, though. That was particularly disturbing, as was a hispanic woman who I really wanted to challenge but didn't. Her English was terrible, and I don't think she was a citizen, but another Commissioner asked her and she assured us she was (no, officer, I didn't know I was driving so fast).

I was disappointed as I got home and began watching the massacre. I was so tired of watching THE ENEMY lying through their pearly whites, abetted by their friends the DBM. Living near DC, we got continuous commercials for DC, MD, VA, and of course, WV. I will be curious to know how much money was spent by "outside interests" (isn't that how  you pronounce Soros?) on ads from hell. They must have originated there, because there was so little truth, and so much anger.  I was so glad to use the DVR and bypass them, but the strings got longer, and the rhetoric worse.

"Sheets" won handily, since he was given a thirty car lead over Raece, and the end of the track was shortened to 10 feet in front. Of course, that is WV, where the KKK must still be active (wasn't that Annapolis where I last saw them?). But then, George Allen didn't have the good sence to watch his words and the "Klintoon Kill Machine" managed to twist that into a lynching. In Maryland, Mike Steele came close, but the got beaten in the end by the "B'more Crab and Vote buyers". In DC, I imagine Marion Barry enjoyed some time in a suite with his favorite crack ho, gently puffing on his pipe. He is still on the DC city Council.

Our local bright lite, Rep. Shelly Capito, R-WV2 was challenged by the Dims. Fortunately (or not) she hasn't had a long career and has few gaffs. She does a good job of service and always responds to appeals for anything. You know, it really is true, though. "All politics is local". Even with the "Machine " stacking their chairs and calling the races, she still won without any doubts. We know her, and she is ours. In spite of mounting good-looking, but limp-wristed, veterans (who else wants to "get them out NOW"?) as candidates throughout the country, they could not unseat our girl (is it OK to call her that? with that stuff. WV may be laughed at because of "Sheets", but it is leaning more R these days.

Locally, we have a solid R base. This was a solid D area for years, but the locals have seen the light. Ron Reagan put it on that hill. They are working to make it brighter. In 2008, Rockyfella is up for renewal. I think he can be flushed, but only if the R's in the Unites States Congress find a backbone and present solid Conservative values. It will also help if the White House grows a set, and finds a veto pen. Of course, then George may not get his illegal invaders legalized...

2008 will be here in a couple of weeks (it will seem like it), so tempus is fujiting. We must not wait to set the agenda. The agenda is already on paper (for reference, see the Constitution of the United States).