Surrender Dorothy, Part II

I didn't realize there would be a part two, but there was. The answer to my last question was "yes". Emma saw the sky-writer from her school and got excited about the airshow too. We decided that I would take the kids and go, though my wife had other commitments. I was a little nervous about handling all three kids in an unfamiliar situation like that, but I needn't have worried. They were terrific.

The airshow was...loud. Very, very loud. When we first arrived there was a flight of six F-15E's repeatedly buzzing the field. It wasn't long before I was wishing they'd stop as much as my older son was. The first couple of times were inspiring. The fourth of fifth time it was merely exhilirating. By the tenth or twelfth time it was just noisy.

On a mildly humorous note, as we were going through the security checkpoint I was explaining what the soldiers were inspecting our bags for to the kids. Walter asked what would happen if they found something in our bag we weren't supposed to have. I told him they'd probably take it away, but we didn't need to worry because I'd checked the air base's website beforehand to see what items were prohibited. Several soldiers overheard that and smiled, and one expressed his shocked gratitude that I'd actually think ahead like that. I suspect there had been more than a few "positives" in their searches (and probably a fair number of "positives with attitude").

Anyway, we did have a great time. It was noisy, yes, but we got used to it--though I was nearly hoarse from trying to talk to the kids by the time we were done. We got to see, touch, and climb through lots of different planes.

The kids seemed most impressed by the cargo planes. I think they were a little nervous about the fighter planes after I'd told them their job was to destroy things. No amount of reassurances on my part could convince them there wasn't an element of danger in getting too close.

The kids' all-time favorite, though, was the C-17 Cargomaster. It was simply huge, and the kids were quite impressed to find out it could hold three schoolbusses or a complete twin-rotor helicopter inside. I probably should have let them go up to the flight deck, but by that time we'd already been there for three hours and none of us felt up for standing in another line.

My favorite moment was the Heritage Flight. They put a P-51 Mustang (WWII-era), F-4 Phantom (Vietnam-era), and a F-15E Strike Eagle up in the air at the same time. After each plane gets their own spotlight for awhile they then bring all three back. They form into a very tight V formation with the P-51 in front, flanked by the two jets.

It's called the Heritage Flight as it's a tribute to the history of the Air Force and all those who have served. It's a moving tribute, and it brought me to tears (and I'm getting choked up again just writing about it). Seeing three eras of history represented in one formation is cool enough, but in stark contrast to everything that's gone before in the day, it's incredibly quiet. The two jets, who just a few minutes earlier were shaking the ground with their high-speed passes, are now throttled down low enough to keep pace with the P-51 (no small feat, I'm sure, let alone while flying practically within touching distance). The unusual quiet and low speed adds an ethereal, slow-motion quality.

For a sentimental, patriotic military-supporter like me, it's full heart-ripping material. I suspect the only thing that could have hit me harder would be the Missing Man formation. One of my pictures turned out well. I'll see if I can add it later.












About that time, unfortunately, a man behind me noticed my "Suomi" cap. He'd been to Finland and recognized the name, so he tapped me on the shoulder to ask about it. So here I am, tears running down my face (my hands were full of tired three-year-old at the time), trying to be polite and explain my Finnish "ancestry" when I'd really rather be left alone until the well ran dry. I'm not sure if it was better or worse that he seemed totally oblivious to my state.

We spent about four hours there before we needed to head home. As we were out in the parking lot trying to find out car the Thunderbirds flew in. I think we had a better vantage point than the audience did, actually. We ate our snack and phoned home to let them know we were on the way while they repeatedly buzzed us. By then we were either half-deaf or used to it, as they didn't seem as loud as some of the other fighters. Perhaps F-16s are quieter.

My thanks goes out to the husband of a lady I work with who climbed up on their car to help us spot ours. I was headed in the wrong direction. We might have still been looking by the time the airshow closed if not for him.

We got home not long before my mother came for her first visit since we bought our new house. None of us had any difficulty falling asleep that night. It was a long day, but a good one.

Funny though, but air traffic at our local airport seems so much quieter now.

Surrender Dorothy!

I just got a call from home telling me to look outside. There was a military jet skywriting an advertisement for the air show this weekend. I got outside just in time to miss it. She'd finished (though she didn't put a 'w' on Airsho).

I admit I'm very much a little boy where airplanes are concerned. Nine years of living near the airport flight-lane hasn't changed that. Nor has having spent more time on airplanes than Sarah Palin has spent in Europe. If there's an airplane flying by I have to look.

This is especially so with military planes. We live just 40 miles away from an Air Force base (where the air show will be held), so you'd think it's a no-brainer that I'd have gone to at least one of the yearly shows by now, but I haven't. I really need to go. If I weren't already booked this weekend I'd consider it.

Next year my boys will be six and four. I think that may be the time for three little boys (one having a drivers license) to go to the airshow. I wonder if the girls would want to go too.

Palin Derangement Syndrome

Let me just say that while I plan to vote for McCain, I really wish there was someone I could feel better about to vote for. And, as likeable as Palin is, if she were running for President I wouldn't vote for her.

That said, I can see why she was a brilliant pick for McCain:
     - She's an unknown, so she's guaranteed to pick up lots of press coverage as the press seek to tell us who she is.
     - As an unexpected choice the media were caught off guard. They were unable to get any "good stuff" on her before she had a chance to deliver "The Speech".
     - "The Speech" and her background connected her to Middle America in a way that NO candidate has done thus far.
     - "The Speech" and her background irritates--even infuriates--the Left leadership and media in a way no other candidate has done thus far.
     - Not realizing that Palin has connected with Middle America--or just not caring, as they tend to consider Middle America to be "white trash America" and too stupid to count--the Left leadership and media have unleashed their fury on Palin.
     - Obama is getting next to no coverage now, as even the media who have been worshipping him are too busy attacking Palin.
     - Middle America, whether they agree with her or not, see much they have in common with Palin. Thus the relentless, mean-spirited media attacks are viewed as an attack on Middle America.
     - Obama knows this, but he is unable to control his supporters. He sees the danger and there's nothing he can do. He sees that these attacks are only elevating Palin while dragging him down by association.
     - This has Obama rattled, and he's struggling to regain his footing. Instead he wavers between feeling obligated to attack Palin and wanting to ignore her. Unable to decide, he's not doing either very well.
     - His entire campaign is now off message. He's no longer about Change. He's about...regaining control of his campaign.
     - This all capitalizes on Obama's obvious sidelining of Hillary Clinton. Had he at least vetted Hillary he wouldn't be in this trouble now. Instead, he chose Biden, apparently to defend himself against the "lack of experience" angle. Biden, while experienced, is NOT about Change. He is firmly connected to everything that Middle America sees as wrong with Washington. Meanwhile, McCain now looks like the candidate of Change.
     - Obama has been prepping himself for a fight centered on his lack of experience (remember Obama's European Vacation?). He chose Biden based on that. Suddenly his opponents are not only dropping that angle, as Palin is at the least no MORE experienced than Obama. The fight Obama was prepared for is not materialising.
     - The next best thing his campaign can come up with is to turn the "Lack of Experience" angle around against Palin. But she's the candidate for VP, not President, so it just doesn't work as well. Furthermore, she's got a solid record of accomplishment in what she HAS done, indicating that her lack of experience is more of a plus than a minus.
     - Obama has never been good when he's off-script. And his campaign currently has no script. In the absence of a script he's struggling, and the rabid anti-Palin-ism of his supporters become HIS script by default, as it's the only message currently coming from the Left.
     - Obama's success thus far has come from having a positive campaign that LOOKS like it's not the same "Politics As Usual." He's been cultivating a utopian vision that appeals to the best that is in us. The current anti-Palin environment has stripped the veneer off his movement. HE may be above such things, but his followers have been exposed as the same mean-spirited, prejudiced, hate-mongers that have been the public face of Liberalism for the last eight years. The Emperor has his clothes, but his robe has been opened, and exposed all the rats lurking beneath.
     Note: Not for a moment am I claiming there aren't plenty of mean-spirited, prejudiced hate-mongers on the Right. There are so many of them, in fact, that while I am most likely a conservative, I'm not about to admit it, because I don't want to be associated with THOSE PEOPLE. But there are so many of those types on BOTH sides that I really feel that there is no comfortable home for me, politically.

I don't believe McCain was so smart, so prescient as to have known all this would happen if he selected Palin. I think he had an inkling about some of it. Whether I agree with his policies or not(and there are some that scare me, frankly), I have to admire his skill. He made a choice that has single-handedly changed the face of the election.

I'm not sure that's entirely a good thing, either. The face we are starting to see is not a nice one.

But it certainly makes an interesting contrast between the two candidates. Obama has said for some time "judge my by how I run my campaign." Well, he's been running his campaign well so far. But then he's been on top. He's felt comfortable. McCain has been struggling all along and has nearly been out several times. But he's kept his head and pulled out some key plays when the pressure is on. Now the pressure is on Obama, and it's his turn to struggle. I guess we'll finally get a chance to see how good a clutch player he is.

You Find What You Look For

For the record, I don't believe the following quote from Obama was directed at Palin:

"You can put lipstick on a pig ... it's still a pig. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still going to stink after eight years."

That said, you'd think the man who keeps finding racist comments under every rock, and who keeps warning audiences that the Republicans are going to play on their fears about his race, would be more careful not to make any comments that could be interepreted as sexist.

And he should not act self-righteous and outraged over this. Some of us have just enough long-term memory to recognize the hypocrisy.

UPDATE: Some commenters at Instapundit are pointing out the proximity of "lipstick/pig" to "old fish" to suggest this was not unintentional, but an actual swipe at the lipsticked pitbull and the old McCain. They make a good point. But I'll hold with my initial opinion for now.

I still think Obama crying foul over the McCain campaign's outrage is hypocritical, though. As much as I'd like to have seen McCain's campaign just ignore the whole thing and let it take on it's own life without their help. Best thing they could do? Have McCain and Palin either both make statements that they didn't think it was intentional or, as someone else suggested, compliment Obama on his newfound sense of humor. Perhaps even jokingly refer to each other as "the lipsticked pig and the old fish" a few times and then drop it.

I don't think we're going to get anywhere in American politics by being hyper-sensitive about everything. It does nothing to get us past our current problems. I believe learning to laugh at ourselves and then dismiss it shows maturity and confidence while putting those who make such attacks (or overreact to such attacks) look foolish and petty--as they should.

Obama: Community Organizer

No, this is not about the Palin dig. This is simply to call out an article in The New Republic about Obama's work as a community organizer and how it shaped the person he is now. This article is fascinating if for no other reason than it opens up a perspective on inner-city life and problems that I, frankly, have never encountered.

It also connects with my work as a homeowners association president. I am, in a small sense, a community organizer.

No, I won't be running for President. I'd never vote for me.

Rah Rah, Sis Boom Bah!

I watched John McCain's acceptance speech last night. Many, if not most, of the pundits are claiming it wasn't that great of a speech, and that Palin's speech was better. Of course many of those same people felt that Obama's speech was overshadowed by Bill Clinton's.

For me, I think I can sum them both up thusly: Obama spoke to his base. McCain spoke to the moderates.

I think he was speaking to me. I'm the guy who hates the amount of hate in politics these days. I'm the guy who despises the lack of cooperation and progress. So when McCain doesn't even mention his opposition for over half his speech, and doesn't mention him that much in total, I like that. I want to know why I should vote for him, not why I shouldn't vote for his opponent. I have a friend who won't vote for either, and I sympathize.

And it made a difference to me when he essentially said there's plenty of blame to go around. I agree. Both parties have been complete and total idiots lately. They've been insisting on holding a water fight on the Titanic. And while I doubt it can happen very much, I still like to hear someone call for bi-partisan cooperation. That it comes from someone who, for good or bad, has done that just makes it more credible.

I also was pleased to see him call his own party to repentance. One thing that was missing from Obama's speech was an admission that he even has a party, let alone that they're doing anything wrong. HE is going to do everything--as if his own party won't try and stop him on some of it. McCain was right to say "Hey, we've screwed up as a party, and it's time we fixed it". I hope he can do it, whether he becomes president or not.

I was already planning to vote for McCain. I doubt there's much he could do short of total reversal of who he is or what he believes that could change that (though I've learned to never say never where politics is concerned). But after last night I feel that much better about my decision. I'm hoping to be able to look back one day and say "Yes, I voted for him, and I'm proud of it."

"Trooper-gate"

It looks like one of the few initial attacks on Sarah Palin that will stand up is her alleged misuse of power in firing a subordinate for not firing a state trooper under his jurisdiction. The issue is already under investigation, but I'm sure all the media furor will make it all but impossible to continue at this point. A fairly detailed report of the situation can be found here.

There is obviously much more to this case than what the average media report lets on. From the report above I have to wonder just why Trooper Wooten is still employed. For a law enforcement officer to make death threats against anyone is indefensible. For him to remain a law enforcement officer afterward is reprehensible.

The accusations against Wooten (granted, none are verified in the article above):
- Threats against Palin and her family
- Shooting a cow moose without a permit
- Tasering his stepson (by invitation, but still!)
- Drove a trooper vehicle while drinking
- Refused a transfer

Perhaps most of these are a smear campaign by Palin's family, but at least two charges should be verifiable (tasering and refusing a transfer), and possibly a third (shooting the moose), as there are supposedly witnesses. That should at least be enough to merit formaly inquiry and discipline, and should bolster the case for the other two charges. Those alone could make a respectable case for dismissal.

Now add to that:
- Most governors rely on the state police for protection. At the very least, Wooten's continued employment could serve to poison the rest of the force against her, putting her security at risk.
- It could also put him in a position to make acting on his threats that much easier.
- His law enforcement credentials could easily get him past any other security measures that could be arranged, giving him easy access to any of her family at will.

I'd certainly be concerned in her position. But no, at that point it's not firm grounds for dismissing Monegan, who oversaw the state police. Nor would doing so improve the situation, except perhaps for the reasons she stated--Wooten's continued service undermines the integrity of the state police organization. Those charged with enforcing the law shouldn't be breaking the law.

But that's not the reason Monegan was dismissed. He was also uncooperative in curtailing his budget as requested. No one is contesting that charge, which while not exactly validating it, certainly lends it credence. If the Wooten situation had never happened and he'd been fired for that reason would anyone be raising an eyebrow today? She violated no laws in firing him. The only issue is whether the Wooten situation played any part in her decision.

Frankly, what's wrong with it if it did? Her concerns are valid, and so far Monegan has not offered any evidence that he acted at all to alleviate her concerns. He didn't even order an investigation, from what the article says. It appears that by and large Monegan and his organization not only did as little as possible to answer valid concerns for Palin's family's safety, but actually took steps to circumvent what legal recourse they did have by intervening on Wooten's behalf over a restraining order against him.

What it sounds like to me is this is just one more "good ol' boy network" that Palin tried to break up--only this time it was personal. If this had been any other citizen of Alaska in her situation, and they'd appealed to her to help, she'd be in big trouble today if she'd done nothing and Wooten had gone on to hurt someone. But instead, because it's her own family she's expected to turn a blind eye?

If that's the case, may I never be governor.

Life After Smallpox

The cafeteria table I chose had a magazine on it someone had left behind. It was titled "Domino: A Guide to Living With Style". One look at the cover told me "living with style" must be in the same vein as "living with kidney failure" or "living with tapeworms". In this case I would certainly equate their notion of style with chronic illness.

We're Great--Because We Say So!

A friend of my wife's sent her an email post essentially cheerleading for how wonderful women are. Frankly, I agree that women are wonderful, but not for any of the reasons on THIS list:

It is good to be a woman:
1. We got off the Titanic first.
2. We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.
3. Taxis stop for us.
4. We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing.
5. No fashion faux pas we make, could ever rival the Speedo.
6. We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves.
7. If we forget to shave, no one has to know.
8. We can congratulate our teammate without ever touching her rear end.
9. We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there.
10. We have the ability to dress ourselves.
11. We can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
12. If we marry someone 20 years younger, we are aware t hat we will look like an idiot.
13. We will never regret piercing our ears.
14. There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems.
15. We can make comments about how silly men are in their pres ence because they aren't listening anyway.

So I thought I'd come up with my own variation on this list:

It stinks to be a man:
1. Women got off the Titanic because men were self-sacrificing gentlemen--but if we hadn't been, they'd still be holding a grudge over that one
2. Women use "women's problems" to get out of things, and we know it, but it's just not worth the resulting trip to "sensitivity training" to call them on it
3. If we do get a taxi, along comes some woman who expects us to give it to her
4. Women are convinced we should have to dance, and then make fun of us when we do
5. Women can make fun of our clothes, but to say their's are anything less than spectacular is instant doom. Oh, and it's our fault for panty-hose and high-heels, too.
6. If a few mentally-deficient dorks find passing gas amusing, we ALL get blamed for it
7. If we forget to shave they refuse to kiss us
8. If we smack our teammates on the butt to congratulate them it's a "guy thing" and therefore wrong
9. Women would rather have us be in pain than let us adjust things when our clothing pinches
10. No matter how well we dress ourselves, it'll be wrong to some woman
11. Women always think we are imagining them naked, and if we aren't, they think we're gay
12. Women can marry a man for his money, but we can't marry a woman because she's young
13. Women assume we should want to pierce our ears
14. Women hog all the chocolate, whine about being fat as a result, but we'd better not notice
15. Women insult us right in front of us, but you may as well pretend you're not listening because you're just not going to win that fight, even if you win that fight. Better to just dump her and marry someone 20 years younger who will appreciate you
16. If women post an "anti-man" list like above, it's just "Grrrrl Power". If men post an "anti-woman" list we're sexist pigs

Now, I don't for one minute think woman are as bad as that. At least most. This is just to show how easy it is to turn such ridiculous drivel around on itself. Things like this really don't help, folks. People who have to work so hard to make themselves feel good have problems, frankly. They wouldn't have to justify themselves. Greatness should be self-evident. A true lady never has to aggrandize herself at the expense of others.

You go, grrrl! No really, I mean it. The door's over there.

Meet the Palins

The more I learn about Sarah Palin the more I like her. Shes' quite probably the candidate many conservatives wish had been nominated instead of McCain.

But to change the topic just a littlle, my wife and I once had a discussion on who we wished we could look like. I can't even remember who I said now, but I will have to put Sarah's husband Todd on my list. (Picture here) He's quite the good-looking guy, reminds me a little of Kyle Chandler. (Oh come on, people! Don't tell me guys don't pay attention to who/what women find attractive!)

Anyway, if nothing else, her selection has taken all the press away from the DNC and Obama/Biden. I may find this election cycle entertaining for more than just its train-wreck similarities yet!

Where Have I been?

I watched Obama's acceptance speech last night, and I learned a few things:

1) I'm becoming more like my dad all the time. I found myself arguing out loud with the television. That used to bother me when my dad did it. *sigh*

2) I am the "Golden Child". To hear Obama tell it, everyone else in this country has had to wade through eight years of absolute misery as George "Chimpy McBushitler" Bush repeatedly kicked them in the head with spike-toed boots. I somehow avoided all that. While everyone else was being marched off to the gulag, I:
- Significantly increased my income
- Bought a larger home, which is still worth more than I paid for it
- Went back to college and got a second degree
- Lost a job, but got another, better-paying one
- Had three kids, and have two of them in a public school I consider quite good
- Added a second vehicle to the family
- Do feel safer now than after 9/11

Now, I'll be the first to say that I HAVE been very fortunate/blessed. Things have really worked out well for us, more likely in spite of rather than because of anything I've done. That said, the government was there to help when I needed it, and has not gotten in my way the rest of the time (sure, we'd all love to avoid paying taxes if we could, but I don't begrudge paying them, either).

In short, the situation Obama presented last night bears very little resemblance to my life. I know, he was playing to his base. He wasn't talking to me. I'm the enemy.I'm one of those fathers he talked about who need to take responsibility for their families (I thought I was--silly me). I'm one of those horrible people who believes we can do more WITHOUT the government's interfere-- I mean, help.

All I heard from him last night was a lot of vague promises and lofty goals. I can't argue with many of them. I'd like to see all that too. Where we disagree is what we need to do to get there. He wants to raise taxes and make the government take over doing all that for us. I believe that will just bring us more of those government programs that aren't working that he intends to cut (and won't be able to, as his own party will scream bloody murder if he touches most of them).

Now, I have to give the guy a break. He's a constitutional law professor, not trained in business or economics. But I DO have an MBA, thank you very much, and I can tell you that if you raise taxes on businesses, force them to pay higher benefits for less work, put up barriers for off-shoring, throw up trade barriers (he doesn't think the other countries will respond in kind?), and tax the owners of those companies for making too much, the result will NOT be more, higher-paying jobs.

Those companies will cut costs further, which likely means fewer jobs, which puts less money into consumption, which cycles around and around and sinks our economy even faster. He may be able to deliver all those new jobs from alternative energy he spoke of. But it won't be fast enough to avoid at least three more years of economic hardship. Until they can get the infrastructure in place to generate and deliver the energy the only sector that will benefit is construction--not bad jobs, but not the good-paying jobs he promises.

Instead we'll get even higher taxes as he pours more money on the problem through unemployment benefits. Nope, sorry. I don't see that working.

I won't go so far as to say that if Obama wins we'll see all the misery and horror he attributes to the Bush Administration. But I am pretty sure if he gets his way we'll NOT be better off in four years than we are today.

My Prediction? Pain!!

McCain is supposed to announce his running mate tomorrow. Given all the fun they're having with P.U.M.A.s (Party Unity, My A**) and Hillary-ites at the DNC, I'm going to predict McCain will chose a female VP. Who? Good question. I don't know anything about Sarah Palin, and Carly Fiorina doesn't have a good name in these parts (though I do believe her Compaq merger has been largely vindicated). I've heard Meg Whitman also forwarded, but I have my doubts there. So I won't say who, just predict it'll be a "she", for the following reasons:

- It'll show many of the Hillary-ites that the GOP is willing to do what the "diversity party" is not.
- A smart, sharp woman should have no trouble making Biden look silly, if not downright mean.
- It'll spread the "historical moment" concept around more. Sure, a female VP is not as historical as a black president, but it reduces that as the ONLY reason to vote for Obama.
- At least two of the mentioned choices could bolster the "economics experience" deficiency in the McCain ticket, not to mention shift the discussion on foreign affairs toward trade and protectionism--an area where the Obama campaign is weak.

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see Carly Fiorina as VP. She'd have the sharp business mind of Cheney without the connection to Big Ooooooooooil! And she's been at ground zero of the Outsourcing issue for years. She's not afraid of controversy, and she's got plenty of on-camera experience. She's clear and succinct, which should expose Biden for the blow-hard he is. The only drawback is the perception of her as being a bit TOO hard. I haven't seen her speak for awhile. Perhaps she's softened her edges a bit?

Of course now that I've made this prediction I've pretty much guaranteed that McCain will pick a guy. On that topic I'm mute, though it appears that Romney and Orson Scott Card feel the same on the idea of Romney as VP. As Romney said in an interview yesterday, McCain can probably take Utah without him on the ticket.

Anyway, tomorrow we may know who it will be. If McCain picks well he should be able to easily undo any "bump" Obama gets from Biden and the convention (and from what I've heard, there was no Biden bump).

This is where it starts to get interesting, folks.

UPDATE: Well, I got it partly right. McCain has picked a woman, Sarah Palin. Interesting factoid: She was born in Idaho and got her degree from University of Idaho.

Rip Obama, Go To Jail

It appears the Obama campaign is filing a criminal complaint against a political group that paid for an ad about his connection with terrorist Bill Ayers. Can you imagine what this guy would do with the power of the Executive Branch behind him? Why, he'd probably do all the things they accuse Bush of!

Let's go over it again, folks. Do NOT question, criticize, or attack the Chosen One! Only a racist would do that. And if you do, you'll go to jail.

Living the Prophecy

Orson Scott Card's latest column convinced me to read a speech Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave at Harvard in which he gives a very pointed criticism of the West. He is spot on...and he gave this speech in 1978.

But the fight for our planet, physical and spiritual, a fight of cosmic proportions, is not a vague matter of the future; it has already started. The forces of Evil have begun their decisive offensive, you can feel their pressure, and yet your screens and publications are full of prescribed smiles and raised glasses. What is the joy about?

The joy is because we have abolished Evil by denying its existence. We are, in essence, celebrants at the Masque of the Red Death.

Anyway, read it. Incredible stuff.

What Happened in Georgia

Michael Totten reports:

"On the evening of the 7th, the Ossetians launch an all-out barrage focused on Georgian [i]villages[/i], not on Georgian positions. Remember, these Georgian villages inside South Ossetia--the Georgians have mostly evacuated those villages, and three of them are completely pulverized. That evening, the 7th, the president gets information that a large Russian column is on the move. Later that evening, somebody sees those vehicles emerging from the Roki tunnel [into Georgia from Russia]. Then a little bit later, somebody else sees them. That's three confirmations. It was time to act."

The "invasion" of South Ossetia was to try and cut off the Russian advance. It was by no means the first act of aggression. The war had already been under way for days. Read this article for a full timeline of what really happened.

Tech To Get Excited About

From MSNBC.com: "Exoskeleton suit helps paralyzed people walk"

A good and real example of "Better living through technology".

Energy Independence - Not So Great?

John Stossel, in this article, says no.

He makes some good points.

Apt Term of the Day

I met a colleague today who described himself as being in "Shiny Object Mode". He can only focus on something for a brief period before something else draws his interest. "Oooh! Shiny!"

Parlez-vous Olympics?!

In my ongoing quest to convince you all just how hip, cool, and cosmopolitan we are I just have to tell you that we had Chinese visitors this weekend. And we have my in-laws to thank for it.

I've probably mentioned before that my father-in-law is a researcher in fluid power. His university has a cooperation program with a university in China, through which he has become good friends with one of the researchers there. He always takes good care of my in-laws whenever they visit China, and he always visits them when he is in Finland. The man has practically become family.

He and his family are on a vacation in the U.S., and we happen to be more or less on their way. I'm not sure whose idea it was, but they decided to stop in and visit us yesterday. And considering how well they treat my wife's parents, we wouldn't settle for them getting a hotel. It would have been a blight on the family honor, so to speak.

They speak English very well, so we had a great time discussing cultures, their impressions of America, and so on. Our kids were over the moon with the whole situation (especially the Beijing 2008 Olympics caps they brought them), and their son was at least a very good sport about letting our kids show off for him. And our pets got a thorough petting. After we put our kids to bed I got to give them the "Two-hour Tour" of our city, which they seemed to appreciate.

Our friend confirmed something I've long suspected: my father-in-law is the hydraulics research field's equivalent of a rock star. This concept is understandably a bit hard for my wife to reconcile. Heck, it's even an odd thought for me with my family-by-marriage perspective. One of the top minds in hydraulics gives my children horsey-rides, likes watching the NBA, and eats hamburgers when his wife isn't around to stop him.

My side of the family is a bit more obscure. My father ran the equipment room for the local university P.E. department, and cleaned church buildings part-time. But I've seen his face during family gatherings as he watched his large, noisy muddle of kids, grand-kids, and great-grand-kids. I don't think he would have traded places with my father-in-law for anything.

I mention all of this not to compare fathers, necessarily, or to defend one over the other. Mostly I think I'm just pointing out that I've got an interesting life. Marriage is a portal into a whole different world you never would have known existed otherwise. I don't need to choose one world over the other. I'm free to explore both.

What a trip.

Our family friends are on their way to the coast today. They left us with a standing invitation to China. That would be an incredible opportunity, and with my life the way it is, I'm learning to never say never on things like this.

Cowboy Diplomat

I missed this. Last week while President Bush was at the Olympics in Beijing he did an interview with Bob Costas that covered a lot of ground--very little of it about sports.

It occurred to me that the world seems to have a rather unrealistic expectation of world leaders, that they have all the right levers to push to make other leaders give in and do what is wanted. Such is not the case, especially with large countries like China and Russia.

I shouldn't be surprised if some of the people who are criticizing Bush for not doing enough to stop the Russians in Georgia are the same people who criticize him for rushing into war with Iraq--a process that took several years.

I just don't understand. Why is it not okay to militarily intervene against a nation that has invaded and threatened its neighbors and has expressed ill will toward the U.S. but it IS okay to militarily intervene against a nation that has invaded a neighbor but still has cordial relations with the U.S.? There's even oil involved in both cases.

People accuse Bush of inconsistency in his foreign policy, but see no inconsistency or downright contradiction in their own.

Even if Iraq had never happened and our military was still strong and rested I don't think we would--or should--be responding to the situation Georgia any differently than we are now.

Best Olympic Quote

"I tested it. I threw it in the pool and it didn't move at all," he said, "so I'll still have to swim."

- Markus Rogan, Australia, referring to the the high tech swimsuits many atheletes will be wearing this year.

Thoughts On Greatness

I just finished "John Adams". Again. It's still one of my favorite books. I really need to buy it some time and read the parts that were edited out of the audiobook.

Not that the book is entirely comfortable. In reading about a great man I can only concede the fact that I will never be one. It's not that I lack the ambition for greatness. I lack the discipline and strength of character. I'm a path-of-least-resistance, trade-better-for-good type, unfortunately. I suspect I should be following Salieri, the patron saint of mediocrities everywhere.

It's About Time

David Gilmour's son absolutely hated high school, and wanted to drop out. So Gilmour read between the lines and agreed. His son, Jesse, could drop out of school, but he had to stay home and watch movies with him. Jesse agreed and Gilmour, a film critic and documentary director, started the pair off on a three-year journey through over 350 films. Jesse eventually finished his GED and put in a year of college before pursuing a career in film himself.

In it all, I believe, lies an important lesson. According to Jesse:

“I don’t think you necessarily learn life lessons from films. I think the only life lessons you learn are from knocking yourself around and actually living. But we’d have conversations that sprang out of these films. I did learn from that, things guys need to talk about, heartbreak and drugs and all that. It happened to be movies, but it could have been something else my dad and I did. I think it was more about us spending time together.” (emphasis added)

Like, I'm Totally Voting For Paris?!

I heard Paris Hilton had filmed a response to John McCain's "Celebrity" ads. In spite of my loathing of all things "Paris", I finally broke down and watched it here.

I have to say I'm impressed. It's an excellent blend of self-parody and "right-back-at-ya" image defiance that, I believe, successfully puts her above and apart from the political fray.

Scary to say it, but this may even have raised my estimation of her a bit. I'm sure she had her PR people come up with the whole thing, but that she'd agree to go ahead with it shows a canny calculation that belies her bimbo personae.

That she's making regular trips to the bank is obvious. I sometimes wonder if she isn't laughing along the way.

EDIT: Here's some background on the video.

I Guess I'm A Racist

The Corner at NRO posts a "Foxworthy-esque" tool for determining if one is racist.

Some highlights:
4. If you're in favor of drilling for oil and building nuclear power plants you...may be a racist.
7. If your pastor is nothing like Rev. Wright or Father Pfleger you... may be a racist.
11. If you don't think America is a "downright mean" country you...may be a racist.
13. If you think the surge is working and that's a good thing you...may be a racist.
23. If you're not sure invading Pakistan is a particularly good idea—what with their nuclear weapons and all— you...may be a racist.

Guilty as charged.

Past Imperfect

I went to my 20-year high school reunion over the weekend. For the most part it was not that great an experience. But an impromptu session on Saturday morning has left me examining my past with a new perspective.

I was a "choir junkie" in high school. We had a terrific teacher who had put together one of the most successful programs in the state. I blossomed there in a way I never had in junior high school band. By the time I graduated I wanted to be a choir teacher, just like Mr. Bowman.

It took me seven years of college to finally realize that deep down I didn't want to teach after all.

One of my classmates had arranged a casual get-together with our choir teacher, who is now retired after a 35-year career. It was a thoroughly enjoyable visit in ways the official reunion the night before hadn't been. But during the visit I came to a realization that took 20 years to reach.

I could never have been a music teacher like Mr. Bowman. I lacked sufficient self-esteem and self-discipline, as well as a concern for others. I still do. I loved music. I loved making music. But that wouldn't have been enough.

The career I'm in now is not without its drawbacks, but it's much better than what I might have had if I had stuck with music. Just where I might have ended up it's rather pointless to speculate. But I doubt it would have been pretty.

But I wouldn't trade my high school choir memories--and my subsequent college career--for anything.

Not Buying That One

What does Obama say he was referring to with his "presidents on the dollar bills" quip?

"What Barack Obama was talking about was that he didn't get here after spending decades in Washington," Gibbs said. "There is nothing more to this than the fact that he was describing that he was new to the political scene. He was referring to the fact that he didn't come into the race with the history of others. It is not about race."

Uh huh. Right. Sure. That's certainly what I think about when I think of Washington, Lincoln, Jackson and Grant. All of them were long-time Washington operators.

Assuming for a second that he's right, that's the most obscure way of saying what he claims to have said I've ever heard. I NEVER would have gotten that from what he said. So much for the Great Communicator. But let's look at this more deeply.

George Washington: There was no "Washington D.C." or White House. He served in the Contintental Congress for perhaps over a year before taking military command until 1783. Became president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, then served eight years as President of the United States. So his "Senate" record is about as short as Obama's.

Abraham Lincoln: Served one term in the House of Representatives. Served as president for just over one term. Very active in politics, it's true. But his "Congress" record is about as short as Obama's.

Andrew Jackson: Served less than a year in the House. Served less than a year in the Senate. Elected senator again for three years. Lost the election for President in 1824. Served two terms as president. Somewhat longer record, but not by much.

Ulysses S. Grant: No prior political office at any level. Elected president for two terms.

So yes, I guess Obama has very little in common with these men--they were all elected president, and the majority had military experience.

Pardon me if I'm not buying his explanation. He dropped the bait out there and is now trying to weasle out of it. He played the Race Card. McCain called him on it. There is no other logical interpretation.

EDIT: DOHT! I missed the most obvious point of all. If Obama is trying to imply that he's not a Washington Insider, a career politician, etc., then why does he think we would be SCARED of that? Wouldn't he WANT McCain and Bush to attack him in that manner? Wouldn't it be a GOOD thing to be different?

Nope, definitely not buying it.

What Is He Talking About?

"Nobody thinks that Bush and McCain have a real answer to the challenges we face. So what they're going to try to do is make you scared of me," Obama said. "You know, he's not patriotic enough, he's got a funny name, you know, he doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."

Is that so? Can he cite some instances, or is HE just trying to scare people first?

I don't care if he wears a flag pin. I do care that it's so important to him to be liked in Europe.

I don't care that he has a funny name. I've heard it so many times it's not that unusual any more--and never WAS funny. At this point I wouldn't care if his name was Chimpy McBushitler. And I find it a bit insulting that he thinks I'm weak-minded enough to let anyone scare me about his name.

What?! Obama doesn't wear a wig?! He doesn't wear antiquated clothing?! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!!! Since when in the last 50 years have we had ANY president that looked like "those other presidents on the dollar bills"? That's a pretty lame charge, and it's just Obama obliquely calling McCain a racist without actually saying it.

Why is it the Obama campaign that keeps playing the race card, while continually and pre-emptively accusing the other campaigns? In assuming that the "White Candidates" will attempt to smear him based on race, isn't that in itself racist?

Do we need a president who will continually try to deflect all criticism beforehand by saying "They're just racist"? I don't think that'll fly in international diplomacy, frankly.

Speaking of which...

I got to see "Batman Begins" over the weekend. I'm still digesting it, but it doesn't hold up as well in post-viewing contemplation as I might have thought. I've decided that it was a poor choice to have most of the fight scenes be between people dressed in black. I'm sure the choreography was great, but I could never see any of it. It was just a big blur of black, with people falling on the ground, and then Batman would walk away.

I did think the acting was pretty good, though. I usually enjoy Michael Caine, of course, and I do think Christian Bale brings something to the part that Keaton, Kilmer, and Clooney lacked. And I rather enjoyed seeing Gary Oldman get to be a good guy for a change. Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson are perpetual pleasers, too.

I love the cityscapes. They did that well, especially The Narrows.

Anyway, it was fun, but I'm glad I saw it for free. I'd still like to see "The Dark Knight" someday, but probably not anytime soon. Not until I can rent it.

Does That Make Cheney "The Boy Wonder"?

Andrew Klavan, in the Wall Stree Journal, opines that The Dark Knight is really veiled homage to George W. Bush.

And like W, Batman understands that there is no moral equivalence between a free society -- in which people sometimes make the wrong choices -- and a criminal sect bent on destruction. The former must be cherished even in its moments of folly; the latter must be hounded to the gates of Hell.

He also slams Hollywood for churning out bomb after moral-equivalance bomb castigating the War on Terror while relegating all the true depictions of heroism to the fantasy/superhero category--which then set box office records.

Read the whole thing.

They Like Me!

Someone else--in actual media--has seen the same thing I did:

Another irony is that while Obama downplays the effectiveness of the surge in Iraq, he is urging a similar tactic now in Afghanistan.

Speaking of Celebrities...

Here's a bit of trivia. Christopher Lee (Count Dooku, Saruman) volunteered to fight for Finland during the Winter War with Russia in 1939. He was only there a couple of weeks, though, and never saw action. He did, however, join the RAF later and was involved in military intelligence--including some stuff that is still classified to this day.

He was the only memeber of the Lord of the Rings cast to have personally met J.R.R. Tolkien.

(For an interesting interview with Lee, go here)

It's the Afghanistan, Stupid!

I remember not that long ago the presidential campaign was all about Iraq. Afghanistan scarcely got a mention. Obama made it clear time and time again that he thought Iraq was, is, and will be a bad idea. I don't recall him ever saying it was a bad idea because we should be focusing on Afghanistan.

Now Afghanistan is all the rage. The war in Iraq is taking resources away from the war in Afghanistan. No really, I've been saying this all along!

Yeah, right. What's he been saying?

- Iraq was a bad idea. It's not made us safer.
- We need to bring our troops home
- The Surge would not work, and hasn't really worked. It's the political changes that have brought about the progress in Iraq.
- We need to fight Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan
- We need The Surge in Afghanistan

So let me get this straight. We need to bring our troops home--but not until after we've sent them to Afghanistan to defeat Al Qaeda there, even though it's the Taliban in Afghanistan, not Al Qaeda. If Al Qaeda is in Afghanistan, it's because they've fled from Iraq to there. So if we hadn't gone to war in Iraq we'd have to go there to get to Al Qaeda. But that would have been Obama's choice, so it would be okay.

Furthermore, we need a Surge in Afghanistan, even though The Surge hasn't produced the success we're seeing. It's the political progress that's produced results. So why are we moving troops to Afghanistan? Just implement that political solution that works so dang well? And by the way, we do not have Pakistan's permission to operate within their country. Are we planning to invade them to get at Al Qaeda? Isn't that the same reason we went into Iraq?

So vote for Obama! He'll move our troops somewhere else to fight a war that won't do any good pursuing people who are not there, but are hiding in a separate country we'd have to invade. But a political solution would do the job better anyway.

Pardon me, but that seems like his plan is screwier than he accuses Bush's plan of being.

The good news is, though, that if he's elected Susan Sarandon will not move to Italy.

Speed Reading

I've finished Michael Crichton's "Next". It was an odd book. It was over rather quickly, and a lot of characters seemed like throw-aways. I wasn't even sure why they were in the book, really. A lot of plot lines were left hanging.

And then I realized that I'd only listened to half the book. The second half. The books I download come in two parts, and for some reason I got Part 2 instead of Part 1. The really weird thing is that, the way Crichton writes, I couldn't tell. He always writes as if he's starting in the middle of things, and even half-way through the book he still repeats enough detail about characters that for all you know it could be the first time. It was only at the very end of the book that I even began to suspect that I'd missed something.

Well, now that I know, I don't think I'll bother going back. It wasn't that exciting a book. I'm kinda glad I managed to get through it in half the time.

Now I'm re-listening to David McCullough's "John Adams". I could do with a little inspiration.

Snark-o-Lepsy

Thought for the day:

I've been to Europe four times now, for a combined duration of about three months.

I have more "Foreign Policy Experience" than Barak Obama, even after he completes his "Foreign Policy Tour" vacation. I need to write a book and run for president.

Moral High Ground

Peter Schweizer has a new book out looking at tendencies between liberals and conservatives. Right Wing News (hat tip Dr. Helen) has an interview with Schweizer to discuss some of the points in the book. One more telling quote:

I think that modern liberalism, since the 1960s in particular, has been all about outsourcing your responsibilities -- meaning that the government is supposed to take care of you and other people -- so I think this encourages that sort of mindset. They (feel) that they gave at the office, they voted for the right political candidate, they believe in the right political causes -- so they've done their bit for poverty and they'll leave it to government to spend money on people that have needs.

Read the whole thing.

Michael Totten in Kosovo

“We are more pro-American than you are,” one young Kosovar told me.

“Thank you,” I said. “We appreciate that. Some people don’t like us.”

“Bad people,” he said.

Boy, if that doesn't say a lot; both about Kosovo and the US.

Read the whole thing.

It's A Birthday...It's A Birthday!

We've lived in this area for nine years now. In all that time we've never been to the reservoir just up the river from town. After our trip to Finland when it was never warm enough or stopped raining long enough to take the kids to the beaches there, we decided we should make up for it and visit our local reservoir.

What's taken us so long? It's actually three separate areas, two of which are state parks. Above the dam is where all the boating happens. Below the dam is a man-made beach area where no motorized boats are allowed. Further down river is a more natural park area where dogs are allowed and kayakers and canoers can launch into the river.

We didn't know any of this, of course, because we'd never been before. We chose the area below the dam. They've built a large picnic area on a point of land with the water wrapping around it on three sides. Water is fed into the "lagoon" via a pipe that sprays a big cloud of spray about 50 fee in the air. I imagine it's nice to stand under it on a hot day.

We chose the beach around the back side where there weren't many people. In fact there were hardly any people there all morning, even though the other side was getting fairly busy. Not that we minded.

The kids had a great time splashing in the water, making sand castles, dredging out the moats made by previous visitors, wading after the minnows, and generally playing. It was an unusual experience for Terhi and I. The kids entertained themselves and left us mostly alone. We weren't prepared for it. We usually have to keep them entertained. We weren't prepared to entertain ourselves. Not a bad problem to have, though.

We wrapped it up around noon and had a picnic before heading back home. On the way back out we stopped at the ranger station to see about paying, as no one had been around when we arrived. It turns out we picked the state park system's birthday to come. Entrance was free for the day. Boy, what timing!

We did come away with some brochures. I've lived in this state all my life, but there's a lot I didn't know about our state park system. There's a lot of cool parks in the state. Since the summer is rapidly coming to a close we're going to visit another one this next weekend. It's even closer to our house in the opposite direction.

Either one is perfect. We can have a fun morning before it gets too hot or too busy, and still be home in time to get some things done around the house in the afternoon. What a country!

What's Next?

I've begun listening to Michael Crichton's "Next". I'm not sure why I've been putting it off, but I wouldn't be listening to it now if I hadn't forgotten to download "John Adams" and I had to load something before I headed out the door this morning.

In other news, I went jogging again last night. I hope to go three times per week, and perhaps if I make myself answerable here I'll stick with it better?

The Sound of Summer Running

I bought my own pair of Cream-sponge Para Lightfoots the other night. Okay, they're actually $70 Asics, but dang if they don't feel good. My feet actually felt lighter with them on. Good enough to make me go jog once around the cemetary that very night.

I need to get in better shape. I suspect that if I did my allergies and asthma would at least diminish, perhaps significantly. I'm sure I'd be less tired (eventually). I've decided it's worth half an hour every other day.

If I stick with it the shoes will be a bargain.

Antelopes. Gazelles.

They Don't All Hate Us

Here's some unusually strong praise for Bush...from England!

I Could Sharpen Knives With His Teeth

James Lileks skewers Garrison Keillor again today. I don't read Keillor's columns. I'm not even sure where to find them. So I don't know if the pieces Lileks criticizes are indicative of the majority of his pieces. But considering the topic, and how it's addressed, I rather suspect so.

Keillor is in Massachussetts, and goes for a walk in a picturesque town. He stops to watch a baseball game and gets to talking with a parent of one of the players. This all leads Keillor, of course, to contemplate how terrible the future is for that girl, thanks to our current administration.

Everything makes Keillor think of the current administration and how loathesome it is. I suspect he could make an Anti-Bush column out of tripping over the sidewalk:

"I was walking, as I am prone to do, down main street the other day, contemplating the vagaries of life on the northern prairie and noting how the incessant sunshine draws us somehow closer to one another, as we sweat our summers away in our separate houses, gathered around our air conditioners the way folks early in the last century used to gather around the radio. It's our new shared experience. Suddenly I found my body propelled forward at an alarming rate. I caught myself, but not before experiencing that primal surge of blood and adrenaline so strong you can smell it that usually accompanies unexpected hurtlings of the body.

Looking back to ascertain the cause of my narrowly-avoided plummeting toward Mother Earth I espied that a section of sidewalk had been pushed up, like a great tectonic plate, above the pedestrial plane. As I considered this offensive block of concrete I couldn't help but compare it with the Current Occupant, who has in his infinite blundering managed to force eight years of our National Experience out of alignment with the otherwise smooth plane of American History, and I thought of all the others besides myself who had stubbed their toes there, wondering if any of them had required medical attention and been unable to afford it because of the Current Occupant's utter failure to provide health care for those below the line of undue affluence and power."

You know, I wish I could make Keillor's salary to write the same column over and over. Perhaps it's just a mental exercise for him, to see how many different ways he can say "I hate Bush" without actually saying it or repeating himself.

I hope we never see the day when it becomes obvious that Bush was right. I hope Keillor never has to write a column someday about how sad he is that the little girl he once watched play baseball on a boys' team now isn't even allowed out of the house, let alone play sports of any kind on any team, because Sharia law forbids it. But if he does, I suspect he'll find a way to blame that on Bush, too.

Because of course it's never Keillor's fault. He's just a Passive Observer, doing nothing more than reporting on the world he sees around him. Each column is an impartial sounding of the depths for all to hear: "Life still sucks! Bush is still in office! Tune in again next week!"

I have no use for such people. If, as his columns seem to indicate, everything he experiences reminds him of how aweful Bush is, then he has developed a psychosis. He is not alone in this. I know people on both sides of the political fence (or is it barricade, these days?) who are pretty much the same way. They can't pull their heads out of the political quicksand long enough to notice that the world is still going on around them. They can't do something as simple as watch a baseball game without getting into a stew over politics.

I can't live that way. I refuse to live that way. This morning there was a light mist (or perhaps smoke) in the foothills above town that caught the morning sun and transformed the scene into an impressionistic painting. Oddly enough, I found myself enjoying that brief glimpse for what it was, and managed quite easily not to draw any comparisions to Bush, Obama, McCain, Pelosi, Putin, Sarkozy, or Mugabe, et al.

I'm just arrogant enough to believe that mine was the proper way to enjoy it.

Is Mass Transit The Answer?

After reading this article on TownHall.com, I'd have to say no. Just another corner we've painted ourselves into.

Ecuador to the Rescue!

At last some perspective! Frank J at IMAO provides some in his warning against asteroids. He even solves the two problems (election, economy) distracting everyone from the real danger!

Funny stuff, which we could all use right now, I think.
(Hat-tip: Instapundit)

Volcanos and Polar Bears

At least one study is suggesting that undersea volcanos may be melting the arctic ice.

The earth is a vast, complex, poorly-understood place. I'm just sayin'.

Worms. Why Did It Have To Be Worms...

While very interesting, I'm not currently encouraged by this latest development in allergy relief:

Using hookworms to protect against allergies

Just ten worms can significantly reduce symptoms while not producing any noticeable problems. Well, I still think I'll pass for now.

Bring The Troops Home NOW!

We need them here to do for us what they've done for Iraq!

Recent polls, as reported by Next Big Figure, show that 17% of Americans believe our country is on the right track. Meanwhile 43% of Iraqis believe things are going well in Iraq.

Thoughts on Violence

While on vacation I went on a tour of the local museum with my father-in-law. They had an exhibit on the Battle of Tampere, which was a significant engagement during the Finnish Civil War. Much of the information was, of course, in Finnish, so after I got home I looked it up on Wikipedia. Pretty stark stuff, made all the more powerful by the revelation that my wife's grandfather fought in the war when he was 13 years old.

Then yesterday I read one of Michael Totten's reports on Bosnia. It occurred to me that Americans--indeed, most of the Western nations--are very lucky. We've lived a life of such relative security that it's almost impossible for us to comprehend that one's government or way of life could ever fall apart. It's difficult for many to understand that while all conflicts can be resolved, some are not worth the cost. It's almost inconceivable for many that someone could feel the "right-ness" of their viewpoint--or the "wrong-ness" of yours--so strongly that they would feel the only proper response is violence.

The reality is that governments can and do fall apart, and not everyone has the same idea of how things should be put together again. People do fear the idea of a rival viewpoint carrying the day that they are willing to kill others to advance their own viewpoint or defend against someone else's. And when someone is trying to kill you, it doesn't really matter if their viewpoint makes sense or has valid points. You don't want them to kill you, so you must be prepared to kill them. And once the killing starts it is extremely difficult to stop it and figure out how to work together again.

It happened in Finland. It happened in Yugoslavia. It's happening in Lebanon and Sudan, and could be about to happen in Zimbabwe. But we in the West sit back and think "Oh well, those were different times, or that's a different culture. We're better than that. We can work out our differences."

And we can, right up until the point when we can't. Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins. We don't have civil war in America because we still believe in the authority of our government. We still believe that no matter how extreme some political ideas may be, the reality will always fall more or less in the middle. We still believe that violent conflict between groups is futile because our government will put a stop to it.

If that ever changes then America could become as deadly a place--if not more so--as Yugoslavia ever was. We could see civil warfare as violent, destructive, and inhumane as anything in Darfur or Finland. Because when someone else starts reaching for their gun to back up their viewpoint you'll want to make sure you've got one, too.

It's all the more amazing to me now to realize that we have a government that has allowed as much freedom as it has while remaining viable and strong as it has for as long as it has. Not many nations can say that, really. We may be one of the younger nations in the world, but when it comes to continual, static forms of government, we're one of the oldest.

It's not come without a cost. I wonder if we are still willing to pay the cost. If we're not, then our government will lose its viability. And if that ever happens you can bet people will be reaching for their guns.

Completely Finnished

...as in wiped out. And back from vacation in Finland. We just spent 2.5 weeks in one of the most beautiful places in the world (perhaps I'm biased). It rained nearly every day it was there, but I didn't mind that much. It's a green country, and they've needed the rain.

But it was a bit of a shock to return to our desert home. Fortunately only from the general environment here, not from the condition of our yard and garden. Both were left in, it seems, quite capable hands. The place looks great, and 2.5 weeks of growth are sure noticeable.

It's good to be home. Here and there both.

Still Here...Sort Of

There's a good reason why posting has been light (okay, nonexistant). Honest there is. Ask me again in a few days.

The Superpower of Imagination

J.K. Rowling gave the commencement address at Harvard. Interesting and thought-provoking stuff. It kinda undoes some of the negative stuff she's done lately.

Caught In Passing

From an MSNBC newsblog:

Mr. Bush is on the final day of his Western swing, where he has two events: a meeting with the head of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City and a fundraiser for a Republican House challenger in Kansas, both closed to coverage.

It's probably nothing exciting--a thank-you visit for our humanitarian efforts, most likely--but interesting, nonetheless. Since we never hear about this, it makes one wonder how often this happens.

Things Always Go Boom Eventually....

I don't know if that's an exact "Ivonova Quote", but it works.

O.S. Card has a new essay out. This time he's skewering Obama about how he should have handled Bush's "appeasement" speech. Or at least he starts out that way.

What he has to say there isn't anything major. My thoughts, pretty much, only more eloquently (and lengthily) put. But then he segues into what Obama's response means for the future: Obama really IS a believer in appeasement, and that spells trouble.

He then dives into a little bit of political history on the election between Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan during the Civil War:

Lincoln, facing probably defeat in the election, called together his cabinet and handed them a sealed memorandum, which he directed that they should sign as witnesses, so that when, after the election, the document was opened, they would know that this was what Lincoln had written at that time.

Here's what was in that memo:

"This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probably [sic] that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the Government President elect, as to save the Union between the Election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such ground that he cannot possibly save it afterwards."

Lincoln's point was plain: McClellan had so bound himself to the promise to declare defeat by negotiating an end to the war that Lincoln had to make sure that between the election and the inauguration the war was won so there would be nothing for his successor to negotiate.

Furthermore, it is an obvious historical fact, supported by evidence from the South, that because McClellan was running with the pledge to let the South have its victory in the Civil War after all, the Confederacy based all its hopes on prolonging the war long enough for McClellan to become president.

In short, Card is suggesting that Bush is preparing to make a decisive blow against Iran in case Obama or Hillary get elected and mess everything up. And if he's not planning that, he should.

Meanwhile, Obama, by his own admission, is precisely the kind of candidate who makes the writing of such a memo necessary.

That's scary stuff. Especially in light of a buildup of forces in the region. It could be nothing. It could be a big something. It could be...

[music cue]...the end of the world as we know it! [/music cue]

Okay, that said, I don't know whether to hope Card is right or wrong on this one. I do find myself hoping that Obama won't win so we don't have to find out right away.

Warning: No Puns Were Spared In This Post

Q: What do you call a nun in a tower?
A: Nun of the above

Q: What do you call a nun who can run an entire marathon without getting tired?
A: Nun too healthy

Q: What do you call a nun who earns at least a C grade in all her courses?
A: Nun shall pass

Q: What do you call a nun who works for you?
A: Nun of your business

Q: What do you call the end of this post?
A: Nun too soon!

In Offensive

Joseph Lieberman has written an editorial in the Wall Street Journal outlining his thoughts on national security and the Democractic Party. I can't speak for his domestic record, but when it comes to foreign policy, Joe's got it right:

A great Democratic secretary of state, Dean Acheson, once warned "no people in history have ever survived, who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies." This is a lesson that today's Democratic Party leaders need to relearn.

Appeasement and Obama - My Take

As if it matters what I think. ;-)

Obama had every chance to ignore Bush's remarks in Israel. It's clear that Obama is not the only one calling for talks with enemy powers. Lots of people in many countries are saying the same thing. He could have claimed the comments weren't directed at him because "appeasement" is not his intention.

But no, he pleads guilty in rising to what may not even have been bait. By objecting he's essentially said that "Yeah, I guess what I want to do could be called appeasement, so you were talking about me!"

McCain, meanwhile, probably should have just kept his mouth shut and let Obama hang himself. But his response of "Obama favors talking with these people. I just want to know what he plans to say" is immensely valid, and for Obama to pretend it's not means he's got something to hide. The American public deserves a chance to vote for the person they think would have the best things to say to our enemies.

Why not answer McCain's question? What if the things he would say are all the right things? Wouldn't that HELP his candidacy? Wouldn't that PROVE he's got the foreign policy chops to get the job done? Why isn't he welcoming the chance instead of throwing up an smokescreen and dodging the issue...again?

Instead he's falling back on his standard response to any criticism: "How dare you bring that up! That's off limits! I won't even validate such criticism with a response! And that goes for both of you, even though McCain was saying something entirely different!"

Meanwhile, he's also mixing in his own brand of misinformation. Bush has not, as he and Hillary claim, been going it alone on Iran. Iran is one place he HAS been working with other nations. There have been times when the other nations have actually talked tougher on Iran than we have. The "Cowboy Diplomacy" they accuse Bush of is exactly what he's NOT been doing with Iran.

So what Obama is really telling us here is that Bush's multi-national approach is not working, and that HE will solve the problem ALL BY HIMSELF by talking to our enemies. This particular quote by Obama is interesting:

"Instead of tough talk and no action, we need to do what (Presidents) Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan did and use all elements of American power — including tough, principled, and direct diplomacy — to pressure countries like Iran and Syria."

This leaves me more confused. He initially claimed we need to talk to these nations. Now he's saying that talk isn't enough--we need to act. So what exactly is he proposing? Why not lay it out for us so we can see how his approach is so different--and better--than Bush's?

I heard no mention of working with other world powers on this. So after so many years of criticizing Bush for "going it alone" that's exactly what HE wants to do! And if we're going to go it alone to back up his talk, just what exactly does he plan to say?! McCain has it right! I want to know!

But he won't say. He does everything in his power, including sulking like my five year old whenever anyone says anything that could be taken as criticism of him. Why on earth would we want this to be our face to the world for the next four years?

Here We Go Again...

I've got another article from Orson Scott Card to foist upon you! This week he tackles science, Darwinism, Creationism, and Intelligent Design. I have a hard time finding anything wrong with his assertions.

To be honest, I have to wonder now if he is really putting into words the things I've already believed but never worked through, or if he's just outright convincing me of what he believes. Perhaps I should read his work more critically.

But he writes so well it's really hard for me to argue.

Space Monkey Mafia

more cat pictures

This one just strikes me funny for some reason...and perhaps I can relate a little. To the monkey? To the victim? Short answer...yes.

Gore is So 2004

It seems Gore doesn't bother to keep current on climate research. According to an article in Investor's Business Daily Gore has blamed the cyclone and resulting deaths in Myanmar on Global Warming:

There's a "trend toward more Category 5 storms," Gore claimed, and this trend "appears to be linked to global warming and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures in the top couple of hundred feet in the ocean, which drives convection energy and moisture into these storms and makes them more powerful."

He's wrong on two points. First of all, recent science has indicated that Global Warming results in fewer, less-powerful hurricanes. Second, research has indicated that ocean temperature has been on the decline for the last five years.

Furthermore, Global Warming enthusiasts are always quick to point out that any weather that doesn't match up with the idea of increasing temperatures is a statistical anomaly, or more colloquially, "weather is local, climate is global". So if I can't claim that the US experiencing one of the coldest winters in some time is a sign against Global Warming, then Gore can't claim that one nasty cyclone is proof positive. You can't have it both ways.

The article goes on to claim that Gore is purposely making these misleading statements in order to keep the public excited about green technologies, which he has invested heavily in as of late. I don't know about that. One man's market manipulation is another man's "putting his money where his mouth is". I'll give him a pass on that.

But not on ignoring two of the most important climate research studies in recent months. For someone of his prominence who claims authority on the issue, ignorance is inexcusable.

Time Travel Trolls

(hat-tip Instapundit)

This is too good! Someone has written a time travel story as a comments forum.

It's good for a chuckle, anyway.

Organized Crime

I've been trying a new organization method to help make me more effective. I have to admit that all it seems to be accomplishing at the moment is making me tired just thinking about all that I have to do. I had an entire evening to work on stuff tonight and what did I do? I transferred all the peripherals that I've been attaching to my computer via the ports on the front to the ports on the back so it looks a little nicer and has fewer cords sticking out all over.

I guess that's something. And I was able to listen to our local congressman's town hall phone conference while I worked, thus justifying the outlay for the speaker phone last week. Yay! Other than that, I feel tired and overwhelmed. I just want to go to bed.

I guess if I look back over my list of tasks and see all that I've crossed off since last week I've done quite a bit. It just seems like there's always more to do, and all I'm accomplishing are the "low-hanging fruit" while I avoid the big stuff.

Fiddle-dee-dee, Ashley. I'll think about that tomorrow.

I Have Only Come Here Seeking Knowledge

Michael Totten is going to the Balkans. I find myself glad to hear the news. That's another part of the world that I know far too little about. I know he'll get the story and get it right.

I find myself wishing I could do what he is doing. I can't, so it's a good thing he can.

Oh Senator Reid...with mind so small...

Further evidence that Sen. Harry Reid, (D) Nevada, is either stupid or dishonest--or both:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid noted after Gates’ announcement that any war commander must be committed to “implementing major changes in strategy” if directed to do so by a new president.

“The Senate will carefully examine these nominations, and I will be looking for credible assurances of a strong commitment to implementing a more effective national security strategy,” said Reid, D-Nev.

The President--any president--outranks anyone in the military. If the President gives an order--even a stupid one--they will obey.

Or does Harry Reid really think that the military is just waiting for an excuse to stage a coup?

As for implementing a more effective national security strategy, that is their job! That's what they live and breathe. Unlike Harry Reid, who lives and breathes getting his name in the paper and blindly adhering to his failed strategy of pushing for defeat in Iraq.

Of course what he really means is that he's looking for assurances of commitment to implementing Harry Reid's idiotic strategy of defeatism and isolationism. We HAVE an effective national security strategy. What evidence does he have that we don't?! Exactly what criteria is he using for defining an "effective strategy"?

General Petraeus will do what he is ordered to do, which is why I have very definite ideas about who I want giving him orders. What I hope is that whomever that is also has the brains to listen to good advice in return.

It's quite obvious to me that one should not look for good advice from Harry Reid.

Father-n-Son at the Mortuary

My five-year-old got a remote control truck for his birthday. When fully charged it goes really fast--too fast for adequate control in our living room. It's more a matter of how many items can it bounce off in less than a minute.

So for our "date" last night I thought it would be fun to take it someplace with a bit more room. There's a funeral home nearby with a fairly large and usually empty parking lot. That would do nicely.

So we drove his truck around the parking lot until the battery ran down. His favorite part? Sitting on top of the van. The lot is big, and he's...well, five. I figured he'd be able to see better from up there. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but evidently it grew on him.

It was a beautiful Spring evening. And, knowing how kids' minds work, a good memory for both of us for some time to come.

We're Having An Ice Age...a Tropical Ice Age!

Are all the Global Warming fanatics screaming up the wrong tree? Should we be more concerned--or at least a little concerned about Global Cooling?

From Phil Chapman of the Australian:

All four agencies that track Earth's temperature (the Hadley Climate Research Unit in Britain, the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, the Christy group at the University of Alabama, and Remote Sensing Systems Inc in California) report that it cooled by about 0.7C in 2007. This is the fastest temperature change in the instrumental record and it puts us back where we were in 1930. If the temperature does not soon recover, we will have to conclude that global warming is over.

The proposed culprit? The Sun:

This is where SOHO comes in. The sunspot number follows a cycle of somewhat variable length, averaging 11 years. The most recent minimum was in March last year. The new cycle, No.24, was supposed to start soon after that, with a gradual build-up in sunspot numbers.

It didn't happen. The first sunspot appeared in January this year and lasted only two days. A tiny spot appeared last Monday but vanished within 24 hours. Another little spot appeared this Monday. Pray that there will be many more, and soon.

The reason this matters is that there is a close correlation between variations in the sunspot cycle and Earth's climate. The previous time a cycle was delayed like this was in the Dalton Minimum, an especially cold period that lasted several decades from 1790.

Of course unlike some, Chapman is willing to admit he may be wrong:

That the rapid temperature decline in 2007 coincided with the failure of cycle No.24 to begin on schedule is not proof of a causal connection but it is cause for concern.

If he then goes on to paint a rather alarming picture he can be forgiven. Global Warming advocates have been doing that for years. It's hard to put a happy face on the notion of a prolonged cold period. Plants do better in warm weather with lots of carbon dioxide. They don't do so well in cold weather. If you think the food shortages now are causing problems, just wait until the US and Canada--the breadbasket of the world--gets hit with cold weather for several years.

The Global Warming advocates claim we should dedicate resources to planning a response to increasing temperatures. I think it's only fair that, given the mounting evidence, we ask that resources be applied to planning for the opposite. To quote Chapman quoting Oliver Cromwell, "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."

Birthday Bash

Just for the record let me state that throwing a birthday party for five-year-old boys is not the same as a birthday party for five-year-old girls. It's like the difference between a 4.0 scale earthquake and a 6.0 scale earthquake.

We threw a party for our middle boy yesterday, and invited four friends. We've had several of these boys over before, but never at the same time. Seemingly mild-mannered kids suddenly become loud, energetic, and lose all attention spans. Fortunately it was only an hour and a half. We managed.

Special thanks goes to my sister who sent us a "Here Comes A..." series DVD a few years ago for Christmas. We had a firefighter theme for the party, so "Here Comes A Firetruck" was perfect. About half an hour before the end of the party things were quickly spiraling toward a five-way tantrum, so we pulled out the DVD as our ace in the hole.

Worked like a charm. They sat still and quiet for twenty minutes. It was great! Saved our sanity and possibly the party. Thanks, Sis!

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

In a campaign season rife with hypocrisy I still have to call Obama on this one:

“So the problem that we have in our politics, which is fairly typical, is that you take one person’s statement, if it’s not properly phrased, and you just beat it to death,” he said. “And that’s what Senator Clinton’s been doing over the last four days.”

Four words, Senator: McCain-Iraq-100-Years

If you're not part of the cure, you're the problem. Or is purposely misrepresenting someone's words somehow excused?

Worthwhile Films

We watched "Why Did I Get Married?" for our date night this weekend. I chose it primarily because Orson Scott Card highly recommended it. Since I've come to value his opinion on many things (as you've no doubt noticed) I decided to take a chance that I also agree with him on entertainment.

We do on this one, at least. Though the movie is a little gritty and frank at times, it is everything a movie should be. It comes labeled as "Black Entertainment", but that's largely irrelevant. Perhaps I don't get all the black subtext, but so what? I'm pretty sure I got what the move was about, what I was meant to get from it. And perhaps I got to understand a bit how the black community is different. I don't think that's a bad thing, either.

Because for one thing, the black community is a faith-based community, and that's a good thing. This movie openly and unashamedly talks about religion and God and living the way you're supposed to. Characters are allowed to give lengthy declarations of faith, and give God the credit for the good things that come from that faith. It's refreshing, and it's about time.

It's a movie with good people trying to do the right thing--and those who are not are not shunned, but not given any comfort in their sins either. One character is almost unredeemably selfish and mean, and though his friends stick with him, they don't have any problem letting him know that they do not approve. An amazing example of hate the sin, love the sinner I wish I could emulate.

Anyway, it's a good movie; funny in spots, sad in spots, uncomfortable in spots, happy in spots--it's a lot like life, and it covers some broad, important ground truthfully. It's worth renting.

Great Name For A Blog

I found this out on I Can Has Cheezburger today:

Cream of Angry Soup

I'm tempted to go lock down "Cream of Angry Soup" as a blog name, but then I can't imagine what sort of stuff I'd post there.

It's All Relative

From National Review Online:
Go see the comparison chart, but in 1996 the Democrats were calling the economy the healthiest it's been in three decades. Today they're calling it the worst jobs record since Herbert Hoover.

The actual facts show a different picture. Not that we can be bothered by those. We have an election to win.

Fun With English

While watching General Conference yesterday one speaker told a story from his Vietnam War experiences, which included loading the wounded soldiers into choppers. My daughter leaned over and asked, "Daddy, why are they putting the soldiers into the chopper?"

It took me a moment to realize that the problem was with the word "chopper". So far in her short life her only experience with a "chopper" has been when the tree trimmer came to chop up the willow tree that blew over on our house. He put all the branches into his chopper.

She was quite relieved to find out that they were loading them into helicopters to take to the hospital rather than running them through a chipper.

Bush Listened, People...uh...Glistened?

I, too, am tired of hearing the old meme "Bush Lied, People Died!". It's not true, but let's never let the truth get in the way of soundbites. That sounds so much better than "Bush Listened To People Who Were Later Proven Wrong!"

But since I don't have a national column, I'll leave the refutation to the professionals (Norm Podhoretz in the Wall Stree Journal).

It used to be that the history is written by the victors. Now-days they're not even waiting to see who won before they try to rewrite it.

Life Imitates Art, Mass Panic Ensues

I know I'm not the first person to note the surreal quality of musical theater: people are having a normal conversation when all of a sudden music plays from nowhere and everyone starts singing and dancing. It's okay, because everyone on the stage is in on it, so we don't really notice.

But what happens when the part of the "townsfolk" is played by actual townsfolk? Behold the Food Court Musical! (Hat tip: Orson Scott Card)

It's not the greatest performance around, but it's a hoot! And the townspeople turn in some Oscar-worthy performances!

--

O.S.C. also posts an interesting essay on Barak Obama and Rev. Wright, and on Hillary vs. Michelle Obama through their senior theses. I don't know if he's changed my mind any, but he's added some perspective. That's not a bad achievement, either.

Fun With Spam!

I check my spam box now and then just to make sure nothing important got stuck there. This morning I realized I'd missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

From: Job Openings
Re: DEVIL, great pay!

Tempting (no pun intended), but no. It may be a fun job, but as I understand it, the long-term outlook is not good. Besides, this is definitely one job where I would want to know, "Why is this position open?"

Signs of the Seasons

It's becoming obvious that you can tell what season it is by how many trips I make to Home Depot in a month. I'm pretty sure that pattern analysis would indicate that I make very few trips during Winter months, an enormous surge in Spring, then tapering off through Summer into Fall.

It must be Spring.

I made another trip last night to get some more composter materials to finish the production run. And we need a new hose. We hooked the old one up on Saturday to water the strawberry transplants and found out we've sprung a serious leak.

So I found myself driving home last night in a rainstorm, watching the lightning illuminate the western half of the sky, and listening to NPR, who was doing a show with the soundtrack to the new Battlestar Galactica series and the composer's explanations of why he used the instrumentation he did (taiko drums and ancient instruments as much as possible). I've never seen the new series. I find myself wanting to.

It was a somewhat surreal moment, and I felt strangely alive.

Date Nights and Genocide

Both my wife and I have said before that we should watch "Hotel Rwanda". This weekend we finally did. If you're looking for a "feel good movie," this isn't it. But it's an important movie, and I say that without any sarcasm. Many movies act important. This one is.

The movie is an eye-opener on so many levels. The characters and situations display the whole spectrum of humanity from its foulest depths to its most noble heights. We in the West really have no clue. We have a hard time believing the world could be that way because we live such insulated lives.

It's so easy to believe it can't happen here. Don't bet your life on it.

It was not a movie one can watch and forget. One aspect of it or another has been gnawing on my mind ever since. I've been questioning who I am, what I would be willing to do, and what I'm capable of. Hard enough questions in the context of my current, cushy life. Much, much harder in the context of the movie. Even more difficult in the context of the movie and my religion.

The movie is meant to make us think, and it's certainly done that.

It's Only A Trash Can

I've got the supplies to make my composters. Now I just need the time and the space. We've been getting a fair bit of rain lately, which makes working outside difficult. Working inside could be a bit noisy and messy--and subject to close supervision by cats and kids. Perhaps tonight I'll get a chance to give it a try. I think everyone at the store thought I was crazy, but they at least gave me good advice on the practical details. I hope.

Spring officially starts today. At least I think that's what the Google logo was trying to tell us today. I'm ready. Bring on a little bit warmer and drier weather and I'm so there.

I know, before long it'll be too hot and too dry, so enjoy it while I can.

Attack of the Replechauns

My two-year-old was telling us all about the "replechauns" over breakfast today. I found it rather cute. My oldest has gone hog-wild over St. Patrick's Day. She spent much of the day yesterday, with her brothers' help, making little paper shamrocks, pots of gold, and leprechaun hats that they'd sneak around the house and attempt to "surprise" their mother and me with. She even set up a treasure hunt.

Her reach exceeded her grasp, however, and before she went to bed she had to delegate some of her plans to her mother and I. To me she bequeathed the "making of the sign." She'd drawn letters for a sign, and I was supposed to cut out the letters and attach them individually to a string to hang up across the top of our stairwell. I colored and cut them out, but instead pasted them to cardstock, drew some extra thematic elements and hung it. It seems to have passed muster.

In other news, though, I seem to have contracted Khan Syndrome; as in "You've managed to kill off nearly everyone else, but like a poor marksman you keep missing the target!"

No, I haven't killed anyone. In my case I've managed to buy just about everything else, but I keep missing the compost bin. You see, my clever design to build composters into each of my planter beds didn't turn out as well as I'd have liked. We're going to remove that feature to secure some more garden space.

Instead we need to find some compost bins that will work. The way our yard is arranged there's really no place to build a big one like we had at the old house, so I've got to come up with something smaller and/or portable.

The other night I took the boys with me and went to Home Depot to see what they have. They don't. But I bought some solar yard lights and a bulk pack of canvas yard gloves. Then we went to a local garden/pet store chain. They had two models, both as expensive as all get-out, with not much capacity.

Saturday I took my older boy and we set out again. We went to a larger farm/ranch/home chain. They don't have anything...yet. We can't wait. I've got to get the compost out of the way so my wife can start planting things. So we went to a local nursery. They don't have anything. We finally ended up at Lowe's. They don't have anything, either, but by that point I was hatching plans to make my own.

I had hoped to pick up the materials I needed. Instead I ran out of time. But as we were leaving I noticed a chipper/shredder. It was electric. It was inexpensive. It was on clearance. It was the only one left in the store. I bought. I took it home. I demo'd it for the kids. It's nice. It's very nice.

And it's not THAT unnecessary a purchase. It will help with yard waste and making our composting efforts more successful. But still, I've spent over $200 in my pursuit of a composter so far and we don't yet have a composter.

Upping the Awwww Factor

They say Congress' approval rating is the lowest it's ever been. I can believe it, after their Daylight Savings in Early March maneuver. Curse them!

In related new, this morning our two boys slept in, and it was starting to look like they wouldn't even be up before I left for work. I was brushing my teeth before heading out the door when two sleepy-headed boys in flannel pajamas padded up to the bathroom door, wanting a hug and kiss before I left.

I was only too happy to comply. My boys give good hugs, though the two-year-old's are sometimes in short supply. He must have been especially sleepy this morning. It was quite a long hug.

The Ghost of Service

A few weeks ago we upgraded our DSL connection from 256 kbps to 1.5 mbps. Or at least we thought we did. Call it the placebo effect--at first I thought it was indeed faster, though I was a little disappointed, expecting it to be markedly faster. Over time, though, I'd come to the conclusion that it there really was no difference from before. Yet both my ISP and the phone company were charging me to price for the faster service.

Last night I had some time to sit on tech support lines. I called the ISP first--not because I suspect the problem was on their end. Quite the opposite, really. I have high confidence in my ISP. I don't think they've ever told me wrong. In fact I was counting on them to tell me correctly so I'd know what was going on. They ran a few quick tests and decided it was the phone company that was the problem.

So I called the phone company. Sure enough, they'd updated my billing, but had not actually adjusted my connection speed. They did so while I was on the phone. Yay! Hooray! I can watch YouTube videos without interruption!

The motto of our phone company is "The Spirit of Service". If by "spirit" they mean "something insubstantial, even mythological" then I suppose they're correct.

My ISP, on the other hand, rocks. When I called in to find out what was wrong with my connection previously (my modem kept freezing up) they not only diagnosed the problem correctly and helped me resolve it (bad modem from aforementioned phone company-who denied having a problem), they actually refused to sell me a new modem. They'd tested their latest batch from the manufacturer and found them to have unexpected problems. They advised me to call back in a few days when they hoped to have a new, good batch.

In short, they refused to sell me something that would not ultimately satisfy me. They apologized for being unable to meet my needs immediately, but I was far from upset. I was all the more determined to buy from them, because I knew I could count on whatever I did buy to work.

And then they proceeded to inform me that I could upgrade my connection speed by six times for less money than I was currently paying. They were restructuring their rates, and if I was willing to move up to the next level it would save me money (and cost me more from the phone company, but it's nearly a wash). Gee, let me think about this a moment....

I don't think I've ever had a company voluntarily offer to charge me less for more. They could have left me on my old service paying the higher prices for years before I might have noticed. They didn't.

I can't recommend Fiberpipe Internet enough. I don't have to call them very often, and when I do I can honestly say I come away "delighted" by their service.

Some other company needs to undertake a Qwest to improve their service, but I'm not naming names.