OK, so I have a big noggin. This was taken by the daughter on her phone as we left the theater after seeing the 3-D movie, Monster House with the whole bunch of them.
Here's a pic of me and my oldest kid, checking himself into rehab... er... I mean.... the MTC...
From MSNBC, posted an hour ago:DeLay acted one day after Texas Republicans lost a court battle in their bid to name a replacement candidate for him on the November ballot.
"I will take the actions necessary to remove my name from the Texas ballot. To do anything else would be hypocrisy," DeLay said in a statement. "I strongly encourage the Republican Party to take any and all actions necessary to give Texas voters an up-or-down choice this fall between two major party candidates."
A day or two ago I was looking around at blogs from Denmark. This was stirred up inside me because of a few things:White has published the World Map of Happiness, an interactive map that illustrates interational differences of happiness among the people of 177 countries. The map is based on an analysis of results from over 100 studies.
The concept of happiness, or satisfaction with life (SWL), is currently a major area of research in economics and psychology, White says, most closely associated with new developments in positive psychology. Says White:
There is a belief that capitalism leads to unhappy people. However, when people are asked if they are happy with their lives, people in countries with good healthcare, a higher GDP per capita, and access to education were much more likely to report being happy.
According to White’s data, the top 10 countries in the world with the highest SWL rankings are:
Four of the ten are Nordic countries (counting Iceland as Nordic). Six are in Europe. The Netherlands scores 15. Better than the USA at 23, Australia at 26, the UK at 41 or France at 62.
Countries at the bottom of the happiness table hold few surprises. Bottom of everyone, at 177, is Zimbabwe. Sudan is 173. Russia is at 167. Lebanon is 113 although in light of current events, I wonder what the number would be today.
I'm thinking about moving....
The Senate voted 98-0 recently to pass the Voting Rights Act. Sen Orrin Hatch was quoted in The Hill newspaper as saying, "I think the Voting Rights Act is the most important civil-rights bill in history."Just give 'em the finger, Orrin.
But in 1982 Hatch was a leading opponent of the bill. He fought for changes as a member of the Judiciary Committee, was one of four who voted against a compromise version of the bill in committee, and argued the bill could lead to reverse discrimination. The New York Times quoted Hatch in June 1982 warning that if the Voting Rights Act were renewed, "racial gerrymandering and racial block voting will become normal occurrences."
Sen Jesse Helms, of North Carolina, tried to filibuster the measure but, when it was obvious that the vast majority of senators supported the bill, dropped his opposition. Hatch went a step further and actually voted for its passage.
I get about 100 page views a day here at the bloggin' post. In the last 30 days, the geographical breakdown looks like this:
March 3, 2006 | New York -- Late last year, the idea of impeaching President Bush, once taboo even among most liberals, started gaining real currency. Following revelations of Bush's domestic spying program -- and the president's unrepentant insistence on continuing it -- former Nixon White House counsel John Dean called Bush "the first president to admit to an impeachable offense." Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called for the creation of a select committee to investigate "those offenses which appear to rise to the level of impeachment." Twenty-six House Democrats have joined him.
At the end of January, former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman, a member of the House Judiciary Committee during Nixon's impeachment, penned an appeal for Bush's removal in the Nation, citing his illegal wiretaps, his deliberate deceptions over Iraq, his incompetent prosecution of the war, and his authorizing systemic torture and abuse. "Impeachment is a tortuous process, but now that President Bush has thrown down the gauntlet and virtually dared Congress to stop him from violating the law, nothing less is necessary to protect our constitutional system and preserve our democracy," she wrote. In March, former Harper's magazine editor Lewis Lapham wrote a cover story in that magazine titled "The Case for Impeachment." The Center for Constitutional Rights -- the legal group representing many of the victims of Bush's torture policies -- has just published a book called "Articles of Impeachment Against George W. Bush," and at least one other book in a similar vein is forthcoming, Dave Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky's "The Case for Impeachment."
This little item has been stuck to my fridge for about three months now:
On my way to the office this morning, I was thinking to myself that there must be SOME way to get Pete out there a little better in the general public. After all, it's August, it's home stretch time. The underdog can't wait til October to pull off a miracle, like a longterm incumbent. He needs billboards, he needs TV, he needs press, he needs vocal support farther and wider than a blogger community. (Not that there's not a ton of support there, but it's fairly invisible in the wider perspective.)"Ashdown has also called for a debate with Hatch and all other third-party candidates in each of Utah's 29 counties in August, but Hatch's camp says no way. Hansen said Hatch would be open to candidate debates after August."
Salon.com was the pioneer of the online magazine genre, beginning about the time Apple Computer stock was at $20, and everyone was glad they were able to sell in time. Had we only known then what we know now....Homosexuality is "abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature, and a violation of the laws of nature and of nature's God upon which this Nation and our laws are predicated," and argued, "The State carries the power of the sword, that is, the power to prohibit conduct with physical penalties, such as confinement and even execution. It must use that power to prevent the subversion of children toward this lifestyle, to not encourage a criminal lifestyle."
In many places, local religious leaders and politicians lend their support to AVIDD's cause. And at least some of the people at these rallies speak with seething resentment about the tyranny of Jews over America's Christian majority."People who call themselves Jews represent maybe 2 or 3 percent of our people," Cabaniss told me after a January 2005 rally in Austin. "Christians represent a huge percent, and we don't believe that a small percentage should destroy the values of the larger percentage."
I asked Cabaniss, a thin, white-haired man who wore a suit with a red, white, and blue tie and a U.S. Army baseball cap, whether he was saying that American Jews have too much power. "It appears that way," he replied. "They're a driving force behind trying to take everything to do with Christianity out of our system. That's the part that makes us very upset."
Ed Hamilton, who'd come to the rally from San Antonio, interjected, "There are very wealthy Jews in high places, and they have significant control over a lot of financial matters and some political matters. They have disproportionate amount of influence in our financial structure."
Is it just me, or is that CHILLING to you too? When the rally in San Antonio was over, Moore's Ten Commandments monument was on the back of a flatbed truck a few yards away. An American flag was perched on one side, and on the other, a flag bearing an eagle perched atop a bloody cross.
Goldman notes that there is even a high school curriculum now developed for use in instilling the "proper view of Christianity" in our youths, and adults can enroll in a year-long seminar series called "worldview training", which include meetings in Washington, D.C., online seminars, "mentoring," and several hours of homework each week. "The program will be heavily weighted towards how to think," the web site says. It's intended for those who work in churches, media, law, government, and education, and who can thus teach others to think the same way."Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ -- to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.
But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.
It is dominion we are after. Not just influence.
It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time.
It is dominion we are after.
World conquest. That's what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish. We must win the world with the power of the Gospel. And we must never settle for anything less...
Thus, Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land -- of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ."
Anthony (Antonio) Dominick Benedetto was born August 3, 1926, in Astoria, Queens in New York City. His father was a grocer, his mother was a seamstress, and his uncle was a tap dancer. Young Bennett gave a singing performance at the opening of the Triborough Bridge at the age of 10. He studied music and painting at the New York High School of Industrial Arts, but dropped out at the age of 16. He had to support his family and he performed as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants.
He enjoyed a career renaissance in the 90's as a new generation of consumers discovered what even Frank Sinatra once called the "best voice on earth, period." He did an "Unplugged" session on MTV, and invited KD Lang on with him - it was a great transcendental moment in both careers.
Steppin Out.
The Essential Tony Bennett.
The Art Of Romance.
Of the GOP Congressmen who signed the "Contract with America" which pledged to limit congressional terms to 12 years maximum, 30 are seeking reelection. When did they sign the contract? 1994.
A while back, I wrote about my surprise to find out that Kurt Bestor is a democrat. I went on to mention (in the comments section of the post) that I had worked with him in a professional capacity several years ago, and found it to be a less-than fun experience. Okay, I called him a knob. Oh yes I did. That was the way I felt and I wrote it.You gotta love the worldwide web! This morning, I ran across a commentary of yours. I've read nicer things over my bowl of morning oatmeal.
Every once in a while, both the Mrs ThatOneGuy and I run into people who say, in passing conversation, that if they could AFFORD to shop elsewhere, they wouldn't shop at Walmart. This always makes me laugh, many times right outloud. Mrs. ThatOneGuy doesn't laugh outloud though, she's much more polite than I am. To her credit, and frankly, mine too. :)
Two pairs of these currently live at my house. Neither of them are mine. I just can't see myself wearing them anywhere in public. They seem sweaty and hot, then stinky. Besides being rather UGLY. Mrs. ThatOneGuy tried to buy me a pair around father's day, but I was having none of it.
I meant to post something here a few weeks ago, closer to the actual anniversary. Better late than never though.
untimely death on Tuesday July 2nd in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he passed away during a nap after a golf game. He had been resting up for his evening performance at the Indianapolis Jazz Kitchen. Through his career, he mentored several young bass players, who take up the mantle of his leadership in the bass world. Two of those, John Clayton, and Christain McBride were among them. They played with Ray Brown through the last several years and recorded a series of CDs called "SuperBass". A trio of exemplary bass players, and in fact John Clayton is certainly among my favorite musicians. He comes to Salt Lake once a year to play in this venue or that, and I have had a personal email correspondence with him for going on two or three years now.
When Clayton was studying classical bass at UCLA many years ago, he heard Ray Brown teaching across the hall, and, he reports, that was the last classical lesson he took. He became a student of the Master. Note here though, that John Clayton is also a preeminent classical player as well. At every one of his shows, he plays a solo in the classical genre, and it is readily evident to all in attendance that he is truly a master of the instrument. He remained close to Brown through the decades.
A few weeks ago, I was looking around the web and noticed a place called "Inner Game of Music." While I won't go into a lot of depth here, I will note that if you are a musician of any level, you might want to check that place out. There is also a Ray Brown Tribute there that is worth reading, if you have interests that incline toward this area. John Clayton was a pall-bearer and also spoke at the service. One quick quote from that site:
Today is a celebration of this man we loved, the man that gave us such big, fat, rich, warm, juicy, chocolate, delicious, gorgeous brown bass notes. And, of course, he gave us much more. He reached inside himself and gave whatever he had to give from his soul.I had starry eyes when I was a teenager studying with Ray. I would follow him around to recording sessions and see people like Bill Cosby, Quincy Jones, Sweets Edison…. I wanted to be just like Ray when I grew up. So I asked him at a session: "When I’m done with college, do you think you can help me do this sort of thing, become a studio musician?" I got 'The Look' times ten, and curse words I never knew existed. "Are you out of your F-in’ mind? You wanna play this horse manure?" And then he went into his little girlie high-pitched voice and said: "You can’t even play the bass and you want to waste your time playing whole notes and kissing ass all day?! You need to learn how to play the bass from the top to the bottom. Then you need to get out and play some music. Then when you’re done, if you want to play this garbage it’ll be here.
One of his pet peeves was when he would spill his guts, play from his heart, and the audience would sit on their hands. It was as if they were not hip enough to applaud. He couldn’t stand that! I say, ladies and gentlemen, that we take a moment out to show our appreciation to Ray. He has played his last bass solo for us—it was a lifetime of a bass solo and we all listened in and grooved along with it.
So now, as Ray would want us to do, so that he can look down and take a bow, let us applaud his solo and the love and life that he gave us. Let us stand and applaud like we’ve never applauded before. Let us applaud so that Dizzy and Bird and Milt and Monk and Trane will raise their eyebrows in amazement. Let us applaud because we love him as much as he loved us. Ladies and gentlemen, the maestro, the baddest, let’s hear it for Ray Brown. The roar of the chapel could likely be heard for miles."
Here, here.
May we all "play our own music" from the heart. Whatever that may be.
Seriously, is there ANYONE who thinks we don't need a new voice in the Whitehouse?
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il got married over this last weekend. I'm sure he and Gail Ruzicka will be very happy together. Honestly, I didn't even know she was on the market. Had I only known....
opportunity is staring him in the face:
d personal, who use MSN Messenger to communicate. One of those business contacts, from Florida, hooked up on my contact list this week as we were working to complete a transaction. In case you aren't aware, the Messenger window has a spot where you can tag an image of your choice to be shown as your visual identifier. When this contact got online with me the other day for the first time, he saw this as my picture, and, unfortunately, thought it was me:
One of the blogs in my RSS feed is that of Marc Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise, along with SEVERAL other business interests like HDNet, movie production, etc.
I was out of town all day Wednesday. From 5 AM til 11 PM. Destination: Richfield, Cedar City, Hurricane, and St. George, Utah.
I was interupted by one of our waitresses, the pudgy one wearing the apron tied too tight, as if to restrain some unseen violation. She wanted to know what we wanted to eat. I asked to eggs and bacon, sunny side up. I realized I had made a serious mistake when she wrote on her pad, "snotty" rather than "sunny". I now had the fear of God in me.
Incidentally, my eyeball kept falling out, because it was so HOT THAT MY FACE WAS MELTING! By the time I looked down at my feet they were stuck to the pavement, and were big a floppy like duck feet.
Pamela Vecsey, 46, underwent six hours of surgery after being hit in the left eye with the vegetable Saturday night, but doctors were not able to restore her vision, prosecutor Stephanie Damiani said.
The couple was arguing when Roderick Vecsey tossed the carrot, Damiani said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13922513/YORK, Pa. - The county sheriff has apologized for what he called an "embarrassing and egregious" security breakdown after court security workers missed a knife later allegedly thrown at a judge in a courtroom.
Terry Lee Rehm, 58, was arrested Thursday after authorities said he threw a 13-inch butcher knife at Judge Michael J. Brillhart, who was seated on the bench. The knife went over the heads of several county employees and a defendant and sank into a wall to the judge's left, authorities said. No one was injured.
Also found on Rehm after he was taken into custody were a 4-inch knife, a 3-pound hand-held sledgehammer and a utility knife with a blade, officials said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13817324/
Got this in my email a few days back and again this morning. A co-worker also got it. I must admit I chuckled, then didn't think much of it, but then I noticed the file name of the picture itself:
Saw this elsewhere and thought I'd do my part in perpetuating faith-promoting seminary stories:
It's so freakin hot out. I wish I could wear my sundress and get away with it. WAIT!! was that my "outloud" voice??!!
to the middle east where different factions of powerful terrorist organizations lob bad things at each other and all the civilians in the way, there seems to be no hope for humanity after all.
