I know I'm a little late but 1) I'm busy and 2) I am not an artist. I would like to make an animated logo where 'Google' transforms to 'Goebbels' but I haven't the skills to do it. I need to work on the B's yet. I tried to make them lowercase but they didn't turn out right.
Anyway, here is a link to some very dignified design recommendations. Given that Google hires only the best talent, there is no excuse for such perfidy. Again, these are very good and very respectful.
A quote from the link (from Google): "We wouldn't want to create a graphic that could be interpreted as disrespectful in any way."
Google, your PR people are worthless pieces of trash. Look at those submitted logos. Tell me you can't create graphic as tasteful as any of those. I hope the numbnuts at Google realize that their bullshit is protected by the First Amendment.
For the record, I use Alltheweb my primary search engine and Ask.com as my backup. Google is usually choice number three and, luckily, I usually find what I when using Alltheweb and Ask.com.
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As Ike addresses these men from the 101st Airborne Division, many thoughts must be going through their heads. I can assure you that one thought not going through their heads is wondering if any seditionous weasel in Congress will announce to the world that the war is lost if any part of their objectives are not met.
Let us not forget that bloody day on June 6, 1944. Let us not forget the many bloody days that both preceded and followed that day. Let us not forget the men, perhaps some men in this picture, who gave their lives so that others may have opportunity and hope.
Let us not forget that this was not FDR's war, it was our war. "FDR's war" sounds silly doesn't it? It sounds silly today too with another name inserted in there.
Let us not forget the spectacular display of military and industrial might, the likes of which had never been seen before or since, that our great nation put on in the months following June 6th. Let us never forget what we are capable of when we work together for a common goal.
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Yes, he's back. After serving eight years in prison, Dr. Kevorkian is a free man. He said he'll no longer assist those who are terminally ill and wish to commit suicide. So, what's Jack to do? I have an idea.
As of January 1, 2007, there were 3,350 death row inmates in the U.S. Let's put Jack back to work! He can start with the older and terminally ill inmates and then work his way down the list. However, he must make one exception in the chain, for his first 'case' he must rid the earth of the thug turned commencement speaker who was convicted of killing Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulker. Go Jack go!
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Like many Americans, I was surprised to find out that Hillary Clinton failed the DC bar exam in 1973. To her credit, she did pass the Arkansas bar exam that same year. I haven't watched the news today but I am confident that this must be all over such mean conservative leaning news outlets like CNN, MSNBC, and CBS News. Drat that conservative media who buries stories like these!
So it was 34 years ago and what does it matter? Something that happened 30-plus years ago mattered when Bush was running for a second term and it mattered so much that several people had to conspire and create Microsoft Word documents that pre-dated Microsoft's founding to make something 'true.'
I did some searches on Google news. I typed in "hillary clinton failed bar" (sans quotes) and got 169 hits. The first was from Newsbusters.org and the link worked. The second was from the Boston Globe. I clicked the link and the mention was on the second page, fifth paragraph from the end. At least the Globe didn't hide the story like NPR did which was the the third result from the search. When I clicked that, I got a page not found error.
Additionally, I didn't find anything in the NYTimes about it but I'n not surprised either. I changed 'failed' to 'flunked' and only got a story about JFK Jr.
Anyway, I went to the NPR site and did find the story which is more of a blog post. In the article was a quote: "already-known fact that Clinton failed the District of Columbia bar exam."
Already known? By whom? She admittedly kept it secret for 30 years! The link provided by blogger Tom Regan where he claims it was 'already known' links to a someone's blog post dated on May 25, 2007 which simply references that she did mention it in her autobiography. I seem to recall her book made some bestsellers lists but it appears that no one read it or, if they did, they selectively forgot that part.
If she's capable of hiding something from her closest friends for 30 years, imagine what's she's capable of hiding from the American people. There is nothing wrong with failing a bar exam but there is shame in not being able to admit it.
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I just finished reading On Point by Roger Hayes. Roger chronicles his year in Vietnam from 67-68 serving with the 1/5 (mech) in the 25th Infantry Division. The book is an informative read that shows one draftee's view of things during his tour. He details many of the mundane and many of the dangerous things he experienced as a combat soldier. I am not going to give a full book review so I recommend that everyone read it. I will, however, quote one passage from it:
"The next morning we swept another area and found five NVA soldiers hiding in a clump of brush. We killed one and captured four along with two M16's, and AK-47, and two pistols. The butt plate on one of the pistols, a .38, was stamped 'St. Louis Police Department.' We had no idea how the NVA got that gun, but several possible scenarios came to mind. They could have found it on a dead GI or one that they had taken prisoner. We had heard that several antiwar organizations in America had sent weapons to North Vietnam to aid them in ridding themselves of foreign aggressors. We didn't understand how American citizens could do such a thing, but there was a lot about the feelings of our fellow countrymen that we failed to comprehend." (Hayes, p. 187)
Roger, you and I both. Antiwar organizations sent weapons to North Vietnam? I never knew this; oh, the irony, oh the treason. If people really did this and they are still alive, they should be hunted down and tried for treason and, if found guilty, executed.
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It is so rare for me to swear on my blog but this article just roiled me to no end.
Able, but not Willing
From the story:
"Michelle Bailey, a slender, apparently healthy 22-year-old, used a scooter to get around a recent pool tournament at the Riviera hotel-casino. ''Four-inch heels,'' she explained with a laugh, pointing to her lipstick-red pumps"
and
"'It was all the walking,' 27-year-old Simon Lezama said on his red Merits Pioneer 3. Lezama, a trim and fit-looking restaurant manager from Odessa, Texas, rented it on day three of his five-day vacation, 'and now I can drink and drive, be responsible and save my feet.'"
So, you are too frickin' lazy to walk a few miles? Heels are uncomfortable? Too bad. It's too difficult to bar-hop in Vegas and walk from casino to casino? When it's said that people like America but not Americans, this is why. Our society's progressive and indulgent trend towards "if it can be done, why not do it?" and the erosion of morals, values, and ethics is the cause. No wonder companies send work overseas. It's not to save money on labor, it's because of sloth-butt people like this.
On a weekend where we honor our fallen soldiers, sailors, and marines, I have to open my paper and read this garbage. Those who have given all must be turning in their graves and be absolutely livid at how we have devolved as a society and at the sloth of some people who are obviously uneducated, lazy, thankless, and egocentric sycophants with no moral ground.
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Those of you have had the joy of driving on I-78 through Hamburg over the past year or so know what I mean when I say that the area is a mess. One day last fall we were traveling Eastbound and hit the stopped traffic just past exit 23 (Hamburg is 29), which is the last exit before the constriction (not a typo). Once you pass exit 23, there is no turning back and you are at the mercy of the constriction until you pass exit 29 and by that point you are just about out of it. We stopped at around 4:00 pm. We cleared the constriction zone at 5:30. It took 90 minutes to drive five miles.
On Sunday, we were going Eastbound again and this time we bailed at exit 23. Warning signs indicated that stopped traffic was around mile marker 26. We took the Blue detour through Shartlesville then Hamburg. We followed the signs but they abruptly ended. So I followed a sign to 22/78 and ended up having to get on 78 WEST and then exiting at 61 N, turning around in the parking lot in which I saw another Blue detour sign and swung down back to 78 East. Take the detour, it is quicker. I haven't done the Westbound detour yet but if I do, I'll give a report.
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I have a feeling Willie Singletary is going to be elected in November. From the article:
"Records Action News obtained show his drivers license is revoked until 2011 for a slew of traffic convictions, including driving with no insurance, reckless driving, careless driving, running a red light, driving an unregistered vehicle, an entire laundry list of charges that has netted him $11,412 in fines and a warrant for his arrest."
Give the people of Philadelphia what they want. They want this guy as a traffic court judge? You got it. I wonder what the election turnout was in the primary. When the citizen fails to inform himself and fails to vote, he gets what he deserves. Of course, for those citizens who live in Philadelphia and vote, pulling the straight D ticket year in and year out doesn't seem to show any progress either. Perhaps the citizenry there just prefers to stay uninformed and pull that same lever blindly on every election day.
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The MSM has reached one of their main objectives. It appears things are gloomy with no hope or opportunity for improvement. This is a major objective for the MSM on their quest to get a Democrat in the White House in 2009. After years of bleating how bad things are and that the only person who has any say in how you live your life is President Bush, the results are pouring in. It's bad. Your life is terrible. With Bush in power, you cannot achieve your goals. You cannot life your life the way you want. You have the urge to spend on your money on iPods, Plasma screen TV's, designer clothes, and eating out at restaurants every night. You are entitled to a $40,000 car no matter how much it costs you per month and you are entitled to a 3,000 square foot house and if you're "broke" after making the payments, it must be Bush's fault you cannot afford everything you want. Your desire to save money for the future is squashed because you gotta have it now. Gimme. Gimme. Gimme. Mine. Mine. Mine. Now. Now. Now. Freedom of Speech is a myth. People are jailed by the thousand every day for criticizing the President. People are arrested daily for going to a church of their choice. There is no opportunity here. Michael Dell, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey were born billionaires and didn't have to work at all to get where they are. Yup. It's awful here. You know what? The poll is right. A culture of ingratitude, decadence, and entitlement is definitely on the wrong track.
This guy hits the nail on the head:
Made in the USA: Spoiled Brats
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As much as I like to complain about the weather, I must admit we've had a nice run over the past two weeks. According to Wunderground.com, the average high over the last 15 days has been 66.5 degrees F. The average high for this sample is 67.0 F. I still fear another repeat of 2005 when we had a miserable May; especially that second-half. I remember high temperatures in the 50's the week before Memorial Day. That year was the one of the coldest recorded Mays in Boston's history. Even the Boston Globe mentioned it. I don't know why an article from 2005 has a (c) 2006 footer though. Yes, I live 300 miles from Boston but the whole Northeast (and then some) was in the same weather glut that year.
I bought the plants today for my garden and that means the weather should turn sour again soon. Gosh, I can be so pessimistic sometimes. Anyway, I bought 12 tomato (Rutgers, Viva Italia, and Better Boy), four jalapeno, and four anaheim chili. I have two pumpkins started from seed as well as six sunflowers. I toned it down a bit from last year when I had 12 tomato, eight jalapeno, four generic hot peppers, four habanero, and one pumpkin. I still have jalapenos and some habaneros as well as habanero sauce left from last year and I also have some salsa and tomato sauce I made too.
Last week I checked my fencing. It appears to be small, furry animal-proof. In some areas there are actually three layers of fencing. I also reinforced the fence to make it six to seven feet high to, hopefully, deer-proof it. Other than that, I think I am ready to plant which I will do tomorrow or Sunday.
UPDATE: No sooner do I make this post then I go outside to see a rabbit in my garden. Granted, there were no plants in there yet but still. In six years of doing this, that was the first time I saw anything other than a deer in my garden. The deer, by the way, jumped the fence in October after I had pretty much harvested everything. That is when I found out a four-foot high fence isn't good enough. Anyway, as for the rabbit, I ran around the perimeter, which drove the rabbit nuts, to see where he would exit. He bounced off the fence a few times here and there and finally he got out through the gate. Needless to say, I will fix that gate today.
I also checked the forecast this week. Forecast lows for Sunday night are in the upper 30's. I may wait now until Monday or Tuesday to plant.
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It's not quite Googlezon, but it might be close; rumors flew yesterday that Microsoft might try to acquire Yahoo. Apparently, the talks died before they really began, luckily. I would really hate to have to stop using Alltheweb as my primary search engine or my Yahoo calendar. I think we will see some mega mergers in the coming years. Here are a few that I think could happen:
Google acquires Ebay
Wal-Mart acquires Amazon.com
Microsoft acquires Yahoo
Honda buys Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep
AT&T acquires Verizon or Verizon acquires AT&T
H-P acquires Gateway
Samsung acquires LG
Of these, I think the Google-Ebay move is more likely than it seems. Google easily has the power and means do something like auctions. Since Ebay is a monopoly, I wish someone with the power of Google would create some competition in that field. Perhaps they aren't because they see acquisition potential. Google rolls out a lot of stuff and I think it's only a fraction of what goes on there.
Walmazon - 'nuff said; sounds so natural.
Gateway is ripe for takeover. If it isn't H-P, it will be Dell or Sony.
I think Honda will try for Chrysler, if for nothing else, to acquire the Dodge truck line and Jeep SUV line. Toyota and Nissan already have popular truck lines and I don't really think Ford or GM are interested in Chrysler. Then again, maybe Daimler will break apart Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep and sell them individually so maybe Dodge will go to Honda and Jeep and Chrysler elsewhere.
Yahoo will be acquired and not by Google. That leaves only one other suitor.
As for the others, who knows what will happen; just some guesses on my part, that's all.
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Since it seems everyone likes lists, I decided to list my ten favorite movies. Granted, in the past ten years I have seen fewer than ten in a theater and probably rented fewer than ten in the past ten years as well. We bought a DVD player in December and up until a few days ago, had yet to rent, borrow, or buy a movie to play in it. We know it works because we have an "I Spy" DVD game that we have played in it a few times. Over the weekend, someone gave us our first DVD as a gift so know we own one DVD for our player.
Nonetheless, I do like some movies and my aversion is because most of what Hollywood puts out is junk and recycled junk at that so I have given up on going to the movies. I have seen two movies in the theater (both were at drive-ins, every time one closes, a bit of Americana is lost) since 2000. My list is a snapshot of how good movies used to be. Anyway, here are my top ten, in no particular order:
10. Patton - What's amazing about this movie is that is was released at the peak of the anti-war movement during Vietnam and yet it still won big at the Oscars.
9. Platoon - Oliver Stone's magnum opus
8. Saving Private Ryan - Forget Jaws, E.T., or Schindler's List, this is Spielberg's masterpiece
7. Stalag 17 - great to watch around Xmas as this takes place during Xmas, 1944; complete with some BBC "play by play" of the Battle of the Bulge.
6. Apocalypse Now - creepy, funny, and powerful, my favorite Coppola film. Normally I am not a big fan of Robert Duvall but he's fantastic in this one;
"Charlie don't surf!"
5. Blazing Saddles - Absolutely hilarious, some great one liners - "scuse me while I whip this out" "the sheriff is near..."; great stuff
4. Airplane! - way too many funny things to comment on but I can watch this, uncut, anytime
3. Dr. Strangelove or How I stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb - Stanley Kubrick's other great film, Peter Sellers at his finest showing why he was one of the premier actors of the 20th century
2. The Empire Strikes Back - the best of the five I have seen
1. 12 Angry Men (1957) - if I were to pick my favorite movie ever, this one might be it; so well done with superb acting, no special effects, no glitz, nothing, just a plain room with a few minutes from inside the men's room. The viewer is forced to follow the actors' words and actions and the movie delivers; a true masterpiece.
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